When I was in the Gold Coast recently attending Alan Forrest Smith’s master class I decided to try out the pancake place opposite the hotel. While I was waiting for my pancake of the day I flicked through the local paper …

1."The Party’s over Wall Street told …" (referring to Government bail out)

2."If you only have …3 minutes, and 56 seconds …" (advertising a hit single)

3. "How to be an eco-bride … from white weddings to green weddings"

4. "Trash the dress, we dare you" (advertised in a modern wedding magazine)

These were some of many headlines, which caught my attention. Why ?

Because they were short, oozed intrigue and curiosity and triggered an emotional response, and a values. I wanted to know more … so invested my time skimming the articles for the main points … Sorry if you were the one who wrote each word carefully but all I wanted was what was in it for me … update in news, environment and something, well just plain INSTANT.

Who are your writing your headline for?

A buyer looking for a solution to their problem, a generation of speed-readers and speed thinkers. Chances are they have made the decision to buy, it is now a matter when and of from whom.

Mindset customized Headlines

Your are writing for a WAM generation !

Want it now

Absorbs everything so fast … "in one ear, out the other"

More for their money

What do they type into Google?   

What do they want?

How do they want it?

Give the eye what the eye is used to … and fast to go.   Think about the style, length, font, and wording in magazines, newspapers.

Dramatic changes have been tested to show a lower response.

Flicking the Switch

Benefit driven headlines will flick the switch of connection for your buyer… Flick the switch to instant connection with E.M.O.T.I.O.N.  Emotion will win hands down over technical intellectual language any day, but just before you pack your academic tools away … you still need them too because you are going to need to proof big time.

Back to the switch of emotion

All the above headlines provoke an emotion depending on what your frame of reference is, your values, what you care about, stand up for and so on… Take number 4 for instance. "Trash the dress" referring to a wedding dress – the actual advertisement was for wedding photography and the bride jumping in the tide for an irresistible shot !

I was thinking what a "waste", my daughter in her 20’s was thinking "image" emerging from the wet water, wet hair etc…

What about you?

I have noticed the more I read headlines and try them out on different people, I can deliver headlines to my clients that make it impossible to click the red X in the top right corner or left to all elite mac users!

Copywriting Kiwi
http://www.copywritingkiwi.com
http://www.alisonredwood.com/blog
email: alison@alisonredwood.com
skype: ali-redwood
cell: 0064921795660