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How To Grab Attention With Your Articles
By Charlie Cook, Thu Dec 8th
You've got just a few seconds to grab your prospects' attention,spark their interest and motivate them to keep reading whetherthey're looking at your web site, your letter or your brochure.Headlines are the first thing your prospects read. Four out offive people determine whether they keep reading to learn aboutyour products and services on the basis of your headline. Do your headlines capture your prospects' attention or do theyconfuse them and send them away? Are your headlines prompting prospects to learn about yourproducts
and services or click to another web site or throw awayyour letter? (Article continued below)
Avoid the three following headline mistakes. Don't Emphasize Obscure Company Names Most small businesses andmany not so small businesses names aren't household words.Unless your name is among the top ten most recognized brandssuch as, Craftsman, Waterford, Rolls Royce, the DiscoveryChannel, WD-40 or Crayola there is a very good chance peoplewon't associate your company name with anything. Have you ever visited a web site or read a print ad where thecompany's name covered the top part of the page and it wassomething like, "Pharos Partners"? Unless the name of yourcompany describes what you do, it is not going to grabprospects' attention. Move it to the side and make room for acreative headline. Avoid Welcome Statements On many web sites the first line youread is, "Welcome to our Site". There is a reason you don't seethese in print ads. Welcome statements are a waste of time inmarketing materials; they do little to help prospects understandwhat you do. Delete Vague Descriptions and Statements Statements like, "Ourpurpose is to connect you with information and resources toachieve your maximum potential", could apply to a number ofdifferent professions. It could refer to a cooking school, amanagement consultant or an eldercare program. - Are you wasting valuable space where your headline goes tofeature a company name that doesn't describe what you do? - Does your headline include "business speak" terms yourchildren or mother-in-law can't explain? - Is your description of product and services specific or is itso generic that it could apply to other types of businesses? - Does your headline focus on the selling points thatdistinguish your products and services from the competitions? Writing Headlines that Get Your Prospects' Attention People lookat web sites the same way they look at magazine ads. They scanthe page quickly to see if the product or service is somethingthey want. On the web or in a marketing brochure, if you capturetheir interest, they'll keep reading. The best way to do this is to give them a clear idea of theproblems your products or services can solve and/or the benefitsyou provide. Use a few carefully selected words such as: - Leverage your expertise to attract a steady stream of clients- Reliable Office Supplies, free next day delivery. - In-homesports training for exercise enthusiasts - Web and print designthat helps your business grow - Travel, Uniqueoff-the-beaten track tours to jungles and beaches Your page headline should communicate clearly what you offerclients, which problems you solve and the benefits you provide.Do your headlines: - Clarify what you do? - Describe the problems you solve? -Define whom you do it for? - Explain the benefits? - Emphasis akey selling point? - Compel your prospects to keep reading? Imagine that you worked at an exercise facility and wanted toattract clients for your massage business. Here are somepossible headlines you might use for your flyer and associatedcritiques. - George Jenkins Massage (It's your name but so what) - Are You Bothered By Back Pain (Better, it defines the problem) - 7 Ways to Get Instant Back Pain Relief (Defines the problemand a solution) - How Computer Users Can Banish Back Pain in One Hour (Defineswho your target market is, the problem and the benefit) Grab your prospects attention in the first few seconds with yourheadline. Then follow with compelling copy that clarifies thevalue of your products and services and you'll generate manymore sales. - 2004 © In Mind Communications, LLC. All rightsreserved. About the author:The author, Charlie Cook, helps service professionals and smallbusiness owners attract more clients and be more successful.Sign up to receive the Free Marketing Guide, '7 Steps to GrowYour Business' and the 'More Business' newsletter, full ofpractical tips you can use at http://www.charliecook.net | 