EasyWriters Marketing Club Live Event:

Red-Hot Headlines
that DOUBLE Your Response
With Bob Bly & Clayton Makepeace

“If the headline doesn’t stop people,

the copy might as well be written in
Greek.”
-- John Caples
 If Anything Breaks The Chain,
Attention & Interest Vaporize
Reality
Your Lead Thought Emotion Impulse Check Action
Four Essential Sales
Every Headline Must Make
1. Attention: Your headline must stop your
ideal prospect in his tracks.
2. Readership: Your headline must sell the
prospect on reading the deck copy … the
deck must sell readership of opening copy …
opening copy must sell readership of the ad.
3. Advocacy: Your headline must position
you as an advocate for the reader – NOT
merely a salesman.
3. Credibility: Your headline must instantly
establish your spokesperson’s credibility.
The “Four Us” of Great Heads:
1. Urgency: Give the prospect a reason why
he must read this message NOW …
2. Uniqueness: Say something that your
reader isn’t hearing anywhere else …
3. Usefulness: Present benefits your prospect
will gain by reading this message …
4. Ultra-Specific: Add specifics in head and
deck copy to make your headline credible.
7 MORE Ways to Instantly
Engage Your Prospect:
1. Intrigue: Curiosity is one of
the most powerful of human
emotions.
2. Irony: Enlist your prospect in
solving a riddle …
3. Solve a Problem: Shout
product or readership benefits …
4. Expose a Swindle: Add
specifics in head and deck copy
to make your headline credible.
5. Provide an Emotional Outlet:
Put the prospect’s most intense
emotions about the subject at
hand into words for him.
6. Paint a Vivid Word Picture:
Show the prospect a photo of
himself enjoying the benefits of
the product and/or suffering the
consequences of not having
them.
7. Let’s Make a Deal: “Give Me X
and I’ll Give you Y” heads work
wonders.
21 Questions to Ask
Before You Write
Your Next Headline
1. What is your prospect saying
about your common enemy?
2. What is he saying about your
competitors?
3. What is he saying about the
problem?
4. What fear, frustration or desire is
most likely to capture his
attention?
5. What does he deeply desire for
someone else to do for him?
6. What “Head-Bobber” would
immediately get the prospect on
your side?
7. What news has the prospect
worried or excited and seeking
advice on?
8. What’s the #1 question he’s
asking himself now?
9. What story could you tell to
instantly rivet him?
10. What famous names could you
invoke?
11. What facts about him could you
use to seize his attention?
12. What visual image would help
communicate your headline
quickest?
21 Questions Cont’d
13. What popular icon or movie 19. What deadline can you set?
catch phrase reminds you of this
20. What Bible stories, parables,
situation?
phrases or words fit this situation?
14. What negative outcome can
21. What might a friend or spouse
you promise will never happen to
say to your prospect after
him?
witnessing the change your product
15. What mystery can you solve for produces?
him?
16. What controlling myth can you
bust for him?
17. What swindle or fraud can you
expose?
18. What can you guarantee in your
lead?
31 MORE Great Headline Ideas
John Caples’ 35
Headline Idea Starters
1. Begin your headline with the
word “Introducing”.
2. Begin your headline with the
work “Announcing”.
3. Use words that have an
announcement quality.
4. Begin your headline with the
word “New”.
5. Begin your headline with the
word “Now”.
6. Begin your headline with the
words “At last”.
7. Put a date into your headline.
8. Write your headline in news
style.
9. Feature the price in
your headline.
10. Feature reduced price.
11. Feature a special merchandising
offer.
12. Feature an easy-payment plan.
13. Feature a free offer.
14. Offer information of value
15. Tell a story.
16. Begin your headline with the
words “How To”.
17. Begin your headline with the
word “How”.
18. Begin your headline with the
word “Why”.
John Caples’ 35
Headline Idea Starters Cont’d
19. Begin your headline with the
word “Which?”
20. Begin your headline with the 28. Use a one-word headline.
words “Who else”.
29. Use a two-word headline.
21. Begin your headline with the
30. Use a three-word headline.
word “Wanted”.
31. Warn the reader to delay
22. Begin your headline with the
buying.
word “This”.
32. Let the manufacturer speak
23. Begin your headline with the
directly to the reader.
word “Because”.
33. Address your headline to a
24. Begin your headline with the
specific person or group.
word “If”.
34. Have your headline ask a
25. Begin your headline with the
question.
word “Advice”.
35. Offer benefits through facts
26. Use a testimonial-style headline.
and figures.
27. Offer the reader a test.
David Ogilvy’s Acid Test
for Headlines
“It will help you recognize a big
idea if you ask yourself five
questions:
1. Did it make me gasp
when I first saw it?
2. Do I wish I had thought of it
myself?
3. Is it unique?
4. Does it fit the strategy
to perfection?
5. Can it be used for 30 years?”
-- David Ogilvy
15-Point Headline Checklist
† Does it fit the strategy?
† Does it touch a nerve?
† Does it enter a conversation
the prospect is already having
with himself?
† Is it “YOU” oriented?
† Does it offer a compelling
benefit for reading?
† Does it make a unique
statement or claim?
† Does it provoke curiosity?
† Does it have conviction?
† Is it credible?
† Is it specific?
† Is it easy to understand?
† Is it colloquial?
† Is it focused?
† Does it have a newsy element?
† Does it imply a quick and easy
solution?
† Does it point to the copy below?
Questions?