Francis Lui is a freelance web copywriter with web technical skills. To get FREE web copywriting and Internet marketing tips, sign up for his FREE newsletter, The Web Copy Letter, at http://www.francislui.com/.
Coming up with headline ideas can be difficult. But it doesn't have to be that way. You're going to read tips on how to come up with headline ideas and improve your headlines.
First, write down as many headlines as you can without editing yourself. Just let the ideas flow and get them down on paper or on your computer. Try to get down at least 25 headlines or even 100 if you have to. It may take a while to come up with so many headlines. But it'll be time well spent because at least 50% of your copy's success comes from your headline.
To give you some ideas on brainstorming headlines, you can try using headline formulas that are proven to work. Many headlines follow a pattern. For instance, there are headlines that start with "how to." The title of this article is an example of a how-to headline.
If you have a collection of successful copy in your hands, you can borrow the structure of the headline. Of course, you can't copy the headline word for word, but it's perfectly legitimate to use the same structure to create your own unique headline.
Try including a benefit in your headlines. Make your headlines benefit-oriented. For example, the headline, "3 Tips to Triple Your Sales," has the benefit of tripling the prospect's sales.
Adding curiosity to your headline can persuade the prospect to read your copy. For example, the headline, "You're Leaving Money on the Table if You're Making These Mistakes," has curiosity. The prospect is curious to find out what those mistakes are. So he reads the copy to find out.
You can also use a testimonial for your headline. When using a testimonial headline, be sure to enclose your headline in double quotations. Testimonial headlines can be powerful because they come from an unbiased point of view.
Okay, now that you have your list of headlines written out, it's time to choose which one you think is the most effective. Choose the one you think has the best chance of catching your prospect's attention.
You can check if the headline is unique by entering it in the search engines. Enter the headline as a search phrase surrounded by double quotations. If there are few or no results, then your headline is more likely to be unique. The more unique your headline is, the better it will catch your prospect's attention. Always avoid using cliches in your headline.
After you've picked your best headline, see if you can make it even better. Try shortening your headline if possible. Shorter headlines tend to perform better than longer ones because they're easier to read and get to the point faster. Prospect's only spend a few seconds reading the headline. If a headline is too long and difficult to read, the prospect may move on.
Apply these tips the next time you write a headline. You'll find it easier to come up with headline ideas. And you'll choose a headline that has the best chance of grabbing your prospect's attention.
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