The success of marketing copy such as brochures, ads, and press releases depends on the headline—or in the case of an email, the subject line. It needs to grab the reader and compel him or her to take action by reading the brochure or opening the email.
It’s your first hurdle, and it’s a big one.
The headline needs to speak to a pain the reader has or something the reader wants—now. Arousing curiosity is a good tactic. Appealing to strong emotions grabs the attention of the reader and hits him or her on a basic, gut level.
Following are a few ideas to show you how to write your next powerful headline.
Benefits, benefits, benefits.
Create a headline from your main benefit. What will your product do for customers? Get to the point, and show them what they get.
Try a brain dump.
Don’t worry about a great headline yet—get your thoughts down. Add to the benefits. Remember the pain you’re trying to ease. Think about the 5Ws and an H: who, what, where, when, why, and how. Can you use any of those words in your headline? Write five or ten options out, and play with them.
Don’t be too clever.
A little cuteness makes people laugh and helps them remember your product, but too much sounds insincere. People can spot phonies a mile away. Remember, while they don’t care about you, they need to feel they can trust you before they buy.
No false promises.
Misleading promises or incorrect information is always a no-no. You don’t want to appear untrustworthy. One person who doesn’t trust you can suddenly become 10, 20, or more.
Keep it short and sweet.
If your headline is too long, try taking out words or groups of words, and see if it still flows. You probably won’t get a perfect wording on your first try. Take out words like that, really, and just. Use short words and action verbs wherever you can. Make the customer feel as if you are addressing him directly. Speak in the second person—you, not we.
Finally, when you think you have a good headline, let it sit for at least 8 hours. When you go back to it, you’ll see it with fresh eyes. You’ll be amazed at what will come to mind, and you’ll know when it’s ready to go. If you take the time, you’ll surprise yourself at how well you do.
Want more copywriting tips? Join us for a free webinar on “7 Website Copy Tips Guaranteed to Covert Prospects to Clients.”
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