Zev Saftlas, Author of Motivation That Works: How to Get Motivated and Stay MotivatedA valuable tool for any media account executive! Even though this book is based on data from direct mail advertising, almost everything can be applied to writing copy for broadcast media such as radio and television.
Mr. Caples clearly outlines the steps to take in writing, and most important, testing advertising copy. Starting at the top, with the headline, Mr. Caples walks the reader through example after example of how to, and how not to, build an effective ad.
Four of the eighteen chapters in this book deal with the writing of headlines. According to Caples, if you don't grab them with a strong headline, a headline that offers the prospect something of value, they will never get sold by the copy. Caples approach to this task is both straightforward and fact-based, leaving no detail in a headline unexamined. The result is a process that maximizes advertisng pull, and acordingly, revenue.
This is one book that anyone focused on building a carrer in advertising, whether it be print or broadcast, should not be without.
A classic, this book goes into what sells and what doesn't; the role of headlines-- what makes one good or bad; and other techniques of selling.
If you are curious about what does and doesn't work in advertising, you need this timeless, yet timely resource. And if you are a copywriter, this is required reading and belongs on your book shelf!
Caples picked up where Hopkins left off, expanding upon Hopkins's work and breaking new ground with his work. Far too many advertisers today fail to heed the advice of Caples and it shows both in their advertisng and the results they achieve.
"Tested Advertisng Methods," together with "Scientific Advertising," form the Bible of Advertising. If you are a serious student of advertising and/or copywriting, this has to be on your bookshelf.
The only caveat of this book: it does not mention techniques that work better in radio and TV.