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How
To Create A Captivating Headline
By
Bob Leduc
You're
reading this article because the headline captured your
attention. It sparked your desire to know more about creating
headlines. That's the mission of an effective headline. It
captures the reader's attention and provides a compelling reason
to read whatever follows.
The
headline is the most important part of any ad or sales letter.
It determines whether or not people will read your message. You
may have the best written copy in the world but you've wasted
your time if your headline doesn't excite readers enough to read
your message.
Here
are some examples of effective headlines I found in the
classified ad section of a popular web site:
-
Lose
15 Pounds In 30 Days... And Keep It Off
-
Submit
Your Ad To 200 Web Sites With 1 Mouse Click
-
Instantly
Increase Your Orders By 29%
-
How
To Make $2,000/Month At Home With Your Computer
-
Discover
How To Reduce Your Fuel Bills By 43%
Each
of these headlines clearly states the benefit I can expect to
get from the product, service or business opportunity promoted
in the ad under the headline. If I am interested in gaining the
benefit, I cannot resist reading the entire ad to find out more.
A Simple Five Step Procedure
I've
used the following 5 step procedure many times to create
powerful headlines. It's simple and easy to follow. Even someone
without special talent, skill or previous experience can use it
to create a captivating headline.
STEP
#1.
Define in writing the ideal prospect you want to capture with
your headline. Be sure to include the characteristics that make
your product or service valuable to this prospect.
STEP
#2.
Personalize this ideal prospect by visualizing them as one
person you want to attract with your headline. Keep this vision
of one person in your mind whenever you're writing a headline.
Your ad or sales letter will be read by one person at a time.
Therefore, you'll find it easier to produce an effective
headline by visualizing just one person and writing to that
person.
STEP
#3.
Determine the most valuable benefit this person will gain from
the product, service or business opportunity promoted in the
message under your headline.
STEP
#4.
Write as many one sentence statements as you can about this
benefit. Use one or more of the words from the following list in
each statement. There are many other power words you can use in
your headlines. However, many years of trial and error have
taught me these 12 are the most effective:
You,
Free, New, Guaranteed, Fast, Easy, Discover, Proven, How-to,
Save, Increase, $7953 (any exact amount of money)
STEP
#5.
Select the most powerful statement on your list. If you have
several that seem equally powerful, try combining them into one
statement and use that as your headline.
That's
it! You've just created a powerful headline to capture your
reader's attention and provide a compelling reason to read
whatever follows your headline.
Here
are some examples of effective headlines I developed using this
5 step procedure.
-
Easy
Way To Increase Your Sales 60% or More This Month!
-
Discover
How You Can Reduce Arthritis Pain FAST!
-
You
Can Earn 50% More Commissions This Year - Guaranteed!
-
How
To Save $1,329 On Your Next Printing Job!
-
NEW
Free Report: 10 Proven MLM Recruiting Ads YOU Can Use
-
How
To Build Your Small Business FAST - Guaranteed!
Use
this simple 5 step procedure the next time you want to create a
captivating headline. It's easy to follow and you'll create a
powerful headline to attract your reader's attention and compel
him/her to read your ad or sales letter.
Copyright
1999 By Bob Leduc
Bob
Leduc retired from a 30 year career of recruiting sales
personnel and developing sales leads. He is now a Sales
Consultant. Bob recently wrote a manual for small business
owners titled "How to Build Your Small Business Fast With
Simple Postcards" and several other publications to help
small businesses grow and prosper. For more information...
Email:
BobLeduc@aol.com
Subject:
"Postcards".
Phone:
(702) 658-1707 (After 10 AM Pacific time)
Or
write: Bob Leduc, PO Box 33628, Las Vegas, NV 89133
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