Which headline do you think would get a better response?
- “It’s time to get a mammogram”
- “Set a good example for your daughter and get peace of mind. Schedule your mammogram.”
The answer is B. Why? Because it uses “gain” framing to grab attention and help your audience clearly understand what they would gain by taking action.
Framing isn’t a new idea. It’s a behavioral economics concept that’s used to improve results, and it can be positioned as a gain or a loss. A loss headline, for example, may be written as, “Don’t leave money on the table!” You can use either type of framing to your advantage, depending on the situation.
Gain frames work better in the health and wellness area to drive prevention (use sunscreen) and treatment (take as prescribed). Loss frames appear to motivate detection behaviors (screenings). In fact, in the mammogram example above, an attention-grabbing headline like, “Your family needs you now…and later. Get a mammogram.” may work the best of all because it grabs attention, elicits emotion and causes the reader to take action.
When writing a headline, make sure it:
- Tells your audience what they’ll gain financially, socially, emotionally or physically if they do this, or what they’ll lose if they don’t
- Is relatable to your audience
- Uses action verbs
- States the action you want the reader to take
Try using framing in your next campaign and track the results to find out whether gain or loss headlines get a better response.
