The promotional campaign, "never cold call again" keeps coming up in materials presented to sales professionals because direct mail marketers launch their campaigns as the seasons change. And their "hook" is "direct mail is a way you can avoid your fear of cold calling."
Which begs the question, "can you build a business without using the cold calling as part of your selling strategy?"
Sure you can learn can learn to be a professional Direct Response Mail Marketer. · You can figure out how to draw attention to your letter so that it stands out in the 18 inch pile of junk mail your prospects’ executive assistants receive twice a day. ·
You can learn what it takes to convince the executive assistant to take your letter to the boss before tossing the rest of the enormous pile of unsolicited mail received daily. ·
Sure over the weeks and months you devote to learning how to write an effective Direct Mail Campaign you can learn to write the compelling words that will capture the attention of a reader who has dozens of pressing issues whirling about in his/her brain.· No doubt about it you can find a good list of prospects to send regular mailers to and prepare to send each person up to 27 pieces of mail before they invite you in for a meeting. · Absolutely you can figure out the written words that will compel your target audience to consider using your services. Direct marketers do this for a living and some of them make a very good living. Others make a great living selling products to people who hate to cold call.But, and this is a big "but" eventually you are going to have to have a real, live conversation with the prospects and clients with whom you are doing business. That's the nature of selling products and services to the people who need them. You've gotta talk with them sometime ... to figure out what to put in a direct mail campaign, (which is actually a sales presentation in print.) to figure out how to sell to them, to identify and create new product offerings that meet their needs and wants.
As a sales professional you are gifted with the spoken word. So, why not learn the words to say when cold calling prospects and close your sales sooner rather than later? And complete the entire process in 90-seconds or less? Just a thought.
For your mini-course “Jealously Guarded Secrets to Cold Calling Company Presidents” visit http://www.ColdCallingExecutives.com ! Or call Cold Calling Expert, Lead New Business Development Coach, Leslie Buterin (like butterin’ bread) at (816) 554-3674 9-3 CST (that’s Kansas City/Chicago Time) Find much more on our http://www.coldcallingexecutives.com/blog/index.html
Friday, August 31, 2007
True Tales of a Road Warrior
#1 On a short, direct flight, the airline loses my bag. I wait until 10pm to see if it will turn up. Next day I have to attend the meeting in the casual clothes I’m wearing now. But despite my worries, I’m lucky, when the others hear about it two of them tell me that the same thing happened to them also.
#2 My colleague will be making an important presentation to invite investors to participate in a new project. When he clicks the mouse on his laptop computer, it refuses to work and he can’t make the presentation he had intended. He tries to improvise what he was going to say, but the meeting is a total failure. It was expensive in both money and time to arrange and now he’s blown it. Don't get into this situation yourself. Work out how to make a presentation which you can give with no sales aids.
#3 Before I bought a digital projector, I used an OHP supplied by the venues. Guess how often it was out of order! As a result I made it my practice to travel earlier so I could have time to check the meeting room the evening before the event.
#4 Allow for the unexpected. Get to the meeting place early in case some disaster has struck.
* A pipe has burst in the room above where we will be meeting and everything is dripping wet.
* A rugby club has had a party the night before and no one cleaned up.
* On a hot summer’s day the heating was stuck on and the windows wouldn’t open.
* The meeting is scheduled for 8.00 and twenty minutes after that time the staff member who should have unlocked the meeting room has failed to turn up.
* The meeting is intended to start promptly; at 8.00 the delegates begin to drift in gradually and do so for another an hour and a half.
* The projector bulb has blown and there is no replacement.
* The meeting room is right next to the staff restaurant and there is a the noise of dishes and peoples’ conversations intruding into my meeting.
* Go for a beer the night before the meeting, and discover that a business companion is a raging alcoholic who leads you astray. Wake up the next morning with a thundering headache.
* Assume that your meeting attendees have been told the wrong start time or was expecting you to talk about a different topic. And that they will have to leave early to catch a flight. So check and then check again.
* My bags have been lost by the airline 3 times and once someone took my case by mistake and I picked up his identical one and didn’t reaize it until I unpacked at the hotel.
* A construction crew begins noisily outside of the meeting room.
* Following the midday break a member of your audience is obviously drunk and starts to heckle.
* You finish the event and go to settle up with the hotel for the use of the meeting room only to find that your credit card is declined, there is no balance on your other one and you don’t have a check book with you. (This happened to me twice. On one occasion, my client helped by coming round with my fee in cash, in an envelope).
* The flight I’m waiting for is delayed, then it’s announced that when the plane leaves it will be diverted to another airport 200 miles from my destination. The only onwards transport at that time being a taxi.
* We wait for 3 hours in the terminal because all landings in the London area are cancelled because of a snowfall. Finally we embark the aircraft, and then have two more hours wait before finally departing. On arrival at the destination it is so late that I miss my train connection, wait all night in a railway station, eventually reaching my hotel at 6 in the morning, sleep until 7.30 and go to meeting for 9.00.
* I’ve been stuck on a busy road miles from the meeting place, no taxis available, no buses and no signal on my cellular phone.
To make a sales presentation persuasive and apparently effortless – ironically what is required is lots of preparation and practice. And a constant awareness of
Murphy’s Law. ‘If it can go wrong, it will’. So be prepared for all eventualities.
Download a Free Sales Masterclass
Information on the Selling for Engineers manual and Seminar
Robert Seviour is a sales trainer specialising in business development for technical companies
#2 My colleague will be making an important presentation to invite investors to participate in a new project. When he clicks the mouse on his laptop computer, it refuses to work and he can’t make the presentation he had intended. He tries to improvise what he was going to say, but the meeting is a total failure. It was expensive in both money and time to arrange and now he’s blown it. Don't get into this situation yourself. Work out how to make a presentation which you can give with no sales aids.
#3 Before I bought a digital projector, I used an OHP supplied by the venues. Guess how often it was out of order! As a result I made it my practice to travel earlier so I could have time to check the meeting room the evening before the event.
#4 Allow for the unexpected. Get to the meeting place early in case some disaster has struck.
* A pipe has burst in the room above where we will be meeting and everything is dripping wet.
* A rugby club has had a party the night before and no one cleaned up.
* On a hot summer’s day the heating was stuck on and the windows wouldn’t open.
* The meeting is scheduled for 8.00 and twenty minutes after that time the staff member who should have unlocked the meeting room has failed to turn up.
* The meeting is intended to start promptly; at 8.00 the delegates begin to drift in gradually and do so for another an hour and a half.
* The projector bulb has blown and there is no replacement.
* The meeting room is right next to the staff restaurant and there is a the noise of dishes and peoples’ conversations intruding into my meeting.
* Go for a beer the night before the meeting, and discover that a business companion is a raging alcoholic who leads you astray. Wake up the next morning with a thundering headache.
* Assume that your meeting attendees have been told the wrong start time or was expecting you to talk about a different topic. And that they will have to leave early to catch a flight. So check and then check again.
* My bags have been lost by the airline 3 times and once someone took my case by mistake and I picked up his identical one and didn’t reaize it until I unpacked at the hotel.
* A construction crew begins noisily outside of the meeting room.
* Following the midday break a member of your audience is obviously drunk and starts to heckle.
* You finish the event and go to settle up with the hotel for the use of the meeting room only to find that your credit card is declined, there is no balance on your other one and you don’t have a check book with you. (This happened to me twice. On one occasion, my client helped by coming round with my fee in cash, in an envelope).
* The flight I’m waiting for is delayed, then it’s announced that when the plane leaves it will be diverted to another airport 200 miles from my destination. The only onwards transport at that time being a taxi.
* We wait for 3 hours in the terminal because all landings in the London area are cancelled because of a snowfall. Finally we embark the aircraft, and then have two more hours wait before finally departing. On arrival at the destination it is so late that I miss my train connection, wait all night in a railway station, eventually reaching my hotel at 6 in the morning, sleep until 7.30 and go to meeting for 9.00.
* I’ve been stuck on a busy road miles from the meeting place, no taxis available, no buses and no signal on my cellular phone.
To make a sales presentation persuasive and apparently effortless – ironically what is required is lots of preparation and practice. And a constant awareness of
Murphy’s Law. ‘If it can go wrong, it will’. So be prepared for all eventualities.
Download a Free Sales Masterclass
Information on the Selling for Engineers manual and Seminar
Robert Seviour is a sales trainer specialising in business development for technical companies
Prospecting Tips
1.) In order to succeed in sales, you must believe in the worth, value and desirability of your product or service. Before you can ever convince someone else to buy, you must first "buy into" the value yourself.
2.) If you believe in the value of your product or service and you believe that it is of value to your customers, then you are coming from integrity. Your integrity, personal and professional, and the integrity of your product or service is the cornerstone of making introductory calls, and indeed of the entire sales process.
3.) Examine your business, product or service and how you see yourself in relation to your business and to your clients or customers. Does your product or service provide a benefit? Do you believe in the value and benefit of your product or service? Are you doing the best you know how to insure that your customers get what they need? What is your intent toward your customer?
4.) Recognize that you are a reputable person with integrity, representing a beneficial product or service. You are, in fact, providing an important product or service to your clients or customers—one that they want.
5.) Frequently, salespeople feel that they need their prospect or customer more than the prospect or customer needs them. If your prospect is already using a similar product or service, they want the benefit that product or service provides—they are buying it. Therefore, they need you or someone just like you to provide that benefit or value.
6.) If you have a new product or service that could be of benefit to your customer, something that might save them time or money, and they are not aware of it—you have an obligation to tell them. By simply picking up the telephone and letting your prospect know about the benefits of this new product or service, you are doing them a tremendous service.
7.) The emotional "baggage" you bring along with you (and everyone has it) influences your attitude, which you then project in conversations with prospects. Your prospect can hear if you feel unsure, afraid or uncomfortable, in the same way that you can pick up those uneasy feelings when speaking with someone.
8.) On some level, you can help create the attitude of the person to whom you are speaking. If your expectation is that your call will be unwelcome, this will make you anxious and tentative. Your prospect will pick up on that, and it will be likely to make her less receptive to you. If your expectation is that you will be well received, your prospects are more inclined to listen and respond favorably.
9.) The intent of an introductory call is communication—two-way communication. You want your prospect to hear you, and you also want to hear them.
Wendy Weiss, "The Queen of Cold Calling," is a s.ales trainer, author and s.ales coach. Her recently released program, Cold Calling College, and/or her book, Cold Calling for Women, can be ordered by visiting http://www.wendyweiss.com. Contact her at wendy@wendyweiss.com. Get Wendy's free e-zine at http://www.wendyweiss.com.
2.) If you believe in the value of your product or service and you believe that it is of value to your customers, then you are coming from integrity. Your integrity, personal and professional, and the integrity of your product or service is the cornerstone of making introductory calls, and indeed of the entire sales process.
3.) Examine your business, product or service and how you see yourself in relation to your business and to your clients or customers. Does your product or service provide a benefit? Do you believe in the value and benefit of your product or service? Are you doing the best you know how to insure that your customers get what they need? What is your intent toward your customer?
4.) Recognize that you are a reputable person with integrity, representing a beneficial product or service. You are, in fact, providing an important product or service to your clients or customers—one that they want.
5.) Frequently, salespeople feel that they need their prospect or customer more than the prospect or customer needs them. If your prospect is already using a similar product or service, they want the benefit that product or service provides—they are buying it. Therefore, they need you or someone just like you to provide that benefit or value.
6.) If you have a new product or service that could be of benefit to your customer, something that might save them time or money, and they are not aware of it—you have an obligation to tell them. By simply picking up the telephone and letting your prospect know about the benefits of this new product or service, you are doing them a tremendous service.
7.) The emotional "baggage" you bring along with you (and everyone has it) influences your attitude, which you then project in conversations with prospects. Your prospect can hear if you feel unsure, afraid or uncomfortable, in the same way that you can pick up those uneasy feelings when speaking with someone.
8.) On some level, you can help create the attitude of the person to whom you are speaking. If your expectation is that your call will be unwelcome, this will make you anxious and tentative. Your prospect will pick up on that, and it will be likely to make her less receptive to you. If your expectation is that you will be well received, your prospects are more inclined to listen and respond favorably.
9.) The intent of an introductory call is communication—two-way communication. You want your prospect to hear you, and you also want to hear them.
Wendy Weiss, "The Queen of Cold Calling," is a s.ales trainer, author and s.ales coach. Her recently released program, Cold Calling College, and/or her book, Cold Calling for Women, can be ordered by visiting http://www.wendyweiss.com. Contact her at wendy@wendyweiss.com. Get Wendy's free e-zine at http://www.wendyweiss.com.
Business Tips to Increase Sales Through Marketing, Selling & a Strategic Plan for Business Success
One frequent question that I receive as an executive business coach is "How do I get more business?" With the economy growing, businesses are seeking a greater piece of the American pie and rightfully so.
My first response is "Can you share with me how many customers are you receiving from your current marketing actions?" And for the most part, the responses I have received are an almost apologetic "No." Possibly, part of the reason for these consistent responses is that many business owners and executives are so busy working IN the business that they fail to work ON the business.
The second question I ask is "Do you have a strategic plan?" One of the stories I tell is about the simple trip to the grocery store. Have you ever left the written grocery list at home and what happened? Responses are always the same from spent more time and money to purchased unneeded food. And how did you feel when you came home and realized you forgot a key food item. Again, the response is essentially "not good."
When we do not have a written plan, then we are on someone else’s plan. In the case of the grocery store, the one person who has the biggest smile is the grocery storeowner when shoppers forget their lists and make all those additional purchases. For he knows that you are on his strategic plan and not yours.
My final third question is "Do you have a proven sales process?" Without a process, determining where the specific selling skills miss steps have taken place is difficult at best. Those miss steps are missed opportunities that prevent you from increasing business.
TAKE ACTION through these business tips by determining how many clients your current marketing activities are delivering. Review your strategic planning process or adopt one if needed. Embrace a proven sales process. These actions will definitely increase sales and potentially multiply your business in warp time. P.S. You may wish to even hire a business coach.
Do you want to increase your sales? Then, you might be interested "Simply Speaking, Increase Sales by..." a truly quality e-book combination workbook that focuses on helping you within the 3 key areas of Marketing, Selling and Planning. Learn more at http://www.processspecialist.com/sales-training-book.htm
My first response is "Can you share with me how many customers are you receiving from your current marketing actions?" And for the most part, the responses I have received are an almost apologetic "No." Possibly, part of the reason for these consistent responses is that many business owners and executives are so busy working IN the business that they fail to work ON the business.
The second question I ask is "Do you have a strategic plan?" One of the stories I tell is about the simple trip to the grocery store. Have you ever left the written grocery list at home and what happened? Responses are always the same from spent more time and money to purchased unneeded food. And how did you feel when you came home and realized you forgot a key food item. Again, the response is essentially "not good."
When we do not have a written plan, then we are on someone else’s plan. In the case of the grocery store, the one person who has the biggest smile is the grocery storeowner when shoppers forget their lists and make all those additional purchases. For he knows that you are on his strategic plan and not yours.
My final third question is "Do you have a proven sales process?" Without a process, determining where the specific selling skills miss steps have taken place is difficult at best. Those miss steps are missed opportunities that prevent you from increasing business.
TAKE ACTION through these business tips by determining how many clients your current marketing activities are delivering. Review your strategic planning process or adopt one if needed. Embrace a proven sales process. These actions will definitely increase sales and potentially multiply your business in warp time. P.S. You may wish to even hire a business coach.
Do you want to increase your sales? Then, you might be interested "Simply Speaking, Increase Sales by..." a truly quality e-book combination workbook that focuses on helping you within the 3 key areas of Marketing, Selling and Planning. Learn more at http://www.processspecialist.com/sales-training-book.htm
The 100 Greatest Headlines Ever Written
call up an image of the reader, all you need to do is pin up a target. Then, starting at the outside, you can label his interests in this order: the world, the United States, his home state, his home town, and we'll lump together in the black center his family and himself....me. Myself. I come first. I am the bull's-eye.
38. HOW TO TAKE OUT STAINS...USE (PRODUCT NAME) AND FOLLOW THESE EASY DIRECTIONS
An example of a good "service" ad --- one which, besides being relevantly tied up with the product, also contains helpful information usable in itself. (Such ads often have considerable longevity because they are cut out and used for future reference.)
39. TODAY...ADD $10,000 TO YOUR ESTATE --- FOR THE PRICE OF A NEW HAT
Who wouldn't want to do that? Doubt as to the promise if offset by the fact that the advertiser is a large and reputable insurance company.
40. DOES YOUR CHILD EVER EMBARRASS YOU?
Direct, challenging, a common circumstance. Brings up a flood or recollections. How can such unpleasant experiences be avoided in the future? Based upon a strong selfish appeal. Parents, are first, individuals; second, parents. The kind of reflection that children cast upon the prestige and self-esteem of their parents is a useful copy angle to remember. (This headline is the negative opposite of No. 4, The Child Who Won the Hearts of All.)
41. IS YOUR HOME PICTURE-POOR?
A rifle-shot question hitting thousands of readers. Illustrated by a photo of an otherwise attractive living room with blank areas on its walls; with X's indicating where pictures would improve the room's appearance.
42. HOW TO GIVE YOUR CHILDREN EXTRA IRON --- THESE 3 DELICIOUS WAYS
It obeys the wise maxim of newspaper reporters: "Start where the reader is." In other words, the public already accepts the fact that children's blood should contain plenty of iron. So the headline goes on from there --- promising "extra" iron and "3 delicious ways" to get it ("delicious" ways; so not the common parent vs. child battle).
43. TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO WRITE --- BUT CAN'T GET STARTED
Unerringly selects its audience, which is large --- and stymied.
44. THIS ALMOST-MAGICAL LAMP LIGHTS HIGHWAY TURNS BEFORE YOU MAKE THEM
The word "almost" lends believability. Headline promises an automatic no-effort method of relieving an annoying condition or avoiding a dangerous emergency.
45. THE CRIMES WE COMMIT AGAINST OUR STOMACHS
Another "start where the reader is" headline --- because most people already believe they often give their digestive process some pretty rough treatment. This rapport, between the theme of the ad and the common belief of its readers, makes the "we" and "our" practically equal in effectiveness to "you" and "your."
46. THE MAN WITH THE "GRASSHOPPER MIND"
An immediate association with himself leaps to the mind of the reader. He wants to check at once on the personal parallel. What are the symptoms? Starting things one never finishes? Jumping from one thing to another.
"How much am I like him? It's not a good trait. What did he do about it?" This is an example of a negative headline that strikes home more accurately and dramatically than would a positive one.
47. THEY LAUGHED WHEN I SAT DOWN AT THE PIANO --- BUT WHEN I STARTED TO PLAY!
Another one that has entered our language. Sympathy with the underdog. Particularly interesting, structurally, as an example of a headline which "turns the corner" by using a final tag line to make itself positive instead of negative.
Also worth remembering: the before-and-after angle can be effective in many headlines.
48. THROW AWAY YOUR OARS!
Short and positive commands often make good stopper headlines. When Ole Evinrude, the outboard-motor king, ran a small ad with this headline, he took the first step toward building his one-room machine ship into a big business. (A similar headline, Throw Away Your Aerial! was also once responsible for building a business in the radio field.) This type of headline is worth thinking about when the product you are advertising eliminates the need for some, heretofore, necessary piece of equipment, some onerous job, or some sizable item of expense.
49. HOW TO DO WONDERS WITH A LITTLE LAND!
A successful headline which pulled 75 percent better than "Two Acres and Security" and 40 percent better than A Little Land --- a Lot of Living. The reason: "how to" and "do wonders with."
50. WHO ELSE WANTS LIGHTER CAKE --- IN HALF THE MIXING TIME?
Strong appeal. Another good "who else" headline. (No 9, Who Else Wants A Screen Star Figure?)
51. LITTLE LEAKS THAT KEEP MEN POOR
A keyed "retrieving a loss" ad whose checked resultfulness justified frequent repetition.
52. PIERCED BY 301 NAILS....RETAINS FULL AIR PRESSURE
Who wouldn't be interested in reading more about a tire like this?
53. NO MORE BACKBREAKING GARDEN CHORES FOR ME --- YET OURS IS NOW THE SHOW-PLACE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD!
A good example of a before-and-after headline which makes the turn from negative to positive. Also worth noting: it has an effective element of excitement in it --- a feature of many good headlines, communicating the copywriter's enthusiasm to the printed page.
Don't Worry about a "Negative" Approach...This breather No. 4 is about negative headlines. "Accentuate the positive; eliminate the negative," said a song of some years ago. For years that has also been the popular refrain on the advice often given to copywriters. Discussion about negative headlines has sometimes sparked more fire than enlightenment. Yet our 100 headlines then become positive. So the negative approach must have some good reason for existence. It has. What is it? One of the principal objectives of a headline is to strike as directly as possible right at a situation confronting the reader. Sometimes you can do this with greater accuracy if you use a negative headline which pinpoints the ailment rather than the alleviation of it. (For example, Is YOUR Home Picture-Poor? Have YOU a "Worry Stock" --- Little Leaks That Keep Men Poor.) So when you face that kind of situation don't be afraid to "accentuate the negative." Let's proceed to another great headline which captured a place in our everyday language.
54. OFTEN A BRIDESMAID, NEVER A BRIDE
So poignantly true, so pointed --- and so common.
55. HOW MUCH IS "WORKER TENSION" COSTING YOUR COMPANY?
An ad which was successful in business magazines reaching executives. "I want to know which are the kinds of 'worker tension' specifically. What is 'worker tension' costing other companies in net profits? How much is it costing us? If it is, what can we do about it?"
56. TO MEN WHO WANT TO QUIT WORK SOMEDAY
Selects its readers without wasting a word. (And who can say that the Audience isn't kind of large?)
57. HOW TO PLAN YOUR HOUSE TO SUIT YOURSELF
This pulled almost 20% better than How to Avoid These Mistakes in Planning Your Home. Apparently, people expect the architect to avoid the mistakes --- but feel that they themselves know better than anyone else what will best suit their particular needs and preferences.
58. BUY NO DESK --- UNTIL YOU'VE SEEN THIS SENSATION OF THE BUSINESS SHOW
Strong "stopper" type of "command" headline, adaptable for many uses. Copy quickly follows with "until you have checked as to whether it has this feature, and this one, and this..."
59. CALL BACK THESE GREAT MOMENTS AT THE OPERA
Sometimes it's a good idea to "start where the reader was." This nostalgic headline was used to sell phonograph records of great operas. The ideas can be used in a positive way: typing up with a desirable remembrance. Or it can be used negatively: contrasting a certain new product advantage with an undesirable remembrance.
60. "I LOST MY BULGES...AND SAVED MONEY, TOO"
World "bulges" is a stopper, not commonly used in advertising lexicon. Double-edged appeal: the promise to end an unwanted condition and to save you money, also.
61. WHY (BRAND NAME) BULBS GIVE MORE LIGHT THIS YEAR
This one illustrates an important point, one which many advertisers hate to swallow. It is usually not a good idea to tell the name of the company (or the brand name) in the headline --- or to make it tell too much of the story. When this is done right in the headline itself, it often gives the whole thing away and does not tempt the reader into the copy. However, as is this case, when the advertiser is a nationally famous company (particularly when it is noted for its enterprise, innovations, improvements, and research), the use of the company, brand name can add news value to the headline --- and help to substantiate the truth of the claim made in it.
62. RIGHT AND WRONG FARMING METHODS --- AND LITTLE POINTERS THAT WILL INCREASE YOUR PROFITS
Exceedingly profitable in farm papers. A combination of negative and positive appeals, worth a lot of "come hither" for farmers.
63. NEW CAKE-IMPROVER GETS YOU COMPLIMENTS GALORE!
There are three things which advertising can tell its readers: (1) what the product is; (2) what it does; and...this headline utilizes the third (and often overlooked) one: (3) In terms of the advertisers, it is this: What other people will say of you, think of you, do for you --- how they will admire you, envy you, imitate you --- because of what my product can accomplish for you. In terms of the prospective customer it is this: Because of what your product can do for me, people may think more of me! This third factor (which is an extension of the No. 2 factor mentioned above) can be made so effective, and is so often neglected that it rates special attention here as Breather No. 5. The proper use of it can make advertising copy make more sales.
Therefore, it is worth a prominent niche in your memory. To keep it there, visualize a somewhat ridiculous picture. (Tying up an absurd pictorial association with a concept you want to remember is, of course, a well-known aid to memory.) The sketch is of a boy sitting on the prow of a PT boat. His mother is sitting in the stern. Between the two the initials "PT" are printed in big letters on the side of this type of small, but very fast, patrol boat used so extensively in World War II in the South Pacific. This mental picture will help you remember the initials "BOY PT MOM." And these are the initials of the phrase, "Because Of You, People Think More Of Me." Headline No. 63 utilizes that factor. It promises the reader that this new cake improver will win her compliments from others; that because of you (the advertiser) other people will think more of her (the reader). You are offering to show her how to make what she might later call her "reputation cake." Sometimes this element in copy is called the "prestige factor," and is considered only as an extension of the "what the product does" type of copy. (In discussing the advertising of ladies' perfumes Hal Stebbins calls it persuasive, so compelling, that it rates at least a subcategory of its own.
64. IMAGINE ME...HOLDING AN AUDIENCE SPELLBOUND FOR 30 MINUTES
A profitable narrative-ad headline. Broad interest in this kind of ability. Narrator's surprise and apparent humility lend credence and humanness to the statement.
65. THIS IS MARIE ANTOINETTE --- RIDING TO HER DEATH
An often-repeated ad for a set of books. It pulled eight times as many responses in 1/4-page size as were ever received from a double-spread. This is the only straight "curiosity" headline included here. Its headline was relevant --- not, as so commonly used, one of those trick devices to force attention when advertising a product not closely related to the headline.
66. DID YOU EVER SEE A "TELEGRAM" FROM YOUR HEART?
A real stopper of a headline, with a great deal of lure in the copy. Top picture shows a cardiogram report printed upon a Western Union telegram form.
67. NOW ANY AUTO REPAIR JOB CAN BE "DUCK SOUP" FOR YOU
What do you know --- the words "duck soup" in an ad? But doesn't it tell the story in a more unusual way than would "easy," "simple," or some such word --- particularly to the type of market to which this ad is aimed?
68. NEW SHAMPOO LEAVES YOUR HAIR SMOOTHER --- EASIER TO MANAGE
A result that all women want is clearly and persuasively stated. Word "leaves" makes it sound effortless.
69. IT'S A SHAME FOR YOU NOT TO MAKE GOOD MONEY --- WHEN THESE MEN DO IT SO EASILY
The colloquial "it's a shame." Sympathetic understanding of the reader: "You are as capable as these other men." (Headline, of course, is supported by photos and good testimonials.)
70. YOU NEVER SAW SUCH LETTERS AS HARRY AND I GOT ABOUT OUR PEARS
Friendly, human, disarmingly ingenuous, refreshingly non-"advertisy" in language. And, of course, the reference to "such letters."
71. THOUSANDS NOW PLAY WHO NEVER THOUGHT THEY COULD
A headline perennially profitable for a large music school. Again, the copy is crammed with testimonials and references substantiating the claim.
72. GREAT NEW DISCOVERY KILLS KITCHEN ODORS QUICK! --- MAKES INDOOR AIR "COUNTRY-FRESH"
The headline of an ad that launched a big business. Faces a common problem head-on; offers and easy and pleasant solution.
73. MAKE THIS 1-MINUTE TEST --- OF AN AMAZING NEW KIND OF SHAVING CREAM
The "make this test" angle has been used in many good headlines. It is widely usable for others. Its purpose is to induce the reader to participate in a demonstration of the product's merits. However, if credible and dramatic, the test can represent a persuasive demonstration whether or not the reader ever actually makes it.
74. ANNOUNCING...THE NEW EDITION OF THE ENCYCLOPEDIA THAT MAKES IT FUN TO LEARN THINGS
The "announcement" type of headline (when bring out a new product) wins attention because people are interested in new things.
Neophobia? --- Americans Don't Suffer From This Ailment! ...Breather No. 6 is here to remind you that in a great many of these headlines you find the word new --- or connotation of it, such as "new kind of," "new discover," "new way to," etc. Americans are partial to the new or novel; they do not suffer from neophobia. To them the mere factor of newness seems to be prima facie evidence of "betterness."
Undeviating affection for the old and tried may be strong in other countries; in ours the desire to try the new is stronger. The great achievements of our inventors and enterprising manufacturers have trained us to believe that if it's new, it's likely to be better. However, the word "new" in a headline should be backed up by copy pointing out the merits of something really new and advantageous, not some transparently trivial difference. And now we come to another familiar headline...
75. AGAIN SHE ORDERS... "A CHICKEN SALAD, PLEASE"
You still hear it quoted. It sold hundreds of thousands of copies of an etiquette book because it capsulated a common and embarrassing situation.
76. FOR THE WOMAN WHO IS OLDER THAN SHE LOOKS
This headline was a stopper to thousands...and more successful than the subtly different "For the Woman Who Looks Younger Than She Is."
77. WHERE YOU CAN GO IN A GOOD USED CAR
The headline of an excellent advertisement which featured what the product does --- rather than what it is. It appeared years ago, before practically everyone owned an automobile. Underneath the headline was a picture of the Indiana Sand Dunes, followed by good copy about the dunes and pointing out that "A good used car brings the whole country to you and yours. Why not buy one? You don't need a lot of money." Finally, after selling the idea, the copy gave some specific details about the cars which were for sale.
78. CHECK THE KIND OF BODY YOU WANT
Check list displayed at top immediately invites reader's participation in specifying "which of these" improvements he would like to make in his physique. Keyed ad repeated frequently by well-known physical culturist.
79. "YOU KILL THAT STORY --- OR I'LL RUN YOU OUT OF THE STATE!"
A true narrative ad run by a nationwide chain of newspapers. Could you flip over the page without wanting to know what happened?
80. HERE'S A QUICK WAY TO BREAK UP A COLD
In simple everyday words, a direct promise to end an undesirable condition --- quickly.
81. THERE'S ANOTHER WOMAN WAITING FOR EVERY MAN --- AND SHE'S TOO SMART TO HAVE "MORNING MOUTH"
Had quite an impact on women readers, this toothpaste ad. Obviously, for there surely is a lot of motivation in its theme: "No woman wants her husband to carry the memory of her morning breath to work with him. The attractive women he meets during the day don't have it."
Stale News to the Advertiser May Be Fresh News to the Reader...And now we come to Breather No. 7. Don't think that because it is our last one it is of least importance. In fact, its value becomes apparent when you realize how many of these headlines employ it. "Get news (or new value) into your headline" is probably the best way to define it. Since you can't pack everything into a headline, stick to your principal appeal --- but give it news value if you can. And remember that what may be stale news to the advertiser may be fresh news to the reader. The advertiser is, of course, thoroughly familiar with his manufacturing methods, the ingredients he uses, the function of his product. They may have no news value for him. They may even be similar to those of his competitors. But that is not true of the readers of his advertisements. Something about the product or the service it renders may be entirely new and sensationally persuasive to the public. And the advertiser who features it first captures its appeal for himself, regardless of the "me too" efforts of competitors who may have, heretofore, failed to capitalize upon it.
82. THIS PEN "BURPS" BEFORE IT DRINKS --- BUT NEVER AFTERWARDS!
Headline expressed in a few words a copy theme credited with pushing one brand of fountain pen up to a leading position.
83. IF YOU WERE GIVEN $200,000 TO SPEND --- ISN'T THIS THE KIND OF (TYPE OF PRODUCT, BUT NOT BRAND NAME) YOU WOULD BUILD?
A "self-incriminating" (and widely applicable) way to have the reader help to specify what he himself would value most in such a product. The copy follows through along these lines: Surely you would put this feature into it. You would be sure that it brought you this advantage, and this, and this...Well, we've done it all for you. As you can see, this product was really created for you!
84. "LAST FRIDAY...WAS I SCARED!---MY BOSS ALMOST FIRED ME!"
A human narrative people wanted to read because it did --- or could --- "happen to me."
85. 76 REASONS WHY IT WOULD HAVE PAID YOU TO ANSWER OUR AD A FEW MONTHS AGO
An interesting example of an ad that backtracks --- pointing out in detail what the reader missed by not buying the product before. A frequently repeated ad used by a well-known news magazine to pull for subscriptions.
86. SUPPOSE THIS HAPPENED ON YOUR WEDDING DAY!
A profitable narrative-ad headline which makes it pretty hard to flip the page. "What was this tragic happening? Could it --- or did it --- happen to me?"
87. DON'T LET ATHLETE'S FOOT "LAY YOU UP"
This pulled three times better than Relieve Foot Itch. It gives the disease a relevant name, points out unwanted effects.
88. ARE THEY BEING PROMOTED RIGHT OVER YOUR HEAD?
Another question aimed at a big target: the legion of frustrated, discouraged people who feel that their ability and conscientiousness are not being amply rewarded by recognition and advancement. (Frequently run by an educational institution which checks the resultfulness of its advertisements.)
89. ARE WE A NATION OF LOWBROWS?
This headline helped to sell inexpensive editions of the classics, by the hundreds of thousands. It starts where the reader is --- because we, as a nation, are not reputed to be greatly addicted to the highbrow type of literature.
Yet this successful campaign showed that Americans know very well the difference between the meritorious and meretricious --- and, if challenged, can prove it with orders. The "we" angle avoids the accusatory "you."
90. A WONDERFUL TWO YEARS' TRIP AT FULL PAY --- BUT ONLY MEN WITH IMAGINATION CAN TAKE IT
This ad about a course for businessmen was repeated again and again, for a period of seven years, in a long list of magazines. It offers a worthwhile reward for reading --- with an intriguing challenge in its second line.
91. WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW...ABOUT THIS STOCK AND BOND BUSINESS
The headline of a full-page newspaper ad crammed solid with small-size type --- and nary a single picture! It drew 5,000 replies when first published, has since appeared in more than 150 newspapers. Promised helpful information of interest to a large audience. A big investment house ran the ad.
92. MONEY-SAVING BARGAINS FROM AMERICA'S DIAMOND DISCOUNT HOUSE
Of course the "bargain appeal" is a sure-fire --- and this is a good example of straightforward presentation.
93. FORMER BARBER EARNS $8,000 IN 4 MONTHS AS A REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST
Featuring an actual testimonial can make a good headline. In this case, the reader's first reaction is "if a barber can do it maybe I can, too!"
94. FREE BOOK --- TELLS YOU 12 SECRETS OF BETTER LAWN CARE
If you are offering something entirely free (such as a booklet or sample) --- and want requests for it in quantity --- feature it right in your headline.
95. GREATEST GOLD-MINE OF EASY "THINGS-TO-MAKE" EVER CRAMMED INTO ONE BIG BOOK
Perhaps you have a new product (or even an old one) and still lack sufficient accurate data as to which, specifically, are the strongest selling appeals to feature in your advertising. In that case, it is often good strategy to "merchandise" the multi-purpose "coverage" of your product as thoroughly as you can. By doing so, you avoid the risk of laying too much stress upon any specific appeal which may prove weak or ineffectual. And, by exposing many of your product's uses and advantages you, at least, enable your reader to know what they are --- so that he can judge for himself the ones which appeal most to him.
96. $80,000 IN PRIZES! HELP US FIND THE NAME FOR THESE NEW KITCHENS
No review of good headlines could be considered even fairly representative unless it included an example of one featuring a prize contest. Of course, it first boldly displays how much money can be won; secondly, what you have to do to win some of it.
97. NOW! OWN FLORIDA LAND THIS EASY WAY...$10 DOWN AND $10 A MONTH
This one also represents a commonly used headline offer --- easy terms --- and conveys it forcefully and persuasively.
98. TAKE ANY 3 OF THESE KITCHEN APPLIANCES --- FOR ONLY $8.95 (VALUES UP TO $15.45)
The familiar reduced-price offer which we see in so many different and alluring forms.
99. SAVE 20 CENTS ON TWO CANS OF CRANBERRY SAUCE --- LIMITED OFFER
An example of the ever-popular coupon-redemption offer. "Limited offer" to increase response. (Sometimes an actual expiration date is stated, to spur quicker action.)
100. ONE PLACE SETTING FREE FOR EVERY THREE YOU BUY!
So now we've finished running the hundred --- except for this last type of headline: the ubiquitous free offer. The rules specify (as exemplified here) that when something must also be bought, this requirement must be displayed with sufficient prominence. "Free" is, of course, a hackneyed and moss-covered word, but there doesn't seem to be any equally strong, or less blatant, substitute for it.
Note: Portions of this article contain excerpt from "How To Write A Good Advertisement" by Victor Schwab; permission granted by Whilshire Books.
38. HOW TO TAKE OUT STAINS...USE (PRODUCT NAME) AND FOLLOW THESE EASY DIRECTIONS
An example of a good "service" ad --- one which, besides being relevantly tied up with the product, also contains helpful information usable in itself. (Such ads often have considerable longevity because they are cut out and used for future reference.)
39. TODAY...ADD $10,000 TO YOUR ESTATE --- FOR THE PRICE OF A NEW HAT
Who wouldn't want to do that? Doubt as to the promise if offset by the fact that the advertiser is a large and reputable insurance company.
40. DOES YOUR CHILD EVER EMBARRASS YOU?
Direct, challenging, a common circumstance. Brings up a flood or recollections. How can such unpleasant experiences be avoided in the future? Based upon a strong selfish appeal. Parents, are first, individuals; second, parents. The kind of reflection that children cast upon the prestige and self-esteem of their parents is a useful copy angle to remember. (This headline is the negative opposite of No. 4, The Child Who Won the Hearts of All.)
41. IS YOUR HOME PICTURE-POOR?
A rifle-shot question hitting thousands of readers. Illustrated by a photo of an otherwise attractive living room with blank areas on its walls; with X's indicating where pictures would improve the room's appearance.
42. HOW TO GIVE YOUR CHILDREN EXTRA IRON --- THESE 3 DELICIOUS WAYS
It obeys the wise maxim of newspaper reporters: "Start where the reader is." In other words, the public already accepts the fact that children's blood should contain plenty of iron. So the headline goes on from there --- promising "extra" iron and "3 delicious ways" to get it ("delicious" ways; so not the common parent vs. child battle).
43. TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO WRITE --- BUT CAN'T GET STARTED
Unerringly selects its audience, which is large --- and stymied.
44. THIS ALMOST-MAGICAL LAMP LIGHTS HIGHWAY TURNS BEFORE YOU MAKE THEM
The word "almost" lends believability. Headline promises an automatic no-effort method of relieving an annoying condition or avoiding a dangerous emergency.
45. THE CRIMES WE COMMIT AGAINST OUR STOMACHS
Another "start where the reader is" headline --- because most people already believe they often give their digestive process some pretty rough treatment. This rapport, between the theme of the ad and the common belief of its readers, makes the "we" and "our" practically equal in effectiveness to "you" and "your."
46. THE MAN WITH THE "GRASSHOPPER MIND"
An immediate association with himself leaps to the mind of the reader. He wants to check at once on the personal parallel. What are the symptoms? Starting things one never finishes? Jumping from one thing to another.
"How much am I like him? It's not a good trait. What did he do about it?" This is an example of a negative headline that strikes home more accurately and dramatically than would a positive one.
47. THEY LAUGHED WHEN I SAT DOWN AT THE PIANO --- BUT WHEN I STARTED TO PLAY!
Another one that has entered our language. Sympathy with the underdog. Particularly interesting, structurally, as an example of a headline which "turns the corner" by using a final tag line to make itself positive instead of negative.
Also worth remembering: the before-and-after angle can be effective in many headlines.
48. THROW AWAY YOUR OARS!
Short and positive commands often make good stopper headlines. When Ole Evinrude, the outboard-motor king, ran a small ad with this headline, he took the first step toward building his one-room machine ship into a big business. (A similar headline, Throw Away Your Aerial! was also once responsible for building a business in the radio field.) This type of headline is worth thinking about when the product you are advertising eliminates the need for some, heretofore, necessary piece of equipment, some onerous job, or some sizable item of expense.
49. HOW TO DO WONDERS WITH A LITTLE LAND!
A successful headline which pulled 75 percent better than "Two Acres and Security" and 40 percent better than A Little Land --- a Lot of Living. The reason: "how to" and "do wonders with."
50. WHO ELSE WANTS LIGHTER CAKE --- IN HALF THE MIXING TIME?
Strong appeal. Another good "who else" headline. (No 9, Who Else Wants A Screen Star Figure?)
51. LITTLE LEAKS THAT KEEP MEN POOR
A keyed "retrieving a loss" ad whose checked resultfulness justified frequent repetition.
52. PIERCED BY 301 NAILS....RETAINS FULL AIR PRESSURE
Who wouldn't be interested in reading more about a tire like this?
53. NO MORE BACKBREAKING GARDEN CHORES FOR ME --- YET OURS IS NOW THE SHOW-PLACE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD!
A good example of a before-and-after headline which makes the turn from negative to positive. Also worth noting: it has an effective element of excitement in it --- a feature of many good headlines, communicating the copywriter's enthusiasm to the printed page.
Don't Worry about a "Negative" Approach...This breather No. 4 is about negative headlines. "Accentuate the positive; eliminate the negative," said a song of some years ago. For years that has also been the popular refrain on the advice often given to copywriters. Discussion about negative headlines has sometimes sparked more fire than enlightenment. Yet our 100 headlines then become positive. So the negative approach must have some good reason for existence. It has. What is it? One of the principal objectives of a headline is to strike as directly as possible right at a situation confronting the reader. Sometimes you can do this with greater accuracy if you use a negative headline which pinpoints the ailment rather than the alleviation of it. (For example, Is YOUR Home Picture-Poor? Have YOU a "Worry Stock" --- Little Leaks That Keep Men Poor.) So when you face that kind of situation don't be afraid to "accentuate the negative." Let's proceed to another great headline which captured a place in our everyday language.
54. OFTEN A BRIDESMAID, NEVER A BRIDE
So poignantly true, so pointed --- and so common.
55. HOW MUCH IS "WORKER TENSION" COSTING YOUR COMPANY?
An ad which was successful in business magazines reaching executives. "I want to know which are the kinds of 'worker tension' specifically. What is 'worker tension' costing other companies in net profits? How much is it costing us? If it is, what can we do about it?"
56. TO MEN WHO WANT TO QUIT WORK SOMEDAY
Selects its readers without wasting a word. (And who can say that the Audience isn't kind of large?)
57. HOW TO PLAN YOUR HOUSE TO SUIT YOURSELF
This pulled almost 20% better than How to Avoid These Mistakes in Planning Your Home. Apparently, people expect the architect to avoid the mistakes --- but feel that they themselves know better than anyone else what will best suit their particular needs and preferences.
58. BUY NO DESK --- UNTIL YOU'VE SEEN THIS SENSATION OF THE BUSINESS SHOW
Strong "stopper" type of "command" headline, adaptable for many uses. Copy quickly follows with "until you have checked as to whether it has this feature, and this one, and this..."
59. CALL BACK THESE GREAT MOMENTS AT THE OPERA
Sometimes it's a good idea to "start where the reader was." This nostalgic headline was used to sell phonograph records of great operas. The ideas can be used in a positive way: typing up with a desirable remembrance. Or it can be used negatively: contrasting a certain new product advantage with an undesirable remembrance.
60. "I LOST MY BULGES...AND SAVED MONEY, TOO"
World "bulges" is a stopper, not commonly used in advertising lexicon. Double-edged appeal: the promise to end an unwanted condition and to save you money, also.
61. WHY (BRAND NAME) BULBS GIVE MORE LIGHT THIS YEAR
This one illustrates an important point, one which many advertisers hate to swallow. It is usually not a good idea to tell the name of the company (or the brand name) in the headline --- or to make it tell too much of the story. When this is done right in the headline itself, it often gives the whole thing away and does not tempt the reader into the copy. However, as is this case, when the advertiser is a nationally famous company (particularly when it is noted for its enterprise, innovations, improvements, and research), the use of the company, brand name can add news value to the headline --- and help to substantiate the truth of the claim made in it.
62. RIGHT AND WRONG FARMING METHODS --- AND LITTLE POINTERS THAT WILL INCREASE YOUR PROFITS
Exceedingly profitable in farm papers. A combination of negative and positive appeals, worth a lot of "come hither" for farmers.
63. NEW CAKE-IMPROVER GETS YOU COMPLIMENTS GALORE!
There are three things which advertising can tell its readers: (1) what the product is; (2) what it does; and...this headline utilizes the third (and often overlooked) one: (3) In terms of the advertisers, it is this: What other people will say of you, think of you, do for you --- how they will admire you, envy you, imitate you --- because of what my product can accomplish for you. In terms of the prospective customer it is this: Because of what your product can do for me, people may think more of me! This third factor (which is an extension of the No. 2 factor mentioned above) can be made so effective, and is so often neglected that it rates special attention here as Breather No. 5. The proper use of it can make advertising copy make more sales.
Therefore, it is worth a prominent niche in your memory. To keep it there, visualize a somewhat ridiculous picture. (Tying up an absurd pictorial association with a concept you want to remember is, of course, a well-known aid to memory.) The sketch is of a boy sitting on the prow of a PT boat. His mother is sitting in the stern. Between the two the initials "PT" are printed in big letters on the side of this type of small, but very fast, patrol boat used so extensively in World War II in the South Pacific. This mental picture will help you remember the initials "BOY PT MOM." And these are the initials of the phrase, "Because Of You, People Think More Of Me." Headline No. 63 utilizes that factor. It promises the reader that this new cake improver will win her compliments from others; that because of you (the advertiser) other people will think more of her (the reader). You are offering to show her how to make what she might later call her "reputation cake." Sometimes this element in copy is called the "prestige factor," and is considered only as an extension of the "what the product does" type of copy. (In discussing the advertising of ladies' perfumes Hal Stebbins calls it persuasive, so compelling, that it rates at least a subcategory of its own.
64. IMAGINE ME...HOLDING AN AUDIENCE SPELLBOUND FOR 30 MINUTES
A profitable narrative-ad headline. Broad interest in this kind of ability. Narrator's surprise and apparent humility lend credence and humanness to the statement.
65. THIS IS MARIE ANTOINETTE --- RIDING TO HER DEATH
An often-repeated ad for a set of books. It pulled eight times as many responses in 1/4-page size as were ever received from a double-spread. This is the only straight "curiosity" headline included here. Its headline was relevant --- not, as so commonly used, one of those trick devices to force attention when advertising a product not closely related to the headline.
66. DID YOU EVER SEE A "TELEGRAM" FROM YOUR HEART?
A real stopper of a headline, with a great deal of lure in the copy. Top picture shows a cardiogram report printed upon a Western Union telegram form.
67. NOW ANY AUTO REPAIR JOB CAN BE "DUCK SOUP" FOR YOU
What do you know --- the words "duck soup" in an ad? But doesn't it tell the story in a more unusual way than would "easy," "simple," or some such word --- particularly to the type of market to which this ad is aimed?
68. NEW SHAMPOO LEAVES YOUR HAIR SMOOTHER --- EASIER TO MANAGE
A result that all women want is clearly and persuasively stated. Word "leaves" makes it sound effortless.
69. IT'S A SHAME FOR YOU NOT TO MAKE GOOD MONEY --- WHEN THESE MEN DO IT SO EASILY
The colloquial "it's a shame." Sympathetic understanding of the reader: "You are as capable as these other men." (Headline, of course, is supported by photos and good testimonials.)
70. YOU NEVER SAW SUCH LETTERS AS HARRY AND I GOT ABOUT OUR PEARS
Friendly, human, disarmingly ingenuous, refreshingly non-"advertisy" in language. And, of course, the reference to "such letters."
71. THOUSANDS NOW PLAY WHO NEVER THOUGHT THEY COULD
A headline perennially profitable for a large music school. Again, the copy is crammed with testimonials and references substantiating the claim.
72. GREAT NEW DISCOVERY KILLS KITCHEN ODORS QUICK! --- MAKES INDOOR AIR "COUNTRY-FRESH"
The headline of an ad that launched a big business. Faces a common problem head-on; offers and easy and pleasant solution.
73. MAKE THIS 1-MINUTE TEST --- OF AN AMAZING NEW KIND OF SHAVING CREAM
The "make this test" angle has been used in many good headlines. It is widely usable for others. Its purpose is to induce the reader to participate in a demonstration of the product's merits. However, if credible and dramatic, the test can represent a persuasive demonstration whether or not the reader ever actually makes it.
74. ANNOUNCING...THE NEW EDITION OF THE ENCYCLOPEDIA THAT MAKES IT FUN TO LEARN THINGS
The "announcement" type of headline (when bring out a new product) wins attention because people are interested in new things.
Neophobia? --- Americans Don't Suffer From This Ailment! ...Breather No. 6 is here to remind you that in a great many of these headlines you find the word new --- or connotation of it, such as "new kind of," "new discover," "new way to," etc. Americans are partial to the new or novel; they do not suffer from neophobia. To them the mere factor of newness seems to be prima facie evidence of "betterness."
Undeviating affection for the old and tried may be strong in other countries; in ours the desire to try the new is stronger. The great achievements of our inventors and enterprising manufacturers have trained us to believe that if it's new, it's likely to be better. However, the word "new" in a headline should be backed up by copy pointing out the merits of something really new and advantageous, not some transparently trivial difference. And now we come to another familiar headline...
75. AGAIN SHE ORDERS... "A CHICKEN SALAD, PLEASE"
You still hear it quoted. It sold hundreds of thousands of copies of an etiquette book because it capsulated a common and embarrassing situation.
76. FOR THE WOMAN WHO IS OLDER THAN SHE LOOKS
This headline was a stopper to thousands...and more successful than the subtly different "For the Woman Who Looks Younger Than She Is."
77. WHERE YOU CAN GO IN A GOOD USED CAR
The headline of an excellent advertisement which featured what the product does --- rather than what it is. It appeared years ago, before practically everyone owned an automobile. Underneath the headline was a picture of the Indiana Sand Dunes, followed by good copy about the dunes and pointing out that "A good used car brings the whole country to you and yours. Why not buy one? You don't need a lot of money." Finally, after selling the idea, the copy gave some specific details about the cars which were for sale.
78. CHECK THE KIND OF BODY YOU WANT
Check list displayed at top immediately invites reader's participation in specifying "which of these" improvements he would like to make in his physique. Keyed ad repeated frequently by well-known physical culturist.
79. "YOU KILL THAT STORY --- OR I'LL RUN YOU OUT OF THE STATE!"
A true narrative ad run by a nationwide chain of newspapers. Could you flip over the page without wanting to know what happened?
80. HERE'S A QUICK WAY TO BREAK UP A COLD
In simple everyday words, a direct promise to end an undesirable condition --- quickly.
81. THERE'S ANOTHER WOMAN WAITING FOR EVERY MAN --- AND SHE'S TOO SMART TO HAVE "MORNING MOUTH"
Had quite an impact on women readers, this toothpaste ad. Obviously, for there surely is a lot of motivation in its theme: "No woman wants her husband to carry the memory of her morning breath to work with him. The attractive women he meets during the day don't have it."
Stale News to the Advertiser May Be Fresh News to the Reader...And now we come to Breather No. 7. Don't think that because it is our last one it is of least importance. In fact, its value becomes apparent when you realize how many of these headlines employ it. "Get news (or new value) into your headline" is probably the best way to define it. Since you can't pack everything into a headline, stick to your principal appeal --- but give it news value if you can. And remember that what may be stale news to the advertiser may be fresh news to the reader. The advertiser is, of course, thoroughly familiar with his manufacturing methods, the ingredients he uses, the function of his product. They may have no news value for him. They may even be similar to those of his competitors. But that is not true of the readers of his advertisements. Something about the product or the service it renders may be entirely new and sensationally persuasive to the public. And the advertiser who features it first captures its appeal for himself, regardless of the "me too" efforts of competitors who may have, heretofore, failed to capitalize upon it.
82. THIS PEN "BURPS" BEFORE IT DRINKS --- BUT NEVER AFTERWARDS!
Headline expressed in a few words a copy theme credited with pushing one brand of fountain pen up to a leading position.
83. IF YOU WERE GIVEN $200,000 TO SPEND --- ISN'T THIS THE KIND OF (TYPE OF PRODUCT, BUT NOT BRAND NAME) YOU WOULD BUILD?
A "self-incriminating" (and widely applicable) way to have the reader help to specify what he himself would value most in such a product. The copy follows through along these lines: Surely you would put this feature into it. You would be sure that it brought you this advantage, and this, and this...Well, we've done it all for you. As you can see, this product was really created for you!
84. "LAST FRIDAY...WAS I SCARED!---MY BOSS ALMOST FIRED ME!"
A human narrative people wanted to read because it did --- or could --- "happen to me."
85. 76 REASONS WHY IT WOULD HAVE PAID YOU TO ANSWER OUR AD A FEW MONTHS AGO
An interesting example of an ad that backtracks --- pointing out in detail what the reader missed by not buying the product before. A frequently repeated ad used by a well-known news magazine to pull for subscriptions.
86. SUPPOSE THIS HAPPENED ON YOUR WEDDING DAY!
A profitable narrative-ad headline which makes it pretty hard to flip the page. "What was this tragic happening? Could it --- or did it --- happen to me?"
87. DON'T LET ATHLETE'S FOOT "LAY YOU UP"
This pulled three times better than Relieve Foot Itch. It gives the disease a relevant name, points out unwanted effects.
88. ARE THEY BEING PROMOTED RIGHT OVER YOUR HEAD?
Another question aimed at a big target: the legion of frustrated, discouraged people who feel that their ability and conscientiousness are not being amply rewarded by recognition and advancement. (Frequently run by an educational institution which checks the resultfulness of its advertisements.)
89. ARE WE A NATION OF LOWBROWS?
This headline helped to sell inexpensive editions of the classics, by the hundreds of thousands. It starts where the reader is --- because we, as a nation, are not reputed to be greatly addicted to the highbrow type of literature.
Yet this successful campaign showed that Americans know very well the difference between the meritorious and meretricious --- and, if challenged, can prove it with orders. The "we" angle avoids the accusatory "you."
90. A WONDERFUL TWO YEARS' TRIP AT FULL PAY --- BUT ONLY MEN WITH IMAGINATION CAN TAKE IT
This ad about a course for businessmen was repeated again and again, for a period of seven years, in a long list of magazines. It offers a worthwhile reward for reading --- with an intriguing challenge in its second line.
91. WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW...ABOUT THIS STOCK AND BOND BUSINESS
The headline of a full-page newspaper ad crammed solid with small-size type --- and nary a single picture! It drew 5,000 replies when first published, has since appeared in more than 150 newspapers. Promised helpful information of interest to a large audience. A big investment house ran the ad.
92. MONEY-SAVING BARGAINS FROM AMERICA'S DIAMOND DISCOUNT HOUSE
Of course the "bargain appeal" is a sure-fire --- and this is a good example of straightforward presentation.
93. FORMER BARBER EARNS $8,000 IN 4 MONTHS AS A REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST
Featuring an actual testimonial can make a good headline. In this case, the reader's first reaction is "if a barber can do it maybe I can, too!"
94. FREE BOOK --- TELLS YOU 12 SECRETS OF BETTER LAWN CARE
If you are offering something entirely free (such as a booklet or sample) --- and want requests for it in quantity --- feature it right in your headline.
95. GREATEST GOLD-MINE OF EASY "THINGS-TO-MAKE" EVER CRAMMED INTO ONE BIG BOOK
Perhaps you have a new product (or even an old one) and still lack sufficient accurate data as to which, specifically, are the strongest selling appeals to feature in your advertising. In that case, it is often good strategy to "merchandise" the multi-purpose "coverage" of your product as thoroughly as you can. By doing so, you avoid the risk of laying too much stress upon any specific appeal which may prove weak or ineffectual. And, by exposing many of your product's uses and advantages you, at least, enable your reader to know what they are --- so that he can judge for himself the ones which appeal most to him.
96. $80,000 IN PRIZES! HELP US FIND THE NAME FOR THESE NEW KITCHENS
No review of good headlines could be considered even fairly representative unless it included an example of one featuring a prize contest. Of course, it first boldly displays how much money can be won; secondly, what you have to do to win some of it.
97. NOW! OWN FLORIDA LAND THIS EASY WAY...$10 DOWN AND $10 A MONTH
This one also represents a commonly used headline offer --- easy terms --- and conveys it forcefully and persuasively.
98. TAKE ANY 3 OF THESE KITCHEN APPLIANCES --- FOR ONLY $8.95 (VALUES UP TO $15.45)
The familiar reduced-price offer which we see in so many different and alluring forms.
99. SAVE 20 CENTS ON TWO CANS OF CRANBERRY SAUCE --- LIMITED OFFER
An example of the ever-popular coupon-redemption offer. "Limited offer" to increase response. (Sometimes an actual expiration date is stated, to spur quicker action.)
100. ONE PLACE SETTING FREE FOR EVERY THREE YOU BUY!
So now we've finished running the hundred --- except for this last type of headline: the ubiquitous free offer. The rules specify (as exemplified here) that when something must also be bought, this requirement must be displayed with sufficient prominence. "Free" is, of course, a hackneyed and moss-covered word, but there doesn't seem to be any equally strong, or less blatant, substitute for it.
Note: Portions of this article contain excerpt from "How To Write A Good Advertisement" by Victor Schwab; permission granted by Whilshire Books.
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