Thirty-Five Proven Formulas for Writing Headlines and Direct Mail Teasers

Headline formulas are selling ideas that have worked again and again in the past and can be expected to continue to get results in the future.

Here is a complete list of the 35 headline formulas. This list can help you in two ways: (1) as a tool to use when you need a headline in a hurry; and (2) as a stimulus to spur your imagination toward the invention of new formulas.

Begin your headline with the word "Introducing"
Ex: "Introducing the All New Ford Taurus"

Begin your headline with the word "Announcing"
Ex: "Announcing a Great New Car"

Use words that have announcement quality
Ex: "Finally an Exciting New Look that Isn’t Retro Anything"

Begin your headline with the word "New"
Ex: "New 120 Book Teaches You Everything You Need to Know About Parenthood"

Begin your headline with the word "Now"
Ex: "Now Learn Seven Different Ways to Invest Your Money for the Year 2000"

Begin your headline with the word "At last"
Ex: "At Last! A Bank That Guarantees You’ll Get the Loan You Need"

Put a date into your headline
Ex: "Beginning January 1st New Laws Against Bad Drivers"

Write your headline in news style
Ex: "Just Published A New Magazine Written to Help You Reduce Stress"

Feature your price in your headline
Ex: "Every Single Pair of Brand Name Woman’s Shoes for Under $25.00!"

Feature reduced price
Ex: "This Week Only Ralph Lauren Bed Sheets $51.95 [Reg. $85.95)"

Feature a special merchandising offer
Ex: "For Big Thirsts, Try our 48oz Big Gulp for just $.49 cents

Feature an easy-payment plan
Ex: "Order now No Payments for 6 months"

Feature a free offer
Ex: "FREE 60-Day Trial"

Offer information value
Ex: "Only One of These Safety Features Can Help You Avoid Back Injury"

Tell a story
Ex: "They All Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano"

Begin your headline with the words "How to"
Ex: "How to Earn More Money in One Month Than You Have in One Year"

Begin your headline with the word "How"
Ex: "How I Raised Myself From Failure to Success In Selling"

Begin your headline with the word "Why"
Ex: "Why Most Newcomers Make No Money in the Commodities Market"

Begin your headline with the word "Which"
Ex: "Which of These Five Skin Troubles Would You Like to End?"

Begin your headline with the words "Who else"
Ex: "Who Else Wants a Whiter Wash With No Hard Work?"

Begin your headline with the word "Wanted"
Ex: "Wanted! A Few Good Men."

Begin your headline with the word "This"
Ex: "This is the Quietest Car on the Road Today"

Begin your headline with the word "Because"
Ex: "Because Your Pet’s Quality of Life is Important to You"

Begin your headline with the word "If"
Ex: "If You Think You Can’t Afford This Car, Think Again! "

Begin your headline with the word "Advice"
Ex: "Advice to the Young Person Starting Out in Business"

Use a testimonial headline
Ex: "I Was Broke Until I Attended This Seminar"

Offer the reader a test
Ex: "Can You Pass This Memory Test?"

Use a one-word headline
Ex: "Sex"

Use a two-word headline
Ex: "FREE Money"

Use a three-word headline
Ex: "Burn Fat Faster!"

Warn the reader to delay buying
Ex: "Don’t Buy Auto Insurance Until You’ve Read Our FREE Report"

Let the advertiser speak directly to the reader
Ex: "I Guarantee You’ll Like Our New Wines or They’re FREE"

Address your headline to a specific person or group
Ex: "To Chiropractors Who Want To Cut Their Marketing Costs"

Have your headline ask a question
Ex: "What Good Are Frequent Flyer Miles If the Miles Take Off Before You Do?"

Offer benefits through facts and figures
Ex: "Tae-Bo Burns Up to 73% More Calories Than Ordinary Exercise Programs"

Adapted from "Tested Advertising Methods", by John Caples

About the Author

Craig Valine is the publisher of the The AwfulMarketing Alert Newsletter, "Where you learn GOOD marketing strategies by looking at those who do it really BAD."

To subscribe his free newsletter, go to: http://awfulmarketing.com/ezinesubscribe.htm

:To contact see details below.


questions@awfulmarketing.com
http://www.awfulmarketing.com