John Caples Quotes

Remember that the reader's attention is yours for only a single instant. They will not use up their valuable time trying to figure out what you mean.

Every single element in an advertisement - headline, subhead, photo, and copy - must be put there not because it looks good, not because it sounds good, but because testing has shown that it works best!

If you use a poor headline, it does not matter how hard you labor over your copy because your copy will not be read.

The most frequent reason for unsuccessful advertising is advertisers who are so full of their own accomplishments (the world's best seed!) that they forget to tell us why we should buy (the world's best lawn!).

Now I spend hours on headlines - days if necessary. And when I get a good headline, I know that my task is nearly finished.

What good is all the painstaking work on copy if the headline isn't right? If the headline doesn't stop people, the copy might as well be written in Greek.

To impress your offer on the mind of the reader or listener, it is necessary to put it into brief, simple language...No farfetched or obscure statement will stop them. You have got to hit them where they live in the heart or in the head. You have got to catch their eyes or ears with something simple, something direct, something they want.

The best headlines are those that appeal to the reader's self-interest, that is, headlines based on reader benefits. They offer readers something they want - and get from you.

Don't underestimate the value of beginning a headline by naming the people you want to reach.

Remember that the headline and the appeals are ONE AND THE SAME. In successful ads, the appeal is almost always expressed in the headline.

A long headline that really says something is more effective than a brief heading that says nothing.

Make an offer they can't refuse.

Do not try to make your headline so short that it fails to express your idea properly. It's more important to say what you want to say - even if it takes 20 words to do than make it short and fail to express your idea.

You can write a 1st paragraph that continues the same thought you expressed in your headline. If you stop a reader with a headline about house paint, you can be sure of at least one thing about that reader: He wants more info about house paint. You will not lose him as long as you continue to give him what he wants.

Avoid the "hard-to-grasp" headline - the headline that requires thought and is not clear at first glance.

The purpose of the headlines must be to convey a message to people who read headlines, then decide whether or not they will look at the copy.

The headlines are critically important. The majority of the public reads little else when deciding whether or not they are interested.

A good headline can make an advertisement good even if the picture is poor.