Five value proposition formulas for writing stronger headlines

Executive overview

Most headlines fail because they don't connect to what the prospect actually wants. These five formulas give copywriters a structured starting point tied directly to the value proposition.

Each formula maps to a different angle: the job to be done, the transformation, the credibility of the creator, the differentiator, or the outcome with benefit.

The strongest headline matches the prospect's desired outcome to the angle they care about most.

The five headline formulas

1. You want [blank] — fill in the job to be done (functional, emotional, social, or personal; immediate or future)
2. Change/Transform/Turn [thing they have] into [thing they want] — highlights the transformation your product creates
3. [Desirable outcome] from [product] from [no-brainer maker] — credibility layer from a creator who is a natural fit (e.g. an educational product made by a teacher)
4. The [adjective] [noun] for [primary use case] — adjective should reflect a differentiator your prospect actually cares about; skip it if they don't
5. The [adjective] way for [segment] to [action or outcome], so you can [benefit] — more traditional; trim to just the benefit if that alone is clear enough