How do you write a catchy headline for your slides? (2024)

One way to write a catchy headline is to use the 4U formula, which stands for useful, urgent, unique, and ultra-specific. This means that your headline should offer a benefit to your audience, create a sense of urgency or curiosity, stand out from the crowd, and be specific enough to avoid confusion or ambiguity. For example, instead of "How to improve your sales skills", you could write "How to close more deals in less time with these 3 proven techniques".

Another way to write a catchy headline is to apply the headline test, which is a simple way to check if your headline is clear and concise. The test involves reading your headline out loud and asking yourself these questions: Does it make sense? Does it communicate the main idea? Does it fit on one line? Does it avoid jargon, clichés, or vague words? If you can answer yes to all these questions, you have a good headline. For example, instead of "A comprehensive overview of the latest trends and best practices in presentation development", you could write "How to create stunning slides in 2021".

A third way to write a catchy headline is to use power words and numbers, which are words and phrases that evoke emotion, curiosity, or authority. Power words can be adjectives, verbs, nouns, or modifiers that add impact and appeal to your headline. Numbers can be statistics, percentages, or steps that provide specificity and credibility to your headline. For example, instead of "Tips for delivering a successful presentation", you could write "How to wow your audience with these 7 powerful presentation secrets".

A fourth way to write a catchy headline is to tailor your headline to your audience, which means that you should consider who you are speaking to, what they care about, and what they need to know. Your headline should address their pain points, challenges, goals, or interests, and show how your presentation can help them. You should also use the language and tone that resonate with your audience, and avoid alienating or offending them. For example, instead of "How to use social media for marketing", you could write "How to grow your brand and reach more customers with social media".

A fifth way to write a catchy headline is to test and tweak your headline, which means that you should experiment with different variations and see which one performs better. You can use tools like CoSchedule Headline Analyzer or A/B testing software to measure the effectiveness of your headlines based on factors like word balance, length, sentiment, and readability. You can also ask for feedback from your colleagues, friends, or target audience, and see which headline they find more catchy and relevant. For example, instead of "How to write a catchy headline for your slides", you could write "The ultimate guide to writing catchy headlines for your slides".

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

Presentation Development

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