The First Ad Copy Weapon of Choice - The Headline - 13
A key thing to understand when writing your headline, is to know that whatever you write, it must be credible.
Now to be credible, something must be believable. Many people think that if they write outrageous headlines that are boastful and pregnant with hyperbole, that it will draw people into their copy. On the contrary, it does the opposite. You don't want to create a tabloid-like headline that people immediately turn away from. That's what is happening when you go overboard with your headline promises.
People reading tabloids know that it's entertainment and want to see those silly 
headlines. Unless that's your business, it really won't work with the majority of other areas.
What can we do to ensure that hour headlines are believed by people while still being compelling? Use modifiers alongside your powerful words.
If you were to say something has "never" failed, nobody would believe you. But if you were to say instead, "rarely fails" it would be more credible to the readers. Or you may use the word "always" in your headline. You definitely need to modify a word like that with something like "almost" or another word like it to show that your confident in what you're offering, but aware that it may not perform for everybody in the same way.
You need to be magnetic and at the same time credible to the reader. Words that modify are an important part of your headline arsenal to use for that purpose.
An important side to this is that those that use the words that everyone knows is an overpromise, eventually will be ignored, as a number of people do this. Your headlines will stand out as people know that what you're saying is reasonable, but still intesting enough to want to check it out. Again, that's the purpose of a headline to get people to read your copy. To do that you must be credible. Modifiers are a powerful tool to get that job done.
Other Headline Sources:
Writing Great Titles and Headlines
Writing Headlines That Beg to be Read
Effective and Attention-Getting Headlines and Titles
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I think writing a headline is a skill all marketers need to learn. Its not easy! On one end if you don't be a little "boastful" (for the lack of a better word), you won't stand out. On the other, your credibility is at stake when you boast too much!
Well. So much for marketing. :P
Posted by: Kian Ann | January 6, 2007 8:54 AM | Permalink to Comment