If you'd like to get the focused, undivided attention of anyone who reads your copy, no matter how many distractions he or she is bombarded with, then this article will show you how.

Listen to this: Do you know what a "hook" is?

A hook is a phrase, idea or maybe just a couple words that "hook" your reader (like a fish) and reel them into your ad. And if you use the right "bait" in your hook, it'll create so much curiosity and interest that (when targeted to the right market) it will be virtually impossible for your prospect to NOT read your copy.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about:

How A Bald-Headed Barber Saved My Hair!

See what I mean? This headline is over 50 years old, but even today, you wonder how can a bald-headed barber save your hair? The only way to find out is to keep reading the ad.

Here's another example:

Atlanta Housewife Investigated And Almost Arrested For Losing 73 Pounds!

This is one of my favorites. How can you NOT want to see what the story behind that hook is? This was also the headline from a

Okay, one more example:

Now You Can Actually Cure Baldness...Even If It Runs In Your Family!

That was another real ad that ran many years ago. And be honest, if you were going bald, could you resist reading the rest of that ad to see what the story is?

Bottom line is this: A good hook, such as in the headlines above, will hook your readers right in. They give your readers a tiny, teasing peek into such an incredible (yet still believable) story that it's almost impossible not to see what the rest of the story is.

Just remember to follow through in your copy and complete the hook. Your hook must tie logically into your pitch. Otherwise, you'll almost certainly insult your reader and lose the sale.

Ben Settle is an expert copywriter and direct marketer. If you liked this article then check out Ben's website at http://bensettle.com -- where you'll find over 500 pages of advertising ideas, strategies and tactics just like this one -- as well as rare swipe file ads and hot marketing information not easily found anywhere else.

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