Writing Headlines that Work

No matter which media you're using, headlines are necessary for sales. This is because a headline, if done well, will attract the reader's attention. Once you have their attention you will need to continue to keep their attention, but that is a subject for another place and time.

There are several headline themes that work. When you sit down to write a headline, first decide which theme would work best for the campaign you have in mind. If you're not sure which method will work it is best to try writing a headline using several strategies. Once you have them written test them out on yourself, friends and family to see which one grabbed their attention most effectively.

Since the headline is the most important part of your campaign it will be responsible for about 80% of your success. Here are eight headline themes to get you started on the right track.

Getting Right To The Point - Just basically say it. Don't try to be clever or amusing. Don't use puns; just say it in a straightforward way. Most often used when the offer is a clear solution to the problem or if you have a very strong offer. It also works well when you have a well-known product or service or if you are promoting a brand name that is very recognized.

§ Instant Tax Refund

§ Two Suits For The Price Of One

§ Be the first to receive your free buyers guide to foreclosure properties

Main Benefit - Starting off telling the reader about the main benefit will give you a more targeted audience. They will only continue to read if this benefit appeals to them. This is your chance to use excitement and to start preselling your product or service.

§ Get The Body You've Always Wanted

§ Create Wealth Few Can Only Dream About

§ Free Video With Every Purchase

Make It Newsy - Instead of the typical headlines you see make it appear like a news story headline you see in your daily paper. Some often-used words used by newspapers are: Announcing, Exposed, Discover, Introducing. To find more headline just look at the headlines in any newspaper or tabloid. Don't laugh tabloids have some of the greatest headlines you'll ever find.

§ New Weight Loss Method Exposed

§ Discover The Newest Way To Grow Tomatoes

§ Introducing The Latest Techniques To Improve Your Credit Rating

The How-To Headline - One of the most used techniques for writing headlines is the HOW-TO method. The idea here is promising to fill a need that the reader wants to be able to do.

§ How To Lose 40 Pounds In 40 Days

§ How To Build The Deck You'll Love To Use

§ How To Find The Perfect Home

The Question Headline - This ploy gets the reader involved right off the bat. Pose your question so that it stems off the main benefit of your product or service. The reader should automatically agree with the question and want to know how they can solve the problem posed.

§ Are You're Marketing Efforts Paying Off?

§ Do You Sleep Well Through The Night?

§ Can You Really Grow New Hair?

Make A Demand - Right off the bat you are leading the customer, telling them exactly what you want them to do. The thought here is if you start off telling them what to do they will continue to do what you want through the entire process. That way when they get to the buy now button they will do that, too.

§ Be Your Own Boss

§ Stop Losing Your Hair

§ Kiss That 9 to 5 Job Away

Information - People come to the Internet for information. It's what we crave. Information is power. So we want to know the secrets, the tips, the hints, the laws, the rules and the systems that will give us the upper hand.

§ Just Released Secrets To Success

§ 20 Health Tips To Make Your Life Better

§ Free Report On Understanding Alzheimer's Disease

Testimonial - Having a testimonial in your headline gives credence to your product by giving an unbiased opinion from a third party. It also lets the reader know that someone else has already bought the product and like the results enough to tell others.

§ "Easy to learn software. I was up and running in 10 minutes"

§ "I lost 20 pounds in 2 weeks on this diet"

§ "It was the best product I ever bought"