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A Simple Rule to
Create the Best Headlines:
The 100 to 1 Rule
by Jeffrey Dobkin
"America's Master Marketer"
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Nobody
uses their first draft in copywriting - at least none of my friends
do. Heck, I can't even make the fifth draft come out right on some projects;
this, of course, depends on my hangover. While I don't like to waste
time writing copy that isn't going to be used, in writing it's just
as important to edit severely as it is to write succinctly.
Too bad I never do. Proof of this? Take my book (please), How
To Market a Product for Under $500. It weighs in at over 2 1/2
lbs. I wasn't finished writing it, either - I merely abandoned it because
of the element of time. I also stopped writing because of all things
considered, I knew I wanted to sell a book people could actually lift
without getting a hernia.
What does this have to do with creating the best headline? It's called Jeff Dobkin's
100 to 1 Rule. It's the rule all copywriters use but don't tell you about. It's the
reason great copywriters get paid so much money. It's the writing you never see.
It's also the way I came up with the book title.
The 100 to 1 Rule states that for every line whose contribution is so crucial to
making your writing successful, for each line that is so important it can make or
break your entire piece, for any line that is so pivotal that you place your bet
on this single line and you win or lose everything on its strength, say hallelujah;
so significant that the success or failure of your entire direct marketing package,
mailer, ad, or press release depends on its existence being close to perfection,
say hallelujah again; so it is written yea must write that single line one hundred
different ways, then go back and pick the best one. Amen. Yep, 100 times. that's
the Jeff Dobkin 100 to 1 Rule.
Let's take a closer look at where the 100 to 1 Rule is used.
1. Press release
headline. The headline determines the success or failure of your release. It
starts by getting the editor's attention, then convinces the publisher to publish
it, makes the correct segment of the audience read it, and helps make qualified prospects
respond. In a press release, the headline is the single most important line you can
write. Recommended formula: New product offers benefit.
Example: New hammer is easier to grip New motorcycle has incredible acceleration
2. The first line
of your press release body copy. After 25 years of writing press releases, I've
developed my own system for sneaking benefits into a release without editors cutting
them out. Since editors cut from the bottom, I place my two or three most powerful
benefits in the first line or two of the body of the release - and they NEVER get
cut.
Recommended formula: New product offers benefit, benefit, benefit. Examples:
New lawnmower is easier to start, quieter, and still cuts lawns 40% faster. New jacket
is lightweight, waterproof, and comfortable - at minus 30 degrees
Where else does the 100 to 1 Rule rule?
3. The headline
of your ad. A press release headline has to conform to the editor's need to fit
in well with the rest of the editorial material. The headline for your ad is entirely
up to you - so it can be more powerful and harder selling. Yes, there is a great
deal of crossover, and these recommendations may work for both press release and
ad.
Recommended formula: Free booklet offers useful information.
Example: A roofing company offers, Free booklet shows how to install a new
roof.
Why is this a great
formula? It attracts only the specific market segment the advertiser is looking for
- saving you $$$ on literature and fulfillment. Then it generates excellent response
from qualified prospects by offering something for free.
Would anyone want a brochure on installing a roof besides someone who needs a new
roof? Not likely. Are they really going to install a new roof themselves? Nah - don't
be silly. The percentage of people who are going to install their own roof from a
free booklet is pretty darn small. And if they do, these are the people who are going
to need even more professional help when they screw it up. Trust me on this one.
4. The first sentence
of the body copy of your ad. The only function of this first line is to keep
the reader reading. Your most interest-arousing line is needed to entice the reader
to read the rest of the ad. The rest of the body copy then sells the product by showing
the benefits and making a strong call to action. To hook the reader early, the first
line must be electrifying. Write 100, pick one.
5. The teaser copy on your envelope. If this crucial selection of a great
line isn't perfection, your mail piece goes right into the basket over which most
people sort their mail. The sole function of envelope teaser copy is to get recipients
to open the mailpiece.
Unlike with an ad or press release, you've already invested money to get your message
delivered right into your prospect's hands. Make a broader appeal with this teaser
copy - you wouldn't want anyone to get turned off by focusing it too tightly.
Recommended formula: Free Gift Certificate Enclosed. Gift certificates are
effective draws, and they're inexpensive to print on 1/3 or 1/4 of a sheet of paper.
Since they're only good for the products and dates you select, they're cheap to redeem,
and you can target them specifically towards merchandise you want to sell off. Nice
promotion! Variations on this: Discount Coupons Enclosed - Free Gift Enclosed.
6. The first paragraph
of your letter. 99% of my letters start with a first paragraph consisting of
one or two lines. And most are only one or two words. The opening of a letter has
to be the most electric it can be, because the reader makes the decision in a nanosecond
to read, scan, or toss. Keep the opening paragraph short and electrifying. One line
is best. Two lines are OK. Three lines only work if the entire second paragraph is
shorter than five words.
Recommended opening
lines: One of my favorite openings is, paragraph one: Cough. Paragraph two: Cough.
Cough. Paragraph three: Now that the dust is settling from the (name holiday) holidays,
let em . . .
Another favorite: Paragraph one: you're invited. Paragraph Two: you're invited
to our biggest ...
Any way around the 100 to 1 Rule? Not to any great extent. If you're
good, you may be able to get away with writing 50 or 80 lines, then
picking the best one. But the 100 to 1 formula is a sure-fire winning
solution to finding that single explosive line. The all-out winner may
be that number 100, the 100th line you wrote. Of course it may be the
very first line you wrote, too - but you'll never know this until you
finish.
Jeffrey Dobkin
is an innovator and an entrepreneur, but it's his writing style that has made him
famous. Over 2 million people read his information-rich, explicit How-To articles
on marketing and direct marketing. He's a speaker, teaches classes and presents marketing
and direct marketing seminars to hundreds of businesses. His firm offers copywriting,
market analysis, package review and consulting. He can be reached at 610-642-1000.
Visit his website at www.dobkin.com
or
contact him by
e-mail
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