The most critical “attention-grabber” is the headline or title of your auction listing. You have to grab your customer’s attention and make them want to read more.
Whenever we want anybody to do anything, the first question that comes to their mind is “why?” If we don’t have an answer, we aren’t going to get the response we want. “Because I want you to” just doesn’t cut it and you won’t get the sale.
One important marketing principle states that “perception is everything.” What practical value does a statement like that have? It tells us that price isn’t really the issue. It’s what a buyer believes about the product and its benefits that matter. She buys, or does not buy, based on this perceived value.
Not quite convinced? Here are some examples to ponder...Do you know about those little strips that are worn on the nose to breathe better and prevent snoring? They are also manufactured for horses at $12 each for a one-time use. Horse-race owners cheerfully fork over that kind of money because the owners believe that their horses will finish second instead of sixth, if they have their own strips.
“USA Today” wrote a story about an artist named Christine Merrill who will paint a portrait for you for a mere $12,000. One small detail needs to be added. Ms. Merrill paints portraits of dogs. There are many such artists available. How about a painting of your beloved parakeet for a bargain price of only $7,000?
A magazine recently ran a story describing how many people will cheerfully spend $50 to go out to dinner but refuse to spend $30 for a bottle of vitamins. If these people were convinced that they would live an extra ten years in perfect health if they bought the vitamins, do you think they would buy?
If you are able to meet the wants of a customer, you will make the sale. Price is not the deciding factor in most cases.
It doesn’t matter if you are selling winning tickets for a $100 million lottery at 50 cents per ticket if no one knows about it. Advertising people learn immediately that the headline is THE most important element of any ad. And that is what you are doing with your auction listing -- advertising. Your headline or title is a teaser. You want folks to take the time to read about your sale.
For great role models, pay attention to radio and television teasers. One of my personal favorites was a shrill radio voice announcing frantically...... entire continent sinks beneath the waves... ... gigantic death tolls...
... stay tuned for details at 10:00.
After waiting with bated breath, I discovered that this story was about a scientist who claimed he found absolute proof of the existence of the lost continent of Atlantis!
Think of the daily newspaper. Most folks scan the headlines as a way of deciding which stories to read. In fact, the majority of the public reads little else when deciding whether or not they are interested in a particular submission.
Marketing experts know that changing the headline of an ad can increase its power exponentially. Many advertising gurus recommend writing at least 100 headlines for any ad before making a final choice. As auction power players with hundreds of items for sale, we cannot possibly take the time to do this for every item. But we can master the key principles to make listing titles or headlines more powerful.
The very best way to learn to write headlines is to refer to Make Your Words Sell!, an e-book co-authored by Joe Robson and Ken...
Make Your Words Sell!There are lots of how-to books on copywriting but this superb e-book teaches you how to become an e-persuader. It shows you how to write effectively on the Net and persuade your potential customers that you can solve their problems.
Joe and Ken reveal a staggering statistic. Up to 80% of your readers will only read your opening headline! This is even more true on an auction site where the page is covered with the headlines of your competitors. You have only a second or so to grab the potential customer while her eye is traveling down the list of items for sale.
Do as MYWS! suggests. Spend 80% of your time and effort on the headline for an auction listing. How in the world do you write killer headlines? Before you write a word, carefully consider the question that is foremost in your customer’s mind... What’s in it for me? If you have no answer, you have no sale. You have to understand your customer’s mindset.
The creators of some of the most famous headlines of all time thoroughly understood this...
Is there any adult who wouldn’t love to possess a more powerful memory, especially through a method that is relatively easy? After all, one evening is pretty rapid progress. Here are some more headlines that answer that compelling what’s-in-it-for-me question...
i) Give Me Five Days And I’ll Give You A Magnetic Personality... Let Me Prove It - Free
ii) The Deaf Now Hear Whispersiv) When Lisa Cooper Sold Her Mother’s Jewelry For $12,000, She Made A $4,000 Mistake. VISIT (merchant) AND YOU WON’T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE
If you have an interest in travel, are deaf, have jewelry to sell, etc., wouldn’t you be interested in these headlines?
• Promise a Major Benefit
Double Your Computer’s Speed For Only $5.95!
• Ask a Question
Whenever we create curiosity, we tempt our customer to read further... Lose 80 Pounds In One Month? Guaranteed?
The question headline isn’t as common on auction sites but there are lots of ways to create curiosity...
Lost 85 Lbs - Husband Now Attacks Me - I LOVE IT!
This is the pain and gain headline. By offering your customer a solution, she automatically recognizes her problem...
Stop Snoring With Snorenz - Saves Marriages!!
• Give a Warning
If You Have A Pre-Schooler, You Need This!
This headline creates anxiety, and the anxiety grows if the customer doesn’t bother to read more.
• Flag Your Target Customer
Build & Repair Computers Like A Pro!
• Use a Testimonial
These kinds of headlines are rare on auction sites except when used for selling work by famous people...
Ted Williams personal model signed Bat
You can find an occasional headline that follows this format on auction sites... You Read About ‘em – Now Get ‘em! STATE QUARTERS
We all like to be up-to-date and informed. This type of headline feeds that desire.
Be aware that there is a letter limit for headlines. You don’t have the luxury of writing as you want. On eBay, for example, the title cannot be longer than 45 letters. Words must be concentrated.
A key strategy is to make your headline specific. For example, which do you think is better?...Signed King First Edition - Only 13 in World
or...
Really Cool Book - WOW!!
Not only do you want to provide information, but you also want to qualify your audience. For example, there are many kinds of dolls. If your doll is bisque, and the buyer hates bisque dolls, it is better for her to know it right away.
The following phrases can do wonders for your listing, so use them often (but only if they’re true, of course)...Hard-to-find Rare, very rare
Almost new, like new Only slightly used
Old, very old One-of-kind
Vintage Primitive
Unique Well loved
Pristine Unusual
In Make Your Words Sell!, Joe Robson proposes the theory that certain words and phrases are imprinted into our subconscious. He suggests that the imprint becomes so irresistible that, under certain conditions, we automatically respond to those words. Joe calls these words “Automatic Response Words” and by using them in your headline or body copy, you can dramatically increase your sales.
Joe provides a “reference list” to get you started. It’s a great resource tool for your auction business.1) Do not to use all caps, even though many auction sellers do use them. Net users tend to interpret this as screaming or shouting. Basically, it marks you as an amateur. Sometimes it’s more powerful to capitalize just one word.
2) Make every word count. If you’re listing in the Beanie Baby category, use your 45 spaces to describe which baby it is. There is no need to say “Rare Beanie Baby.” Your customers already know what it is.
3) Stay away from silly words like Wow! and L@@K! which might indicate to some readers that you have nothing of real value to say.4) Always, always check spelling. It is amazing how often misspelled words make it to the headlines. It’s sloppy work and creates a poor impression. How well can a seller know his merchandise if he can’t even spell it correctly. (How did we evre liv without Speel Chek?)
5) Avoid the use of well-known brands, if your item has a more obscure name. For example, an infamous headline stated... Croc handbag, NOT Prada, Gucci, Kleinberg-Sherill. Customers may resent this tactic... and an annoyed customer doesn’t buy.
6) Do not use offensive language.7) Be professional. If you only use 36 spaces, avoid the temptation to fill the other nine spaces with all kinds of *#@! symbols because it will annoy people!!!! Right???
8) Be honest. Veteran auction users become annoyed if you make extravagant claims for your item. They will decide for themselves if they can live without it.
9) Avoid mixing capitals and lower case letters in odd ways. Too bad no one mentioned this to this seller, who is very fond of writing her headlines this way. Decide for yourself if the headline is harder to read than the regular way of writing...
1) Don’t try to be clever or cute -- A headline needs to immediately attract a qualified customer. Your visitor must be able to clearly understand what you are selling – unlike in this case…
2) Be positive, rather than negative -- Have a Perfect Golf Swing Like TIGER WOODS! If you are a golfer, wouldn’t you love to swing like Tiger? Isn’t that more powerful than something like... Don’t Swing In Your Usual Doofus Way – Buy Our Product!