Joanna Wiebe Copy HackersBy Joanna Wiebe
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PPC ads need ’em. Blog posts need ’em. Email subject lines need ’em. Landing page headlines need ’em.

Qu’est-ce que c’est?

ATTENTION GRABBERS! Uber-prominent messages that grab your prospects’ attention!

If you want people to notice your message and stick around long enough to take in the details of what you’re offering, you need to grab their attention.

How?

Usually with a fantastic headline. Watch this short Copy Hackers video tutorial on moving from ho-hum to attention-grabbing copy:

In that video, I walked you through 2 ways to grab your visitor or prospect’s attention. Here, quickly, are a grand total of 9 ways to grab attention – without having to put your offering on sale or resort to skeazy tactics.

1. Use Word Pictures (as in video) – Use a metaphor or personification to bring your copy from vague to tangible.

2. “I never thought it would happen, but” (as in video) – Your copy is the completion of this statement. If you have the space, you may want to use the introductory text, too.

3. Cram 2 High-Value Points into 1 Small Space – For example, I just received an email with this subject line, which I quickly acted on: Webcast with Steve Krug on 5/22: Space is Limited!

4. Be Paradoxical or Juxtapose 2 Ideas – In a sea of “find your perfect match” PPC ads, wouldn’t you notice “Ugly Dude Dating Guide”?

5. Embarrass Your Mother – If yo’ mama wouldn’t want you to say it, it’ll probably get our attention… Within reason!!!

You don’t have to go crazy with 1000s of different ways to capture your prospect’s attention.

You just have to find the right one for your particular audience… and go for it! Obviously, testing these attention-grabbers – on your site or in tweets – can go a looong way…

Agree? Disagree? Still think AIDA makes copywriting sound easier than it is? Post your thoughts below, and let’s chat…