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             Writing an Eye Catching Headline!

In the Internet Marketing industry, email is a somewhat large part of communicating with potential subscribers, current subscribers and the hope of potential sales. Arguably the most important part of these emails is the subject or headline. The headline is what the recipient sees first and either arouses or dissuades interest. Grabbing the recipients interest is obviously the preferred choice.

So how do you grab interest from a headline? Well, this can be tricky. First, put yourself in the reader's shoes. You need to focus on the greatest benefit your product or service supplies. Here's an example: "My articles are the best you have ever seen". Anyone who wants information on Internet Marketing will not be able to decipher that from this headline and will go on to the next e-mail. Now if your headline read: "Get the latest on Internet Marketing from a published source, guaranteed!" See the difference? Gets your attention doesn't it?

Another thing to realize when writing headlines is that individuals are not buying what you are selling; they are buying what it can do for them. They need to know that your product can help them and not that they are just buying another product that promises this or that. Lead them to the greener pastures of your sales copy!

By now you may be thinking that headlines can be tough to write. Well you right, but just remember to put yourself in the reader's shoes. Think about the multiple headlines that you pass over and the ones you click on. Remember what aroused your interest, what you felt when you read it and transfer that emotion and arousal into your headlines. Always remember, it does not matter how good your sales copy, product or service is if you cannot get the reader to open the email to see it!

The key to attracting a potential customer's attention in any form of marketing is your headline. Your headline is the first thing that a prospect sees in your marketing campaign, and it will either make or break the effectiveness of the rest of your ad copy. Here are three key steps that your headline must accomplish if it is to draw the reader further into your message:

1.) Get Your Prospects Attention.

Your first job as a marketer is to grab your prospects attention and get them to focus on your message. The two factors that influence whether a headline will have the attention grabbing effects that you desire is the content and design of your headline. The content is the actual words used in your headline, and the design is how it is visually presented. The text you use in your line should cut right to the heart of how your product or service can benefit the reader. This should be a benefit specifically targeted to your desired audience. Get into the mind of your prospect. Whatever it is that they need or want the most should be addressed in your headline if you want the reader's attention. Visually, the design of your headline should cause it to leap off the page to the viewer. Find a way to make your headline stand out amongst other ads that it shares space with, by using a different typeface, color or other attention grabbing visual design elements.

Warning: Never use ALL CAPS> THIS WILL TURN OFF YOUR RECIPIENT FASTER THAN SCAT and never use too many !!!!!!!!!! This will only result in getting your messages deleted or worse, having a subscriber unsubscribe.

2.) Identify Your Target Audience

You should know whom your specific target audience is that you are trying to reach through your marketing, and target your headline to get their specific attention. Wording your headline to appeal to your target audience heightens their interest and draws them into your ad copy like a magnet.  In a sense, you are holding up flag that says to your target audience, "This message is for you!" This alerts the prospect to give your ad priority attention because you are specifically addressing them. A message that specifically addressees your target audience speaks to them on a more personal level and your ad copy has a higher perceived value because of this. Personalize a headline speaks directly to each person. Whenever possible, include the prospects first name. Most good Autoresponder programs allow for this.

3.) Make A Clear, Benefit-Filled Statement

When your targeted visitor reads your headline the one thing that they need to see to continue onward is benefits. Your headline needs to clearly address how your product or service can benefit your reader. A benefit is different from a feature. A feature describes the contents and characteristics of a product or service. A benefit clearly answers the question in the back of every prospects head: "What's in it for me?" A benefit is the solution or result a customer can get from using your product or service. A benefit should satisfy a hunger or relieve a pain, and is the number one reason why a prospect will continue to read your marketing piece.

Your headline should inspire the reader with hope that the advertised benefit can be theirs. This hope of a realized dream, or the cessation of a pain compels the find out more about your solution. Clearly state the benefit of your product or service in your headline and your potential customer will be receptive to hearing more about what you have to offer.

In summary, a powerful headline that covers the above three points will serve you well by setting up the rest of your ad copy and marketing message for success. A headline sets the marketing "dinner table" and inspires your guests to gather around it, ready to partake of the rest of the message about your product and service.

Ed Rizzo has built many websites, including this one, and written many articles on website design and Internet Marketing. To learn more about writing effective headlines and sales copy check out DoublePayDirt and DPD Marketing