Getting It Right Introduction The production department The layout sheet Indicating copy and art The copy sheet Keying your copy The art sheet Take our ad effectiveness course. Learn what you need to know to get a great response the first time you run. Just $59 • Get more readers seeing your ad • Get more readers reading your ad • Get more readers responding

Grab a piece of blank 8.5" x 11" plain paper and label the top of the sheet with the word "COPY". This sheet will be what the ad builders will use to enter all the type into their computer's ad creation program.

This should be the only sheet they should use to set the type, so write out all the type that will appear in the ad, regardless of whether you already clearly wrote it on your layout sheet or simply drew lines indicating where the type will appear. Check out the sample copy sheet below.

Once you have written out all the type that will appear in the ad (or stapled or taped the type onto the copy sheet if it's typed), the next step is to label or "key" the copy and match it to the ad layout you've already created.

To do this, first break down all the type into groups of type that share the same general location, the same size and style characteristics. Write the letter 'A' next to the first group of words.

The next group, which might be, for example, a list of product descriptions and prices, would be labeled with the letter 'B'. Go on to label the other elements, such as the address with the letter 'C' and the phone number with the letter 'D', similar to what we did.

Next: Keying your copy to the layout sheet

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