A Copywriting Headline to Help Overcome Procrastination

By Mike Capuzzi | March 9, 2015 |

Being on the lookout (e.g. having your marketing radar always set to ON) for smart marketing you can modify and use in your own business is a worthy use of your time and attention.   If you’ve been reading my article posts over these past several years, you know I am constantly advising business owners to be on the lookout for smart marketing they can replicate in their own business.

Here is such an example of a simple, yet powerful copywriting headline worthy of your attention.

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I found this print ad for The Stuttering Foundation and immediately thought the headline was a great one to add to my swipe file, since it goes to the core of a common human trait - that crosses ALL industries and niches - inertia and procrastination.

Unfortunately, none of our businesses are immune to our prospects and customers not doing what we ask them to do, even when it’s in their own best interest to respond or do something now.

Each of us has to be constantly motivating people towards the desired outcome and this particular headline does a good job of this because of its direct, no-nonsense message.

What I like so much about this ad’s headline is the ease of which ANYBODY can tweak and modify for their business. For example, with just a few seconds of thought I came up with these variations:

  • There are many ways to help your elderly parents. Doing nothing is not one of them!
  • There are many ways to lower your taxes. Doing nothing is not one of them!
  • There are many ways to reduce your business benefits expense. Doing nothing is not one of them!

My Private Client Group member, Wendy Kenney of 23 Kazoos, sent me this note after reading this article:

Mike, I thought you would be interested in this. I saw that headline a while ago when you first shared it with us and we started using it with one of our clients, a Christian Counseling organization for teens. We use it on the website and in mailers and on social media.

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As a result, they got a new client that drives over 2 hours each way, three times per week. Here's what the client said.

"A number of months ago we were on the verge of losing our son to depression and anxiety. It was then that we ran across the Doorways website where we saw these words: "Doing nothing is not an option". Those words rang true and we acted on them and got him in the IOP group. That was the turning point. Don?t get me wrong, it hasn?t been easy?for any of us. But our son is on his way up again. We have found that the folks at Doorways not only offer expertise, but the kind of compassion and understanding that every adolescent longs for."

NICE JOB WENDY!  And congrats to your client!

You get the idea.

Now it’s your turn. Think of your own business, take this headline and modify it to work for you.

17 Comments

  1. Phil Brakefield on March 10, 2015 at 11:44 am

    Mike….

    Strong stuff indeed, but I’d like to see it tightened down even more so that the first part of it becomes “doable” in the mind of the reader, much like the second part part resonates with almost everyone.

    Example: There are three really simple things you can to do make your business stand out. Doing nothing is not one of them!



  2. Mike on March 10, 2015 at 12:39 pm

    Awesome Mike! Thanks for sharing. Here’s my adaptation for the “make money online” niche:

    There are HUNDREDS of different ways to make money online…

    But simply doing nothing is NOT one of the ways!



  3. Robert on March 10, 2015 at 12:48 pm

    There are many ways to grow old…
    Doing nothing is not one of them.



  4. Mike Capuzzi on March 10, 2015 at 12:52 pm

    Nice!



  5. Mike Capuzzi on March 10, 2015 at 12:53 pm

    I like it!



  6. Mike Capuzzi on March 10, 2015 at 12:53 pm

    Thanks Mike!



  7. Edwin Soler on March 10, 2015 at 1:41 pm

    There are 7 ways to make 2015 a record sales breaking year… doing nothing is not one of them!



  8. gene moore on March 10, 2015 at 2:53 pm

    There are many ways to protect your family’s future. Doing nothing isn’t one of them.

    There are many ways to protect you and your family’s future. Doing nothing isn’t one of them.



  9. Mike Capuzzi on March 10, 2015 at 3:01 pm

    I like the first one better!



  10. Mike Capuzzi on March 10, 2015 at 3:01 pm

    Thanks Edwin!



  11. Polly on March 10, 2015 at 3:32 pm

    Flower Shop….
    There are lots of ways to say I’m thinking of you…
    Doing nothing is not one of them.



  12. Mike Capuzzi on March 10, 2015 at 4:02 pm

    Polly – nice to hear from you! Great headline!



  13. Betty Cope on March 10, 2015 at 4:08 pm

    There are several ways to sell your home in today’s market. Doing nothing is not one of them.
    There are many opportunities to buy your dream home. Doing nothing is not one of them.



  14. Tim Turner on March 10, 2015 at 4:33 pm

    There are many ways to plan for retirement. Doing nothing isn’t one of them.



  15. Grant on March 11, 2015 at 10:32 am

    There are many ways to look amazing and feel great for Spring. Doing nothing is not one of them!
    30 days of head-turning sun sessions for only $5 if you stop in by Sunday March 15th.



  16. Mike Capuzzi on March 11, 2015 at 12:43 pm

    Grant – nice job weaving in an offer!



  17. MANONG on January 12, 2016 at 5:12 am

    HERES MINE I’M USING IN THE LOCAL DIRECTORY:
    IT’S 3 A.M.
    YOU’RE WIDE AWAKE THINKING ABOUT HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOME MORE APPEALING.
    HERE’S HELP.