How To Make A Good Headline For Your Web Sales Letter

For those of us who have taken some units of Marketing way back in college, we should be familiar with the acronym AIDA. AIDA is the heart of every advertising plan. Simply put, it can be outlined as follows:

A - win your audience's Attention
I - pique your audience's Interest
D - create a Desire in your audience for the product you're advertising
A - compel them to Action, so that they may pick up your product

This has always been the model for advertising campaigns throughout the years. Its continued practice is testament to how powerful a method it could be. The first step, however, should not be forgotten. Winning your target audience's attention is crucial in determining the success of a potential sale. If you fail to catch your audience from the get go, then he is as good as lost, as he could simply surf to another site. Doing online business involves a great reliance on words. Words, after all, are the primary vehicles by which our business message is conveyed. More often than not, the difference between a successful sale and a failed one is a matter of the words we have chosen to use.

This is the reason why sales pages, or sales copies, have emerged as essential tools for Internet marketers. A scramble for words that sell has dominated the mental processes of many online businessmen. An effective sales page can convert visitors into successful sales. Some high priced sales pages even claim that they have effectuated a conversion rate o 15%, that's 15 sales for every 100 unique visitors.

The most important portion of any sales page is the headline. Using the AIDA model, the headline is what will win the attention of your readers. It is what will invite them to read what you have to say, and hopefully, favorably agree with your proposition.

The headline has three parts. These are:

1. An introductory statement that is meant to set up the main headline.
2. The main headline which should concisely and attractively summarize your offer.
3. A sub-headline that would expound on your main headline.

To illustrate, here is an example of all three components in action:
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Are You Tired Of Having To Work For 8 Long Hours A Day For Minimum Pay? "FINALLY, A BUSINESS FRANCHISE THAT COULD MAKE YOU YOUR OWN BOSS AND OPEN THE GATES FOR A WHIRLWIND OF EARNINGS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!"
By Enrolling In John Doe's Revolutionary Affiliate Program, You Will Be Able To Pre-Sell Proven Blockbuster Products For An 80% Commission!
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Notice how the promise of monetary rewards has made you interested with the offer? This is an example of a headline that would create a stir and conquer the interest of your readers.

Here are some guidelines to help you write that killer headline.

• Avoid stylish presentations and witty attempts. Be direct to the point. You only have a limited time to capture your readers' attention, so make the most out of it!
• Immediately inform your readers of the benefits that your offer could give them. This is your selling point, so it would be wise to immediately hook them with the same.
• Reserve the biggest fonts in your sales page for your headline to set it apart from the body. This would also make in instantaneously recognizable. You could also choose to use a different color, usually red, for the said headline.

Just in case you'll have some difficulties in conjuring a headline that would set the tone for the rest of your sales page, here are some tried and tested "templates" that many veteran Internet marketers use:

• FINALLY, THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN _________________ CAN NOW BE REVEALED, AND YOU'RE INVITED TO A FRONT ROW SEAT.
• THIS IS AN OFFER THAT COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE!
• CULLED FROM YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, A POWERFUL METHOD IN ____________ CAN NOW BE SHARED TO GUARANTEE YOUR SUCCESS!
• EXPOSED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME! THE SECRET OF ____________ REVEALED!
• DO YOU WANT TO EARN $________ IN JUST _______ DAYS? FINALLY, A POWERFUL SYSTEM THAT HAS SET THE INDUSTRY ON ITS HEAD!

Coming up with an effective headline, and an effective sales page for that matter, will take some time and dedicated practice. But perseverance is often rewarded with success, so don't give up and soon enough, you will be able to hone your headline writing prowess to perfection!