Struggling to get your health practice or business noticed? Without a strong way to grab attention, your promotions can fall flat, lost in the constant noise of online content. For wellness brands and practitioners trying to reach clients or patients consistently, marketing hooks are key.
Writing powerful hooks (opening lines) that draw people in is no small challenge. Whether you’re sharing on social media, through email, or on your website, the right hooks are essential to make your message magnetic and ensure your offers get the attention they deserve.
How to Add Hooks to Your Content & Copywriting
The first step is choosing the content platform that needs the most support right now. Do you need more eyes on your Instagram posts? Are you looking for better open rates in your emails? Identify where you want to see a difference and plug powerful hooks into the beginning of those messages.
Writing Hooks in the Beginning of Marketing Pieces
Regardless of your platform, hooks belong in the beginning of your marketing pieces. Not sure where to start? Here’s an example of an 7-week calendar for enhancing the first few seconds of your promotional messages:
Week 1 – Replace the first heading on your website homepage with a customized hook.
Week 2 – Write an email subject line using one of your hooks.
Week 3 – Start an Instagram caption with one of your hooks.
Week 4 – Introduce an Instagram Story series with a hook to grab viewers’ attention.
Week 5 – Create a Facebook graphic featuring one of your hooks.
Week 6 – Name a YouTube video using one of your hooks to get more clicks.
Week 7 – Begin a LinkedIn post with a hook that draws your audience in.
Want to fast-track this? Grab pre-made hook templates [link here] for instant ideas to get started.
Writing in Your Brand’s Voice
Just like people, every brand has a unique personality that makes it memorable. Below are five brand voices that can shape your message. Experiment with these to see which one feels natural for your business and resonates with your audience.
1. The Joker
The Joker’s voice is playful, ironic, and often humorous. If you like to keep things light, adding a bit of sarcasm or surprise is a great way to get people’s attention in a noisy online world.
The Joker also uses: playful emojis and cheeky captions that make people chuckle.
2. The Sweetheart
Sweethearts are all about warmth and encouragement. This voice feels like a comforting hug, making people feel safe and valued. It’s perfect for brands that emphasize kindness and support in their approach.
The Sweetheart also uses: personal photos and videos, as if chatting with an old friend.
3. The Rebel
The Rebel’s voice is bold and unfiltered, sometimes stirring the pot to challenge the status quo. This voice is ideal if your brand is about pushing boundaries or encouraging people to take a stand on important issues.
The Rebel also uses: clever code words to avoid censorship on social media (because their content goes there).
4. The Scientist
The Scientist’s voice is focused on logic and evidence, building trust through data, research, and studies. If you want to educate and earn credibility, this voice could be a powerful fit for your brand.
The Scientist also uses: infographics, charts, and other visuals to support factual claims.
5. The Inner Child
The Inner Child voice is genuine and vulnerable, highlighting psychological and emotional needs that resonate with people. This voice works well if your brand focuses on mental wellness or connection.
The Inner Child also uses: nostalgic references and heartfelt stories.
Blending Brand Voices to Surprise Your Audience
Instead of sticking to a single voice all year, try switching between two or more voices to engage different types of clients or patients. Maybe your January emails start with The Scientist’s logical tone to build trust, and by February, you’re lightening things up with The Joker’s humor.
Blending brand voices keeps your audience guessing – and keeps things interesting for you, too. It also helps connect with diverse clients who resonate with different moods, mindsets, and communication styles.
Remember: As you apply more than one brand voice to your content or copywriting, always stay true to your brand’s core identity. Authenticity makes every message more powerful, no matter what voice you use.
Why Hooks Work: The A.I.D.A. Marketing Formula
In marketing, A.I.D.A. is a tried-and-true concept that describes the journey of moving your audience from simply noticing your message to engaging with it.
A.I.D.A. stands for:
- Attention
- Interest
- Desire
- Action
Together, these four consecutive steps help you create a connection with your audience while leading them toward a decision: Will I become a client or patient?
Here’s a quick look at how each step works:
Attention
Grabbing attention is the first step – and the one that determines if your message will get noticed. It’s all about creating an initial *pause* moment for your audience, making them stop and take notice. To make this step work, you must write words, phrases, or questions that your reader recognizes. (Save the fancy terms or medical jargon for later.)
Interest
Once you have your reader’s attention, you need to hold it. This is the moment to show your reader that you understand their needs or goals. By introducing an outcome, a transformation, or a version of life that sparks interest, you can keep your audience engaged long enough to pitch your service or program.
Desire
Now that you have your reader’s attention and interest, it’s time to build desire. This desire is centered on your specific offer – not a generic version of a goal or experience. This step involves creating an emotional connection, making your offer something your audience genuinely wants. (This is how icky selling shifts into natural, persuasive communication.)
Action
Finally, you invite your reader to take action. Because the goal is to invite the reader into your world (your health practice or business), you are not asking them to take action by themselves. Instead, you’re suggesting a way for the two of you to come together.
Example actions to pitch to potential clients or patients:
- subscribe to my email list
- book an appointment with me
- call my office
- register for my event
- watch my video training
- download my digital resource
Writing Hooks: The Essential First Step in A.I.D.A.
Your hook falls squarely within that first “A” of A.I.D.A. – attention. Think of hooks as your primary tool to “stop the scroll” or spark curiosity within seconds.
Without an effective hook to grab attention, your offer might get lost, no matter how compelling your personality is or how effective your offer is. A well-crafted hook gives you the entry point you need to guide your audience through the rest of the A.I.D.A. journey.
This is exactly why I created 52 Marketing Hook Templates for Your Health & Wellness Business. These hooks are designed to help you grab attention instantly, setting the stage for the rest of your message to make an impact.
More Ways to Grab Attention in Marketing: Visuals and Audio
I’ve spoken a bunch about words, but visuals and audio are also powerful tools for hooking your audience members.
Common attention-grabbers to combine with strong writing:
Bold Images
Photos, graphics, or videos with striking colors, unique compositions, or interesting focal points are highly effective for standing out in a busy feed.
Typography
Bold or unusual fonts help make key messages pop, especially when paired with minimalist
backgrounds.
Audio Cues
A catchy beat or voice clip can make a difference on audio-friendly platforms, quickly grabbing a listener’s attention.
Why Hooks Are Essential for Written Content
While visuals and audio are effective, writing hooks is what brings your written content to life. Strong hooks in your captions, headlines, and subject lines grab attention even without the help of flashy visuals or sound. In the context of A.I.D.A., a well-crafted hook captures attention instantly, setting the stage for a deeper connection with your audience.
By focusing on hook writing, especially if your main content platform is text-based (like email, blogs, or website copy), you’re ensuring that your message shines.
Final Thoughts: Authenticity Above All
Your number one assignment is to find the balance between following others’ writing suggestions and using your authentic voice. Yes, there’s always room to adapt and experiment within the five brand types we saw earlier (The Joker, The Sweetheart, The Rebel, The Scientist, and The Inner Child). Still, your audience will be most drawn to your message when it’s consistent, authentic, and speaks from your values.
If you’re ready to keep your content and copywriting engaging all year, check out my 52 Marketing Hook Templates for Your Health & Wellness Business. This 100% customizable guide is packed with tools to help you connect with your audience in ways that feel natural and compelling.
You’ll get an introduction to the five brand voices reviewed in this blog post, AND you’ll see each hook written in five distinct ways.
Here’s what’s inside of this template:
✓ Copy-and-Paste: All 52 hooks are available in Google Doc and PDF formats.
✓ Practice: Join me for a hook-writing exercise, inspired by my award-winning client in the esthetics industry – plus two of their go-to hooks that deliver results.
✓ Multiple Views: You can view each hook template by week, by brand voice, or by format (question vs. statement) for easy reference.
Whether you’re improving your writing for Instagram, email, or your website, these hooks are your key to keeping your marketing fresh, on-point, and engaging. Grab your 52 Marketing Hook Templates, and start building a year of magnetic, effective writing!
