Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps: Build the Buzz and Sell the Sizzle (Entrepreneur Magazine) [Paperback]

Susan Gunelius (Author)

Book Description

Series: Entrepreneur Magazine | Publication Date: August 5, 2008

Don't Just Say It - Sell it!
You don't need a professional ad agency or copywriter to create kick-ass marketing copy. This hands-on guide takes you step by step and shows you how to create marketing messages that capture attention and boost profits.

"Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps is a must-read for any small to midsized business owner. It translates difficult writing ideas into everyday language and empowers the average business owner to write more persuasively in a simple, step-by-step process. My advice? Buy this book-and read it twice!"
-Dean Reick, direct marketing copywriter, DirectCreative.com

" ...Susan's warm, engaging style and emphasis on real-world specifics will make even the most writing-phobic business owners feel more confident in their advertising efforts. Susan packs plenty of useful copywriting tools, illustrations, and checklists between the covers, too. Her full-featured 'Copywriting Outline' is surely worth the entire price of admission. Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps is a superb addition to any small-business owner's ready-reference shelf."
-Roberta Rosenberg, "The Copywriting Maven" and President, MGP Direct Inc.

“Susan Gunelius has created a simple-to- understand guide to writing effective and hard working copy for nonprofessionals such as small-business owners and others who recognize they need to develop this essential skill to promote their business. Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps covers virtually every topic the aspiring copywriter needs to know, from the crafting of impactful copy, to where best to run it. Ms. Gunelius' book should be on every small business owner's bookshelf.”
-George Parker, creative consultant, author of MadScam, and advertising blogger at Adscam and Adhurl

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Susan Gunelius has spent more than a decade developing and executing marketing programs for some of the largest companies in the world, including divisions of AT&T and HSBC. She is a freelance writer, copywriter and professional blogger on the topics of business, branding and marketing.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Entrepreneur Press; 1 edition (August 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159918253X
• ISBN-13: 978-1599182537
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #567,391 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Susan Gunelius is President and CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a full-service marketing communications provider offering copywriting and other forms of writing as well as marketing, branding and social media consulting services.

Susan also offers lecture services to professionals and students around the world about marketing, social media, branding and more.

She is a featured columnist for Entrepreneur.com and Forbes.com, and her marketing-related articles have appeared on websites such as MSNBC.com, FoxBusiness.com, WashingtonPost.com, BusinessWeek.com, SmartMoney.com, TheStreet.com, Yahoo! Small Business, Yahoo! Finance, and more. She also writes about business, marketing, branding, writing, and blogging for a variety of clients, including Splashpress Media, Cox Communications, Newstex, and About.com (a New York Times company).

With nearly 20 years of marketing, branding and copywriting experience, Susan is a seasoned corporate professional having spent much or her career developing and executing marketing programs for global and national organizations, including divisions of AT&T and HSBC.

SUSAN GUNELIUS' WEBSITES, BLOGS AND PROFILES:
www.KeySplashCreative.com
www.WomenOnBusiness.com
www.SusanGunelius.com
Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/susangunelius
Friend me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/susangunelius
Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/susangunelius

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is one book every marketing manager should have on his desk, September 14, 2008

By 

Reg Nordman "(K)nights on the Road" (Vancouver, BC Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps: Build the Buzz and Sell the Sizzle (Entrepreneur Magazine) (Paperback)

This is a very useful book. First she provides you with a Copywriting Outline which immediately helps the small business person identify the holes in their approaches to copy. She shows how and why writing copy is different from all other writing. (At Rocket Builders we run into this issue all the time with clients who get off on the wrong foot with their copy) By reading this book you will obtain much better clarity about copy and an increased appreciation for how hard it is to write clear useful, consistent copy. She has taken a small business B2B focus - which makes this book useful to a vary broad audience since the examples are simple, believable and in small enough chunks that you can learn from them. A long way back I learned that it takes a real expert to translate a complex process into simple steps. She has made one of the clearest statements about why too much information slows your sales process, " Extra words can confuse and slow down customers. Write for those who have little time to read." This is one book every marketing manager should have on his desk, it will be well used.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for small business owners and beginner copywriters, March 12, 2009

By 

Georgia - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps: Build the Buzz and Sell the Sizzle (Entrepreneur Magazine) (Paperback)

My husband and I owned a small business for over 20 years, and I wish this book was published earlier! It's presented in an easy-to-read format, and the concepts can be applied to any marketing communications project. I wish there were more business primers like Gunelius' available. I love the simple 10-step approach that excludes all the extra stuff that clutters other business books. I call for a sequel!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Primer for Website Copy, December 9, 2009

By 

Compay (New Orleans, LA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps: Build the Buzz and Sell the Sizzle (Entrepreneur Magazine) (Paperback)

What's great about this book is that while its focus seems to be on writing copy for print ads and mailings, most of the techniques are a perfect fit for website content.

One thing that the book outlines that other marketing books don't is exactly how to focus on emotional triggers that will improve the chances of making a sale. Real-world examples are also used sparingly but effectively to demonstrate the impact that a particular copyriting technique can have.

Other useful techniques oulined in the book include competitive differentiator copywriting and emphasis on writing in the second person. To the contrary, techniques covered such as benefit emphasis and creating a sense of urgency are common marketing knowledge, and only in that respect does the book not stand out from others.

This is a terrific book that anyone involved in internet marketing should immediately add to their arsenal.