Comments on: Are You Writing Headlines That Sell? Stop!

By: Håkan Soold

Håkan Soold — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:05:48 +0000

Great tips! Regardless whether for sales copy or journalistic texts…etc….

By: Vickie Smith-Siculiano, PMP

Vickie Smith-Siculiano, PMP — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:39:34 +0000

Great stuff – get people to stop and READ – don’t just have a goal of selling them – using social media you should have a clear goal first, and then if it’s to sell them, you’ve got to start the conversation first – who’s buying at a cocktail party, right? let’s talk first! thanks for your post.

By: Online Copywriter Andrew Cavanagh

Online Copywriter Andrew Cavanagh — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 18:58:24 +0000

I think you really have to take it in context.

Advertising is salesmanship.

Sometimes you can just sell a product based on price because your prospect is effectively presold.

An example might be

Brand new mercedes in perfect working condition $2,000.

You don’t need much more than that to sell a Mercedes at that price as long as the prospect who’s reading the headline is interested in a car at a bargain price.

On the other hand MOST headlines are used to capture attention including many of the most successful headlines in history.

“Are You Making These Mistakes In English” doesn’t try to sell you in the headline…it gets your attention and draws you into the body copy.

“The Amazing Secret Of A One-Legged Golfer”

Again no attempt to sell.

“Lies Lies Lies”

Man you can’t even work out what the product is from the headline or the opening page in Clayton Makepeace’s blockbuster control.

If you’re selling to someone you first need to get them listening…get them engaged.

Then you have a chance to use whatever chain of logic is effective to persuade your prospect to buy.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

By: Ian Stables

Ian Stables — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 11:17:14 +0000

Headlines do sell

This one sold out a local shop of jeans on sale…

Quality Fashion Jeans £2.99
Jeanswear, 12 High Street

When you see a headline you read further because of the potential benefits to you.

So in my opinion, backed by my results on my websites and internet auctions…

The headline is clicked by your already interested customer. The ad is simply reasuring the customer and letting them know what they need to know before buying.

The end is simply saying what to click or do in order to buy.

Regards Ian Stables

By: Brian Clark

Brian Clark — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 13:37:43 +0000

Mike, I think we’ve beaten this horse. As I mentioned above, Michel Fortin says the exact same thing that Chris does, so why not take it up with him? Then you won’t be able to redirect the argument based on credentials and what books someone has read, since I’m quite certain Michel has read all of those and more, and has a bit of documented copywriting success himself.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:16:59 +0000

As for taking John Caples word Chris, if you haven’t, if you don’t, you’re missing out on tested, tried and true tactics.

Human nature doesn’t, hasn’t and won’t change from his day, to ours to the next generations to come.

Adam and Eve had the same nature as we do and they responded the same way we do, as did their offspring and ours, etc.

But to answer your question, yes, I truly believe it, I see it happen and I fall for headlines the same as my customers do.

Copy was doing it’s thing WAY before blogs started and I was using it WAY before blogs started.

And yes, I’m referring to headlines, just as I was in every comment I made on this thread.

I bough every John Caples book I could, off eBay a long time ago and would advise you to do the same.

Get all the classic marketing material you can find, like Eugene Schwartz, Caples, Claude Hopkins, David Ogilvy, etc.

By: Chris Garrett

Chris Garrett — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 08:23:00 +0000

I have read that. Let me ask you though, is that what you see in YOUR testing? It’s best to not take any one word for it, do your own testing.

It’s important to not confuse a call to action with a headline. If a prospect has been pre-sold it could be enough to announce product is on sale, that is not what we are discussing here.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 04:33:21 +0000

From John Caples -

“In a print ad, 75 percent of the buying decisions are made at the headline alone.”

That’s a sales tool if I ever saw one.

By: Why Some Writers Almost Always Write Spectacular Headlines

Why Some Writers Almost Always Write Spectacular Headlines — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 15:35:32 +0000

[...] Are You Writing Headlines That Sell? Stop! “Are you stressing over writing killer headlines? Do you write your copy and then agonize, tweak, and rewrite the headline, only to rewrite it again? Do you often go so far as to publish your article or sales page even though you’re still not sure the headline is the best it can be? Well, you’re not alone. People who know how important headlines are often do overly dwell on them, and for good reason. But… it could be that you’re trying to make your headlines work way too hard.” [...]

By: Gloria

Gloria — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 19:11:27 +0000

I like your perspective on this! AND … I love this blog.