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I've been working in the email marketing space for many years. Periodically I see email promotions, or components of messages that trigger the, "why didn't I think of that?" reflex. On the rare occasion that I have those moments, I am compelled to write about them - and give kudos when they're due. So today, I pay homage to Southwest Airlines for providing me with a "why didn't I think of that" moment and for that I thank you.

This promotion almost completely makes a subject line strategy completely moot in driving open metrics for the Southwest Click 'n Save email program entirely, and in its place? Good 'ol fashioned bribery. It's genius! I mean, really, why didn't I think of that? It starts with a very direct subject line, "Winter fares on sale, plus a chance to win*!" I'll admit, you do have to open this message to see why this is so smart - but if you do, here's the treat: "Keep opening our e-mails and you could win free travel!" There it is, the bribe to continue opening their email. I love it!

Now, as I scrutinize it more closely there are some opportunities to take a great program and make it outstanding. For example:

• - Socialize this heck out of this email and ask subscribers to share this great promotion with their social networks

• - Leverage sites like Twitter, Facebook and even TripAdvisor to tell the masses - further minimizing the need for a subject line

• - Put it right in the subject line, "Open our email and you could win free roundtrip tickets*"

Southwest has done a terrific job at incorporating content that is viral, engaging and fun in their email campaigns but unfortunately are not actively asking their subscriber base to share it or pass it along. The assumption is that the recipient may share with others, but if you don't ask you can't really expect it.

The other question that looms (which triggers a series of other questions based on the response), albeit a terrific promotion, what's the objective? I assume it is either to drive more opens or drive more subscribers. If it is the former, there must be a direct and compelling correlation between open and conversions. If so, is that correlation minimized because the open behavior is less genuine? If is the latter - then why is there no direct call to share with friends?

Or maybe, just maybe - it is just a fun way to gain entry in to a sweepstakes and I am making it way too complicated - which is ALWAYS a possibility. What do you think? Like it, love it, indifferent?