6 Books Every Copywriter Needs to Read
My Favorite Copywriting Reads
Our writing has the power to make us look smart or stupid. It has the power to make us appear amusing, warm, knowledgeable, or trustworthy. But it can also make us appear mundane, disorganized, or plain boring.
That means you must carefully choose your words and write with economy, flair, and real compassion for your customers. And it means you’re giving a whole new meaning to an often-overlooked talent in content marketing: writing and telling a great factual story. That holds true whether you’re composing a listicle, using Slideshare, or reading the words you’re reading right now…
As a consequence, being able to communicate well in writing isn’t just desirable; it’s essential. The following are the books I used to learn copywriting techniques. Some of which were started in the early twentieth century.
Break through Copywriting
It’s an art form to use written words to convey emotions and feelings to the reader. The author not only gives us clear and straightforward instructions but also templates. An easy read that improved my understanding of how to construct written words to get my desired outcome.
It also clearly caters to the American market, but there are still a lot of good general ideas in this book, and I learned some new things about copywriting that I hadn’t generally understood.
Pitch Anything
Summary of Pitch Anything:
- Pitching technique is something that can be learned.
- Pitches are sent from the neocortex, a contemporary — and sophisticated — region of the brain.
- Both parties should feel satisfied rather than exploited or duped.
- Once power has shifted, take command and steer talks in the direction you wish. Power is given and taken. Allow both sides to enjoy the game. It should be thrilling for both parties, not oppressive.
- Create desire rather than liking or analysis.
There is an excellent summary on Goodreads here.
Ogilvy on Advertising
It is said that David Ogilvy was who Don Draper from Mad Men was based. Ogilvy is considered the master of the modern advertising agency pitch. He is almost the original pitchman.
Although it would have been even more intriguing if we could read his thoughts on the present condition of advertising, it was an intelligent and completely engrossing read. I really liked his work, and his primary ideas are still valid today. Unfortunately, his prediction that huge billboards and deception in political advertising would become outdated was completely correct.
The Robert Collier Letter book
A book for the businessman who already knows the theory of letter writing but is looking for more effective ways of putting it into practice. It shows successful ways of selling all manner of products through proper advertising.
This book is really old school in advertising terms. It comes from the early 20th century when the techniques of copywriting were first being developed. Lots of wonderful classic ads to read and enjoy. Perhaps more useful as a historical document than a guide to copywriting. Highly technical and very dated examples, this book continues to be a masterwork of understanding human psychology.
My Life in Advertising, Scientific Advertising
This is a great read. Hopkins practically founded modern advertising. He advocated for measuring everything and testing everything and holding advertisers accountable for results in 1927. Before the internet, before big data, before conversion tracking.
David Ogilvy said: “Nobody should be allowed to have anything to do with advertising until he has read this book seven times. It changed the course of my life.”
Everybody Writes
This book is a bit repetitive in nature so you may not read the entire thing the first time you come to it. It is a series of helpful anecdotes on writing and writing life. I use this book as a reference when I have trouble getting to the essence of what I am really trying to say. It is a very good reference book for copywriters at all stages of their careers.
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