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How To Write A Postcard Deck Headline Postcard Deck Headline
Unlike an advertisement, which seeks to build image or awareness over an extended Unlike an advertisement, which seeks to build image or awareness over an extended period of time, the postcard headline's main mission is to grab attention so the reader pauses long period of time, the postcard headline's main mission is to grab attention so the reader pauses long
enough to decide
enough to decide to remove the card from the deck to remove the card from the deck for immediate response or later consideration.for immediate response or later consideration.
There are a number of different approaches you can take when writing postcard There are a number of different approaches you can take when writing postcard headlines.
headlines.
••Free offer.Free offer.The word "FREE" is pure magic in postcard headlines. I'm sure there are aThe word "FREE" is pure magic in postcard headlines. I'm sure there are a large number of people who are attracted to postcard decks because of the numerous free offers.
large number of people who are attracted to postcard decks because of the numerous free offers.
(I'm one of them! I love to g
(I'm one of them! I love to get things for free.)et things for free.) first need to download it.
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If you give away
If you give away a free gift, a free product sample, or a free gift, a free product sample, or a free booklet, stress the free offer,a free booklet, stress the free offer, not the product itself, in your headline and body copy. Show a picture of the free sample, gift, or not the product itself, in your headline and body copy. Show a picture of the free sample, gift, or booklet—not the product. Sell your offer, not the product.
booklet—not the product. Sell your offer, not the product.
Here are some of the best
Here are some of the best examples of successful free-offer headlines Bob has comeexamples of successful free-offer headlines Bob has come across in his work with postcard decks. (Please
across in his work with postcard decks. (Please note: We say "successful" because most of thesenote: We say "successful" because most of these cards have run repeatedly in card decks. We assume the advertisers would not continue to run the cards have run repeatedly in card decks. We assume the advertisers would not continue to run the cards unless they were pulling well.)
cards unless they were pulling well.) FREE
FREE ISSUE ISSUE OFFER OFFER (Fact (Fact magazine)magazine) FREE
FREE ISSUE ISSUE (Computer (Computer Shopper Shopper magazine)magazine) WRITE
WRITE FOR FOR FREE FREE BOOK: BOOK: (Murlas (Murlas Commodities)Commodities)
"HOW THEY WIN AT
"HOW THEY WIN AT COMMODITIES"
COMMODITIES"
FREE
FREE CATALOG CATALOG SUBSCRIPTION SUBSCRIPTION (Cabela's)(Cabela's) SEND
SEND FOR FOR YOUR YOUR FREE FREE REPORT: REPORT: (Murlas)(Murlas)
"HOW TO PROFIT IN PRECIOUS
"HOW TO PROFIT IN PRECIOUS METALS"
METALS"
AMAZING
AMAZING FREE FREE OFFER: OFFER: (SMI (SMI International)International) THINK & GROW RICH
THINK & GROW RICH FREE
FREE PENNY PENNY STOCK STOCK MARKET MARKET (Stuart (Stuart James James Company)Company) REPORT
REPORT
••Benefit headline.Benefit headline.Another powerful technique is to state the key benefit of your productAnother powerful technique is to state the key benefit of your product in a crisp, to-the-point headline. This ben
in a crisp, to-the-point headline. This benefit can be a low price, efit can be a low price, cost savings, wealth-buildingcost savings, wealth-building opportunity, productivity accelerator, or the ability to
opportunity, productivity accelerator, or the ability to do something you couldn't do without do something you couldn't do without thethe product.
product.
Granted, advertising writers sometimes write vague or coy headlines in
Granted, advertising writers sometimes write vague or coy headlines in order to arouseorder to arouse curiosity. Then they explain the payoff in the body copy.
curiosity. Then they explain the payoff in the body copy.
Unfortunately, you don't have this luxury with postcards because body copy is limited to Unfortunately, you don't have this luxury with postcards because body copy is limited to a few well-chosen sentences. When writing a
a few well-chosen sentences. When writing a postcard headline, make your heapostcard headline, make your headline as direct, asdline as direct, as specific, and as clear as possible. Try to tell the whole story in the headline. Leave nothing to the specific, and as clear as possible. Try to tell the whole story in the headline. Leave nothing to the imagination.
imagination.
Here are some postcard headlines that
Here are some postcard headlines that do an admirable job of gdo an admirable job of getting right to the heart ofetting right to the heart of the key product benefit.
the key product benefit.
UP
UP To To 75% 75% DISCOUNT DISCOUNT ON ON (Charles (Charles Schwab)Schwab) first need to download it.
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COMMISSIONS WHEN YOU COMMISSIONS WHEN YOU TRADE WITH CHARLES TRADE WITH CHARLES SCHWAB…
SCHWAB…
35mm
35mm PRINTS PRINTS AND AND SLIDES SLIDES (Seattle (Seattle FilmWorks)FilmWorks) FROM THE SAME ROLL
FROM THE SAME ROLL YOUR
YOUR INVESTMENT INVESTMENT CAN CAN GROW GROW (Federal (Federal Mailers)Mailers) FROM $7,500 to $20,000
FROM $7,500 to $20,000 REDUCE
REDUCE PAYROLL PAYROLL UP UP TO TO 8% 8% (Coastal (Coastal Data Data Products)Products) WITH THE SMART CLOCK
WITH THE SMART CLOCK HOW
HOW TO TO SAVE SAVE MONEY MONEY ON ON OFFICE OFFICE (Quill)(Quill) SUPPLIES
SUPPLIES AVIS
AVIS WANTS WANTS YOU YOU TO TO SAVE SAVE TIME TIME (Avis)(Avis) AND MONEY
AND MONEY HINT*
HINT*Don't worry about whether your heaDon't worry about whether your headline is similar in content and style todline is similar in content and style to another card in the deck. People do not sit and comparison shop between one postcard and another card in the deck. People do not sit and comparison shop between one postcard and
another. Instead, they respond to any card in the deck that has a headline and offer that appeals to another. Instead, they respond to any card in the deck that has a headline and offer that appeals to them. If your main benefit is saving time and
them. If your main benefit is saving time and money, stress time and money savings in ymoney, stress time and money savings in yourour headline. If you offer a free booklet, say "free booklet" in the headline and so on.
headline. If you offer a free booklet, say "free booklet" in the headline and so on.
••QuestionQuestion . .A proven response-getter in print advertising and direct A proven response-getter in print advertising and direct mail is to ask amail is to ask a provocative question in the headline.
provocative question in the headline.
You don't see this technique applied much in postcards, but I suspect it would work well.
You don't see this technique applied much in postcards, but I suspect it would work well.
The key is to ask
The key is to ask a question that promises a benefit, a a question that promises a benefit, a reward for reading the postcard, orreward for reading the postcard, or arouses curiosity on the part of the read
arouses curiosity on the part of the reader.er.
Some examples:
Some examples:
HOW
HOW LONG LONG MUST MUST YOU YOU KEEP KEEP (Destroyit(Destroyit Paper Shredders)Paper Shredders) IMPORTANT PAPERS?
IMPORTANT PAPERS?
HOW MANY
HOW MANY SLIDESSLIDES DO DO YOU YOU (Multiplex (Multiplex Display Display Fixture Fixture Co.)Co.) KEEP? HUNDREDS?
KEEP? HUNDREDS?
THOUSANDS?
THOUSANDS?
APPLYING
APPLYING ADDRESS ADDRESS LABELS LABELS BY BY (Heyer, (Heyer, Inc. Inc. labeling labeling machine)machine) HAND?
HAND?
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DO
DO YOU YOU USE USE FEDERAL FEDERAL EXPRESS? EXPRESS? (Citipostal)(Citipostal) PRINTING
PRINTING CRISIS? CRISIS? WE WE CAN CAN HELP! HELP! (Penn (Penn Copy Copy Center)Center)
••Command headlineCommand headline.. A classic example of a command headline is Exxon's famousA classic example of a command headline is Exxon's famous slogan, "Put a Tiger in Your Tank."
slogan, "Put a Tiger in Your Tank."
Command headlines generate action by literally telling the reader what to do. Another Command headlines generate action by literally telling the reader what to do. Another example from a recent print ad: "Buy Scott Towels."
example from a recent print ad: "Buy Scott Towels."
This type of headline is a logical choice for postcards, because our main job is to tell (or This type of headline is a logical choice for postcards, because our main job is to tell (or rather persuade) the reader to mail our card back to us.
rather persuade) the reader to mail our card back to us.
Here are some examples of c
Here are some examples of command headlines used in recent poommand headlines used in recent postcards:stcards:
PROTECT
PROTECT YOUR YOUR COMPANY'S COMPANY'S (Seton (Seton Name Name Plate Plate Corporation)Corporation) VALUABLE ASSETS
VALUABLE ASSETS DEVELOP
DEVELOP A A WINNING WINNING BUSINESS BUSINESS (American (American ManagementManagement PLAN
PLAN WITH WITH THIS THIS EASY-TO- EASY-TO- Association)Association) FOLLOW GUIDE
FOLLOW GUIDE DISCOVER
DISCOVER THE THE EXCITING EXCITING WORLD WORLD (Hoke (Hoke Communications)Communications) OF DIRECT MARKETING
OF DIRECT MARKETING LEARN
LEARN TO TO THINK THINK AND AND (SMI (SMI International)International) GROW RICH
GROW RICH BE
BE A A PRINTER…WITHOUT PRINTER…WITHOUT (Norco (Norco Printing Printing Corp.)Corp.) A PRESS
A PRESS INCREASE
INCREASE VALUABLE VALUABLE STORAGE STORAGE (Office Efficiency (Office Efficiency Systems, Systems, Inc.)Inc.) CAPACITY
CAPACITY DISCOVER
DISCOVER THE THE POTENTIAL POTENTIAL OF OF (OTC (OTC Stock Stock Journal)Journal) OVER-THE-COUNTER
OVER-THE-COUNTER INVESTING
INVESTING EARN
EARN INSURED INSURED TAX-FREE TAX-FREE (Clayton (Clayton Brown Brown & & Associates)Associates) INCOME
INCOME
••News headline.News headline.Postcard decks bring people news of new products, new ideas, and newPostcard decks bring people news of new products, new ideas, and new ways to save time and mon
ways to save time and money. As with other forms of direct response, postcards are ey. As with other forms of direct response, postcards are especiallyespecially successful when offering products or information readers believe they cannot get elsewhere.
successful when offering products or information readers believe they cannot get elsewhere.
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If your product or idea is new,
If your product or idea is new, stress the news aspect in your headstress the news aspect in your headline. You can do this byline. You can do this by using such words as
using such words as new, discover, announcing, now, it's here, at last,new, discover, announcing, now, it's here, at last, andand just arrived. just arrived.
Here are some postcard headlines containing news:
Here are some postcard headlines containing news:
ANNOUNCING
ANNOUNCING A A BREAKTHROUGH BREAKTHROUGH (Best (Best Power Power Technology)Technology) IN COMPUTER POWER
IN COMPUTER POWER PROTECTION
PROTECTION OPTICAL
OPTICAL SCANNING: SCANNING: THE THE (Skan (Skan Technologies, Technologies, Inc.)Inc.) FUTURE IS HERE TODAY!
FUTURE IS HERE TODAY!
DISCOVER
DISCOVER NEW NEW WAYS WAYS TO TO (Methods (Methods Research Research Corp.)Corp.) SCHEDULE PERSONNEL
SCHEDULE PERSONNEL NEW OLYMPUS FLEXIBLE
NEW OLYMPUS FLEXIBLE (Olympus Corporation)(Olympus Corporation) FIBERSCOPES
FIBERSCOPES
NEW…ANTI-SLIP PVC
NEW…ANTI-SLIP PVC (Tepromark International)(Tepromark International) DUCKBOARD
DUCKBOARD
NEW! MURPHY'S LAW SLIDES,
NEW! MURPHY'S LAW SLIDES, (Visual Horizons)(Visual Horizons) POSTERS, OVERHEADS
POSTERS, OVERHEADS
••Mail-order headlines.Mail-order headlines.When going after sales rather than leads, many advertisers stateWhen going after sales rather than leads, many advertisers state the offer directly in the headline. This includes the name of the product, the price, the discount the offer directly in the headline. This includes the name of the product, the price, the discount being offered, and, if space allows, a statement summarizing the key product benefit. In selling being offered, and, if space allows, a statement summarizing the key product benefit. In selling
directly from a postcard, it pays to be
directly from a postcard, it pays to be direct. Here, subtlety is the enemy of direct. Here, subtlety is the enemy of sales. Somesales. Some examples:
examples:
1000
1000 FULL FULL COLOR COLOR BUSINESS BUSINESS (Southern (Southern Color Color Corp.)Corp.) CARDS ONLY $53.50
CARDS ONLY $53.50 80
80 FROSTED FROSTED WRITE-ON WRITE-ON SLIDES SLIDES (Visual Horizons)(Visual Horizons) SAVE $4.00 Off List $8.00/BOX
SAVE $4.00 Off List $8.00/BOX PLAN YOUR SLIDE SHOWS PLAN YOUR SLIDE SHOWS
° Easy to Write-on and Type-on!
° Easy to Write-on and Type-on!
RECHARGEABLE
RECHARGEABLE AEROSOL AEROSOL SPRAY SPRAY (Abbeon Cal, (Abbeon Cal, Inc.)Inc.) CAN!
CAN!
$29.95 each
$29.95 each
Includes at no extra charge 5 nozzles Includes at no extra charge 5 nozzles Save
Save 50%50% on on ESQUIRE ESQUIRE and and get get (Esquire (Esquire magazine)magazine) this important book—A MAN'S
this important book—A MAN'S BODY—FREE!
BODY—FREE!
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16-CENT
IMPRINTED GOLF GOLF TEES TEES & & BALL BALL (Highlander Company)(Highlander Company) MARKERS
••Headlines to avoid.Headlines to avoid.Avoid headlines that are generalizations, vague, boastful, orAvoid headlines that are generalizations, vague, boastful, or
involve broad claims or word-play. Ineffective in ordinary print ads, these say-nothing headlines involve broad claims or word-play. Ineffective in ordinary print ads, these say-nothing headlines can dramatically suppress response in a postcard dec
can dramatically suppress response in a postcard deck. Some examples from actual pok. Some examples from actual postcards:stcards:
Headline
ARKANSAS. WHERE WHERE AUTUMN AUTUMN ISIS THE BEST BARGAIN YOU
This from a major business manufacturer This from a major business manufacturer selling a
selling a costly Facsimcostly Facsimile machine. ile machine. SaysSays nothing!
nothing!
COPIER
COPIER UPTIME. UPTIME. IT'S IT'S PARTPART TECHNOLOGY, PART PEOPLE, TECHNOLOGY, PART PEOPLE, AND ALL KODAK!
AND ALL KODAK!
Appropriate for a corporate Brochure or image Appropriate for a corporate Brochure or image campaign (maybe), but not for a campaign (maybe), but not for a response-getting postcard. Where's the hook?
getting postcard. Where's the hook?
GAIN
GAIN UNIVERSAL UNIVERSAL ACCEPTANCE. ACCEPTANCE. This This postcard postcard offered offered a a Microfilm/microfMicrofilm/microficheiche reader/Copier.
reader/Copier. But But the headline the headline couldcould just
just as as easily easily apply apply to to a a Dale Dale Carnegie Carnegie coursecourse on how to be popular.
on how to be popular.
SMALL IN THE OFFICE, BIG ON SMALL IN THE OFFICE, BIG ON THE JOB.
THE JOB.
For a card offering details on a For a card offering details on a copier.
copier. A A better better headlineheadline might read. "MINI-DESKTOP might read. "MINI-DESKTOP THAT TURNS OUT 11 COPIES THAT TURNS OUT 11 COPIES A MINUTE!"
A MINUTE!"
The 6 Secrets To Writing
The 6 Secrets To Writing Effective Postcard Deck Copy Effective Postcard Deck Copy
••Keep it short.Keep it short. You don't have much room on a 3-1/2 by 5-3/8-inch postcard panel. You don't have much room on a 3-1/2 by 5-3/8-inch postcard panel.
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Copy must be brief and to the point. Maximum length is approximately one hundred to 150 words.
Copy must be brief and to the point. Maximum length is approximately one hundred to 150 words.
Don't use an overly verbose
Don't use an overly verbose or descriptive style. Write in terse, almost clipped prose.or descriptive style. Write in terse, almost clipped prose.
Make sure each sentence gives the reader a new piece of information; you don't have room to Make sure each sentence gives the reader a new piece of information; you don't have room to repeat yourself. Avoid transitional phrases, warm-up paragraphs, and
repeat yourself. Avoid transitional phrases, warm-up paragraphs, and other stylistic habits thatother stylistic habits that waste words.
waste words.
••Design your copyDesign your copy.. Do a rough layout showing how your copy should be positioned onDo a rough layout showing how your copy should be positioned on the card.
the card.
Don't just write copy in ordinary paragraph format. Use headlines, subheads, captions, Don't just write copy in ordinary paragraph format. Use headlines, subheads, captions, bullets, bursts, arrows, underlining, boldface type, and graphic devices to highlight various bullets, bursts, arrows, underlining, boldface type, and graphic devices to highlight various
components of your copy.
components of your copy.
•• The promise of the headline should be fulfilled in the body copy—immediately.The promise of the headline should be fulfilled in the body copy—immediately.
Your first few sentences should immediately explain, elaborate
Your first few sentences should immediately explain, elaborate on, and support the pon, and support the promiseromise made in the headline.
made in the headline.
Here's an example from a postcard selling a $69.95 book,
Here's an example from a postcard selling a $69.95 book, Tests for Hiring OfficeTests for Hiring Office Personnel:
Personnel:
HIRING THE WRONG PERSON HIRING THE WRONG PERSON CAN BE A VERY EXPENSIVE MISTAKE!
CAN BE A VERY EXPENSIVE MISTAKE!
Now you
Now you can avoid can avoid it withit with The Complete Portfolio of Tests for Hiring Office Personnel.The Complete Portfolio of Tests for Hiring Office Personnel. Be sureBe sure the person you hire has the
the person you hire has the right skillsright skills for the job. for the job.
Don't guess anymore! Use these scientifically designed tests to:
Don't guess anymore! Use these scientifically designed tests to:
•
• Differentiate between similar candidates.Differentiate between similar candidates.
•
• Identify a person's strengths and weaknesses.Identify a person's strengths and weaknesses.
•
• Predict success or failure on the job.Predict success or failure on the job.
•
• Make a more objective hiring decision.Make a more objective hiring decision.
•
• Know you hired the right person for the job…Know you hired the right person for the job…