The ability to writing great headlines hold the key to getting people to read your article or sales copy – whether you publish it online, send as email or even print it on a magazine. Read on to learn the secrets of writing powerful headlines to attract people and win customers.
Be Shameless, Copy the Success Formula of Successful Copywriters
Yes, that is the biggest secret to writing great headlines. Keep in mind, it is not a call to copy successful headlines as such. Copy the formula. Tweak it. And reshape it for your purpose.
Examples:
Top 10 Alternative Medicines Your Doctor Don’t Want You to Know
Become a Healthier You, in 10 Short Days
3000-Year Old Secret Will Get Your Ex Chasing You
Now, you can create a template for each of the three headlines above.
Top ____ Your ___ Don’t Want You to Know
Become a ____ You, in ______
____ Secret Will Get Your ___ Chasing You
Now, use these templates to crank out headlines like:
Top 10 tax filing mistakes your accountant don’t want you to know
Top 7 web designing tools your designer don’t want you to use
Top 100 secrets your leaders don’t want you to know
Improve your productivity, in seven easy steps
Closely Guarded Marketing Secret Will Get Your Clients Chasing You
That is, you can create very attractive headlines without being creative. All you need to is, follow these three simple steps.
Step 1. Study successful headlines others have written
Step 2. Turn those headlines into headline templates
Step 3. Convert a template into an irresistible headline
There is no reason why you can’t write irresistible headlines. You don’t have to create anything out of the blue. All, you have to do is study what other successful writers have done. Copy the structure. And apply it to your writing. You have a winner in your hands.
More Examples Showing How Headline Templates Work
Sherwin Cody instantly pushed the doors to a major business with a simple question – “Do you make these mistakes in English grammar?”
Copywriters have copied that question headline over the decades, selling everything from beauty care products to financial products. The new questions were:
Do you make these mistakes in small stock investing?
Do you make these mistakes in makeup?
Do you make these mistakes while working out?
Needless to say, people took notice every time they faced this question. Another winner is ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’, by Dale Carnegie. Copywriters just copied
the formula ‘how to __ and __’. And, it worked most of the time, especially when backed by a solid offer.
Read the headline of this article once again. And create a template: ‘cheat your way to __’.
Example: Cheat your way to playing piano like a star
Take it a Step Further
Create a ‘swipe’ file of irresistible headlines and headline templates. When you want a headline, you don’t have to scratch your head and pull your hair. Just pull the swipe file out and pick a headline template that could work for you.
This is the smartest and easiest way to coming up with headlines that grab the attention of your prospects.