June 21, 2007

How To Write A Headline Without Losing Your Mind

Does writing headlines give you a headache?

For some copywriters they can be the bane of your existence.

And if you are trying to learn how to be the best copywriter possible, it’s a vital skill you must master. It’s been said that 80% of the selling power of your sales letter is jammed into your headline.

A headline has to grab your reader by the collar and jerk them headlong into the copy. Otherwise, you’ll lose your prospect in the first few seconds. You can’t leave any doubt about what your message is, who you are talking to, or why they should keep reading. Once you get tuned into this, you’ll discover powerful headline ideas are all around you every single day. Open your eyes and start looking for them–I promise you’ll find a rich supply of inspiration.

For example, your headline can be inspired by current events or news that is totally relevant to the reader’s current situation.

Here’s one that will show you exactly what I’m talking about…

“Cheated Out Of House And Home: Don’t Let These Scams Happen To You”

Think that might pump up the curiosity factor and keep a homeowner reading? What’s this all about anyway? Gotta find out! And nope, I didn’t write this one. I’ll show you where I found it when you watch my podcast. It might surprise you!

Another important angle for your headines is how your prospect will benefit from taking advantage of whatever your product or golden opportunity is. What’s their problem and how can you solve it? Crawl into their heads and talk to them about what’s bugging them…in this case, literally!

“Pesticide-Free Pest Control: Nontoxic Strategies For Keeping Bugs And Rodents At Bay”

Okay, so it’s not very sexy. Matter of fact, it’s not even hypey! :0)

But like a termite with lockjaw, this grabs onto folks who have cockroaches doing the cha-cha in their kitchens at night or ants reclining in their guacamole. This could be taken even further if you were writing a long-form sales letter, perhaps infusing a few more benefits regarding the health of their children or pets.

There are lots of great ways to construct killer headlines that set the tone for your copy. It’s really not rocket science, but there is a certain artfulness to it. And YES you can learn to do it very well! You don’t need to depend on templates or the same old tired swipes for the umpteenth time either.

I’ll give you a few more tips and ideas for how to do that in today’s podcast. See you there!