Page 20 - 100 Great Copywriting Ideas: From Leading Companies Around the World (100 Great Ideas)

John Caples, one of the all-time-great copywriters and author of
Tested Advertising Methods, once wrote an ad for the Phoenix Mutual
Life Insurance Company. The headline read:

To Men Who Want to Quit Work Someday.

Picture the ad with that line under a photo of a guy of retirement age
fishing from his boat and looking directly out at you with a big smile
on his face. The headline—in concert with the photo—is saying, in
effect, “If you want a worry-free retirement where you can indulge
your hobbies without fretting over money, read on.” And reading on
is all the headline needs to achieve. After that it’s up to the body copy
to take the pass and run with the ball all the way to the touchdown.

Your reader is interested in a lot of different things—all related to
their own well-being. A short and definitely non-exclusive list could
include social status, more money, more free time, good health,
security for their family, lower taxes, self-esteem, a new car every two
years, being popular, or paying off the mortgage. Find a way to zero
in on the right motivation in your headline and you’ve achieved the
dream—you’ve stopped your reader from ignoring your message.

In practice

• If you were trying to stop your reader boarding a train by calling

out to them, what would you shout? That’s the first draft of
your headline.

• Think of all the ways your reader would benefit from what

you’re selling. Then rank them in order of power and choose
number one for your headline.

100 GREAT COPYWRITING IDEAS • 11