Hooks, Headlines, & Leads: Copywriting How-To

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It’s one of the most fundamental skills in direct response copywriting…
To capture a hook in the form of a headline and lead… That gets your prospect’s attention… And pulls them into your selling message.
In fact, when you’re getting started as a copywriter, it’s often what a client wants to see before hiring you…
“Send me a headline and lead and we’ll talk,” they say, as a way of testing your abilities as a copywriter.
If you can write a headline and lead that hook their interest, you get the project.
If not, nope.
So… How do you write great hooks, headlines, and leads?
That’s the question I got from a subscriber.
—
Roy,
Can you give me more insight into your process for writing compelling headlines and leads?
I'm a new copywriter, so any advice you can give would be appreciated.
Thanks,
G
—
It’s what I’ve answered in today’s video…
In short, it’s all about the IDEA.
The idea behind the hook, turns into the headline and lead that get attention, which turns into the persuasive pitch that sells.
It’s not so simple as to say, “here’s what a great idea” looks like.
But there are some guideposts.
For example, I talk about the power of swipe files and headline formulas — and what they are good for.
I talk about my 3 Big Idea types — I think I was the very first to classify them this way.
And I talk about at least 7 dimensions of “new” that can make for a powerful big idea.
Then I share what exactly I mean by a hook, headline, and a lead in copywriting…
Which is important.
Because in the definitions, comes guidance for how to create each, and the role it must play.
For example — did you know a headline is NOT meant to sell?
Or at least, not the product.
The headline sells something else entirely — something far more important to your eventual sale.
I also share at least one big mistake many copywriters make in writing leads…
You see, I’ve been listening to Stephen Fry’s audiobook version of the Sherlock Holmes stories.
Which is great on so many levels.
But what I find especially useful to note here is that copywriting should be done exactly opposite of a Sherlock Holmes story.
At least, in one big way.
(Although perhaps the teasing is instructive in another way.)
I don’t want to give it all away here, because I explain it much better in today’s video.
Watch now.
Today’s video was packed with tips and I do it a disservice of what little I’ve shared in this email. Even if you haven’t watched one of my videos in a while, I’d strongly suggest this 13-minute value-packed lesson.
Then consider my 3 Must-Have Checklists For Every Copywriter for how to continue the sales message after the lead.
Yours for bigger breakthroughs,
Roy Furr
#copywriting #directresponse #headlines