Published originally in the book of Robert Boduch titled "Great Headlines Instantly"

How important are headlines in your view, to the overall success of written communications?

Extremely important. Some experts say that 90% of the effectiveness depends on the headline - that means that for every dollar you spend 90 cents is invested in the headline. Funny thing is that usually people spend much more time creating and editing the body of an ad, letter, article etc. - and title is just created in the spur of the moment. BIG mistake. If the reader will not find the title interesting, intriguing or at least... annoying or controversial - he will not read the rest. Most of the time.

What are some common mistakes small business owners make regarding headlines?

In advertising the biggest one is using their own name - or bragging about their business. Ads like "ATB Enterprises - established in 1992" make me laugh although they are really sad. This one is a real example from my today's newsletter. It is a fencing company - a simple headline "Fences" would work much better.

Another mistake is writing those cute headlines that are unusual and make people think before they can figure out what is this all about. One of the dumbest ones I've ever seen was "Go to the Head the Class" in an ad for the apartment leasing office!

People don't like to be challenged in print advertising - they have enough challenges in their lives. The easier the reading, the smoother it is and the easier to understand - the more likely they will read the rest.

How do you know when you've got a dynamite headline?

Aaaaaah, this is a dynamite question! I think it would be the headline that your (and only your!) target reader sees and it is so grabbing that they feel they just have to read it now.

Those great headlines are usually bold, startling sentences. Awesome offers, big time news, provocative statements...

My favorite headline of all times is "Let's Give The Blacks What They deserve" - it was created in the time when parts of Washington DC were still in ruins after the riots in connection with the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and it was an advertising for a bank lending money to black community! Needless to say - the add created not only readership and response, but also quite a stir and... additional publicity for that lending institution and for the ad creator, Stan Cotton.

Stan is a brilliant advertising man who is often called the modern day Claude Hopkins (who is the biggest legend in advertising). I highly recommend Stan Cotton's book "Anybody Can Be in Advertising... It Beats Working for a Living!" (here is another great title!) - his site is http://quitjob.com

What is it about one headline that makes it a huge success, while another headline fails miserably?

I don't think that it would be safe for me to answer this in such a generic way. headlines should be tested because without testing even the greatest advertising guru will make mistakes, so it is difficult to say which ad will do extremely well and which will do so, so..

When the headline is me-centered it is a kiss of dead. Headline should always say "Hey you, you are the person I want to talk to - here is something you must read now".

I have on my site entire book of Claude Hopkins free for all to read online - there is a terrific chapter about headlines: http://www.loska.com/hopkins/5.html - extremely helpful for anyone who is thinking about writing any marketing communication.

Do you have any examples of great headlines that you can share with our readers?

In the matter of fact I do! I have a piece called "The Best 100 Headlines Ever Written" - http://www.loska.com/columns/headlines.html

What 3 tips would you suggest to help our readers write more effective headlines?

1. Take time! Remember that the headline is the key to the rest of the piece. You should spend MOST of the time on creating a powerful, attention grabbing headline, and the rest of the time on the body of the ad. Not vice versa.

2. Make it startling, bold, provocative, newsworthy. If you put an offer in the headline - make it big.

3. Concentrate on your target reader and speak to him/her. If you can name him - do so. Headline like "Attention residents of the Whispering Hills in Carrboro" make it impossible for residents of Whispering Hills not to read it!