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Headlines you should avoid at all costs, or else...

by Rod Delapaz
10 replies
Why are you reading this right now?

Did the headline catch your eye?

If it did, then perhaps it triggered an emotional response?

That's what you need to do with EVERY email or ad you create.

If it doesn't stir up some sort of emotional reaction,
then work on it some more.

The best headlines create some of these feelings:

- curious to find out
- need to learn to get an edge
- tired of feeling pain and suffering
- need to protect myself and my family

Those are great human motivators.

Another thing to think about, 80% of the people reading your message
will respond to a negatively charged headline, opposed to a positive headline.

Unfortunately, it's true. Only 20% will be more motivated
with a positive message.

If you're putting together an email sequence,
80% of the emails should utilize a negative headline.
20% for the elite few, lol.

Give it shot and let me know how you do.

Be your best, nothing less.
#avoid #costs #headlines
  • Profile picture of the author wifiboos
    You make some very good points here. I like the use of the 80/20 rule.
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    Get Your Mind-set Right - Take Consistent Action
    Connect with the right people

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  • Profile picture of the author Paulward
    Thanks. I like that.

    It's true. What sells newspapers is BAD news. 95% of the "news" content of newspapers is bad news - negative stuff. Murders, robberies, court cases where people are suing their neighbours, flooding, fire, damage, bombing in whatever country it is happening in today, etc.

    You're right. Negative headlines/subject lines are the way to go.
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  • Profile picture of the author iwantbreak
    i completely agree...headlines are crucial no matter a website, app, blog, or anything else... this is a nice brief article on the importance of headlines... dgtlnk.com/blog/headlines-matter
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  • Profile picture of the author Justin Greyling
    Don't you think people would get tired of the same negative message? (in terms of emailing) and the open rates would drop? haven't tested your idea yet

    I would imagine it would be best to go with a 50/50 ratio to keep your subscribers 'on their toes', but you do make a good point, thanks man.
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    • Profile picture of the author AAllen
      I agree a 50-50 approach is safest. Not everyone likes having to see negative headlines in their emails. They already get enough of that from the news, hey don't need negativity in their inboxes all the time too.
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      • Profile picture of the author Rod Delapaz
        Ask The Enquirer and see how their negative headlines are doing, lol. Personally, when I saw the statistics on the effectiveness of negative headlines, I was surprised. Remember, in marketing, it doesn't matter what you think. What matters is what most people think, and most people are drawn in more to negative things than positive.

        If you haven't already, pick up the book called "Influence: The psychology of persuasion" by Robert Cialdini. He talks about all the principles of influence and is a must-have book for all marketers and salespeople.

        Enjoy!
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  • Profile picture of the author Tesslady
    Woah! You did it right, bud.
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  • Profile picture of the author Justin Greyling
    Although maybe sticking to a weekly theme such as one-week negative emails and one-week positive emails may also be a good idea, that's assuming you email your list at least 4 - 6 times a week.

    That way you can give your subscribers a break while still taking advantage of negative headlines and over the course of the month you will achieve a 50/50 ratio
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  • Profile picture of the author jnana
    Hey Delapaz,

    Throwing light on something that was ignored and creating awareness about the opportunities within that ignored zone is how your write-up looked like for me
    I'd read about a same strategy that complements your write-up in one of the blogs posted on EasySendy Pro -
    "Email subjects, for instance Do not open this email or Do not do this€ create a good impact on the recipients. Usually, a negative approach can work wonders if you use it correctly.

    An Instance:

    "Here is why smart people dont do well on Facebook"

    Nope. This is not something against Facebook. You need to get the pun. Vooza, a startup that creates funny videos in the startup world, uses unusual subject lines. Including a negative tinge or a pun is a huge risk, but Vooza manages to do it with style. You know what Vooza does, and this startup seems to know what will crack up their readers. If you cannot take puns and humour, you might not agree with me. But a subject line like this should make it to the list of best email subject lines. Ofcourse, people at Facebook are not dumb! (Got the pun, eh?) "

    Source: EasySendy Pro/blogs
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    • Profile picture of the author Rod Delapaz
      Exactly! What most people don't realize is that a headline is nothing more than a way to "interrupt" and "hijack" someone's attention and cause some sort of an emotional response.

      Once a marketer understands this quite simple concept, it'll change their results, drastically.

      Thanks for your input!!!

      Great luck to you!
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