80% of All Advertising Is Wasted Due To This Common Mistake 

You’re flipping through this publication as you wait for your
latte, when suddenly you decide to stop and read an ad. What
made you stop? I’ll bet it was an attention grabbing headline.

It is a scientifically proven fact that 5 times as many people
read headlines as read the body copy of an ad. So with the
headline, an advertiser has spent about 80% of their
advertising dollar. It doesn’t take a genius to realize then
the headline is the most important part of any ad.

Yet, most small business advertising is wasted for lack of an
effective headline or, worse yet, no headline at all. Don’t
make this same mistake.

The headline is the first thing that your reader or prospect
sees when they open your letter, browse a magazine, or flip
your postcard. In that moment, (about 3 seconds) your reader
decides whether or not to read any farther.

So first and foremost, any advertisement you produce must have
a headline and your headline must grab your reader`s attention
immediately. If you don`t grab them by the throat and hold
them right away, you never will.

Writing powerful headlines takes some hard work but it can be
done if you follow some simple guidelines.

1. Your headline should give the reader a reason to stop and
read now instead of later – a carefully chosen word or two can
create urgency

2. Your headline should communicate something the reader
considers valuable – they need to be able to justify the time
spent reader your ad

3. Your headline should scream how you might offer something
that is unique or at least interesting

4. Your headline should point to something very specific for
the reader – use facts and how to’s

Using these points as a guide to create your headlines allows
you to create headlines that hook your reader quickly, offers
them a benefit they want, and gives them a reason to read on.

Never use boring, conventional or overused statements and never
use a headline to trick your reader into looking on.

Attention Getting Power Words for Your Headlines

Look at powerful headlines and you will see that many contain
one or more of the following words that sell.

Discover Easy Free New Proven Save Results
Introducing

At Last Guarantee Bargain Easy Quick Sale Why
How To

Just Arrived Now Announcing

Start of by writing some headlines that clearly communicate
your promise, benefit or USP. Then look for ways to make them
even more powerful by adding a power word or two and checking
if they contain at least 3 of the guidelines provided above.

Copyright 2004 John Jantsch

Craig Valine is the publisher of the The AwfulMarketing Alert
Newsletter, "Where you learn GOOD marketing strategies by
looking at those who do it really BAD."

To subscribe his free newsletter, go to: http://awfulmarketing.
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