An experienced advertising executive knows it’s much harder to create a 10-second television spot than it is a 60-second spot. Why? Because 10 seconds simply isn’t much time to connect with the audience and elicit a behavioral change or a desired reaction. The same goes for writing billboard copy. To effectively capture the attention of a 60-mile-per-hour audience, your message better make an instant impact.

Email newsletters (eNewsletters) face the same challenge. To grab the interest of busy professionals with swelling inboxes, eNewsletters must quickly and potently explain why their content is worth reading. How? Concise, meaningful headlines and lead-ins. (Lead-ins are the short introductory text that supports the headline and directs readers to click through to an article).

Together, strong headlines and lead-ins are the No. 1 reason an eNewsletter recipient clicks through to the content or alternately banishes the entire email to the delete folder.

“A newsletter can be jam-packed with interesting stories, fascinating profiles and critical information, but no one is going to read it if the headlines are boring,” writes journalist and eHow contributor Barbara Dunlap. “A headline needs to tell what the article is about, but it also should be sharp or sassy — or at least inviting enough to keep people reading.”

The 1-2-3s of a great headline
Headlines and lead-ins are to eNewsletters what movie trailers are to movies. They must hook readers and tell them why the content is relevant and worth their time.

However, the headline/lead-in combo can’t be so long or detailed that the reader gets the main gist without reading the article. That’s like giving away a movie’s ending in its trailer. With headlines and lead-ins, there’s a fine line between too little and too much, and it’s a balance that is critical to the eNewsletter’s success.

As Brandon Cornett, editor of Postcardsmart.com, notes, “If your headline falters, your entire direct mail piece falters. It doesn’t matter that your offer is spectacular or your product first-rate. Without a headline that identifies the audience, grabs their attention and evokes a response, all else is lost.”

In other words, an eNewsletter headline and accompanying lead-in must communicate the following:

1. “I am relevant to you!”
2. “I am valuable to you!”
3. “You can’t afford not to click here and read on!”

Practice makes perfect
Understanding what makes an effective headline/lead-in combination is one thing; actually writing it is another. Because headlines and lead-ins are just as important as the content they support, each should be given ample time, attention and expertise.

Using a proven outsourcer for your eNewsletter’s content — from headlines and lead-ins to articles and calls to action — is one way to ensure consistency, quality and results throughout every issue. An outsourcer that specializes in eNewsletter content has the tried-and-true experience it takes to write headlines and lead-ins that connect with an audience, grab attention and evoke a desired response.