I think of all the elements that we combine to create successful funnels for sales; the creation of compelling headlines has to be very close to the top of the list. You will be writing these for your Advertising, your landing pages and your sales pages, and upsell and downsell pages. Getting it right is, in my view, the key to success in this arena. The first Book Funnel I ever used with my second book was a complete failure, in my view. I spent ages getting the content right and then published it and sat back waiting for the sales to come rolling in. Nothing much happened; sure, I got a few sales, but nowhere near the expected volume. I reached out to one of my mentors, who had and was successful with this mechanism. He shared with me a snippet of advice that changed everything and a snippet of advice I repeatedly shared with anyone willing to listen:
“If your funnel is not working for you, it will not be the mechanism, if you asre following the model, it will be the content. Change the content and change your fortunes and it all starts with the headline!”
The reason I am saying the headline is so important is simple, a good headline will get people to stop and read, watch and or listen to your presentation. Even if the content is not that good, a great headline can save the day. I want to clarify that a headline does not sell; it makes people stop and investigate. In your sales funnels, you want as many people as possible to stop at your landing page and read, watch and or listen. It is your headline that will do that. Your headline is the hook I talk about earlier in this program. You need a great hook. When you go course fishing, and you want to catch a particular fish, you have to select with care the right hook with the right bait. Creating your headlines is doing just the same; you want it to attract the right person, your ideal client, and discourage those you are not interested in serving.
Your headline should pre-frame them for the story or offer you are about to share with them to take them forward to the next step in the process. When talking about the ad, your headline will make them stop and read the ad and click. If we are talking about the actual funnel, the headline will arouse curiosity and a desire to learn more and move on in the process. If we are talking email, it is the Headline (Subject line) that encourages them actually to open the email and read the content. We should not forget the video too. Because it is a video, you still need a compelling headline, the first sentence to come out of your mouth, encouraging your listener to wait and hear the next sentence.
No matter where you use the headline, the job is not to sell but to hook the reader, viewer, and listener, into your content.
Curiosity – One of the best ways to create curiosity is to ask questions about something you’re target audience is really very interested in or wants to own or avoid. Below are some simple questions that can work well as a headline to grab their attention and create curiosity:
What if you could [insert desire] without [insert pain]?
Worried about [insert pain]?
Isn’t it time you stopped struggling with [insert pain]?
Sick and tired of not having any [insert desire]?
Are you getting enough [insert desire]?
Do you want o the a successful [insert target audience]?
Isn’t it time you got the [indsert desire] you really want?
Let’s talk about Headlines and profit.
Think about it if simply having the right Headline can double the number of people who react to your ad, that is a significant outcome because you will double your revenue for no extra cost; that is why headlines are so very important. It is simple twice as many readers will result in double the clicks through to your sales page. If you think like a business person, you’ll immediately recognise that your traffic cost has dropped. There is, of course, another great advantage, which is how this will impact profit.
We also talked earlier about the temperature of prospects being either Cold, Warm or Hot and that depending on the temperature, you will need to adjust what you are saying and how you are saying it. This equally applies to headlines. In essence, we are saying that Hot traffic knows who you are, and they know about your product, warm traffic knows there’s a solution, and cold traffic just knows they have a problem.
I think it is important that you do not send all your traffic to the same landing page in your sales funnel. There should be specific areas and headlines to cover the traffic’s temperature. In other words, they all need their own headlines at the proper temperature. In this way, you can start the sales presentation and conversations on the right foot.
Hot Traffic Headlines – These can include your name and or your product name due to the temperature. For example:
Finally! Discover How [insert product/service name] Gives You the secret to [insert big result] Without [pain] Today.
[Product / Service name ] Is the Secret to Automatically [big result] Guaranteed.
Watch This Free Video to Learn How [insert product/service name] Gives You an Unfair Advantage with [main topics] Guaranteed.
It’s True! You Too Can [big result] in [specific timeframe] with [product / service name] Guaranteed.
[Big result] with [Product /Service name] Guaranteed.
Warm Traffic Headlines – In these headlines, you talk about the benefit they are seeking. For example:
See How Easily You Can [Big Result] Without [Pain]!
For [Target Audience] Who Want to [Big Result] but Can’t Get Started!
The Secret to Automatically [Big result] Without [Pain]!
Here’s a Quick Way to [Big Result]…Guaranteed!
How [Target Audience] Just Like You [Big Result] in Just [Secific Time Frame]!
The Truth About How to [Big result] and Avopid [Pain]!
Cold Traffic Headlines – In these, you typically focus on the problem to hook them in. For example:
Don’t Let [Pain] Stop You!
You Can Laugh at [Main Topic] Problems If You Follow This Plan.
How [Target Audience] Can STOP [Pain]!
When Pro [Target Audience] Have [Main Topic] Problems, Here’s What They Do.
How to Eliminate (Pain) From Your Life…Guaranteed!
While the temperature is a great starting point, this is not the be-all and end-all, and you should apply some common sense to the construction of your headlines. Never forget the prime purpose is to grab their attention, the attention that is of the right people. Get them to stop what they are doing and create curiosity that compels them to look into the subject further by diving deeper into your process. Pre-frame them with what is coming next. In most cases, it is the headline that will start the buying process, and that should be enough to motivate you to want to work on your headlines.
Curiosity Headlines
Sometimes all you need is to create some good old-fashioned curiosity to get their attention. This can then pave the way to the funnels that will get them exactly what they were looking for. At least, that is the hope. It is often the case that the prospect’s biggest problem is that they do not have what they desire. If your headline can hook them in and then show them what they desire and how to get it, you are onto a winner. For example:
You Can Laugh at [Main Topic Worries] If You Follow This Simple Plan
Imagine [Desire] in just 90 days!
You May Be Sabotaging Your [Main Topic] Success…, and You Don’t Even Know It
Don’t Even Think about [Desire] Without Reading This!
Here’s what [Ememy] Doesn’t Want You To Know About [Main Topic]!
It is wise to focus your headlines, regardless of temperature, on the following to really give your headlines an emotional punch:
A clear desire they want to satisfy.
A pressing problem they really want to solve.
A nagging or intense pain they want to avoid or eliminate
In the same way, your brand is judged by what others say about you and not what you say about yourself. It doesn’t;t matter what you think about your headliners; the proof is with the person holding the credit card to make a purchase.