To be successful, a headline needs four qualities: it must be Useful, Urgent, Unique and Ultra-specific (the four “U’s”). It must contain Useful information. It must have a sense of Urgency – read article now, not later. It should be Unique and not sound like every other headline on page. And it must be Ultra-specific: full of detail.

“How To Win Friends And Influence People” “Nevada Doctor Discovers Amazing Anti-Aging Serum” “If You’ve Got 20 Minutes A Month, I Guarantee To Work A Financial Miracle In Your Life”

“How-To” headlines are very effective, as are headlines that look like news. But always remember to make your headline believable. Put some kind of proof into it – Nevada Doctor, for example. Another way is “If… Then” headline, which asks for some kind of effort (however slight) on your prospect’s behalf before she will achieve benefit you promise. Effort makes benefit seem more believable.

It takes practice. Good copywriters say they spend as much as half their writing time just on headline. But when a change in headline alone can increase response by 300% or more, it’s certainly time well spent!

If there really is something unique about your product or service, by all means focus on it. But it may be that your competition offers something very similar to you. That doesn’t mean that you can’t stand out. It just means that you have to find something to focus on that isn’t already being talked about.

Go back over your list and cross out benefits your competition claims. From what’s left, pick out five or six of your strongest entries.

Now, sit down and take a look at your target customer. What are her core beliefs and desires? What keeps her awake at night? Find benefit that speaks most directly to her.

Boil that benefit down into shortest sentence possible. Make it tight, use action verbs if you possibly can, and make it catchy.

Congratulations! You now have a USP that can (and should) be used in every marketing communication you issue. And your prospect has a reason to choose you over competition.