Words That Sell

I've been a copywriter for 14 years, most of the time as an independent practitioner. I've also been a senior copywriter for an advertising agency and worked in the creative department for a major newspaper. The expanded edition of "Words That Sell" by Richard Bayan gets to the heart of an issue copywriters and marketers constantly face: How can we communicate the same old tired ideas in new, different and even exciting ways? For example, I can't tell you the number of times I've been asked to position clients as experts in their field. There's nothing wrong with that -- they truly are experts. But we're all besieged by experts. (The fill-in-the-blank experts. And so on.) Bayan offers a list of 75 or so entries for communicating experienced or expert. And throughout the book he provides hundreds of entries for many other common copy points and marketing messages. Besides supplying a good resource, Bayan provides a good reminder that to be memorable copywriters and marketers must write it, say it and show it in a fresh, interesting way. And that usually requires at least a little extra creative effort.

What a help this was in writing direct marketing copy and in setting up a web site. Broken down into categories it enables you to find positive words and phrases to fit any situation. Any copy writer, marketing manager who doesn't have this book by there side must have rocks in their head. It is a quick easy to follow guide that can safe you heaps of thinking time. Recommended

I've owned this classic reference book for probably 15 years and used it continually at my desk. I recently bought the new edition to replace my tattered copy. Well worth it - the book has already repaid its cost, and then some, in a few weeks. It's much more comprehensive than the original while still easy to use. The language has a more up-to-date feel, yet the author seems to have kept the classic response-getting words and phrases that still pack a punch. Definitely worth the small investment even if you already own the old edition! Look into More Words That Sell, too - its emphasis on niche markets works nicely in conjunction with the all-purpose nature of Words That Sell.

"Words that Sell" has long been the most well-used reference on my bookshelf ... I use it more often than my thesaurus. It is particularly helpful for finding just the right adjective, which is key for any kind of promotional writing.

The above are just a few of the words and phrases suggested in "Words That Sell" for the term "Useful/Suitable." This book is a specialized thesaurus with a marketing focus. The suggestions will jump start your pursuit of the perfect description next time you are writing a sales letter, catalog copy, brochure or web copy, ads--in short, anytime you need just the right word to convince customers to buy. It's one of the items I keep in my "creativity kit," the place I turn to overcome writer's block and get my brain popping.If you ever have the need to write marketing copy, "Words That Sell" deserves a place on your bookshelf.