Tuesday 16 August 2011

Writing Headlines That Work

No matter which media you're using headlines are necessary for sales. This is because a headline, if done well, will attract the reader's attention. Once you have their attention you will need to continue to keep their attention, but that is a subject for another place and time.

There are several headline themes that work. When you sit down to write a headline, first decide which theme would work best for the campaign you have in mind. If you're not sure which method will work it is best to try writing a headline using several strategies. Once you have them written test them out on yourself, friends and family to see which one grabbed their attention most effectively.

Since the headline is the most important part of your campaign it will be responsible for about 80% of your success. Here are eight headline themes to get you started on the right track.

Getting Right To The Point - Just basically say it. Don't try to be clever or amusing. Don't use puns; just say it in a straightforward way. Most often used when the offer is a clear solution to the problem or if you have a very strong offer.

It also works well when you have a well-known product or service or if you are promoting a brand name that is very recognized.

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Be the first to receive your free buyers guide to foreclosure properties Main Benefit - Starting off telling the reader about the main benefit will give you a more targeted audience. They will only continue to read if this benefit appeals to them. This is your chance to use excitement and to start preselling your product or service.



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Make It Newsy - Instead of the typical headlines you see make it appear like a news story headline you see in your daily paper. Some often-used words used by newspapers are: Announcing, Exposed, Discover, Introducing. To find more headline just look at the headlines in any newspaper or tabloid. Don't laugh tabloids have some of the greatest headlines you'll ever find.

New Weight Loss Method Exposed

Discover The Newest Way To Grow Tomatoes

Introducing The Latest Techniques To Improve Your Credit Rating

The How-To Headline - One of the most used techniques for writing headlines is the HOW-TO method. The idea here is promising to fill a need that the reader wants to be able to do.

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The Question Headline - This ploy gets the reader involved right off the bat. Pose your question so that it stems off the main benefit of your product or service. The reader should automatically agree with the question and want to know how they can solve the problem posed.

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Make A Demand - Right off the bat you are leading the customer, telling them exactly what you want them to do. The thought here is if you start off telling them what to do they will continue to do what you want through the entire process. That way when they get to the buy now button they will do that, too.

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Information - People come to the Internet for information. It's what we crave. Information is power. So we want to know the secrets, the tips, the hints, the laws, the rules and the systems that will give us the upper hand.

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Testimonial - Having a testimonial in your headline gives credence to your product by giving an unbiased opinion from a third party. It also lets the reader know that someone else has already bought the product and like the results enough to tell others.

"Easy to learn software. I was up and running in 10 minutes"

"I lost 20 pounds in 2 weeks on this diet"

"It was the best product I ever bought"

There are many ways to compose your headlines and although many of the most successful headlines have been eight words or less doesn't mean yours must be this short. The only thing that is necessary is that your headline has to grab the attention of the person reading. They must be compelled to read on and the best way to ensure this is to make them believe what you are going to tell them is going to make their life better.

Writing sales letters is very complex and even professionals that get paid $10,000 for one don't hit a home run every time. The headline is the most important part of the sales letter but it alone will not make the sale. The headline is only the tip of the iceberg and the body of the sales letter is necessary to make the prospect become a customer.

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