The headline earned the click. The lead, the first 100 words, earns the next five minutes. Lose the lead and no amount of body copy saves you. Every master copywriter talks about the lead as the second-most-important section after the headline, and explicitly said the first sentence's only job is to make the reader read the second sentence.
Classical direct-response teaching codifies the main lead types used in the field. These have proven durable across a century of copy:
Open with the offer itself. "For $97, you can get the complete [thing]." Works when the prospect is already stage 5, most aware. Minimal persuasion, just information.
Open with the big benefit restated. "You're about to learn exactly how to [outcome]." Direct, simple. Works in stage 1–2 markets.
Open with the problem the reader feels. "You've been told that [common belief]. It's wrong, and here's why." Works in most markets. Sets up a mechanism reveal later.
Open with a scene. Specific character, specific moment. "At 11pm on a Tuesday, Sarah was staring at her dashboard…" Works when the story directly mirrors the reader's situation. The classic copywriters used this constantly.
Open with an intriguing claim or fact that demands explanation. "There's a specific 3-minute sequence that the top 1% of sales reps run. Most managers never teach it, most reps never discover it."
Announce something. "As of January 2026, the rules of paid acquisition on [platform] have changed, here's what it means for your business." Works when there's genuinely news.
A rule across all lead types: lead with "you." The word "you" in sentence 1 pulls the reader in; "I" or "we" pushes them away. Most first-time copywriters write leads about themselves. Rewrite every self-referential sentence until "you" is the subject.
Break the first 100 words into chunks:
This isn't a rigid template; it's a rhythm. Read winning direct-response copy and you'll see this shape repeatedly.
The test: "The only job of the first sentence is to make you read the second sentence. The only job of the second sentence is to make you read the third." Apply this literally. Audit your opening sentence, does it actually make the reader want the next one?
Weak opening:
"Running a business is hard. There are many challenges."
Strong opening:
"At 2:14am last Tuesday, Kevin's phone buzzed. Another refund request, the seventh this week."
Specific time, specific place, specific feeling. "Your CRM dashboard at 5pm on a Friday" beats "the end of a long week." Modern readers have seen every cliché. Specificity breaks through.
Admit something unexpected up front. "Most of what you've been told about [thing] is wrong, and I've been part of telling you." The unexpected candor earns trust.
State something that contradicts the market's default belief. "The best sales reps I've ever hired didn't go to college. Here's the pattern." Contrarian + specific.
Ask a question the reader must answer in their head. "When's the last time you measured your customer acquisition cost, not blended, but by channel?" Engages the reader's mind in a way a statement doesn't.
Related: Headlines · Body copy · AIDA, PAS, PASTOR · Story selling