About
Copywriting Headlines and Marketing
by Clay Marafiote
Here is an
article about Copywriting Headlines and Marketing.
Why are headlines important and what will good ones do for you?
Increase the number of prospects who actually read your promo!
Of course, the supporting copy (the copy below the headline) still needs to do a convincing job of getting a prospect to call you but the process starts with a compelling headline that grabs your
prospect's interest.
The first thing you need to know is that over the years, many years, copywriting pros have discovered a handful of proven headline formulas.
Here's what works:
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 and digging deeper into your letter, ad, or website copy just to find your proposed solution.
Start with "how to": "How to buy a car without getting burned." These headlines work like magic because people love information that shows them how to do something valuable or solve a problem -- they work especially well for reports or letters.
Use a testimonial. Recommendations from satisfied customers can go a long way in convincing others to buy from you: "ABC product really works! I'm happier and less stressed-out!" Marina Monson - Central City, MA.
Note: Always include the customer's full name and (at least) the city they live in. Many readers won't believe a testimonial where it's hard to figure out who the author is. B.K., Miami doesn't work nearly as well as Bob Brown - Miami, FL.
Give a command. Some classic headlines command readers to "Aim High" and "Put a tiger in your tank." Make your most important benefit a commanding headline: "Make more money this month." "Lose weight." "Feel better about yourself."
Broadcast important news. This works well for big changes in your company or introducing new products: "Gerry Newsome takes the helm at Inside Navigation Magazine." "Smart Home Office introduces Instant Forms 2007, professional website forms in under 10 minutes."
Promote a special offer deadline. Most of us are busy and tend to procrastinate (not you, of course, but most of us). If you don't get your prospect to act right away, there's a good chance you'll lose her. "Save Money Now" and "Get More If You Buy Today" offers usually increase response.
Prospects can't get enough of FREE: Headlines like, "FREE report on boosting website sales" are powerful tools for getting lots of interested prospects. Oh, and forget about the myth claiming that affluent or professional customers are turned off by free offers it's not true. Just tailor your free offer to match the style of your customers or industry. You might subtly headline a "No-cost initial consultation" or "Bonus widget included in each package".
Marketing Tip
Like you, your prospects are in a rush. And they're 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 to read (or figure out).
Headlines simplify the sorting out process, letting prospects decide if they should scan down your page, quickly digest your
subheads (yep, these are important, too) and figure out what you're offering. Once the prospect knows you have something she's interested in, she'll take more time to read your entire letter, ad, or web page.
There are a few other tricks-of-the-trade you can use in creating
powerful headlines, but for now, just remember.
If your headline doesn't grab your prospect's attention, you'll never get the chance to tell them how great your product is!
Headlines Copywriting and Marketing Resources:
-Free tutorials on copywriting, web content, advertising
|
