Ad Layout Introduction Put it in writing The layout sheet Indicating copy and art The copy sheet Keying copy Keying art Other things about art Digital artwork How art scales The model release form Proofs Managing proofs Credits and adjustments More on adjustments The fastest way to increase sales! Participate in this award-winning, newspaper-specific ad sales course on-site or in a Webinar.  • Get past upfront stalls and objections without any pushing  • Make the account believe he really needs you  • Get better information from your prosepct  • Develop quick ad strategies that work the very first time  • Eliminate size, frequency, content, cost and most other objections before they ever arise  • Get dramatic responses for all kinds of advertisers  • Never have to push an advertiser to run again click here

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 production people will use to enter all the type into their 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 our sample copy sheet above. Once you have written out all the type that will appear in the ad onto the copy sheet (staple or tape it if it's already printed out or attach a disk, CD or DVD if not), 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, size, weight, and style. 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, like the address with the letter 'C' and the phone number with the letter 'D', similar to what we did.

Next: Keying copy