Been spending quite a bit of time hunched over the keys, generating word-based stuff in an attempt to sell stuff. 

Is one thing to type away ex-tempore my own nonsense and preoccupations, quite another trying to make sure the message hits an actual prospect-target (so hats off to actual writers and those who employ them to do this stuff. It’s hard.)

The thing that’s been a crutch was realising some time back that cold-call emails, posts for attention, headers and openers for decks is they’re really all just ads. 

Not award-winning-creative-annual-Pencil-Lion-ads. But ad all the same. 

Things that fall under the general category ‘campaign’ (i.e. some mediaContent to shift some barrels) - are ads. Social posts with a purpose (‘BUY ME!’), ads. Pitch slides. Ads. 

And what’s amazing is how much more like something useful any of these things are, with headlines. Not to mention more fun.

I know YOU know, but for anyone (like me), who needs a reminder how to catch attention (specifically. Unless you can execute your product offer in the form of contemporary dance. Can be done. Not everyone’s budget extends to it.)

The headline’s your worst enemy when you start. The best foot in the mind’s door after.

Which makes them hard to capture and ignore (if they’re good.)

Any chance you get to practice writing them is time well spent. 

Everything else follows (quite literally) after a great five or six word knock-you-over.

So here’s to headlines and how to make sure your audience (with their set-in-thier-ways and no-we’re-happy-with-our-website-thanks’) are happy never after.