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Copywriting easy isn't it? Just put a few words together and stick it in the local newspaper, or send out a sales letter and wait for the telephone to ring and orders to flood in. Well if you want to throw money away that's exactly what you do. Planning and using the right techniques will make your advertisement or letter stand out and get you results. This guide will show you how to copy write to get results. In this guide: How to identify your audience, what to communicate and what you want them to do How to write: Advertisements Brochures and flyers Corporate brochures Direct Mail How to check it's working and what to do if it isn't.

This guide looks at how to write press adverts, advertorials, brochures, flyers and direct mail letters. It will help you to understand the processes involved in producing advertising and how to tailor your copy to suit your audience. This guide will show you: • how to identify your audience, what you want to communicate and what you want them to do • the advertising process • how to write: ads (press ads and advertorials) brochures and flyers corporate brochures direct mail • how to check that it’s working (and what to do if it’s not)

 

About the author page ix Introduction 1 How to use this guide 2 What you will learn from this guide 2 1 Communication basics 5 Good communication is… 5 Identifying your target audience 6 What do you want to communicate? 7 What do you want your audience to do? 8 Accountability 9 Kipling’s honest serving men 9 Language 10 In summary 11 2 Advertising processes 13 Print advertising 13 The process of an advert 15 The advertising brief 16 Example brief 19 Legal matters 22 British Code of Advertising Practice 22 Media buying 25 Mailing lists 26 Briefing the designer 27 In summary 29 3 Writing press adverts 31 The AIDA principle 31 Headlines 32 Body copy 36 Putting it all together 40 Example advert 40 Flashes 43 Incentives 43 Straplines/slogans 44 Reply coupons 45 Telephone response 46 In summary 47 4 Brochures and flyers 49 Formats 49 Get the brief right! 50 Example brochure brief 51 Example flyer brief 54 Headlines 56 Body copy 58 Illustrations 60 Example flyer 61 In summary 63 5 Corporate brochures 65 Get the brief right! 65 Example brief 67 The brochure structure 69 Illustrations 71 Example introduction 71 In summary 74 6 Advertorials 75 Get the brief right! 75 Headlines 76 Body copy 76 Case studies/testimonials 78 In summary 81 7 Direct mail 83 More in control 83 Get the brief right! 84 The envelope 85 The letter 85 Incentives 88 Example mailshot 90 In summary 92 8 Accountability 93 Measuring the success of your campaign 93 Cost per enquiry 93 Cost per sale 94 Need for both measures 94 Evaluation between media 94 Evaluation between adverts 95 When things go wrong … 96 In summary 98 Glossary 99 Useful addresses 101 Other step by step guides 102

Following a degree in English, Pamela Brooks spent ten years as a communications specialist for a bluechip financial services company. She completed the Chartered Institute of Marketing diploma with distinction in the communications paper, then switched to working as a freelance writer following the birth of her first child in 1997.

Her clients have been drawn from a variety of sectors, including manufacturing, foods, leisure and financial services; she has also written extensively for the parenting and health press.