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The "Headline" or the "Information"
..... Which is more important?

Printing Secrets Newsletter
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I have worked with many people who had a fantastic product within their brochure or on their postcard but the public never "bought" into the idea of purchasing the product.

I have also worked with photographers who took outstanding pictures of their client's products however their pictures never generated the sales their client was expecting.

Many people think that the most important part of selling their product is either the picture of the product or the information about the product within the ad, which leads to the biggest mistake most people make.

It has been proven time and time again that the most important part of any brochure, postcard (or other type of ad) is the "Headline." This is because of the simple fact that a "picture explains a thousand words" (meaning your picture could have 1000 different definitions to it) and people are to busy to read the information within your ad unless you reveal to them within 3 seconds: "What is in it for me?" In other words, the headline of your postcard or brochure is what sends a telepathic-scientific message to the reader enticing them to read what you have to say. This is because of one of the four following reasons:

  1. They want to please their own "self interest"
  2. They want to find out the "late breaking news"
  3. They want to find the "answer to their curiosity"
  4. They want a "quick and easy" way to fix their problem

If your brochure or postcard is unable to send one of those four messages to the reader the split second they look at it, you will have lost them as a new client.

Let's first take a look at the four types of "telepathic-scientific messages" your ad can send to the reader. Then I will give you several examples of effective and non-effective headlines and why they did or did not bring in the sales the sales that were expected.

The "4 Rules" for Writing Effective Headlines

  1. Self Interest:
    First and foremast, try to get self-interest into every headline you write. Make your headline suggest to the readers: "Here is something you could use." This rule is so fundamental that it seams obvious, yet this rule is violated every day by thousands of professional ad writers.
     
  2. Late Breaking News:
    If you have news, such as a new product or improvements on an existing product, be sure to make it clear to the public within your headline what the late breaking news actually is. After you have their attention they will be interested in reading what you have to say, which brings us to the third rule.
     
  3. Curiosity:
    Curiosity, combined with news or self interest, is an excellent aid to the pulling power of your headline. However curiosity by itself is never enough (it only annoys the reader by leaving them hanging). This rule is used most often within the headlines of magazines and newspaper containing advertisements that attempt to sell the reader through curiosity. Every time curiosity has been tested, along with news or self interest, it has pulled in 50% to 75% more sales than having just curiosity all by itself.
     
  4. Quick and Easy:
    Suggest within your headline that this postcard or brochure contains the information the reader needs to know about in order to discover the quick and easy way to make their life easier, fix their current problem, or get that special something they have always wanted.

Examples of "Effective" and "Non-Effective" Headlines

When writing your Headline for your postcards or brochures you do not want your headline to be to short (to the point where it is non-descriptive) and you do not want your headline to be to long (to the point where the reader has no more curiosity). Instead you want you Headline to have just enough information to let the reader know they have a need or desire and if they read your information their need or desire will be taken care of.

Ten Headlines That Successfully Made Money
1:
 Get Rid of Money Worries for Good
2:
 To Men Who Want to Be Independent in the Next 10 Years
3:
 Any Four for Only $1.00 (picture of books)
4:
 How to Get Rid of an Inferiority Complex
5:
 No Time for Yale - Took College Home!
6:
 Order Christmas Gifts Now .... Pay after January 1st.
7:
 Free To High School Teachers - $6.00 to others
8:
 How I Improved My Memory in One Evening
9:
 How $20 Spent Could Save You $2000
10:
 How a Man of 40 Can Retire in 15 Years

As you can see, the first set of 10 Headlines either sparks your self interest (such as #3 or #9), provides late breaking news (such as #8 or #5), raises your curiosity (such as #7 or #9), or will help make your life quick and easy (such as #2 and #10). If you take the time to read the 10 Headlines below you will see that none of the headlines provide any of these 4 resources to the reader.

Ten Headlines That Were Not Successful
1:
 NO.......NO....... Don't Call on Me!
2:
 The Odds Are 9 to 1 Against You
3:
 A Test of how "Well Read" You Are
4:
 Is Worry Robbing You of the Good Things in Life?
5:
 The Trouble With Many Married Men Is ....
6:
 Are You Playing Fair With Your Spouse?
7:
 Are You Living in a Circle?
8:
 The Years that the Locust Hath Eaten
9:
 Letters Wives Don't Write To Their Unsuccessful Husbands
10:
 "I Will Never Give Another Party," She Sobbed

Believe it or not, I did not make any of these headlines up myself. They all of came from books, magazines or within brochures or on postcards and all of them turned the ad into a total flop. The ad did not bring in the sales the customer was expecting simply because the headline was not appealing enough to entice the reader to read the ad.

Again the whole point of a headline is to make it apply to the "self interest" of your target customers and have the headline raise the customer's "curiosity" level to the point that they want to find out about this "late breaking news" or how you can help make their life "quicker and easier." Make your headline apply to one of these 4 principles (if not all of them) and you will have a winning headline that will make people want to read your ad,

The 4 rules to writing an effective headline are all very straight forward and very simple facts that "Marketing Professionals" overlook on a daily basis when it comes to writing effective headlines for their customer's ads. Just because you write a super compelling ad, and the number of sales expected do not come in, does not mean that your ad was a total flop. It most often means that the headline of the ad needed to be improved.

Examples on How To "Improve" Your "Already Effective" Headlines

Now let's have a look at five headlines and how they were improved to by changing the wording around and why it increased the over all number of sales 20% to 70%. All of the headlines below were tested before the same kinds of people, within the same location, at the same time of year. All of the following headlines went with the exact same ad yet some of the ads pulled in more than double what the other ad pulled in (all because of the headline).

The 2 headlines below were for headlines were printed on postcards inviting the reader to write for a free sample of the food seasoning. One postcard brought in 42% more sample requests than the other one. The big question is which one?

1:
 How to make your food taste better
2:
 How to get your cooking bragged about

The first headline offers "one" benefit to the readers. Where as the second headline has "two" advantages to it. It implies that you can improve the flavor of the food you serve and you will also have your food bragged about. Therefore number two was the one that brought in 42% more sales

 

These 2 headlines were on the front of postcards that was sent out to residents asking them to buy a one year subscription to their magazine for their friends. One ad brought in 90% more sales than the other one.

1:
 How to do your Christmas shopping in 5 minutes
2:
 The gift that comes 12 times a year

The first headline offers a quick and easy fix to the reader on how to accomplish their Christmas shopping in a short amount of time. The second headline stresses only the benefit the receiver will get from the Christmas gift. The second headline states nothing at all about how it will make things easier for the Christmas shopper. This is why the first headline was ninety percent more effective.

 

Both of these headlines were for the exact same postcard that provided a toll free number for the readers to call if they wanted to get a loan. One headline pulled in 50% more calls than the other headline did.

1:
 How to get a loan of $500
2:
 When should a family get a loan?

The first headline offers the reader a plain and simple straight forward benefit. The second headline does not offer any sort of benefit to the reader. Therefore why should the reader take the time to read this postcard in the first place? When someone is hard pressed for cash they will buy into almost anything on impulse because of stress. These types of people are not interested in a philosophy; they are interested in pure 100% real cash.

 

Below are two headlines that were on the front of brochures selling a correspondence course in Interior Decorating. On the back of the brochure was a coupon that offered further information on the course. One headline brought in 250% more requests than the one did.

1:
 To every woman who would like a career in Interior Decorating
2:
 Can you spot these 7 common decorating sins?

The first headline appeals only to a limited audience. It appeals only to people who have already made up their mind that they want to be an interior decorator. The second headline involves the reader directly, arouses curiosity and offers a free lesson to answer that curiosity. Obviously the second headline was the winner.

 

The two headlines below were used on the front of postcards describing the new revised Standard Version of the Bible. The ads were tested within the New York Daily News. One headline sold 71% more Bibles than the other headline did.

1:
 Announcing an important revision of the Bible
2:
 Most important Bible news in 340 years

The first headline serves as a perfectly good headline, especially to those who enjoy reading the Bible. However the second headline makes the ad sound much more like late breaking news that the media wants everyone to know about. The specific figure "340 Years" also defines an exact calculation raising much more curiosity than "important revision" does. Therefore the second headline was the winner.

Below are 12 examples from one of the most famous ad copy writers in history, John Caples, on how to begin writing your own personal headlines. Follow once of John's 12 formulas and it will make your headline compelling to the point where people will want to read everything you have to say within your postcard or brochure.


"People are always interested in learning how to do things themselves. They will read any advertisement that tells them how to do things that they want to do.

Certain keywords in a headline not only increase readership, but also have a beneficial effect on copywriters by forcing them to write copy that is in the proper groove. For example, if a headline begins with the words "How to," the copywriter is forced to write copy that tells "How to" do something, and that is exactly the kind of copy that reader desires."

  1. Begin Your Headline with the Words "How to"
    How to turn 40 without turning to bifocals.
    How to bring home the right Home-Theater receiver.
    How to use the bathroom.
    How to do Central America on $17 a day.
    How to end money worries.
    How to get a better position.
    How to start a backyard garden.
    How to keep you husband home .... and happy.
     
  2. Begin Your Headline with the Word "How"
    How do I connect my business to the internet? .... 1-800-XXX-XXXX
    How many Down-And-Out Kitchens have been reformed.
    How this new invention is revolutionizing concrete construction.
    How your energy curve responds to the world's quickest hot breakfast.
    How I earn my living in 4 hours a day.
    How I started a new life with only $7.
    How Pepperidge Farm's bread helps you keep that radiant look.
    How can these magnificent nature guides be sold for only $9.00?
     
  3. Begin Your Headline with the Word "Why"
    Why these vitamins can make you feel peppier.
    Why your feet hurt.
    Why G.E. bulbs give more light this year.
    Why some people almost always make money in the stock market.
     
  4. Begin Your Headline with the Word "Which"
    Which stocks will outperform the S&P 500 over the next 12 months?
    Which is the best battery value for your car?
    Which of these five skin troubles would you like to end?
     
  5. Begin Your Headlines with the Words "Who Else"
    Who else wants a whiter wash - with no hard work?
    Who else wants a kissable complexion within 30 days?
    Who else has hair that won't stay combed?
     
  6. Begin Your Headline with the Word "Wanted"
    WANTED! Man or woman with car to run store on wheels
    WANTED: Autographs and historical documents
    WANTED: A few good men!    (slogan of the US Marines)
    WANTED - Your service as a High-Paid Real-Estate specialist
    WANTED - Safe men for dangerous times
     
  7. Begin Your Headline with the Word "This"
    This soothing beauty bath is astonishing to fastidious women.
    This Holiday season, stay away from your relatives.    (hotel chain)
    This kind of luxury is like stepping back into the 1980's. Except this time you can afford it.
    This is the quietest dishwasher in America!
     
  8. Use a "Testimonial-Style" Headline
    Let me tell you how I reduced for keeps.
    I was going broke - So I started reading the Wall Street Journal.
    After months of research I finally discovered the secret to tapping into the stock market.
    Do you have any idea how much fat is in this creamy chocolate pudding? None!
     
  9. Offer the Reader a "Test"
    Can your scalp pass the fingernail test?
    Can your kitchen pass the guest test?
    Can you pass this memory test?
    A test of your writing ability
     
  10. Warn the Reader to "Delay Buying"
    Buy no desk until you have seen the new All-Steel Executive
    Read this before you order your Zoysia grass
    Don't buy car insurance until you have read these facts
    Buy no more soap until you have tried the amazing new [brand name]
     
  11. Let Your Headline Speak "Directly to the Reader"
    Why I offer you this new kind of pipe for only $5.
    I'll train you at home for a good job in computer programmer.
    You've earned it. Now enjoy it!
    I guarantee you results worth $2,000.00 in one year!
    They thought I was crazy to ship live Maine lobsters as far as 1,800 miles from the ocean
     
  12. Have Your Headline "Ask a Question"
    What good are frequent flyer programs in the miles take off before you do?
    Did you know you can give your dog perfect nutrition?
    Would you believe the milk jug on the right is 45% lighter?
    Can you find 26 different products from Amway in this photo?
     

"Headline Formula List"

I have also included for you below, a list of 30 formulas for writing effective headlines. This headline formula list can help you in one of 2 ways: (1) as a tool for use when you need a headline in a hurry; and (2) as a stimulus to spur your imagination toward the invention of new formulas.

1:
 Begin your headline with the word "Introducing."
2:
 Begin your headline with the word "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 a news style.
9:
 Feature the price within your headline.
10:
 Feature reduced prices within your headline.
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."
19:
 Begin your headline with the word "Which."
20:
 Begin your headline with the words "Who else."
21:
 Begin your headline with the word "Wanted."
22:
 Begin your headline with the word "This."
23:
 Begin your headline with the word "Because."
24:
 Begin your headline with the word "If."
25:
 Begin your headline with the word "Advice."
26:
 Use a testimonial-style headline.
27:
 Offer the reader a test.
28:
 Warn the reader to delay buying.
29:
 Address your headline to a specific person or group.
30:
 Have your headline ask a question.

I hope this has helped you get a clear understanding of how important the headline is of your brochure, postcard, or other advertisement is. With the proper headline, your brochure or postcard can bring in over 3 times the number of sales than the brochure or postcard with the wrong headline.

Sincerely,
Stephen Shellabarger
www.PrintDirectforLess.com