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If you’re in marketing, you know that headlines are important. But did you know that subheadlines are just as important?

Sure, the headline is responsible for capturing a visitor’s attention … but then what?

To give you a better sense of how it all works, I’m not only going to explain what a subheadline is, but I’ll also detail a process that you can follow to use them to inspire action. 

Once you’re done reading this article, you’ll know exactly how to unleash a killer headline, subheadline, and CTA combo that will make people see, want, and click on your site. 

What’s a Subheadline?

First off, let me explain what I mean by subheadline. Here’s a good definition from Wiktionary:

A smaller, secondary headline that usually elaborates on the main headline above it.

Similarly, Merriam-Webster define the term as:

An additional headline or title that comes immediately after the main headline or title.”

But rather than just tell you what a subheadline is, let me show you. Here is an example from Mention. They use a big, powerful headline, and then a little bitty subheadline:

It’s a secondary line of text that expands, advances, and otherwise informs the user beyond the standard headline.

Here’s another example from Kissmetrics:

Got it? Now, let’s talk about why they are essential …

Why Do Subheadlines Matter?

Subheadlines are important because you can’t say everything you need to say in just a single headline. 

Your headline should grab the reader’s attention. But what’s next?

Subheadlines have the power to reel the reader in. While the headline may grab the user’s attention, you need to do more than that in order for the user to stay. You want to compel the reader to look, to click, to sample, to scroll, or to do whatever it is you want them to do. That usually takes more than just 10-20 words

The subheadline also gives readers that extra nudge. Or, to put it in the word’s of Gary Korisko, “the often overlooked subhead is really a stealthy and lethal ninja writing weapon just sitting there quietly waiting to be put to good use.”

The Formula for a Winning Headline, Subheadline & CTA Combo

Now, let’s get into the good stuff: the surefire, failsafe, absolutely reliable way to make your subheadline as atomically powerful as it can be.

I want to explain how you can create a subheadline that will do what you want it to do. To do so, you must use your subheadline strategically with two other elements: the headline and the call to action. Together, these three elements work like quick, successive bursts of information and opportunity.

It’s kind of like a three-man basketball team: one person dribbles it in and passes it to the second guy, the second guy tosses the layup, and the third guy dunks it.  

Here’s another way to look at the formula:

• Headline. Grab their attention.
• Subheadline. Draw them in deeper.
• Call-to-Action. Tell them what to do.

Now, let’s walk through what each element does.

1) Headline

The reason why headlines are such a big deal is because they are the first thing that a user looks at when they see a webpage. (Obviously, you want to make that first line really pop.)

Here’s a sample eye tracking study demonstrating the power of the headline. According to the map, more eyes spend more time on headlines than any other part of the page.

Image Credit: Wholegrain Digital

With your headline, you should say something that grabs their attention, revs up their engine, or makes them excited. If you don’t give them a strong reason to linger on your headline, then your subheadline won’t get read. End of story.

2) Subheadline

Explosive headlines should pull the reader down into the content, making them want whatever it is you are featuring or talking about.

Here are three things that you can do with your subheadline:

• Explain more. If your product or service needs a bit more explanation, then try expanding on it with your subheadline.
• Talk about benefits. Benefit-focused headlines are great. By emphasizing how a product or service will improve the user’s life, you can dramatically advance the page’s power.
• Encourage action. A subheadline is also a great way to get users to do something. If you successfully encourage action, it’s only a short hop for them to click the call to action button below.

The nature of your subheadline depends on your headline. You can choose one of the techniques above, or split test different varieties to see which one is best for your users.

3) Call-to-Action

Your call-to-action closes the deal. Your headline and subheadline should bring the reader to the logical climax of acting on what he or she knows.

Without the call-to-action, the reader is left wondering “What now?” Don’t let that happen. Instead, make the user respond to the message that they have just read.

Let me review the model once more:

• Headline. Grab attention or spark curiosity.
• Subheadline. Explain, show benefits, or encourage action.
• Call-to-Action. Give them a chance to do it.

What’s the impact of this three-step process on the reader?

• Headline. “What is this?”
• Subheadline. “I want it!”
• Call-to-Action. “I’ll do it!”

Let’s take a deeper dive into the five things that will produce outstanding subheads.

5 Elements That Will Make Your Subheadline Irresistible

Here are the key factors that will make your subheadline shine.

The right words. Choose your words carefully because you can’t use very many. Here are some options, taken from Buffer’s “Big List of 189 Words That Convert”: new, sensational, remarkable, secret, take, you, introducing, improvement, amazing, free, because, suddenly, promote, increase, etc.

Here are a few tips to help you narrow your focus:

• Choose the right length. A good subheadline should take just a few seconds to read. I recommend keeping your subheadline between 10 and 30 words. Double the length of your headline is a good length.
• Aim for the right amount of information. Tell the user just enough. You don’t want to explain everything. You want some of that curiosity to stay with them so they will click on the CTA below.
• Include the right amount of persuasion. It’s important to use your subheadline for its intended purpose — to coax the user to convert. Go ahead and pull out the persuasive stops!

13 Examples of Great Subheadlines

Seeing helpful examples of headlines is one of the best ways to learn the magic. Check these out.

1) Spotify

See how Spotify uses the top headline to grab your attention. It’s a short, punchy statement with visceral appeal. The subheadline explains and encourages action.

2) Scratch Wireless

Scratch Wireless actually uses two subheadlines. I guess they needed to add a few extra benefits. The main headline is a head-jerking command and the subheadline coaxes users with the word “free” and a few more benefits.

3) GitHub

GitHub’s subheadline is a bit long-ish … but it does a comprehensive job of encouraging action. If you’re ready to sign up, the subheadline tells you what you need to know — product capabilities, scope, and price.

4) Oscar

Oscar health insurance uses a clean and simple interface to advance their idea of health insurance — smart and simple. They’re subheadline (in black) explains what Oscar is.

5) Bellroy

The Bellroy shop has a bold three-word headline. Your eyes are naturally searching for an explanation, and the subheadline provides it. The subheadline explains what the product is and why you should consider buying it.

6) Avocode

Avocode uses their headline to explain the product, and their subheadline advances this explanation with even more information and a benefit.

7) Kalexiko

Kalexiko’s brilliant site has a simple headline and simple subheading. The subheadline explains what they are: a “digital design & development agency.”

8) Apple

Apple is the master of compelling subheadlines. Their products need little explanation or introduction, so they woo users with persuasive tactics.

9) Fitbit

Fitbit produces wearable fitness devices. Their subheadline does a helpful job of explaining the image below in brief terms so users will want to see the product selection.

10) Chrome

Chrome takes the benefit-focused approach with their subheadline.

11) Infusionsoft

The main page for Infusionsoft has a three-benefit headline. Their subheadline explains it. And it does it all in 19 words.

12) Medium

Medium’s two subheadlines explain and encourage action.

13) Crazy Egg

Crazy Egg is a tool that shows user-behavior on your website. The subheadline helps to advance this concept further by explaining what the product does.

The most powerful subheadlines are those that speak directly to the user and help them take the next step. By using the combo, following these tips, and writing with clarity, you can watch your website’s effectiveness increase.

What are some good examples of subheadlines that you’ve seen? Share them in the comments section below.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year—when all of your current customers are joined by brand new buyers hoping to find something for the ones they love. This is the beauty of the holiday season, but only if you managed to make those brand new customers stick around in the New Year. If you’re settling for a bump in sales in November and December, then you’re really missing out on the true gift.

So, how can you make that one-time buyer your new best friend? Let’s take a look.

Listen

It’s busy this time of year, and you’ve got a lot on your mind. In between updating your website, creating your sales, hiring new staff, and carrying packages to the post office, you might forget the most important piece: the customer. Remember that people often buy for loved ones rather than themselves for the holidays. That means the people shelling out their hard-earned dough probably have no idea what your company is all about.

They’re going to have lots of questions, and they won’t be afraid to ask. They will, however, take their business elsewhere if you’re not responsive. Be ready to catch emails, social media posts, phone calls, and even questions in the comment section of your blog. Give thoughtful answers that focus on the need rather than an answer you think will sell a product. Transparency and honesty go a long way toward starting a relationship. 

Inform

Sometimes people are too busy to ask—or maybe they don’t even know which questions should come first. If you take a proactive position of informing and educating, you can get them the answers they don’t even know they need yet. Start with the questions most people ask when they encounter your company or products.

You can also show various ways for your product to be used, share tutorials, advise on upgrades and accessories, and—maybe most important during this time of year—provide information for returns and refunds. 

Take That Extra Step

If you know the products ordered are gifts, consider helping the buyer along with the wrapping stage. By tossing the items in a box and sealing it, you take some of the magic out of the holiday season. You may even take some of the magic out of your own company.

If you take a few extra steps by folding garments neatly, including decorative packing materials, and maybe even gift wrapping the box, you show that first-time buyer that you really do care about each dollar they spent.

Prep for Returns

You never want to see a purchase come back for any reason, but sometimes it just happens. Maybe the buyer got a wrong size. Maybe the recipient changed his mind. Whatever the reason for a return may be, you want to be as engaging and helpful as possible. If you’ve already made your return policy clear, then you’ve already won half the battle.

When you get the request, listen to the reason. Maybe you can make suggestions that fix the problem. Do they need a different size? Can you send them a tutorial on assembling the product? Was there something wrong with the product? If you can provide a solution that makes everyone happy, the buyer will remember that. If you can’t, happily refund the money and thank them for their purchase. Keep in mind that buyers who’ve been happy with your company so far might just accept that refund in the form of gift cards.

Keep in Touch 

Once the purchase has been made, be sure to follow up with the buyer after the holiday season. Did the recipient love the gift? Are there other questions you can answer for the buyer? Can you share some other items that might make the gift even better?

Remembering that the first-time customers only found you because of a gift for their loved ones, make suggestions that the buyer may find interesting. With the data you’ve already collected by this point, you can segment your emails in new and exciting ways to reach them. And hey, maybe they’ll never need your products for themselves, but if you impress them enough, they may return later for other gifts.

Work and a busy schedule can take a lot out of a person. Thankfully, the holidays are a great time to slow down, recharge, spend time seeing your loved ones, and do things you wouldn’t normally have time to do.

While it can be tempting to fill your holiday schedule with travel and funtivities, there is something to be said about making time to tackle some of the things that have been collecting dust in your mental backlog.

To help you get ahead for the upcoming year, we’ve put together a list of 17 ideas for productive things to do during your downtime this holiday season. Once you’ve picked your favorites, try using one of these awesome to-do list tools to keep yourself on course.

17 Productive Things to Do During Your Downtime

1) Play around with new technology.

There’s never a good time to learn how to Snapchat when you’ve got a billion other things going on, but learning those new technologies is important. For example, Snapchat gets 4 billion video views per day, according to an International Business Times report. That’s the same number as Facebook.

So why not use your downtime over the holidays to download and play around with some of these new technologies? A few that we recommend include Snapchat, Periscope (read this post for some great Periscope tips), messaging apps like Slack and WhatsApp, and photo editing apps to improve your content creation skills.

2) Write thank-you notes.

Take advantage of the opportunity to make someone’s day by writing them a meaningful, personal thank-you note. It’s a way to distinguish yourself in our increasingly informal, digital world.

Thank-you notes are an easy way to show your appreciation, but there are two roadblocks that cause people to not do it: They don’t have thank-you cards or they don’t know what to write. Let us help out:

1. Buy blank or thank-you notes in bulk. It’s as easy as searching “thank-you cards” on Amazon and buying your favorite pack. (Don’t forget to stock up on stamps, too!) Or, you could go digital using the Postagram app for iPhone: It lets you type up a quick thank-you note to someone, snap a photo, and then they receive an actual, physical card.
2. Here’s a thank-you note template from Hallmark.

3) Schedule all your appointments.

Go see your doctor, your dentist, and your barber or hair stylist. Take your pet to the vet for a check-up. Get the oil changed in your car. Think of all those minor inconveniences you just can’t seem to get to when you’re on your regular schedule, and check them off the list. (Or at least schedule them for the future.)

4) Talk to your friends and family about what you do, if they’re interested. 

While you should take advantage of the time you have away from work to dial back and focus on other parts of your life, you don’t need to remove work from your mind completely. Talking about what you do with the people you love is different from actually doing it. Work is such an important part of our lives and takes up a huge chunk of our waking hours, so sometimes sharing that with family and friends can actually be a bonding exercise.

If your friends and family aren’t familiar with what you do or are interested in learning more, now’s a great time to fill them in on what you do all day, why you like it (or don’t like it), and what you’re hoping to do in the future. Who knows, you could pick up some great insights from people who are removed from your day-to-day. 

(Inbound marketers, feel free to steal some ideas from this oldie but goodie: “6 Ways to Explain Inbound Marketing to Your Family.”)

5) Call your long-distance friends.

You know that list of friends and family members you’ve been meaning to catch up with, but never seem to find the time? Open your phone, find a comfortable spot to sit, and give them a call with your full attention. Now’s the perfect time to connect with people you don’t see regularly but want to stay in touch with.

6) Start building a habit.

Some say it takes 21 days to build a habit. Others say it takes a lot longer. But exactly how long it takes doesn’t really matter. The point is, you have to put the work in up front if you want a habit to stick. So why not use the holidays to get started?

Whether you want to start flossing every day or writing in a journal before bed each night, take the time during your downtime to start habit-forming and set yourself up for success.

7) Learn a new skill for your job.

Most people have a skill they’ve always wanted to learn to advance their career, but simply haven’t gotten around to.

Ever wanted to learn basic coding? Codecademy’s HTML/CSS courses can be finished over the course of a holiday without overly interrupting family time.

Ever wanted to learn your way around Photoshop? Start by following along with a beginner’s tutorial like the one in this blog post. (And if you’re a marketer who’s not sure where to start, here’s a free ebook that analyzes today’s most in-demand marketing skills.)

If you really don’t have the time to dig into a new skill, you can at least use the time to set yourself up for starting to learn one in the new year. Spend some time browsing conferences or classes you could take and figuring out where you can fit them into your schedule.

8) Learn a new skill not for your job.

Skills that aren’t related to your job are usually even more fun to learn. What about learning pottery? Taking a new type of workout class? Learning a new language with an app like Duolingo — perhaps for a country you’ll be traveling to this year? Try to pick something that uses parts of your brain that you don’t usually tap into during the workday. It can do wonders for your happiness, creativity, and wellbeing — and hey, you may even find a new passion or meet people who end up making a huge impact on your life.

9) Make reservations for future plans and trips.

Whether you have a whole trip coming up or even just a dinner, spend some time doing the thoughtful research you may not otherwise have time to do — and make reservations as far in advance as possible. These things can end up sneaking up on you, so making plans early helps guarantee you won’t lose out on some cool opportunities. Not to mention, it’ll leave you feeling less stressed out down the line.

10) Catch up on reading.

Here’s a classic but essential vacation tip: Catch up on those books or articles you’ve been wanting to get to so badly. It’s really hard to find time to read when you’re busy with work, but now that you’re on vacation, you can cuddle up with a blanket and a book. If you’re looking for suggestions, check out this list of 11 fascinating books on Harvard Business School’s required reading list.

11) Listen to podcasts.

Podcasts serve as an amazing way to pass the time on planes, trains, and automobiles during the heavy travel season. The key is picking and downloading what you want to listen to before you go on the trip, when you have WiFi. That way, you’re not draining your battery while on the move.

We recommend a good mix of genres: business, comedy, true crime, etc. Here are two lists of exceptional podcasts we’ve put together in the past year: “8 of the Best Overall Podcasts” and “The Top 10 Best Business Podcasts.”

12) Organize your inbox.

There are a lot of ways to organize your inbox. If you use Gmail, my personal favorite is the Klinger method for getting to inbox zero and staying there. If inbox zero isn’t your cup of tea, here’s a list of 11 of the best tools for organizing your inbox.

Organizing your inbox isn’t the same as checking email, though. Don’t get sucked in! Organize your inbox, and then log off and enjoy your break.

13) Volunteer.

Serving others has a long list of intangible benefits, like pride, satisfaction, accomplishment, connections with others, strengthening your community, and improving the lives of others. There are health benefits, too: Along with social benefits, a growing body of research shows there’s a strong relationship between volunteering and physical health.

Don’t have a specific cause in mind? Check out your local library, youth center, animal shelter, homeless shelter, or hospital to see if they’re in need of volunteers. VolunteerMatch.org is another great place to find good causes in your local community for a wide variety of time commitments.

14) Find a quiet space to let your mind wander.

When we’re deep in our work routines, it can be hard to tear ourselves away from our immediate tasks and goals. But not removing ourselves from these things can mean we miss out on seeing interesting new connections and developing innovations. This is especially true during the busy weeks leading up to the holidays.

Take some time to remove yourself from your day-to-day — even from your family and friends — to be alone and reflect. Daydream about being your own customer, or your competitor, or what it’s like to be the product you produce. Analyze how you’ve been spending your time over the past few months and whether you’d like to make changes in the upcoming year. 

15) Get exercise in.

I’m not going to get into the benefits of exercise (or we’d be here for a while), but the holiday season is an especially hard time to keep a consistent workout routine. Factors like cooler temperatures, less daylight, busy travel schedules, and food-oriented gatherings can all throw off your schedule. But staying active — even just a little bit each day — can be easy and fun. The American Heart Association recommends 40 minutes of aerobic exercise three to four times per week.

Not an athlete? Physical activity doesn’t have to be intense. Find an activity like walking, shoveling snow, vacuuming — heck, even shopping — that gets the blood flowing. Something is always better than nothing.

16) Set goals for next year.

It’s amazing how quickly the New Year can sneak up on you. You’re better off setting aside some time during the holidays to reflect on the past year and make goals for the new one. Setting goals gives you a baseline for measuring success, and the motivation to stay on course when things get crazy.

Setting goals can be as simple as creating two lists: one of your accomplishments this past year, and one of your goals for the next year. To get more specific, you can break larger goals into smaller ones by month. If you want to really dig in to your goals and ground them in reality, try setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound) and make a plan for staying on course.

17) Do any work-related tasks in the morning.

Although it’d be ideal to leave all your real work for when you’re back in the office, some people simply get more stressed out when they’re disconnected. The thought of missing an important email, or even just returning to an inbox that’s bursting at the seams, can be incredibly daunting for some.

If you’re one of those people, use the morning hours when everyone else is asleep to get your work-related tasks done. By the time everyone wakes up, you’ll have checked off a few key to-dos, made yourself feel better, and will be able to focus on spending time with family and friends.

What other ideas do you have for using your downtime during the holidays? Share with us in the comments.

This post originally appeared on Agency Post. To read more content like this, subscribe to Agency Post.

Few of us truly enjoy meetings in large part because they are often cited as a huge waste of time. For instance, in a study for Harvard Business Review, a group of consultants from Bain & Company analyzed the calendars of key employees for one company and found that one weekly executive meeting consumed 300,000 hours each year.

Here’s the specific breakdown:

• A weekly meeting took up 7,000 hours for the top executives involved.
• Another 20,000 hours of meetings among department heads and executives were generated in preparation for the meetings listed above.
• Each team averaged 63,000 hours in preparation and generated an additional 210,000 hours in more preparatory meetings.

Although the size of the company had some influence on the numbers, it’s clear that employees are spending a hefty portion of their work lives in meetings. However, are there any behaviors or phrases that grind away at employee engagement and color participants’ general feelings toward meetings? The team at Igloo Software decided to look for answers. Their researchers surveyed 1,000 people to see what aggravates employees the most about meetings and grouped responses by age and gender for even further insights.

Here I’ll walk you through four key takeaways to keep in mind as you plan your next meeting.

1) Although there is a general consensus that meetings are productive, millennials actually find meetings more productive than their older counterparts.

Igloo’s data indicate that most people — exactly 53% — actually find meetings productive. However, further analysis indicates that though each gender’s view on productivity was similar, there is a key distinction between millennials and older generations: Nearly 20% more millennials than older employees find meetings productive. More specifically, the data indicate the following:

• Women are just shy of a 50/50 split — exactly 51% of women find meetings productive.
• More than 55% of millennials find meetings productive.
• Nearly 55% of older respondents believe meetings are actually unproductive.

2) Although more than 75% of participants are annoyed by meetings they deem unnecessary, older generations are less tolerant of off-topic meetings compared with millennials. 

The data set reveals that a majority of participants are annoyed the most by meetings they consider unnecessary. However, when Igloo broke down the results by millennials and older participants, the numbers indicated a clear distinction in the second-largest pet peeve: Nearly 10% more of those age 35 and older find meetings that stray off topic annoying compared with younger participants. Other insights include the following:

• The second most popular meeting pet peeve to millennials is when someone repeats what another person said, earning more than 55% of the vote.
• Older generations tend to be more annoyed in general with in-person meetings than younger participants: Only three pet peeves — unnecessary meetings, repeating what someone else already said, and not staying on topic — earned more than 50% of the millennial vote compared with the six peeves that earned more than half of the age 35 and older crowd’s vote.
• Most participants aren’t too annoyed with people eating or drinking in meetings — it earned less than 25% of the vote in each age group.

3) Females are more annoyed by “win-win,” and “synergy” is a key pet peeve for males.

The survey also took a look at some common corporate buzzwords to see if any words are more annoying than others. The research indicates that although four out of the top five most annoying phrases are the same for each gender, there is one noticeable distinction: “Synergy” is included in the top five for men but absent for women; it is replaced with “win-win.”

When the data set is expanded to look at the 10 most annoying words to each gender, the list reveals similar results. Although the phrases aren’t in the same order, both males and females tend to be annoyed by the same ones:

• Think outside the box
• A lot on my plate
• Bring to the table
• Touch base
• Win-win
• Going forward
• Rockstar
• Synergy
• Paradigm shift

Which words should you avoid? Nearly 50% of all participants are annoyed by “think outside the box” — exactly 80% more than those annoyed by “return on investment” and “bandwidth” combined.

4) Generational gaps exist for conference calls: Nearly 20% more millennials are less tolerant of people who forget to mute themselves compared with their older counterparts.

As working remotely becomes more common, more businesses are relying on conference calls to connect with their teams. Igloo took a closer look at this trend, and the data indicate that pet peeves differ between millennials and older respondents. Although a majority of participants in each age group — nearly 65% — are most annoyed by overall poor reception/not being able to hear on conference calls, key distinctions surface after analyzing other behaviors:

• Exactly 10% more respondents over the age of 35 are annoyed by callers who try to talk over others compared with their younger counterparts.
• Although most participants are annoyed with people who call from a noisy place, the data favor older generations slightly — by less than 10%.
• Regardless of age, though, a majority of respondents agree that all six conference call peeves listed are annoying — fewer than 5% of each age group are not annoyed by all six.

The biggest takeaway from Igloo’s research? It’s easy for employees to feel like they are wasting time in meetings, and worse — if you’re not prepared, they could be. Some recommendations to optimize your efforts include outlining an agenda and designating a set time for questions near the end. Pay attention to how much of your workday is slated for your next meeting, and look for areas where you can improve. Although it might be nearly impossible to eliminate meetings entirely, check out the infographic below for insights into which phrases to avoid in an effort to boost engagement and productivity.

This post originally appeared on HubSpot’s Sales Blog. To read more content like this, subscribe to Sales.

As the saying goes, people don’t leave their jobs, they leave their bosses. So if you’ve been blessed with a teamful of rockstars, you should probably make sure your management style isn’t making direct reports anxiously eye the door.

Pepperdine University put the following infographic together as a primer on how to be a good manager. Some of my favorite snippets of wisdom:

• “Keep your sights on what’s right — not what you want right now.” (Tweet This)
• “Accept changes as part of growth, and encourage employees to do the same” (Tweet This)
• “Celebrate success. Don’t just say it — show it!” (Tweet This)

Whether you’ve recently been appointed the head of a team or you’ve been a manager for 30 years, the graphic below is well worth a read.