Create Persuasive Headline Like David Ogilvy
The persuasive headline is part of advertising. Advertising is part of promotion/ Promotion is one of four marketing mix. David Ogilvy is a famous father of Advertising. He is a king in the Madison Avenue, a center of advertising in the world in several decades. He is avant-garde of scientific advertising that measures this impact. In this article, I will breakdown his message about how to create a headline.
If I categorize his message about headline, it is better if headline has three characteristic.
- Benefit.
- Trust (Believable)
- Differentiation (Exceptional)
A Believable Exceptional Benefit
- According to David Ogilvy, headline promise a benefit. Not just benefit, but exceptional benefit. Benefits that like another offer, that competitor can do, are not effective. So good headline promise differentiation of benefit.
- Make it specific by using a statistic, percentage, number, money et cetera. It helps headline more trust.
- Good Headlines are looked like close to friend. It is like a message from a friend. It gives trust effect.
- A great headline is not like headline, but more like information. It gives trust effect. The headline is like news. It is a surefire. So,
- Using a brand name or product name can give trust effect. Because it shows responsibility.
- According to Ogilvy research, 10 words headline sell more than a short headline. Long copy sells more than short. Long copy means that is about the important thing. It creates trust.
- The clear headline is better than the tricky headline. It is about trust.
- Don’t make an unbelievable superlative claim. For example, the best car in the world. It is better to create a believable claim like the best car in its class. It is about trust.
- Include useful information for the reader. It creates trust.
- Get the source or testimonial from an expert or customer. It also creates trust.
- Sometimes special offer and coupons work. It offers more benefit.
- Include the price in the cheap products. So, people do not have to ask to get information. Meanwhile, usually, expensive products didn’t give a price tag in the advertising.
- Give benefit by stick on what products can do for the target market.
- Give scarcity by inform “limited edition”, “limited offer”. That can amplify the benefits.
- Give evidence and demonstration, why the products work in good manners.
- Use problem-solution. People care about their problem.
- Give benefit to the customer’s perspective. People have to know why they buy.
- Emotional sense like nostalgia, sentimentality, charm, love, joy, memories, can highly work.
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