Introductions are the 2nd most important part of any content you write (titles being number 1). If you have a great title and have already hooked the reader with it, but then you have an average intro, you’re gonna lose readers. It’s just that simple.
The problem with intros is that people often half-ass them. They’re easy to overlook because sometimes they feel unnecessary. But if there’s one thing you take away from the Carnage today, it should be this: intros are necessary. Very necessary.
That’s why Eric Siu and Neil Patel explain how to write a great intro in today’s Listen
Show notes for your reading pleasure:
- (0:34) Start off with something hard-hitting. Interesting or surprising stats are a great way to do this. Social proof numbers also never hurt.
- (1:21) Conversational storytelling is another great way to draw people in.
- (1:38) Make sure you use the words “you” and “I” in your introduction. That will help it feel more conversational and less like a college professor talking you to sleep.
- (1:56) Neil writes a blog intro about yoga on the fly. He knows nothing about yoga, but that’s the point – he’s just showing how easy it is to write a killer intro.
- (3:17) Study books and blog posts written by copywriters. Copywriters are experts at hooking people into their writing.
- (3:36) Read Breakthrough Advertising and the Boron Letters by Gary Halbert (one of our favorite books). Gary is one of the greatest direct-response copywriters of our time.
- (04:07) Perry Marshall said it best when he said that your goal when writing an email is to hook the reader into opening your next email.
- (4:31) At the end of the day, you have to find what works best for you and your audience. If best practices don’t fit your personality, don’t do them.
Today’s Listen is only 6-minutes, but it was too good to pass up.
