How To Win The กMarketing Warก, Capture Your Prosp

How To Win The กMarketing Warก, Capture Your Prospectกs Mind

by: Charles Kangethe

As a marketer you are engaged in a กWarก with competitors where the ultimate prize is capturing the mind of prospects and claiming their purchase dollars.

What you are about to read shows you how to create a powerful, automatic weapon for that war that generates relentless, repeating sales.

Step #1 Get Into Your Prospects Mind.

Many new netpreneurs forget, or fail to understand, that prospects are individuals.

You must get into your prospectกs mind and appeal to them, and them alone, before they will buy from you.

Sidebar

With some exceptions, buying decisions are made on the basis of emotional and intellectual reasoning in that order.

Sidebar

Some marketers prefer to use market research exclusively for this step. This is a valid, but more expensive option to build your prospectกs profile.

Sidebar

Remember : People do not necessarily buy features. They always buy benefits.

Step #5 Headlines

Now you have all the pieces of your jigsaw start to build your กMind Capture Weaponก.

Headlines can be formatted as :

Commands กDare To Write Good Headlinesก

Questions กDo you want to write good headlines ?ก

Announcements กNew product writes your headlinesก

Coaching กHow to write good headlines in 7 easy stepsก

Write as many headlines as you can, some marketers write 50 or more, and format them in the different ways.

Now let them to กstewก for a 2 or 3 days before reviewing and choosing the best ones.

For software to help you write compelling headlines see relevant resources below.

Step# 6 Write The Copy Like A Master Storyteller.

กUsing the action triggers that deliver your MDA, weave a personal story for your prospect around your product and itกs benefits to them.ก

Your copy must be persuasive, emotional, and truthful.

Without exception, people love stories.

Use your

Action trigger list,

Prospect profile

Product benefits

to weave a story that captures your prospects mind.

This is the goal you started out to achieve and a story incorporating these features is how you do it.

Story telling is one of many mind motivators that capture your prospectกs mind and attention.

A new product about to be released will show you many other magical mind motivators that you must learn to use to capture your prospects mind.

Step #7 Ask For กMost Desired Actionก

Your กMost Desired Actionก may be :

Getting the prospect to subscribe to a product.

Getting the sale.

Getting feedback and comments.

Getting contributions, donations or other help.

Whatever it is, you must ask for it in clear explicit terms.

Relevant Resources

กWin The war Of Internet Marketingก eBook, available at http://www.simplyeasier.com under กDigital Info Productsก

กHeadline Creator Proก available from http://www.headlinescreatorpro.com

ก7 steps to writing articles people just have to read.ก article at http://www.simplyeasier.com/ownarticles.html

Mind Motivators product Available Mid March 2004 from http://www.simplyeasier.com

Conclusion

Use the tactics described here to write copy. Then test each detail from action triggers, benefits, headlines, prospect profile, and offer until you have a mind capturing weapon in your arsenal. Use this in the กMarketing Warก and you will have a weapon that sells relentlessly and repeatedly for you.

(c) 2004 Charles Kangethe

About The Author

Charles Kangethe of http://www.simplyeasier.com is a leading

new wave marketer and a published author from England. The กSimply Easierก brand name is your guarantee of high value, quality Marketing Products, Services and Resources.

[email protected]

This article was posted on April 02, 2004

by Charles Kangethe

How to Grab Attention with your Headlines

How to Grab Attention with your Headlines

by: Charlie Cook

Youกve got just a few seconds to grab your prospectsก attention, spark their interest and motivate them to keep reading whether they’re looking at your web site, your letter or your brochure. Headlines are the first thing your prospects read. Four out of five people determine whether they keep reading to learn about your products and services on the basis of your headline.

Do your headlines capture your prospectsก attention or do they confuse them and send them away?

Are your headlines prompting prospects to learn about your products and services or click to another web site or throw away your letter?

Avoid the three following headline mistakes.

Don’t Emphasize Obscure Company Names

Most small businesses and many not so small businesses names aren’t household words. Unless your name is among the top ten most recognized brands such as, Craftsman, Waterford, Rolls Royce, the Discovery Channel, WD40 or Crayola there is a very good chance people won’t associate your company name with anything.

Have you ever visited a web site or read a print ad where the companyกs name covered the top part of the page and it was something like, กPharos Partnersก? Unless the name of your company describes what you do, it is not going to grab prospectsก attention. Move it to the side and make room for a creative headline.

Avoid Welcome Statements

On many web sites the first line you read is, กWelcome to our Siteก. There is a reason you don’t see these in print ads. Welcome statements are a waste of time in marketing materials; they do little to help prospects understand what you do.

Delete Vague Descriptions and Statements

Statements like, กOur purpose is to connect you with information and resources to achieve your maximum potentialก, could apply to a number of different professions. It could refer to a cooking school, a management consultant or an eldercare program.

Are you wasting valuable space where your headline goes to feature a company name that doesn’t describe what you do?

Does your headline include กbusiness speakก terms your children or motherinlaw can’t explain?

Is your description of product and services specific or is it so generic that it could apply to other types of businesses?

Does your headline focus on the selling points that distinguish your products and services from the competitions?

Writing Headlines that Get Your Prospectsก Attention

People look at web sites the same way they look at magazine ads. They scan the page quickly to see if the product or service is something they want. On the web or in a marketing brochure, if you capture their interest, theyกll keep reading.

The best way to do this is to give them a clear idea of the problems your products or services can solve and/or the benefits you provide. Use a few carefully selected words such as:

Leverage your expertise to attract a steady stream of clients

Reliable Office Supplies, free next day delivery.

Inhome sports training for exercise enthusiasts

Web and print design that helps your business grow

Costa Rica Travel, Unique offthebeaten track tours to jungles and beaches

Your page headline should communicate clearly what you offer clients, which problems you solve and the benefits you provide. Do your headlines:

Clarify what you do?

Describe the problems you solve?

Define whom you do it for?

Explain the benefits?

Emphasis a key selling point?

Compel your prospects to keep reading?

Imagine that you worked at an exercise facility and wanted to attract clients for your massage business. Here are some possible headlines you might use for your flyer and associated critiques.

George Jenkins Massage

(Itกs your name but so what)

Are You Bothered By Back Pain

(Better, it defines the problem)

7 Ways to Get Instant Back Pain Relief

(Defines the problem and a solution)

How Computer Users Can Banish Back Pain in One Hour

(Defines who your target market is, the problem and the benefit)

Grab your prospects attention in the first few seconds with your headline. Then follow with compelling copy that clarifies the value of your products and services and youกll generate many more sales.

2004 © In Mind Communications, LLC. All rights reserved.

About The Author

The author, Charlie Cook, helps service professionals and small business owners attract more clients and be more successful. Sign up to receive the Free Marketing Guide, ก7 Steps to Grow Your Businessก and the กMore Businessก newsletter, full of practical tips you can use at http://www.charliecook.net

[email protected]

This article was posted on March 22, 2004

by Charlie Cook

Testing Headlines

Testing Headlines

by: Patrick Quinn

A correspondent to AdBriefing, my monthly newsletter, has posed a very sticky question. How, she asks, can you tell whether a headline you have written is a good one…or not? What she means by this, I imagine, is whether the headline will actually help to make sales, rather than just act as a passing amusement to its readers.

The latter precept, that a headline should actually try to sell something, is not as universally known as it might be. The vast proportion of headlines actually say nothing whatsoever about the product and the benefits of owning it. And the reason for this is that good, selling headlines are not easy to write. So the majority of socalled copywriters take the easy route and produce something which they think is humorous or eyecatching and hope that this will do the job. That it won’t and doesn’t can be witnessed day in and day out in press ads, brochures and websites worldwide.

But I digress.

There is sadly no absolute test that a headline will do the job it is paid to do. If there were, we benighted copywriters would be earning ten times what we are earning now, on the grounds that our work would be foolproof. Every headline we conceived would be irresistible; and products would move off shelves like Spring snow off a dyke.

But there is a test – a very good and worthwhile test – that you can apply to any headline you create. I call it the ‘So What?’ test.

Allow me to give you an example of ‘So What?’ in action. If you produce a headline that says: Our Widget works twice as fast as any other Widget, and then ask yourself ‘So What?’, it immediately becomes clear that the line is bereft of a sales proposition. Because there is no obvious benefit to the potential customer.

On the other hand, if you write: Our Widget works twice as fast, so you do the job in half the time, then the ‘So What?’ has been answered. Your customer can cut his production time by 50%.

Likewise, were you to write: Our Widget is so small, it fits into the palm of your hand, you simply invoke ‘So What?’. Which results in: Our Widget fits into the palm of your hand, so it goes wherever you go. In this case, the benefit is portability. You can use it anywhere.

Over the years, I have found the ‘So What?’ test to be invaluable. You might care to give it a try yourself.

And on the subject of headlines consider this.

When trying to write a headline many people tend to go off halfcocked. They consider the marketing brief, then bash down a headline or two to satisfy it. After that, they write the body copy.

Experience shows, however, that if you write the body copy first, the odds are that there will be the makings of a headline within it struggling to get out.

Body copy is, or should be, a carefully worked and logical encapsulation of the marketing brief. In other words, the whys, the wherefores and the benefits of owning the product or service. It makes sense, then, that if it is properly written, there is a very real chance of finding an embryo headline lurking within it.

Why not give it a whirl? You may be agreeably surprised.

About The Author

Patrick Quinn is an award winning copywriter with 40 yearsก experience of the advertising business in London, Miami, Dublin and Edinburgh.

He publishes a FREE monthly newsletter, AdBriefing. Subscriptions are available at: http://www.adbriefing.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on October 18, 2004

by Patrick Quinn

Your Web Page Check List

Your Web Page Check List

by: Dan Brown

1. Easy To Read You want to make it easy for your visitors to read your text. You don’t want to use a light colored text like yellow on a white background and you don’t want to use dark blue text on a black back ground.

2. Create A Mood You want to use the color of your text to create a mood for the reader. If you want to create excitement, use some red text. If you want to create greed, use a some green text. Use colors that would put you in a mood to buy your product.

3. Grab Their Attention You can grab your readers attention by using headlines. Make the headline more noticeable by using a different colored headline than your ad copy. This offsets the headline and pulls the reader into the rest of your ad copy.

4. Highlight Keywords You can emphasize phrases and keywords that are important to your readers. For instance, use super, deluxe, fast, low price, free, new, etc. You could use bolding, underlining, italics, color changing, etc.

5. Sizing It Up You don’t want to use text that is too small or to large. You want to use larger text for your headlines and subheadings. You want to use smaller text for your ad copy. If your grandparents can’t read it, itกs too small.

6. Don’t Use All CAPS! You don’t want to use all capital letters in your ad copy. It looks unprofessional and is hard to read. You may want to use all CAPS in your headlines to offset it.

7. Font Properly You want to use a text font that relates to the product or services your selling. You don’t want to use a comic type font when your selling business books.

8. Spacing Out Itกs important to use spaces properly when typing your text. You should indent and bullet key benefits your product or service will give the reader. Your headlines, subheadings, sentences and paragraphs should be consistently spaced throughout your web site.

9. I Need Sunglasses Don’t use all bright text colors and backgrounds on your web site. It will make your text hard to read and actually bother your readersก eyes to the point they just decide to leave your site.

10. Check The Readability Itกs important to check your spelling and grammar before you upload your web page. When writing an ad copy you’re allowed to break some of those grammar rules to get your point across.

About The Author

Dan Brown has been active in internet marketing for the past 4 years. Dan currently is working with the Zabang search engine introducing their new affiliate program which is due out Nov. http://www.zabangaffiliate.com/

[email protected]

This article was posted on August 11

by Dan Brown

What Are Joe Vitaleกs Top 3 Secrets To Instantly W

What Are Joe Vitaleกs Top 3 Secrets To Instantly Writing Hypnotic Headlines?

by: Rick Miller

Without a doubt, Joe Vitale is recognized as the กWorldกs FirstEver Hypnotic Copywriter.ก

In a recent interview for the List Crusade program, Dr. Joe Vitale revealed secrets for creating hypnotic headlines that will compel your readers to read your article or sales letter.

(Note: To hear Joe Vitaleกs complete audio interview, click here: http://www.ScientificInternetMarketing.com/joevitale )

Joe revealed that he often starts to write with a working title in place. After the article is written, he goes back and selects the best headline thatกll stop readers dead in their tracks.

Over the years, heกs discovered 30 triedandproven formulas (many have been in use for over 150 years) for writing hypnotic headlines.

In the List Crusade interview, Joe revealed 3 of his favorite headline formulas that you can use today to start writing hypnotic headlines that will grab your readers.

Would you like to know them?

Listen closely:

1) Ask a questionJoe claims that this formula is a billion dollar tip and his secret weapon. Hereกs an example that Joe recently used: What Is the Secret To Getting Rich Today?

According to Joe, questions engage the mind and open your reader up to the message you’re trying to communicate. Warning: the question must be openended and not something that can be answered with a YES or NO. It must be one that can only be answered by reading the article.

By the way, did you notice that I used this method in the headline of this article? It works, doesn’t it?

2) Use the word WANTED to start the headlineThis word grabs attention and calls out to your target audience. Just think about WANTED posters in the Old West or want ads in your newspaper…

For an example of how to use this technique, I could have titled this article as:

Wanted: Internet Marketers Dying To Know Joe Vitaleกs Top 3 Secrets To Writing Hypnotic Headlines

3) Start the headline with beginning word กWho ElseกYouกve probably seen this in many different ads. Itกs a standard pattern that many top copywriters use. Why? Because it works. By the way, did you notice that this technique is actually a variation of Joeกs favorite technique of asking questions? …

For example: Who Else Wants To Know Joe Vitaleกs Top 3 Secrets To Instantly Writing Hypnotic Headlines?

As you sit there learning these techniques, you are getting more and more excited about actually writing headlines for your articles and sales letters.

If you’re at all involved in Internet Marketing, I can’t think of a more knowledgeable person to learn from than Joe Vitale. You can *listen to Joeกs entire interview* at:

http://www.ScientificInternetMarketing.com/joevitale

Joe also revealed:

Instant hypnotic listbuilding tricks thatกll pull in subscribers like mindless zombies

What is Karmic Marketing?

Mental techniques to make writing killer moneypulling copy a breeze

How to use an กethical bribeก to get subscribers to your ezine

Take these secrets from Joe Vitaleกs interview and use them today. The more you use them, the more youกll find that theyกll become automatic and your Internet Marketing will prosper.

Copyright 2005 Rick Miller

About The Author

Rick Miller is a Certified Master of Web Copywriting and cofounder of List Crusade. For fre^e access to Joe Vitaleกs entire interview, along with 51 other audio lessons from top Internet Marketing and Self Help Gurusgo to: http://www.ScientificInternetMarketing.com/joevitale

This article was posted on January 17

by Rick Miller

5 Reasons Why Headlines Are Crucial To Your Websit

5 Reasons Why Headlines Are Crucial To Your Website’s Success

by: Robert Boduch

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 sales 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 preoccupied prospects in their tracks.

Here are five good reasons why your site headlines deserve greater emphasis and attention:

1) Headlines Are Natural Attention Getters. The majority of online prospects are quick scanners. No one reads the body copy of a page without first reading and being pulled in by the headline. Headlines are the first thing your visitors see. They jump out visually and command attention. Headlines are leads set distinctly above the rest of the text. Often the typeface, size, and style used for headlines contrasts with that uses in the body copy. It’s a proven approach that naturally attracts eyeballs, virtually forcing interested prospects to grasp the message of the headline and to read on.

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 many times more successful.

2) Site Headlines Serve As Valuable Guides To The Busy Surfer. Headlines reveal key details. They tip off readers as to what follows. They provide 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 quick summary of the entire piece, headlines either attract 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. 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 Prepare The Reader For What Is To Come. Headlines 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, virtually guaranteeing their sustained attention for the time being.

4) Headlines Simplify The Learning Curve. Every headline serves to introduce whatever follows. As an opening or leadin, the role of the headline is to succinctly communicate the essence of the message it precedes in a n interesting and compelling way.

Effective headlines and subheadings reveal key bits of information often with the added power of emotion. A review of the various headings alone can often provide one with 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 increase 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 UpFront. Capture attention and interest at the outset, by using your most appealing selling point. If your 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 readers are likely to read on and spend more time at your website. Create every 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 site headline. Could you add more 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 letters, as well as on other pages on your site. Make your headlines impossible to miss and difficult to ignore… then, watch your results soar!

About The Author

Robert Boduch is the author of Great Headlines Instantly! How To Write Powerful, AttentionGrabbing Headlines That Pull In More Prospects, More Customers And More Profits, NOW! This fulllength manual features hundreds of helpful tips, techniques, strategies and handson formulas for writing successful headlines of every kind.

Visit the author’s site at: http://www.headlinesecrets.com

Or email him at: [email protected]

This article was posted on May 25, 2002

by Robert Boduch

Test Your Headlines for Maximum Profits

Test Your Headlines for Maximum Profits

by: George Dodge

Professional copywriters do not simply write or select one headline and then hope for the best. They create a number of different headlines; often times as many as a hundred before selecting the headline they think will perform the best.

But they don’t stop there! Professional copywriters know that their choice will often not be the choice of the public and therefore they test their headlines in the market place.

Believe it or not, even professional copywriters find that half or more of their ads, sales letters, or campaigns fail to become winners. But, by testing, they are able to cut their losses early and maximize their successes.

The method of testing most commonly used is known as split testing. With headlines, split testing involves the exposing of two different alternating headlines to prospects. This can be done both online and offline, but online is much easier and the testing process is quicker.

Here is the way headline split testing works online. Visitor A comes to your website and sees headline #1 while visitor B comes to your website and sees headline # 2. When visitor C comes to your website, headline # 1 is shown again and the alternating process continues for the length of the test.

After a number of actions have been recorded for each headline, such as clicking through to the order page, the results are compared to determine which headline resulted in the largest number of desired responses (the click through to the order page, in this example).

The larger the number of total responses recorded, the greater the accuracy of the test to determine the headline winner. Once a winner is chosen, that headline becomes the new control. A control is the current best performing item being tested, in this case, a headline.

Now that a control has been established, a new headline is tested against the control to see if the response can be improved. This process continues on until a given headline has been the control for a large number of tests.

Initially the two headlines that are being tested can be quite different. What you are looking for in the early test is what general kind of headline seems to work for the target market. Once a general kind of headline appears to be a winner over competing types of headlines, then you begin to tweak and split variations of the winning headline itself.

Letกs take a look at an example.

This headline example comes from Jimmy D. Brown, a very successful Internet marketer. The following two headlines were split tested to determine a winner.

Headline # 1: ‘the Power of Viral eBooksก

Headline # 2: กHow to Create Automated Profit Generatorsก

The Result? Headline # 2 out pulled headline # 1 by multiple times.

Now to simplify this process, letกs assume for the sake of this example that Headline # 2 proved to be the winner, not only of this test, but a number of follow on test against a number of other headlines. So, you have determined the type of headline that seems to work well for your particular target market. Now, it is time to tweak the headline by split testing variations of this particular headline.

When you split test variations of a headline, you want to only change one thing at a time. Perhaps you will change only one word in the headline, or the color of the headline, or the using of quote marks around the headline, etc. But you only test one item at a time. Each item you test is called a variable; it is the thing that varies between the headlines in the test.

Everything in the headline can make a difference in the headline response rate. Things that make a difference in response are called response modifiers. In addition to the items mentioned above, other response modifiers in a headline might include the font used, the size of the font, the capitalization of the first letters of each word, etc. Everything in your headline can and should be tested.

For an example of how a very minor change can make a difference in your headline response, take a look at these two headlines:

Headline # 1: กPut Music In Your Lifeก

Headline # 2: กPuts Music In Your Lifeก

The only difference between the headlines is the addition of the letter กsก to the first word. Again the second headline greatly out pulled the first headline. Some copywriters assume that this is because the first headline implies some work on the part of the reader, while the second headline implies that something or someone else does the work. But the reason is not important, only the results matter.

Each tweak of your headline that results in a new control improves the desired response rate of your headline leading to a maximization of profits, if your headline involves the selling of a product or service.

You can never know for sure why one headline out pulls another, but while you can guess, the reason is not important. What is important is the results, no matter what the reason.

Jim and Audri Lanford of www.netrageous.com, now www.scambusters.org, once made a change of color to a sub headline on one of their online sales pages and orders almost dropped to zero. When they changed the headline color back, their normal order rate returned. They guessed that this was because the color change may have caused the headline to look more like hype, but as noted above, the reason is not important. What are important are the results.

Are you testing your headlines? If not, you should be. Every little positive change continues to increase your profits and it all adds up in the end. While some changes may only increase your desired response by a fraction of one percent, some people have seen changes of as much as 1,500% with a single headline change while the rest of their copy remained the same.

How would you like to see either a single or cumulative improvement over time of 1,500% in your desired response rate? I thought so! Then go forth and test, test, and test some more!

About The Author

George Dodge is owner of the Headline Creator Pro Website at http://www.HeadlineCreatorPro.com where you can download software that saves you time and effort by allowing you to quickly and easily create headlines with push button ease.

This article was posted on September 12

by George Dodge

The Man With The กGrasshopper Mindก

The Man With The กGrasshopper Mindก

by: Dean Phillips

The title of this article also happens to be one of the ก20 Greatest Headlines Ever Written.ก

Did you know, just changing the headline has been known to dramatically improve the effectiveness of an ad or sales letter by up to 1700 percent? Yes, headlines are that powerfuland that important!

However, over the last few years, Iกve noticed a proliferation of badly writtenor just plain weak headlinesboth online and off!

Particularly disturbing is the copycat syndrome. I can’t even begin to tell you how many variations Iกve seen of the กWho Elseก headline. For example:

กWho Else Wants To Write Great Headlines?ก

By the way, the กWho Elseก headline isn’t new. It goes back many decades.

Hereกs the problem with copying a popular headline. When you have so many individuals copying a headline, it loses its effectiveness, appeal and uniqueness very quicklyespecially on the Internet!

I have a much better alternative. Instead of copying someone elseกs headline, put in the hard work thatกs required and come up with your own classic headline.

Headlines that evoke some type of emotional response are the most effective and generally make more sales. Emotions motivate people into action. The stronger the emotion, the quicker the action. Therefore, headlines that make the reader excited about gaining somethingor even more effectiveafraid of losing something, will invariably produce the best results.

Using the proper words and phrases is critical. Below Iกve listed just a few of the words and phrases that, over the years, have proven to be very effective at grabbing the readers attention:

Save… Amazing… Finally… Love… Secrets Of… Announcing… Free… Luxury… Security… At Last… New… Bargains… Obsession… Breakthrough… Protect… The Truth About… Discover… How To… Rewards… Yes… Sale… You… Are You… Sex… Win… Improve… Do You…

After grabbing your readers attention, this is where you want to answer the question, กWhatกs in it for me?ก To do this, you have to know a little about your target audience. What are they interested in? What are their priorities? What makes them respond?

Craft your headlines to use words and phrases that will pique your potential buyers interest. If you are targeting people interested in starting their own home business, try phrases such as กStay Home And Make Moneyก or กKiss Your Job Goodbye Foreverก. If your product happens to be diet pills, try กLose 10 Pounds In 10 Daysก.

A word of caution: There is a point where headlines tend to get unbelievable. Make sure that your claims are truthful and that your copy supports their truthfulness.

Once you have a firm grasp of the aforementioned basics, look around your house and select several different products, and write as many headlines as you can think of for each product.

Write variations of the same headline until you have exhausted all the ideas you can think of. This will be both frustrating and difficult at first, but it will become easier with practice. Remember, nothing worthwhile ever comes easy.

After you have your list of headlines, make sure each one passes the test for the following criteria for a good headline. 1. Does it grab the readers attention? 2. Does it answer the question, กWhatกs in it for me?ก 3. Is it truthful? If a potential headline does not meet these three criteria, rewrite it or eliminate it from your list altogether.

Continue using the process of elimination, one headline at a time, until you’re left with what you feel are the three best and strongest headlines, based on the criteria presented in this article.

How will you know which headline is the best one overall?

Unfortunately, thereกs no way to know for sure until you test them against each other. The headline that pulls the most sales or responses is your winner!

To help you get the creative juices flowing, Iกve listed below my version of ‘the 20 Greatest Headlines Ever Written,ก. Iกve listed them in my own personal order of preference. Study them, dissect them, figure out what makes them greatthen get to work writing your own. Enjoy!

‘the 20 Greatest Headlines Ever Writtenก

1. The Man With The กGrasshopper Mindก

2. They Laughed When I Sat Down At The PianoBut When I Started To Play!

3. To People Who Want To WriteBut Can’t Get Started

4. Does Your Child Ever Embarrass You?

5. The Secret Of Making People Like You

6. Advice To Wives Whose Husbands Don’t Save Money

7. The Child Who Won The Hearts Of All

8. How To Win Friends And Influence People

9. The Last Two Hours Are The LongestAnd Those Are The Two Hours You Save

10. Do You Make These Mistakes In English?

11. Why Some Foods กExplodeก In Your Stomach

12. You Can Laugh At Money WorriesIf You Follow This Simple Plan

13. When Doctors กFeel Rotten,ก This Is What They Do

14. How I Improved My Memory In One Evening

15. Discover The Fortune That Lies Hidden In Your Salary

16. How I Made A Fortune With A Fool Idea

17. Do You Do Any Of These Ten Embarrassing Things?

18. The Crimes We Commit Against Our Stomachs

19. How To Do Wonders With A little Land

20. Who Else Wants Lighter CakeIn Half The Mixing Time?

About The Author

Dean Phillips is an Internet marketing expert, writer, publisher and entrepreneur. Questions? Comments? Dean can be reached at mailto: [email protected].

Visit his website at: http://www.letsmakemoney.net

This article was posted on November 04, 2004

by Dean Phillips

Quick and Instant Marketing Soup

Quick and Instant Marketing Soup

by: A.L Haines

Everything happens Quickly and Instantly on the Internet. In the blink of an eye your easily transported around a whole planet. Itกs a smorgasbord !! The web site you just visited could be in Singapore, the email your reading now could have come from Alaska. The Internet is just one big Soup Bowl of Information just waiting for you to come and gobble it up.

We live in a world of "Everything Quick". Quick Food, Quick Money, Quick credit, Quick Advertising, Quicker Cars and the faster we get Quicker, the better!!

Not only is it possible, but itกs not that complicated to achieve. Most experts agree that advertising in ezines is THE quickest way to effectively generate more traffic to your website and increase your sales.

Ezine Classified Advertising is incredibly popular which means most ezines are being filled with classified ads. Some people use their lunch time to glance over their emails while chowing down. The average ezine reader sees hundreds of headlines and classifieds every day, taking a quick peek to if it might be worthwhile. So, How does your Classified Ad Look ?!

The 3 things

Every ad needs 3 basic things. A HEADLINE that stands out, Quick and easy to understand CONTENT, and an ADDRESS on how to get there.

Your HEADLINE should say everything in 57 words or less. It should for all intensive purposes "make the sale" Some ads look fantastic using all capital letters and then switching to lowercase for the content, but on the flip side, remember it can end up looking tacky as well.

Your CONTENT should always be very specific. It has to or it becomes cybertrash very quickly. A favorite Internet saying iกve heard is to " KISS IT " or, in itกs original form, * Keep It Simple Stupid !! * Big words can be overwhelmingly impressive but i have found that shorter words easily read and just work better. ….. (ironic eh)

Part 1 The Headline is your menu

How do you make eye grabbing HEADLINE? Iกll bet you didn’t know itกs always been right in front of you the whole time, and your going to wonder why you never thought of it. Ready??….. Your email box.. Itกs a treasure trove of headlines just waiting to be found. Now, iกm not saying that you steal someone elseกs headlines. That wouldn’t be nice at all, now would it!!

That doesn’t mean you can’t get ideaกs from them though. Hereกs a simple way to find a few "catchy headlines" (You need to do this fast OK. Really Fast!!) Every time you open your email box, Quickly scan the contents. Which one do you remember the most?

It doesn’t really matter which one it was, just be honest with yourself. Begin a list of catchy phrases and write it down somewhere. If you have more than one email box use it too. (Buildกs your list quicker)

The next step is the Fun Part. Sit down and start butchering these Headlines!! Go for it!! Grab a word here, a phrase there, change a couple words around in a sentence. Replace words that would better identify your opportunity or service your promoting.

Soon you will have a nice selection of Headlines you created yourself. No one has a monopoly on words, so iกm certain the Internet cops won’t bother you for this apparent "theft" of words…..ya think??

Part 2 The Content is your appetizer

Most classified ads usually contain around 2550 words each. You only have so much space, and you have to say everything in a little teeny tiny spot. I can’t emphazise how very important it is that the content "grabs" the readers attention. This is the meat of the ad.

Create an irresistible offer. Tantalize your readers, entice them into wanting to take a bite. Make an offer that is so overwhelmingly attractive, that they would have to be insane to pass it up. Give them a tidbit by adding something free. Anything, just make it free.

Whatกs that?

You say your not so good at writing classified ads like that? Iกll wager a bet you are!

There is a way to write great ads quickly. Yup you guessed it!! Read a few of the emails and save the ones that caught your eye. Get out the knife and cut up those ads using the same technique you used for Headlines.

Once you have 68 contents ads written, simply get the Most Excellent Headlines YOU created and start slicing and dicing. Mix them up, change them around until your happy with them. You might end up with over 20 different ads to chose from… (bummer huh)

CHOPCHOP time again!! You don’t want those 20+ ads… do you? Some of these ads aren’t quite as as good as the others. Thatกs OK, itกs time to trim the fat anyway. Select the 5 choicest ads and remove the remaining ones

Part 3 The Address is the dinner bell

Email address or Website address. The person reading your classified ad has 2 options. Read the next ad or click your link. They have either eaten enough of your ad, or their ready to gobble up the main course.

Your ADDRESS is a way to get more information about the opportunity you are promoting and is achieved by putting either your Web site ADDRESS to take the visitor there or an Email ADDRESS to contact you directly.

You can spice up your address by giving your webpages catchy names, but a draw back is the length it may create. problem is, People don’t like 86 character website addresses. Their either too hard to remember, or mistakes are made when entering it into their browser. You just lost a prospective sale right there. (another bummer huh)

Another option is using a redirected address. There are several companies that offer this service FREE, which allows you create nice short, easily remembered website addresses. Two places that give you 3 different addresses are rename.com and iBoost.com Thats 8 different addresses leading to the same page

***Caution; Itกs not wise to submit these redirect addresses to the search engines because, they don’t like being tricked. Duplicate sites usually get "UNindexed" …..rather quickly and forever too!

Dinner is served! Pass the Gravy!!?

You have a visitor!! Hopefully your ad was tasty enough to bring you the Gravy too!! You got them there so give them your main course. Make sure you get a counter or some kind of tracking system set up to follow your ads progress to see which ones worked the best…… (iกll save that for another article)

About The Author

A.L Haines is the editor for several leading Internet Marketing publications supporting free Internet marketing opportunities and resources.

http://alhims.tripod.com

http://articlesarchives.netfirms.com

This article was posted on January 20, 2002

by A.L Haines

Breathe New Life Into Your HalfDead Website By Us

Breathe New Life Into Your HalfDead Website By Using Words That Sell

by: David Peterson

This article may come as a surprise to you.

Especially since it is written by a web designer. Let me explain……

Rescue Your Web Site from Boring Words and Poor Design.

The difference between a successful website design and a site that brings in zero or very little business is not how nice the graphics are, not the colors you choose. Itกs not the flashy animation, and itกs not your precious company logo.

Iกm not saying to remove these elements. Some of them are important. But they’re mostly egodriven. They are กmeก messages, and have absolutely nothing to do with what you want your visitor to do.

And what is that you ask? The answer is of course. You want your visitors to buy something.

People who are considering doing business with you are only interested in one thing; กWhatกs In It For Me?ก

One of the first steps toward a successful website is writing copy that tells the reader whatกs in it for him, in a style that is easy to read.

Make More Cash

Study any website that makes money and I promise youกll see the following copy elements in place:

In the main body copy, the text color is always black with a white background, making it easy to read. This should be obvious, but itกs amazing how many websites out there do not follow this very basic guideline.

Testimonials, and other secondary elements commonly use a contrasting font such as courier, courier new. The background in light blue, beige, or yellow shade to make it stand apart from the white background of the main body copy.

Verdana is the most widely used font for your body copy. This font was actually developed for use in the web. Times New Roman, Arial, and Georgiana are also popular. Never use more than two different font faces in your sales copy.

The use of yellow highlights, italics and bold fontstyle for emphasis.

Headlines and Subheads are usually a contrasting color from the black body text. A shade of red, dark green and dark blue are good colors. However, do not use more than three or four different colors.

Sentence and paragraph font size is commonly between 8pt. and 12pt. Never smaller than that, and never bigger.

Headlines and sub headlines usually between 14pt. and 18pt.

Paragraphs never justified. Most common is leftmargin with no indent.

How To Write Successful Headlines

In your sales copy you need an attentiongrabbing headline and a compelling sales message full of benefits, clearly describing what your product or service is all about.

Legendary copywriter Ted Nicholas author of 14 bestselling books including กMagic Words That Bring You Richesก has these excellent tips on writing headlines

กStart with a well thought out headline.ก

กFive times as many people read the headline as the body copy. It makes sense, therefore, to spend the major portion of your effort on headlines.ก

กA good headline motivates action by stirring an emotionก

กWrite as many as 250 headlines before settling on oneก

13 Proven Headline Words

Announcing…

Secrets of…

New…

Now…

Amazing…

Facts you…

Breakthrough…

At Last…

Advice to…

The truth of…

Free…

How would…

How to…

How To Write AttentionGrabbing First Sentences

Joe Sugarman (of blublocker sunglass fame) and author of bestselling book กAdvertising Secrets of the Written Wordก has these tips on writing first sentences;

กKeep it short, sweet and almost incomplete.ก

For example:

Itกs easy.

It had to happen.

Itกs time.

Itกs crazy.

The sole purpose of the first sentence is to get you to read the second sentence.

How To Write AttentionGrabbing Ending Sentences

กYou must plant seeds of curiosity for the reader.ก กAt the end of a paragraph offer a reason to read the next paragraph.ก

Using sentences such as…..

But thereกs more.

So read on.

But I didn’t stop there.

Let me explain.

Now here comes the good part.

These tips represent just the tip of the iceberg on breathing new life into your halfdead web site.

Weกll cover all of the other necessary elements in future articles. Stay tuned.

I hope that you have found this information to be helpful in your pursuit of excellence. Thank you for reading.

Regards,

Dave Peterson

About The Author

Dave is not only a Professional Website Designer. He also incorporates exciting stateoftheart marketing strategies and expertise that help clients put more cash in there pockets. Providing great value to his clients.

This article was posted on April 12, 2004

by David Peterson

The Ugly Side Of Internet Marketing, What The Guru

The Ugly Side Of Internet Marketing, What The Gurus Won’t Tell You!

by: Al Martinovic

Did that headline grab your attention?

I have experimented with many different headlines on my sites and found that you can take the same sales letter yet your sales will increase or decrease depending on the headline you are using.

Thatกs nothing to sneeze at! Your headline can literally make or break your advertising campaign.

The headline is the most important part of any sales letter. It has to grab your prospects attention by dangling the proverbial carrot in front of them to suck them into your main sales copy. It literally is like an ad for your main ad.

The key to writing headlines for a particular sales letter is to write down as many as you can. Try different variations and combinations until you find the one you like best.

Then test, test and test some more! Just the addition of one or two more words in a headline can literally skyrocket your sales. Keep testing until youกve created a headline more powerful than a vacuum cleaner!

What I also like to do is to keep a swap file of the headlines I like. I pay attention to headlines in newspapers, magazines and especially the tabloids and when I find one I like I put it in my swap file.

I don’t copy the headline word for word but instead I create a fill in the blank approach for future use.

For example I came across a headline that read:

The ugly side of beef, what health officials won’t tell you!

That headline really caught my attention. So I put it in my swap file as:

The ugly side of ___, what ___ won’t tell you!

I can then fill in the blanks for whatever purpose that headline may suit me for future use, which then becomes the title of this article:

The Ugly Side Of Internet Marketing, What The Gurus Won’t Tell You!

Creating a swap file of good headlines can do wonders for your bottom line so start focusing on headline writing today!

You will find that headlines are important in almost every online endeavor you are embarking on…from websites, to emails, to classified ads, to article writing, to pay per click search listings and more…

Do not underestimate the power of a headline!

Get this article by autoresponder! Send a blank email to [email protected]

About The Author

Al Martinovic is the publisher of the Millenium Marketers Newsletter which helps ordinary people such as yourself achieve extraordinary things. Subscribe FR^E today and get 2 FR^E bonuses! http://www.milleniummarketers.com

This article was posted on May 04, 2003

by Al Martinovic

Progressive Headlines Guide Customers To Buy

Progressive Headlines Guide Customers To Buy

by: Karon Thackston

Headlines are, without a doubt, one of the most important elements in copywriting. As has been said countless times before, if you don’t get your readers’ attention with the headline, the chance of them reading your copy is virtually none. But headlines (and subheadlines) play a vital part in the copywriting process for other reasons, too.

Whether we, as copywriters, like it or not, the fact is most people will not read all the copy word for word. Headlines can help fill in the blanks in several ways so กskimmersก still get the gist of the information included in the copy.

Headlines Outline the Benefits

Using headlines and subheads that state benefits about your product/service can be a powerful strategy. Using wireless home networking for example, you might create headlines and subheads that read:

Work From Anywhere In Your Home

No More Jumbled Cables Strung Everywhere

Have Multiple Computers Online At The Same Time

Make All The Computer Users In Your Home Happy

Even if the customer didn’t read the copy included in between these heads and subheads, they would still be made aware of all the benefits of having a wireless home network.

Headlines Give An Overview

Depending on the type of copy you’re writing, headlines can help to urge your customers to read further. In fact, in longform copy, headlines should create their own subset of copy. If you read just the headlines, they should make sense all by themselves. For example, copy about a new book on how to start your own business might use the following headlines.

New Book Takes You StepbyStep Through Starting Your Own Business

An introduction would go here as well as copy designed to gain the attention of the reader.

Starting A Business Is Easier Than Ever

Continue with the copy here.

The Little Known Secrets In This Book Will Show You How

More copy here.

See? As you read through the headlines and subheadlines they make sense even without any copy. This serves to give an overview of the information to those customers who may not read every word of the copy youกve written. If they read just the headlines and subheads, theyกll still understand what you’re offering.

Headlines Can Raise Curiosity

Make a statement thatกs so unusual it doesn’t make sense. Create กcliffhangersก with your headlines and only give so much information before stopping. When you use these and other interest builders, you can encourage customers to read further into your copy just to satisfy their curiosity. Using natural gardening products as our example, the headlines and subheads often look like this:

My Roses Are Bursting With Blossoms Since I Stopped Watering Them

My PrizeWinning Tulips Would Wither Up and Die If It Weren’t for…

Which Annual Blooms Twice As Big When You Give It A Beer/Shampoo Cocktail?

These statements make you think. They start the reader wondering so that he/she continues to read on to get the rest of the story.

When creating headlines in your copy, think about how they all work together. Instead of just plopping bolded words in between paragraphs, create a plan revolving around progressive headlines that can lead your readers to buy.

by Karon Thackston © 2004

http://www.learncopywriting.com

About The Author

Tired of endlessly searching the ‘Net in hopes of finding the latest copywriting techniques? Need an uptodate directory filled with the best ways to learn copywriting? Visit http://www.learncopywriting.com today for the widest collection of the most popular copywriting resources available.

IF PUBLISHING ON A WEBSITE, USE THIS RESOURCE BOX:

Tired of endlessly searching the ‘Net in hopes of finding the latest copywriting techniques? Need an uptodate directory filled with the best ways to learn copywriting? Visit Learn Copywriting today for the widest collection of the most popular copywriting resources available.

[email protected]

This article was posted on September 25, 2004

by Karon Thackston