Copywriters - 5 Deadly Mistakes to Avoid in Your Headlines

When creating headlines for your ad copy, many home-brewed marketers make a few deadly mistakes that can make the difference between pulling customers like crazy and pushing them away.  Here are 5 mistakes to avoid when creating your headlines:

1.  The headline is simply stated as a fact, and does not create a call to action, or get the person interested in reading the copy (ex. "New and Improved Boat Wax Available starting Monday").  With people nowadays being exposed to over 8000 marketing messages per day, you have about 2 seconds to gain or lose their attention. The sole purpose of the headline is to get them interested in starting to read the copy.

2.  The headline is not tied into your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) in some way. The headline needs to have the USP integrated into it so that your entire marketing plan is built around a single theme for consistency.

3.  You are "we-we'ing" all over your headlines.  Your prospect wants to know what's in it for them. They do not care if you have been in business for 20 years or that you have the best quality in the industry, or that your recipe is top secret (ex. "We have been here since 1926"  "We want your business"  "We are the most respected doctors in the industry"). They want to know how you will solve their pain or give them pleasure. You need to focus your headlines on the prospect, use "you," not "we" when writing headlines.

4.  You have lied to them in the headline just to get attention. Do not use some outlandish headline such as "SEX!... now that I have your attention, buy my spark plugs."  The only thing you will accomplish is to get the person's valuable attention and then piss them off so they will never trust or do business with you.

5.  You are trying to be funny or cute with your headlines.  Again, people get bombarded with 8000 messages a day.  If are trying to make a joke or use words that are silly or cute in order to spark the prospects interest, the prospect will not take you seriously or trust your credibility in the rest of your copy.  Humor has a place, but not in your sales material.

How To Write A Headline That Converts More Visitors Into Customers

In just five minutes you are going to learn how to easily write headlines from scratch with the ease.

But first you need a little background.

You see, when people look at website conversion statistics they often look at a website's statistics from an analytical perspective.

In other words they look at facts, figures and equations instead of looking at increasing website conversions from a holistic standpoint.

Allow me to elaborate because knowing this will change your sales conversion results at breakneck speed.

One of the most overlooked elements in increasing website sales is "website copy."

In particular headlines, or rather writing effective headlines that capture the interest of your website visitor and compel them to stay at your website and learn more.

The reason why writing effective headlines is so critical to a website's success is simply a matter of 'TIME.'

You see people are busy. Busier than ever! So busy in fact that face to face sales is becoming increasingly unnecessary to close a deal.

Even multi-thousand dollar deals not to mention the countless number of transactions under a hundred dollars.

In the case of the internet, your website becomes your front-line sales person and it only gets one chance to make a first impression.

That one chance is about three seconds long.  But if you get them to stay, you can get them to buy.

So how do you make a lasting first impression for any product effortlessly and automatically?

Simple.

You can use my "A.C.E.S. method" for writing headlines that sell!

Here's the short and sweet explanation of A.C.E.S..

A compelling headline has these four elements in it almost ALL of the time.

A - Attention

C - Curiosity

E - Excitement

S - Specific

In other words a compelling headline...

1.  Grabs the attention of your visitor.

2.  Builds curiosity about your product or service.

3.  Builds excitement through the use of powerful 'news type' words.

4.  Is specific to your target market's needs and your product or service.

For example...

A long-time client of mine created a software that slows up video training material so that the user can learn specific moves or techniques faster.

Here's the headline we came up with in only five minutes and STILL it can be improved but the sales results have been amazing to say the least.

"Amazing Software That Manipulates Video So That Anyone Can Learn At Least 3 Times Faster Than Normal . . . Watching The Same Video . . .In A Completely Different Way!"

Do you see the A.C.E.S.?  Great!

But remember, this technique also works for cataloge styled websites that sell hundreds or thousands of products, yet it can still be used for other types of products that, DARE I say it...may not require a sales letter!

Notice I didn't say that it may not require sales copy just not a full fledged sales letter.

Writing effective sales copy or rather writing headlines will remain one of the most effective and probably STILL overlooked methods of converting more visitors to paying customers on the internet.

How to Write Persuasive Headlines That Will Make You More Money From Your Website

Realizing that writing headlines is one of the most important word-related elements of building a website (after getting great keywords, first) is one thing. But knowing HOW to find the words that make good headlines is quite another!

But like all good copywriting; what works, is based on human emotions. In this case it's the 'BENEFITS syndrome': 'what's in it for me'. Find a benefit that your web-surfers are looking for, convert it into words, and you'll make even more money from your website! For instance:


If you're selling Dog Training Video Courses, one of the main benefits dog owners would look for would be the ability to quickly train their dog to be obedient to commands - and therefore get more enjoyment from owning their dog -
headlines like: 'Dog Training: proven system takes just 2 weeks to train a dog to respond to your commands...' or 'Train your dog to "sit", "stay", "fetch" and "come" in just 10 days - with the 'DogTrain' success system' would be effective.
There are many different types of benefits that can work, including 'physical' benefits (as above) or 'psychological' benefits that rely on touching on general emotions, or posing - and solving - common dilemmas.


Finding benefit words is the key to successful headlines. But here's a quick guide to different types of headlines that can use those benefit words to maximum effect:

The 4 most attention-grabbing Headlines for today's market

1. The 'Question / Intrigue' Headline

This relates to the strong 'PSYCHOLOGICAL benefit, and can be powerful in getting into the 'mindset' of your potential customer, providing it relates to their situation. (Example - Software offer to small business owners): 'Are YOU ready for the biggest change in Employment Law since 2008?' This type of Headline not only poses a question which cannot definitely be answered - it also sets up an 'intrigue' as to what the change is, and if the company has already covered all the implications of the law change, or not. So it would be best to find out more...

2. The 'Scary' Headline

This takes the Psychological /Intrigue aspect even further, and can be incredibly effective, if used in the right way. (Example - Software company promoting new anti-virus programme): 'Here's how to disable the latest Computer Viruses - before they disable YOUR business...' This poses a 'threat' of the latest computer viruses, and the intrigue of finding out what they are. It also suggests a solution, in the 'How to' words..!

3. The 'Testimonial' Headline,

There is the 'true' Testimonial Headline - taken from some complimentary words a previous customer has said about your product or service (and agreed on being quoted!) like: 'A first-class xxxxx service... now I know exactly who to call when I next need (xxxxx)...' There's also the 'Press quotes' type of testimonial, quoting a good review of a product before its launch.

4. The 'Offer/Saving' Headline

If you've got a good offer with a great saving - both in MONEY and/or TIME - flaunt it! (Example): 'Here's how you can not only SAVE 25% on... we'll also save you TIME, with next-day delivery, too!' (OR) 'Save 25% on.... and get it delivered within 24 hours - guaranteed!' If it really is a good offer, compared to similar products, it's the first benefit that warrants going in the Headline...

Of course there are other types of Headlines, but these four are generally known as being the most effective in promoting products or services in today's climate, and in helping to make money online - using BENEFIT words in the best ways possible!

Copywriting - Why Many Headlines Do Not Bring in the Business

There is a lot of ballyhoo about the importance of headlines in copywriting.  If you are just getting started it is easy to take this stuff out of context.

The importance of the headline IS paramount in several different formats of copy - in situations where the headline MUST grab the readers attention an effective headline is the difference between success and failure for the ad.

One of my  pet peeves is super-long headlines that try to cram a detailed description of what the product is or does into the headline itself.  This is usually not a good thing, but of course in the hands of a skilled copywriter a long headline can work well indeed.

Most writers doing online marketing these days cranking-out verbose headlines are not particularly skilled however - their headlines are like the desperate guy trying to get a date from every girl who walks by; rattling off a meandering list of benefits hoping she'll hear one she likes and stop and talk to the guy.

Does that sound like a good way to get a date?

No.  It doesn't

It's fairly easy to find examples of this kind of headline writing in copy ebook authors and software designers have written for their own products.   Because these folks are often making products that fit a narrow niche, they feel they need to sell the product in the headline.

Part of the selling DOES happen in any headline.  How much of the selling depends on the state-of-awareness of the reader. 

Example: "Bananas! .59 lb."

Since we are completely aware of what bananas are the headline's objective  is to get our attention with a bargain price.  There is nothing to explain of the benefits of the product because it is already so thoroughly familiar to us. 

This is not, by the way, the sort of headline you, as a direct marketer, should want to find yourself in the position of writing - because it's tough to make money when you have to scream "LOW PRICE!" to get attention.

A much better situation is when your headline can announce some new benefit to your product - either because your product itself is new and innovative, or because you are very clever and have found a way to reframe your old product in a new way - which can result in a real advertising victory by reviving a dead product and re-introducing it with a marketing twist. 

In most cases when selling stuff online with salesletters we are dealing with the harsh realities of free-market commerce: that we have competition breathing down out necks - and their products are similar to ours and also they are willing to sell them cheaper - and maybe their stuff is even better in some ways.

Thus it is a good idea to try to find a way to select the battleground yourself - "positioning" your product in your headline in some way that makes it appear better in some way than other products in the niche.

For example: "Miracle Pill Melts Away Unwanted Pounds!"

This is not inventive these days because it's an old headline.   The idea contained here in the headline is that the pill magically just makes pounds disappear.  That's an exciting claim!  If you are the first and only merchant to claim your diet-pill does such a thing you can profit enormously with such a promise... effortless weight-loss is one of the top 3 best direct marketing claims you could possibly make to sell your product - though there is the additional problem now that many advertisers have made similar announcements and consumers are skeptical because of past disappointments.

Hope does spring eternal however; the basic human needs driving the desire to lose weight are so powerful many people will never give up buying and trying new ways to shed unwanted pounds.

You should try, when writing your headline, to make the broadest specific claim you can in the headline, or imply it there, so you capture interest from the most people.  Don't try to tell everything in your headline or even the top of the letter.  The sale happens at the bottom, in the order-form area - and only happens when you've guided your prospect through a series of agreements in the body-copy.

Agreements like:
"yes, I have that problem"
"yes, I have not found a solution yet"
"yes, this problem is causing me pain"
"yes, if I saw a real solution I would be very interested"

This seems very abstract here and maybe even corny.  

Try applying this to a software product that is supposed to bring traffic to your website:

Headline: Amazing Software Magnetizes Your Website

(This is a curiosity headline... because I make a claim that is mysterious and hopefully intriguing, but I don't try to explain how in the headline.  Many of the writers today would have a bloated headline which tries to explain everything in one mouthful.)

An less-effective headline that tells too much, and tries to sell would be something like:
"Who Else Wants This Automated Software Driving Frenzied Flood of Traffic To Their Website, Credit Cards In Hand and Desperate To Buy?"

(This is a silly headline, yet it's not too far-off the sort of thing I see a lot of writers putting out.  There are a number of reasons it's bad: it's hypey and  cliched in addition to being too verbose.   I see a lot of headlines like this one, and longer - if you read them aloud you'll instantly hear how off-target they are.)

After the headline we might ask a question or imply one like: "Don't you hate it when you put tons of work into making a website and you struggle to get the volume of traffic you need to make any real money?"

Then we go on and say: "Getting enough good traffic is  a common problem.  I had it myself when I was just starting out.  I tried a lot of so-called solutions for getting more traffic, but they didn't bring me the results I wanted.  Each method I tried either drained my bank account, was too much work for just a trickle of traffic, or just unreliable."

(By the way, I just used "the rule of 3" - because when stating problems it just seems more credible if you state them in groups of 3.   There is a rhythm and rhyme to it.)

I am not going to write the whole letter here, but do you see how I already get you agreeing, in your mind, that getting traffic cheaply enough, and without working too hard, can be a bit of a problem?  Most people who try internet marketing have these problems so it's a safe bet if you are selling a traffic-generating product these problems fit the bill. 

I started out writing about headlines - and I've digressed into body copy, because I want you to understand how the headline is an important PART of the selling process, but it is not where the process really gets going.  If you are trying to sell in your headline, you are probably struggling to write good copy.  You CAN state benefits in the headline, but when you try too hard to close the sale you'll just turn readers off.  Instead use the headline and the introductory copy to draw your reader in and guide him or her, through a series of "Yes" agreements to a point, at the end, where ordering your product seems like a sensible thing to do... and the main objections then will be not whether the argument is valid, but whether the reader believes you and whether your product's perceived value exceeds the price you ask for it.

Headlines Are Powerful Prospecting Tools

Many copywriters will attest to the fact that headlines make or break a sale. A subtle change in a headline can result to astronomical increase in sales. A good understanding of headlines is pivotal in a successful internet marketing campaign.

Headlines will fall into three main categories. There are webpage titles, which appear in Search Engine result pages. For example when you do a search in Yahoo, the resulting page has a list of links to relevant pages. These links are page titles that describe the content in the webpage. These are what the surfer will first read to determine how relevant that page would be to them. These kinds of headlines are input in the HTML code of the webpage within the "HEAD" tag. They are only visible to your browser and Search Engine crawlers.

The second kind of headlines is the PPC titles. These are the bold sentences within a Pay per Click (PPC) advert that appears at the top of the advert. These titles are probably the most challenging to create. Due to design issues and restriction of space where the adverts appear, PPC demand you design your title within a number of characters. In Google Adwords, for example, the title is restricted to 25 characters.

The third kind of headlines is the subject line of emails. In email marketing, the subject of the email acts as the headline. Once the surfer opens their mail box, it is the title that either attracts them to click open the mail, ignore it or even worse delete it.
 So what gives headlines such power?

Headlines are probably the most viewed elements on a webpage. Surfers use them to quickly determine a page's relevance. Different wordings communicate differently and as such different headlines communicate relevance differently. This explains why subtle changes have huge impacts. Consequently, headlines are very powerful prospecting tools. They assist in picking out your best fitting customer profile from the crowd.

The secret of harnessing the full power of headlines lies in creating headlines that resonate strongly with your perfect customer profile. Such headlines connect with prospects, draw their attention to click on them to find out more.

You create this resonance by providing the perception of value as being searched for by the surfer. Keep in mind that the surfer is searching for a solution, whether in form of product, service or information. When your headline promises to deliver they will stop to consider you.

Terrific Titles, Happenin' Headlines

You've probably heard the slogan, "You never get a second chance
to make a first impression." It may be a sales pitch, but in the
world of advertising and promotion, it's right on the nose.

Believe it or not, a bad title or headline will turn your
prospects away quicker than bad breath. When you're trying to
promote a business, product, or yourself, you need people to
stick around long enough to hear your sales pitch, right? Well,
a bad article title or sales letter headline will turn people off before they (or you) even realize what's happening.

When you're looking for interesting articles for yourself or your ezine, what's the first thing you read? When you receive a sales letter in the mail, what do look at first? When you stop to think about it, your title or headline is your very first
opportunity to make an impression on your prospects. If that
impression is a positive, creative, and exciting one, you're off
to a very good start. Similarly, if that first impression is
boring, worn-out, or confusing, your prospects probably won't
even bother reading beyond the first line.

Before you start writing, think about your audience. No matter
who they are, titles should flow from the lips easily, and give
readers some idea of what they'll learn by reading on. At the
same time, they should be short enough to be memorable.

Energizing a wimpy title can be as easy Kindergarten, if you'll
just think back that far. Remember when you learned about rhyme?
Well, rhyming is an essential tool for writing headlines and
titles. A rhyming title is catchy, and fun, almost compelling
your audience to keep reading.

Rhyme isn't the only useful titling tool. Alliteration is a great way to dress up a plain-jane title. Alliteration is the
repetition of a particular consonant sound at the beginning, end, or middle of two or more words (i.e. terrific titles). An alliterative title is easy to say, easy to remember, and just plain fun to read.

How to Write Titles and Headlines Like a Top Paid Professional Copywriter

Getting their message out to their audience is unquestionably the single biggest desire I hear voiced by my clients. Bigger even than making lots of money. (Although the money is nice, no doubt about it.)

Is that true for you too?

Well, if so, effective copywriting (articles, press releases, email, etc.) is one of the simplest ways to leverage your time and reach large numbers of people with your passionate message - so they can experience the transformation you offer.

And the top copywriters agree that the best way to improve your copy is paying close attention to headlines and titles. The job of any headline or title is to induce the reader to keep reading. If the headline doesn't grab'em, they'll never get to the message itself.

Fortunately, writing a snappy headline doesn't have to be a mystery. All you really need to know are 3 things.

1) Who your AUDIENCE is
2) The PROBLEM they're facing
3) What BENEFIT(s) they'll get from your product or service

Once you're clear about those things, you've got the ingredients you need to craft a client-capturing headline or title.

Here are 3 simple tips to make that easy for you to get started.

Tip #1: Talk benefits, not features

The mistake most people make is talking about the process rather than of the results the customer will get. Look at the title for this article. Instead of saying "The Art of Writing Headlines," the title I came up with promises the benefit of writing like a "top paid professional." Sounds enticing, doesn't it?

Tip #2: Create a mental picture for the reader

When you read the famous (and much copied) headline by John Caples: "They Laughed When I Sat Down at The Piano - but When I Started to Play. . .," you get a very clear picture in your mind, right? Kinda makes you want to be the person in that picture, amazing everyone with your new virtuoso skills.

Tip #3: Long and clear is better than short and clever

David Ogilvy's headline for Rolls Royce, "At 60 Miles An Hour, the Loudest Noise in the New Rolls Royce comes from the Electric Clock," leaves nothing to the reader's imagination (except putting themselves behind the wheel!).

Use these simple tips to power up your writing. It's going to have a big impact on your ability to get your message heard - so you can impact more lives. Isn't that really why you're in business?