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Some research says that 75% of a buying decision is made at a headline. Others say 50%. If you’ve ever saw something, read a headline, and then said to yourself, “That’s for me!” then you’ll know what I’m talking about. $10 bucks says the person who wrote that spent just a quick second beforehand figuring it all out and you should do the same.

One thing is for sure, headlines are pretty darn important and that’s why I wanted to give you some example to apply in part 2 here. If you missed part 1, be sure to check it out first.

The headlines listed below are not stuff I’ve made it. They’re all headlines that have been proven to work. The person or people who wrote the headline really understood the psychology behind the buyer and that lead to inevitable success.

They are easily adaptable in your market with a little imagination and a little creativity. I’ll try to use a quick example to get your started

Proven headline:

Get rid of your money problems once and for all

Why it works:

It makes you think exactly of the problem you’re having in finite terms. Everyone hates that. No one likes to look at their problem and therefore makes people much more likely to pick up the phone and call you for your solution.

Example adaptations for a dance teacher or studio (e.g. ballroom or adult lessons):

Get rid of your dance phobia once and for all.

Comment:

It’s very real for people who have always wanted to dance even if you can’t relate to it personally. They have this secret fear and if you can tap it with your headline, this one or any other one, it can be gold. These people end up being some of the most passionate dancers around.

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Proven headline:

Who else wants to look like a movie star?

Why it works:

This plays into the group mentality all humans have inside of them. You secretly figure when a bunch of other people are doing it, it’s OK…or maybe even ‘cool’ you can do it too. Ever stood in a line at the grocery store because there was already one there before you got there but when you looked up you saw there was a smaller line right next to you? That’s social proof and it got you when you weren’t looking.

Example adaptation for a ballroom studio:

Who else wants to look they were just on ‘Dancing with the Stars’?

Who else wants a happy, well adjusted child that loves dance?

Comment:

Be sure to use whatever the parents words are to you. Not your own words. If you’re an adult studio, echo back what the students are saying to you exactly.

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Proven headline:

A little mistake cost this farmer £20,000 a year…

Why it works:

Because when you’re reading that, and you’re a farmer, you secretly wonder if YOU could be losing that much without even knowing. No one likes to lose money without knowing it so it really presses your curiosity button.

Example adaptation for a performing arts studio:

A little mistake that cost a parent $10,000 a year…

Comment:

Maybe you’re run a special or a package deal where if the parents pre-pay (good for cash flow), they get a discount for their child? See where I’m going there?

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Proven Headline:

Play the guitar in 7 days or your money back:

Why it works:

Because you, me and everyone else under the sun loves instant gratification. Combined with something you want to do, this should really speak to you. Why it works is because the person is thinking of himself as Jimi Hendrix in his own head but what he’s really gonna get is Kum Ba Ya when it’s all said and done. You can’t get that good that fast but you *can* be playing the guitar.

Example adaptation for a salsa teacher:

Dance salsa in 7 days or your money back

Comment:

Yeah, he might not be a killer dancer at that point but at least he’s dancing salsa. Once he starts, he’s not likely to stop because it’s so fun, right?! It’s your job to get people started and keep their interest going after that and if this little headline helps, more power to it.

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Proven headline:

See how easily you can learn to dance this new way

Why it works:

Again, everyone likes the ‘easy’ version of something. Instant gratification lives inside of all of us.

Example adaptation for a ballroom studio:

Use it as is. It worked like crazy for Arthur Murray when he was selling home study dance courses in the 1920s and it works now. I tested it with Adwords and was surprised at the results.

Lastly, here are 3 tips to help you in crafting your headline:

1. Use a sentence or a phrase
2. Place it at the head or at the top or at the beginning of your piece
3. Make sure it makes a promise and arouses curiosity

As always, I’d LOVE to hear your success with any of these things or any you’ve crafted or adapted for yourself or your studio.

Writing headlines is one of the most important skills you can learn for marketing your dance studio or dance business. If you’re selling (and you are whether you admit it to yourself or not) your services or expertise, if you don’t get them interested in you, then you’re done. They’ll head on off to another teacher, studio, store, etc.

There are whole books on headline writing so I won’t be able to get that in depth here but ther are a few guideline that you can follow to help you along. Next post, I’ve give you a few templates to use but first I’d like you to break free of your conceptions on what a headline is.

When it comes to your dance studio, a headline can be the obvious stuff like: what’s on your website, your yellow book ad, you direct mail postcards, fliers, and email newsletters. But, it can also be stuff like your class sign up form, your email sign up form on at your studio or on your website, the sign up form for your classes, registration form for your next show, etc.

Are you really thinking about using choice words to get people’s attention on ALL those things? If not, don’t fret. Just start paying a little more attention to things. Think things like, ” how could I change a word or two in this line to make it -jump- out a little bit more and take hold?” Usually, it only takes a quick second to beat whatever you already have and there’s a good chance it’ll help you increase your goal for whatever that piece is designed to do.

Constant small improvement over time really add up and get you to the next level.

Here are some resources on the web that have good information to help you along:

Copywriting headlines | Make money online – McVictor.com

The headlines are the most important parts of any sales copy. Yes, the reader also wants bullet points of benefits, testimonials, etc, but they often…

The Sexy Art of Writing Headlines that Kill – FreelanceSwitch …

Excellent restraint on not naming this article: “20 Tips for Writing Great Headlines”. I was one of those feed readers who got caught by your headline for this article, but likely wouldn’t have with the headline you choose not to use. …

How to Write a Killer and Magnetic Headlines and Titles

How to create great headlines and titles to turn your prospects into buying customers using hypnotic words that will empower them to purchase your product or service, join your ezine. …

The Right Woid

Legendary copywriter John Carlton drops some knowledge on why should should create a ‘power word chart’ and use it when crafting headlines. This post isn’t soley about headlines but it does pass some great info on the subject anyway.

How to Write Magnetic Headlines

Copyblogger has 9 different (yes, 9!) posts on crafting a perfect headline for what ales you. There are templates, formulas, getting people’s attention techniques, & cheater’s guide. It’s a little ironic that I’d list this right after a John Carlton post but if you’re stumped when writing, this is a good place to get a jump start.

Next, I’ll give you a few templates that are ‘plug-n-play’ so make sure to subscribe so you won’t be left out.