I've mentioned the two secrets of a great headline: an incomplete story, and the key benefit. But there are other tricks that you can't afford to ignore.

Sure, you could write a decent headline without these tricks, but who wants to settle for "decent?" You want to write AWESOME headlines.


When your reader looks at your headline, you want them to raise their eyebrows and say "What? How can that be?" Well, some words have unusually strong persueasive power. Experienced copywriters and internet marketing gurus know this, and they don't like outsiders to know what these words are. Well, guess what? I am about to tear the lid off these so-called secrets...

Use words that suggest insider knowledge

* Secret
* The secrets of
* Advice to
* Discover
* Reveal
* Uncover
* Hidden
* Lost
* Amazing
* The truth about
* Revealing

Use verbs that that vividly describe what your product does

I call them "excitement verbs." For example, here are action-packed ways to say "reduce"

* Eliminate
* Slash
* Burn
* Shave off
* Blow away
* Lose
* Say goodbye forever

Speak directly to the reader

Use "You" and "Your." This subtly helps them identify themselves with both the problem, and the solution (your product). Ask questions, like "Do you" or "Why should you"

Mention the name of your product

Even if they don't read the rest of the sales letter, at least some of their mind will have learned something about your product.

Use numbers

Numbers force you to be specific in your benefits, and that builds credibility with your audience. Dont say "Make Money fast!" Say " How this smart sales technique made $5,435.23 in only five days".

Here are more examples

* How A 24 Year Old Computer Dunce From Maryland Made $27, 669.37 In Six Days With His First Try On The Internet.
* Nine Jealously Guarded Secrets Of . . .
* Lose 14 pounds In Seven Days With This Simple To Follow Diet Secret
* Slash Your Paperwork By As Much As 34% With This Amazing Technique
* The 7 Secrets to Great Sex
* Finally! The 5 Steps to Success that Every Home Business Needs
* Contains 33% of your daily requirement of fiber


Of course, you have to be sure that your numbers are valid and based on real results, otherwise you could get into legal hot water.

News

Your customers are looking for the newest, latest, cutting-edge solutions. Something that nobody else has, or has never been seen before. So use words that communicate how your product has just exploded onto the scene.

* Announcing
* Breakthrough
* Introducing
* First
* Suddenly
* Just arrived
* For the first time
* Revolutionary
* Initial
* Recently discovered
* At last
* Finally
* New
* Now

Scarcity

You want customers to act now. Not tomorrow, not next week. Right now. So let them know up-front that there is no time to waste.

* Limited
* Time sensitive
* Urgent
* In just a few hours
* Hurry
* Last chance

Freebies and Bargains

Don't underestimate the power of a great deal. The word "free" is a powerful motivator.

* Free
* Bargain
* Sale
* Compare
* Only

Greatness

You are enthusiastic about your product, right? Communicate that to your readers with these excitement-builders

* Amazing
* Astonishing
* Greatest
* Incredible
* Magic
* Miracle
* Exciting
* Phenominal
* Powerful
* Super

A word of caution: Dont overuse these phrases. Consumers today are skeptical, and sometimes look at these words as hype. So don't use more than one in your headline.

Eliminate Risk

Another credibility builder is the elimination of risk. In other words, letting your prospects know that they have nothig to lose. Guaranteed.

Emotions

Speak to your prospects deep emotional needs directly.

* Annoying
* Hate
* Fear
* Love

Worries

Use words that address your prospects fears about their situation and the future

* Caution
* The Truth
* Here are the Facts
* Protect

Make it Easy

Let's face it: most people want easy solutions to their problems. So point out how effortless and fast your product is

* Easy
* Just
* Quick
* In only...
* Reduce

Make it Fast

Descibe how quickly results can be achieved: In just 3 days..hours from now...next week...etc

Use the word "How"

The great thing about this word is that it implies that an answer or solution will be provided in your sales letter. All by itself, this word creates that incomplete story that is so important to grabbing reader attention. SOme examples:

* How much
* How would
* How to

Use the word "Here"

"Here" is like an arrow pointing to the sales letter, leading your reader to read further. Here's what I mean...

* Here is
* Here's how

Require something of the reader

Indicate how much time it will take, how much money, or effort. This builds credibility because it implies there is some effort involve, and says that you are not making an outrageus claim

* In 20 minutes a day, you can...
* For the price of a cup of coffee...
* Give me ..., and I'll show you how to...

Just a couple of concluding thoughts

A headline can be long or short. Use whatever works for your audience.

* Dont use all capital letters. It's annoying.
* For headline ideas, review your list of emotional benefits of your product. Pick the most powerful one. Also, use the Unique Selling Proposition of your product
* Look at the covers of magazines for inspiration, especially tabloid style celebrity gossip rags. They masterfully capture attention and nearly compel you to read the article
* Create a swipe file of sales letters that you come across. Use them to get past the occassional case of writer's block.




Writing a great headline isn't easy. Just start brainstorming, and try to come up with 20-30 headlines. Most of them will suck. But somewhere in there will be the gems that will open your brilliant sales letter.