Copywriters have advocated for years how critically important headlines are to the success of any advertisement or sales letter. Because they are. To prove it they often quote copywriting legends such as John Caplets, who pointed out “If the headline of an advertisement is poor, the best copywriter's in the world can't write copy that will sell the goods. They haven't a chance. Because if the headline is poor, the copy will not be read. And copy that is not read does not sell goods. On the other hand, if the headline is a good one, it is a relatively simple matter to write the copy." And David Ogilvy pointed out, “On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar." Wow. If the best copywriter's in the world need a good headline to sell their products, and if headlines account for eighty cents out of every dollar spent on an ad, I think it's safe to say that headlines are important.



But, in my estimation, the value of a well written headline goes far beyond that. Because a well written headline will not just sell your goods – it can also make you rich! Want proof? OK. Answer this question: “What do you get when you put a headline on a book?" Answer: A headline on a book would be its title, right? Ever hear of a book with the title Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus? According to its publisher, Harper Collins, it's “the greatest selling relationship book of all time." This book has been sold worldwide, translated into over 40 languages, and has sold over 15 million copies. Let me ask you something – Would it have had as much success if the title had been “How Men and Women Are Different", instead of Men Are from Mars, Women Are From Venus? I don't think so. The real title was so catchy it spread like wildfire. Both sexes, men and women, could relate. They laughed upon hearing it, and then made sure to ask their friends if they'd heard it too.

Then they went out and bought it. (And it's a safe bet to say that most of them probably haven't even read it!)Think the title made a difference? Think it increased the sale of the book? I do. Think about how YOU reacted the first time YOU heard it? It captured your imagination, and got your attention too - didn't it? Let's try another one. Which book title (headline) do you think would sell more copies, “Think and Grow Rich", or, “Study Your Way to Prosperity"? (I hope you said the first one).Same book. Different title. See what I mean? Any time the title of a book (which is the equivalent of its headline) can catapult it to “the greatest selling relationship book of all time" status; it should be evident that the right headline can indeed make you rich! Which is why we need to give headlines their proper respect? I’ve included a quick and easy formula for writing world class headlines in my book, The Beginner's “Easiest Book in the World" For Learning How to Write Powerful Sales Letters.