Image by J. Money. http-www.flickr.compeoplejmoneyyyyyy.jpg
Today, I’m going to show you how to make $10,000 in one day with a start-up budget of 5 bucks.
Not really.
Sorry. I was just giving you an example of how to immediately grab people’s attention and keep them reading (or listening to) your message. Because you have to “have them at hello” or they won’t stick around to hear what you’ve got to say.
This applies to your headlines and subject lines, or the title of your video, or the opening line of your video. You’ve got to open strong and hook their interest… in less than 2.3 seconds.
No kidding. Most people will give you an average of 2.3 seconds before they decide to either keep reading or click away. Or, in the case of email, they will look at your subject line, and if it doesn’t hook them… “delete!”
So, let me give you 3 tips for writing headlines or subject lines that will keep people interested in the rest of your message:
1. Provoke Curiosity
Create a headline or subject line that is so weird, intriguing or far-out that people HAVE to keep reading to find out what the heck you are talking about. For example, “What a Zebra Can Teach You About Good Manners.” Now, you may not be interested in etiquette or zebras, but you are likely to keep reading just to find out what the two have in common.
But here’s the thing. You can’t write a headline or subject line like that and not deliver the goods. Your headline or subject line has to relate to the contents of your message… otherwise people will never trust you, much less invest in your services. If you promise zebras and manner, you’ve got to deliver zebras and manners.
2. Poke a Problem
Address a problem or pain your ideal client may be experiencing. For example, if you design websites, and your ideal clients are fed up because their website looks amateurish or just plain ugly, you could write something like “Is Your Website an Embarrassment to Your Business?” That’s going to resonate with someone who hates their own website but doesn’t know what to do about it.
Or… “Five Easy Ways to Get Your Baby to Stop Crying in Restaurants.” Oy, crying babies! That’s a problem parents often have any time they want to go out for dinner or any public place. And this headline pokes at that problem (and promises a solution).
3. Promise a Pleasure (or a Solution)
Promise a solution or something desirable. Use phrases that let people know they will get some kind of information that will be truly beneficial or useful if they keep reading. For example, the one I used at the top of this post! “How to make $10,000 in one day with a start-up budget of 5 bucks.” Or something more realistic and authentic, like “How to Attract 10 Ideal Clients Every Month without Becoming a Marketing Maniac.”
Those are just a few formulas to capture people’s attention with your headlines or subject lines. There are plenty more, but this will get your started.
Hey, why not play with a few headlines or subject lines here and get some feedback? Oh, come on! It’ll be fun. And it could seriously boost your ability to connect with those who need your services. Let’s play!