This blog is about a dental hook… not your probe. It’s about using a hook in your blogs, posts, and marketing copy. A hook, in writing, is a phrase or sentence that makes people want to read more. It’s that point at which the reader is caught up in the story, then the chapter ends. Will he turn the page? If it’s a good enough hook, absolutely.
These days, folks don’t have much time, yet they’re surrounded by messages – not only on the Internet (as if email, blogs, and social networking weren’t enough), but there are televisions on the gas pumps, pumping out slogans and trying to entice us to buy injection cleaner. Everyone wants us to buy something, so, even if your message is super important, it can get lost.
You have to use a hook. A good one.
- With Twitter, you only have 140 characters to get in your hook and your link.
- With Facebook, you get 420 characters. That’s it.
- With a blog, you just hope that you don’t drone on too long and lose everyone’s attention.
Good writing demands planning. Sure, you can sit down and pound out a great message, but when space is limited and the reader has severe media ADD, you darn sure better do some planning. You have to plan the hook, then move backward toward the beginning.
As promised, here are 5 surefire ways to captivate your audience with a dental hook:
1. Make your hook stand out. People love to scan these days. Use bolding, italics, or a different color or font style for the hook. You saw that bold red text right before “read more,” and you clicked through.
2. Secrets and tips are faves, that’s why you see them all over magazine covers.
3. Self-improvement is a great hook – 10 Tips to Get Your Ultimate Smile; The Secret to Looking 10 Years Younger; One Dental Procedure That Could Make You Earn More Money (teeth whitening statistic from Kelton Research).
4. Easy is a great hook – 6 Months to Straight Teeth, Removable Braces; No Hassle, One-Visit White Crowns; Amazing One-Hour Teeth Brightening So You Can Get Back to Life with a Smile.
5. Love sells. Sure, sex sells, but love is much more appropriate and can do the same thing — especially if you’re a dentist marketing to the mom of the house. Use the concept of love to sell cosmetic dentistry: Freshen Up Your Breath and Your Relationship… 5 Products for Minty Fresh Kisses. Use it to sell general dentistry: Help Your Kids Avoid Cavities and Dental Fillings… 5 Tips for Your Child’s Oral Health. You can use love to sell just about anything, because everyone loves love!
