How to Write a Headline that Works
Do you ever wonder why some headlines work… and others fall flat?
Well, you’re not alone. As you probably know, the headline is the most important part of your copy—because your headline is the first (and maybe only) impression you make on a prospective reader.
So if your headline doesn’t immediately grab your reader’s attention and urge her to read on, the rest of your copy might as well not exist.
But your headline can do more than just grab your reader’s attention. It can also communicate a full message to your intended audience… and must always, always, lure your reader into the rest of your body copy.
So what are the mandatory ingredients of a great headline? Start with these three fundamentals:
1. Self-interest
Great headlines must always communicate a benefit to the reader. They must clearly tell what’s in it for them.
For example, the following headline shows an obvious benefit:
“How to Burn More Calories in Less Time”
“How to Get Stronger in 14 Days”
2. Newsworthiness
Newsworthy headlines communicate something new, drawing your reader in.
A newsworthy headline could be modeled on the following: (more…)
Are You Engaging Your Readers With Questions?
In today’s overstimulated world, your prospects are constantly in a state of information overload.
And that’s why it’s so important to constantly engage and connect with your readers, whether you’re writing a blog post, an article, or even a sales letter.
Because if you don’t, you can guess what will happen: your reader will take one look at your boring, lifeless piece of writing and quickly move on to the next thing.
So what’s the best way to keep your reader interested in what you have to say?
Ask questions.
Why questions matter
The vast majority of blog posts, articles, and sales and marketing materials only talk about the seller. Listen to me! Look at me! Look what I have!
This type of writing doesn’t engage your reader. It pushes her away.
A question, on the other hand, causes your prospect to automatically engage with your copy.
Because any time you ask your reader a question, she’ll automatically think of an answer. It’s human nature.
And if the question is relevant to her, (more…)
5 Ways to Make Your Nutritional Supplement Stand Out in a Crowded Marketplace
Does this sound familiar?
You have an awesome nutritional product or supplement, with high quality ingredients and a proven track record.
You know your product kicks ass.
But despite your best efforts, you’re having trouble getting it to stand out from the dozens, maybe even hundreds, of similar products on the market today.
So what gives?
How can you distinguish your nutritional supplement in such a crowded marketplace?
I’ll tell you right now, it’s not an easy task. But if you follow these five steps, you’ll be on your way to differentiating your product and bringing in the sales:
1. Determine your USP
Before beginning marketing your nutritional supplement to the world, you need to clearly define your USP (unique selling proposition).
In other words, what makes you different? Why should a customer buy your product over a competitor’s?
This USP becomes your brand, and ultimately, what people know you for.
Without it, your product will be lost in the grocery store aisles… and eventually, taken off the shelves altogether. (more…)
Writing Effective Short Copy Emails
It may seem counterintuitive, but when writing marketing emails, short copy often works best.
This is because these days, most people have dozens, if not hundreds, of emails to sort through on a daily basis. They’re most likely skimming through each one, and if they decide to open yours at all, they’ll appreciate it if you get right to the point.
So while long copy certainly has its place in direct response marketing, short copy can actually work better online—but only when done effectively. Here are 5 techniques to help you do just that:
1. Begin with the end in mind.
Before you write your email, you need to decide exactly what you what your reader to do once she’s read it and write accordingly.
Because you’re writing a short email—between 200 and 500 words—you won’t be able to elaborate on your topic but instead should make your goal to get your reader to click on a link that in turn leads her to a longer copy page (such as a landing page) with more information on it.
The rule of thumb is to include at least two links per email with a clear call to action (yes, even for short emails).
The key is to leave no doubt in your reader’s mind as to what the next step is, and get her to click!
2. Stick to one main idea.
In a short copy email, you don’t have pages and pages to explain different points, so instead you need to stick to one clear idea.
The idea is to provide a single idea with a single benefit—no more. (more…)
The Key to Successful Content Marketing
You’ve heard the buzz about content marketing in recent years. You know you should be doing it to promote your business. But you’re not exactly sure what it is, or how to do it well.
Well, don’t be discouraged. The concept is fairly straight forward.
Content marketing is the creation of valuable content that has a marketing purpose.
For example, your company may create an awesome special report, a series of email lessons, or a free ebook and exchange it for your prospect’s email address and their permission to further educate them about your company and what you have to offer.
Think blogs, white papers, viral videos, case studies—anything with good, relevant content, designed to help and educate your readers. That’s content marketing.
But in order to be effective, your content has to attract readers. And the only way to do that is to incorporate classic copywriting lessons into your content.
So when you go about creating content for your business, consider these copywriting techniques first:
1. Have a good headline.
Without a good headline that grabs your reader’s attention and lures her into the rest of your body copy, your spectacular content will go to waste.
Headlines should incite curiosity, and always speak directly to the reader.
2. Think about how your content benefits readers—before you write it.
Why should your readers take time out of their busy day to read your content?
Just as a product needs to benefit the buyer, your content needs to provide a benefit to the reader, or she won’t return.
3. Build trust with your readers.
You may be getting a lot of attention in the blogosphere, but if that attention isn’t building trust, you’re not doing yourself any favors. (more…)
