If you’ve been wondering how to get readers to open your ezine or email and read it, read this brief article (less than 200 words) from marketing expert Marcia Yudkin’s “Marketing Minute.”
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“Catchy Lines” from “The Marketing Minute” by Marcia Yudkin:
A subject line of a news service to which I subscribe read:
Pedicures, pit bulls or polo: Which can you deduct?
On a scale of hooks from 1 to 10 (highest), I’d rate this line a 10. I dropped everything else to read the article summary, then the corresponding article, which had a headline I’d rate only a 6:
Weird tax deductions taken by small businesses
The line I originally read used the following all-star techniques to rachet the reader’s interest up several notches:
- Involvement: The word “you” plops you squarely into the topic – it’s not something others are doing.
- Outlandishness: Each possible deduction is pretty extreme and very specific – “pit bull” sparks attention more than “guard dog.”
- Suspense: With the question format, you’re not sure of the answer and want to find out.
- Alliteration: You couldn’t help but notice the repeated p’s in “Pedicures, pit bulls or polo,” right? Repeated letters and sounds always increase impact, unless the topic is too serious for such extra pleasure.
Use these methods in newsletters, blogs, articles, web pages, tweets and ads for a boost in readership.
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Marcia Yudkin, my marketing mentor, practices what she preaches. “The Marketing Minute” is the only weekly ezine I read–because it’s engaging, practical, and brief. It takes just a minute to read.
Subscribe for free to “The Marketing Minute.” If you use this link to subscribe, I’ll receive a commission if you purchase a product from Marcia. But remember–her terrific ezine is free.
Which ezines do you recommend for business writers?
Lynn
Syntax Training
