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Headlines are critical to any sales letter. Most copywriters and testers agree 80% of readers will take a look at your headline and then decide whether to read any more. I expect more marketers experience faster, more dramatic results from headline changes than any other element. All great information but what do you DO with it? Let’s take a look…
Right now, before you do anything else, get it in your head: No matter how good you think your headline is - you’ve got to test it. Don’t fudge here.
And that means you need to come up with at least two headlines - more is better.
We’ve already discussed the “hook” headline - where you take that unique, extraordinary fact and turn it into a sensational teaser. Think “National Enquirer”. Think “Cosmopolitan”. These publications live or die by attention grabbing headlines. When it comes to a “hook”, you just can’t beat the tabloids. But what if you don’t have a good hook?
Never fear, there’s other ways. Your headline should contain your strongest benefit. Think of the most powerful benefit your customer will get. Do NOT exaggerate! Make sure any claim you make can be substantiated with cold, hard facts. But it’s also acceptable to use the facts to your advantage also. How?
Let’s say you are selling a “gem dectector” that instantly reports what type of gem is in a piece of jewelry. You know one person used it to find a diamond ring that sold for $12,234 and she was able to buy it for $300. (Notice how this is ALSO a “hook”?)
“Soccer Mom Discovers Diamond Worth $12,234 at Rummage Sale Turning a $300 Invesment into a $11,934 Profit Using the Roncoid Gem Detective”
Subhead: “You too can find valuable gemstone jewlery almost anywhere for almost instant profits!”
Sometimes you can change a single word and see huge results. In the headline above I might change $11,934 into “3978%”
Famous Copywritier and Marketer Ten Nicholas says he writes at least 200 headlines for every product he sells. These days you could test every one but you shouldn’t have too. Some headlines you’ll be able to weed out just by looking at them.
Do you have to pump out 200 headlines for every sales letter you write? No, but if you do you increase you chances of success exponentially.
One other tip: Look for “hidden” and “obvious” benefits. Why obvious benefits?
For one thing what may be obvioius to you may not be obvious to your reader. And it may be just the thing your customer is looking for. Many marketers, including your competitors miss this. What about “hidden” benefits?
These take a bit more to dig out but they are nearly always worth the effort. Hidden benefits often require you look at customer perceptions rather than the product itself.
Toothpaste marketers know this. Fighting cavities is fine. Whiter teeth is a boone, but the hidden benefit of transforming yourself from a goofy nerd to a magnet for the opposite gender is golden.
One other thing, don’t be afraid to reword and/or restate your benefits in the body of your copy. Reiterate them in you bullet copy too.
Now you know why I feel your sales letter should start by looking for benefits. Benefits are the meat of your copy and are used again and again. Your headlines should contain your strongest benefit or a hook. Keep in mind your hook should also offer a benefit. While a good hook doesn’t HAVE to offer your strongest benefit, if to does, it is to your advantage.
Now go write that winning headline!
God bless,
Andy
