Headlines across the business world are – causes for much frustration and agony, because they can kill your promotion before it takes off. So if you’ve ever wondered how to write profitable headlines, this post will show you how to get started.
Did you know? 73% of readers make a “Yes” or no decision at the headline!
That’s right.
We’re conditioned to screen ads, and marketing copy to protect our wallets. This includes (all) the copy you write for your business.
So your challenge is to write copy that encourages people to read on… copy that silences their B.S. radar… copy that connects with them emotionally.
Emotion is the key to making stylish (+ hype free) sales.
Emotions communicate the benefits of what you’re selling.
However, emotions alone are not going to make the sale. Your emotions also have to pass what Clayton Makepeace calls the “forehead slap.”
Meaning, your benefits have to speak to your dream client’s true benefits. The stuff that makes their life easier, pain free, simpler, happier.
Let’s say you’re selling a car and you want to advertise its benefits. So you include things like comfortable leader seats, mahogany dashboard, bespoke mags, and other cool things that will make your car stand out from others… and the buyer happy, right?
Well, sort of. Sure, all of those luxe features are nice. But they are… features.
Car buyers don’t wake up one day, slap themselves in the forehead and say, “Gee, I need a new car with comfortable leader seats, mahogany dashboard, and bespoke mags.”
You won’t.
What you really want is a car that makes you feel good… that lets you be the king of the road. You want envious neighbours giving you the evil eye… you want a safer ride for your newborn baby… you want a car that doesn’t break down every week. You want a car that rides well (+ safely) in all weather conditions.
You want a car that makes you feel GOOD.
THAT is the true benefit of selling a car. The other stuff is just window dressing.
So when you write headlines you need to keep these true benefits in mind.
They need to clearly communicate what your client’s will get, and how your “thing” will make their life better, happier, pain free, stress free, etc.
Headlines that work.
How-to headlines still work as well today as they have decades ago. One way to write kick-ass how-to headlines is by incorporating a cause-effect statement. So if the first benefit becomes reality, then the second part of the headline (expressed benefit) will automatically become true as a direct result of the preceding benefit.
For example:
- How to Dress for Success, and Snatch the Best Jobs
- How to Cut Sugar from Your Diet, and Lose 10 Kilos in 30 Days
- How to Sleep Like a Baby, and Wake Up Happy Every Morning
The expressed benefit assumes that when you do A, B happens automatically. It has a lot to do with our perception of how things work, which is greatly influenced by advertising moguls.
Reasons Why Headlines…
Reasons-why headlines arouse curiosity. And curiosity is a great weapon of mass seduction.
Here are two example headline scripts:
- Why [Subject] [Strong Declaration] [Irresistible Promise]
- Why Women Who Dress in “Product Name” Always Get the Hunkiest Men
How to Self Critique Your Headlines.
You can self-critique your headlines with Bob Bly’s simple, yet powerful 4U formula – Bob is one of the best copywriters that has ever graced this planet. Copywriters often use his 4U formula to critique their work, as a guideline for a headline’s strength.
Now you can self critique yours with the following formula.
Your headlines must:
- Be USEFUL to the reader,
- Provide a sense of URGENCY,
- Demonstrate a UNIQUE approach; and
- Do all of the above in an ULTRA-SPECIFIC
Get dozens of proven headline formulas.
I’ve given you two very useful and proven headline examples in this blog post. You can take these and start writing better headlines. But really, there’s dozens of ways you can write a compelling (hype free) headline.
Remember, 73% of readers make their buying decision at the headline.
If you want to write better headlines start by learning how to turn your about page into a lead magnet. Join us, HERE.
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Here’s to making marketing deliciously dreamy, fun + profitable.
