With increasing demand on businesses to improve their Google rankings, the role of a copywriter continues to change to involve more technical SEO elements and strategies. And it certainly doesn’t help that consumers are spoilt for choice.
However, content is and will always be King.
If your content isn’t useful and engaging, visitors will look elsewhere. And so will Google…
So how do you write amazing content to engage your audience? And once they’re engaged, how can you compel them to buy?
Well, reading is a really good place to start.
Here’s seven of my favourite books for copywriting.
I know, I know, I said “books for copywriting,” not “copywriting books.” Because not all these books are copywriting books per se. But collectively they provide key lessons, resources and tools to help you write better, compelling copy to engage your audience and increases your sales.
Right. Let’s hop to it. Without further ado:
7 books to help you become a better copywriter… and hopefully make more money for you and your clients.
1. Ogilvy on Advertising
by David Ogilvy
Let’s start with a classic that still stands tall today.
In 1962, Time Magazine called him “the most sought-after wizard in today’s advertising industry.”
From The Hathaway Man to Rolls-Royce, David Ogilvy created some of the most iconic advertising campaigns of all time. And even though much of his advice is from the Mad Men era, many of Ogilvy’s lessons are still as potent as ever.
Ogilvy on Advertising includes 11 chapters on how to thrive in the ad game. Everything from getting and keeping clients, to writing headlines and body copy, to running a successful agency.
Ogilvy didn’t suffer fools gladly. And rightly so. Take this Sage-like advice for instance:
“When copywriters argue with me about some esoteric word they want to use, I say to them, ‘Get on a bus. Go to Iowa. Stay on a farm for a week and talk to the farmer. Come back to New York by train and talk to your fellow passengers in the day-coach. If you still want to use the word, go ahead.”
And if you’re still looking for a reason to buy… legendary copywriter Joseph Sugarman cited Ogilvy on Advertising as the most influential copywriting book he’s read.
You can find it on Amazon and BookDepository.
2. The Adweek Copywriting Handbook
By Joseph Sugarman
Joe Sugarman’s The Adweek Copywriting Handbook is a practical guide to creating copy from one of America’s top copywriters. You’ll be guided, step-by-step, through the entire copywriting process from preparation and research, to polishing drafts to a brilliant sheen.
Using real examples of high-converting copy, Sugarman explains the vital elements of great copy and explores the emotional triggers that convince consumers to buy.
This book is dense with detail, brimming with actionable tips and practical advice to start writing more effective copy right away.
“The writing is riveting and the wisdom is worth gold. This is the best book on copywriting in the entire history of marketing.”
– Joe Vitale, author
There’s good reason why The Adweek Copywriting Handbook is on the must-read list for many top copywriters and agencies. Find out for yourself.
You can find it on Amazon and BookDepository.
3. Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
By Chip and Dan Heath
Technically this is not a copywriting book. But it’s still extremely useful for copywriters. Even those just starting out. Brothers Dan and Chip Heath developed a framework, based on extensive research, to test if an idea will stick in the minds of consumers.
They narrowed it down to six criteria:
- Simplicity
- Unexpectedness
- Concreteness
- Credibility
- Emotion
- Stories
An idea doesn’t have to tick all six criteria to be “sticky.” Just two or three can do the trick. Nor does ticking all the boxes guarantee success. But you can pretty much guarantee that if your copy doesn’t contain at least a few of these, it’ll need some more work.
The Heath brothers present their findings as a collection of entertaining stories and case studies designed to illustrate just how the framework came to be, and how it works. And, most importantly, how it can help you communicate with substantial staying power.
Sound pretty good for copywriting?
I thought so, too.
You can find it on Amazon and BookDepository.
4. The Boron Letters
by Gary Halbert
Gary Halbert is considered one of the greatest copywriters of all time. He did, however, spend several years in the Boron Federal Prison Camp for fraud… but this may have been a blessing in disguise.
During his incarceration, he wrote a series of 25 letters to his son, Bond. Each letter was a different lesson, specific and actionable, on how to convince people to buy your products and services. And they are amazing.
But The Boron Letters aren’t just about copywriting. Halbert also offers many great life lessons to his son – all superbly written copy.
Halbert’s style isn’t for everyone. In fact, it can be a bit crass at times. But it converts like crazy.
Here’s some stellar advice that became a fundamental practice for many great copywriters today:
“Get yourself a collection of good ads and DM pieces and read them aloud and copy them in your own handwriting.”
Give it a go. And while you’re at it, get a copy of The Boron Letters.
You can find it on Amazon and BookDepository.
5. My Life in Advertising & Scientific Advertising
by Claude C. Hopkins
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.”
And many other advertising greats tend to agree.
Written in 1923, Scientific Advertising is widely considered the foundation of direct marketing, and was the first to outline the process of split testing and loyalty schemes. It was also one of the first books to outline the features vs benefits principle.
Hopkins’ methods for maximising ROI while controlling losses were revolutionary. And many of his fundamental principles still hold up today.
Here’s a little taster:
“Some say, ‘Be very brief. People will read but little.’
Would you say that to a salesman?
With a prospect standing before him, would you confine him to any certain number of words?
That would be an unthinkable handicap.”
You can find it on Amazon and BookDepository.
6. Words That Sell
by Richard Bayan
Words That Sell is a thesaurus of engaging words and phrases to help spruce up your copy into an irresistible slippery slide of juicy selling power. It contains over 6000 entries categorised into Grabbers, Descriptions and Benefits, Clinchers, and Special Strategies.
I remember this book being a hot recommendation when I did my first online copywriter course. I was so excited, I bought it right away.
There’s a great section in the Appendix called, “‘Puffspeak’ — And Its Alternative”. It shoots straight from the hip, and is as humorous as it is useful. Have a look:
“Puffspeak: outsource
Translation: finding cheap replacements for white-collar workers”
Words That Sell is a valuable resource for copywriters of all levels. Keep it close. Use it often. Laugh in the face of boring copy, mwahahaa.
You can find it on Amazon and BookDepository.
7. One Plus One Equals Three: A Masterclass in Creative Thinking
by Dave Trott
Another non-copywriting book? What’s going on?
Well… what good is the ability to write without the ability to problem solve and think creatively? Especially when one of the key goals of copywriting is to solve problems for your audience…
That’s where a book like Dave Trott’s One Plus One Equals Three is particularly valuable.
In the 80s, Trott’s agency, GGT was voted Most Creative Agency In The World by Advertising Age. And in 2004 he received the D&AD President’s Award for lifetime achievement in advertising.
So, you could say he knows a thing or two about creativity and the art of persuasion… and it certainly makes this book an enticing and valuable read.
One Plus One Equals Three is a bite-sized masterclass in creative thinking.
The stories are told in Trott’s distinctive Zen-like style, packed with humour and practical advice. They “act as a rallying cry for individuals and businesses who want to think differently, stand out and challenge convention.”
For an excellent case study on concise, engaging storytelling; practical advice on creative thinking; and a really entertaining read, you can’t go wrong with One Plus One Equals Three.
Oh, and the copy is pretty fantastic, too.
You can find it on Amazon and BookDepository.
Bonus list
Yes, there are loads of other great copywriting books out there. And that’s ok. There’s always another blog post for those… the seven I recommended are just some that resonated with me.
However, just for fun, I’ve included seven more recommendations of books comfortably nestled on the shelves of great copywriters the world over.
1. The Copywriter’s Handbook: A Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Copy That Sells by Bob Bly
2. The Ultimate Sales Letter: Attract New Customers. Boost Your Sales. by Dan Kennedy
3. The Well-Fed Writer: Financial Self-Sufficiency as a Commercial Freelancer in Six Months or Less by Peter Bowerman
4. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini
5. All Marketers are Liars: The Underground Classic That Explains How Marketing Really Works–and Why Authenticity Is the Best Marketing of All by Seth Godin
6. Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee
7. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
Final Thoughts
Collectively, these books will teach you how to research, think creatively, solve problems, engage your audience, and boost your sales.
But, it doesn’t matter how many books you read on swimming, you won’t know if you’ve learnt anything until you actually jump in the water. The same goes for copywriting.
Here’s a practical idea:
After each book you read, use a few of the ideas in a piece of copy.
Apply your learning for real outcomes, and you might be surprised by the results.
Here’s to a good read, real outcomes, and success in your business!
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