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Answer Upon - How to Write Advertising Headlines
S Corporation is an elective provision that permits small business corporations and their shareholders to elect special income tax treatment. To become S Corporation or Small Business Corporation, the IRS has several special requirements.The corporation must timely file IRS Form 2553 with the IRS. This election must be made by March 15 of the current year, if the corporation is a calendar-year taxpayer. The election will then take effect for the current tax year. A new corporation must make the S election within 75 days of formation; otherwise, it will be a C corporation for the first year and an S corporation thereafter.The S corporation must not have more than 75 shareholders. Before 1997, the limit was 35. A married couple is counted as one shareholder. The shareholders of an S corporation must be individuals, certain estates or trusts. All stockholders must consent to the S corporation structure formation. Each shareholder must be a citizen or resident of the United States. The S corporation can have only one class of stock. However,
d) State the prospect’s problem in direct language and suggest you’ve got the solution.
“Warning: Cancer Patients Should Avoid the Most Common Sweetener at All Costs...A Leading Oncologist Suggests this Substitute Could Save Your Life”
e) Start Your ad by telling an out-of-the-ordinary story. “Learn How this Golfer with Constant Back-Pain Shaved an Average of 13 Strokes Off his Game by using This New Type of Club.”
f) If your product and its average price is well known to the prospect then your most effective headline might be a simple and direct offer.
“All Movado Watches 66% off Now until this coming Saturday”
The most important thing to remember about creating your headline is to start with your prospective customer.
What is it she or he really wants?
The following are some common (and effective) types of headlines used in copywriting:
How to ...
How To (Accomplishment) In (Time Frame)
How To Turn (Problem) Into (Benefit)
How To Get (Goal) From (Something Common)
How To Improve Your...
How To Start...
How To Have...
How To Make (Someone) Do (Something Great)
How To Get Free (Product/Program)
How You Can (Action) In The Next (Time Frame)
How (Unexpected (Event) Changed My (Situation)
How I (Accomplishment) In (Time Frame)
How I (Accomplishment) By (The Unexpected)
How I Improved My (Problem)
An Easy Way t
This article examines business security and provides some practical advise on protecting your business. Unfortunately as any new business knows it isn't long before opening that the first break and enter occurs or another security issue raises it ugly head. Dealing with insurance companies reveals that often the business person is own their own, particularly if the business is targetted numerous times. The more successful your business, the more interest it tends to generate amongst low lifes, and once they have struck they will be back again unless you do something about it.In order to protect your business one of the first things you need to do is establish safe cash flow practises. This includes the basics like not leaving out large quantities of cash in tills or petty cash, ensuring you have a descent safe and/or strongroom. However it goes much further than this. Ensuring correct cashflow includes correct recording procedures with regular audits. Often one of biggest hits a company takes is when its own employee steals from the cashflow.
Easy to do. Right?
Well... not so fast.
It’s possible. That’s the good news. But you have to do your homework first. There are books written on how to write a great headline. If I said you'll find everything you need to know in this article my nose would grow like Pinocchio’s. But I can help you get started in the right direction.
A headline should have the full attention of your prospect in 5 seconds or less. If it doesn't the rest of your copy probably won’t get read.
Many copywriters think the headline is the MOST important part of the copy because it’s read 5-8 times more than your body copy (on average). In short, your headline must get the job done. This is where the homework comes in.
I’m assuming you’ve already done the homework for your product or service. You know it inside and out. You’ve listed all its many benefits in exhaustive detail.
Great!
Now you focus on researching your customer. Advertising legend Denny Hatch says it best, “To write a great ad you have to get inside your customer’s head.”
You have to become familiar with your customer’s interests, desires, and problems. You have to know your customer's mindset. How do you do this? Research tactics might include any or all of the following...
1) Talk to people in your target audience.
Talk to any friends who are similar to your ideal prospect.
Call potential prospects on the phone. Simply tell them you’re doing market research and ask for their input and advice about your product.
Make notes - - especially when you hear the same things mentioned over and over again by prospects.
2) Read what they read.
Newspapers and magazines.
Trade journals for the industry (etc).
3) Read other advertising literature directed at your prospect. Read any controls you can get your hands on for related product(s).
This includes collecting competitors' marketing promotions, direct mail or other advertising. Study them. Pay careful attention to promotions that are mailed over and over again. Those are sure winners. They'll give you insight into the emotional appeals and messages that are currently working.
4) Read what your prospect has written or spoken.
Read testimonials sent in by your prospects. (Maybe your sales letter headline could be geared towards the thing customers liked the best?)
5) Read any of your prospect’s complaint letters. What bugged them about the product? What didn’t they like about the company? Did they suggest how to make things better?
6) Research your prospect on the web.
Take notes. Write it all down.
Okay, now the fun part.
Write down who your ideal prospect actually is in 2-4 sentences. Be concise. Be specific. You'll be merging your product with this person.
Picture them in your mind. Their sex. Their age. Their job. Their work environment. Their home life. The age of their children (if any). Your sales letter headline is going to be written to this one person.
Let’s say you’re a software developer who has put together a complete home-business package that makes it easy to write medical reports for doctors. Since doctors frequently outsource this work it makes a great small business opportunity. You think your research has uncovered the ideal prospect. Now you write down exactly who this person is...
“My prospect is a busy stay-at-home mom taking care of small children. She’s left her full-time job to take care of her family while the children are small. She has lots of business and computer skills gained from her previous work experience.”
Next...
Write down in 2-4 sentences what your prospect really WANTS.
“She wants to make a steady $200-$300 a week to increase the family’s income. She wants to work from home, but only 10-20 hours a week. She doesn’t want her children’s needs to suffer while she works at home.”
Now, put this information to work for you.
Use your headline to speak to the most important burning desire within your prospect as it relates to your product or service. Try to match what she most desires with what you have to offer her. There are different tactics for achieving this (we’ll look at a few in a moment). But, as a general practice, your headline should convey your strongest benefit.
Now, what's the best way to do this? Copywriters have strong opinions over the best way to achieve this. But there does seem to be a little consensus on certain things about headlines.
A headline might do any of the following:
a) Convey the most important benefit to your ideal prospect. Use clear, simple, and direct language. Don’t be cute. Be specific. Avoid generalities.
Don't say, "This marketing system will help you increase your profits..." Instead say, "This Marketing System is Guaranteed to Increase your Profits by at least 43% over the next 6 months..."
Here’s an example of a sales letter headline targeting the stay-at-home mom...
“Here's a Quick Way for a Stay-At-Home Mother to Earn $312 Dollars a Week Part-Time at Home Without Sacrificing Family-Time”
Here’s another benefit-oriented headline...
“Eliminate Pain after Your Surgery using an All-Natural Remedy Just Discovered by Princeton Medical Researchers”
Select your target customer by speaking directly to the one your offer is meant for...
“A Proven Way for Miami Beach Realtors to Increase Sales by as much as 28% the First Month”
b) Use the headline to arouse curiosity.
“The One Type of Stock You Absolutely Do Not Want to Own over the Next 18 months”
c) Deliver a promise in your headline.
“Lose 12 pounds Over the next 2 Weeks Simply by Changing the Way you Cook your Food”
d) State the prospect’s problem in direct language and suggest you’ve got the solution.
“Warning: Cancer Patients Should Avoid the Most Common Sweetener at All Costs...A Leading Oncologist Suggests this Substitute Could Save Your Life”
e) Start Your ad by telling an out-of-the-ordinary story. “Learn How this Golfer with Constant Back-Pain Shaved an Average of 13 Strokes Off his Game by using This New Type of Club.”
f) If your product and its average price is well known to the prospect then your most effective headline might be a simple and direct offer.
“All Movado Watches 66% off Now until this coming Saturday”
The most important thing to remember about creating your headline is to start with your prospective customer.
What is it she or he really wants?
The following are some common (and effective) types of headlines used in copywriting:
How to ...
How To (Accomplishment) In (Time Frame)
How To Turn (Problem) Into (Benefit)
How To Get (Goal) From (Something Common)
How To Improve Your...
How To Start...
How To Have...
How To Make (Someone) Do (Something Great)
How To Get Free (Product/Program)
How You Can (Action) In The Next (Time Frame)
How (Unexpected (Event) Changed My (Situation)
How I (Accomplishment) In (Time Frame)
How I (Accomplishment) By (The Unexpected)
How I Improved My (Problem)
An Easy Way to
I have heard franchise attorneys say that prospective franchisees need the disclosure documents early on so they can make a business plan to see if the franchised outlet is feasible and I debated with them over this point of contention. Potential franchise buyers have also told me they wanted to put together a business plan for their evaluation process and therefore they need all the disclosure documents. They ask for these documents before they fill out the confidential questionnaire. We of course do not send out a UFOC without a completed questionnaire, which has been verified and we know the applicant meets our general approval and then check credit sources to see if they can actually afford it.We have had potential buyers fill out the questionnaire and leave information out, because they did not feel comfortable with problems associated with identity theft and still want the documents. So that consumer puts us at a standstill. They want to put a business plan together to estimate the worthiness of the business, but need to know all the
Talk to any friends who are similar to your ideal prospect.
Call potential prospects on the phone. Simply tell them you’re doing market research and ask for their input and advice about your product.
Make notes - - especially when you hear the same things mentioned over and over again by prospects.
2) Read what they read.
Newspapers and magazines.
Trade journals for the industry (etc).
3) Read other advertising literature directed at your prospect. Read any controls you can get your hands on for related product(s).
This includes collecting competitors' marketing promotions, direct mail or other advertising. Study them. Pay careful attention to promotions that are mailed over and over again. Those are sure winners. They'll give you insight into the emotional appeals and messages that are currently working.
4) Read what your prospect has written or spoken.
Read testimonials sent in by your prospects. (Maybe your sales letter headline could be geared towards the thing customers liked the best?)
5) Read any of your prospect’s complaint letters. What bugged them about the product? What didn’t they like about the company? Did they suggest how to make things better?
6) Research your prospect on the web.
Take notes. Write it all down.
Okay, now the fun part.
Write down who your ideal prospect actually is in 2-4 sentences. Be concise. Be specific. You'll be merging your product with this person.
Picture them in your mind. Their sex. Their age. Their job. Their work environment. Their home life. The age of their children (if any). Your sales letter headline is going to be written to this one person.
Let’s say you’re a software developer who has put together a complete home-business package that makes it easy to write medical reports for doctors. Since doctors frequently outsource this work it makes a great small business opportunity. You think your research has uncovered the ideal prospect. Now you write down exactly who this person is...
“My prospect is a busy stay-at-home mom taking care of small children. She’s left her full-time job to take care of her family while the children are small. She has lots of business and computer skills gained from her previous work experience.”
Next...
Write down in 2-4 sentences what your prospect really WANTS.
“She wants to make a steady $200-$300 a week to increase the family’s income. She wants to work from home, but only 10-20 hours a week. She doesn’t want her children’s needs to suffer while she works at home.”
Now, put this information to work for you.
Use your headline to speak to the most important burning desire within your prospect as it relates to your product or service. Try to match what she most desires with what you have to offer her. There are different tactics for achieving this (we’ll look at a few in a moment). But, as a general practice, your headline should convey your strongest benefit.
Now, what's the best way to do this? Copywriters have strong opinions over the best way to achieve this. But there does seem to be a little consensus on certain things about headlines.
A headline might do any of the following:
a) Convey the most important benefit to your ideal prospect. Use clear, simple, and direct language. Don’t be cute. Be specific. Avoid generalities.
Don't say, "This marketing system will help you increase your profits..." Instead say, "This Marketing System is Guaranteed to Increase your Profits by at least 43% over the next 6 months..."
Here’s an example of a sales letter headline targeting the stay-at-home mom...
“Here's a Quick Way for a Stay-At-Home Mother to Earn $312 Dollars a Week Part-Time at Home Without Sacrificing Family-Time”
Here’s another benefit-oriented headline...
“Eliminate Pain after Your Surgery using an All-Natural Remedy Just Discovered by Princeton Medical Researchers”
Select your target customer by speaking directly to the one your offer is meant for...
“A Proven Way for Miami Beach Realtors to Increase Sales by as much as 28% the First Month”
b) Use the headline to arouse curiosity.
“The One Type of Stock You Absolutely Do Not Want to Own over the Next 18 months”
c) Deliver a promise in your headline.
“Lose 12 pounds Over the next 2 Weeks Simply by Changing the Way you Cook your Food”
d) State the prospect’s problem in direct language and suggest you’ve got the solution.
“Warning: Cancer Patients Should Avoid the Most Common Sweetener at All Costs...A Leading Oncologist Suggests this Substitute Could Save Your Life”
e) Start Your ad by telling an out-of-the-ordinary story. “Learn How this Golfer with Constant Back-Pain Shaved an Average of 13 Strokes Off his Game by using This New Type of Club.”
f) If your product and its average price is well known to the prospect then your most effective headline might be a simple and direct offer.
“All Movado Watches 66% off Now until this coming Saturday”
The most important thing to remember about creating your headline is to start with your prospective customer.
What is it she or he really wants?
The following are some common (and effective) types of headlines used in copywriting:
How to ...
How To (Accomplishment) In (Time Frame)
How To Turn (Problem) Into (Benefit)
How To Get (Goal) From (Something Common)
How To Improve Your...
How To Start...
How To Have...
How To Make (Someone) Do (Something Great)
How To Get Free (Product/Program)
How You Can (Action) In The Next (Time Frame)
How (Unexpected (Event) Changed My (Situation)
How I (Accomplishment) In (Time Frame)
How I (Accomplishment) By (The Unexpected)
How I Improved My (Problem)
An Easy Way t
Electrical Safety Rogue Traders.There are many companies out there who do not carry out the testing correctly. They do not check the plugs or fuse ratings for appliances. All standard plug tops should be checked to ensure they are wired correctly, the terminals are secure, the fuse rating is correct and the general condition is ok. On moulded plugs the fuse rating should always be checked. On numerous occasions we have been called out to re-test another so called specialists work. When selecting a company to carry out works look for the following:1/ Are all engineers City&Guilds 2377 qualified.2/ Are the company accredited by an external organization for Portable Appliance Testing.3/ Can the company provide full method and risk assessments.4/ Is the equipment calibrated on at least an annual basis. (They will have certificates for each piece of equipment.)5/ Does the company have relevant insurance cover.6/ Obtain references from some of there clients.7/ Ensure that you are aware of the frequenci
Picture them in your mind. Their sex. Their age. Their job. Their work environment. Their home life. The age of their children (if any). Your sales letter headline is going to be written to this one person.
Let’s say you’re a software developer who has put together a complete home-business package that makes it easy to write medical reports for doctors. Since doctors frequently outsource this work it makes a great small business opportunity. You think your research has uncovered the ideal prospect. Now you write down exactly who this person is...
“My prospect is a busy stay-at-home mom taking care of small children. She’s left her full-time job to take care of her family while the children are small. She has lots of business and computer skills gained from her previous work experience.”
Next...
Write down in 2-4 sentences what your prospect really WANTS.
“She wants to make a steady $200-$300 a week to increase the family’s income. She wants to work from home, but only 10-20 hours a week. She doesn’t want her children’s needs to suffer while she works at home.”
Now, put this information to work for you.
Use your headline to speak to the most important burning desire within your prospect as it relates to your product or service. Try to match what she most desires with what you have to offer her. There are different tactics for achieving this (we’ll look at a few in a moment). But, as a general practice, your headline should convey your strongest benefit.
Now, what's the best way to do this? Copywriters have strong opinions over the best way to achieve this. But there does seem to be a little consensus on certain things about headlines.
A headline might do any of the following:
a) Convey the most important benefit to your ideal prospect. Use clear, simple, and direct language. Don’t be cute. Be specific. Avoid generalities.
Don't say, "This marketing system will help you increase your profits..." Instead say, "This Marketing System is Guaranteed to Increase your Profits by at least 43% over the next 6 months..."
Here’s an example of a sales letter headline targeting the stay-at-home mom...
“Here's a Quick Way for a Stay-At-Home Mother to Earn $312 Dollars a Week Part-Time at Home Without Sacrificing Family-Time”
Here’s another benefit-oriented headline...
“Eliminate Pain after Your Surgery using an All-Natural Remedy Just Discovered by Princeton Medical Researchers”
Select your target customer by speaking directly to the one your offer is meant for...
“A Proven Way for Miami Beach Realtors to Increase Sales by as much as 28% the First Month”
b) Use the headline to arouse curiosity.
“The One Type of Stock You Absolutely Do Not Want to Own over the Next 18 months”
c) Deliver a promise in your headline.
“Lose 12 pounds Over the next 2 Weeks Simply by Changing the Way you Cook your Food”
d) State the prospect’s problem in direct language and suggest you’ve got the solution.
“Warning: Cancer Patients Should Avoid the Most Common Sweetener at All Costs...A Leading Oncologist Suggests this Substitute Could Save Your Life”
e) Start Your ad by telling an out-of-the-ordinary story. “Learn How this Golfer with Constant Back-Pain Shaved an Average of 13 Strokes Off his Game by using This New Type of Club.”
f) If your product and its average price is well known to the prospect then your most effective headline might be a simple and direct offer.
“All Movado Watches 66% off Now until this coming Saturday”
The most important thing to remember about creating your headline is to start with your prospective customer.
What is it she or he really wants?
The following are some common (and effective) types of headlines used in copywriting:
How to ...
How To (Accomplishment) In (Time Frame)
How To Turn (Problem) Into (Benefit)
How To Get (Goal) From (Something Common)
How To Improve Your...
How To Start...
How To Have...
How To Make (Someone) Do (Something Great)
How To Get Free (Product/Program)
How You Can (Action) In The Next (Time Frame)
How (Unexpected (Event) Changed My (Situation)
How I (Accomplishment) In (Time Frame)
How I (Accomplishment) By (The Unexpected)
How I Improved My (Problem)
An Easy Way t
When developing or updating a marketing plan, knowing where to start is often a challenge. To better develop effective marketing strategies, begin by gathering information about both your business and the larger business environment (competition, trends, statistics, etc).Internally, the amount of information you gather about your own business will depend on your company size. Information can include business strategies and plans; company marketing plans; pricing; and income statements. Employee knowledge is also a valuable resource. As you gather information, if you at first turn to internal sources then expand your understanding through external resources you will do fine.External information about the business environment often takes the form of existing research, articles, competitive information, and industry news. While these are often available in both print and digital, the focus here is finding information online.Gathering Information Online -- Getting StartedThe numerous news sources and billion or so Web pa
Now, what's the best way to do this? Copywriters have strong opinions over the best way to achieve this. But there does seem to be a little consensus on certain things about headlines.
A headline might do any of the following:
a) Convey the most important benefit to your ideal prospect. Use clear, simple, and direct language. Don’t be cute. Be specific. Avoid generalities.
Don't say, "This marketing system will help you increase your profits..." Instead say, "This Marketing System is Guaranteed to Increase your Profits by at least 43% over the next 6 months..."
Here’s an example of a sales letter headline targeting the stay-at-home mom...
“Here's a Quick Way for a Stay-At-Home Mother to Earn $312 Dollars a Week Part-Time at Home Without Sacrificing Family-Time”
Here’s another benefit-oriented headline...
“Eliminate Pain after Your Surgery using an All-Natural Remedy Just Discovered by Princeton Medical Researchers”
Select your target customer by speaking directly to the one your offer is meant for...
“A Proven Way for Miami Beach Realtors to Increase Sales by as much as 28% the First Month”
b) Use the headline to arouse curiosity.
“The One Type of Stock You Absolutely Do Not Want to Own over the Next 18 months”
c) Deliver a promise in your headline.
“Lose 12 pounds Over the next 2 Weeks Simply by Changing the Way you Cook your Food”
d) State the prospect’s problem in direct language and suggest you’ve got the solution.
“Warning: Cancer Patients Should Avoid the Most Common Sweetener at All Costs...A Leading Oncologist Suggests this Substitute Could Save Your Life”
e) Start Your ad by telling an out-of-the-ordinary story. “Learn How this Golfer with Constant Back-Pain Shaved an Average of 13 Strokes Off his Game by using This New Type of Club.”
f) If your product and its average price is well known to the prospect then your most effective headline might be a simple and direct offer.
“All Movado Watches 66% off Now until this coming Saturday”
The most important thing to remember about creating your headline is to start with your prospective customer.
What is it she or he really wants?
The following are some common (and effective) types of headlines used in copywriting:
How to ...
How To (Accomplishment) In (Time Frame)
How To Turn (Problem) Into (Benefit)
How To Get (Goal) From (Something Common)
How To Improve Your...
How To Start...
How To Have...
How To Make (Someone) Do (Something Great)
How To Get Free (Product/Program)
How You Can (Action) In The Next (Time Frame)
How (Unexpected (Event) Changed My (Situation)
How I (Accomplishment) In (Time Frame)
How I (Accomplishment) By (The Unexpected)
How I Improved My (Problem)
An Easy Way t
For such a simple statement, this is one of the hardest things for people to do. It goes back to that damn survival instinct each of us is born with. If an animal draws attention to itself in the wild, it might soon find itself the main course of a larger animal’s next meal. That fear of being chewed up and spit out has survived all our millions of years of evolution and is alive and well in today’s business environment.Fight or flight is another instinct many of us haven’t yet learned to manipulate. It’s easier to run away from a new idea than it is to stay and fight for it. With today’s leadership-by-committee mentality and intense public scrutiny, the easiest solution is unfortunately the most popular. Companies today often miss the forest through the trees. They tend to concentrate so much on short-term profit that they fail to make investments or take advantages of opportunities that promise long-term profit simply because they require a short-term loss.It may also be argued that fighting for a new idea—whether t
d) State the prospect’s problem in direct language and suggest you’ve got the solution.
“Warning: Cancer Patients Should Avoid the Most Common Sweetener at All Costs...A Leading Oncologist Suggests this Substitute Could Save Your Life”
e) Start Your ad by telling an out-of-the-ordinary story. “Learn How this Golfer with Constant Back-Pain Shaved an Average of 13 Strokes Off his Game by using This New Type of Club.”
f) If your product and its average price is well known to the prospect then your most effective headline might be a simple and direct offer.
“All Movado Watches 66% off Now until this coming Saturday”
The most important thing to remember about creating your headline is to start with your prospective customer.
What is it she or he really wants?
The following are some common (and effective) types of headlines used in copywriting:
How to ...
How To (Accomplishment) In (Time Frame)
How To Turn (Problem) Into (Benefit)
How To Get (Goal) From (Something Common)
How To Improve Your...
How To Start...
How To Have...
How To Make (Someone) Do (Something Great)
How To Get Free (Product/Program)
How You Can (Action) In The Next (Time Frame)
How (Unexpected (Event) Changed My (Situation)
How I (Accomplishment) In (Time Frame)
How I (Accomplishment) By (The Unexpected)
How I Improved My (Problem)
An Easy Way to …
A Proven Way to ...
Introducing ...
A Quick and Easy way to ...
Why you should ...
Announcing ...
If ... Then ...
(Problem) -- How To Fix It
A testimonial can sometimes make a great sales letter headline. Especially if it conveys your product's biggest benefit. When used in this way it can be powerful...
"We use the 305 Dawson Water Pump every day for plant operations and it always works without a hitch."
A few last thoughts ...
Never use a sales letter headline to trick your prospect. It should ALWAYS be related to your product or service in a way that meaningfully ties in with your copy. If you use tricks to get attention your prospect may start reading your copy, but as soon as they discover they've been tricked the sale is dead.
Your sales letter headline doesn’t have to be cute, hype-y or outrageous to get attention. After outlining all your product’s benefits find the one your prospect wants the most and you’ll be on your way.
Copyright 2006 Joseph Farinaccio
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