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2014-09-23
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Marketing Made Easy Newsletter
5308 Stagetrail
Arlington, TX 76017
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From: Andrew Daum
Arlington, TX
Monday, September 12th, 1994
Dear Friend and Subscriber,
This months entire issue is going to concentrate mainly on one
subject, HEADLINES. The entire success, or failure of your
advertising campaign may stand or fall on what is said in your
Headline.
We all Know the importance of having a well written Headline,
but seldom do we spend the time to test or make sure it is the
best one. In fact, inquiry returns show that the Headline is 50 to
75 per cent of the advertisement. So, selling punch in your
Headline is the most important thing. It competes with news,
articles and other headlines in getting readers attention. In fact,
if you advertise On-Line, your Headline is competing with
thousands of other headlines at a time.
Every one of you know what it is to struggle with copy for
days, fixing it, rearranging it and trying to find just the right
words to use. Then, after it is all finished, we spend ten minutes
on the Headline! If the Headline is poor, the best copywriter in
the world will fail. It doesn't matter if you can write copy like
Abraham, Halbert or Galletti, the copy will not be read if the
Headline doesn't get their attention.
What do you see as you glance through a magazine, or On-
Line? The Headline. What decides whether or not you stop
and read the advertisement? The Headline.
I think you get the point on how important headlines really are.
They alone will make or break your advertising campaign. The
next time you are On-Line, breeze through the headlines and
see which ones get your attention.
WHAT HEADLINES ATTRACT THE MOST READERS?
While you are On-Line, do a test as your breezing through the
headlines and write down the ones that get your attention.
Which ones get your attention? Do headlines like, "Learn
Copywriting" really get your attention? Maybe, but chances
are you find it boring. Is there anything in that headline that
makes you want to read the copy? How about "Learn
Copywriting Secrets". A little better, at least it arouses your
curiosity by making you at least want to know what the secret is.
Well, let us try one more. What about, "Do You Make These
Advertising Mistakes?". Actually, this is one of my own ads
On-Line. Just so you will know, it pulled great! Why? Let us
analyze each ad.
First Ad: "Learn Copywriting". As previously mentioned, there
is nothing in the Headline that makes you want to read more.
All this ad does is make a statement, there is no "Self-Interest"
for the reader, why should he read it? I ran this ad just to test it
and received exactly the response I thought it would, zilch!!
Second Ad: "Learn Copywriting Secrets". I tested this ad and
it actually received quite a few replies. The reason being is the
word "Secrets". You can put the word secret with anything
you are selling and usually receive a decent response. It arouse
the readers curiosity and the word "Learn" covers self-interest
in a small way. Learn The Secrets!!
Third Ad: "Do You Make These Advertising Mistakes". This
ad started on a Thursday and ran for two weeks, I received 98
replies! I posted this ad 10 times in various business sections.
The wording used in this ad is the same as one of the longest
running ads of all times, "Do You Make These Mistakes In
English?". This ad ran for over 40 years in various publications.
Why was this ad so successful? First, the Headline asked the
reader a question to get them involved, self-interest. The
Headline also indicates to the reader that the body of the copy
will point out mistakes he may be making in his English, again,
self-interest! The Headline also offers something to the reader
by using curiosity in the Headline. It makes the reader wonder
if he might possibly make the mistakes the Headline is talking
about, so he reads it.
FIVE RULES FOR WRITING HEADLINES
First and foremost, you must, whenever possible, get self-
interest into every headline you write. Make your headline
suggest to the reader that here is some-thing he wants or needs
to know. This rule is so basic, yet the most overlooked.
Second, if you have news about a new product or service, tell
your reader. Also, take advantage of current events. Stay
informed on current hot topics being reported in the news. An
example of current Hot topics would be the Internet, Aids and
Flesh Eating viruses. Successful marketers always capitalize
on what's HOT!
Third, avoid headlines that merely provoke curiosity. What!! I
know what you are thinking, curiosity helped with one of your
Headlines, it also helped the best running Headline of all times.
You are right, when you combine curiosity with one of the
other rules it does work. Curiosity by itself is never enough to
get the readers attention. You must combine it with self-interest
or news.
Fourth, avoid being negative or painting a gloom and doom
picture. Use a cheerful, upbeat tone to your headline.
Remember, you are trying to solve a problem for your reader
and this is best accomplished with being positive.
Fifth, suggest to your reader that you have a quick and easy
way to solve his problem or accomplish whatever it is he wants
to do.
Whenever possible, your Headline should be a combination of
as many rules as possible. Take the time to write all the
benefits associated with your product or service on a sheet of
paper. Is it new, easy and most importantly, what will it do for
the reader (self-interest). What about timing? Is it currently a
hot topic? Take what you have written and create a headline.
For example, the marketing course I sell on-line, "Marketing
Made Easy Workshop" teaches the prospect how to write
headlines and copy like the masters, easily and quickly! My
headline gets there ATTENTION, and my Sub-Headline, the
other part of the ad with copy serves as the TEASER. The
Sub-Headline of your ad has one purpose, to get the reader to
request more information, think of it as an extension of the main
Headline. Again, the sole purpose of the Sub-Headline is to get
your reader to request more information, your sales letter!
ADDITIONAL HEADLINE WRITING TIPS
Having set down five basic rules to writing headlines, let us
now consider a few other tips to headline writing that have
been proven in actual tests.
A common sense point of view: Try to decide what would
make you buy the product or use the service. Actually think of
arguments and objections to buying your product. Then think
of reasons why you would part with your money to buy the
product.
For example: "Internet Marketing Made Easy". Why would an
ad like this work? There are a couple of reasons. First, you have
stated it is EASY. Secondly, most people have trouble finding
their way around the Net at first, much less how to market on it.
Also, the Internet is a Very Hot topic at the present time. It
seems like every time I turn on the radio I hear something
about the super information highway and how you can reach
millions of people. Any time a marketer, whether it be someone
in direct sales or mail order hears he can reach millions of
people with the flick of a button, you have his attention!! I
know people who run ads like this who make thousands of
dollars a month, just placing ads on the Net that cost them
nothing. What if you came out with a report for new Internet
Marketers giving details on how to Gopher to certain places,
with the addresses and the way to place ads so they wouldn't
get flamed. What if this report also gave the name and E-mail
address of people who would place their ads in the new Internet
Malls and other areas advertising is allowed! What if your report
also told of places the reader could place a copy of his news-
letter, as long as it is a real newsletter and not a sales letter,
FREE! What about how to advertise in NO advertising areas
and the right techniques to use? With all the publicity the
Internet is currently receiving and combined with the fact that
thousands of new people a week are starting to use the Net, a
report like this should do excellent. This is an entire different
subject we will be continuously covering in future newsletters,
Internet Marketing.
Another useful tip to writing headlines is to suggest to the
reader that the copy (sales letter) contains useful information.
For example: "Do You Make These Advertising Mistakes?".
This headline suggests to the reader that I am going to give
him information he needs. It is now up to my copy in the
Teaser part of my ad to get the reader to request more
information.
Remember, the sole purpose of your Headline is to get the
reader to read the copy of the Teaser and then request your
sales letter. If you can accomplish this, then the battle is 50 to
75% won, it is now up to your sales letter to make the sale.
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*This information is a partial excerpt from the "Marketing
Made Easy Newsletter", a newsletter containing advice for
would-be Direct and On-Line Marketers. If you would like
more information on the "Marketing Made Easy Workshop"
Business-In-A-Box Program or the "Marketing Made Easy
Newsletter", please send Email to:
Cserve: Andrew Daum 74727,1350
AOL: Andy Daum