How to Develop winning headlines

How To Develop Winning Headlines....
A Powerful Tool In Creating A Successful Business
Did you know that 5 Times As Many People Read Headlines As They Do The Rest Of Advertising Copy ?...
So Make Each Word You Write In Your Headline `Count'.

How many people in small business can say that their marketing and advertising efforts are cost effective, meet expectations, or even work? My guess is that most would answer NO, or would at least say that it could be much better. In fact, many new businesses inappropriately spend a great deal of money on advertising, which can contribute to them being seriously in debt. This need not be the case. Well-planned advertising is the greatest asset your business can have…. you just need to know how to do it the right way and add to it a flare of creativity.

Good marketing techniques are something that needs to be learnt, and then it becomes a way of thinking. As the saying goes `It's not hard when you know how'. So…. let's go to work and I will show you the art of `keeping it simple' and how to create headlines that will 'pack-a-punch' and change your business overnight.

The first thing you need to do is to get to know your customers or clients, the people who are going to buy from you. They have both wants and needs, so aim to satisfy them. With this in mind, never underestimate the power of a well-written headline, it can be the most valuable asset you can have in increasing your sales and bottom line profits. In fact, 5 times as many people read headlines as they do the rest of advertising copy ?...so make each word that you write in your headline `count'.

A headline should appear in all your print media eg: ads and editorial for newspapers and magazines, on your brochures, web site, sales letters and newsletters, etc. The process of developing winning headlines is quite simple, but it is often confused in the maze of marketing complexity. By this, I mean people think that effective headlines need to be `catchy' by being ambiguous and tricky to capture people's curiosity. This strategy is emerging with monotonous regularity, and it can be a dangerous approach if you don't know what you are doing. You see, a business using 'tricky' headlines or ads can either miss their target market, or lose credibility in the eyes of the consumer. Except for the 'big boys' who spend serious money by using imagery and word association in the branding of their business, and who are able to constantly bombard the market place, I suggest that small businesses tread carefully when using this approach.

One of the fastest ways to learn 'the art' of headline development, is to visit your local newsagency and take with you a mini cassette recorder, where you can record headlines from the front covers and indexes of the best selling magazines. I also do this when I'm sitting in the waiting rooms of solicitors, doctors, and dentists, anywhere where there are stacks of magazines. If you don't succumb to reading anything other than the headlines, you should get at least 20 good headlines in 20 minutes. You will notice a familiar pattern - all the leading magazines ensure that their headlines:

Call out to their target market
Contain a powerful benefit for the reader to read on
Is often the main feature
Repeatedly use selected words (which I have listed below)
Display numbers for quantification.

Indeed, from this exercise it is likely that you will find headlines and/or an angle in a headline that you can apply to your business. Put simply….`Don't re-invent the wheel', find the best and learn from them. Also, take note of all commercials and advertising that attract you....keep their ideas for future reference which you may revisit later and can be adapted to suit your business.

The Magic Of Words...
There are select words that are proven to increase readership, especially the two words 'you' and 'your'. Again, I invite you to have a look in the top selling magazines where you will find that they use them often in their headlines. They have masterful headlines because if they didn't .... they wouldn't be able to entice potential customers to read on and buy their publication.

Other than 'you' and 'your', successful marketers tend to use other select words in their headlines, which are proven to significantly increase readership. Their aim is to stand out in the media jungle and gain an edge in the market place.

Here Are Key Words And Phrases That Are Used In Some Of The Most Effective Headlines -

Just remember..the only purpose of a headline is to capture the attention of the people you want to reach and to get them to read on. The rest of the advertising script provides the details of your product/service with the benefits to satisfy the needs of your reader. It doesn't stop there …..when you get a new customer, EXCEED THEIR EXPECTATIONS, 'spoil them with exceptional customer service', surprise and delight them by giving more than they had thought of. By investing time in devising and implementing a 'customer loyalty' program, your customers will not only love you for it, they will WANT to continue to buy from you, plus they will tell everyone about your business. You see, it's not enough to just get new customers, you need to give them a reason to come back for more and promote your business to others. That's when your business will become 'a success story'.

The Northern Star Newspaper

About || Services || Programs || Projects || Marketing || Articles || People Say || Contact