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5 Reasons Why Headlines Are Crucial To Your
Copywriting Success
Without a powerful headline, your message stands
little chance of being noticed in an increasingly competitive
marketplace. If your headline doesn't capture attention and pull
prospects into your copy, than your marketing effort is a total waste
of energy and resources.
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 the headline used on
each page of your website, you could be losing out on a large chunk of
business.
Top copywriters understand this concept well. They
know how essential it is to capture attention by literally stopping
pre-occupied prospects in their tracks.
Following are five good reasons why your headlines
deserve greater emphasis and attention.
1)
Headlines Are Natural Attention Getters. Most
online prospects quickly skim copy looking for a reason to stay or a
reason to go. No one reads the body copy of a page without first being
pulled in by a strong lead, delivered by a compelling headline or
sub-heading.
Headlines are the first things your visitors see.
They jump right out visually and command attention by being set
distinctly above the rest of the text. Often the typeface, size, and
style used for headlines contrasts with that used in the body copy.
This proven approach naturally attracts eyeballs, virtually forcing
interested prospects to grasp the key message and to read on due to its
magnetic appeal.
According to advertising legend David
Ogilvy, 5 times more people read headlines than body
copy. Although Ogilvy was talking about print advertising in general,
the observation is certainly applicable to websites as well.
With 5 times the readership, headlines have the
power and capability to make any message much more successful.
2)
Headlines Serve As Valuable Guides To Busy People.
Headlines reveal key details. They tip off readers as to what follows.
A strong headline provides clear signals to help readers decide whether
they should stick around for the full message, or dash off to something
else – something better suited to their own special needs and
interests.
As a summary of the entire piece, headlines either
help sustain 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 and relevance. Forcing readers to do
this is to risk losing them altogether. It's sales suicide.
In effect, having no headline will cost you at least 80% of your
potential audience.
3)
Headlines Create Anticipation and Stimulate Interest.
They captivate, arouse curiosity and stimulate the desire for more.
It's the headline that starts 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 specific audiences.
They open prospects minds to new possibilities and expand their level
of enthusiasm and interest. The best headlines involve prospects,
increasing the likelihood of their sustained attention and engagement.
4)
Headlines Simplify The Learning Curve. Every
headline serves to introduce whatever follows. As an opening or
lead-in, the role of the headline is to succinctly communicate the
essence of the message it precedes in an interesting and compelling way.
Effective headlines and sub-headings reveal key
bits of information, often with the added power of emotion. A review of
the various headings alone often delivers the gist of a given message.
This makes it faster and easier to understand, remember, and review.
Use your headings to generate emotional involvement
and you boost the chances prospects will go back and read more of your
copy. When you make it easier to read and comprehend your messages, you
increase the chances of making the sale.
5)
Headlines Allow You To Deliver Your Biggest Bang Right Up-Front.
Capture attention and interest at the outset, by using your most
appealing selling point. If the strongest, most desirable product
attribute (benefit) fails to pull prospects in, surely nothing else you
could ever say would do the trick, either.
The stronger and more compelling your headline, the
more time prospects will spend at your site. Create each headline to
grab attention and inspire interest. The more alluring and irresistible
you can make it, the more genuine prospects you'll attract and
ultimately, the more sales you'll record.
Headlines are powerful marketing tools when used
effectively. Take a good look at your headline. Could you add more
benefit power, intrigue, curiosity, or interest?
Test different headlines by trying various appeals
and offer combinations. Keep an eye out for additional headline
opportunities throughout your sales letter. Make your
headlines impossible to miss and difficult to ignore… then,
watch your results soar!
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