30 Proven Formulas for Writing Headlines
As mentioned in our recent blog, The Formula for Headline Success, the book Tested Advertising Methods by John Caples is an all-time classic and must read for all marketing professionals.
Here is another excerpt from the book that I feel is essential for B2B marketers and copywriters: 30 proven formulas for writing headlines that generate results.
News Headlines
Begin Your Headline with the Word “Introducing”
- Introducing a New Generation of Affordable Art Materials for Student Artists
- Introducing a New Way to Help Bridge the Gap Between What You’ve Saved and What You’ll Need During Retirement
- United Airlines Proudly Introduces Something Shockingly Amazing… Nothing (launch of e-tickets)
Work a Version of the Word “Announcing” Early in Your Headline
- Announcing a New Selection of Video Cameras
- Gulf Announces a New and Different Gasoline
- An Important Announcement to Homeowners
Use Words that Have an Announcement Quality
- Finally an Exciting New Look that Isn’t Retro Anything
- Good-Bye Old Fashioned Air Conditioners
- Just Published: a New Encyclopedia
Begin Your Headline with the Word “New”
- New 10 Channel Hand-Held GPS Only from Magellan
- New Black & Decker Electric Drill
- New Method of Keeping Your Personal Finances
Begin Your Headline with the Word “Now”
- Now in Paperback
- Now… Learn Both Ways to Write for Publication
- Now Even-Depth Tillage Is Even Easier
Begin Your Headline with the Words “At Last”
- At Last! A Steam Iron with a “Magic Brain”
- At Last—You Can Drive All over Europe with One Easy-to-Follow Road Atlas
- At Last—A Toothbrush Guaranteed for 6 Months
Put a Date into Your Headline
- Beginning June 1: Low Summer Rates at the Miami Biltmore
- Monday Save 30% to 60% on These Books
- Why GE Bulbs Give More Light This Year
Write Your Headline in News Style
- The Wines You Loved in Paris Are Here
- The World’s First Atomic Watch
- Comfort, Warmth, Quiet and Safety – A Remarkable Heater
Headlines That Make Special Offers
Feature a Free Offer
- Free Plato and Aristotle
- Free Trial Lesson
- Free Consultation
Offer Information of Value
- Only One of These Safety Features Can Help You Avoid an Accident
- Insider’s Guide to Old Books
- Straight Facts on When to Take Profits
Tell a Story
- How I Improved My Memory in One Evening
- They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano, but When I Started Playing…
- The Tallest Recycling Story Ever Told
Using Keywords in Headlines
Begin Your Headline with the Words “How To”
- How to Bring Home the Right Home Theater Receiver
- How to End Money Worries
- How to Start a Backyard Garden
Begin Your Headline with the Word “How”
- How Many a Down-and-Out Kitchen Has Been Reformed
- How This New Invention Is Revolutionizing Concrete Construction
- How Your Energy Curve Responds to the World’s Quickest Hot Breakfast
Begin Your Headline with the Word “Why”
- Why These Vitamins Can Make You Feel Peppier
- Why Your Feet Hut
- Why Some People Almost Always Make Money in the Stock Market
Begin Your Headline with the Word “Which”
- Which Stocks Will Outperform the S&P 500 Over the Next 12 Months
- Which Is the Best Battery Value for Your Car?
- Which of These 5 Skin Troubles Would You Like to End?
Begin Your Headline with the Word “Wanted”
- Wanted! Man or Woman with Car to Run Store on Wheels
- Wanted: Autographs and Historical Documents
- Wanted: A Few Good Men (US Marines)
Begin Your Headline with the Word “This”
- This Holiday Season, Stay Away from Your Relatives (hotel chain)
- This Is the Quietest Dishwasher in America
- This Friendly Sign… Everywhere
Begin Your Headline with the Word “Because”
- Because Your Pet’s Quality of Life is Important to You (cat food)
- Because Fleas Come Back
- Because You’re Worth It
Begin Your Headline with the Word “If”
- If They Gave Awards for Cash Management, We’d Be Thanking the Academy
- If They Ever Build an Autobahn Stateside, You’ll Be REady
- If People Seem to Be Working Faster, It’s Not the Coffee (office equipment)
Bonus – here’s an “if” formula that has practically unlimited application:
- If You Think You Can’t Afford , You Haven’t Checked [special discount, leasing terms, etc.]
Begin Your Headline with the Word “Advice”
- Advice to a Young Person Starting out in Business
- Advice to Husbands
- Advice to Brides
Use a Testimonial-Style Headline
- I Was Going Broke—So I Started Reading the Wall Street Journal
- Let Me Tell You How I Reduced for Keeps
- Why I Cried after the Ceremony
Offer the Reader a Test
- Can Your Kitchen Pass the Guest Test?
- Can You Pass This Memory Test?
- A Test of Your Writing Ability
Use a One-Word Headline
- Diamonds
- Bashful?
- Sex: Now that we have your attention, here’s how to get the most money for your used text books
Use a Two-Word Headline
- Free Money (free offer of Microsoft Money software for Chemical Bank customers)
- Engineering Opportunities
- Walk Softly (hiking footwear)
Use a Three-Word Headline
- Get August Free (long distance)
- Expand with Style (home remodelers)
- Double Bonus Sale!
Warn the Reader to Delay Buying
- Buy No Desk Until You Have Seen the New, All-Steel Executive
- Read This Before You Order Your Zoysia Grass
- Don’t Buy Maps: until you see the rep from Rand McNally in Booth 138
Let the Advertiser Speak Directly to the Reader
- I’ll Train You at Home for a Good Job in Computer Programming
- I Guarantee Results Worth $2,000 in One Year
- They Thought I Was Crazy to Ship Live Maine Lobsters 1,800 Miles from the Ocean
Address Your Headline to a Specific Person or Group
- We Take the Heart Cases Other Hospitals Won’t
- You Too Can Beat the Market (news service)
- To Men and Women Who Want to Retire on a Guaranteed Income
Have a Headline Ask a Question
- What Good Are Frequent Flyer Programs If the Miles Take off Before You Do?
- Will We Ever Run out of Trees? [forest products company]
- Can You Find the 26 Different Products from Amway in This Photo?
Offer Benefits through Facts & Figures
- [brand] Burns up to 79% More Calories than Ordinary Treadmills
- Because We Recycle over 100 Million Plastic Bottles a Year, Landfills Can Be Filled with Other Things – Like Land, for Instance
- For $5,000 Less than an [auto model], You Can Have a Feature That’s Priceless
Get B2B Copywriting Help
Since 2007, we’ve assembled a team of recovering journalists, published authors and other talented people that are deeply experienced in B2B copywriting. Put them to work for you by contacting us today.
