Copywriting Lesson #1 - How to Write Effective Headlines

The headline is the initial pitch and, therefore, the first
impression a reader will have regarding the product described.
Coming up with the right headline may take some time but the
investment of time and effort is well worth it. 

Before one even sets pen to paper, it's important to study other
headlines. Research the market, get to know the target
demographic and get into their heads. The headline should hit
the reader with words that are powerful and enticing. There are
definitely some tried-and-true favorites where sales letter
headlines are concerned. They include attention-grabbing words
and phrases such as:

- Discover 
- The Amazing Secrets of 
- Announcing 
- Introducing 
- Expose 
- Unlock 
- Unleash 
- Secrets 
 
These words are all attention-grabbing in that they imply that
something unknown and powerful about to be described. These
words are frequently seen in sales letter headlines simply
because they work. 

The headline should address some key elements that have proven
effective in garnering interest for the most successful
marketers. There are four principle elements that one should
endeavor to achieve. 

- Self-interest 
- News 
- Curiosity 
- Quick and Easy 
 
The first item, self-interest, addresses what the customer
wants. Any customer wants to know why they should spend their
hard-earned money on the product being offered. This question
can be reduced to "What's in it for me?" As an example, a
headline that addresses the self-interest element might be along
the lines of "How to Self-Publish Your Own Book and Make it a
Best-Seller." Obviously, this heading implies that there is
something in it for the reader and answers the question
effectively and directly. 

The news item means that the product's sales pitch should imply
a sense of something new being announced. The product needs to
be described as something that wasn't available before. A news
headline would imply that what's being advertised is a solution
to a long-standing problem that has only been addressed with the
advent of the product being pitched. For example: "Finally, an
amazingly simple weight loss method that always works. Lose two
or three pounds quickly, look sexier and happier than either
with American's best weight loss secret, without diet, hard
exercise or pills." 

This headline communicates to the reader that what's being
offered is both novel and noteworthy for being much different
than what's been available in the past as far as weight loss
programs go. 

Notice that the weight loss product headline is very long. A
headline need not be only a few words long. Sales copywriting,
where headlines are concerned, is not bound by the same rules
that govern headlines written for newspapers. If a longer
headline seems to constitute a better pitch, there's no reason
to make it shorter arbitrarily. 

A sales headline can even be two or three paragraphs long.
Again, if the headline works better and sounds more enticing in
a longer format, it's better to be effective than to be brief. 

A curiosity headline oftentimes invokes the idea of a secret
that holds the promise of generating something the reader wants.
A good example of such a heading would be: 

"The only way left for the little guy to get rich. Here is the
uncensored message that my wife asked me not to disclose." 

This headline entices the reader by leaving a lot of open
questions. How does the little guy get rich? What does the
writer intend to convey against the objections of his wife? This
sort of headline makes it almost impossible for the reader to
not dedicate a bit of time toward reading the entire pitch. 

The headline appeals to a reader's natural predisposition to
favor those things which offer a quick and easy solution to a
complex problem. Each of the above headlines implies that what's
being sold will reward the reader for following through on the
rest of the text by giving them something that will make their
life easier and more convenient. They also define a problem that
vexes many people and which has yet to be availed of a solution
that isn't overly-time consuming, painful or complex. 

It's generally a good idea to write the headline before writing
the copy. It provides parameters for the persuasive argument
that is to follow and defines the theme of the sales letter. 

Dont be afraid to write several different headlines. It might
take 100 headlines before the one that really makes the pitch
sparkle comes along. This task is so vital to the usefulness and
success of the sales copy that one should not be hesitant to
dedicate a great deal of time toward the effort. Once the right
headline is written, it should jump off the page and make it
essentially impossible for anyone who reads it to not develop an
interest in hearing the rest of what's being said.


To Your Success,
YOUR NAME

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