The hook brings you back...
My title here is a nod to a band popular during my senior year of high school. Blues Traveler had a hit song called "Hook" that poked fun at lazily written pop music that lacked substance other than having a good hook.
Superiority complex aside, the band bucked previous mid-nineties music trends helmed by Nirvana et al. I mean, the dude rocked a harmonica with zero irony.
And they were right. The hook is the most important part of the writing and can even sometimes make mediocre copy more effective.
Copy is an epic fail when it's hookless.
Without a hook.
Like a fish hastily swimming away from you, jawline still intact.
No hook.
See…the hook brings the drama!
In all writing, the hook is a statement that interests people in what comes next—often a punchy headline, first sentence, or pattern-interrupt that grabs your attention.
Here are some great hooks you'll recognize:
📚 Novels = Opening Line, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Say less. I'm sold.
🎥 Movies = A mid-point re-engager, "We're gonna need a bigger boat," lets us know these characters aren't dealing with your average shark.
📰 Journalism = Sensational Headlines like, "Titanic Sinks Four Hours After Hitting Iceberg," Remember, the world believed this ship to be "unsinkable."
🎵 Music = Often, the most memorable part of a song due to its repeatability and overall catchiness. Taylor Swift, is known for her ability to hook us with earworms like, "She wears high heels, I wear sneakers; she's cheer captain, and I'm on the bleachers," her first song to ever penetrate my brain.
The point is always to get our attention and keep us "hooked" through the finer details.
We cover how to write awesome hooks in my FREE Write Your Own Copy™ Copywriting Primer. Get yours here.
Here are a few thoughts for your next killer hook:
Your first "hook" is often the tagline of your business or the name of your offer.
Easy hooks include asking a thought-provoking question or providing an interesting (often surprising) statistic - crafted specifically for your audience.
Use a story - but start in the middle or at the end and then bring things full circle with your supporting copy.
Keep it simple; in a song, it's always a simple, catchy phrase - approach your copy the same way.
Use hooks as headlines to highlight the reader's journey through your website or sales page.
My favorite is making a strong, evocative statement or debunking a common misconception. Industry-busters, game-changers, and disruptors.
Now that you have a tackle box full of shiny, sharp hooks, those big fish will never escape your net again!
Every product in my upcoming re-release of Write Your Own Copy™ comes with my Copywriting Primer, which includes the foundational, action-driven basics of well-written copy, including:
🦄 My V.O.I.C.E Framework to refine your brand voice and align with your ideal customer's voice
🏗 How to effectively structure your copy for readability and action
✏️ Writing headlines, hooks, and transitions with ease
✅ Implementation guidelines to ensure your copy works hard for you
Each Write Your Own Copy™ product includes specific directions, prompts, and templates to tackle a single component: Website, Sales Page, or Nurture Email sequence.
Whether you hire a copywriter to do the heavy lifting for your brand or you're not quite there yet - these tools will improve your writing and allow you to create your own copy from scratch or make solid updates while waiting to get on your favorite copywriter's calendar.
Don’t wait until the new line of Write Your Own Copy™ products are released in January 2024, get started now for FREE with the Copywriting Primer.
Never write without a killer hook again!
