the man with the "grasshopper mind"

The title of this article is also one of the “20 Greatest Headlines Ever Written”.

Did you know that just changing the headline is known to dramatically improve the effectiveness of an ad or sales letter by up to 1700 percent? Yes, headlines are that powerful, and that important!

However, in recent years, I have noticed a proliferation of poorly written, or just plain weak headlines, both online and offline!

Particularly disturbing is the copycat syndrome. I can’t even begin to tell you how many variations I’ve seen of the “Who Else” headline. For example:

“Who else wants to write great headlines?”

By the way, the headline “Who else” is not new. It goes back many decades.

Here’s the problem with copying a popular headline. When there are so many people copying a headline, it loses its effectiveness, appeal and uniqueness very quickly, especially on the internet!

I have a much better alternative. Instead of copying someone else’s title, do the hard work and create your own classic title.

Headlines that evoke some type of emotional response are the most effective and generally generate more sales. Emotions motivate people to action. The stronger the emotion, the faster the action. Therefore, headlines that get the reader excited about winning something, or even more cash, afraid of losing something, will invariably produce the best results.

Using the right words and phrases is essential. Here are just a few of the words and phrases that, over the years, have proven very effective in grabbing readers’ attention:

Save… Amazing… Finally… Love… Secrets of… Advertising… Free… Luxury… Security… Finally… New… Opportunities… Obsession… Advance… Protect… The truth about… Discover… How… Rewards… Yes… Sale… You… Are… Sex. .. Win… Improve… Do you…

After you’ve captured your readers’ attention, this is where you want to answer the question “What’s in it for me?” To do this, you have to know a little about your target audience. What are they interested in? What are your priorities? What makes them respond?

Craft your headlines to use words and phrases that pique the interest of your potential buyers. If you’re targeting people interested in starting their own home-based business, try phrases like “Stay home and make money” or “Kiss your job goodbye forever.” If your product is diet pills, try “Lose 10 Pounds in 10 Days.”

A word of caution: There’s a point where headlines tend to get unbelievable. Make sure your claims are true and that your copy supports their truth.

Once you have a firm grasp of the aforementioned basics, look around your house and select several different products, and write as many headlines as you can think of for each product.

Write variations of the same headline until you have exhausted all the ideas that come to mind. This will be both frustrating and difficult at first, but it will get easier with practice. Remember, nothing worthwhile comes easy.

Once you have your list of headlines, make sure each one passes the test of the following criteria for a good headline. 1. Does it grab the readers’ attention? 2. Does it answer the question, “What’s in it for me?” 3. Is it true? If a potential headline doesn’t meet these three criteria, rewrite them or remove them from your list entirely.

Continue using the elimination process, one title at a time, until you are left with the three best and strongest headlines, based on the criteria presented in this article.

How will you know which headline is the best overall?

Unfortunately, there’s no way to know for sure until you test them against each other. The title that attracts the most sales or responses is the winner!

To help you get the creativity flowing, I’ve listed my version of “The 20 Greatest Headlines Ever Written” below. I have listed them in my own personal order of preference. Study them, analyze them, find out what makes them great, and then get to work writing your own. Enjoy!

“The 20 Greatest Headlines Ever Written”

1. The man with the “grasshopper mind”

2. They laughed when I sat at the piano, but when I started playing!

3. For people who want to write, but can’t get started

4. Does your child ever embarrass you?

5. The secret to pleasing people

6. Advice for wives whose husbands don’t save money

7. The boy who won everyone’s hearts

8. How to win friends and influence people

9. The last two hours are the longest, and those are the two hours you save

10. Do you make these mistakes in English?

11. Why some foods “explode” in the stomach

12. You can laugh at worrying about money if you follow this simple plan.

13. When doctors “feel bad,” this is what they do

14. How I improved my memory in one night

15. Discover the fortune that is hidden in your salary

16. How I made a fortune from a dumb idea

17. Do you do any of these ten embarrassing things?

18. The crimes we commit against our stomachs

19. How to do wonders with a little soil

20. Who else wants a lighter cake, in half the mixing time?