One day I sat across a client and he was running an amazing ad.
BUT…
It didn’t get any results because it lacked one vital part - a headline that forces the reader to pay attention.Without it you’re flushing your entire marketing budget down the drain, because no one will read the rest of your ad.
I looked at this situation and came up with 3 main reasons why headlines fail to get attention and how you can improve upon it. Let’s get right into it.
Number 1 – Do You Accidentally Insult Your Reader?
A lot of marketing gurus teach that relief of pain sells better than potential gain.
Basically, you need to rub people’s noses in the bad situation that they are in, in order to make them take action.
This works. But you have to be careful when applying this to certain industries.
Let’s take beauty salons as an example:
‘Is Your Face Covered In Wrinkles?’
‘Are You Looking Older Than Ever?’
‘Do People Mistake You For Grandma Instead Of Mother?’
Obviously, this isn’t the way to do it. So it’s best to use the positive angle at all times - just to be safe.
‘Get Beautiful Firm Skin In Less Than 30 Days Guaranteed’
Number 2 – Don’t Be An Alien
Another problem I see way too often, is not speaking the same language as your target customer.
You sound like an alien who just crashed into the earth and started to learn our language.
Here’s an example:
‘Attention, Physically Inactive Women Over 40’
Although this may be your target audience, it still doesn’t work.
Because those people don’t see themselves as too lazy to put on a pair of running shoes.
Instead they see themselves as ‘too busy’.
Don’t be an alien. Always put yourself in the prospect’s shoes when writing ads.
Number 3 – The Awesome Headline That Will Ruin Your Business
Some people are natural marketing geniuses. And they know that promising huge benefits attracts clients to your business like moths to a flame.
But, there’s a flip side to this.
If your promise is too big, you’ll either instill doubt into your readers - turning them away from you…
OR when they do buy because of it, you will have a hard time keeping up with your promise.
Both of these options suck. So make sure to stay honest in your headline. Don’t promise stuff you can’t guarantee.
Now you know how to properly get the attention of your customers to make sure your marketing budget doesn’t go down the drain.
Good luck,
P.S. Want me to do the work for you? Get in contact with us today by filling in this form.