About Me
One morning, io mailbox discover there’s envelope waiting fm unknown source. bring package io living room, tear on envelope, pull what’s inside, yr reading glasses, unfold letter, begin read contents.
After completing te steps, quickly glance letter decide letter worth reading.
If not, throw garbage.
But envelope looks le junk mail, there’s copy envelope screams “hype,” printed address label ss “dear occupant” addressee, chances won’t at og you’ll throw away.
However, let’s envelope works, curiosity takes over, letter ds ts point. Oe unfolded, though, looks kd sales pitch ft glance, en single word read. So round file goes!
Your website envelope. ds you?
In offline direct mail marketing, message element read. extra steps th or finally reach, react to, ultimately read sales message. However, occur matter seconds.
Actually, studies tt it’s one.
There aspects, copy, cause letter read. look “cartoonish,” wh garish-looking typestyles colors? Ds look typical salesletter? sm ce trustworthy source?
In words, te logo? real address? Maybe en picture author? te eye gravity, attention-capturing photos graphics? me feel? Ds letter feel good? ds feel uneasy?
All te direct mail salesletter.
But oe you’ve passed tt hurdle, capture people’s attention, elements direct mail copy headline.
Albeit crucial component sales copy, headline series attempts reader’s attention “pull in.” Scientific tests proven people me decision (often called “halo effect”) quarter second.
It means that, literally fraction second, people me decision wr open, read, believe, buy sales message. that’s true, regardless letter targeted, copy topnotch, offer fantastic not.
That’s envelope, label, picture, fonts, quality letter, “grabbers” (such inserts, liftnotes, gifts, etc), overall appearance package, elements precede all-important headline.
Online, sl there.
It’s me jt look yr website. It’s ao “feel” it. people “the look feel,” people don’t appreciate latter. Looks important, true. people feel moment ty hit website? can’t ignore this.
People unconscious decision at you, website, products based — fm logo, photos, layout, color scheme, typography, en loading time, ease navigation. between.
I’m saying copy important. course, is. Wt saying tt headline, element read element copy, ry lt series ts brief attention-getting process.
But people click link visit website, they’ve gone extremely rapid appreciation process, immediately headline. you’ve managed te point, tn headline important.
Online, happens faster. mailboxes through, envelopes tear open, unfolding be reading it. Te steps nonexistent. sales message especially headline there, tr faces.
Those tests mentioned earlier discovered tt “halo effect” occurs wn 1/4 second, originally thought, Internet happens 1/20 one.
When tk at it, makes perfect sense.
Look websites newspapers instead unsolicited direct mail pieces. often, actually seek newspaper out. newsstand, glance headlines, effort pick up. web se le extent.
Whether you’re visiting website intentionally clicking link entering address yr browser, directly visiting message wh anticipation reading you’re there. You’re eager lt curious digest it.
You’re se mind reading newspaper wn reading direct mail piece. (Even wn piece solicited, steps through, fm mailbox sales pitch, same. or words, te them.)
A newspaper, hand, ay open, wh page, above-the-fold message rt ft you. It’s filled photos bold news headlines, ready grab attention, build yr interest, persuade io buying it.
Like newspaper, first-screen, uppermost section website’s home page doesn’t pull copy (or cause scroll further), wl click away.
And faster tn wd throw direct mail piece garbage!
And newspapers, don’t read websites. Instead, scan. you’re le people, skim th newspaper look stories tt you. quickly checking headlines, pictures, headers newspaper contains.
Plus, manipulate print publication fit reading style. spread tabletop, stories easily quickly accessible. way, scan entire piece newspaper single glance.
Online, read thing: scroll. desire skim scroll website tn printed piece. Therefore, oe you’ve passed tt it “envelope” hurdle, nd capture reader’s attention exceedingly faster.
Crafting gt headline immediately captures prospect’s attention critical message’s success. series attention-grabbing steps, se te ls te it headline ws harder online.
In or words, online headline’s role ostensibly greater.
If prospect hits ft page ds immediately “feel” nd read further, she’ll leave single click mouse. thoughts. wasting time. hesitation. rest AIDA formula goes straight dn tubes.
Writing headlines — oftentimes hardest — pt salescopy write. write gt headlines salesletters. sake brevity, let’s stick te mt ones.
They sets human qualities cater or increase attention factor copy. them, readership wl increase. are…
The Te Human Goals
Everybody ws me time, money, energy. headline copy letter, effective capture attention focus core goals at humans have, save 1) time, 2) money, 3) effort.
If yr headline instantly communicates sg tt help reader money, save time, less, me easier, faster, spend energy, on, chances hg yr copy read wl greater.
The Gt Human Desires
This sd three, it’s se appeal everyone. However, particular set “three’s” potent. that’s understatement all. Reason is, appeals dominant emotions, desires, fears.
For example, supermarket magazines. You’ll notice headlines cover ft page cater te three. Te moment read cover Cosmo, Men’s Health, Vanity Fair, National Enquirer, wt mean.
Headlines en ads types newspapers, lg copy advertorials, tn cater te human desires. 1) greed, 2) lust 3) comfort. incorporate three, boost attention-factor.
Here se examples:
- “How me $1,678 system!“
- “How save thousands usually wasted utilities.”
- “How melt ugly, unwanted pounds fast!”
- “How me him/her fall love again!”
- “How build web business oy 14 days.”
- “How write breathtaking copy minutes!”
By way, ask, “Mike, isn’t ‘comfort’ similar ‘less effort’ mentioned earlier ur ‘goals’?” terms desires feelings, look comfort opposite fear. Avoidance fear powerful desire. Tk security safety.
Your aim instill fear minds readers, bring minds, or offer solution tt wl comfort allay fears, fear loss, fear death, fear failure, on.
Granted, te or core desires. Te simply three. Plus, te sm somewhat gl categorical, ao variations, too. Don’t limit direct definition three. Tk at imply.
For example, “greed” necessarily involve money. include prestige, ownership, pride, options, etc. “Lust” feel at oneself, sh lust life sex — health, well-being, advancement, sociability, esteem, etc.
Nevertheless, yr headline contains hint slant three, you’re step ahead. cater te ways. wt help, simply tk at Maslow pyramid human motives started.
Finally, te are…
The Te Gt Human Teasers
Of attention-capturing devices there, te mt effective. Why? Be cater human needs, human motives. cater human nature. Gd ol’ human psychology.
I cl te provokers arousers, will. Te elements stir. Ty pique, push, prod. Ty mesmerize hypnotize. Ty fe hormones tug heartstrings. Why? ty cater fundamental human characteristics.
They are: 1) curiosity, 2) controversy, 3) scarcity. Try add element te boost chances reader sucked io copy increase substantially. En better, mix tm ae six.
In terms curiosity, don’t mention eg readers beginning — ge ample information pique curiosity pulls tm in. People intrinsically curious. advantage.
Leave tidbit kp tm edge seats, hanging oo ey word, eager read further. intriguing, fascinating, puzzling, etc.
For instance, say, “Discover mt closely guarded secrets tripling website sales ls tn 26 days!” People wonder, “What te ne secrets? wt kw wt are!” they’ll read sales letter, intently, fd them.
Second, controversy sg ws extremely well. copy addresses sg tt stirs people’s emotions causes “lights off” heads, pull io copy effectively or elements, above.
Howard Stern, well-known radio “shock jock,” break rules we air. semi-autobiography, “Private Parts,” story goes people loved tendency listen sw at hour.
But people hated listened te hours, more.
Maybe it’s ty he’ll next. Maybe it’s ty me ammunition bring guy down. reason is, Stern’s highly controversial approach undoubtedly extraordinarily rich famous.
While wt stay ay fm sensitive topics (politics religion ce mind), milder forms controversy — piggy-backing current events, hot issues, popular trends, newsworthy topics, etc.
Using bit controversy approach wl help build yr ce create at instant desire read yr copy. add shocking news item, me outrageous claim, offer unique twist, unbelievable statement.
There ws controversial wt bg rude, condescending, unethical. key not me people hate love you, people read copy. body copy substantiate, explain, clarify, etc.
Often, brilliant copywriters tie copy recent event se controversial subject. Sometimes, angle ty choose wh overall topic discussed letter. directly, anyway. it’s qe effective pull in.
Now, I’m talking at te infamous ads start headline tt “SEX!” ft line goes with, “Now tt attention, reading…”
No. I’m talking headline that’s relevant necessarily focal point.
Not 9/11, ads, commercials, websites surfaced capitalized recent, tragic event sell security equipment, self-defense products, public transportation tn air travel, home alarms, like.
Another caveat: I’m talking at profiting misery others. I’m talking at using copy ethically te advantage yr market’s current level awareness at hot topic. blacksmith says, hit iron we it’s hot.
Controversy sg significant slight, simply funny different, wh personal story, unique angle, original twist.
Think times you’ve seen story starting online business. sound little trivial (and usually, is), isn’t person suffers fm se kd disability raising 10 children home. odds them.
Years ago, client mine, inventor, trying promote backpack wh special straps created. straps me carrying backpacks little comfortable, distributed weight evenly, strenuous shoulders back.
After research, realized tt invention born personal need. amputee lost leg car accident. didn’t disadvantage hinder love hiking. created special backpack straps.
I told lack leg bg inspiration bd creation. So, copy’s headline od with: “One-legged lightens people’s loads!”
Finally, adding element scarcity copy sw limit offer mg time-sensitive, quantity-bound, urgent, scarce way. Naturally, easiest add deadline cap sales.
But don’t jt limit yf quantities time. offer that’s secretive, exclusive, unheard of, inherently scarce, oe unavailable public, arouse stronger motives psyche yr readers.
It’s adding realistic sense urgency, mg urgent itself.
But or ge added sense urgency se credibility believability, nr leave plain limit. As deadline, limitation, scarcity wh kd logical, commonsensical justification, lest claim suspect.
Ultimately, remember yr headline mt element copy. Try infusing wh te elements above, improve attraction factor, instill credibility, increase copy’s readership response.
The Michel Fortin Blog.
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