Are you maximizing your marketing results by using headlines at every
opportunity?
Without a powerful headline, your message stands little chance in an
increasingly competitive marketplace. If your headline doesn't capture
attention and pull prospects inside, the rest of your marketing effort
is meaningless.
Nothing is more important to getting your message noticed than your
headlines. If you're not allocating a sizable percentage of your time and
creative effort to your headlines, you could be losing out on a large chunk
of business.
Top copywriters understand this concept well. They know how essential
it is for the headline to capture attention by literally stopping prospects
in their tracks. Here are five good reasons why headlines deserve greater
emphasis and attention.
1) Headlines Are Natural Attention-Getters.
We all have a tendency to read headlines first, before delving into any
body copy. They stand out visually, thus compelling people to pay attention
to them first. Headlines act as leads that are set above and separate from
the rest of the text. This naturally attracts the eye of the reader and
pulls him towards the headline.
According to advertising legend David Ogilvy, 5 times as many people,
on average, read headlines as read the body copy of an ad. With 5 times
the readership, headlines have a unique opportunity to make any message
many times more successful.
2) Headlines Serve As Valuable Guides.
Headlines tip off readers. They provide a clear signal to help readers
decide whether they should stick around for the full message, or dash off
to something else that's better suited to their own special interests.
As a quick summary of the entire piece, headlines either attract continued
interest and readership, or they repel it. Without a headline, the reader
is forced to wade through a portion of the text to understand the meaning.
When you force readers to do this, you risk losing them altogether. In
effect, having no headline will cost you at least 80% of your potential
audience!
3) Headlines Prepare The Reader For What's
Coming. Headlines fuel interest. They start the reader's motor
running. A good headline sets up a feeling of expectation as the reader
anticipates discovering more and can't wait to get it!
Successful headlines address a specific audience. They open the reader's
mind to new possibilities and expand his level of enthusiasm and interest.
The best headlines involve the reader in some way which virtually guarantees
sustained attention-- at least until the reader finds the information he
seeks, loses interest, or places an order.
4) Headlines Simplify The Learning Curve.
Every headline serves to introduce whatever follows. As an opening or a
lead-in, the role of the headline is to succinctly communicate the essence
of the message it precedes.
Effective headlines and sub-headings reveal key bits of information‹often
with the added power of emotion. A review of the various headings alone
can often provide one with the gist of a given message. This makes it faster
and easier to understand and remember.
When you make it easier for your prospects to read and comprehend your
messages, you increase the chances of your own success.
5) Headlines Allow You To Deliver Your
Biggest Bang Up-Front. You have the opportunity to capture attention
and interest at the outset, by using your most appealing selling point
in the headline. If your strongest, most desirable product attribute fails
to pull prospects in, surely nothing else you could ever say would do the
trick, either.
The stronger your headline, the more readers that are exposed to your
message will read on. Create every headline to command attention and inspire
interest. The more alluring and irresistible you can make it, the more
genuine prospects you'll attract and ultimately, the better results you'll
achieve.
Headlines are powerful marketing tools when used correctly. Take a good
look at the headlines you're using in your own ads, brochures, sales letters,
and web pages. Keep an eye out for additional headline and sub-heading
opportunities. Make your headlines impossible to miss and difficult to
ignore and watch your results soar!
