Effective Ad Copy

[Gecko_Girl3]

I tought there was a brief tutorial here that gave you the basics for writing effective ad copy.

I need it (again) and can't seem to find it anywhere. Was I imagining the the whole thing....is this information not on this site? Did I find it on SOL somewhere?

If it's here could someone please provide me with a link?

Thanks so much.

[KarenMac]

Is this the one you mean?

http://www.onlinemerchantforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4055

There were some stickys way back that were posted as original work.. when in fact they were somebodys ebook in publication so we had to UNSTICK them and let them go their merry way.

Karen

[Gecko_Girl3]

That link is SUPER helpful but I was looking for the other stuff. I especially needed the part where it coached you to "envision your buyer"...it was a wonderful brainstorming exercise that helped me in the past.

Do you know who's ebook they came from? Perhaps I could search for the publication online. I'd be willing to buy it, from what I remember it was well worth it.

[cameraplus]

Perhaps not exactly what you're looking for either, but may be some use - it's more about general web copywriting than just ad writing:

http://www.onlinemerchantforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14204

[Gecko_Girl3]

That link is very useful, but not for what I'm trying to accomplish right now. I plan on going over that myself at a later date. Right now I'm trying to find what I had read before, oh about September 2007, on copywriting. I want to pass it along to someone else that's trying to help with one of our sites. Her ad copy is all wrong, much like mine was prior to reading the info here. I wanted to pass it along to her because I'm such a terrible teacher, everything that comes out of my mouth makes me look like an arrogant asshat rather than constructive criticism. The information I read in the past broke things down nicely and was very easy to understand, especially for people with no/very little experience.

[KarenMac]

yes .. youre looking for the feature vs benefit and the yellow pencil story.. just google yellow pencil... youll find it im sure.

Karen

[ritarobi_cwo]

Here is a link that I like:
http://www.onlinemerchantforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4095



-Rita

[EDS]

Gecko,

I don't think that you are an arrogant asshat. LOL. We all know that you are just trying to protect the profits that need to be made, we all would do that.

[KarenMac]

I honestly dont remember off the top of my hat.. but.. its published several places on the internet.. without reference to the author.. as it should be.. which is why i wont do them the honor of linking it up.

Karen

[Gecko_Girl3]

Gecko,

I don't think that you are an arrogant asshat. LOL. We all know that you are just trying to protect the profits that need to be made, we all would do that.

well my bosses g/f thinks I am. I went about the wrong way of informing her her copywriting needed to be tweaked. I wasn't rude but I didn't sugar coat anything either. I immediately appologized and explained that my copywriting (the first time around) wasn't all that great either and offered to dig up the information that helped me (the yellow pencil story). Apparently that wasn't good enough and my boss was told I said her ad was "crap" AND that I deleted it from the computer. I did neither, and for the record her ad was still there, in MS Word, FULL SCREEN at that.

Today was a wonderful day to say the least.

[Gecko_Girl3]

yes .. youre looking for the feature vs benefit and the yellow pencil story.. just google yellow pencil... youll find it im sure.

Karen

Not such an easy search as there's 2,090,000 sites for yellow pencil story

I know you don't want to post their link but could you maybe give me another term to go on? something to narrow down the search?

[EDS]

Gecko,

Try this, search the term "feature vs benefit and the yellow pencil story" I think you will find what you want

[Bethers]

Actually, what you're looking for are copy writing articles that explain features vs benefits - no matter what the story - it just so happens the one posted here was plagiarized. So I googled feature vs benefit - and got a bunch of good ones:

http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/homeofficemagcom/2000/december/34942.html

http://ittybiz.com/features-vs-benefits-%E2%80%93-the-showdown/

http://www.enginehounds.com/features-vs-benefits.htm

http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum44/995.htm

Or do a search for "copywriting basics" and you'll get a lot of help, also.

[Gecko_Girl3]

I tried that, clicked on the results and read through each of them. It's not exactly the thing I was looking for, not what was posted here in the past anyway.

[Gecko_Girl3]

The one that was here was very very very easy to follow, that is what this person that I'm trying to help needs. I was exlpaining to them some of the brainstorming drills in the article and how helpful they were. Even though I'm finding all of these links super helpful I know they will not. If only there were a Copywriting 101 for Dummies, I love the "for Dummies" series, they're the perfect place to start with any subject.