Direct Response Copywriter on The Real Value of Headlines

If you were to ask me, “what’s the most important copywriting skill a direct response copywriter must own?” then my answer is fast and easy.

“Writing headlines.”

The headline is the ad for the ad. The body copy might be great. But people will only read that body copy when the headline grabs their attention.

I like the John Caples headline formula.

Curiosity + Self-Interest = Compelling Appeal.

If it worked for John Caples, it works for me.

We all know we use headlines for … well … headlines. But there’s a lot more to headlines than a headline at the top of an ad or sales page. You can use headlines for …

Subheads. The deck (bullets under a headline). Envelope copy for direct mail. Bullets and fascinations. The lead paragraph. Email subject lines.

I rarely see emails with a headline. Why? That makes no sense to me.

I highly recommend that every direct response copywriter knows how to write headlines at an “elite” level. Start by looking at the headlines that great copywriters like Dan Kennedy and Gary Bencivenga write.

Plus I recommend you read every John Caples book. There's a copywriter who knew how to write a headline.