Justin Jacobs, marketing coach at Hudson,Ink., provides some simple suggestions for advertising headline messaging in a recent eletter posting.
Although his advice is generated for residential HVAC marketers, the ideas here are relevant for anyone seeking their advertising to draw effective results, especially since the headline counts for about 80 per cent of the advertisement’s effectiveness.
In other words, think hard and carefully about your first few words.
These well-crafted words need to be able to communicate value in a single glance so that busy consumers can know right then that they want to read the ad, click the link or open the email. (An email subject line functions as a headline for your email.)
Jacobs says your headline should catch the prospect?s attention, set the tone for the rest of the ad and make a promise that the rest of the ad will keep.
There are many options to do the job including:
- A direct headline: ?Free Electrical Safety Inspection?. In this case, you know what it?s about.
- An indirect headline:?The one step to take for a safer home this winter? will lead you in with your curiosity
- An announcement: ?Introducing a new HVAC System that reduces energy usage by 30%.?
- Issue a command: ?Grab these savings today and stay cool all summer long.?
- Ask a question: ?Is your plumbing system ready for winter??
Jacobs concludes with this key point: “Make a promise to your prospects and give them a reason to keep reading.”
