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Introduction…………………………………………………………………......…1
11 Specific Skills You’ll Acquire From Reading This Manual…………...6
Chapter 1: The Purpose Of Headlines & Why Creating A Powerful,
Irresistible Headline Is The Most Valuable Thing You Can
Do! ……….. 7
What Is A Headline,
Anyway? 7
What Is It About Headlines
That Make Then So Important? 8
We’ve Become A "Headline
Society" 9
The Most-Read Part Of
Any Ad, Article, Letter, Or Report 10
What The Experts Say About
Headlines 10
What Great Headlines Do
12
1) Get
Attention 12
2) Identify A Target
Audience 13
3) Deliver A Complete,
Benefit-Packed Statement 15
4) Examples Of Features
And Benefits 15
5) Entice The Reader
Inside 17
6) Hint At The Promise
Revealed In The Body Copy 18
What Happens When The
Headline Fails? 19
Headlines Set The Tone
19
The Most Visually Dominant
Text 20
Your One Big Chance To
"Hook" Your Reader’s Attention 21
Headlines Tell Your Audience
Why They Should Be Interested 22
Summarize Your Benefits
Or Offer 22
Communicate What Sets
Your Offering Apart From All Others 23
Without A Headline, There’s
Nothing That Jumps Out At The Reader 23
Without A Headline, There’s
No Reason For Reading The Rest Of The Piece 24
A Headline Is A Tool Of
Convenience That Makes Life A Lot Easier For Your Reader 25
Headlines Are "Telegraphic"
Messages 26
A Great Headline Makes
The Rest Of The Writing A Breeze 26
The Headline Is All That
Most Viewers Ever See 27
Chapter 2: The Underlying Secret Behind Successful Headlines……..
28
Emotions Are The Key—Here’s
Why 28
The Six Basic Motivators
Of Human Action 30
103 Appeals You Can Use
To Emotionally Turbo-Charge Your Headlines And
Magnetically Attract Far
More Interest In Your Message 31
The Right Mental Mindset
For Creating Powerful, Emotionally-Charged Headlines 33
Chapter 3: 22 Types Of Headlines For Endless Creative Possibilities…..
35
There Are Many Ways
To Use Headlines To Your Advantage 35
1) The Direct Statement
Headline 37
2) The Question
Headline 37
3) The Testimonial
Headline 39
4) The Command Headline
40
5) The How-To Headline
40
6) The Indirect
Headline 42
7) The Guarantee
Headline 43
8) The Frustration/Problem
Headline 44
9) The Deep Discount
Headline 45
10) The Personalized
Headline 46
11) The Benefit
Headline 47
12) The "Reasons
Why" Headline 49
13) The Short Headline
49
14) The Case History
Headline 51
15) The News Headline
52
16) The Numbered
Headline 53
17) The "Not This--
But This" Headline 53
18) The "If… Than"
Headline 54
19) The Invitation
Headline 55
20) The Offer Headline
55
21) The Attachment
Headline 56
22) The Combination
Headline 58
Chapter 4: What Do Great Headlines Promise Or Offer?……………….. 61
Guarantees
61
1) Guaranteed Results
61
2) Money-Back Guarantee
62
Instant Gratification
63
A New, Improved Alternative
Or Solution 64
An Easy Way To Try-Out
A Product 65
"Secret" Information
66
Something Of Vital Interest
To A Specific, Targeted Audience 67
Believable Results With
Actual Figures 69
Chapter 5: Techniques And Strategies For Creating Headlines
That
Work Every
Time!……………………………………………….….......…
70
The Starting Point
Of Great Headlines 70
Think Benefits
72
The "Ultimate" Benefit
73
Multiple Benefits
74
Understanding Human Nature
75
1) Most people
are filled with hope 75
2) Its difficult
to resist something that’s both appealing and free 76
3) People generally
like to reciprocate 76
4) Nobody likes
to be misled 76
Arouse Curiosity
77
Use Proven Techniques
79
Write As Many Different
Headlines As Possible 80
Study The Masters
81
Think Of Your Headline
As A 2-5 Second Commercial 81
Stand Apart With Your
Most Unique, Competitive Advantage 82
What Doesn’t Work And
Why 83
1) Weak Openings
83
2) Creating Confusion
By Attempting To Be Clever 83
3) Company Names
And Logos As Headlines 84
4) Vague, General
Descriptions That Could Easily Be Tied To Other Products 85
6 Simple Rules For
Writing Captivating Headlines 86
The Attraction Of The
Specific 87
Talk To Your Prospect
One-On-One 88
Don’t Present The Product—Present
The Reasons Why Prospects Should Be Interested 89
Your Primary Objective
Is To Convince The Prospect To Read On 90
Make It Believable
91
Job #1: Capture Attention
91
2 Important Keys To Success:
The Venue And the Appeal 92
Get The Reader To "Mentally
Experience" The Enjoyment Of All The Benefits 92
Offer Useful Information
In The Copy Below 93
What’s The Big Idea?
93
Idea Starters
94
Chapter 6: 69 Tips For More Effective Headlines……………………..…
96
Chapter
7: 7 Simple Headline
Formulas…………………………………..
105
Formula #1: The Ultimate
Benefit – Fast And Easy! 106
Formula #2: The "Borrow
It" Approach 108
Formula #3: The Brainstorm
Technique 110
Formula #4: The Power-Packed
Combination 113
Formula #5: Forget Your
Product—Deliver The Dream! 115
Formula #6: Use Your Customer’s
Own Words 117
Formula #7: Fill In The
Blanks 118
Chapter 8: Extra Enhancements That Turn Any Headline Into A
Turbo-Charged, Attention-Getter That Pulls In More Prospects
And
Customers!…………………………………………………………......….
126
Add "Quick & Easy"
To Your "Magical" Solution 126
Combine A Strong Benefit
With An Irresistible Offer 127
Convey Your Unique Advantages
Over Other Available Options 128
Add Original Character
And Flair To Your Headline 129
Replace Unnecessary Words
130
Multiply The Value Of
The Offer 131
Chapter 9: Magical Words and Phrases For Winning Headlines….....
132
What Kind of Words
Work Well In Headlines? 132
Words And Phrases
132
Proven Effective Headline
Words 134
Eye-Catching Words
134
Action Words
135
Some Additional Favorites
135
Favorite Headline Word
Combinations And Action Phrases 137
Words To Avoid
140
Chapter 10: Using Design Techniques To Add Extra Impact…………… 141
Font Sizes, Styles
And Colors 141
Choose A Format That’s
Easy On The Eyes 144
Using A Graphic Image
Along With A Headline 145
Turning Your Headline
Into A Graphic 147
Keeping Your Message Clear
147
Key Word Emphasis
148
First Letter Visual Enhancements
149
How To Modify Longer Headlines
For Maximum Effectiveness 150
Other Presentation Enhancements
152
A Few Simple Design Concepts
That Can Dramatically Improve The Impact And
Results Of Your Headlines
153
Chapter 11: A Brief Word About Some Of The More Common
Headline
Applications……………………………………………….....………
156
Sales Letters
156
Display Ads
158
Postcards
158
Door Hangers
159
Classified Ads
160
Brochures
160
Envelopes
161
Direct Mail Packages
162
Yellow Pages Ads
163
Fax Broadcasts
163
Catalogs
165
Books, Tapes And Other
Information Products 165
Business Cards, Letterhead
And Advertising Specialties 166
Newsletters
167
Articles
168
Press Releases
169
Web Sites
170
Banner Ads
173
Signature Files
174
E-mail Messages
175
Discussion Board Postings
176
Appendix
A: Interviews With The
Experts………….………………...……
177
Monique Harris
177
Ken Silver
180
Wanda Loskot
184
Appendix B: Checklist For Effective Headline Writing…………….…….
187
Appendix
C: Suggested
Reading………………………….……………..…..
189
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