I decided to write a press release today for the new GrouperEye.com launch. The body of the press release was fairly easy to write. I threw in some quotes (from myself, which seemed a bit awkward) while describing what we are trying to do here at GrouperEye.
Stumped, I pondered here in front of my laptop for at least 15 minutes trying to come up with a ”catchy” headline. I even googled “how to write a great headline.” A blog called CopyBlogger popped up in my google results and their article had some cool ideas about headlines: (1) you should spend half of the entire time it takes to write a piece of persuasive content on the headline, (2) on average, 8 out of 10 people will read headline copy, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest, (3) David Ogilvy rewrote this famous headline for an automobile advertisement 104 times: “At 60 miles an hour, the only thing you hear in the new Rolls Royce is the ticking of the dashboard clock …”
This headline process has made me wonder: what if you could choose only one headline? What would your headline be? What headline would you chose for your job? What headline would you choose for your internship posting? What headline would you chose for your life? Think long and hard!
Our press release and headline:
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High GPA, Who Cares? Ideas Win Now.
GrouperEye.com Matches Motivated Students With First Jobs
Life just got easier for students seeking outlets for their original idea. GrouperEye.com has launched an online service that facilitates real-time case competitions. The company’s goal is to match remarkable students with remarkable organizations.
“The line of continuity, from student, to graduate, to first job offer has been broken, “says GrouperEye.com founder Ted Williams.”Nowadays, it seems students can only find respectable jobs in one of two ways. Either they have close to a 4.0 GPA and apply to well-known companies or they have connections that help them get their foot in the door. Most of us just settle. Settle for what is easy. Settle for what is comfortable. Settle because we don’t know what else to do. Well, not any-more.”
How does GrouperEye work? Companies post a case. This case may be a real time problem or opportunity that they are experiencing. For example, a newspaper could post “What should our online version look like?” An amusement park could post “What should our next ride be like?” A restaurant could post “How can we sell more appetizers on Thursdays?” Students then compete to come up with the best solution to submit to the company. After the submission deadline, company representatives evaluate solutions and choose a winner. This winner receives a $100 prize and any additional offering by the company.
Students receive cash, experience, a boost to their portfolio, and the chance to get noticed for a job opportunity. Companies gain access to hungry young talent, a free employee screening mechanism, a pool of original ideas, and generate goodwill buzz. Educators receive real business opportunities to teach from, student placement, and the chance to compete.
Since its launch in January of 2009, GrouperEye.com, a D.C.-based startup, has landed two of the coolest companies in D.C. as clients: multimedia financial services company, The Motley Fool, and organic beverage company, Honest Tea. The site also has registered students from some of the top universities in the country including Harvard, Duke, UVA, UNC, Emory, UT, UF, Georgetown, Cornell, and many more.
“We care about delivering remarkably talented students to companies that love them,” says Mr. Williams. “We care about creating opportunities for those students that with the best ideas. We care about transforming the whole system. It is time for a revolution and we want to lead it.”
GrouperEye is based on three simple principles. (1) Young people are valuable to organizations. (2) The system for young people finding meaningful work is broken. (3) The solution is for organizations to meet, talk, and collaborate with young people earlier, more often, and in creative ways. Learn more at http://www.GrouperEye.com. Ideas have never been sweeter.
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If the Wall Street Journal is reading this blog, permission granted to run with an article!
