What do people see in advertising? Headlines! What do you
see when you are glancing through a newspaper or magazine?
Headlines! What is it that makes you stop for a moment and
look at an advertisement, or even read some of it?
The headline!
An advertisement headline is no different from a news
headline. Both are designed to capture the reader's
attention and to encourage them to read further.
The same applies with a radio commercial. It also needs
a headline to attract the listener's attention so they
"prick up their ears" and listen further.
The headline therefore becomes the ad for the ad.
It must be strong enough to "flag attention" and stop
the reader, listener, or viewer "in their tracks."
The job of the headline is to entice them to read on
or pay further attention to the message that follows.
Let's face it; we all have a natural resistance to
advertising. These days we are bombarded with thousands
upon thousands of commercial messages. Unless the headline
is of particular interest, or in some way says "I'm
talking to you!", we will tend to ignore it.
If you're like most advertisers, you will open a
newspaper or magazine and go immediately to your
own advertisement. It stands out because you are
looking for it.
In reality, the average reader is not scanning the
publication in search of your advertisement. The
publication may have four hundred other headlines
in that particular issue. Every headline is competing
with all the others in the issue. A particular
advertisement is not just competing with other ads
for the reader's attention. It is also competing,
with the numerous articles and news stories in the
publication.
They are all screaming to the reader -
"Pick me! Pick me!"
To further complicate matters, things that are
happening around them may distract the reader.
Noisy kids, the sounds from a television or radio,
traffic noise, an over-heard conversation...these
can all compete for the reader's attention.
Magazine publishers understand this principle all
too well. You only have to look at the magazine
racks in the newsagents to see what appears on the
front covers of each publication.
Bold headlines like:
"Royal Sex Scandal"
"Win $150,000 Sports Car Inside"
" Six tell-tale signs that he's cheating on you".
Eye-catching headlines like these are targeted at
specific audiences and are designed to sell magazines.
Home decorating or lifestyle magazines may use
headlines like: "17 ways to save on bathroom
renovations" or "New Fashion Trend For Kitchens".
Business magazines may use headlines like:
"How To Negotiate And Win" or
"Your Bank May Be Charging Too Much".
So study the headlines on magazine covers and you'll
get a real insight into what works and what doesn't.
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About the Author
Noel Peebles has bought, developed and sold several of his own
businesses, and has been involved with the purchase and sale
of many others. He has fifteen years of 'hands on' experience,
directing his own highly successful' retail businesses, including
franchise marketing and business development. He also has his own public
self-storage complex.
And, he's traveled extensively to over forty countries.