Do You Make these Mistakes in Your Headlines?

Published on this site: December 15th, 2006 - See more articles from this month

You have three seconds to capture the attention of your reader. Three seconds. That's it.

The Internet is a fluid medium that moves quickly. There is so much information that people don't need to stay on your page. They can probably get their answer on another page. You must have a compelling reason for them to stay. And you must give that reason in the headline.

Most people write bad headlines. It's not that they don't understand grammar or the product but that they don't speak to people "where they live." You must create interest, desire and receptivity to taking action.

Look at the end result of what your reader wants. If you are selling a drill bit the customer isn't buying the bit but the hole the bit makes. You are selling the benefits of the products and services not the features. To keep the concepts of features and benefits separate remember that features can be touched while benefits touch feelings and emotions.

Your headline should tap into a fear, anxiety or desire of your customer. People read and act for several very selfish reasons and the top three are fear, desire and pain. If you can stop the pain, alleviate the fear or give them their hearts desire you have them hooked.

The headline must pass the So what? Who cares test. If you can ask "So what?" and not answer with feelings and benefits then your reader won't get past your headline. Be sure your headline isn't cute or obscure either. People who are interested in cute are not interested in buying. You have just pre-qualified a non-buying customer!

The headline should mean everything to the customer and nothing to the business, not the reverse. Headlines that speak to the number of years in service or the company's skill at negotiation have nothing to do with the customer. Click. He's gone.

There are some basic techniques that you can use to keep your customer at your page and reading. You must first address the customer where he is. Your customer is not as knowledgeable about your product or service as you are.
Don't pretend that he is.

Spell out that you are selling a solution to a problem and how it will fulfill his desire. A golf pro may be teaching concentration, follow-through, better swing and posture while the golfer may be concerned about too many swings to reach the next hole. Your headline should address the golfer and not the golf pro.

Using specific words in the headline will also grab the attention of your reader. The word "secret" is an attention getter. If you can create mystery and intrigue without giving away any answers, the customer will read further to get the answer.

Numbering items in your headline is also an attention grabber. Research has shown that odd numbers are more noticeable than even numbers.

Another technique is to state "How To". in your headline. Or using a versus headline such as: "Red Vs. Blue" Which Works Better In a Headline?

Your goal is to get your reader to stay past 3 seconds; to read past the headline to the first line of your sales copy.

Read other sales copy. Watch what successful marketers in your niche are doing to grab the attention of their readers. Learn the lingo and incorporate that into good headline writing techniques. You'll be ahead of your competition in no time!

Jo Han Mok - is a #1 bestselling author and frequent featured speaker at Internet Marketing bootcamps and conferences. Visit his website for a simple step-by-step plan to profit online in 21 days or less! http://www.SuperFastProfit.com