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Author Topic: Your Favorite Headline And Why?  (Read 2150 times)
Jason Parker
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« on: November 20, 2008, 09:21:59 PM »

What's your favorite headline and why?

Mine's become...

Wife Of Famous Movie Star Swears
Under Oath Her New Perfume Does Not
Contain An Illegal Sexual Stimulant!

Because of the 2 curiosity elements entwined with the big benefit and news. 

*Wife of Famous Movie Star.  Which famous movie star? 

*Does Not Contain An Illegal Sexual Stimulant.  This must be some hot stuff.  And what's the story here?
« Last Edit: November 20, 2008, 10:32:26 PM by Jason Parker » Logged

Vin Montello
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« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2008, 09:59:24 PM »

I wish I had a favorite. My taste changes daily. But that IS a great one.

I've used the same "swears under oath" thing in a different way before and it works.
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Jason Parker
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« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2008, 10:06:18 PM »

I wish I had a favorite. My taste changes daily. But that IS a great one.

I've used the same "swears under oath" thing in a different way before and it works.

Hey Vin.  Let me ask you something.

Do you find that writing good headlines out by hand helps you write good headlines?
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Dean Dhuli
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« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2008, 10:09:43 PM »

The "Swears under oath" template has been used for numerous different headlines...and quite frankly, I don't see anything special about it.

For me, my favorite headline can be any one of those that I wrote - talk about being biased. Grin
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Vin Montello
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« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2008, 10:19:53 PM »

Jason,

I don't. I did the hand copying of letters for a while and I do think that works. But for headlines I don't think it means a thing. I DO think reading them out loud is a must. I read classics out loud, get the cadence... the breathing... And I've swiped cadence before.

Hey Vin.  Let me ask you something.

Do you find that writing good headlines out by hand helps you write good headlines?
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Jason Parker
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« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2008, 10:27:02 PM »

Jason,

I don't. I did the hand copying of letters for a while and I do think that works. But for headlines I don't think it means a thing. I DO think reading them out loud is a must. I read classics out loud, get the cadence... the breathing... And I've swiped cadence before.

Hey Vin.  Let me ask you something.

Do you find that writing good headlines out by hand helps you write good headlines?

Thanks for this reply and the long one from the other thread just now Vin.  Much appreciated good sir. Grin

I know your time's valuable, so I'll do something in return and send you something cool if you PM me.  Brian Keith Voiles e-mailed it to me earlier this year.  I was looking at it today.  I think you'll like it. Unfortunately I can't attach it to this forum because I don't think he wants many people to see it.
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janet444
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« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2008, 07:39:29 AM »

What's your favorite headline and why?

Mine's become...

Wife Of Famous Movie Star Swears
Under Oath Her New Perfume Does Not
Contain An Illegal Sexual Stimulant!

Because of the 2 curiosity elements entwined with the big benefit and news. 

*Wife of Famous Movie Star.  Which famous movie star? 

*Does Not Contain An Illegal Sexual Stimulant.  This must be some hot stuff.  And what's the story here?

Yeah, that's one that would get me reading, though I'd hate myself for it. Wink
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Zeal4Life
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« Reply #7 on: November 21, 2008, 11:40:22 AM »

Hmm... kinda hard to pin it down to one...

However, here are some that I really like...

1. Do You Have The Courage To Earn Half A Million Dollars A Year?  (There's a qualifying "challenge" there...)

2. Do you make these mistakes in English?  (Flexible - you can substitute just about anything for "English")

3. Generous, Creative Businessman Wants To Find A Hot, Sexy Woman With A Good Sense Of Humor
(All the bells and whistles are jammed into this ad ... even "not so hot" women would read this ... after all, who can resist a generous man Wink)

Might come up with more later...

Ciao!
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Melvin Flemingworth
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« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2008, 11:50:00 PM »

I like this one:

"How A Stuttering Child, Traumatized by His Own Mother's Murder...
Discovered the "Secret Formula" to Achieving Nearly Any Goal!"

It tells a story --- how the writer went from a tragic beginning to success in life.  Certainly makes you want to read more, that's for sure.

Melvin

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Bruce Wedding
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« Reply #9 on: November 22, 2008, 12:14:54 AM »

Well, one of my faves from the NY Post is:


“Headless Man in Topless Bar”


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« Reply #10 on: November 22, 2008, 12:41:02 AM »

"Read This Or Die" - Jim Rutz.

Why? 'cause it says a lot in just 4 words and it worked.
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Christie Love
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« Reply #11 on: November 22, 2008, 01:38:35 AM »

What's your favorite headline and why?

Mine's become...

Wife Of Famous Movie Star Swears
Under Oath Her New Perfume Does Not
Contain An Illegal Sexual Stimulant!

Because of the 2 curiosity elements entwined with the big benefit and news. 

*Wife of Famous Movie Star.  Which famous movie star? 

*Does Not Contain An Illegal Sexual Stimulant.  This must be some hot stuff.  And what's the story here?

That's a good one Jason. I must read that copy to see what it's all about. I guess that's the whole idea of a headline, eh? Well, this one definitely works.
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Kawika O.
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« Reply #12 on: November 22, 2008, 07:48:04 AM »

Hear Suze
Get Rich

On the cover of the Learning Annex. Plain simple message that makes a huge promise. It also summarizes just about everything Dan Kennedy taught me about message. Make it sound fast and easy. Doesn't get much easier than sitting in a chair at a seminar and money falls from the ceiling into your lap.

Truthiness? Ehh, they had to find out at the seminar. I'm sure she could show how saving $200 starting in your 20's you'd have a million dollars by retirement. Unless you plunked it all into Bear Stearns or AIG.

Cheers
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Kawika O.
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« Reply #13 on: November 22, 2008, 04:05:08 PM »

Funny, I hear these questions all the time, but headlines don't really stick with me. I don't have favorite headlines, either they work or they don't.

One of my prospects asked what copywriter/marketer I follow. I don't really "follow" anyone. I learn from everyone and then do my own "thang."

I do find headlines more difficult to write than the body copy. I write several before I decide on just one. For me, copy is the easy part. Headlines...they take a lot of work.
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Melvin Flemingworth
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« Reply #14 on: November 23, 2008, 12:49:35 PM »

What's your favorite headline and why?

Mine's become...

Wife Of Famous Movie Star Swears
Under Oath Her New Perfume Does Not
Contain An Illegal Sexual Stimulant!

Because of the 2 curiosity elements entwined with the big benefit and news. 

*Wife of Famous Movie Star.  Which famous movie star? 

*Does Not Contain An Illegal Sexual Stimulant.  This must be some hot stuff.  And what's the story here?
Jason, that's a great headline. 

It scores very high according to Gary Bencivenga's I = B + C formula.  According to Gary, the "level of interest is directly proportional to the presence of two factors: benefit and curiosity."

He talks about it more here ...

http://bencivengabullets.com/bullets.asp?id=23

And he gives several other great Gary Halbert headlines!

Melvin
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