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Let Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings, and Dan Rather Teach You How ToWhether you want to sell a story idea to a reporter through a news release, or sell a product to a websurfer through a classified ad, you need an attention grabbing headline. right?Duh! And if you've got headline writer's block as you sit down at the keyboard...and you could use some inspiration to get your creativity cooking again...just turn on any of the network newscasts. Think about it. Tom, Peter and Dan are selling to you all time, and they're doing it through headlines. Only the headlines are called "teases." In the language of the newsroom, teases are those quick and often intriguing snippets of information they feed you just before they go to a break. The idea is to make you say to yourself, "Hey, I don't wanna miss that." And because you don't want to miss that, you'll keep your fingers off the remote through two minutes of commercial babble about antacids, anti-depressants and laxatives. Teases are aptly named. They're designed to show you a little, but not too much. There's always a question, stated or not, that's left unanswered. Their appeal is in their mystery, Here are some recent examples I've heard... "It's a musical instrument that can kill you..." "It's in your home...your blinds, your dishes...and it's poisoning your kids..." "Who would pay two million dollars for a piano?" "Will kids getting high keep a drug from going to people who really need it?" "It's an environmental hazard that threatens every drop of your drinking water..." Oh well, no one ever claimed that network newscasts would be light and breezy. But I think you get the point. Your news release and ad headlines should accomplish the same thing as those teases: the reader will want to keep going to unravel the mystery. And that's a big step in getting them to buy what you're selling. Hey, it works for Tom, Peter and Dan--it will work for you too. George McKenzie is the author of "Going Public: 10 Ways To Use The Mass Media For Free Advertising, Internet Marketing And Website Promotion. http://www.get-free-publicity.com He has almost thirty years experience in radio and TV. Subscribe to his free ezine, "Get Free Publicity," by sending a blank email to mailto:george2-12375@sendtheinfo.com
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