Understanding the Power of Desire and Frustration in Curiosity-Driven Headlines

There’s nothing quite like watching little kids staring at wrapped-up presents under the Christmas tree. They’re so excited. They know they’re supposed to wait until Christmas to open the presents, but their curiosity about what’s inside the packages is driving them crazy!
Same thing, actually, with a good curiosity headline. This kind of headline gives your prospect just enough information to keep them reading. The curiosity is like the itch that can’t be scratched any other way… than by reading your copy all the way through . Your prospect is propelled by curiosity.
A quick note: Copy is powerful. You’re responsible for how you use what you hear on this podcast. Most of the time, common sense is all you need. But if you make extreme claims… and/or if you’re writing copy for offers in highly regulated industries like health, finance, and business opportunity… you may want to get a legal review after you write and before you start using your copy. My larger clients do this all the time.
Now… curiosity headlines.
• Why curiosity is such a powerful force. (We’ll examine a few great curiosity headlines to see what it looks like when it’s done really well.)
Why: people are afraid of missing out… or becoming “less than” those who know… or not getting info that can finally help them achieve their deepest desires.
Some great curiosity headlines:
Old classic: Do You Make These Mistakes In English? (Maxwell Sackheim)
Newer Classic: Amazing Secret Discovered by One-Legged Golfer Adds 50 Yards To Your Drives, Eliminates Hooks And Slices, And Can Slash Up To 10 Strokes (John Carlton)
Recent Excellent Example: It Ain’t Sexy, But It’s Got Razor Sharp Teeth (Ben Settle, talking about hearing Doberman Dan talking about paying yourself first)
• What Works and What Doesn’t Work With Curiosity Headlines
- What doesn’t work – something totally off topic of your copy… or, something totally unbelievable… or, something obscure and subtle
Let’s say you’re marketing a lightweight portable bicycle pump that automatically inflates your tire to the exact pressure you want.
Off-topic curiosity headline that won’t work: Ancient Greek Philosophers Never Knew About ThIs
Curiosity headline that won’t work: Bike Manufacturers Would KILL Me If They Knew I Was Telling You About This
Obscure curiosity headline that won’t work: PSI Issues Don’t Just Exist In Clean Rooms With Air Locks
What works: How To Keep Your Tires At Better Pressure Than Anyone Else In The Race!
• How To Develop Your Own Winning Curiosity Headline
> First: Don’t start with your product or service… and don’t start with your prospect’s curiosity. Or with some clever idea you might have.
Start with your prospects themselves.
What’s the problem on their mind that you’re going to explain how to solve (even if that means solving the problem by buying something that solves it)? You’ll address this problem and the solution in the copy, but jot them both down.
> Now that we know the problem, let’s brainstorm a few things your prospect might want to know or know more about right off the bat – without knowing anything more than they know right now. Remember, they haven’t read your copy yet and they might not know anything about your product or company.
Don’t stop with one or two things they might be curious about. See if you can come up with five or six. Maybe even eight or 10!
> Third – pick the one thing you think your prospects would be most curious about if you only gave them a little information in your headline, and promised more in your copy.
Then write a few headlines with that one item. A few curiosity headlines. Here are four templates to get you started:
1. What ___ know about ____ that you don’t
2. How do you _______ ?
3. New discovery shows ______
4. The secret of ______
> Now – pick the best one – or - test a few until you find the one that works best!


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