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     OK, so that headline might be a bit misleading… as crushing as it may be, I did not actually find the fountain of youth.  

     Now I know you’re disappointed, so – instead of a map to eternal youth – I’m going to make it up to you by sharing my roadmap to writing blockbuster headlines for your products and services (easily the next best thing).  

     Call it my way of saying “I’m sorry” for the deception . 

     Even better, I’m going to reveal the 5 Critical Components to Writing Powerful Headlines.  And that’s especially valuable because a headline is by far the most important part of any marketing piece. 

     In fact, I bet if you took a straw poll of all the marketers, advertising professionals and copywriters around the world they would probably agree that about 80% of a successful marketing piece is the headline. 

     Now here’s something that’s really interesting.  Take a look at a few of the most successful headlines of the past 50 years: 

• HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE
• THEY LAUGHED WHEN I SAT DOWN AT THE PIANO – BUT WHEN I STARTED TO PLAY!
• DO YOU MAKE THESE MISTAKES IN ENGLISH?
• HOW A “FOOL STUNT” MADE ME A STAR SALESMAN
• CAN YOU SPOT THESE 10 DECORATING SINS?

      All in all, pretty bland if you ask me.  I mean, what’s so special about these?  Can you figure out why they’ve generated literally BILLIONS in sales? 

        …It certainly isn’t because they appeal to large audiences – how many people are actively looking to learn piano?  

       …It isn’t because they make incredible claims – in fact, they really don’t make any claims at all.

        …And it’s not for entertainment value – not one is even mildly amusing. 

      I’ll tell you why they generated more sales than a mall the day after Thanksgiving…  it’s because they tap into the 5 Critical Components to Writing Powerful Headlines. 

     Know what they are?

     Well, conventional wisdom says that a good headline is supposed to stand out, grab a prospect by the collar and usher them into the piece.  Makes sense… but there are some other things to keep in mind too. 

     Using just those benchmarks as a litmus test for your headlines could prove… um… disasterous.  For instance, if I was writing a marketing piece for a diet program I could lead with the headline:

             Naked Pictures of Angelina Jolie Inside

             OR (in the interest of fairness)

             Naked Pictures of Brad Pitt Inside

      Both certainly (i) stand out (ii) grab a prospect by the collar and (iii) usher a reader into the piece.  But I’m not so sure they would be very effective in generating sales.

    Of course these are extreme examples, I realize that.  But they’re not that extreme, think about it…

     Have you ever been in a grocery store checkout lane and read some of the crazy headlines on the magazines, newspapers and digests?  Ever been compelled to actually read the article – and then find out the headline has nothing to do with what you’re reading? 

     Believe it or not, this doesn’t just happen with the National Enquirer.  I see it all the time with space ads in magazines, advertorials and even long form copy.

     A successful headline isn’t just attention grabbing, and it has to accomplish more than persuading the prospect to continue reading.

      There are five key elements to an effective and powerful headline.  If you account for all five in your headlines I promise you’ll be sitting back with your feet up watching your bank account overflow like a river during monsoon season (there’s your fountain of youth…).

      Here they are:

      IT GETS ATTENTION.  An effective headline grabs you by the shirt collar and won’t let go.  This isn’t the only element but it’s an important one. 

      It’s Compelling.  An effective headline compels the reader to continue reading.  Of course, to be compelling the headline also has to be believable.  One way to make it believable is to weave proof elements into the headline itself: Harvard Study Shows Using THIS Supplement Cuts Cancer Risk in HALF

     It Connects.  An effective headline “speaks” into the prospect’s “listening” and connects with them on a personal and emotional level.  This requires knowing your prospect inside and out – going beyond simply understanding their problems to empathizing with the emotions triggered by those problems.

     It’s Relevant.  An effective headline meets prospects where they are and solves a problem they’re dealing with.  It also needs to provide some immediate benefit/value to the prospect and be germane to the rest of the copy in the piece.

     It’s Personal.  An effective headline speaks to one person and one person only.  It should be the beginning of a conversation that will eventually lead to a relationship.  It taps into the prospects deepest needs and makes them feel unique, smart, important and valued.

      So there they are, the 5 Critical Components to Writing Powerful Headlines.  Make them your own and you’ll be well on your way to developing powerful, profit-producing headlines.