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Recommendations: Books about writing great classified ads.

by Johnny Danes Banned
15 replies
Greetings@ Warriors!

What I want to do is learn how to write ads that have impact without using a lot of words. I want to learn how to write ads that are "nice and tight".




Thank you,

jd
#ads #books #classified #great #recommendations #writing
  • Profile picture of the author Alex Cohen
    JD,

    Supposedly this one has been running for decades ...

    "Corns gone in 5 days or money back"

    I have a booklet on the subject of classified ad writing around here somewhere. I'll see if I can find it.

    Alex
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    • Profile picture of the author Johnny Danes
      Banned
      HI Alex,


      yeah, you know what I'm talking about. IF you find the book title, please post it for me.


      Thanks,

      jd



      Originally Posted by Alex Cohen View Post

      JD,

      Supposedly this one has been running for decades ...

      "Corns gone in 5 days or money back"

      I have a booklet on the subject of classified ad writing around here somewhere. I'll see if I can find it.

      Alex
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    • Profile picture of the author Pusateri
      There's a real estate broker South of San Antonio named David Martin Phillip. For years he's been moving a lot of South Texas acreage with goofy ads in freebie classified rags. People pick them up just to read his ads. Guess who is top-of-mind when they are ready to buy or sell?

      Here are a few of his 'best'. Not saying you should copy his style, just that you're gonna need some balls to stand out from the crowd in the classifieds.


      *****

      Famous last words...What time does your husband come home?...These are the good kind of mushrooms...It's not that steep or slick ....Who needs a real estate broker to sell or buy this place? The last word when you want to buy or sell your farm or ranch is David Martin Phillip

      *****

      Shoulda Coulda Woulda sufferers complain of severe pain in the rearend from kicking themself for not buying that ranch years ago. Common Phrase is If only I woulda...Or I coulda...or I shoulda bought that place..Stop abusing yourself your sore rearends are behind you. I have found the cure DAVID MARTIN PHILLIP REALESTATE 210-xxx-xxxx if you dont buy it I understand preparation H is cheaper by the case....... THIS PLACE IS OUT STANDING LOCATED IN ATASCOSA COUNTY ONE HALF OF MINERALS AND ROYALTY call david

      *****

      Broker Guilty of making Shady Land deals, David Martin Phillip veteran real estate broker openly admits he's making shady deals on the shadiest land in Cuero. Incredibly huge oaks cover the ranch oaks so big if you were a squirrel or a wood pecker you would call it heaven. But your Not so just call David @ 210-xxx-xxxx then call this 70 ac. home sweet home

      *****

      Ned Beatty this place is for U-Not Deliverance not even Brokeback Mt. - but an Academy award winning ranch with plenty of romance 4.5miles river 2000 sq.ft. 3BR/2BA/big fireplace, a/h Lodge MILES of oak & pecan trees deer/turkey/hogs you won't have to squeal like a pig to buy it/$1.1million & leave the banjo behind.

      *****

      Dear Muy Grande Buck We had fun in the headlites but I am leaving you..By the time you read this, I'll be gone to a new bigger ranch loaded with thick brush 2 homes and support buildings and ponds.. I'm sorry but this 250ac ranch has everything, big thick brush, ponds.and on long dead end road. This comes as a surprise to you-but the bucks here have bigger horns than you and your skinny little spikes. Sorry I need privacy & be surrounded by big bucks, turkey, hogs. big ranches not like your place with all those humans jumping the fence and shooting anything in sight. bye xxoo BAMBI PS if you want to see this 250 acre duval County hunting ranch $1995 bucks per/ac call david 210-xxx-xxxx

      *****

      60ac on river Tarzan u called AHHH-AHH-AHHH-AHHHHH looking for a place to wrestle an alligator, chase wild hogs, spear big fish and pet deer, big trees with grapevine and friendly natives...septic system, electric, water well, and RV hookups & cabin to monkey around in $2950/ac

      *****

      LUCY I 'M HOME...a place Rick would love without Fred and Ethel..A Big House... not the BiG BIG BIG House... not even THE BIG HOUSE.. and not an old big house..but a big almost 4000 sqft. 4 bedroom 3bath 2story house,that could be your home. A really big cool home with 3 central air and heat units...super big kitchen..Giant family rooms... big lot with guess what....big trees... Everything is big except the price only $137,000 a real steal that could land you in the big house call david martin phillip real estate

      *****

      daisy duke.. bo duke.. uncle jess jump in the general and take a look at this .5 acres...u don't have to be boss hog to buy this place....even kermit the frog could buy it..... don't forget Miss Piggy and the mobile home...water electric and telephone available... call today before the frog gets the jump on ya

      *****

      Old MacDonald has a farm, E-I-E-I-O. And on his farm he wants to
      sell it fast, E-I-E-I-O. With a cheap price here, And a high price, there,
      Here's a cheap price, there's a high price, Everywhere else a high price, Old
      MacDonald has a farm, E-I-E-I-O. .. 50 acres $1250/ac and on this farm you can have some...I'll make it quick... cows- moo, moo, duck-quak, pig oink,
      oink...your farm is getting kinda noisy... even though it's on a county road ...
      you can hear the dog -bow wow, and the turtle- nerp, nerp call david martin
      phillip
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  • Profile picture of the author briancassingena
    The 3rd one is actually pretty good
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    Copywriting For Non-Copywriters: FREE 30-Day Journey
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  • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
    mpowers.com/books/classifiedads.html

    It should serve you well.

    - Rick Duris
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  • Profile picture of the author kellyburdes
    Troy White has a great product on writing small space ads. Not exactly the same, but I've used them (along with what I learned in Troy's product) and it's effective.
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  • Profile picture of the author Marvin Johnston
    For Sale. Baby shoes. Never used.

    - attributed to Ernest Hemingway

    Marvin
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    • Profile picture of the author Pusateri
      Originally Posted by Marvin Johnston View Post

      For Sale. Baby shoes. Never used.

      - attributed to Ernest Hemingway

      Marvin
      That's the afterword to Hills Like White Elephants.
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      • Profile picture of the author Marvin Johnston
        Originally Posted by Pusateri View Post

        That's the afterword to Hills Like White Elephants.
        Now you did it ... I had to go and read Hills Like White Elephants .

        I don't have the book, but every reference (on the first page of the search) Google gave me didn't mention the For Sale short story as being part of Hills Like White Elephants. Are you sure it is part of that book?

        But regardless, I suspect reading Hemingway would provide some good "text books" for writing concise, meaningful ads. I had forgotten his writing style.

        Marvin
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        • Profile picture of the author Pusateri
          Originally Posted by Marvin Johnston View Post

          Now you did it ... I had to go and read Hills Like White Elephants .

          I don't have the book, but every reference (on the first page of the search) Google gave me didn't mention the For Sale short story as being part of Hills Like White Elephants. Are you sure it is part of that book?

          But regardless, I suspect reading Hemingway would provide some good "text books" for writing concise, meaningful ads. I had forgotten his writing style.

          Marvin
          Marvin,

          It was a joke. And in poor taste. You will get it once you read the story.

          But yes, Hemingway is probably the best at teaching us that every word has to earn its place in a sentence, and every sentence must move the story forward.

          Mark
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          • Profile picture of the author Marvin Johnston
            Originally Posted by Pusateri View Post

            Marvin,

            It was a joke. And in poor taste. You will get it once you read the story.

            But yes, Hemingway is probably the best at teaching us that every word has to earn its place in a sentence, and every sentence must move the story forward.
            Ah, I am a bit slow tonight ... I read the short story online, and saw the resemblance between the two but didn't catch the joke. Ruins the joke when it has to be explained .

            I really like the way he presents an idea, but leaves it up to the reader to fill in the details. But what I don't know is how well that adapts to sales copy/ads. That style doesn't match anything I can remember ever reading about.

            Marvin
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            • Profile picture of the author Pusateri
              Originally Posted by Marvin Johnston View Post

              Ah, I am a bit slow tonight ... I read the short story online, and saw the resemblance between the two but didn't catch the joke. Ruins the joke when it has to be explained .

              I really like the way he presents an idea, but leaves it up to the reader to fill in the details. But what I don't know is how well that adapts to sales copy/ads. That style doesn't match anything I can remember ever reading about.

              Marvin
              In the visual arts it's called Frameline Magnetism. It means that you show enough so that the viewer knows what is going on beyond the edges of the frame. You paint with a broad brush and let the mind supply the details. It works in writing too.

              The best recent examples are: "What happen's in Vegas stays here," and a little marketing effort based on two words: "Hope," and "Change." Each individual mind supplied details most relevant to itself.

              Roy H. Williams teaches it in his ad writing workshops. This clip is from the Eisenbergs brothers' Persuasive Online Copywriting course. If you get bored with the slide show, skip ahead to the 1:23 mark. The ad used as an example is Roy's work.

              Mark

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  • Profile picture of the author Johnny Danes
    Banned
    Hey guys,

    I'm looking for book recommendations. I'd appreciate if you'd not "hi-jack" this thread. I am not looking for example ads.....
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    • Profile picture of the author BrianMcLeod
      Originally Posted by Johnny Danes View Post

      Hey guys,

      I'm looking for book recommendations. I'd appreciate if you'd not "hi-jack" this thread. I am not looking for example ads.....
      And just like that... they walked out of his life, forever.
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      Brian McLeod
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