Thursday 3 May 2012

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?

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