The layout draws readers into the ad and invites them to read the

bodycopy
23rd
• Use one central visual.
• Headline set in large, bold type.
• Body copy set underneath headline and visual.
• Body copy set in clear, readable type.
• Space between paragraphs increases readability.
• Subheads help draw the eye through the text.
• Copy should be printed black on a white background. Copy printed in reverse, on
a tint, or over a visual is difficult to read.
• Short paragraphs are easier to read than long ones.
• The lead paragraph should be very short—less than three lines of type, if
possible.
• Simple visuals are best. Visuals with too many elements in themconfuse the
reader.
• The best layout is a simple layout: headline, large visual, body copy, logo.
Additional elements—a subhead, a sidebar, secondary photos—can enhance the
ad’s readability, but too many make it cluttered and unappealing to the eye.
• Many art directors believe that ads must have a large amount of “white space”
(blank space) or else they will look cluttered and people won’t read them. But, if
your typography is clean and readable, you can set a solid page of text and people
will read every word of it.
The copyis interesting to read
Here are a few things that add interest to advertisements:
• Copy that speaks directly to the reader’s life, the reader’s emotions, the reader’s
needs and desires
• Copy that tells a story
• Copy about people
• Copy written in a personal style, so that it sounds like a letter from a friend:
warm, helpful, and sincere
• Testimonials fromcelebrities
• A free offer (of a gift, a pamphlet, a brochure, or a sample)
• Copy that contains important news
• Copy that addresses major issues: beauty, health, old age, parenting, marriage,
home, security, family, careers, education, social issues
• Copy that answers important questions readers have in their minds
• Copy about a subject that interests the reader
Here are some things that make ads boring:
• Copy that centers on the manufacturer—that talks about the company, its
philosophy, its success
• Copy that talks about how the product is made or how it works rather than what it
can do for the reader
• Copy that tells readers things they already know
• Long-winded copy with big words, lengthy sentences, and large unbroken chunks
of text
• Copy in which all sentences are the same length (varying sentence length adds
snap to writing)
• Copy that gives product features instead of customer benefits
• Copy without a point of view—without a strong selling proposition or a cohesive
sales pitch (such copy presents the facts without really showing the reader how
these facts relate to his needs)
• Ads with cluttered layouts and poorly reproduced visuals look boring and turn the
reader off
A CHECKLISTOF ADVERTISING IDEAS
 QUESTION AD—asks a question in the headline and answers it in the body
copy. QUIZ AD—copy presents a quiz. Reader takes quiz. Her answers
determine whether she is a prospect for the product or service being offered.
 NEWS AD—announces a new product or something new about an existing
product.
 DIRECT AD—gives a straightforward presentation of the facts.
 INDIRECT AD—has an obscure headline designed to arouse curiosity and
entice the reader to read the body copy.
 REWARD AD—promises a reward for reading the ad.
 COMMAND AD—commands the reader to take action.
 PRICE-AND-WHERE-TO-BUY AD—announces a sale. Describes the
product, gives the price and discount, and tells where to buy it.
 REASON-WHY AD—presents reasons why you should buy the product.
 LETTER AD—an ad written in letter form.
 BEFORE-AND-AFTER—shows the improvements gained by using the
product. TESTIMONIAL—a user of the product or a celebrity speaks out in
favor of the product.
 CASE HISTORY—a detailed product success story.
 FREE INFORMATION AD—offers free brochure, pamphlet, or other
information. Ad concentrates on getting the reader to send for free literature
rather than on selling the product directly.
 STORY—tells a story involving people and the product.
 “NEW WAVE ”—relies on far-out graphics to grab attention.
 READER IDENTIFICATION—headline is used to select the audience.
INFORMATION AD—ad gives useful information relating to the use of the
product in general rather than pushing the product directly.
 LOCATION AD—features the product used in an unusual location to
highlight its versatility, usefulness, convenience, or ruggedness.
 FICTIONAL CHARACTERS—ad centers around a fictional character such
as Mr. Whipple or the Green Giant.
 FICTIONAL PLACES—ad centers around a fictional place such as
Marlboro Country.
 CARTOONS AND CARTOON STRIPS.
 ADVERTISER IN AD—the advertiser appears in the ad to speak about his
own product.
  INVENT A WORD—the advertiser invents a word to describe his product
or its application. (The term “athlete’s foot” was invented by ad man Obie
Winters to sell his client’s product, a horse liniment that could also cure
ringworm of the foot; Gerald Lambert popularized “halitosis” to sell
Listerine.)
 COMPARATIVE ADVERTISING—shows how your product stacks up
against the competition.
 CHALLENGE—challenges the reader to find a better product than yours.
GUARANTEE AD—focuses on the guarantee, not the product.
 OFFER AD—focuses on the offer, the sale, and not the product.
DEMONSTRATION—shows how the product works.
 PUN—headline attracts attention with clever wordplay. The pun is
explained in the copy.
 CONTESTS AND SWEEPSTAKES.
 TIE-IN WITH CURRENT EVENTS—to add timeliness and urgency to the
selling proposition.
Dear Friend:
If money were no object, would you own Britannica 3? Of course. Most people
would. Well, now I’m happy to say that you can acquire Britannica 3 for far less
than you thought possible. You can do so . . . direct from the publisher . . . at a
substantial Group Discount.
HOW TO INCREASE RESPONSE TO YOUR MAILINGS
• Always include a response mechanism. This can be a business reply card, reply
envelope, order form, Web site URL, or toll-free 800-number. •
Use self-addressed, postage-paid envelopes and reply cards (known as business
reply envelopes and business reply cards). They generate more response than cards
or envelopes that require a postage stamp fromthe prospect.
• Order forms and reply cards with tear-off stubs or receipts generate more
response than those without.
• The letter should be the first thing the reader sees when he opens the envelope.
The package should have a natural flow from outer envelope to letter to flyer to
reply card.
• Offer a premium: a gift to prospects who respond to the mailing. The premium
should be something that they want, and it should relate to the product or the offer.
• Offer something of value in return for responding to the letter: a free brochure,
booklet, catalog, demonstration, survey, estimate, consultation, or trial offer.
• Allow for a negative response. And turn it into a positive. The reply card for a
letter promoting my freelance copywriting services gives the reader the option of
checking off a box that reads, “Not interested right now. But try us again in
________.” Even if the reader doesn’t need my services now, she can still respond
to the mailing.
• Use physical objects in the mailing. An envelope that feels bulky almost always
gets opened. These objects can include product samples, premiums, 3-D pop-ups,
and other gimmicks.
• Put a time limit on the offer. Once the reader puts the letter aside, she probably
won’t come back to it, so you’ll get the most response if you urge her to act now . .
. by putting a time limit on the offer.
• You can put a real date limit on the offer (“Remember, Beethoven’s Violin
Concerto is yours to keep just for taking advantage of this offer within the next 10
days”).
• You can hint that the offer won’t last forever (“But hurry—supplies are limited”).
• Or, you can add a sense of urgency to your call for action (“Remember—the time
to buy insurance is before tragedy strikes. Not after”).
• Make the outer envelope resemble an invoice, telegram, or other “official-
looking” document. People almost always open such envelopes.
• Use a plain outer envelope with no copy, not even a return address. The mystery
of such a mailing is irresistible.
• Use a P.S. in the letter to restate the offer or reemphasize a sales point; 80 percent
of readers will read a P.S.
• Guarantee the offer. When you sell by mail, make a money-back guarantee good
for 15, 30, 60, or even 90 days.
• When you are generating leads, tell the prospect that he’s under no obligation and
that no salesperson will call (unless he wants one to).
• Envelopes addressed with labels are as effective as envelopes individually typed
with the recipient’s address. Addressing envelopes by hand reduces response,
perhaps because it looks amateurish.
• If your mailing list contains titles but not names, print a description of the person
you’re trying to reach on the outer envelope (“Attention Buyers of Electronic
Components —Important Information Inside”).
• A preprinted postage permit or postage-metered envelope outpulls an envelope
with stamps.
• An order form printed in color, or designed as an elaborate certificate, or printed
with a lot of information outpulls a clean, ordinary-looking order form.
• Letters with indented paragraphs, underlined words, and portions of the text set in
a second color outpull plain letters.
• A form letter with a headline is just as effective as a form letter with the
recipient’s name and address typed in by hand.
• A package with a separate letter and brochure does better than a combination
letter/brochure. • Repeat the offer on the reply card.
• Use action words in the first sentence of the reply card and restate the offer in the
body copy. (“YES, I’d like to know how I can cut my phone bill in half. Please
send literature on your longdistance service. I understand I’munder no obligation
and that no salesperson will call.”)
• Make it simple to respond to the mailing. This means having a simple offer and
an easy-tocomplete order form. And be sure to leave enough space on the formfor
the reader to fill in the required information (a surprising number of reply cards
and coupons don’t).
CATALOGS
1. Write snappy healines
2. Include a “Letter From the Manufacturer”
3. Give All the Key Product Facts
This includes sizes, colors, materials, prices, and styles. The copy should
also give readers a concise but complete description of the product, so they
can make a decision as to whether they want to buy it.
4. Devote the Most Space to Your Best Sellers
5. Use Techniques That Stimulate Sales
These include toll-free phone numbers; credit card orders accepted; a gift to
the customer for placing an order; arrows, stars, bursts, and other graphic
devices used to highlight special discounts within the catalog; last-minute
items added as a special insert sheet or printed on the order form; volume
discount for large orders (“10% off when your order exceeds $25”); gift
packaging available for merchandise ordered as gifts; special sale items
featured on the order form.
6. Make the Order Form Simple and Easy to Fill Out
Print step-by-step instructions for ordering right on the form. Print the
guarantee in large type and set it off with a border.
7. Indicate Discounted Items in the Copy
Resume & Cover letters
Dear Mr. Carriello:
What do you look for in a copywriter? Is it skill in persuasive writing? The
enclosed “spec” samples will give you a good idea of my ability to write hard-
selling, attention-getting print ads.
Is it experience in writing? I’ve been a newspaper reporter, a proofreader, and a
marketing communications writer for General Electric. The enclosed resume
will give you the full story.
Is it experience working for an ad agency? That I don’t have. And that’s why
I’mwriting to you.
I’d like a job writing copy for your agency.
Salary and title are unimportant right now. I just want to get in the door, to
prove myself to you. Once you see me perform I won’t have to ask for more
responsibility.
You’ll want to give me all I can handle (and that’s an armful!).
You know I can write. But can I sell?
I’m going to call you next week.
Give me five minutes on the phone, and I’ll do my best to sell you on giving me
a half hour of your time in an interview.
 You’ll see me. And, you’ll see a book full of first-rate spec copy.
Then, I’ll know how well I can write. And sell.
Thanks for your consideration. Talk to you next week.
Sincerely, Brad Frankel

THE ULTIMATE SALE LETTERS

I. Get “ into “ the customer

II. GET YOUR SALES LETTER READ

Fill in the blank headlines with examples
1. They didn’t think I could_____, but I did
 Ex: - They laughed when I sat down at the piano, but when I started to play.
- They grinned when the wiater spoke to me in French, but their laughter
changed to amazement at my reply
2. Who else wants/ needs _____ ?
3. How _____ made me _____ ?
Ex: How a “ Fool Stunt “ made me a star salesman
How a simply idea made me “ plant manager of the year “
4. Are you _____ ?
Ex: Are you ashamed of the smells in your house ?
Are you smarter than your boss ?
5. How I _____ ?
Ex: How I raised myself from failure to success in selling ?
How I retired at age 40 – with a guaranteed income for life
How I turned a troubled company into a personal fortune
6. If you are _____, you can _____
Ex: If you are a nondrinker, you can save 20% on life insurance
If you are a football expert, you could win $50,000 next week
7. Secrets of _____
Ex: Secrets of Four Champion Golfers
8. Thousands ( hundreds, millions ) now ____, even though they _____
Ex: 130,000 of members now play even though they have “ clumsy fingers “
9. Warning: _____
Ex: Two-thirds of the middle managers in your industry will lose their jobs in
the next 36 months
10. Give me ______and I’ll ______
Ex: Give me 5 days and I’ll give you a magnetic personality
 Give me just 1 hour a day and I’ll have you speaking French like “ pierre “
in one month.
HOW TO WRITE A GOOD ADVERTISEMENT
Examples of some headlines are profitable, attractive,…
1. The secret of making people like you
2. A little mistake that cost a farmer $3,000 a year
3. Advice to wives whose husband don’t savve money-by a wife
4. How a new discovery made a plain girl beautiful
5. Do you make these mistakes in English ?
6. Hands that look lovelier in 24 hours- or your money back
7. When doctors “ feel rotten “this is what they do ?
8. IT SEEMS INCREDIBLE that you can offer these signed original etchings-
for only $5 each
9. 5 familiar skin troubles-which do you want to overcome ?
10. Who ever heard of a woman losing weight – and enjoying 3 delicious meals
at the same time ?
11. How I made a fortune with a ‘ fool idea “
12. Profits that lie hidden in your farm
13. Six types of investors- which group are you in ?
14. Is your home picture-poor ?
15. Little leaks that keep men poor
16. To men who want to quit work someday
17. It’s a shame for YOU not to make good money- when these men do it so
easily
18. Again she orders… “ a chicken sald, please “
19. Check the kind of body YOU want
20. Here’s a quick way to break up a cold
21. FREE BOOK- tell you 12 secrets of better lawn care
22. Take any 3 of these kitchen appliances- for only $8.95 (values up to $15.45)

CALL TO ACTION/ ASK FOR ACTION

- Make an offer
- Time limit
- Limit supplied
- Price going up
- Price down
- Gain or loss
- Guarantee
 YOUR MISSION: MAKE THE READER BELIEVE IN ONE BELIEF

1. How is this different from everything else I’ve seen ?

2. What’s in it for me ?
Keyword “ YOU “
3. How do I know this is real ? → showing proof
4. What’s holding me back ?
 You’ve justified your prospects’ failures and given them hope
5. Who/What is to blame ?
6. Why now ?
7. How does it work ?
8. What do I have to lose ?
ALEX YOUTUBE
Tips for conversational copywriting
1. Pretend you are talking to you bestfriend
2. Read evrything outloud
3. Storytelling
5 questions to become a better copywriter
1. What's the aggravating status quo your customer are tring to
escape ?
2. What's th bigeest promise ?
3. Why you ?
4. Why they might say no ?
5. How do you want your customer to feel after ?
9 steps formula for writing
1. Interview the clients, customers
2. Headline
3. Introduction your customer
4. The before ( pain,.. )
5. The smart decision
6. Why they choose you
7. The transformation
8. The after
9. The CTA
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