|
You have permission to publish this article in its entirety
electronically, in print, in your ebook, or on your web
site, free of charge as long as no changes to the content
are made and you include my byline, copyright, and resource
box. Please notify me of publication by sending an email
with a copy of your publication
to:
Thanks and enjoy!
Create Headlines that Sell: 5 Secrets Copywriting Pros Use for pitch letters, press releases, and products
Copyright © 2002 - 2010 by Susan Harrow. All rights reserved.
The first thing a producer sees is your headline. If you
don't capture their interest in your first line, most
producers won't read any further--and you've lost your
chance to pitch your idea.
Headlines make you care. Write them in a conversational tone
and design them to reach the specific audience that has a
need or a desire for what you're promoting. Notice I say
*desire* because mostly, people *need* very few things. The
more direct you are the better. In other words, entice then
deliver.
Below are each one of the secrets followed by an example:
1. The How-to.
*How to Get on Oprah in 10 Easy Steps.*
When people want to learn about something they turn to *How-to* information as their quickest source. Using numbers is
one way to let your audience know that what follows will be
easy to digest. *How to* in the title immediately alerts
your reader that you plan to give them something they can
put to use today in a format they can follow.
2. The Command.
*Become an Internet Millionaire!*
Though this is a frequent cry, it still has an immediate
effect. Why? Commands assure you that there is a way to get
what you want from the advice that follows. They touch the
*I want that!* place inside you. They tell the reader that
it's possible to achieve the benefit you're "advertising."
Your copy then backs-up your claim.
3. The Shocking Statement.
*Wives Who Don't Want Sex.*
Oprah did a show on this topic stating that *experts now
estimate that up to 40 million women suffer from a loss of
sexual desire-- and it's likely their partners suffer too.*
She even calls it *a secret epidemic.*
Who knew? Bring up the unlikely, the counterintuitive (Even
women who loved their husbands in every other way, just
didn't have the desire for sexual intimacy. One woman who
ditched the headache excuse, came up with a new approach to
avoiding sex: Start an argument). Provocative statements get
our attention like an electrical shock. They make you sit up
and say, *Really?*
4. The Question.
*Do you really know your mate?*
People often unconsciously answer the question you pose in
their minds. Your body copy will piggyback with an answer
that includes statistics. Something like: *55% of all
couples say that they do, but then are shocked when they
find out about a partner's hidden desire.*
5. The *New* News Item.
*Find out about the only drug that cures unhappiness.*
The latest news flash needs to introduce something truly new
in order to be valid. To be newsworthy, *new news* promises
excitement, informs, or states something helpful that will
benefit a lot of people. Words like *only, new, introducing,
powerful, and first,* are a few words that insist on
attention. But use them sparingly and carefully, producers
and reporters have a low tolerance for any kind of hype.
Also, if you say you're first, it needs to be true.
Got more tips like this from the pros in *The Ultimate Guide
to Getting Booked on Oprah*. You'll find dozens of ideas,
advice on how to pitch Oprah producers, and insider secrets
from the best publicists in the business.
http://www.bookedonoprah.com
|
Susan Harrow, CEO of
http://prsecrets.com, is
a top media coach, marketing strategist and author of
Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul® (HarperCollins),
The
Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah, and
Get a 6-
Figure Book Advance. Clients include Fortune 500 CEOs, bestselling authors and entrepreneurs who have appeared on
Oprah, 60 Minutes, NPR, and in TIME, USA Today, Parade,
People, O, NY Times, WSJ, and Inc. |
|
