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How I spent my $25 B&N gift card...

by BrianMcLeod
13 replies


Well... okay, it went a bit over the $25 but only by like $10 bucks or so.

Been meaning to pick up Ca$vertising and Bob Bly's Handbook.. the phrases book was an impulse buy on suggestion.
#$25 #bandn #card #gift #spent
  • Profile picture of the author Scott Murdaugh
    I haven't read "Cashvertising", need to get around to that one.

    I have Bly's book and it's a pretty solid read. I personally found it a little bit of a dry read, but it has some great info in it. It's pretty comprehensive.

    I'd like to hear your thoughts on "Cashvertising" when you've read it... Eh, I may just go hop on Amazon now that you've got me thinking about it.

    As for the third one, I've never read/heard of it. Sounds similar to "Words That Sell", which I've bought and browsed through, yet rarely use.

    Nice use of a B&N gift card though.

    -Scott
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    Over $30 Million In Marketing Data And A Decade Of Consistently Generating Breakthrough Results - Ask How My Unique Approach To Copy Typically Outsells Traditional Ads By Up To 29x Or More...

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    • Profile picture of the author BrianMcLeod
      Originally Posted by Scott Murdaugh View Post

      I have Bly's book and it's a pretty solid read. I personally found it a little bit of a dry read, but it has some great info in it. It's pretty comprehensive.
      It's funny - the book itself is 420 some-odd pages but it's the THINNEST, flimsiest paper you can imagine. Floppy like a magazine... you can roll the thing up!

      I'd like to hear your thoughts on "Cashvertising" when you've read it... Eh, I may just go hop on Amazon now that you've got me thinking about it.
      It's already proven to be a fantastic book (couldn't help but to dig into it a little right away!). It's a FAST read and fun.

      I fully agree with Ross and Glyphena's comments below. It's been "on my list" for too long... wish I had gotten off my ass about it sooner.

      Frankly, it's the book I set out to buy...

      As for the third one, I've never read/heard of it. Sounds similar to "Words That Sell", which I've bought and browsed through, yet rarely use.
      Where "Words That Sell" is sort of like a situational thesaurus or whatever, this one is much more comprehensive and application specific swipe file of contextual creativity boosters. It's much cooler than I thought it would be, honestly!

      Nice use of a B&N gift card though.

      -Scott
      Yeah, quite an amazing amount of great information for $35-ish... Scary, really.

      Originally Posted by Ross Bowring View Post

      Cashvertising is a great book. Written with great energy. The "nifty fifty" restaurant Drew talks about a lot is on the way past my in-laws in North Philly. Good purchase, Brian.
      "Great energy" describes it perfectly. It's a FUN read. How many copywriting books have we all read that can be described that way?

      Originally Posted by ghyphena View Post

      Ca is absolutely amazing, given the size and price of the book. It's aimed (I think) at small business owners, but it nonetheless lays out all the elements of good copy succinctly and coherently.
      Agreed.

      The book is divided up into "Consumer Psychology Principles" and "Ad-Agency Secrets". Chapters are short and very readable.

      Like a condensed version of a $1,000 copywriting course, really.
      Yup.

      It also mentions heuristics, which I've rarely seen discussed in any copywriting book/course. Brownie points.
      True... and it's more about easily climbing into the brain of the reader than the mechanics of the copy - which I appreciate.

      Thanks for the feedback, guys.

      Best,

      Brian
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      Brian McLeod
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  • Profile picture of the author Ross Bowring
    Cashvertising is a great book. Written with great energy. The "nifty fifty" restaurant Drew talks about a lot is on the way past my in-laws in North Philly. Good purchase, Brian.
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  • Profile picture of the author ghyphena
    Ca$hvertising is absolutely amazing, given the size and price of the book. It's aimed (I think) at small business owners, but it nonetheless lays out all the elements of good copy succinctly and coherently.

    The book is divided up into "Consumer Psychology Principles" and "Ad-Agency Secrets". Chapters are short and very readable.

    Like a condensed version of a $1,000 copywriting course, really.

    It also mentions heuristics, which I've rarely seen discussed in any copywriting book/course. Brownie points.
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    Gil-Ad Schwartz

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  • Profile picture of the author Scott Murdaugh
    Okay, "Cashvertising"... $10 on Amazon, 100% 5 star reviews and recommended by you guys, it's in the mail.

    Thanks for helping me cross another "must read" off of my list, looking forward to checking it out.

    -Scott
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    Over $30 Million In Marketing Data And A Decade Of Consistently Generating Breakthrough Results - Ask How My Unique Approach To Copy Typically Outsells Traditional Ads By Up To 29x Or More...

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  • Profile picture of the author matthewd
    Looks like I'm headed to Border's tomorrow!
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    • Profile picture of the author daddyoh
      Nice share, Paul!

      Here's Drew Eric Whitman reading a 15-minute excerpt from "Cashvertising" on Blog Talk Radio:
      Drew Whitman - Cahvertising 10/12/2009 - Authors Read on Blog Talk Radio

      Here's his site with another audio and an excerpt from Chapter 2:
      CA$HVERTISING


      From Google Books (No Preview Here):

      Book overview

      Barely one in a hundred businesspeople know these FACTS about creating
      powerful advertising: Sixty percent of people read only headlines, Captions
      under photos get 200 percent greater readership than non-headline copy,
      Ads with sale prices draw 20 percent more attention, Quadrupling an ad's
      size doubles its attention value, Four-color ads are up to 45 percent more
      effective than black and white.

      New York's biggest ad agencies use these
      little-known secrets every day to influence people to buy. And now-thanks
      to Cashvertising-you can, too.

      These techniques are based on human
      psychology. They work no matter where you're located, no matter what kind
      of product or service you sell, and no matter where you advertise.

      In fact,
      most don't cost a penny to use. Cashvertising teaches you the tips, tricks,
      and strategies that top gun copywriters and designers use to persuade
      people to buy like crazy.

      No matter what you sell-or how you sell it-this
      practical book will teach you: How to create powerful ads, brochures, sales
      letters, Websites, and more, How to make people believe what you say,
      "Sneaky" ways to persuade people to respond, Effective tricks for writing
      "magnetic" headlines, The psychology of ad design, positioning, color, and
      pricing.
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      PR7 .EDU DoFollow Links | Write Romance Novels/eBooks | Wholesalers For Amazon/eBay
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  • Profile picture of the author Loren Woirhaye
    I just ordered the "Perfect Phrases" book based on your
    recommendation, Brian. Thanks.

    I own "Words That Sell" and while I like it I don't use it
    much - it's a little abstract for the way I write.

    I would but Ca$hvertising on my top 5 list for people who
    want to write their own copy but don't want to work
    with clients. It's on the top 10 for freelancers definitely,
    especially for food copy and copy for local businesses.
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  • Profile picture of the author Johnny12345
    Drew Eric Whitman tends to cut right to the chase. No fluff. No filler. I like that. Ca$hvertising is absolutely top notch. Buy it, if you haven't already.

    Johnny
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    => Need A Persuasive Sales Letter? Click Here...
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  • Profile picture of the author Jag82
    Brian,

    You post makes me feel like yanking my
    wallet out and rushing down to Borders to get
    the titles you mention.

    I heard a lot of good things about Cashvertising.

    And after being exposed to so much of Bob Bly's ads,
    I'm sure his copywriter handbook will be a great read too.

    Much more power to you!

    Jag
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  • Profile picture of the author Woody C
    Ca$hvertising is a must for any marketer and/or copywriter. Drew is a very informative, nice, and intelligent guy. I used to talk with him all the time on Twitter, and even did a video review of Ca$hvertising on Amazon.

    I haven't read either of the two other books, but I'll put them on my to-read list and get to them soon.
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