Before you spend another dime marketing your small business, think about this: Can you remember anything about the paper the last time you looked at it?

If you can’t remember anything, take a quick look at a newspaper right now…

What is the first thing you notice?

The first thing you notice is the headline.

Headlines are most important element in the newspaper. Why? Because there is a lot of content in that paper and those headlines grab the reader’s attention and draw them into the meat of the articles.

Can you image what a newspaper would be like if it didn’t have any headlines?

It would be basically unreadable.

A tremendous mistake I see so many small businesses make when they are actually engaging in advertising is not using a headline.

Some small businesses get really creative and use their name for the headline of their ad. This little trick is really prevalent in the yellow pages.

YOUR BUSINESS NAME IS NOT A HEADLINE.

Who really cares about your company name? – Other than you, that is.

The absence of headlines and using your name as the headline of an ad are two HUGE and costly advertising mistakes that most small businesses make and they both can be easily avoided.

Think of a headline as an advertisement for your advertisement.

Your headline should get the reader’s attention so they read the next line of copy in your ad.

Every ad you run needs to have a powerful headline that engages your prospect, creates curiosity and delivers an overwhelming benefit for continuing to read your ad. Using your Gravitational Proposition or an irresistible offer is a great thing to use as a headline of your advertisement.

Above I mentioned yellow pages ads and using headlines. When I mention using powerful headlines to small businesses owners in their yellow pages ads they look at me like I have 10 heads.

If you look through the phone book, you’ll be lucky if you see an ad with a headline that isn’t the companies name or some cheesy slogan.

Do you know the reason why?

All the ads are done by the yellow pages art department.

And the fact that no one else has a powerful headline is all the more reason you should. You’ll kill the competition and dominate your heading.

Jimmy Vee and Travis Miller are the authors of “The Ten Tall Tales Of Traditional Advertising That Cost You Tons” and their newest release, “The Small Business Owner’s Guide To The Galaxy: Jim & Travis’s Super-Stellar, Out Of This World, Step-By-Step Guide To Generating Leads, Attracting Customers and Making Sales.” Get FREE small business marketing tips, shortcuts and secrets - RIGHT NOW - at http://www.GravitationalMarketing.com