September 10, 2010, Newsletter Issue #180: Asking Yes/No Questions

Tip of the Week

 You've read the headline a thousand times in every type of copy imaginable - from web content to print.


While the subject of the headline may change, the problem remains the same:


"Do You Make Mistakes When Writing Copy?"


Upon first view of the headline above it may seem like there is nothing wrong. It's fairly obvious that the article intends to answer questions about common copywriting issues and help the reader hone their craft. The problem with the headline above is that it leaves the reader open to simply say "no". And as we all know, "no" is a killer when we want the reader to read more about the subject. 


A commonly used method of curing the Yes/No conundrum is by inserting the word "these" into the headline. In our example it would read like this: 


"Do You Make These Mistakes When Writing Copy" 


The use of the word "these" in the example above is used to entice the reader with the question of what "these" could possibly be. How could you say no when you don't know what "these" are?


Unfortunately, in the modern age when most readers skim headlines and attention spans have gone out the window people will often miss the intended "these" and say no anyway.


For this reason it is best to avoid the issue altogether and steer clear of this type of headline.

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