Headlines Headlines Headlines

I've been super cosy this week, just getting some R&R after the winter storm hit Ohio.

But sadly, a minimum of 70 people have lost their lives to this storm so I hope all is well with you.

Anyway, last week I told you I don't usually talk about techniques.

That the real work happens in the invisible spaces between the words, in understanding human psychology, market sophistication and the philosophy of persuasion.

But then I shared a truckload of techniques anyway, because sometimes you need the tools to close some gaps.

Well, this week going forward, I've decided I'll create continuity and basically teach you guys how to write copy.

Copy that allows me to make a near 6 figure wifi income on just a few years investment.

So now we're going deeper into one specific tool that matters more than almost anything else(because mastery over it dictates if your ads are opened)

Headlines(or subject line).

Not "killer" headlines. Not headlines that make other copywriters high-five you in forums.

Headlines that get your damn ad read and that print cash.

Here's the continuation of last week's story:

After I found that Sagan quote, the one about how there's always more to discover than we currently know and after I hit “send” on last week's email, I couldn't stop thinking about it.

So I did what I always do when I'm chasing a thread: I pulled out my swipe file and old notes.

Not the digital stuff. The physical one. The binder with pre-internet and early internet print ads that have made millions.

And I started looking for patterns.

What I found surprised me.

The headlines everyone considers "legendary", the ones copywriters memorize and quote at cocktail parties, they all follow predictable structures.

But here's the kicker: those structures aren't what made them work.

What made them work was a level deeper. It was that they entered the prospect's world first, then pulled them into the advertiser's world second.

So here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to give you 10 proven headline formulas that work. But first, I'm going to show you the thinking behind them, because without that, you'd just be going through the motions without deeper understanding.

The Foundation: Get Inside Their World

Before you write a single word, you need to be 1000% in sync with what your market wants (and doesn't want).

Ask yourself these questions:

• What keeps them awake at night? — Is it the mortgage payment? An upcoming presentation? Fear their spouse is losing interest? The specific 3am worry reveals everything.

• What are they afraid of? — Not surface fears. Deep ones. Being exposed as a fraud? Ending up alone? Becoming irrelevant? Missing out while everyone else succeeds?

• What causes them pain? — Physical? Emotional? Financial? The sharper you can identify the exact nature of their pain, the more your headline will resonate.

• What humiliates them? — What do they hide from others? What makes them feel small, inadequate, or ashamed? This is where the real emotional leverage lives.

• What makes them angry? — What injustice burns them up inside? What double standard do they rage about? Anger is fuel for action.

• Who are they furious with? — Is it their boss? The government? Big Pharma? Gurus who overpromise? "Experts" who keep them stuck? Name the enemy.

• What do they worry about most? — Different from fear. Worry is chronic, nagging, persistent. What's the thing they can't stop thinking about?

• What are their values? — Do they value freedom over security? Family over career? Authenticity over status? Your headline must align with their core beliefs.

• What's their most urgent "hot button" crisis right now? — Not tomorrow. Not next month. What's the fire they need put out today?

• Who are their enemies? — Not just people. Systems. Institutions. Ideologies. The "establishment." Knowing their enemies tells you their identity.

• What income bracket are they in? — A $30K/year buyer and a $300K/year buyer have completely different anxieties, aspirations, and objections.

• What are their political views? — Not to judge, but to understand their worldview. How they see authority, personal responsibility, fairness, and change.

• What frustrates them most? — What have they tried that hasn't worked? What promises have been broken? What keeps not delivering results despite their effort?

• What do they want more than anything? — The deep want. Not "lose weight" but "feel attractive again." Not "make money" but "prove I'm not a failure."

These questions get you thinking about your prospects and their problems, instead of your product and its features.

Remember the old adage: "Don't sell me a drill, sell me the hole in the wall where my family photos will hang."

Talk about their problems, desires, or wants, and you enter their world. Once inside, you'll never bore them, lose their interest, or be ignored.

The "Knock-Knock" Test

One of the old-school ad agencies invented what they called "knock-knocks" to write headlines.

Here's how it works:

Imagine you're selling your product door-to-door. No email. No internet. No technology.

You find a neighborhood where your prospects live, people who have the exact problem your product solves.

You walk up to a house and knock on the door.

As soon as that door opens, what can you say, in one sentence, that:

Makes it impossible for them to slam the door in your face (like they normally would to a sales rep)...
Gets them to literally invite you inside and beg you to tell them more?

In other words: What's the one thing you can say to that prospect, at that exact moment in their life, with their unique problems, desires, fears, and wants, that would make them practically make them jump for joy you showed up on their doorstep?

Example:

Maybe you're writing to middle-aged professionals who are stressed, overweight, and exhausted. They've tried every diet. They know what they "should" do but can't stick to anything.

They're watching their bodies decline. They're embarrassed at the beach. They avoid mirrors. They make jokes about "dad bod" but inside, they're ashamed.

They want their energy back. They want to feel attractive to their spouse again. They want to prove they're not "done."

In that case, you might use:

"How a 47-Year-Old Accountant Who 'Tried Everything' Lost 32 Pounds in 90 Days Without Giving Up Beer, Pizza, or His Sanity (And Why His Doctor Called It 'Medically Fascinating')"

See how that works?

You've entered their world (middle-aged, tried everything, wants results without suffering), acknowledged their problem (weight, frustration, failed attempts), and given them proof that aligns with their skepticism (doctor validation, specific results, relatable person).

Now: 10 Proven Headline Formulas

These aren't the only ways to write headlines. But they're easy to use and surprisingly effective.

1. The Proof Headline

Join proof to your promise and response almost always goes up.

If the accountant headline above simply said "How to Lose Weight Without Giving Up the Foods You Love," it wouldn't have nearly the impact.

Adding the part about the specific person (47-year-old accountant), the specific result (32 pounds in 90 days), and the doctor's validation? That's proof.

2. Market-Oriented Headline

Headlines that address the market — and don't even necessarily make a claim — can explode your response.

Example: "WARNING: Do Not Read This If You Have Moral, Ethical Or Religious Reasons Against Hurting (Or Even Killing) Someone Who Violently Attacks You, Your Wife Or Your Kids."

No claim. No benefit. Just addresses the market directly.

3. The Emotion Headline

Tap into a strong emotion your prospect has.

Example: "Warning: Do Not Read This Unless You Are Frustrated As Hell With Your Golf Swing."

Notice the "Warning" word again? And no claim or benefit.

4. The Offer Headline

Straight to the point. If you're writing to people who already want what you have.

Example: "Free Fuel for a Year with Purchase of New Car – Today Only"

5. The Contrast Headline

Contrasting ideas immediately grab attention and are very hard to ignore when properly targeted.

Examples: "Beat the Races by Picking Losers!" or "How to Lose Weight By Eating More of These Fatty Foods"

6. The Tabloid Headline

Add a sensational twist to your claims.

John Carlton's famous example: "Amazing Secret Discovered By One-Legged Golfer Adds 50 Yards to Your Drives, Eliminates Hooks and Slices... And Can Slash Up To 10 Strokes from Your Game Almost Overnight!"

7. The Curiosity Headline

Master copywriter Scott Haines (clients include Jay Abraham and Donald Trump) said curiosity is the #1 most powerful reason people buy. Even more powerful than what people want.

Examples from legendary copywriter Mel Martin: "What Never to Eat on an Airplane" and "Bills It's Okay to Pay Late"

8. The Straight Benefit Headline

Sometimes you can just say what you have to say with no messing around. Especially for hot problems people are really fired up about.

Classic Eugene Schwartz headline: "Get Up to 12 Miles More Per Gallon from Your Car"

9. The Question Headline

I once heard it's neurologically impossible for someone to ignore a question that's of interest to them.

Is that really true? I don't know. But question headlines work exceptionally well. Plus, there's no hypey feel and they don't look like sales pitches.

Example from Brian Keith Voiles: "Which Of These Health Problems Do You Want to Beat?"

10. The "Combine & Conquer" Headline

For best results, combine variations of the above.

Examples: • Proof + Question: "When Doctors Have Headaches, What Do They Do?" • Emotion + Market-Oriented: "An Open Letter To Readers of Black Belt Magazine Who Are Fed Up with the Hype Surrounding the Seemingly Endless String of 'Fighter-of-the-Month' Programs"

The Rule You Can Never Break:

You're always safe in your prospect's world.

Write your headlines inside their world and you can never go wrong, no matter how you "dress it up."

Forget about impressing other copywriters. Forget about being "clever."

Enter their world. Speak to their pain, their desire, their fear, their dream.

Do that, and they'll read.

Next week: we’ll talk about copywriting frameworks/structures.

Till next time,

Fathi

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