Make Your Website Headline Sell

Written by Chris Mole


When a visitor arrives at your website,repparttar first thing they look at isrepparttar 105144 headline. You have just a few seconds to make a good impression. Otherwise, they may not stick around to readrepparttar 105145 rest ofrepparttar 105146 page.

Unfortunately, most small business websites wasterepparttar 105147 huge opportunity to be gained from their headline. Typically, atrepparttar 105148 top ofrepparttar 105149 page you’ll findrepparttar 105150 company’s name. Or perhaps something like “Welcome to our website”.

Don’t make this mistake. If you’re serious about marketing your business onrepparttar 105151 Internet, start by writing a truly compelling headline for your site.

I’m not saying it won’t take some effort to write a good headline. I sometimes try up to 100 different options when writing a client’s website before coming up with a headline that’s just right.

But here are 6 tips that will makerepparttar 105152 headline writing process a whole lot quicker and easier for you.

Tip 1. Identifyrepparttar 105153 biggest benefit of your product or service.

This isrepparttar 105154 foundation on which a top-notch headline is built. You need to take a piece of paper and write down allrepparttar 105155 benefits your customer will receive from your product or service. What’s unique about your product or service?

Don’t neglect this step, or you’ll end up with a mediocre headline. If you’re already in business, you can ask some of your satisfied customers what they thinkrepparttar 105156 biggest benefit of your product or service is. If you’re just starting out, you need to put yourself inrepparttar 105157 shoes of your prospective customer and think what isrepparttar 105158 biggest benefit you’re offering them.

Once you have a list of benefits, narrow it down to one most powerful benefit. This isrepparttar 105159 starting point for your headline. A headline that’s centred around an appealing benefit is much more likely to attract interest than one that’s not benefit-centred.

Tip 2. Borrow ideas from other websites.

Don’t overlookrepparttar 105160 obvious source of headline ideas that other successful websites can provide. I’m not suggesting you steal a headline word for word. That’s plagiarism and it’s unethical. But no one can take exclusive ownership of any word or phrase.

Most professional copywriters have what they call a “swipe file”. It’s full of great ideas they’ve picked up from other people’s copy, which they can then modify to fitrepparttar 105161 particular situation they’re writing for.

You can dorepparttar 105162 same. Look around at other great headlines that get your attention. Get some ideas. Then try to work them around your own product or service.

Here’s a couple of examples of how copywriters have adapted an original headline for a different purpose:

Original: “They laughed when I sat down atrepparttar 105163 piano but they stopped when I started to play”. (John Caples)

Adaptation: “They laughed when I sat down atrepparttar 105164 piano. They stopped when I picked it up.” (Gold’s Gym)

Original: Breakfast of Champions (Wheaties cereal)

Adaptation: Breakfast of millionaires (Forbes Magazine).

There are countless ways you can adapt a headline for your own purpose. Or even combine part of one original headline with part of another. Just use your imagination.

Tip 3. Brainstorm headline ideas with others.

I’ve found this enormously useful when I’ve been stumped for a headline. Another person can often add an insight that you’ve overlooked. Sometimes, I will run a possible headline past my wife and she’ll come up with a slightly different twist that is much better.

Just letrepparttar 105165 ideas flow. It’s amazing what these kind of brainstorming sessions can come up with, even in just a few short minutes.

Review: Landing Page Handbook: How to Raise Conversions

Written by Karon Thackston


by Karon Thackston © 2005 http://www.marketingwords.com/landingpage.html

If you've been online for any length of time at all, I'm sure you know of Marketing Sherpa. This trusted and dependable source for online marketing information has put out some ofrepparttar most widely known and highly praised books and reports available today. Some of their repeated best sellers include, "Email Marketing Metrics Guide" and "How To Get Your Permission Emails Past Filters." Marketing Sherpa consistently providesrepparttar 105141 tools that powerhouse companies use to supercharge conversions and profits repeatedly.

Well, they've done it again!

The newest release (already improving conversions by an average of 40% all overrepparttar 105142 'Net) is called "Landing Page Handbook: How to Raise Conversions -- Data & Design Guidelines" and does it ever deliver. (Find it here: http://www.marketingwords.com/landingpage.html.)

After extensive research and testing with some major corporations asrepparttar 105143 guinea pigs (try Old Navy, NASA andrepparttar 105144 San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau on for size!), Marketing Sherpa is now able to offer specific, conclusive information; suggestions and recommendations on how to improve your landing page conversions (for online and offline offers) by an average of 40%. Here's what they say about that shocking promise:

"If you followrepparttar 105145 Handbook's data and design guidelines, we estimate your landing page conversions may rise by 40%.

Where did that 40% number come from? Well, Marketing Sherpa has researched more than 500 case studies on Internet marketing, most of which included landing pages. We noticed across all studies that marketers who followed landing page best practices tended to get at least 40% higher conversions than average."

What do you get when you order this ebook?

** 59 samples from real-life campaigns (use as templates for your own) ** 13 heatmaps: how actual visitors "see" landing pages ** 190 pages, including 16 tables & charts ** A 100% satisfaction guaranteed

Did I buy it? Yes. Have I actually read it? Yes. Did I find elements that could be improved on my own pages and those of my clients? You bet! I just finished making changes to one of my sites and I'll tell yourepparttar 105146 results in just a moment.

As with any Marketing Sherpa product, if you're not completely satisfied, you'll get an immediate refund of your purchase price.

Take your pick of a PDF (downloads instantly) or a printed copy (ships in 24 hours). Both include exclusive access to an online Creative Samples Library so you can view all samples in their full, colorful glory.

WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW VS. WHAT IS FACT

It's really surprising what we assume when we create landing pages (or any type of advertising). We think we know whatrepparttar 105147 site visitor is looking at (and for), when, in fact, we don't.

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