SEVEN HEADLINES TO ENERGIZE YOUR ADS, SALES LETTERS,
AND WEB SITE COPY.
Effective ways to get a prospect's
attention, build interest, and get the sale.
Tips from YourBizWiz
by Grayling Lathrop
Index
of Articles
Every one of your marketing tools needs a headline. Headlines get attention,
make your message easy to read, get your main selling points across, and
lead your customer to a sale. Use a short three word headline for classified
ads. Use headlines frequently in your web site copy to help people get
your main message without having to spend a lot of time online.
Headlines range from newspaper "hit-you-in-the face" to more subtle ones
that don't seem like a headline at all. A hard-sell direct mail letter
might have your headline in all capitals at the beginning:
I'VE GOT FIVE WAYS TO SAVE YOU MONEY--NOW!
Or your headline can be softer and less obvious, more like an important
paragraph in bold at the beginning of your letter:
Here's something I know
you will be interested in.
I've got five ways you can
cut costs 20%--today!
Your headline gets attention when when it appeals to the reader's interests.
Use your headline to point out a problem the reader has or something you
know the reader feels strongly about. Headlines aren't a good place to
list the features of your product or service. Instead, headline the benefit
the feature provides.
"Webbuster gets your site listed high on search engines.
Nothing drives a flood of eager customers to your site faster."
Studies show headlines get even better results if they're enclosed in
quotation marks like the example above. It's a good trick to use from
time to time.
Seven Surefire Headlines
Over the years copy writing pros have found several headline formulas
that almost always work well. Try these headlines, putting your product,
service, or benefit in place of mine.
1. Ask a Question. "Are you worried about filing your tax return
this year?" A question headline gets the reader to answer in their mind.
You automatically get the prospect involved in your message. Many people
will read further into your letter, ad, or web site copy just to find
out what answer or solution you provide.
2. Start your headline with "How to." "How to buy a car without
getting a lemon." How to headlines work like magic. Almost all my articles
start with "how to." People love information that shows them how to do
something valuable. It works for reports or letters that provide helpful
information.
3. Provide a testimonial. The recommendation of a satisfied customer
can go a long way in convincing others to buy from you. "This product
really works! I'm happier and less stressed. Marina Monson-Central City."
Always include the customer's full name and the city they live in. Many
readers won't believe a testimonial where it's hard to figure out who
the author is. "R.A.,LA" doesn't work nearly as well as "Richard Allen-Big
Town, LA."
4. Issue a command. Some classic headlines command readers to
"Aim High" and "Put a tiger in your tank." Turn your most important benefit
into a commanding headline. "Stop rushing through life." "Make more money
this month." "Feel better about yourself."
5. Important news makes a good headline. This particularly works
well for big changes in your company or the introduction of hot new products.
"Richard Benson is taking the helm as our new CEO with a powerful vision
for the future." "Software Central introduces the new Instant Forms 2000--professional
web site forms in 20 minutes."
6. Headline a deadline for a special offer. Most of us are busy
and tend to put off taking action. If you don't get the prospect to act
now, you may never get the sale. "Save Money Now" and "Get More If You
Buy Now" offers increase response.
7. FREE offers often pull the best response. "FREE report on boosting
web site sales" is a powerful way to get lots of interested prospects.
There is a myth that affluent or professional customers are turned off
by free offers. Not true. Simply tailor your free offer to match the style
of your customers or industry. You might subtly headline a "no-cost initial
consultation" or "a bonus Widget 2000 in each package."
Prospects are in a hurry. They are bombarded with hundreds of ads, letters,
postcards, and commercials every day. They tend to skip or tune out any
marketing message that looks like it will take too much time or be too
much trouble to figure out. Headlines simplify the learning curve. A reader
can scan down your page, quickly digest your headlines, and figure out
what you're offering. Once the prospect knows you have something she is
interesting in, she will take more time to read your entire letter, ad,
or web page.
Spice your headlines with action words like save, act, run, feel, and
do. Cut out unnecessary words. Put subheadings in your copy to break up
stretches of text. If someone else is writing copy for you, share some
of these power headline ideas with them. In our hustle, bustle world good
headlines make your sales materials stand out, easy to use, and motivating.
Grayling provides marketing advice and copy writing for those wanting
to succeed at business.
Visit http://www.yourbizwiz.com
for more FREE advice and for all your e-commerce solutions!
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Grayling Lathrop is YourBizWiz!
Email him for FREE advice here:
or call him at (517) 447-4080.
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