It’s no secret that effective headlines are a crucial part of successful marketing.  The big question is, how do you create effective headlines that command attention.  Today, more than ever, attracting the interest of prospective clients is extremely difficult.

Imagine you’ve written a great article, brochure or webpage but most people don’t read beyond the headline – yikes!  Make sure your copy gets read by steering clear of some common pitfalls.    

Five Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Headlines:

1. Making it about you or your business. SOLUTION: It needs to be about your clients and the results they will get.

2. Making it boring. SOLUTION: You want people to be curious so they will keep reading.

3. Making it too general. SOLUTION: Be as specific as possible so you attract the right audience.

4. Making it about too many concepts. SOLUTION: if you try to cover too much, the message becomes diluted and un-motivating.

5. Making it too wordy. SOLUTION: Get rid of words that are not powerful and relevant.  

Writing headlines doesn’t have to be hard; in fact it can be fun!  Here are some tried and true formulas for creating effective headlines:

- How to…

- Who Else Wants…

- Secrets of…

- X Number of Steps to/Keys to/Secrets of…

- Ask a question

Writing effective headlines is a skill that can be learned.  And like many skills; the more you do it, the easier it gets.  When you’re brainstorming possible headlines, try to come up with at least ten. 

For example, here are the headline ideas I came up with for this article that I did not choose:

> Headline Secrets Revealed!

> Headline Fever

> Power Up Your Headlines

> Turbo Charge Your Headlines

> Confused About How to Write Headlines?

> There’s No Substitute for Great Headlines

> Don’t Make These 5 Mistakes with Your Headlines

> Don’t Gamble With Your Headlines!

> Secrets to Great Headlines

> Are Your Headlines Duds?

I usually ask a few people for their opinion on which headline they like the best.  I consider the feedback and then choose the headline that I believe will be the most effective.  I picked the headline for this article because I felt that it provoked the most curiosity.

Be sure to save all of the headlines you brainstorm in one place so the next time you need to write one, you have loads of ideas to get you started.  Headlines aren’t only important for articles; they can make a big difference in other areas of your marketing as well. 

Where to Use Effective Headlines:

* Websites

* Articles

* Brochures

* Postcards

* E-mail Subject Lines

Simple stated, headlines can mean the difference between attracting new clients, or not.  Get started now by taking a fresh look at your existing headlines to make sure they are as powerful as possible.

And use this information the next time you write a headline to make sure your copy gets read.  Happy headlining!

© Stephanie Ward, 2007

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  Grab your FREE copy of the special report ’7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: http://www.fireflycoaching.com.

It’s a big shock to realize that no one really cares about your business, at least in the beginning of the process.  What people do care about, and want to know, is what your business can do for them.

You can imagine that information about how long you have been in business or why you started your company isn’t the most intriguing introduction.  So why do so many business owners do it?

I know you love what you do and you’re crazy about your business, me too!  It’s just that most other people, including prospective clients, aren’t thinking about your business.  They are concerned with their own lives and what is important to them. 

Think about what you prefer when you are in the position of a being a client.  Would you rather learn about the background of the business or would you like to hear about how the business can serve you?

What we all really want to know is, ‘what’s in it for me’ (sometimes referred to as tuning into radio station WIFM).

This quote by John C. Maxwell sums it all up: “People don’t care how much you know — until they know how much you care.”

So how can you know what your clients care about?  Simply put yourself in your client’s shoes and imagine what it is they want to know.  Think about what issues they are facing and what they need. 

If you don’t know what your clients are thinking, you need to find out.  The best way to find out is to listen to what your clients are already telling you.  You can also ask them directly or with a survey.

Once you know the situation your potential clients are in, you can address it and share how your business can support them.  Speak directly to them and let them see that you understand their situation and how your business can help.

Here’s an example to show the difference between the perspectives of the business owner and the client:

* Perspective of the Business Owner – We are a talented group of tax consultants who have been in business for 12 years.  Our company prides itself on delivering outstanding services to small business owners.  Our consultants are experts in advising on the appropriate tax services and we strive to deliver value throughout the process.

* Perspective of the Client – Are you a small business owner who would love to never have to file a tax report again?  If you would like to spend more time on your core business and end the frustration that comes with filing taxes we would love to talk with you.  Our clients feel confident and relaxed knowing that they don’t have to worry about penalties, mistakes or missed deductions.

Can you feel the difference?  Which company would you hire to do the taxes for your business?

Implement the perspective of your clients into all of your communication, written and verbal.  Think about reducing words like ‘us’ and ‘we’ and use words like ‘you’ and ‘your’ more often.  You can also use questions in your copy to help potential clients identify themselves like the first sentence of the Perspective of the Client example above.

Look closely at all of your communication and see where you can make some changes. Think about areas like:

Written Words (copy)

- Website

- Letters

- E-mails

- Brochures

- Business card (always use the back)

Spoken Words

- Networking

- Telephone conversations

- Speaking

- Videos

Make the shift, turn it around and think about your business from your client’s point of view.  Then get into action and change the words you write and the words you speak when communicating what your business offers. 

Not only will your clients find this much more attractive, it makes doing business a lot easier for you.

© Stephanie Ward, 2007

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  Grab your FREE copy of the special report ’7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: http://www.fireflycoaching.com.

In addition to direct marketing strategies you want to be sure your existing passive, or indirect, marketing activities are as effective as possible.  When is the last time you took a good look at your existing marketing activities?

Here are some fast, easy (and free to inexpensive) ways to update and upgrade your existing marketing activities.

YOUR VOICE MAIL MESSAGE

Does your voice mail message give additional information about your business?  Use this opportunity (you have a captive audience) to provide some additional information.

You can mention your website or newsletter, promote an upcoming event, or offer a free report.

YOUR E-MAIL SIGNATURE

This is a chance to send a marketing message along with every e-mail that you send.  Remember, e-mails are often forwarded.  Think viral marketing (if this term is new to you, check out Seth Godin.  It’s a good thing).

Do you have an upcoming event?  Do you offer a free article or report? Are you having a sale?  At a minimum put a link to your website in your e-mail signature.

In addition to interesting content, think about the color and font of your e-mail signature and create something that is attractive and fits with your brand.

YOUR BUSINESS CARD

Use the back of your business card.  Don’t leave this valuable space blank.  Make an offer for something like a free report, your newsletter, a sample of your services, a discount, etc.  Get your business cards out into the world so people can hear about your offer.  Ask for permission to leave a few cards at places your clients frequent like stores, restaurants, gyms, waiting rooms, etc.

YOUR EXISTING PROFILES

I hope you have profiles on networking websites, directories, clubs, industry associations, and the like out there.  Has your marketing message, your offer, and/or your products/services changed since you first created your profiles?  I am betting that is a yes!

Review all your profiles to make sure they are up to date.  This is a great chance to take inventory of all of the places where you have profiles and create a list you can refer to later.

If you have a photograph of yourself to add to your profiles, please do so.  Add your photo to your own website if it isn’t already there.  Connecting your face with your company makes your company more human and personal.  Remember, people buy from people they know, like, and trust.  It will also help people recognize you at events.

YOUR COMPANY LETTERHEAD

This may seem like a no-brainer but I have seen business owners who don’t have their contact information on their letterhead.  Your letterhead needs to include your phone number, e-mail address, and website.  This goes for your printed hardcopy letterhead as well as the electronic version.

The only way to know which marketing strategies are working for you is to keep track.  This includes the activities above as well as all of your other strategies (networking, referrals, direct marketing campaigns, etc.) 

Always, I mean always, ask people who contact you how they heard about your business and record this valuable information.  It is easy to do, simply create a list of all of your marketing strategies and how many people respond to each one.  It is easiest to do this electronically using a spreadsheet so you can easily calculate percentages and totals.  You can also use old-fashioned pen and paper if you must.  Whatever method you prefer, just make sure you do it!

It’s time to get into action.  Take some time and go through all of your marketing materials.  What marketing tools do you have laying around that could be dusted off and upgraded up to work even harder for you?

(c) Stephanie Ward

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  Grab your FREE copy of the special report ’7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: http://www.fireflycoaching.com.