Grabbing the reader with headlines that work.

Every part of your sales message is important. But none of it will see the light of day unless your headline instantly grabs your prospect by the eyeballs. Your headline is the gateway to your sales copy. More than that, it is the copy that persuades your prospect to read your sales message.

I'm sure you'll agree that unless your prospect reads your sales message, it's safe to say you won't make the sale.

If that's not enough, here's another reason to pay extra special attention to your headline: Your headline is the demurely raised eyebrow ... the whisper in the ear ... the tap on the shoulder ... or the shrieking air raid horn (remember those?) that at the moment of impact make it impossible for your prospect to look at anyone but you--or more precisely, anyone's ad but yours.

Whether explicit or implicit, shouted or whispered, the best headlines you'll ever read--or write--will be a proposed transaction: "Read this," they say, "and this very specific, very wonderful thing will happen for you."

What follows are three of the most powerful headline techniques ever.

1. Pure benefit headlines present only the primary practical benefit offered by the product. For example:

       "Who else wants a
          whiter wash
     --with no hard work?"

   "Great new discovery kills
         kitchen odors
     quick--makes indoor air
         country-fresh ..."

Unless the benefit you're offering is truly unique--or presented in a unique and intriguing way, you'll probably need to do more than just present or imply a benefit to win.

2. Pure emotion headlines directly address the emotional need, frustration or fear that the product's primary benefit addresses--only hinting at the practical benefit. For example,

       "Lies, Lies, Lies
   We investors are FED UP
  with everyone lying to us
  and wasting our money!"

   "Tell the 'Health Police'
   To Take A Flying Leap--
    And Return To Life's
   GUILTIEST PLEASURES!"

Pure emotion leads work well. But only when they are followed immediately with a strong presentation of the benefits you're promising the prospect in return for reading your copy and (ultimately) buying your product.

3. Combined benefit and emotion headlines present the product's chief benefit and either imply or state the emotional payoff for the reader.

For example ...

   "They laughed when I sat
 down at the piano, but when I
     started to play ..."

Try this. Sit down with a headline you're working on now and ask yourself these six questions:

1. Does your headline offer the reader a reward for reading your sales copy?

2. What specifics could you add to make your headline more intriguing and believable?

3. Does your headline trigger a strong, actionable emotion the reader already has about the subject at hand?

4. Does your headline present a proposition that will instantly get your prospect nodding his or her head?

5. Could your headline benefit from the inclusion of a proposed transaction?

6. Could you add an element of intrigue to drive the prospect into your opening copy?

Spend 15 minutes on it and I'll bet you'll come up with something great!

Clayton Makepeace, a direct marketing consultant and copywriter with over 33 years' experience, offers help in reaping maximum profits through the internet, direct mail and print advertising every week in his free e-zine, The Total Package. Get a free subscription at www.makepeacetotalpackage.com.

By Clayton Makepeace, editor and publisher, THE TOTAL PACKAGE