Words that Sell: More than 6000 Entries to Help You Promote Your Products, Services, and Ideas PDF
Preview Words that Sell: More than 6000 Entries to Help You Promote Your Products, Services, and Ideas
WORDS THAT SELL MORE THAN 6,000 ENTRIES TO HELP YOU PROMOTE YOUR PRODUCTS, SERVICES, AND IDEAS REVISED AND EXPANDED EDITION RICHARD BAYAN Copyright © 2006 by Richard Bayan. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. ISBN: 978-0-07-166110-2 MHID: 0-07-166110-7 The material in this eBook also appears in the print version of this title: ISBN: 978-0-07-146785-8, MHID: 0-07-146785-8. eBook conversion by codeMantra Version 2.0 All trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners. Rather than put a trademark symbol after every occurrence of a trademarked name, we use names in an editorial fashion only, and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark. 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CONTENTS Preface/Acknowledgments Introduction to the Second Edition How to Use This Book A Crash Course in Copywriting Categories of Copy Part 1 Grabbers Teasers Free/Prize Sale/Discount Trial Offer/No Obligation Heads and Slogans Salutations and Invitations Opening with a Question Opening with a Statement Opening with a Challenge Snappy Transitions All-Purpose Grabbers Part 2 Descriptions and Benefits Appealing Authentic Belonging/Membership Big/Many Choice/Control Comfortable Competitive Complete/Thorough Convenient Distinguished/Status Durable/Solid Easy Exciting/Stimulating Experienced/Expert Fabulous Fast Fresh/Wholesome Fun/Cheerful Gift Good-Looking Healthful Honest Improved Indispensable Informative Luxurious Made Money-Making Money-Saving New/Advanced Plain/Natural Pleasure/Satisfaction Popular Powerful Reliable Results/Performance Romantic Security/Peace of Mind Self-Improvement Sensory Qualities Service/Help Sexy Small/Less Sophisticated/Smart Stylish Suitable Superior Timely Traditional/Classic Unusual Useful/Practical Valuable Part 3 Clinchers Persuading Your Audience Minimizing Risk The Moment of Decision The Call to Action The P.S. The Lift Note Guarantees Order Information Following Through Part 4 Special Strategies Enhancing Your Company’s Image Justifying a High Price Knocking the Competition Using Demographics to Impress Flattering the Reader Selling Yourself: Personal Traits Selling Yourself: Achievements Selling Your Ideas Appendix “Puffspeak”—And Its Alternative Wordy Expressions Commonly Misspelled Words Commonly Confused Words Further Reading Key Word Index PREFACE Like magicians with their props or fishermen with their time-tested lures, advertising copywriters rely upon a handy assortment of contrivances for seducing an audience. A copywriter’s tools are words, and the most effective tools are words that sell. Infallible adjectives like luxurious and irresistible. Ageless phrases like a lifetime of satisfaction and right at your fingertips. And, of course, that sturdy old standard, FREE! This volume represents an attempt to gather the most potent of these words and phrases into a single sourcebook. To compile this material, I rummaged through mountainous stacks of magazines, newspapers, direct-mail packages, and catalogs. I kept an ear open for compelling phrases that I heard over the radio and on television. I checked my e-mail for the occasional gold nugget embedded in the spam. I raided my own copy files, consulted more than one thesaurus, and, after organizing the entries into lists, added still more words and phrases as they came to mind. I rejected those entries that seemed to fall flat in print, and I shunned any slogans that were closely identified with specific products. Think of this book as your personal magic kit—or, if you prefer, a bottomless tackle box filled with glittering lures. Use it whenever you require inspiration on short notice. Browse through its lists at leisure to expand your repertoire. With this book at your side, you’ll be able to go straight to the words and phrases that suit your needs. Instead of groping for words, your mind will be free to focus on the real task of advertising and other promotional writing: shaping a message that generates an enthusiastic response from your audience.
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