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Time is money. Save both.
Headlines from Ramp, Clay, Lex, Chapter One
Hey there!
Welcome to H1 Gallery — a collection of the best marketing headlines on the internet.
The reception to last week’s edition was great! It went out to 475 subscribers.
This week’s is going out to 600+.
I added the long write ups that I also have on the website to this edition in addition to thoughts from every founder or key stakeholder that played a role in crafting these headlines. I’d love to know what you think.
Either reply to the poll at the bottom of this email or simply hit reply.
I’d love to find the perfect balance of too little/too much with your help.
— Ryan (@rjgilbert)
P.S. In case you somehow found this newsletter from somewhere/someone other than me… I also publish another newsletter called Workspaces that I think you might also enjoy.
Time is money. Save both.
Ramp's headline "Time is money. Save both." is marketing headline goals.
The first part, "Time is money," is a well-known saying. By using this familiar phrase, Ramp immediately connects with a wide range of potential users who agree that, yes, time is indeed money.
However, "Save both" is where the headline really shines. It's a clever twist that extends the initial concept and clearly communicates Ramp's value proposition. This brief addition implies that Ramp can help users save both time and money, which are two of the most critical resources in any business.
The brevity of the headline is striking. In just five words, Ramp manages to convey a complete and compelling message. This conciseness aligns well with the idea of efficiency that the company is promoting.
The structure of two short sentences creates a punchy rhythm that makes the headline more memorable. The first sentence sets up a premise, and the second delivers the payoff, creating a satisfying cognitive "click" for the reader.
By focusing on saving both time and money, the headline also appeals to multiple stakeholders within a business. It speaks to both operational efficiency and financial performance, making it relevant to various decision-makers. A no-brainer all around is a marketing win.
10/10 headline.
In Ramp’s words:
Good copy feels like an inside joke. The “time is money” reference pulls people in with something familiar and recognizable and then gives it a memorable twist. That was the intent for the structure.
Our mission is to make all work purposeful and to save our customers their two most valuable resources, their people’s time and their shareholders’ money. This encapsulates our mission, and speaks to the core objectives and benefits of Ramp’s software.
Finally, manage all your personal and professional relationships
Clay's headline "Finally, manage all your personal and professional relationships" is an effective headline that stands out in a crowded and tried market of personal CRMs.
Opening the headline with "Finally" is eye-catching. You don't see many brands start their H1 with this but in the case of Clay it works as they are selling users on a major change and breathe of fresh air compared to the outdated and ineffective tools that they are used to.
The use of "all" is comprehensive and ambitious. It positions Clay as a one-stop solution for relationship management, covering both personal and professional spheres. This range of application makes the tool seem highly valuable and versatile for all potential users.
The word "manage" implies organization, control, and efficiency. In a world where people often feel overwhelmed by their social and professional networks (see: LinkedIn), the promise of being able to "manage" these relationships is appealing. It suggests that Clay can bring order to what might otherwise feel chaotic or overwhelming.
The headline also taps into the growing recognition of the importance of relationship management in both personal fulfillment and professional success. By framing relationship management as something that can and should be actively managed, Clay positions itself as a tool for personal and professional growth.
Great mission. Great headline.
In Clay’s words:
We’ve gone through hundreds of iterations of our h1 at this point! We even had an entire wall setup in our New York office filled with countless variants.
When we redesigned our homepage to coincide with our new teams product, we decided to try and earnestly understand how our customers thought and felt about Clay. So we sent out a survey and jumped on the phone with many of them.
Then my cofounder Matt Achariam went through, synthesized and cleaned up the options, and narrowed them down to about 5-10 top contenders. Finally, we tested a few in various formats to see how they would work on the homepage, ad copy, etc. Every word was intentionally chosen to be punchy and communicate a message to a particular type of customer.
The “finally” was a happy coincidence that was inspired by these calls we had where people fed up with using Airtable, LinkedIn, Hubspot, Affinity, etc. would just exclaim “finally!” after using Clay. If you’re one of our target personas, you will certainly feel some element of “finally! here is the solution I’ve been searching for”.
Write something great today.
Lex's headline "Write something great today" is a simple yet powerful message. Everyone wishes they were a great writer.
The headline is direct and action-oriented. It starts with a verb (Write) which immediately encourages the user to take action. This active language can be motivating and energizing for potential users.
The use of "something great" sets an aspirational tone without being overly specific. It appeals to a wide range of writers — whether they're working on a novel, a marketing blog post, a film script, or any other form of writing.
"Today" adds a sense of urgency and achievability (I think this is a word) to the message. It suggests that this "greatness" isn't a distant goal but something that is actually attainable right now. This can be very encouraging for writers who might be procrastinating or experiencing writer's block.
The brevity of the headline aligns well with the concept of clear, concise writing. In just four words, Lex communicates its purpose and value proposition.
I personally use Lex to write and I'm pretty sure it's the headline that drew me in.
In Lex’s words:
There's a lot of subtle things that I think work about it:
1. You're still the writer, it's not about AI generating everything for you
2. You're aiming for "great" — aspirational
3. You can do it today — it's doable with Lex
Every great story starts with an iconic first chapter
As an early-stage venture fund you wouldn't necessarily think that Chapter One's headline would be grabbing attention but that's exactly what it's doing.
The headline of "Every great story starts with an iconic first chapter" cleverly plays on the company's name, integrating it seamlessly into a broader narrative about storytelling and beginnings. This creates an immediate connection between the brand and its message.
By using the word "every," the headline implies a universal truth about storytelling. This gives the statement a sense of authority and wisdom, positioning Chapter One as experts in their field.
"Great story" is an aspirational phrase that can appeal to a wide range of potential founders, regardless of their background or industry.
The use of "iconic" elevates the concept even further. It suggests that Chapter One doesn't just help create good beginnings but truly memorable ones.
The headline subtly communicates the importance of beginnings. By emphasizing the "first chapter," it suggests that starting strong is crucial to overall success.
With that comes an implied promise in this headline — that Chapter One can help create that "iconic first chapter." This positions the fund as a valuable partner in the storytelling of your business.
I don't know about you but this headline has me wanting to start a business with the help of Chapter One…
In Chapter One’s words:
We’re really looking for people who want to shape the world in a different way. Normally when you read a story, you have a protagonist who really becomes the focus of an epic adventure and we think of venture capital as a series of chapters that build up to a larger story.
So if you look at most companies, public or private, it really does look like a story when you reflect on all of the stages that a team must go through to accomplish greatness.
We really view the first part of that story as critical when you’re trying to find your early customers or product market fit. We think in many ways the first chapter can be the hardest because you’re trying to start your story and a lot of founders don’t make it out of the first chapter.
We really want to give founders and teams an unfair advantage to make that happen.
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If there’s a headline that you’d like to see featured — including your own — you can submit it here.
See you back here next week!
— Ryan (@rjgilbert)