Best Copywriting Books: The Complete List

Claude Hopkins wrote two books about direct response advertising and copywriting: My Life in Advertising and Scientific Advertising. The former is autobiographical and the latter is instructional. Both books are available in a single volume.

Scientific Advertising could possibly be the most important advertising book ever written. James Sadler, a "Top 1000 Reviewer" on Amazon, says,

"All advertising before Scientific Advertising flows into it; and all advertising after Scientific Advertising flows out of it."

If you haven't yet read the book, you're being deprived of some the most profound advertising wisdom ever recorded. Despite its age (it was written in 1933) and brevity (it's only 100 pages), Hopkins' masterpiece is as relevant today as when it was first written.

It's rumored that marketing consultant Jay Abraham read Scientific Advertising over 50 times. Internet business coach Terry Dean has read it numerous times, and even created a complete marketing system from it. And David Ogilvy, the advertising genius who founded the Ogilvy & Mather agency, says...

"Nobody should be allowed to have anything to do with advertising until he has read this book (Scientific Advertising) seven times. It changed the course of my life."

-David Ogilvy
Author of Confessions of an Advertising Man

The bottom line: Scientific Advertising (and its companion book, My Life in Advertising) is must-read material for any serious marketer, copywriter, or advertising professional.

Eugene Schwartz was one of the most talented copywriters of the 20th Century. And to this day, his book Breakthrough Advertising stands out as one of the most sophisticated books about copywriting and advertising ever written.

The reason I say this is because Schwartz is the only copywriter who teaches about the prospect's state of awareness and the various phases of market sophistication. He also explains how the market's level of sophistication determines the approach the copywriter should take.

If all you did was read the first 3 chapters of this book, it would be more than worth the cost to acquire it.

"Do You Make These Mistakes in English?" was perhaps Sackheim's most famous ad. But what most people don't realize is that Sackheim wrote hundreds of ads in all kinds of markets.

My First Sixty Years in Advertising is unique as an advertising book because Sackheim refrains from offering advice. Rather, he gives you a tour of his advertising career, starting with the ads he wrote for farm equipment and first-generation automobiles, and ending with ads that sold supplements, courses, and even lobsters shipped from Maine. (Just imagine how much advertising changed in 60 years!)

I don't recommend you get My First Sixty Years in Advertising if you're looking for a systematic "how-to" copywriting book. But I would recommend it if you'd like a chronological history of advertising during the 20th Century, complete with reprints of many of Sackheim's most famous ads.

Ed Mayer was who Gary Halbert turned to when he wanted to polish his direct mail skills. In fact, Phil Alexander writes:

"Ed Mayer was SO gifted that Gary Halbert himself wouldn't attend his 'advanced' classes, and happily sat in his beginner classes. Halbert knew he was that good."

I bought Phil's last copy of Ed Mayer's book. It's very difficult to get these days.

Are you familiar with the idea of the Unique Selling Proposition -- also known as the "USP"? This concept -- and phrase -- was invented by Rosser Reeves and explained in his 1961 book Reality in Advertising.

This book is not so much about copywriting as it is about products and the unique ideas that sell them. As such, this is less a book about techniques as it is a book about ideas, concepts, and strategies. An important book for the serious advertiser.

While most copywriting legends made careers out of writing copy for clients, Joe Sugarman made a career of writing copy for himself. That is, he wrote ads to sell his own products.

One of the things I like about Sugarman's book is how it guides you through the ad writing process from start to finish. In a way, it's almost like a copywriting course -- but in a book format.

Sugarman also includes reprints of space ads he wrote that performed well. These ads are useful illustrations of the principles and techniques he describes in the book.

I love this book. It's brief, well-written, and packed with insights that only come from having spent decades in the advertising business.

Among the topics covered:

* How to Manage an Advertising Agency
* How to Get Clients
* How to Keep Clients
* How to Be a Good Client
* How to Build Great Campaigns
* How to Write Potent Copy
* How to Illustrate Advertisements and Posters
* How to Make Good Television Commercials
* How to Make Good Campaigns for Food Products,
Tourist Destinations and Proprietary Medicines
* How to Rise to the Top of the Tree -- Advice to the Young
* Should Advertising Be Abolished?

As you can see, it matters little whether you are a copywriter, an agency owner, or a business owner who hires copywriters and agencies -- there's something here for everyone.

Highly recommended to all advertising professionals.

This is a really cool little reference book. It is basically a compilation of words and phrases that advertising copywriters can use in their ads and sales letters.

Let's say you're stuck on how to open your sales letter. Simply open up Words That Sell and turn to the "Grabbers" section. This section is further broken down into 11 different categories of Grabbers, including Teasers, Free/Prize, Sale/Discount, and more. Look for the opening phrase that fits your letter best -- and presto! You're ready to move on.

How about another scenario... Let's say you're stuck on a word or phrase. You want something stronger, but you just can't think of it. Simply turn the "Description and Benefits" section of the book where you'll find word and phrase lists for all kinds of descriptors.

Words That Sell is like a thesaurus for copywriters, but it goes way beyond synonyms. It categorizes similar words, phrases, and even similes and metaphors -- so you can find just the right turn of phrase for whatever sales copy you're writing.

Imagine having all of the best direct marketing tips, tricks, and secrets straight from the top direct marketers of all time.

Because that's what you get inside 2,239 Tested Secrets for Direct Marketing Success.

What I love about the book is how dozens of pithy tips are organized into chapters covering all the phases and elements of direct marketing. Have a specific question about your next DM campaign? Just turn to the appropriate chapter (let's say "Fundraising") and start reading!

You get the experts' best advice on copy, premiums, back-end marketing, order forms, and a whole lot more. One second you're reading Axel Andersson, the next Claude Hopkins. One second you're reading Martin Conroy, the next Drayton Bird.

From Mal Decker to Bill Jayme to Jay Abraham to Jim Rutz to Raymond Rubicam to Dick Benson... and on it goes in what seems like an endless parade of direct marketing legends.

It's like a compendium of brief direct marketing lessons -- lessons that took a lifetime to learn -- all boiled down to their essence and organized in a logical fashion for quick reference.

This really is a must-have book for direct marketers.