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2. You Fail To Tell The Reader What Is In It For Them To Continue Reading!
Where possible, your headline should present your strongest benefit to reader. If reader can identify a want they have with finding a solution to that want in your ad, article, or sales letter, then they will continue reading. If they don't see any benefit to reading on, they won't. Remember, it is all about what is in it for them, reader.
3. You Fail To Connect With The Reader!
If your headline is not addressed to reader, they will not be interested in what you have to say in rest of your ad, article, or sales letter. There must be a match between message and target audience, of which reader is a member.
So, in summary, if your headline doesn't stop your reader dead in their tracks and get them to read further into your copy, then all is for naught!
The time it takes a reader to scan most headlines and decide whether or not to stop and read your copy or move on is less than 3 seconds!
As a result, many professional copywriters spend as much time creating their headlines as they do for rest of their copy.
Creating 100 or so headlines before picking headline which writer feels is most likely to succeed is not uncommon.
Alternative headlines can often be used as subheadlines in long copy. These subheadlines help pull reader further along into copy and towards ultimate goal of a sale.
Be sure to give your headlines time and effort they deserve and they will reward you with sizable sales.
George Dodge has worked on the Internet since 1994 developing, and serving as webmaster for, numerous government and commercial websites. One of his commercial sites focusing on headline copywriting is www.Headline-Creator-Pro.com where you can get your copy of a headline generating tool that enables you to create winning headlines quickly with push button ease.