5 Reasons Why Headlines Are The Single Most Important Part Of Every Ad, Postcard, Sales Letter And Web Page!

Copyright © Robert D. Boduch
behappy@total.net

Without a powerful headline, your message stands little chance in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

It doesn’t matter which marketing medium you choose. If your headline doesn’t immediately capture attention and pull prospects inside, the rest of your efforts are virtually meaningless. Without an attentive audience, no message -- however skillfully crafted – will even get a fair reading.

Nothing is more important to getting your message noticed than your lead-in. If you’re not allocating a sizable percentage of your time and creative effort to your headlines, you could be losing out on a large chunk of business.

Top copywriters understand this concept well. They know how essential it is for the headline to command attention by figuratively grabbing the prospect by the jugular.

Here are five good reasons why headlines deserve greater emphasis and attention.

1) Headlines Are Natural Attention-Getters. We all have a tendency to read headlines first, before delving into the body copy. They stand out visually, thus compelling people to pay attention to them first. Headlines act as titles and lead-ins that are set above and clearly separate from the rest of the text. This naturally attracts the eye of the reader.

According to advertising legend David Ogilvy, 5 times more people read headlines than the body copy of an ad. If the headline fails to stimulate interest, the reader simply moves on. With 5 times the readership, headlines have a unique opportunity to make any message many times more successful.

2) Headlines Serve As Valuable Guides. Headlines tip off readers. They provide a clear signal to help readers decide whether they should stick around for the full message, or dash off to something else that’s better suited to their own special 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. When you force readers to do this, you risk losing them altogether. In effect, having no headline will cost you at least 80% of your potential audience!

3) Headlines Prepare The Reader For What’s Coming Next. Headlines fuel interest. They start 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 a specific audience. They open the reader’s mind to new possibilities and expand the level of enthusiasm and interest. The best headlines involve the reader in some way which virtually guarantees sustained attention -- at least until the reader finds the information he seeks, loses interest, or places an order.

4) Headlines Simplify The Learning Curve. Every headline serves to introduce whatever information follows. As an opening, the role of the headline is to succinctly communicate the essence of the message it precedes.

Effective headlines and sub-headings reveal key bits of information -- often with the added power of emotion. A review of the various headlines and sub-headings alone can often provide one with the gist of a given message. This makes it faster and easier to understand and remember.

When you make it easier for your prospects to read and comprehend your messages, you increase the chances of them taking the action you want them to take. The result? More sales and profits for you.

5) Headlines Allow You To Deliver Your Biggest Bang Up-Front. You have the opportunity to arrest attention and interest at the outset, by using your most appealing sales point in the headline. If your strongest, most desirable product attribute fails to pull prospects in, surely nothing else would do the trick, either.

The stronger your headline, the more your message is exposed to potential customers. Create every headline compel attention and inspire interest. The more alluring and irresistible you can make it, the more genuine prospects you’ll attract and ultimately, the better results you’ll achieve.

Headlines are powerful marketing tools when used correctly. Take a good look at the headlines you’re using in your own ads, brochures, sales letters, and web pages. Keep an eye out for additional headline and sub-head possibilities. Make your headlines impossible to miss and difficult to ignore… then, watch your results soar!