Cashvertising: How to Use More Than 100 Secrets of Ad-agency Psychology to Make Big Money Selling Anything to Anyone Paperback – November 15, 2008

Seldom am I this impressed with a book. I have read countless books on advertising, marketing, branding and small business success in general. I was completely blown away by the valuable information I got in this book, and at such a great price.At first I was a bit skeptical. The first few pages made me think that Cashvertising was going to be hokie and filled with nonsense. I expected theoretical ideas and something in the vain of Matt Lesko (with questions marks on his jacket screaming about free Government money.) Those concerns were put to rest half way through the first chapter.Once you really get into the meat of the book you realize what he was doing in the beginning. And obviously it worked because even though I had my doubts I continued reading and making mental notes of the points he brought up.I finished the book in about a week, reading it 10 minutes here or there - Whenever I had time to pick it up and study a few pages. As I got farther into the book I was amazed at how simple his ideas were, and started immediately getting my own ideas of how to use what he talks about for my specific situation.One thing to note at this point: you have to have some imagination and a strong thought process to figure out how to use some of the techniques discussed, but he helps you along the way. Unless you own a pizzeria then you won't really find specific examples of how to implement what's being conveyed.Once I finished the book, taking some notes along the way, I immediately sat down and reviewed my latest work. Armed with what he teaches I was able to write a better advertisement. A few tweaks to the headline and several adjustments to the body copy and the entire thing feels some much better. It reads faster and is easier to understand. It takes the prospective buyer on a mental journey and tries to foresee and head off any concerns they may have. It went from speaking mostly about features and started talking almost exclusively about the benefits. Then I spiced up my call to action somewhat. I'm excited to see the results!After reading this book and then keeping it by my side as a reference I feel I'm armed with some very powerful information. Things that most people may not know or have not considered.Now, I do want to say that if you have been in advertising for an extended period of time you have probably heard most of these techniques. However, the difference between hearing somebody talk about them and seeing them in print, backed by real studies, and laid out in a way so as to make their implementation an easy step-by-step process is a magical thing. Your brain makes more connections and you are immediately more convinced of their effectiveness.Drew puts to good use the very same techniques he teaches throughout Cashvertising, which makes it an enjoyable and easy read. And that makes the information really stick.I highly recommend this book to everybody interested in being more thorough and successful with their advertising. Keep it close by and use it every day as a guide. It's well worth the few bucks you spend for it!

I wanted to learn more about advertising, marketing and copywriting. I bought this book, sat down to read it and couldn't put it down. I found myself turning page after page and thinking "Wow - this is so right on!" Let me be more specific about what I found useful:-The book is focused on one topic: Advertising effectiveness. Everything you read will help you sell more. The great thing is that you will find yourself having so much fun learning! The way Drew writes is interesting and the messages Pop off the page. I found myself thinking again and again, "Wow - so that's how they get me to buy! Well it works!"-It's packed full of incredibly useful information and examples. The beauty is that it's a fun read and massively informative. Drew has a way of saying a lot in a few words and examples. He quotes a lot of advertising geniuses, which is effective in giving his own message a lot of credibility.-It's a data driven book, and yet you don't feel like you are reading too much data. For example, Drew provides charts showing how people respond to different colors in ads. Doesn't sound very interesting, does it? Yet here's the thing: it is interesting, at least the way he presents it. That's how everything in this book is: fascinating, fun and easy all at the same time.-He covers a lot of ground even within a tightly scoped topic. At the end of the book you will be able to use online advertising tricks, create headlines, select fonts, write email copy, design print ads, set prices, etc. Somehow all of this is beautifully delivered in 194 fun pages that go by quickly.I loved this book. In truth, I think it's brilliant. If I had one suggestion for the author (and it is truly only one suggestion), it would be to name the chapters something a little less salesy and a little more straightforward. This would help me find what I was looking for a little easier when I go back to re-read certain topics.For $15 - why wouldn't you buy this book? People pay zillions to get the same advice from pros. After reading this book I felt I could get the same results myself.