I opened up one of magazines and there was an ad for magician Lance Burton. I know and like Lance. His shows at Monte Carlo in Las Vegas are well worth seeing. The headline for his full-page, full-color ad read, "You will always remember Lance Burton..."

I love this headline. Why? Because it is hypnotic. It is actually a direct suggestion. Read it again and see what I mean. Isn't it a command?

Also notice that it has Lance's name right in headline. The great ad-man David Ogilvy said you should strive to put your products name in headline. The reason being that many people may not read past headline. So if yours helps install your message in your reader's brain, your un-read ad will still have accomplished something. This could be an ego trip for many people, but it works for Master Magician Lance. Why? Because he IS product.

Compare that with another headline I saw. This one clearly violates one of oldest rules in advertising. Even P.T. Barnum knew better than this advertiser, and he died in 1891. The headline on this quarter-page black and white ad simply said, "A Perfect Fit."

Well, what does it mean? Does it engage you? Does it communicate a benefit? If you had to guess what headline was selling, what would you guess? Go ahead and take a shot....

A bad headline can neutralize even finest, most persuasive copy (but you probably already knew that). What you might *not* have realized is how this fundamental law of advertising is constantly violated online - everywhere you look - but where you might have least expected it.

First, you need to think of your web site as equivalent of your advertising copy. So if that's case, then what's headline?

Usually, web designers and marketers like to think of headline as any prominent piece of text at top of page. Sure, that can be a headline. But here's your site's real headline, one that brings people in and prevents them from leaving...

Visit a web page, and then look at blue "title bar" in very top of your web site browser. Now *there* is your headline - and I'm going to tell you why it is very important that you do yours right...

You need to look at your site from perspective of someone who: - doesn't work for your company; - has never been there before; and, - doesn't care about your all-important corporate identity.

Don't assume bigger, more established web sites are doing it right. Sometimes, it's just opposite that is true.

Visit Yahoo.com and then look at their title bar headline. What does it says? "Yahoo!" Wow - isn't that a real attention grabber? Is it any wonder that one of most frequently searched terms at Yahoo is word "yahoo"?

Imagine people who are new to net. They've heard word "yahoo" a million times. They've finally made it to site (probably by accident). And then they spend their time looking for something that's right in front of them, because no where does it say what hell Yahoo is, or does.

Venture off to computer retailer Outpost.com, and what's their headline? "Outpost.com". Another winner. But what would you expect from marketing geniuses who shot hamsters out of cannons expecting it to help them sell more computer equipment?