26. How To Make Her Listen To You: Headline 101

How To Make People Listen To You: Headline 101

Look at this headline. 

See how simple that first line is.

If you find it difficult to connect with people, 

Or you are easily misunderstood,

Or you feel like nobody likes you,

Immediately you see this headline, you will pause and click so you can find out how to make people like you. 

There are 4 features of a great headline. 

Sometimes it can be one or two in one headline, 

Other times it can be all four. 

They are; 

• Self Interest 

• News

• Curiosity 

• Quick and easy way. 

The first feature is Self Interest. If you've read my former posts at all, you already know by now that you should appeal to your audience in a way that speaks directly to them. Tailor your content and make it about them. 

Let them think "This speaks to me. I'm this person. I just might need this thing because they described me so well"

Always ask yourself "How do I speak to my audience directly through the headlines of my content?" Or 

"What promise can I make to my target audience that's so specific and will make them pause and read what I've written for them?" Ask yourself again and again how you can make it about them. Your headline should always appeal to their personal self interest. 

You didn't open a business for yourself but for them. I mean you did but your readers are the ones you hope will pay you, yes? 

So make it about them. 

2. News: 

There's never a time you see a piece of interesting news that appeals to you personally that you won't calm down and click on the link provided. This is unsurprising because we are wired to know what is going on around us. 

We humans aren't meant to live alone so when you see a headline that says for example 

"Elon Musk Changes Twitter For Better Or Worse?: Here's What It Means For You As An Ordinary User"

Your reaction will be to find out what might've changed in how you use Twitter. 

If you want to create a Headline that gets the attention of your target audience, one of the best ways is to incorporate the element of news in your content writing/marketing. It's a great way to get attention.

3. Curiosity: 

How To Collect From Social Security At Any Age.

This is a headline of a sales letter that brought in millions of dollars, written by Gary Halbert. Aren't you even the tiniest bit interested in how you can collect from Social Security at any age? 

Curiosity is a thing with human beings. We always want to know. When something doesn't sound feasible or generally sounds almost impossible, your first reaction is to doubt. Then from doubt, you want to know HOW. That's curiosity. 

As a content marketer, in order to create a winning headline that calls the attention of your target audience, you have to be super creative. 

How do you spark curiosity in your reader? You have to find a way to make your claim believable but almost unbelievable at the same time. And you learn this by doing it as many times as you can. 

Look at this; 

The Lazy Man's Way To Riches.

A lazy person generally doesn't make a living because they're not working so can't earn a living. What then is "The" (not "A") Lazy Man's Way To Riches?

You'll have to read this post to know. 

BTW, there was a book titled this exact headline above and it sold 2 million dollars plus copies before the author died. Don’t mess with a well written headline. 

4. Quick and Easy Way:

If you've done the research required for your content marketing job for your business or for your client's business, this naturally comes up and it makes sense that it does. Put yourself in the position of your client. 

Imagine you have a pressing issue, one that keeps you up at night. You want desperately to maybe clear your acne and you have tried so many times in the past to heal your acne. 

And then you see this post title;

23-Year Old Doctor Discovers The Easiest Way To Cure Recurring Cystic Acne (People Are Calling This The Most Potent Natural Miracle For Acne Since 1980)

I may have overdone it just a little bit but pay attention to what's important here. If you can make the claim to have the fastest and easiest method that solves a pressing need of theirs, they will give you their attention until you prove that claim. 

I said Claim because we are talking about getting attention first. Making a claim that gets attention is one thing. Proving that claim is something completely different. 

In any case, if you want to ensure that your audience responds to content you have written for them specifically, one of the best ways to do so is to let them know you have a fast and easy way to solve their pressing problems. 

This sets you up as a viable option/solution they desperately need and you have their rapt attention until you can make good of your promise.