You Can Write Headlines That Speak to Dream Clients (7 Essential Rules)
Imagine if you could write headlines so effortlessly, you could spend more time doing the work you love.
What if you could master headline writing and make content creation a breeze?
This post shares 7 proven strategies to write headlines that are empathetic, attract your ideal clients, and simplify your marketing efforts.
If you want to improve how you write headlines, dive in now and let’s make your content creation process feel less relentless and never-ending.
The Power of Your Headlines
Like most of us, your dream clients don’t want to read (watch, listen to) content that isn’t about them. That isn’t helping them move toward their dreams and goals.
Your audience wants new insights about how to solve big problems. They want to know you empathize with them. That you understand their dreams and pains.
Truth be told, the right headline can make the difference between someone clicking through to read your content or scrolling right past it.
And can you guess what’s the BIGGEST indicator of whether or not they’ll click on your content link? Yep. Your headline.
When you share your empathy for your audience, you let them know you’ve walked in their shoes. You want your content to grab your dream clients’ attention, so they will be intrigued and click through to read your content. And get to know you.
In a nutshell, the power of your headlines comes down to:
Why it’s so bloody important to write headlines that are amazing
Experts from advertising legends like David Ogilvy to modern-day experts like Brian Clark (Copyblogger Media) , agree that a compelling headline is essential to capturing your audience’s attention. In fact, Clark says: Only 2 out of 10 people will bother to read the rest of your content if your headline isn’t intriguing enough. (Source)
“On average, 8 out of 10 people will read your headline copy,
Brian clark, copyblogger media
but only 2 out 10 will read the rest.”
Your headlines have to work as hard as a third grade teacher on the day before summer vacation. For example on …
A strong, compelling headline is the most important part of your valuable online content. When you want to draw in the readers who could become clients, focus on how to write headlines that are specific to them.
When they’re scrolling through their inboxes, Instagram, you-name-it, your content headline is your tiny moment of opportunity to start a conversation with the incredible clients you want to help.
Writing effective headlines is one piece of the content creation puzzle. For help creating your content, get my newsletter delivered to your inbox. You’ll receive regular tips, insights, and resources to help you create content that attracts your ideal clients, so you can do more of the work you love. Get your copy of the newsletter here.
7 Essential Rules to Write Headlines
Rule #1) Write headlines for “The One”
Isn’t it fulfilling when clients say, Thank you, working with you has made a tremendous difference in my life.
So before you can hear those awesome words of praise, you must connect with more of your dream clients. Enter: your online content headlines.
You can’t underestimate the importance of a well-crafted blog title when it comes to reaching and resonating with your specific dream client, “The One”.
Before you can write incredible, empathetic headlines and titles your dream clients relate to, you must first have a solid understanding of who they are. In a perfect world, you’d know more about your dream clients’ challenges, pain points, and goals than they do.
Why understanding your dream clients matters
Once you understand your ideal clients’ hopes, aspirations, goals, as well as their fears, frustrations, and pain points, writing directly to them becomes easier. It flows. It’s empathetic. You can:
- Imagine you’re in a conversation with them
- Add terms they use to describe their problems
- Use clear, concise language that’s familiar to them
Let’s look at examples of how your terrific, empathetic, spot-on headlines can help new email subscribers and future clients discover you online.
Understanding your dream clients’ unique hopes, dreams, as well as their agonizing pain points is a requirement for all your content, especially when you write headlines.
Because your headline is the first part of your content they see.
TIP: On your outline or draft for a new content piece, note which of your ideal clients it’s intended for.
Related post: 11 Cool Ways to Fill Your Programs Using (+ Reusing) Business Blogs
Rule #2) Use power words when you write headlines
Copywriters, authors, professional writers, and marketers use the term “power word” to describe words that evoke an emotional response from their audiences. They are descriptive, persuasive words, according to Jon Morrow, legendary blogger.
You can inspire with a strong, benefit-driven title: Use power words that evoke emotion and highlight the benefits your readers will receive from reading your post.
For example, this headline uses two power words, ‘crush’ and ‘ignite’: Crush Self-Doubt and Ignite Your Inner Confidence: A Powerful Guide for Women Over 40 Restarting Their Careers. It can attract the attention of readers looking for inspiration to take action and regain their confidence.
Where else could you use emotion-packed power words in your empowering content? You’ll use them on sales landing pages, email subject lines, web page titles, and blog article headlines.
TIP: While this post focuses on headlines, you should use power words in all parts of your content.
My go-to source of power words is, of course, Jon Morrow’s list of “words to encourage and energize”, because he reminds us these words communicate energy and enthusiasm.
| Amazing Adorable Awesome Blissful Brilliant Colossal Courage Daring | Enchanting Epic Life-changing Master Marvelous Fearless Happy Incredible |
Once you’ve identified the power words that appeal to your dream clients, you can use them also in social media “hooks” (hooks are headlines for social media posts and paid ads).
Examples of power words in headlines:
This one uses the power word “Secrets”: How To Find Your Soulmate – Secrets To Finding a Soulmate Connection That Lasts
Healer, Melanie Toni Evans uses two power words: “Gaslighting” and “Dangerous”: Gaslighting, How Dangerous Is It?
Emily, in The Female Brief blog, uses power word “Amazing” (and a number): How to Manage Emotions: 3 Amazing Tips for Emotion Regulation
Martha Beck piques attention with the power word “stunning” in this headline: The Stunning Surprise of Age and the Overwhelming Attitude that Comes Along with It
Step #1 to Create Content That Converts: Start with Your Ideal Client
Grab The 5-Step Client Clarity Guide
Inside, you’ll discover:
Because your ideal client backstory can’t just be one line on a sticky note you keep on your desk.
Start calling in more dream clients with your expert content.
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Power Word Resources
:: Expert blogger, author, and entrepreneur, Jon Morrow, shares a meaty list of 801 power words.
:: A longer list of power words is here, by search engine company, RankMath.
:: The email service provider, Mail Chimp has a list here.
:: Online small business advertiser, WordStream has a strong list here.
Action step: Review the above power word resources and create your own list of power words to use when writing headlines.
Rule #3) Write headlines to clarify the purpose of your content
Because headlines are so crucial to helping your audience find your content, let’s take a lesson from a journalist who is a pro at language, writing, and bringing attention to their work.
A journalism instructor at The Poynter Institute explains how to be clear when we write headlines. Sara Dickenson Quinn tells us, “If the story is about the dangers of salmonella in tomatoes in California, by golly, the headline probably needs to have ‘California’, ‘bacteria’ and ‘tomatoes’ in it. Maybe ‘salmonella,’ too.
“If the story is about the dangers of salmonella in tomatoes in California, by golly, the headline probably needs to have ‘California,’ ‘bacteria’ and ‘tomatoes’ in it. Maybe ‘salmonella,’ too.”
— Sara Dickenson Quinn, visual journalism teacher, The Poynter Institute
Here are two excellent, magnetic headline and title examples from life coaches’ blogs:
What confidence really means and how to be more confident now
An Effective Action Plan for When You Feel Overwhelmed
Writing effective headlines is one piece of the content creation puzzle. For help with your content process, get my newsletter delivered to your inbox. You’ll receive regular tips, insights, and resources to help you create content that attracts your ideal clients, saving you time to focus on doing the work you love. Get your copy of the newsletter here.
TIP: Brainstorm a few headlines for your next content piece and check that you’ve made the purpose clear.
Rule #4) Add a number when you write headlines + titles
This is a drop-dead simple headline method: add a number. Like these wonderful experts did with their blog posts:
Coach, Emily Golin: 4 Simple Steps To Move Through A Wave Of Anxiety
Project Management Skills: 18 Ways to Improve Your Project Management Skills
Kristine from Live Well: 5 Daily Habits That May Be Dragging Your Energy Down
Rule #5) Write headlines that are as unique as you are
There’s only one you. And no one else can provide the services, coaching, training, facilitating, and guidance the way you can.
Since you’re unique, your headlines must be unique as well.
When you write headlines and content, you’re sending digital messengers out to connect with future dream clients. It’s a big deal to learn how to write headlines that your audience relates to!
Here are examples to inspire you to write headlines with a unique angle.
⇒ Eating psychology coach Kari Dahlgren adds her one-of-a-kind specialty in her blog headline here:
The Spiritual Root of Weight Gain: Unraveling the Metaphysical Cause of Overeating
⇒ Patricia Weber, who coaches widows and widowers, uses the power word “Epic”:
Epic Thoughts on Making Widowhood Dating Easier
⇒ Blogger, Amanda, speaks to first-time solo travelers: 11 Tips to Help Make Your First Solo Trip Great
Rule #6) Write headlines that are easy to scan
They say, most people scan web pages first when reading online before deciding to read the entire piece. That means you want to make your headline super easy to both scan and read.
To make reading easier for scanners, one of my favorite headline hacks is to add more information by using select punctuation: within parentheses (you can add an empathetic thought).
With punctuation, you can clarify the purpose of your content, how it helps the reader, and still make your headline scannable online.
In this blog post, I added in parentheses, (Even If You’ve Tried It All). That way, I can appeal to readers who feel like they are fresh out of ideas for finding ideal clients.
21 Practical Ways to Find Ideal Clients (Even If You’ve Tried It All)
You can add more info after a colon, like blogger Claire Emerson did here:
How to Become Self-Employed: 5 Key Moves for New Freelancers
Rule #7) Brainstorm headline ideas
Brainstorming is your best method to come up with rough ideas that can become sparkling headlines. There’s free writing, handwriting, or talking into a recording app on your smart phone–whatever brainstorming method works for you.
What if you want to use artificial intelligence (AI) apps to help draft or write your headlines?
Good question. As of this writing, AI tools, like ChatGPT, still need a fair amount of context setting instructions (prompts) so it produces content that is relevant to your audience, your voice, and your content strategy.
You’ll need to carefully edit all the output AI apps provides. Remember, AI is like your junior, newbie intern. You must monitor its work, like a mom watching her toddler romp across the playground.
That said, AI apps are fabulous tools to help brainstorm ideas when you write headlines …
- Draft a headline with your key points
- Prompt ChatGPT to give you 10-15 similar headlines
- Choose the best headline/title
- Ask the AI app for more headlines if you don’t like the output
- Always edit the AI output to keep it in your voice
After all your hard work to craft a headline your clients can’t resist, stay ahead of the game. Now, it’s time to take the extra step to get your content found by dream clients, when you write headlines.
The best way to do that? Test your draft headlines and titles using free tools. Or, ask your business besties to give you feedback. Here are two free headline analyzer tools:
The Advanced Marketing Institute has a popular free headline analyzer.
Conclusion
If you don’t focus on writing effective headlines that grab both the attention and emotions of your dream clients, it’s a missed opportunity.
Your specific, compelling headline is critical to capturing your audience’s attention and attracting them to click to your remarkable content. Don’t forget: experts say, only two out of ten people will read the rest of your content if your headline isn’t intriguing enough.
A summary of the headline writing rules shared in this post:
- Write headlines for “The One”
- Use power words
- Clarify your content’s purpose
- Add a number
- Write unique headlines
- Make headlines scannable
- Use AI apps as your brainstorming buddy
The reality is, your headlines can make your content stand out so your struggling audience of dream clients can easily discover you.
Have more questions about how you can write effective headlines? I’d be happy to help you out. You can email me your questions by entering them on the form on My Contact Me page.
What if you could finally create content consistently?
If creating your marketing content has felt like a chore, a time-suck, or a massive mystery, you may have given up on content entirely.
But the truth is:
Content is key to attracting ideal clients and filling your programs. So don’t give up!
If your content ideas are buried in your beautiful brain, you want a process to help your words flow.
You want specific actions to implement so that the content you create stands out to your dream clients.
When you schedule a free Clarity Call, together, we’ll uncover your personalized marketing content actions. That way you can impact more clients. Click below to set up your FREE Clarity Call.
