Copywriting Tips – No.1
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WRITING COMMONSENSE HEADLINES
Patrick Quinn
Many well-meaning writers on the subject of copywriting are happy to tell you that the headline is the single most important element of any ad, brochure, website and so on. Which, of course, it is.
They also tell you that the headline must be so cleverly framed as to practically force the reader into the compass of the body copy. Which, again, it should
But it is right there that the commonsense comes to a stop. Because they then go on to offer you a formula of some kind along the lines of: ‘
Some even go so far as to say something like: ‘If You Can Write A Headline Like This, You’ll Be A Cash Millionaire This Time next Week.’ The latter is usually accompanied by a sample headline that, take my word for it, would get most ad agency trainees fired on the spot.
Let’s clear the decks. There are no formulae, no quick tricks, no lazy ways to produce a good headline. A good, selling headline depends for its success on just one simple ingredient a statement of benefit. Meaning a benefit inherent in the product or service that the consumer will reap if he goes out and buys it.
Every product or service has a benefit. If it hasn’t, why is it being produced? Thus, the best headlines, those that move product, say to the reader: ‘Buy this product and get this benefit.’
Simple, isn’t it?
And on the subject of commonsense copy here’s a bit more:
Me, me, me.
A lot of website writers, not to mention a lot of brochure and corporate newsletter writers, seem compelled to talk about themselves. They talk about their business, when it was founded, why it was founded and who by. Not content with this, they tell us all about their employees one by one; about the size and location of their offices or plant; and about the lengths they go to in order to satisfy their customers.
A little of this sort of thing goes a long way, but a lot of it goes right over people’s heads. And they lose more customers than they gain with such naval-gazing.
The simple truth is that nobody gives a damn about other people’s achievements. All most of us are interested in are our own achievements. Good enough reason, then, when writing your next website or promotional material, to talk more about your potential customers and what you can do for them, than about yourself. Six-to-four, you’ll get a bigger response.
END
Patrick Quinn is a copywriter, with 40 years' experience of the advertising business in London, Miami,
The Secrets of Successful Copywriting.
The Secrets of Successful Low Budget Advertising.
Word Power 1, 2 & 3.
© Markethill Publishing 2005.
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Hi, Pat,<BR/><BR/>You talk some good sense. As a freelance copywriter, I despair of ad agencies that don’t recognise a selling headline when they see one. It always seems to me that they would rather produce looney tunes than make sales. <BR/><BR/>I realise now that I’m not alone!<BR/><BR/>Keep it up.<BR/><BR/>Cagney
Hi, Pat,<BR/><BR/>You talk some good sense. As a freelance copywriter, I despair of ad agencies that don’t recognise a selling headline when they see one. It always seems to me that they would rather produce looney tunes than make sales. <BR/><BR/>I realise now that I’m not alone!<BR/><BR/>Keep it up.<BR/><BR/>Cagney
Pat, you are a genius man. But where do you get this much energy to write. I lapped up all your articles with a wagging tail and yes, unashamedly like your pet dog. Can I have more of them please. Not in a long time have I read like this – I mean a good four hours at a stretch! You’re great but tell me where you got the energy to write all this
Pat, you are a genius man. But where do you get this much energy to write. I lapped up all your articles with a wagging tail and yes, unashamedly like your pet dog. Can I have more of them please. Not in a long time have I read like this – I mean a good four hours at a stretch! You’re great but tell me where you got the energy to write all this