marketing headlines
How to Create Headlines That Compel a Positive Response to Your Dental Marketing Content
How important are headlines? Before I reveal how to create them, understand that your dental promotions, dental web page copy, and even your dental blog posts can succeed or fail based on the headline.
Advertising and copywriting legend, John Caples, once said they are the most important part of your advertisement. He proved his point by committing four of his 18 chapters to them in his book, Tested Advertising Methods.
Your headline copy can make or break your dental marketing. This is why they’re so difficult and occasionally time-consuming to write.
Professionally speaking, I invest the first phase of writing to the headline. You should expect to do the same if…you want to compel your reader to engage with your content.
Your headline has ONE job
Your headline MUST grab your reader’s attention.
John Caples adds this jolting perspective – “If the headline is poor, the copy will not be read. And copy that is not read does not sell goods.”
You could say, “I”m a dental provider, I don’t ‘sell’.” I encourage you to not get caught up in the semantics of what is or is not “sales.”
Bottom line, your headline compels or it doesn’t. The middle ground is littered with well intentioned, creative, salesy hype, or lame attempts at trying to be cute.
How to Create Headlines that Compel Your Readers to Keep Reading to the Point of Doing What You’re Asking Them to Do
(By the way, there are two bonus insights in that sub-heading.)
1-Promise something.
Too many promotions are vague. Vagueness should not be confused with compliance with dental industry marketing standards.
There’s a difference in making unsubstantiated claims about a treatment or service and being vague about the benefit they can potentially deliver.
Make a promise that introduces a benefit.
“Who else wants whiter teeth – in less time?”
(Promise: whiter teeth, less time)
“Great new discovery controls bad breath – makes your teeth healthier too.”
(Promise: fresher breath, healthier teeth)
Those promises include practical benefits. The stated benefits compel your reader to read deeper into your promotion to discover more.
Promised results or benefits compel your reader to stay in the conversation with you via your promotion.
- List at least 5 benefits of the service you’re promoting.
- Use specific, direct wording that establishes your service as THE solution (promised result) for taking action.
2-Embed an image in your reader’s mind.
What your reader can see themselves using, doing, etc will compel them to take action. Avoid language that’s overused, technical, industry-oriented, insider-based, etc.
You “know, like, and trust” your industry, right? This makes it natural for you to feel as though everyone else (including your patients/clients) do also.
This is where “How To…” headlines work well.
“How to [COMMON TASK] That [REWARDING BENEFIT].”
The “common task” creates an image of an action, activity, priority, etc. And again, you compel with a “rewarding benefit” – in this instance, something the reader can “see” themselves enjoying, etc.
3-”State a fact.”
Facts establish credibility. When you can highlight a fact in your content headline – do it!
Your reader will be drawn deeper in to your content. And they will begin to trust you as a credible source of information.
Select portions of your positive reviews or testimonials. Remember: You can protect the identity of your source by using their first name initial or their full name initials (e.g. “E” “ES,” etc.) for attribution.
Here’s an example:
“…I went to my high school reunion and the compliments made me feel like I’d been crowned homecoming queen!” – JS. Want the Same Results?
Research data sources of your product or service. Share benefit oriented statistics in you headline.
92% of Our Dental Patients Said This One Thing Eliminated Their [PROBLEM]
If You Do This Two Times Per Year You Could Reduce Your Dental Treatment Costs by [X]%
Facts help compel a response.
4-”Ask a question.”
Questions create curiosity. They also produce engagement with your solution or answer.
In the previous headline example using the quotation (“I went to my high school reunion and the compliments made me feel like I’d been crowned homecoming queen!” – JS Want the Same Results?) the question creates curiosity on two levels.
1) Tell me more about the “results” and 2) Give me more information about what she did to achieve them.
Questions also give your reader a way to process their assumptions. Your question-oriented headline can create a “Hmmm, I haven’t thought about that before…” response.
Your reader will begin to engage with your content by answering the question you posed. It’s important that your question headline prompts curiosity.
A question headline works for a simple reason. It creates a compelling reason to stay with your content and eventually take action as result.
There is more to a promotional headline than creativity or cuteness. Lead with benefits and you’ll win more often.
What a Back-Handed Criticism Taught Me About Watching My Language and How It Can Improve Your Dental Website Content
A criticism recently got under my skin. I prefer to roll with push-back but this one irritated me given my experience and expertise.
It involved a discussion about a website’s language, tone, and readability. By the way, each are vital on your dental website and in your dental marketing.
Let’s make one thing clear – I speak English as my first and only (for now) language.
I’ll explain why I’m sharing that bit of trivia in a moment.
My first words as a child were in English.
I’ve sat through boring English classes (no offense teachers or professors) at a high school, university, and post-graduate level. And as a professional copywriter and content marketing strategist I’ve had to unlearn a portion of what I was taught (some rules of grammar DO NOT APPLY).
I’ve learned about “word-economy” (how to say the most with the least amount of words) from some of the world’s best communicators and communication coaching settings.
Plus…
I have over three decades of experience using the English language to persuade, compel, inspire, motivate, celebrate, and comfort.
I have tens of thousands of hours writing and delivering presentations as a public speaker in a variety of venues using (Bingo!) the English language.
And I have close to an equal number of hours as a trained, professional writer/copywriter commanding the English language on behalf of my own and my client’s services.
So when I was questioned by a client (trying to make a point) whether English was my first language, understand why I was ticked. To clarify, the whole issue wasn’t about my alleged “butchering” of the English language.
The issue surrounded the voice, tone, and general design of the language that’s effective on a dental website. Dental practices and dental marketers often hire me to rewrite their content because what’s there lacks all the above – compelling voice, tone, and readable design.
What’s the deal?
The default on many websites (dentistry is no exception) is high word count (that lacks flow or purpose), wordiness (fluff and bloat that doesn’t offer solutions), and feature-heavy (”Hey, look how state-of-the-art equipped and educated we are…” with few if any stated benefits to the reader/site visitor).
Too strong?
Is it too strong a criticism if your readers aren’t compelled to read past your Home page graphics and headline? Or if your copy/content reads like a chapter out of the most recent CE course you took on osseointegration (i.e. it’s full of dental-speak that only dental professionals use and understand).
I’m not implying that your dental website copy or your dental marketing content should be “dumbed-down.” Frankly, that’s an insulting way to describe copy and content that should, above all, compel people to use your services to improve their health.
But for goodness sake make it easy for them to read and know what action to take next!
How to Create and Deliver Dental Content that People Can Understand and are Compelled to Act On
Watch your language.
Language is about being understood. It makes sense that if you need an interpreter or if your reader must Google the definition of a particular word or words used in your content – it’s not connecting!
Your readers connect with you word to word, line to line, and page to page IF they understand what you’re saying.
- Write your dental content for the general public. The education level of your target audience isn’t the benchmark. The benchmark is speaking clearly and compellingly about your services in a way that leads to a specific, intended action like a scheduled appointment, client contract, etc.
- Know your readers. Listen to their pains, concerns, and goals. The late, writer and leadership consultant, Stephen Covey, said it best, “Seek to understand then to be understood.” There is no connection without knowing. Knowledge of your readers leads to understanding what they lay awake at night thinking about, feeling, etc., that compelled them to land on your website or read your content in the first place. Write to that!
Take-that-tone.
Language is about understanding. Tone is about being heard.
Our grandson will ask, “Are you mad at me…?” It surprises me when he asks that because in the moment I’m not “angry” with him at all.
In reality, he’s perceiving my mood by the “tone” he’s hearing in my voice. If I answer a question somewhat “short” or abruptly he hears anger when I’m simply being brief and to the point.
- Write in a conversational tone. Use this tone more than 95% of the time in your dental marketing content. Why? It works because writing how you talk is how you’ll best be heard and get your point across.
- Keep the tone casual, crisp, and to-the-point. Punchy, short sentences compel better than long, rambling, wordy sentences. Remember, with content, being heard starts with being easy to read and follow.
Raise your voice.
This isn’t about volume. Voice is about being relevant.
I’m talking relevance to your audience. Okay, to soothe your occasional need to feel all intellectual and academic – if your audience is other dental professionals or colleagues go ahead and unload all the dental-speak you want.
That’s fine. They get-it.
But…
That’s not your audience on your dental practice website.
- Again, know your audience. Most of the time it’s everyday, ordinary people who have the need to visit your dental web pages because of mouth pain or some other oral health related issue. Period.
- Know how to use your voice. Internal web pages (Home page, About Us page, Services/Procedures pages) are for quick-scanning, easy-to-read, call-to-action content about the basics of your dental services. Your blog/article pages are for more detailed, educational, albeit easy-to-read and informative content that compels them to trust your expertise.
Now, was that so difficult to understand? I’m a bit tongue-in-cheek with that question.
I’m also biased about the language, tone, and voice you use on your dental website and in your dental marketing content.
Keep it real. And whatever you do, keep it readable. Or…your site visitors and readers are gone with a “click.”
That should really get-under-your-skin.
The Better Strategy for Compelling People and Building Trust Through Your Dental Marketing
I spend a lot of intentional time with our six year old grandson. Our interactions are full of insights that I’ve frequently shared.
He said something recently that opened my eyes. It’s a compelling strategy you might be failing to use to your advantage in your dental marketing.
For example, he has a preset against naps these days. Hey, he’s moving from the world of Pre-K (where naps are required) to the new territory of Kindergarten (where naps aren’t part of the daily routine).
He couldn’t be more thrilled. I, on the other hand, make good use of the daily power nap to stay productive and healthy.
The grandson and I were hanging out recently. Following lunch seemed like a good time to re-introduce him to the power of napping.
I knew I couldn’t just charge in with my “promotional agenda” (“Naps are a good thing – we should take one now,”). So, I crafted my “headline” and “lead” like all marketing strategist G-Pa’s do – I promoted the dull, numbing term “nap,” by calling it “Power-Spa Time.”
My “market research” discovered that he had been curious about my wife and I’s yoga mats. As long as he knew them as yoga mats I believed he’d be none the wiser to my subtle use of them as a “nap mat.”
We rolled them out. I coached him in the fine art of laying back, taking a few deep cleansing breaths, and slowly closing our eyes to fully embrace “power spa time.”
A couple of minutes in, the gig was up!
My restful silence was quickly interrupted by his words, “G-Pa, this is just a nap!”
Busted!
The common failure in marketing is believing that people can be “sold” before they understand or have been intentionally informed about the underlying benefits.
I could go a few different directions with my grandson’s comment and with the previous statement I just made.
And yet the deeper truth within that statement is realizing that even before you arrive at a benefit driven buying decision you must authentically prove yourself trustworthy.
And these days trust-in-marketing is best built on a foundation of usefulness.
How content can improve the trust that patients and clients place in you and your dental services.
Content is up-front with information that builds trust over time.
Back to the grandson – I’m wise enough to know that if I had said to him, “Get the nap mats buddy…throw some pillows down…it’s nap time,” he would have been outta there.
And even though I attempted to promote the “nap” using compelling words like “power” and “spa,” he was not informed enough to grasp the pure value of napping to his health, etc. In fact, that’s probably a stretch for anyone in his age demographic (Bonus tip: Know your market).
- Strategically choose the words you use in your dental marketing. It’s easy to believe that everyone understands the newest industry-speak (when in reality they don’t and perhaps don’t care).
- Listen to your patients and clients. What emotional clues are they giving you in their conversations at an appointment, through reviews, or survey feedback?
- Track and log the “power words” they’re actually using that tip you to their pain, values, emotions, and don’t miss this – their questions!
- Create blog posts, articles, e-newsletters, podcasts, social media posts, etc around answers to those questions and insights.
Valuable information that shows you know them and that you’re listening leads to trust.
Content is useful, sharable, and portable.
I can nap anywhere. Sure, I have my fave locations and positions.
Our grandson? Again, he has a preset bias against naps at this phase of his life.
It doesn’t matter how I packaged it or promoted it – he’s not “buying.” At least, not now…in this season of his life.
There will come a day…
- Be patient with your content marketing strategy. Not everyone is ready to “take a nap” or even believe it’s necessary at the moment. What’s the “nap” your patient or client is ready to embrace? Know this and create content that informs then step by step.
- Show up on your patient’s and client’s radar when they’re ready. Create content now – searchable (keywords), useful (listen), and readable (share-worthy) content.
- Have a bias for usefulness and accessibility. Value your dental website blog or article page more than you do your traditional web pages (Home, About Us, Services).
Information is more portable when it’s informative, available, and worthy of sharing.
Content is unbiased.
My appreciation for naps is lost on our grandson. He would benefit but he has other ways to invest his time.
Your patients and clients are no different.
- Create a higher percentage of content that helps before you create another “special-promotion-deal-of-the-month.” This will only scare you (or turn you off) if you still hold to the marketing mindset that – “Hype backed up by fine-print keeps the practice or business afloat.” Like our grandson and naps – people ain’t buyin’ it!
- Persuade and compel through valuable, conversationally toned, informative content. Produce marketing content that gives readers answers to their questions and concerns.
- Evaluate your blog posts, articles, and social media by it’s educational value more than its promotional creativity. Eye-candy graphics and wording gets attention – no doubt – but it fades in numbing-fashion if it fails to open their eyes to something of value…something readers can use.
There will come a day when our grandson relaxes his bias against naps. In the meantime, I’ll be content to subtly inform him through my re-energized health and productivity.
The Case for “Simple” and What Works on Your Dental Website Platform
I’m not here to debate their music. In fact, I’ll go on record and say that I’m a major U2 fan.
It’s their platform – like your dental marketing platform – that enables them to deliver consistently whenever and wherever they choose to make music.
Speaking of wherever, New Yorkers were drawn to a gathering of “street performers” on a subway platform. Imagine the signature sound being created not by some local tribute band but Bono and crew themselves.
I experienced U2 a few years ago in a massive, produced, high-energy, sold-out stadium show. It was epic and I would expect nothing less from an impromptu, street gig as well.
It’s what fans expect from an iconic band.
And it shouldn’t surprise you that the simplicity of an unplugged, street-level gig would have the same awe inspiring impact. That’s U2.
Whatever your “music”, simply deliver
These days dental website copy and content seems to migrate towards a massive, produced, shiny-object approach. Maybe it’s an attempt to legitimize your services in an increasingly competitive market.
Equally popular is the trend towards content “fluff.” Dental-speak, tech-speak, call it what you will.
And even more trending are the easy-way-out, set-it-and-forget-it website platforms that replace your unique “story” (your dental practice brand) with cookie-cutter branding.
It’s time to simplify.
Your dental practice story deserves a platform. In fact, to cut through the noise, it’s required.
You’re in the business of providing dental services and skilled treatment to people. As you’re aware, those who seek your services are, more often than not, motivated by pain (e.g. a tooth ache, swollen gums, tooth loss, etc.).
They don’t wake up daily with the notion of, “Hey, I think I’ll surf the internet for dental information…” But if they’re in pain or if they’re aware of the benefits of dentistry to their overall health, your opportunity to create a “fan” is higher.
So what’s unique about your website?
I’m not talking about graphics, flashy design, pop-ups, sliders, slide-shows, YouTube videos, stock images of beautiful people with Hollywood smiles, page headlines that include the words “state-of-the-art” (promise me you’ll STOP using those words…PLEASE!) and any words that end in “-est.”
Think simplicity.
Okay, let’s define it.
Ready?
Be useful.
Time is of the essence when you capture the online attention of a current or potential dental patient. They stop to listen for one reason – they found YOU.
YOU – in a massive, produced, crowd of dental websites.
And they aren’t there to admire your website.
They want information. Easy to read, easy to understand, take-action-on information.
Information they found by a simple question or word typed into a popular online search tool (Google, Bing, etc.).
The question that defines how “useful” you are: Do they find an answer?
Here are some simple strategies to help:
- Publish blog or article page content that’s readable, conversational, lacks dental-speak, and could be understood by a 5th grader (not sounds like it was written by one…there’s a difference).
- Create downloadable, free information (e-book) on a trendy, seasonal dental topic (teeth whitening for wedding season, back to school dental care, how to use your insurance benefits before it’s too late, etc.).
- Produce a 5 minute weekly podcast episode on Frequently Asked Questions (answer one question per episode…how’s that for being simple and useful).
- Design a monthly or quarterly e-newsletter available by (free) subscription only. Give your readers your behind-the-scenes stuff here and make it appealing to belong to your “tribe” (special offers, promotions, etc just for joining).
- Brainstorm more ideas. Let your mind run free (or email me and we can start a conversation…why not?).
Remember this…
Your online success doesn’t depend on your ability to impress. It does depend on your ability to deliver simply what people have come to expect when they find you.
Simple, useful information.
4 Words That Can Transform Your Dental Marketing Copy
Benefits sell! That’s core to effective copywriting and the power language you need to promote your dental services.
The Sunday edition of my local newspaper featured two ads that got my attention. How they got my attention is what’s important to this post (realize henceforth – I’m more critical than the average reader).
First, it WASN’T the somewhat eye-candy graphics or the positioning on the page (two big deals to most newsprint advertisers). Second, it WASN’T the headline – at least in the way you might be thinking.
The ad’s colors and placement did draw my eye to it. But it was the headline that bothered me.
The ad writer did the common, believed effective, ad naseum, amateur, I-have-a-gazillion-ads-to-write-today-so-I’ll-take-the-easy-way, feature-first headline approach. And perhaps wrapped it up by asking the design department to throw in some cool colors and bold fonts so people notice.
I confess – I read the ad. Was I compelled?
That’s the question your copy must answer – is it compelling?
And copywriting that compels doesn’t lead with features (everyone does that) it leads with benefits.
This brings to mind a recent meeting I was in. Our dental hygiene team was discussing how to promote oral cancer screenings to our patients. Even though the service is undeniably beneficial and has a relatively low cost point (beyond insurance coverage) some patients aren’t compelled.
No doubt it’s a beneficial procedure. But how do you get to the compelling core benefits without dumbing-it-down with feature heavy content and graphics (what I’ve called “est-syndrome” in previous posts.).
Here are 4 words to keep front-of-mind when mining the benefits of your dental products and services.
1) Urgency (Think-if they don’t get this now the world as they know it will end)
Act now! Limited time offer! You must do better than that.
Give your reader a hot-seat reason to jump NOW to get your product or service.
How can you tell the story in the most compelling way? That’s the question.
Urgency isn’t just about prompting a decision. Urgency is about removing the gap as quickly as possible between decision and action.
2) Usefulness (Think – this is so practical…I must show them)
Not all products and services are ultimately useful. So it makes sense that the promotional copy lacks it too.
Do the hard work required to find a product’s or service’s usefulness that’s not obvious. The ultimate task of your copywriting is painting a picture of practical action.
Who’s using the product/service? What’s happened to them? When did they first discover it’s effectiveness? Where are they looking to use it next?
3) Uniqueness (Think – no one has the “angle” we do. And that “angle” is…)
Being unique is overrated. Especially when it’s confused with creative.
How creative your copy is doesn’t necessarily mean it’s unique. You must find a way to tell the story in a way no one’s told it yet.
This may or may not be the most creative. A unique message is about captivating a person’s buying emotion in a way no one has before so the buying decision keeps repeating itself.
4) Ultra-specific (Think – then think again…and again until it’s crystal clear)
The problem with many marketing messages is just that – they contain more than one message. The key to specificity (love that word) is funneling all the possible ideas into one, compelling message.
Too many messages in a single promotion confuses. Compelling copy is about clarity.
It’s the difference in a laser and a light-bulb. One illuminates, the other penetrates.
Certainly, the end result you desire is more than merely illuminating your “market.” Why not penetrate it?
I’ll admit I’m more critical of marketing copy than the average reader. But I know good copywriting when I see it.
And usually it’s because I’m reaching for my wallet.