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The Headline, Body, and Close Technique

 The following article was written by Kevin Smith and is shared with you by kind permission of Online Success Magazine

This is part thirty seven of a serial. Click here to see part one.

In the headline/body/close technique you highlight the main benefit of using your product. And make sure that you mention it in the headline, body, and closing section of your ad.

This ensures that you state the #1 reason for buying your product at least 3 times. For example...

Example 1

Study proves that vitamin supplements don't work! Here's why...

Research has now proven conclusively that the human body absorbs 10 times more vitamins and minerals from real food that it can from supplements.

NutraMax is a real food. So it's 10 times more effective at delivering essential nutrients to your body than any supplement on the market.

...etc...

When it comes to giving your body the nutrients it needs it's vital that you use a real food. So order NutraMax now...

The use of repetition in this ad is rampant. But it's done in such a way that it's hard to detect.

The headline makes a bold statement that is reinforced by the first paragraph. This doesn't appear to be repetition. But it is. And reinforces the main benefit of NutraMax.

You will also notice that the '10 times more' phrase is repeated across paragraphs 2 and 3. In paragraph 2 it's stated as part of a scientific study that shows vitamins and minerals are more easily absorbed from real food.

At this point in the ad there's no reason to doubt the claim as it hasn't been applied to the advertiser's product. So it's unlikely the reader will challenge this information.

In paragraph 3 it appears in the form of a conclusion. You're told that 'NutraMax is a real food. So it's 10 times more effective...'

This is a very clever use of repetition. Because it first establishes the point the advertiser wants you to accept (absorbs 10 times more). And then applies that fact to NutraMax.

Because this fact has already been accepted by the reader in paragraph 2, it's highly likely he or she will accept the claim with regard to NutraMax.

Remember...

The 'remember' technique is similar to the repeated fact example that you looked at earlier, but is designed to be used when you need to reference back to a statement made much earlier in the ad.

The very use of the word 'remember' implies that the writer is about to say something that adds credibility to the previous sentence. For example...

Example 2

TrekLite is the best hiker's pack on the market. Remember, only TrekLite comes with the full endorsement of the US Mountaineer's Society.

In example 2, the first sentence says 'we're the best'. When an advertiser says this about themselves it has very little credibility. Because all advertisers make this claim for their product. The next sentence adds considerable weight to the claim.

The sentence refers back to an earlier endorsement by the US Mountaineer's Society. Not only does the endorsement increase the credibility of the claim (best hiker's pack on the market). The advertiser gets to repeat it.

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