The Copywriter's Handbook
Bob Bly's Third Edition Includes Two Chapters on Web Writing
The Copywriter's Handbook is a classic book that lays out the basics of copywriting of all types. Freelance writers have referred to this manual for decades.
The first edition of The Copywriter's Handbook came out in 1985 and quickly became a trusted copywriting reference book and a classic in the genre. All of the basics of copywriting were laid out and explained in simple terms. Of course, the references to typewriters and other antiquated notions dated the book after a few years. The third edition, released in 2006 by Holt Paperbacks, is every bit as helpful for new media opportunities as the original edition was in the 1980’s.
Write to Sell
The main principle that Bob Bly reiterates over and over again throughout the text is that ads don’t have to be the most creative or the most interesting in order to sell the product. The object isn’t to amaze the audience, to tell jokes or to show off the writer’s creativity. The only point is to sell the advertiser’s product. Anything that isn’t geared toward that can be eliminated.
Types of Copywriting
One of the most useful functions of The Copywriter’s Handbook is the many chapters devoted to spelling out the specifics of many different types of copywriting. The number of copywriting types is so numerous that keeping track of the many different types can be difficult for many copywriters. Having them all spelled out in one volume makes the book an invaluable reference for copywriters. Just a few of the many copywriting types covered include: broadsides, invoice stuffers, sales brochures, corporate brochures, circulars and flyers.
Web Content Writing
Part of the newest edition is the inclusion of two chapters about web writing. The first is a general guide to web writing, including explanations of the many different types of web writing. It also describes the basic types of internet marketing used by some of the most effective websites.
Email Marketing
The second web writing chapter is an in-depth look at email marketing. Email marketing, according to the book, isn’t just sending out emails as a sales tool. There are a number of different ways that email can be utilized to spread a marketing message. E-zines, reports and other free content can be sent to a list of subscribers in order to keep them interested in a product or a website.
One of the problems with email marketing, Bly says, is that spam filters often remove the message from much of its intended audience. He offers several ways to keep emails from getting caught in spam filters as well as how to get more people interested in signing up for email messages and e-zines.
Knowing the Rules
The Copywriter’s Handbook is very much about learning the basic rules and them following them instead of trying to make copy more creative. He acknowledges that many effective ad campaigns have been made up of copyrighting that didn’t follow the rules. But, he believes that a good copywriter should know the rules before attempting to break them.
