A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Copy That Sells.
Everywhere I looked, people were telling me to read this book, so I got a used copy for a couple bucks on Amazon and read it, and it’s is certainly an amazing tool. I’m pretty confident in my writing skills, and I had already done some reading on how to be an effective copywriter, so I wasn’t sure I would get much out of that part of the book but I was wrong.
How To Write Good Copy
The author, Robert W. Bly, does an excellent job of detailing how to write copy that stresses benefits over features and focuses on the target audience. He goes over the major types of advertising copy, how long they usually are and why, layout tips, and even prices. Granted, the book was published in 1990, so a lot of the information, like prices and where to find potential clients, is pretty outdated, but the writing tips are priceless. I marked up some passages I want to remember and I know I’ll be referring to them in the future.
How To Find Work
Even the tips on how to find clients weren’t totally useless. If nothing else, he gives a list of the different types of companies that need copywriters: they’re not all ad agencies and graphic designers. Everyone who does any kind of promotion needs a copywriter to write their promotional materials for them. Bly also gives some great tips on how to convince people to hire you. After all, copywriting is all about convincing people to buy your clients’ products or services, so you should be able to use that skill to sell your own services, right?
No Attitude
I also appreciated Bly’s straightforward presentation of the facts. He doesn’t brag about how freelancing is better than having a traditional job or vice versa. He recognizes they’re different and what works for one person won’t necessarily work for another. He gives the pros and cons to freelancing and even points out that what one person considers a pro, might be considered a con by someone else (such as the fact you spend a lot of time working alone). He even gives tips on how to get a job at an ad agency, whether because working at an ad agency is what you really want or so you can gain the knowledge and experience that come from working within the advertising industry.
I really appreciated this because it was such a refreshing change after having read The Well-Fed Writer. That book also had a lot of great information, but Bowerman came off sounding like such an arrogant jerk that it was a real turn-off for me. He made it sound like anyone with a desk job is a chump and he stressed how much money he makes. Bly, on the other hand, managed to make it clear he’s successful without giving dollar amounts. The fact that The Copywriter’s Handbook came with a wealth of information without the attitude makes it my go-to resource when I need a refresher on the best way to go about doing my job.
All the info without the attitude is everything I wanted from this book.
What about you guys? Any copywriters out there with more suggestions? I’m all ears.