How to Get Instant Attention

Most of us have seen a heckler at a baseball game. Sure, he's likely to draw attention, both positive and negative. The louder he hollers, the more attention he gets.

But do you and I want that kind of attention? Probably not. What most of us want to do - especially with our writing - is to make a positive impression that stays with the reader.

That's the reason I wrote the little book "Words That Stick"?to help writers create impressions that stick to a reader's memory like duct tape.

So, here are five ideas to help you attract attention:

1. Begin with a unique headline. Some of my favorite headlines are slightly incongruous, or create curiosity. That's what forces me to read more. Example: "Cold wave linked to temperature."

2. A second headline technique: ask a question. Example: "Do you have these symptoms of work fatigue?"

3. In the first sentence, offer the reader some benefit for reading the article. Example: "While biking through the woods last month, I made a discovery that changed my life."

4. Another way to begin: ask why. Example: "Why do I always remember where I left the keys, but never remember where I left the car?"

5. Use the word "you." Researchers say it's one of the most persuasive words in our language. Why? It reportedly makes readers feel you're talking directly to them.

Rix Quinn's new book "Words That Stick" offers methods for writing several types of documents. It's available from your local bookstore, or http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580085768/qid/

Rix creates workshops for schools, professional associations, and companies. E-mail him directly at mailto:rixquinn@charter.net

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Copywriting Information:

Related Articles

Long Copy versus Short Copy
When I show some people my advertisements, I sometimes get the feedback: "I'd never read that. There's too much writing.
Advice for Copywriters: How to Win the Freelance Bidding War
Are you a freelance copywriter working from home? If so, you've probably been on the project bidding war sites, like elance.com.
Step One for Copywriters: Understand WHAT to Say
Find a passage of poorly written copy, and chances are you will have found a copywriter who never figured out what it was that he or she was trying to say. Whenever I have trouble with some copy, I stop, sit back and then write at the very top of the page.
Dissolving Buyer Scepticisim ... A Lesson In Copywriting
When making a purchasing decision, people have their "rip off radars" on high beam. They're wary and so they should be -- after all, they're about to spend money so they want to be sure they're not going to get ripped off, AND they want to be sure they're going to get the absolute best return on their advertising dollar.
Want a Sticky Site That Sells? Forget Content!
An interesting debate is currently raging among copywriters, web designers and content developers about the differences, if any, between writing copy for the web versus writing content.According to prolific copywriter Nick Usborne of ClickZ.
Calls-To-Action: Making Them Fit Makes All the Difference
It was going so well, so what happened? Many copywriters get off to a wonderful start: The headline is compelling, the body copy is benefit-filled, but then comes the call-to-action and the whole thing falls apart. Why? It could be a dozen different reasons, but one of the most common I've seen is that the call-to-action doesn't fit the target audience.
Do You Make These 5 Mistakes When Writing Sales Copy?
Writing copy has sometimes been compared to an "art." While it does take creative skill to write great copy that generates results, there are some mistakes that you should avoid to make sure that your copy is read and acted upon.
Five Tips for Writing Eyeball-Grabbing Headlines
If you made it this far, the headline for this story has caught your attention. Hot headlines are a hit with readers because they stick out, grab attention and urge them to read the rest of the story.
Writing Online In Two Syllables or Less
About once a month I fly off somewhere to give a one-day workshop on writing for the web. For part of the day, I invite the group to take part in a series of short tasks.
Are Long Copy Salesletters Scams?
A passionate debate is currently raging in the Copywriters Forum about long versus short copy. (If you haven't joined, do so.
Killer Business Headline Templates - So How Do You Write Killer Headlines in Minutes? You Cheat!
According to Branding and Advertising legend, David Ogilvy: 5 times as many people read the headline than they do the body copy in a sales message. This means that unless your headline actually helps sell what you've got to offer, you'll have wasted 90% of your time, money and energy.
9 Tips for Great Design of Your Marketing Materials
1) Don't just hire a good designer. Hire someone who has had plenty of experience designing business collateral.
Copywriting: Secrets of a Freelancer
Lately, I've been getting emails from other copywriters who ask me questions like "What's your secret?" and "How did you do it?" and "Can I be your apprentice?"Aw, heck, are you serious? People are talking to me like I'm some kind of demi-goddess..
Tomorrow's Clichés Today
I went to Google and entered a couple of different search terms.The first was, to my mind, the cliché of all cliché's: "Tomorrow's Solutions Today".
Traffics Nice... But Whos Driving?
In the competitive marketplace of the new millennium, the demand for specialized products or services will increase. If your site sells everything or to everyone, chances are that your audience will not perceive a value in shopping from you any greater than from anyone else.
Long Copy vs. Short Copy? If You're Still Debating This, You're Missing The Point!
I've seen this ongoing debate debate jump up again recently in several Blogs and message boards and I can't help but laugh. It's not a new debate? Ever since the long copy masters of the early 1900's, people have been arguing for or against the practice.
Some Important Tips On Proposals And Price
Here's a critically important copywriting technique I use when writing sales letters and proposals for our own direct marketing services and for our clients.It's all about "price".
How To Find Freelance Copywriting Jobs
Your goal is to land a few nice, secure freelance copywriting jobs, but how do you get them? The most important factor in finding these jobs is that you pursue the job you are looking for with all of your ducks in a row, so to speak. Here are a few things you need to do in order to get the freelance copywriting jobs that you have been looking for.
Keeping It Real: The Only Copywriting Trick That Works
Much of today's accepted copywriting wisdom comes from old books written for a different, quieter world.For most of the twentieth century, widely promoting a successful message was expensive and difficult, requiring control of significant resources and substantial time commitments.
Making Your Purpose Your Business Step #4 - Organizing & Developing Online Content
If you have done your homework then you are ready to organize and develop what will be your online content. Your content is very important as it will be used for promoting you, your work, and your website.