Copywriting is Selling In Print

“If he isn’t a salesman, he can’t write selling copy.

If he isn’t a writer, he can’t be a salesman in print.”

Rosser Reeves, Chairman, Ted Bates & Co IncATTRIBUTION: On the making of a copywriter, Advertising Age 19 Apr

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Translate Your Product Features Into Customer Benefits

What features of your products and services deliver benefits (to your target market) that are perceived as desirably different from similar offers made by your competitors?

Focus on: Key Factors of Success

Message Strategy Copy Platform

What are you going to say and how are you going to say it?

Art DirectionWhat are you going to show and

how are you going to show it? Production Values

What are you going to create and how are you going to

create it?

Package Your Prose Address your Customer’s

concerns Speak your Customer’s

language Use your Customer’s

language style

Headline Functions1. Get attention2. Select reader: “This ad is for you.”

3. Promise a customer benefit4. Present product news5. Present a complete selling idea6. Lead reader to subheads & body

copy

Headline Types1. Benefit2. News and Information3. Command4. Provocative5. Question

Copy Style1. Straight line copy2. Narrative copy3. Dialogue4. Gimmick

Copy Pitfalls1. Me, me, me… I, I, I2. Features (not benefits)

featured3. Negative copy4. Boring Copy5. Vague copy

Copy Formulas AIDA

Attention, Interest, Desire, Action P.P.P.P.

Picture, Promise, Prove, Push PAPA

Promise, Amplify, Prove, Action

Jack Lacy’s 5 Points1. What will you do for me if I

read your copy?2. How are you going to do this?3. Who is responsible for this

promise?4. Who have you done this for?5. What will it cost me?

Bob Stone’s 7 Steps1. Lead with your most important

benefit.2. Enlarge upon this benefit.3. Tell specifically what the reader

will get.4. Give proofs and endorsements.5. Tell what might be lost if no action

is taken.6. Rephrase prominent benefits.7. Incite action now.

Inhibitors of Creativity Ethnocentric Attitudes

“My way is the only right way.” Self-Reference Criteria

“Everyone’s preferences are exactly the same as mine.”

Creativity by Committee“There is safety in numbers. Two

heads are better than one. 10,000 creative directors can’t be wrong.”