How To Write A Great Marketing Hook

Chip Gregory
5 days ago
3 min read

Let’s start with a simple rule: Attention is the entry fee.

If you don’t earn it immediately, nothing else gets a chance to work.

Not your offer.

Not your visuals.

Not your carefully worded call to action.

Most “Hooks” Are Actually Pillows

In theory, everyone agrees hooks matter.

In practice, most of what passes for a hook is… soothing.

Soft. Polite.

Comforting.

Pillows. Great for naps. Terrible for stopping a scroll.

If your first line starts with “We’re excited to…”, congratulations — you’ve created something that actively encourages unconsciousness. Facebook won’t stop you, but it probably should.

Your opening line isn’t a welcome mat.

It’s a wake-up signal.

What a Hook Actually Is (And Isn’t)

A hook isn’t clickbait.

It isn’t a trick.

It isn’t a verbal jump scare.

A hook is recognition.

It works because it reflects something the reader already feels, worries about, or suspects. When done right, it doesn’t shout — it resonates.

Announcements assume attention.

Hooks earn it.

That difference is structural, not stylistic.

Why Announcements Don’t Survive the Scroll

“Now offering…”

“We’re excited to announce…”

“Check out our new…”

These phrases fail because they start from the wrong side of the equation.

They begin with you.

The scroll does not care about you yet.

It cares about itself.

Hooks interrupt gently but firmly — like a colleague leaning over and saying, “Hey… you might want to see this.”

How to Write a Hook That Actually Works

A good hook doesn’t come from cleverness.

It comes from listening.

If you’re staring at a blank screen trying to be “catchy,” you’re already off track. Hooks aren’t invented — they’re extracted.

Here’s the simplest way to do it.

Start with what your customer is already dealing with before they ever think about you.

Not your offer.

Not your service.

Not your announcement.

Their situation.

Ask yourself one question:

What is the moment they’re in right before they would need this?

That moment usually sounds like:

frustration
hesitation
fatigue
fear of choosing wrong
relief they’re hoping for but don’t trust yet

Then write the first line as if you’re finishing their sentence.

Not explaining.

Not selling.

Recognizing.

For example, don’t start with:

“We’re now offering…”

Start with:

“You’ve been putting this off because the last time didn’t go well.”

That’s a hook.

A good hook does three things at once:

It interrupts the scroll
It signals relevance (“this is for me”)
It earns permission to continue

If the first line doesn’t do all three, it’s not ready.

And here’s the test most people skip:

If you remove your logo, your brand colors, and your name — would the right person still stop?

If yes, you’ve got a hook.

If no, you’ve got a pillow.

Before / After: Observing the Hook in the Wild

Same offer. Same business.

Different physics.

BEFORE: Please support our year-end campaign.

AFTER: Families in our community are choosing between heat and groceries — here’s how we’re stepping in.

BEFORE: Contact us for your HVAC needs!

AFTER: Hearing strange noises from your furnace? Don’t ignore it.

BEFORE: Now taking catering orders for December.

AFTER: Hosting this month? Let us handle the food so you can breathe again.

Notice what changed. Not the offer.

The entry point.

Use a Hook for Everything (Yes, Everything)

Hooks aren’t just for social posts.

They belong in ads, emails, websites, videos, event promotions — even conversations. Anytime attention is required, a hook is required.

Hooks feel uncomfortable because they force specificity. They require you to choose a point of view, name a real tension, and commit publicly.

That discomfort isn’t danger. It’s energy.

Safe messaging doesn’t fail dramatically. It simply fades into background noise.