Focus on them. Ask them questions. Involve them in a conversation. Entertain them. Give them something to talk about.

You get the idea. They’re the only one in the conversation who matters. You’re lucky if you have five seconds to capture attention, and keep it, even if only for a blink.

Do these 25 copywriting headlines ideas get you thinking?

1. Give people something to talk about: “How this Community Gave the Boot to Wal-Mart”
2. Use one of the most powerful words in advertising – “new”: “A New Source of Income for Small Businesses”
3. Introduce a story: “How Windmills Cut Unemployment by 50% in This Midwestern Town”
4. Announce some news: “Just Announced:  Tucson to Host the First Global Energy Summit”
5. Reveal a hidden benefit:  “Coffee Lowers the Risk of Heart Disease”
6. Give a direct command: “Do Not Go to Sleep Tonight Until You Read This”
7. Address your audience directly:  “Doctors: The One Thing Your Patients Won’t Tell You”
8. Make an emotional appeal: “Please Don’t Throw Me Away”
9. Use humor: “Do These Vacuums Really Suck?”
10. Use puns: “Advice to Wives Whose Husbands Don’t Save Money – By a Wife”
11. Talk taboo: “This is the Worst Thing You Can Do in the Bathroom”
12. Create drama: “What This Business Banker Was Told to Do With Loan Applications”
13. Use a quote: “’This is real stuff for real people’- Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream”
14. Be controversial: “Arsenic in City Water Nothing to Worry About”
15. Provide a list: “The IRS’ 10 Top Triggers for a Tax Audit”
16. Ask an intriguing question: “Could You Be Paid Enough to Do This?”
17. Reveal facts: “Fortune Magazine Reports – 84% of College Students Have Credit Card Debt”
18. Note a case study: “St. Jude’s Announces Surprising Consequence of Childhood Obesity”
19. Use “how to” phrases: “How to Attract Customers With No Marketing Budget”
20. Share a secret: “What Your Dentist Can Predict from Your X-Rays”
21. Use the word “wanted”: “Wanted: Retired Police Officers for Health Study”
22. Offer something for free: “One Day Away From an Herb Garden With This Free E Book”
23. Use a before and after statement:  “He Couldn’t Find a Job Until He Learned this Skill”
24. Use one- or two-syllable words: “Stop Snoring. Save Your Marriage”
25. Give a direct command:  “Don’t Let Your Car Mechanic Do This to You”

Your first few attempts to create great headlines might fail miserably. A couple of the biggest mistakes you can make:

“I KNEW I COULD IRRITATE YOU WITH THIS HEADLINE!!”. Unless that’s the reaction you were shooting for, turn off the caps lock (and forget that “1” has an exclamation above it).

“I Made Millions With This One Trick” . Don’t insult your readers with sensational or unbelievable claims. You’ll get them to take action all right – “delete”.

Avoid those two, and try one or two of the other 25. Let me know what you came up with. If your headlines put my list to shame, I’ll know my work here is done.