Great copy is the heart and soul of the advertising business, whether it's for print, television, radio, or any other medium. In The Adweek Copywriting Handbook, legendary copywriter and ad man Joseph Sugarman provides proven guidelines and expert advice on what it takes to write copy that will entice, motivate, and move customers to buy.

Sugarman walks you step by step through the entire copywriting process—from getting prepared to researching products and markets to getting ideas down on paper and polishing them to a brilliant sheen. He explains the vital elements that make great copy and explores the emotional triggers that convince consumers to buy. Sugarman gives you all the tools and tactics you need to write the same kind of effective selling copy that has brought him fame and fortune.

For anyone who wants to break into the advertising business, or ad pros who just want to get better at what they do, this is the ultimate companion resource. Complete with real examples of high-quality copy for various media, this practical and authoritative guide will tell you everything you need to know to write great copy—and get ahead in the cutthroat world of advertising.

"Sugarman is a living legend and by-God genius at writing copy that sells. This book is his masterpiece. It reveals all of his hard-earned secrets. The writing is riveting and the wisdom is worth gold. This is the best book on copywriting in the entire history of marketing."

—Joe Vitale, author, There's a Customer Born Every Minute

"There are a lot of great copywriters, but Sugarman is the best. He knows how to build a story and close a sale."

—Richard Thalheimer, President, The Sharper Image

"[Sugarman has] a real talent for promotion and writing advertisements."

—Albert Gore, former Vice President of the United States

Acknowledgments.

Introduction: The Origin of This Book.

SECTION ONE: UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS.

Preview.

1. General Knowledge.

2. Specific Knowledge.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice.

4. The Purpose of All the Graphic Elements of an Ad.

5. The First Sentence.

6. Creating the Perfect Buying Environment.

7. Resonating with the Reader.

8. The Slippery Slide.

9. Assumed Constraints.

10. Seeds of Curiosity.

11. Copy as Emotion.

12. Selling the Concept, Not the Product.

13. The Incubation Process.

14. How Much Copy Should You Write?

15. The Art of Personal Communication.

16. The Copy Sequence.

17. the Editing Process.

SECTION TWO: UNDERSTANDING WHAT WORKS.

Preview.

18. Powerful Copy Elements Explained.

19. The Psychological Triggers.

20. Selling a Cure, Not Prevention.

21. Rating Your Writing Level.

22. Seven Steps to Writing Great Copy.

SECTION THREE: PROVING THE POINTS-AD EXAMPLES.

Preview.

23. The Lazy Man's Way to Riches.

24. A Fluke of Nature.

25. Lingerie for Men.

26. The More You Learn.

27. A More Stimulating Way.

28. Magic Baloney.

29. Pet Plane.

30. Mail Order Mansion.

31. Hungarian Conspiracy.

32. Vision Breakthrough.

33. Gold Space Chains.

34. Consumers Hero.

35. Nautilus Spelling Sale.

A Note: The Power of Your Pen.

SECTION FOUR: UTILIZING YOUR COPYWRITING SKILLS.

Preview.

36. Writing for Different Media.

Epilogue: Some Final Thoughts.

Appendix A: Assumed Constraints, Continued.

Appendix B: Seeds of Curiosity, Continued.

Appendix C: Summary of Axioms and Major Points.

Appendix D: Recommended Reading.

Index.

About the Author.