Formula #7: Fill In The Blanks
This formula is amazingly simple to use. Just take any or all of the samples provided and adapt them for your own use. Simply fill in the blanks with the appropriate description, expression, action word, or benefit. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll want to refer to this section again and again. Not only is it easy, it’s also a lot of fun.
Don’t feel limited by these suggestions. You could literally adapt any headline found anywhere, and do the same thing. Simply transfer your benefits, offers, guarantees, etc., to a headline that grabs your attention. This is a great way to generate a dynamite headline in a matter of minutes. Any one of these fill- in-the-blank formulas could help you create a winning headline for your product or service.
We’ll start with the easiest first. All of these formats assume that you’ve clearly identified the major benefits of your product. If you don’t know what the big benefits are, you’ll have a tough time—even with these easy, fill-in-the-blank headline formats. Several examples are provided immediately following each headline format..
1) How To…
How To ___________ (get, have, acquire, own, profit from, etc.) _______________________ (the biggest benefit your product delivers)
- How To Solve All Your Money Problems Forever!
- How To Make $87,000 Per Year As A Magazine Writer!
- How To Easily Get All The Credit You Could Ever Want!
- How To Increase Your Profits In Any Economic Climate!
2) Secrets Of…
The Secrets Of ___________________ (the ultimate benefit your product delivers)
- The Secrets Of Living In Style Without Any Money Worries!
- The Success Secrets Of The Most Prolific Magazine Writer In America!
- The Secret To Getting All The Credit You Ever Wanted —Even If You’ve Been Bankrupt!
- The Secrets Of Not Only Surviving, But Thriving In Today’s Tough Economic Times!
With your “ultimate benefit”, you can plug in several other possible formats as well. Fill in the blank spaces below with your biggest benefit.
- The Complete Program For __________________
- The Complete Guide To ____________________
- The Quick And Easy Way To ________________
- _____________________ For Fun And Profit.
The next format can be adapted to suit any application you have in mind. Not all components are absolutely necessary. For example, you may have only 2 benefits, instead of 3, as used in this example. Or, perhaps the time factor doesn’t really apply, or the guarantee doesn’t fit. Adapt it as you like to suit you and the application.
3) Stacked Benefits…
How To Get _____________________ (Benefit #1), __________________
(Benefit #2), and ______________________ (Benefit #3)… In Just
_______________ (actual time period such as the number of hours, days or weeks required) Guaranteed, Or (your money back, double your money back, it’s free, etc.)
- How To Get A Gorgeous Tan, Relax In Complete Comfort and Be Safely Protected From Harmful UV Rays While Gaining That Natural, Golden Look All Over… In Just 6 Weeks –Guaranteed—Or You Pay Nothing!
- How To Grow Your Business, Gain More Free Time And Profit Like Never Before After Just 3 Easy Sessions—Guaranteed!
- Look Here For More Than 150 Time-Saving Ideas That Will Help You And Your Staff Get Organized, Accomplish More In Less Time, With Less Effort And Resistance— Guaranteed Or Your Money Back!
4) Problem/ Solution…
No More ___________________ (major pain or anxiety). Here’s A
_________________ (quick & easy, remarkably simple, little-known, etc.) Way
To ______________________ ( achieve the ultimate benefit)
No More Bad Hair Days! Here’s A Proven Way To Maintain The Perfect Look Any Day Of The Week!
No More Wet Beds! An Amazing Technique From Europe For Training Your Child In Just One Week! Try It Risk-Free— A 98.7% Success Rate!
No More Nervousness! No More Fear! Learn The Tricks Pros Use To Speak With Ease To Any Size Of Audience!
No More Lost Sales! Here’s An Automatic System For Timely Follow- Ups With Every Prospect!
5) How To… Guaranteed…
- How To _____________________ (get the ultimate benefit) Quickly & Easily—100% Guaranteed!
- This Format can also be used with an implied “how to”.
- How To Comfortably Write Your Own Book Or Screenplay In 2 Weeks Or Less— 100% Guaranteed!
- How To Save An Extra 20% On Every Book You Order—Automatically – 100% Guaranteed!
- Master The Skill Of Video Editing This Weekend! Discover The Inside Secrets Of Doing Professional Work With Ease — In Just Minutes! Satisfaction Guaranteed!
6) Get Benefit Fast, Regardless…
_____________________(Have, Get, Be, Enjoy, etc.) _____________ (benefit) In
_____________(time period) Guaranteed, No Matter What
__________________(your age, condition, bank account, skill level, etc.)
Get Fit In Record Time—Guaranteed, No Matter How Out Of Shape YOU Are!
Enjoy Gourmet Meals Any Day Of The Week Regardless Of Your Kitchen Skills!
Speak Fluent French In 28 Days—100% Guaranteed—Even If You’ve Never Taken A Single Foreign Language Class In Your Life!
7) Solve A Problem…
- (Beat, Overcome, Laugh at, Master, etc.)_____________________ (major problem or anxiety) With This Little-Known _____________________ (secret, solution, remedy, cure, etc.) from ______________ (some unusually simple, or mysteriously exotic place)
- Wipeout Depression For Good With This Little-Known Natural Remedy Found Deep In Forests Of The Amazon!
- Eliminate Your Money Worries Forever With The Simple 3-Step Formula Developed By A Desperate, Soon To Be Evicted, Housewife.
- Overcome Any Fear Almost Instantly With This New 2-Minute Technique Revealed By A World Famous Speaker.
Visualize It…
Imagine… (You A) _______________________ (proud possessor of the “dream” Example – famous artist, millionaire entrepreneur, skilled, in-demand computer technician)
- Imagine… You A Millionaire Real Estate Investor!
- Imagine… You On Top Of The Best-Seller List!
- Picture This… You Open Your Mail Box And Find It Stuffed With Literally Hundreds Of Cash Orders! Welcome To The Exciting And Profitable World Of Mail Order Marketing!
- Imagine… Sipping Pina-Coladas On The Sun-Drenched Beaches Of Beautiful Antigua Where There’s Always A Gentle Breeze In The Air And The Most Difficult Decision You Face All Day Is Which 5-Star Restaurant You’ll Choose For Dinner Tonight.
9) Number Of Ways To…
_____________ (specific number) Ways To _________________ (dramatize the big benefit— “Permanently Wipe-Out Creepy Household Pests, Take The Bite Out Of The Coming Tax Increase, Knock The Socks Off Inflation, Make More Money From Home With Your Own Internet Business, etc.)
- 7 Easy Ways To Save Money On Groceries Without Clipping Coupons And Running All Over Town Just For Those Sale Items!
- 13 Secrets—Inside Information Car Dealers Hope You Never Discover— To Getting The Very Best Bargain On Your Next New Car!
- 101 Little-Known Ways To Add Perceived Value To Your Home So It Sells Within Days For At Least 98.5% Of The Full Asking Price!
10) Reasons Why…
_________ (number of) Reasons Why You Should ________________ (major warning or stacked benefit)
- 9 Reasons Why You Should Immediately Be Concerned About The Quality Of The Water Flowing Through Your Taps.
- 47 Reasons Why It Not Only Saves You Money To Use Our Advertising Services, But It Actually Puts More Cash In Your Pocket— 100% Guaranteed!
- There Are 3 Very Good Reasons Why A Direct Mailing Succeeds… And You Already Know 2 Of Them. The Third Reason May Be The Final Piece Of The Puzzle That Makes Your Next Mailing Click.
11) Problem Solver…
_________________________ (State the prospect’s problem as a question) Here’s A __________ (proven, time-tested, 100% safe, guaranteed) Way To ___________ _________________ (get the ultimate benefit)
- Stressed Out Every Month By Nagging Bills? Here’s a 100%- Guaranteed Way To Live A Worry-Free Life And Enjoy All Those Things You Thought You Never Could Afford!
- Worried About Your Child’s Grades In School? Here’s A Guaranteed System For Turning C’s Into A’s, Improving Concentration, And Transforming Your Child’s Own Self Esteem!
- “Losing Money On The Stock Market? Earn 29% On Your Money Every Year!
- Finding It Impossible To Keep Off Those Extra Pounds? Now You Can Stay In Great Shape And Still Enjoy All Those Foods YOU Really Love!
12) If… then…
If You’re _____________________________ (describe the prospect want) We Offer ________________ (Benefit #1) __________________ (Benefit #2)
_______________(Benefit #3)… Plus… (Bonus Benefit)
- If You’re Tired Of Your Old Sofa And Thinking Of A Change, We Offer A Superb Selection, Helpful Design Consultants And A Comfortable Shopping Experience– At The Guaranteed Best Possible Price!
- If Your Car’s A Wreck And You’re Thinking About Another Used Vehicle, This Free Report Will Show You A Guaranteed Way To Get The Best Price And How To Avoid Getting Stuck With A Lemon!
- If You’re Looking For One Convenient Source For All Your Business Needs, We Offer A Huge Selection Of Office Supplies, A Fully- Equipped Print Shop – Even A Postal Outlet Right On The Premises… Plus, Ridiculously Low Everyday Prices!
Your instant Reference Guide To Creating Dynamic, Attention-Grabbing Headlines!
- By Robert Boduch