Latest / The Newsletter Podcast with Fexingo: Substack, Beehiiv, and Email Newsletter Business / How Newsletters Are Using Swipe Files to Boost Conversions
Transcript
- Lucas: Luna, have you ever stared at a blank subject line field for ten minutes, knowing that single line decides whether sixty percent of your list opens the email or ignores it? Luna: Oh, every week. It's the worst. I've literally typed and deleted the same subject line five times in a row. Lucas: Right. And the fix is almost embarrassingly simple — it's called a swipe file. A collection of proven subject lines, CTAs, opening sentences, and landing page copy that you've collected from top performers. You don't copy them verbatim. You study the pattern and adapt. Luna: So it's like a cheat sheet of what's already worked. But doesn't that risk everything sounding the same? Lucas: That's the pushback I always hear. But here's the thing — the best swipe files aren't about cloning. They're about understanding the architecture behind a high-performing line. Take Morning Brew's subject lines. They almost always follow one of three patterns: a surprising data point, a bold prediction, or a relatable confession. Lucas: One of their highest-open subject lines last year was literally 'We were wrong about this stock.' That's a confession pattern. It works because it triggers curiosity — what did they get wrong? And it signals honesty, which builds trust. Luna: Okay, but that's a specific brand voice. Can a smaller newsletter writer pull that off without sounding like they're trying too hard? Lucas: Absolutely. The pattern works regardless of scale. The key is to make the confession specific to your niche. If you run a gardening newsletter, a subject line like 'I killed my hydrangeas — here's what I learned' is the same architecture. It's a confession, it's specific, and it creates a curiosity gap. Luna: Curiosity gap — that's the term. I've seen studies that say subject lines that create a curiosity gap can lift open rates by fifteen to thirty percent. Lucas: Exactly. And that's where a swipe file becomes invaluable. Instead of guessing what form of curiosity gap works, you archive the ones that performed well for other writers. The Hustle, before it was acquired, had a subject line that simply said 'Apple's biggest mistake.' Period. That's pure curiosity gap — you have to open to find out what mistake they're talking about. Luna: But if everyone uses the same pattern, don't readers get immune to it? Lucas: That's a real risk, which is why your swipe file needs to be a living document, not a static list. You're constantly adding new patterns and retiring ones that feel stale. And the best swipe files aren't just subject lines. They include CTAs, opening hooks, even closing lines that drive clicks. Luna: What's an example of a CTA pattern that consistently works? Lucas: The 'because' pattern. There's a famous study from a few years ago where researchers found that adding the word 'because' to a request — even with a trivial reason — dramatically increased compliance. In email, that translates to CTAs like 'Click here because we found a better tool' or 'Read this because your competitors already are.' The word 'because' signals a reason, and humans crave reasons. Luna: That's almost too simple. But I've definitely clicked more when I see 'because' in a CTA. Lucas: Right. And you can build a whole swipe file section just for CTA patterns. Another one is the 'negative framing' pattern — 'Don't miss this...' or 'Stop wasting money on...' It works because it taps into loss aversion, which is psychologically stronger than gain anticipation. Luna: So where do you actually find these examples? I can't just subscribe to every newsletter out there. Lucas: You can, actually. But more practically, there are tools like Swipe-Worthy that curate high-performing email copy from top brands. Copyblogger has an archive of winning subject lines. And honestly, just subscribing to ten newsletters in your space and saving their best lines into a spreadsheet takes maybe thirty minutes a week. Lucas: The trick is to tag each entry by pattern type — curiosity gap, confession, data point, bold prediction, negative framing — so when you sit down to write, you can quickly browse patterns that fit your content. Luna: Okay, but what about the ethical line? If I'm studying someone else's subject line and adapting it, is that inspiration or imitation? Lucas: It's inspiration as long as you change the specific words and apply it to your own topic. You're not stealing the line 'We were wrong about this stock.' You're stealing the architecture: confession + specificity + curiosity. That's a formula, not a piece of intellectual property. And formulas are fair game. Luna: Fair. I think the fear of being unoriginal holds a lot of writers back from even looking at what works. Lucas: It does. And that's a shame because the data shows that most readers don't read every newsletter. They're not comparing your subject line to Morning Brew's side by side. They just want to know if this email is worth their time. A proven pattern gives them that signal instantly. Lucas: Let me give you a concrete example from my own file. I saved a subject line from a B2B newsletter that said 'Your website is leaking money.' That's a negative framing pattern with a specific metaphor. For a productivity newsletter, I adapted it to 'Your morning routine is leaking time.' Same structure. Different niche. Luna: And did it outperform your average? Lucas: About twenty-two percent higher open rate than my average that month. I wouldn't have written it without that swipe file entry. Luna: That's a pretty strong endorsement. So what's the minimal viable swipe file you'd recommend for someone starting today? Lucas: Three sections. Subject lines, opening hooks, and CTAs. Collect ten examples in each. Use a simple table with columns for the original text, the pattern type, the source, and what you think made it work. That's it. Thirty minutes of work, and you have a resource that will pay for itself in higher open rates and click-throughs immediately. Lucas: And here's the meta tip — the swipe file itself is a form of practice. Every time you add an entry, you're training your eye to recognize what makes effective copy tick. After a few months, you won't need to look at it as often because the patterns will be internalized. Luna: So it's like deliberate practice for writers. Lucas: Exactly. The same way a musician learns covers before writing originals. You absorb the grammar of the form until you can improvise within it. Luna: I love that framing. One thing I wonder — do you think swipe files work differently for newsletters that are purely informational versus ones that sell a product? Lucas: Great question. For informational newsletters, the goal is usually to get the open and maybe a click to the website. So subject lines and opening hooks are the priority. For product newsletters, the CTA patterns become more important because you're driving a specific action — buy, sign up, book a call. Lucas: I've seen product newsletters use a CTA pattern called 'the direct ask' — simply 'Buy now' or 'Get started' — but the ones that outperform add a benefit. 'Get started — first month free' or 'Buy now — save 20 percent.' That benefit framing is another pattern worth collecting. Luna: So you'd recommend separate swipe file sections for each type of goal. Lucas: Absolutely. And if you're a solo writer, you can keep it all in one document but tag each entry with the goal type. It's a small investment that compounds over time. Luna: You know, this conversation has actually made me realize I should probably start my own swipe file today. I've been relying on instinct and it's hit or miss. Lucas: That's exactly why I wanted to cover this. Most writers spend hours on the content and minutes on the subject line, but the subject line is what gets the content read. A swipe file shifts that balance without adding more time. Lucas: And if these marketing conversations have sparked something you've actually used in your own newsletter, consider supporting the show. It keeps these episodes ad-free and lets us dive into niche topics like this without worrying about sponsor constraints. You can find us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Yeah, it's a small way to keep the podcast independent. We don't do ads, so listener support is what makes this sustainable. Lucas: Exactly. And now back to swipe files — one more pattern I want to mention is the 'numbered list' subject line. '5 ways to...' or '3 mistakes...' These consistently perform well because they set a clear expectation of length and structure. Readers know what they're getting. Luna: I've seen those, but they can feel a bit clickbaity if the list inside doesn't deliver. Lucas: That's the risk. The swipe file should only include examples where the content actually delivers on the promise. If you save a subject line like '10 secrets your dentist won't tell you' but the email is fluff, that's a bad entry. The pattern is only as good as the follow-through. Luna: So you're curating for integrity as well as performance. Lucas: Exactly. The best swipe files are built from emails you actually enjoyed reading. That way you're not just copying a structure — you're understanding why it felt satisfying. Luna: I think that's the key insight. It's not about gaming the system. It's about learning from great writers. Lucas: Right. And the great writers do the same thing. I once heard a top copywriter say he has a swipe file with over 500 entries. He's been building it for a decade. And he still references it before every campaign. Luna: That's humbling. If the pros are doing it, there's no excuse for the rest of us not to. Lucas: Exactly. So here's my challenge to anyone listening: this week, start your swipe file. Just three sections, ten entries each. See if it doesn't change the way you write. Luna: I'm going to do it. And I'll report back on how it goes. Lucas: I'd love to hear. And if you have a favorite subject line pattern that's worked for you, share it with us. We might feature it in a future episode. Luna: Alright, that's a wrap for this week. Thanks for listening, and happy swiping.