Seven Easy Ways to Write Great Headlines That Convert

Link

There are times when the perfect headline jumps out of your brain and types itself out on the page.

Other times, it’s like slogging through molasses (no progress, and your brain feels like it’s bogged down in something sticky).

What do you do when inspiration fails to strike? A recent post on Copyblogger got me thinking about ways to write great headlines that convert (sometimes without even really writing at all). Wouldn’t it be great to have tips on how to write great headlines? Stuff that you could just rework a bit and still get great results?

Here are some ways to easily write great headlines, without doing a lot of work.

1) Let Google do the work for you

Try searching for your topic on Google. See what ads or sponsored links pop up. This can be a great source of ideas. Plus, they’re already search-engine friendly. Check the number of results to see how popular the topic/wording is. Or, type something into the address bar (the one on the very top, where the URL is). See what the suggestions are.

2) Swipe ideas from banner ads

Someone else has paid for those banner ads to come up on relevant sites. See what headlines they’re using, and adapt them.

3) Look at magazine covers

This works especially well with women’s magazines. They’ve been using attention-grabbing headlines for years. Copyblogger particularly recommends Cosmopolitan, and I agree. You don’t even have to leave your desk; you can check out the latest covers at magazines.com. Plus, if you’re a guy, nobody has to see you picking up Cosmo!

Don’t use the headlines directly, but modify them to fit. For instance, here’s a sample headline from a magazine: “Five Words That Get the Truth Out of Men.” That won’t work as is, but you can change it to “Five Words That Get Clients to Pay Overdue Bills.”

4) Use a formula

There are formulas for this. Direct marketers have been using them for years (because they work).

a) Set up a contradiction

“Earn Money While You Sleep”

b) Promise information
“How to Avoid the Biggest Mistake You Can Make When Buying a Camera”

c) Answer questions or objections

“10 Things You Should Know Before You Hire a Web Developer”

5) Look at newsletters you get from other people

I just got one titled: “Write a Profitable E-book in One Hour”

(This makes a promise, offers success, and sets up a seeming contradiction).

6) Keep a “swipe” file

Tear out ads from magazines, save direct marketing letters, print out ads you see online, and scribble down headlines from TV or a blog. Keep them all in a big folder (virtual or actual) and pull them out when you need inspiration. Keep a small notebook with you to jot them down.

7) Don’t try

Sometimes trying too hard or thinking too much can freeze your brain. Step away from the computer or the paper and go do something else. Send an email to a client, take a walk, get coffee. I often find I get great ideas walking down the street.

Oh, and if you think the headline in the paper is far-fetched, a few days ago I saw a cat chasing a dog the size of a Labrador. This is a tough town.

Photo:plenty of ants

The $100 Marketing Campaign That Packed the Room

Posted on June 8, 2009 by Jodi Kaplan

As promised on Friday, you don’t need buckets of money to run a successful marketing campaign. The photo on the right represents my entire budget for a marketing campaign several years ago: $100. That’s it.

Here’s how I ran a successful campaign and only spent $75. Yes, I actually had money left over!

Low budget marketing tactics

My assignment in this case was to promote a small breakfast seminar. It was a new program and they were hoping to get 15 paid attendees. Since my budget was so tiny, I had to think creatively.

I couldn’t use any of the usual tactics. Normally, I would do a series of mailings, with a save the date postcard, send emails, even rent lists. Or, I would buy advertising space in relevant publications and newsletters.

But, with a limit of $100, I couldn’t do any of that. I couldn’t even pay for printing, let alone postage.

Start with existing contacts

The first thing to do was look and see how many contacts or relevant prospects I already had in my house list. Since the seminar was about selling financial services to Hispanics, I sent text emails to people who had attended prior events concerning either Hispanic marketing or financial services marketing. But, that wouldn’t be enough. I also sent a fax marketing sheet (you could do that then); still not enough.

Reach more people without spending any money

I found a way to expand my marketing campaign and get it in front of more people (without spending money I didn’t have).

However, thanks to my previous job at The Economist Intelligence Unit, I knew someone who ran a multi-cultural marketing newsletter which went out to thousands of people, far more than I had on my list. She sold advertising in her newsletter, but at $250 for an ad, or $900 for a solo email it was way over my budget.

Try barter

I couldn’t buy an ad, but I could give her something else she wanted. The names I already had were potential subscribers to her newsletter and other services. They were people she wanted to meet and network with.

So, I negotiated a deal. She included the ad in her newsletter, in return for two seats at the table at the seminar.

I sent my emails and my faxes, and she sent her email to her subscribers.

Stop the promotion: we’re out of space!

The original goal was 15 people. We got 45. We had to start a waiting list. I had to cancel the last wave of promotions and stop marketing! There was no more space in the room, it was becoming a fire hazard.

I can’t share exact results, but attendees paid between $25-$45 to attend, so at 45 people, the ROI on my $75 investment was tremendous.

Partnering can give you greater reach, bring in new business, and save money. More ways to stretch your marketing budget tomorrow.

Photo: kugelfish

Get Record-Setting Results in a Recession

Posted on May 20, 2009 by Jodi Kaplan

The Greater Westchester Region of Hadassah (an organization that funds medical research to find cures for cancer, MS, and other diseases) had a problem. The economy was tanking and their annual gala was coming up. They count on that money to fund programs, events, and research throughout the year.

They were concerned about the down economy, so they came up with recession proof marketing strategies that worked in spite of the down economy.

Change the focus of your writing

Every year, the organization sent out two sets of letters to promote their gala event. One went out to members, volunteers, and previous donors. The other went to local businesses, asking them to buy ads in the journal program that accompanies the event or pay for event sponsorships.

Normally, these letters are written by volunteer staff. This year, they decided to have the letters written by a professional copywriter (yours truly).

The original donor letter thanked people for their generosity (good), but then went straight to what the organization wanted to get and to do (rather than what the donor would get).

The second letter (to potential advertisers) talked about the organization’s long experience, its expertise, and its fundraising goals.

All good things, but not likely to make a connection with someone reading it. The letter also assumed that people knew about Hadassah, had positive feelings about the organization, and were predisposed to place an ad in the program.

I rewrote the letters to focus less on the organization and the work they do, and more on making a connection between the reader and the organization.

Tell a story

The new donor letter started with a story: “Picture a teenager, suddenly confined to a wheelchair because of a genetic disease that caused her to shake and twitch uncontrollably.” It then goes on to describe how the doctors at Hadassah helped her — she was walking two weeks later.

Original Gala Donor Letter

New Gala Donor Letter

The letter soliciting ads for the event program was changed to a flier (since it was really a handout, rather than a letter) with the headline: Miracles Performed Daily: Support Hadassah’s research to cure Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s. It goes on to describe why people should give (the teenager story), where the gift goes, and how to contribute.

Original Gala Ad Solicitation Letter

New Gala Ad Solicitation Letter

Free marketing: engage your audience: and their friends

Hadassah recognized the need to broaden its donor base and decided to honor people who’d made significant contributions (in time and effort) to the broader community in addition to those who already supported the organization. The honorees were delighted, and invited their friends and business associates. It was a free marketing strategy that brought more people and more donors to the event.

Make it fun!

There was a silent auction including: a spot in the pit at a Daytona race; a private plane ride, with lunch, roundtrip to Nantucket from New York; and a brunch basket with bagels, cream cheese, and home made gravlax. Plus, “gambling” (proceeds to the charity), and a mystery balloon pop. Buy a balloon for $50, and get a prize worth up to $100.

I promised not to share the details of how much money they raised, but it was the most successful event the region has ever run.

Photo: gaeten lee

What do Landing Pages Have in Common with Grade School?

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Jodi Kaplan

Remember back in school when the teacher assigned homework on current events? First you had to find a story, then you had to play reporter. You always had to talk about WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, HOW, and WHY.

Well, landing pages are like that too. In case you’re not familiar with them, a landing page is a Web page set up as part of a promotional campaign. You develop them as a arrival point for different products and services based on keyword searches, email campaigns, TV, or even print.

What does this have to do with current events homework? The landing page has to follow a similar format.

WHO: Who are your customers (seniors, teenagers, business owners, moms, VPs of Marketing)?

WHAT: What are you selling, and what do you want people to do once they reach your page?

WHEN: Is the offer limited? Must they act now? Or is it “evergreen”?

WHERE: Where should visitors go on your page? Is it clear?

HOW: How do they respond or order? Click on a button? Call?

WHY: Why should people buy from you? What problem do they have? How do you solve it?

Focus on one thing only. Don’t try to sell four or five things on the same landing page. If you want to promote five products, make a separate page for each one. Make the call to action (click here, buy here) clear and big and obvious.

I saw a landing page for a summer camp recently that looked like a calendar. It listed several different sports (basketball, baseball, etc.) and the dates, but had no information on why anyone would want to send their child there. There were no clear buttons to sign-up or get more information.

The page had too much text and not enough pictures. If you operate a summer camp, have different pages for each sport. Show pictures of happy children playing. Paint a picture in words of the fun the children will have.

Organize the site for the buyer, not for yourself. Include separate menu bars for each audience. Use emotions, make them see the product. If you sell fruit, don’t say we have apples, pears, oranges, etc. Say, “these ripe, juicy Bartlett pears are so sweet and delicious you’ll need a napkin handy to wipe your chin.” See the difference?

Now go do your homework.