Page 24 - 100 Great Copywriting Ideas: From Leading Companies Around the World (100 Great Ideas)

technique when you’re writing a headline is to think about the
reader’s objections, as well as their motivations. In other words,
what’s stopping them reading on, rather than what would make them
read on.

Suppose you were selling a weight-loss plan to an affluent group
of consumers you knew liked their first growth Bordeaux. An OK
headline would be:

Lose weight now

But the what-ifster would be whispering, “You don’t really believe that
do you? You know you’ll have to give up drinking.” So how about:

How Parisian women are losing 7lb in a fortnight without
giving up their vin rouge

It’s longer, sure: 15 words as opposed to three. But it’s stronger
because it overcomes the objection. There’s also a compelling
narrative that helps the reader identify with the copy. It’s specific.
It tells the reader how much weight she’ll shed and in what time.
And “Parisian women” conjures up a picture of chic, svelte ladies in
smart clothes—an aspirational image for the reader.

In practice

• Remember that your reader is likely to be skeptical at best

and cynical at worst about claims made by advertising copy.
So try to allay their fears with a subtle or bold answer to the
“what if?” question.

• Look at your own headlines. Assuming you’ve stuffed them full

of benefits, could they work even harder if you found a way to
address an objection?

100 GREAT COPYWRITING IDEAS • 15