The Copywriters Handbook

by Bob Bly

Review by Monica Di Santi

May 24, 2022

The Copywriter’s Handbook is an essential, simple and well-written must-have for any new and experienced copywriter because author Bly describes in a simple and concise language the steps to follow to create copy that sells.

Bly claims that the essential tasks your copywriting should achieve to succeed are:

1. Get attention.
2. Communicate.
3. Persuade.

Author Robert Bly is a chemical engineer and well-known copywriter who has published more than 100 books. In 1985, at the age of 27, he published his tenth book, The Copywriter's Handbook.

Bly emphasizes that advertising doesn't have to be cute or entertaining. Its only goal is to sell your product or service.

goal of advertising is not to be liked, to entertain, or to win advertising awards; it is to sell products. The advertiser, if he is smart, doesn’t care whether people like his commercials or are entertained or amused by them. If they are, fine. But commercials are a means to an end, and the end is increased sales—and profits—for the advertiser. p. 19.

The Book Includes

steps to learn how to write copy that gets attention, how to use headlines and pictures as getting engaging tools. You'll also find rules to write clearly and concisely and so create an easy-to-understand messages in print advertisement,direct mail,brochures,catalogs,and other sales materials, public relations materials,commercials and multimedia presentations. writing for the web, e-mail marketing.

In his writing Bly tells us that even the internet has changed the way we communicate , it hasn't changed human psychology so all the old rules of direct marketing are perfectly usable these days.

Human nature is perpetual. In most respects it is the same today as in the time of Caesar. So the principles of psychology are fixed and enduring. You will never need to unlearn what you learn about them. p 21.

One of the most important lessons of reading this book is to bear in mind how important your headline is. According to author Bly if the first impression is paramount to determine the failure or success the your message.

In all forms of advertising, the “first impression”—the first thing the reader sees, reads, or hears—can mean the difference between success and failure. If the first impression is boring or irrelevant, the ad will not attract your prospect. p 24

Author Bly explains extensively about how to create headlines, the motivating sequence, support sales arguments,how to deal with a copywriting assignments among many other informative and helpful information..

No doubt this is a great book that will help you improve your copywriting and increase your success.