Let’s say someone gave you the address to a secret club.

And inside that club are hundreds of eager customers ready to buy your product or service.

Filled with excitement you run up to the door. But before you can make it inside a beefy bouncer stops you cold and demands, “What’s the password?”

Password? No one said anything about a password!

How will you get more customers if you don’t know the password?

On the web your headline is a lot like that secret password. With the right set of words the door is pushed open and you’re able to step inside Club Customer.

But without a headline that grabs the attention of your customer you’ll never get your foot in the door.

Why is the headline so important?

It’s important because it’s the thing that entices your customer to dig deeper. It snaps them from what they’re doing and focuses their attention to your message. It speaks to them.

If it doesn’t speak to them everything else is incidental. They’ll never get any further because they’ve already moved on to something else.

Think about all the messages you see each day

Headlines are everywhere. In your inbox. Your RSS reader. Twitter. Facebook. At the newsstand. They’re all battling for your attention. If your customer doesn’t feel compelled to read on, someone else is there to take that attention away from you.

Your headline needs to engage your potential customer. And the only way you can create a headline that truly makes your customer sit up is by knowing their wants, needs and desires. When you can get these things in your headlines your customers have no choice but to stop what they’re doing and read on.

Let’s take a look at some headline examples

Here are just a few examples of  different headlines that you can use to grab attention:

1. The News Headline Is there something newsworthy about your product, service or business? If there is you can feature it in your headline. E.g. New Dance Company Changes the Way You Experience Dance
2. The How-to Headline This type of headline promises the reader sound advice, information and the solution to a problem. E.g. How to Use Overload-Underload Training to Increase the Power of Your Swing
3. The Question-Based Headline When you ask a question the reader’s brain gets irritated and wants to know more. E.g. Do You Know These Secrets to Surviving College Dorm-Life?

Does your website have a headline that engages your target audience?

Or does it just say “Welcome” or not have a headline at all? Take a look and see if you can apply these examples to your business.

Once you find that secret password, you’ll find Mr. Beef respectfully shows you to your VIP table at Club Customer.