Headline Writing Can Lead To Fortunes: Here Are The Basics Of Writing Headlines

Headlines attract attention. Headlines generate interest. The time spent writing headlines can pay you back many times over.

Do you have a product or service to sell? How do you attract new customers, clients, prospects, leads or patients?

Most likely you attract them through the written word in some sort of advertising, articles, or press release. In each case you need a headline.

In fact, every printed document you publish should have a headline on it. Yes, even including your business card, if you have one!

So, what should go in your headline? Below are seven headline ideas that have proved profitable in the past. Remember the goal of the headline is to stop your reader dead in their tracks and get them to read further in to your sales copy.

1). Answer the question, "What's In It For Me?" Offer the reader a big benefit or promise of they continue reading. Here are a few examples:

* The Secret of Making People Like You

* Who Else Wants A Screen Star Figure?

* You Can Laugh At Money Worries - If You Follow This Simple Plan

* How to Win Friends and Influence People

The promise can be either explicit or implied, but it must be clear to the reader.

2). Tightly target your headlines. Don't write your headline to everyone. A headline written to everyone in reality is written to no one. Grab the attention of a very specific target audience by mentioning them by name. Here are some examples of tightly targeted headlines.

* To People Who Want To Write - But Can't Get Started

* To Men Who Want TO Quit Work Someday

* For the Woman Who Is older Than She Looks

* CAR Owners ... Save ONE GALLON OF GAS In Every TEN

* GIRLS...Want Quick CURLS?

* Attention Small Business Owners: Why Doesn't Your Advertising Work? Finally, You Can Stop Wasting Good Money On Useless Advertising! FREE Report Reveals How To Get More Customers In A Month Than You Now Get All Year - Guaranteed! Call 1-877-232-9362, Toll-Free, 24 hr., For FREE Recorded Message Now!

3). Do you have something new and exciting to offer? Try writing headline like these:

* New Cake-Improver Gets Your Compliments Galore!

* Great New Discovery Kills Kitchen Odors Quick! - Makes Indoor Air "Country Fresh"

* Announcing... The New Edition Of The Encyclopedia That Makes It Fun To Learn Things

* Announcing The New FORD CARS For 2006

* Breakthrough Money-Making Secrets That Sex Sites Do Not Want You to Find Out About - Uncovered And Revealed Inside!

* Breakthrough Internet Marketing Group Uncovers The Secrets To Getting Rich On The Web Using Simple Math Strategies!

4) Got a quick and easy solution to a problem? People are always looking for faster and easier ways to do things, so let them know.

* Headline Creator Pro Software Generates 100 Winning Headlines Quickly With Push-Button Ease!

* PLAY GUITAR In 7 Days Or Money Back [Note: Quick and easy is implied]

* Hands That Look Lovelier In 24 Hours - Or Your Money Back

* How I Improved My Memory In One Evening

* How A New Kind Of Clay Improved My Complexion In 30 Minutes

* Here's a Quick Way to Break Up a Cold.

* How To Take Out Stains... Just Follow These Easy Directions

* Here's What to Do to Get Rid of Pimples Fast

5) Ask a question, especially one that can't be answered by "yes" or "no." When a question can't be answered by "yes" or "no" the reader will generally continue reading to discover the answer. The human mind hates to be left wondering about the answer to a question. Pose a question and the human mind will work to find an answer.

* Can You Talk About BOOKS With The Rest Of Them?

* How Much Is "Working Tension" Costing Your Company?

* Do You Make These Mistakes In English?

* Five Familiar Skin Troubles - Which Do You Want To Overcome?

* Which Of These $2.50 to $5.00 Best Sellers Do You Want For Only $1.00 Each?

* Who Ever Heard Of A Woman Losing Weight - And Enjoying 3 Delicious Meals At The Same Time?

* Whose Fault When Children Disobey?

* Can You Pass This Money Test?

6) Write a hook into your headline to get your reader to continue reading.

* WARNING: Don't Pay For Another Ad Until You Read This Message!

* WARNING: Don't Join An Affiliate Program That Doesn't Meet The Following Criteria!

* Using A Lawyer May Be Dangerous To Your Wealth

* The Truth About Getting Rich

* The Most Expensive Mistake Of Your Life

* How The Next NINETY Days Can Change Your LIFE

7) Put a guarantee in your headline to increase trust.

* Guaranteed To Go Through Ice, Mud or Snow - Or We Pay The Tow!

* Hands That Look Lovelier In 24 Hours - Or Your Money Back

* PLAY GUITAR In 7 Days Or Money Back

* Hot Fresh Pizza Delivered Right To Your Door In 30 Minutes or Less - Guaranteed!

Writing headlines doesn't have to be hard. It just takes a little time and practice, so sharpen your pencil and let's get to work.

George Dodge has been working on the Internet since December 1994 and has developed, and served as webmaster for, numerous government and commercial websites for the past ten years. Two of his commercial sites focusing on copywriting include Winning Website Sales Letters that that is a great resource for entrepreneurs and webmasters trying to write Web Copy to sell on the Web and http://www.Headline-Creator-Pro.com which is a software site where you can get your copy of the amazing headline generating software tool that enables you to create winning headlines quickly with push button ease. Headline Creator Pro can generate 100 winning headline ideas in just 17 seconds flat!

Latest News

MintCopy Inc. Launches Copywriting Services - Enabling Business ... PR Leap (press release), CA - Sep 6, 2008 COM) MintCopy Inc., a global network of expert copywriters has announced the launch of its copywriting services to help organizations and businesses meet ...

Search Engine Journal

5+ SEO Text Analyzers for SEO Diagnostics & Copywriting Search Engine Journal - Sep 4, 2008 Both with on-page SEO diagnostics and SEO copywriting, we often need to perform various types of text analysis. Here is the collection of tools that should ...

Keyword Density in Copywriting: The Important Aspect of SEO Promotion World (press release), CA - Sep 4, 2008 by Amber Smith Before venturing into the issue of what the ideal keyword density should be, let us understand the exact meaning of keyword and keyword ...

Copywriting Summit Targets Writers Seeking Higher-Paying Business ... Emediawire (press release), WA - Sep 2, 2008 Copywriting Summit 2008 dates announced -- will feature leading copywriters on how to break into the lucrative copywriting arena. Features Michael Stelzner ...

Titan launches copywriting contest for massive billboard Brand Republic, UK - Sep 1, 2008 by Anne Cassidy Campaign 01-Sep-08, 16:15 LONDON - Titan Outdoor is launching what it terms "the biggest copywriting competition in the world" to promote ... Creatives urged to think big by Titan Outdoor How Do all 2 news articles

Tips for helping your Copywriting Business 3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine, Germany - Aug 29, 2008 by Ray Edwards Improving these two skills will help you become far more successful as a copywriter. There are many good copywriters out there that do not ...

Online Marketers Seek Performance Boosts at Online Market World MarketWatch - Sep 3, 2008 ... become a necessity to take the guess work out of such things as site design, advertising campaigns, email campaigns, copywriting, and graphic design. ...

American Chronicle

Wood Stoves & Home Improvement American Chronicle, CA - Sep 5, 2008 AJ Vanderhorst owns Words w/ Verve, a freelance copywriting business. He grew up reading compulsively and writing numerous articles and stories. ...

Vocational Copywriting 3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine, Germany - Aug 27, 2008 by Ray Edwards Copywriting as a trade carries with it a great number of benefits. A copywriter will earn more than the average salary in the United States. ...

Rates for Copywriting 3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine, Germany - Aug 26, 2008 by Ray Edwards If you’re an employed copywriter, you can make a little or a lot of money depending on your skill level and how well you advertise yourself. ...