Catalog Copy That Sizzles [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

H G Lewis (Author)

Book Description

Series: Sizzles | Publication Date: November 11, 1999

"We're wordsmiths. Words are our weapons. A difference of a fraction of I percent in our ability to generate or intensify reader involvement is worthwhile. Knowing how and when to plumb for power verbs and imperatives is just one more indication of our professionalism. Enough said." Packed with valuable tips and informative examples and illustrations, Catalog Copy That Sizzles is the ultimate compendium of catalog copywriting know-how. Herschell Gordon Lewis, known worldwide for his copywriting expertise, reveals all the hints, tips, and tricks of the trade you'll ever need to know in order to write effective catalog copy for any kind of productfrom gardening tools to surveillance devices. In his personable and engaging style, Herschell clearly defines and presents examples of the fourteen types of catalog copy, including "Minimalist" copy, "All the Facts" copy, and "I Am the Greatest" copy. Plus, more than one hundred illustrations are interspersed throughout the text along with valuable critiques of copy that works and copy that fails to make the grade in print and on-line catalogs. Interactive exercises like "First, You Try It!" will alert you to areas that require improvement and will keep you entertained and engaged through each and every chapter. Whether you're a copywriter, a freelance writer, an advertising and marketing professional, or someone who simply wants to craft copy that sells for a print or on-line catalog, Catalog Copy That Sizzles will arm you with the tools you need to craft copy that will sell any product, to any demographic, and in any format.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A successful copywriter can create response-pulling copy for anything that can be sold through a catalog - from computer hardware to fruit baskets - and Catalog Copy that Sizzles will provide you with all the information you need to improve your current copy writing skills and develop new, effective techniques that are guaranteed to sell any product or service. Sizzling interactive features include an in-depth look at 14 different kinds of catalog copy. Can you tell the difference between "Jes folk" copy, "Shout" copy, "Plain vanilla" copy, and "Snob appeal" copy?' "The Catalog Copywriter's Profitable Game of 20 Questions," the 20 questions to ask yourself as you begin to write copy like #1:Do you know who reads your catalog? and #13:Have you cleansed your copy of egomania and megalomania? Play this game and you're sure to see improved copy that's cleaner, clearer, and grabs attention; 30 second assignments. At the start of each chapter, your copy writing prowess will be challenged. Can you draft a headline that will stop the reader and generate a buying impulse? Rewrite a headline using less than 10 words? Through these mini-exercises, even the most experienced copywriters will glean insight into ways to improve their skills.

With its tight deadlines, narrow space limitations, unlimited online competition, and strict demands on the writer's prior product knowledge, writing catalog copy is a challenge unlike any other facet of professional copy writing. Whether you're a copywriter, a freelance writer, an advertising and marketing professional, or just someone who wants to craft copy that sells for a print or online catalog, Catalog Copy that Sizzles will arm you with the tools you need to craft copy that will sell any product, to any demographic, and in any format (Danielle Egan-Miller, Editor, NTC Business Books).

From the Back Cover

"Each catalog fights for its life in one of the most brutally competitive marketplaces the wily brain of man could invent. An endless fight makes clarity a victim, like a pedestrian crossing an expressway which has no stoplights, no speed limit, no lane markers, no direction signs. Our job: preserve the victim." Packed with helpful, hands-on advice and exercises for writing effective copy for either print or on-line catalogs, Catalog Copy That Sizzles is the ultimate copywriting how-to guide for catalogers of any type. Featuring hundreds of real-life examples drawn from actual catalogs and websites, world-renowned copywriter Herschell Gordon Lewis reveals every tip, gimmick, and trick of the copywriting trade for crafting compelling, effective catalog descriptions for any type of product or service-from tulip bulbs to farm equipment, from consulting services to mailorder grapefruit. A successful copywriter can create response-pulling copy for anything that can be sold through a catalog--from computer hardware to fruit baskets. Catalog Copy That Sizzles will provide you with all the information you need to improve your current copywriting skills and develop new, effective techniques that are guaranteed to sell any product or service. Sizzling interactive features include:

• An in-depth look at fourteen different types of catalog copy. Can you tell the differences among "Jes' folks" copy, "Shout" copy, "Plain Vanilla" copy, and "Snob Appeal" copy?
• "The Catalog Copywriter's Profitable Game of Twenty Questions." The twenty questions to ask yourself as you begin to write copy include #1: "Do you know who reads your catalog?" and #13: "Have you cleansed your copy of egomania and megalomania?" Play this game and you're sure to write copy that's clean, clear, and attention grabbing.
• Thirty-second assignments. At the start of each chapter, your copywriting prowess will be challenged. Can you draft a headline that will stop the reader and generate a buying impulse? Rewrite a headline using fewer than ten words? From these mini-exercises, even the most experienced copywriters will glean insight into ways to improve their skills. Tight deadlines, narrow space limitations, unlimited on-line competition, and strict demands on the writer's prior product knowledge make writing catalog copy a challenge unlike any other facet of professional copywriting. Whether you're a copywriter, a freelance writer, an advertising and marketing professional, or someone who simply wants to craft copy that sells for a print or on-line catalog, Catalog Copy That Sizzles will arm you with the tools you need to craft copy that will sell any product, to any demographic, and in any format.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 2 edition (November 11, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0844224472
• ISBN-13: 978-0844224473
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #598,505 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A copywriter's resource that really sizzles!, April 18, 2000

By 

Robin Green (San Diego, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Catalog Copy That Sizzles (Hardcover)

Very helpful! Typical of many books written by veteran admen, the text is broken up into bite-sized chunks with snappy headlines, but in this case the format serves the message well. Lewis' tone is chatty and informative, there are lots of good ad examples, and best of all, each chapter begins with a brief writing assignment. I found it a valuable resource.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Helped me write MUCH BETTER descriptions, January 31, 2004

By 

Sara Swihart (Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Catalog Copy That Sizzles (Hardcover)

I had to read this book for work. The author suggests reading one chapter a day, which is pretty much how I did it, with one exception.

I found the material to be much easier to digest when I read it only one chapter a day. I wasn't bombarded with all of this new stuff that I had to remember and implement into my descriptions.

Having all of the pictures really helped because it illustrates the points that the author is trying to get across.

I suggest keeping the book close by when your brain just goes to mush and you can't think of the benefit of this gadget. Reread Appendix A and try to answer the 20 questions in there. It will help you come up with something.

If your description just doesn't make much sense or parts are out of order and you can't figure out why, reread Appendix B, it have all of the "rules" the author presented in the book with a brief explanation of each.