Top Copywriting Books... Ever

16 years ago

And the Gary Halbert Recommended List:

"Scientific Advertising"

-by Claude Hopkins

"The Robert Collier Letter Book"

-by Robert Collier

"Tested Advertising Methods"
-by John Caples
"How To Write A Good Advertisement"

-by Vic Schwab

"The Gary Halbert Letter" (all back issues)

-by Gary Halbert
"The Boron Letters"

-by Gary Halbert

"The Lazy Man's Way to Riches"

-by Joe Karbo

"Break-Through Advertising"

-by Eugene M. Schwartz

"7-Steps To Freedom"

-by Ben Suarez

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Loren Woirhaye

16 years ago

Joe Sugarman's books have a more modern feel to them
than many of the classics mentioned here - even though
he wrote them in the days before the internet he
was dealing with technological innovations. One
year he was selling calculators for $200 a pop and
the next year better calculators were $40 - kinda
like the Internet Marketing phenomenon where information
that sells for $1000 today is given away next year.

Useful stuff.

I've read Drayton Bird's book on Direct Marketing and
it's first-rate - more useful in many ways than "7
Steps To Freedom" - which deals specifically with
how to run a direct mail business, not copywriting.

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debukur

15 years ago

Originally Posted by Loren Woirhaye

Joe Sugarman's books have a more modern feel to them
than many of the classics mentioned here - even though
he wrote them in the days before the internet he
was dealing with technological innovations. One
year he was selling calculators for $200 a pop and
the next year better calculators were $40 - kinda
like the Internet Marketing phenomenon where information
that sells for $1000 today is given away next year.

Loren, are you refereeing to Sugarman's "The Adweek Copywriting Handbook" or "Advertising Secrets of the Written Word"?

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Loren Woirhaye 15 years ago

Originally Posted by debukur

Loren, are you refereeing to Sugarman's "The Adweek Copywriting Handbook" or "Advertising Secrets of the Written Word"?

They are the same book. I've read that the Adweek handbook has some
newer content, but it's only available in paperback. "Advertising Secrets"
is one of the nicest bound books I have - it's really a pleasure to own
and handle and read over and over. If you are just after the information
and don't take much pleasure in nice books, get the "Adweek" paperback.
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jecraven89

Banned 14 years ago

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Maximillion_Z

14 years ago

Originally Posted by jecraven89

"How To Write A Good Advertisement" - by Vic Schwab is a repeat. You might want to remove it. Never read it. Can you leave some links to snap up a couple of these books for free.

Duplicates removed.

I don't know about free, but if you visit Amazon, find the book you want, then look for the link below the price that says: "7 new from $____ 1 used from $____", you can get books for pennies. Sometimes they're in brand new condition too.

As for 100% free, stick to Hopkins Scientific Advertising. Jay Abraham has read it something like 70 times I've heard.

I think it was Scott Haines who said that he once met Jay, and he was shocked that Scott had only read it a few times...

Thanks

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travlinguy

16 years ago

Even though it's not a copywriting guide get Seven Kings' "On Writing." This is one of his few non-fiction books with a slight autobiographical slant. Excellent stuff.

In a nutshell King says, you've gotta have some intrinsic talent or all the study in the world won't help. Once you've determined you've got the basic talent there are two things you must do consistently. Those are: read a lot and write a lot. The rest will take care of itself. I agree. Good luck.

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Maximillion_Z 16 years ago

Thanks for the replies.

I just saw the other thread in the copywriting section: "Best Copywriting Book?"

Just to say that I didn't mean to start a thread with such a similar theme. Should've looked before posting

---

Loren Woirhaye, regarding Sugarman - it would be good to get your opinion on this, by Mark Joyner (not affiliate link):

simple·ology | Simpleology Great Teacher Series - Ted Nicholas and Joe Sugarman Teach Direct Response Copywriting

It looks interesting given the $1 7 day trial, but it doesn't seem directly endorsed by Sugarman or Ted Nicholas, nor does it have any real testimonials.
- [ 3 ] Thanks
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Roxanne McHenry

15 years ago

Originally Posted by travlinguy

Even though it's not a copywriting guide get Seven Kings' "On Writing." This is one of his few non-fiction books with a slight autobiographical slant. Excellent stuff.

I agree that Steven King's book is excellent. It's not a how-to in the traditional sense, but he shares the nitty-gritty to get the job done. Great for writing and copywriting!

I actually saw Steve King in person years ago in New England at a movie showing of one of his stories, and he's still a writing icon. He was very unassuming, and if you didn't know who he was, he looked like he could've been a teacher or professor.

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SmashTweet

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Roxanne McHenry

I agree that Steven King's book is excellent. It's not a how-to in the traditional sense, but he shares the nitty-gritty to get the job done. Great for writing and copywriting!

I actually saw Steve King in person years ago in New England at a movie showing of one of his stories, and he's still a writing icon. He was very unassuming, and if you didn't know who he was, he looked like he could've been a teacher or professor.

On Writing (Stephen King) - earlier I went through couple of writings on SK's early life (ref: Stephen King's Real Horror Story: How the novelist's addiction to drink and drugs nearly killed him | Mail Online), On Writing also essays an account of his personal life, interjected with anecdotes - that is how the first half of the book runs; in the second half, he takes on to the craft of Writing - provides samples, contrasts them and dishes out some enhanced versions by the end. This book is a life-changer (not directly linked with copy-writing though).

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Henry White

14 years ago

Originally Posted by travlinguy

Even though it's not a copywriting guide get Seven Kings' "On Writing." This is one of his few non-fiction books with a slight autobiographical slant. Excellent stuff.

In a nutshell King says, you've gotta have some intrinsic talent or all the study in the world won't help. Once you've determined you've got the basic talent there are two things you must do consistently. Those are: read a lot and write a lot. The rest will take care of itself. I agree. Good luck.

I found it very disappointing - it's poorly written, half the book is completely irrelevant, the part on writing was unoriginal, and so profanity laced I tossed it in the trash. This is the sort of writing you'd expect from a middle schooler.

Thanks

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DarrinMcGann 13 years ago

Thanks Travlinguy for the Great little book in the links section of your post! I downloaded it and read it straight away which is odd for me.I usually leave them to read later.I'm glad I didn't because I might not have remembered to read it.There's allot in there for such a little book! all the best to you,

Darrin
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Loren Woirhaye

16 years ago

Hi maximillion - I looked at it. I promote Simpleology
as an affiliate - I generally feel their stuff is good.

If you've never read Sugarman's "Advertising Secrets
of The Written Word" you might really enjoy the Sugarman
part of it - because you wouldn't know it's just some guy
reading the book to you word-for-word.

The Ted Nicholas part is, as far as I can tell, original.

There are 60 million people in the USA who basically don't
read - but they still want to learn how to make a lot
of money. The market for spoken-word info-products
is vast for that reason. Simpleology break things down
into nice little bites. I think it's a good system but if
you are a voracious, aggressive student I think you
might find the copywriting course too slow.

Still two world-class teachers though - guys who made
their fortunes selling stuff with copy - not peddling
copywriting seminars and courses. They both started
doing that only after they were very successful.

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Maximillion_Z

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Loren Woirhaye

If you've never read Sugarman's "Advertising Secrets
of The Written Word" you might really enjoy the Sugarman
part of it - because you wouldn't know it's just some guy
reading the book to you word-for-word.

The Ted Nicholas part is, as far as I can tell, original.

That's what I was worried about.

$45 a month for 12 months = $540 to have a book read to you.

The AWAI course also seems good, but as you mentioned - us aggressive students don't want to wait a year just to learn the basics...

---

As you're a pro (I'm guessing), do you think it possible to become a copywriter just by studying these books, and just practising?

I mean, it would be nice to take on a few small time gigs until enough income arives to afford the high end courses.

---

Ben Settle's "Copywriting Grab Bag" looks to be a winner also.

[ 2 ] Thanks

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Loren Woirhaye

16 years ago

Yes. If you've sold stuff in person of on the phone it
will be easier for you though.

The most important thing is to write. I don't follow
formulas normally. For a cheap, quick salesletter
for a generic product I might though. For a high-priced
product I spend a lot of time working out what to
say - the big ideas and arguments - when I sit down
to write they flow out.... mostly in a messy way that
needs a lot of editing .

I'm not a big-shot by any stretch but my copy does sell...
and know what? I read the books over and over and when
I sit down to write I don't think much about what the do's
and don't's are in the books.

Nobody has mentioned Herschell Gordon Lewis's books. I have
a couple and they are first-rate in my opinion. If I had to
pick two books that could take you from being a guy
who writes okay copy to a guy who writes great copy
they would probably be "Breakthrough Advertising" and
"Direct Mail Copy That Sells" - because both books are very
specific in different areas that can transform your whole
approach in subtle and powerful, creative ways.

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MrCopy

16 years ago

Don't be fooled by the low price tag and packaging - I think Ca$hvertising by Drew Eric Whitman is a good resource. It's kind of checklist style - but quotes a ton of other books and resources. It's probably a little advanced for beginners.

It's a great for teaching primary emotional motivators etc.

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Woody C

16 years ago

Originally Posted by ncub8

Don't be fooled by the low price tag and packaging - I think Ca by Drew Eric Whitman is a good resource. It's kind of checklist style - but quotes a ton of other books and resources. It's probably a little advanced for beginners.

It's a great for teaching primary emotional motivators etc.

If you want to understand the psycological triggers behind sales and copywriting then Cashvertising by Drew Eric Whitman is a MUST!

He also just got on Twitter and has some really helpful tweets, all promoting Cashvertising, of course

. @DrewEricWhitman is his username.

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Dima Kritchevski

16 years ago

"Advertising Secrets of The Written Word" by Joe Sugarman is a seriously kick-ass book on writing killer copy. How that managed to evade a significant mention in a thread about the the top copywriting books makes about as much sense to me as tits on a donkey.

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madaffiliatemoney 14 years ago

"Triggers" by Joe Sugarman don't know if anyone mentioned this yet
greatest book ever

best of luck,
Justin
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- ARSuarez 14 years ago
  
  @ Matt - Glad to have your thoughts on it. For the price, I was a little skeptical. But I might just bite the bullet and pick it up.
  
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Loren Woirhaye

16 years ago

It was mentioned. You didn't read the thread.

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Dean Dhuli 16 years ago

"Making Ads Pay" by John Caples

This book isn't talked about as much as "Tested Advertising Methods", but I personally feel
MAP is much, much better than TAM.
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- Michael Lee 16 years ago
  
  My recommendations:
  
  Web Copy That Sells by Maria Veloso
  The Architecture of Persuasion by Michael Masterson
  Influence The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini
  The Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joe Sugarman
  
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  bobgabon 15 years ago
  
  Hi All,
  
  I just started reading Web Copy That Sells by Maria Veloso and she write simple easy to absorb book. I finish quarter of her book and update once i finish reading
  
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authork

16 years ago

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chrisalbright

16 years ago

Originally Posted by authork

Inquiring minds want to know...what is this book?

It's "Advertising Secrets of the Written Word" by Joe Sugarman. I don't have that one yet, but I've got "The Adweek Copywriting Handbook" also by him. It's very good. I started the Simpleology copywriting course and the JS stuff was remarkably similar to it.

I'd also recommend "The Ultimate Sales Letter" and "The Ultimate Marketing Plan" both by Dan Kennedy. The latter is not focused on copywriting, but it's a good business reference.

Also, check out Ted Nicholas's website. I'd recommend anything by a guy that made millions of dollars selling a book about forming a corporation without a lawyer!

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safira88

13 years ago

Originally Posted by chrisalbright

It's "Advertising Secrets of the Written Word" by Joe Sugarman. I don't have that one yet, but I've got "The Adweek Copywriting Handbook" also by him. It's very good. I started the Simpleology copywriting course and the JS stuff was remarkably similar to it.

I'd also recommend "The Ultimate Sales Letter" and "The Ultimate Marketing Plan" both by Dan Kennedy. The latter is not focused on copywriting, but it's a good business reference.

Also, check out Ted Nicholas's website. I'd recommend anything by a guy that made millions of dollars selling a book about forming a corporation without a lawyer!

"The Adweek Copywriting Handbook" is a newer version in paperback
of "Advertising Secrets" - which is available in paper but mostly sold
as an exquistively printed and bound hardcover. It's really a nice
book to own but the Adweek handbook has the same information
in it. Personally I like Sugarman's writing but his book doesn't make
my A-list because it pertains to a specific type of catalog writing he
basically invented and was wildly successful with. Drew Alan Kaplan
is one of the surviving exponents of the style - though as far as
I know his catalog is now all online. If D.A.K. wrote a book on copy
or marketing I would buy it.

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mspennylane

16 years ago

I'm currently reading "The Elements of Copywriting" by Gary Blake and Robert Bly. It was written a while ago so some sections, like web copywriting, are out of date. But most of the methods seem to be timeless.

By the way, I'm new here and looking forward to getting involved in a few discussions

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Loren Woirhaye

16 years ago

"The Adweek Copywriting Handbook" is a newer version in paperback
of "Advertising Secrets" - which is available in paper but mostly sold
as an exquistively printed and bound hardcover. It's really a nice
book to own but the Adweek handbook has the same information
in it. Personally I like Sugarman's writing but his book doesn't make
my A-list because it pertains to a specific type of catalog writing he
basically invented and was wildly successful with. Drew Alan Kaplan
is one of the surviving exponents of the style - though as far as
I know his catalog is now all online. If D.A.K. wrote a book on copy
or marketing I would buy it.

Sugarman's advice on the specifics of how-to write copy may or may
not work for you.

Often ignored is Jeffrey Lant's book "Cash Copy". Some people hate his
style but if you could only have one book on the topic it's a contender.

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methomas

16 years ago

I haven't seen any mention of Joe Vitale.

Mr. Vitale, also known as Mr. Fire (mrfire.com)is one of the top Internet copywriters and has several ebooks on Hypnotic Marketing and Hypnotic Writing secrets.

Well worth reading.

[ 3 ] Thanks
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James A. Miller

16 years ago

Originally Posted by methomas

I haven't seen any mention of Joe Vitale.

Mr. Vitale, also known as Mr. Fire (mrfire.com)is one of the top Internet copywriters and has several ebooks on Hypnotic Marketing and Hypnotic Writing secrets.

Well worth reading.

That's because most of his products are a waste of time and money. He's a great copywriter but a poor teacher.

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tinbum

15 years ago

I've read and enjoyed most of the books mentioned in the thread. I'm eagerly awaiting "Tested Sentences That Sell" by Elmer Wheeler. First written in 1937 by all accounts it contains some real gold.

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daviidwilson

14 years ago

Originally Posted by tinbum

I've read and enjoyed most of the books mentioned in the thread. I'm eagerly awaiting "Tested Sentences That Sell" by Elmer Wheeler. First written in 1937 by all accounts it contains some real gold.

In my opinion and as has already been mentioned get How To Write A Good Advertisement by Schwab and also Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy and then get your hands on about 50 to 60 good swipes of John Carlton, Gary Halbert, Gary Bencivenga and Brian Keith Voiles and memorize them until you can recite them in your sleep.

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blueonblue

13 years ago

Originally Posted by methomas

I haven't seen any mention of Joe Vitale.

Mr. Vitale, also known as Mr. Fire (mrfire.com)is one of the top Internet copywriters and has several ebooks on Hypnotic Marketing and Hypnotic Writing secrets.

Well worth reading.

Read the list again. It was mentioned three times!

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mccflo99

16 years ago

I agree M E, you can get Hypnotic Writing on Amazon for less than 15 bucks and it's a steal. I read all of his material.

Chris

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wrcato

16 years ago

Maximillion_Z,
In my opinion anyone serious about copywriting needs to read "Scientific Advertising". It's a classic. Claude Hopkins is considered the "Father" of modern day advertising. If you haven't read it yet you can read it for free on my blog. 2Ultra.com Presents: ---> Ad-Copy Secrets Revealed It is located in the header under the title.

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priyankeshu

16 years ago

There is one more book... "Write to sell " it is written by Andy Maslen it is one of the best books easy to understand.. in the book.. writer talks a bit about psychology too!

With no doubt... Claude Hopkins is a must read for any advertising/marketing professional... in fact people say that one should read it at least 10 times before starting a marketing career

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Nic Oliver

14 years ago

Originally Posted by priyankeshu

There is one more book... "Write to sell " it is written by Andy Maslen it is one of the best books easy to understand.. in the book.. writer talks a bit about psychology too!

With no doubt... Claude Hopkins is a must read for any advertising/marketing professional... in fact people say that one should read it at least 10 times before starting a marketing career

Another vote for Andy Maslen, both for "Write to Sell" and "The Copywriting Sourcebook: How to Write Better Copy, Faster - For Everything from Ads to Websites"

Regards

Nic

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Hesster

16 years ago

Newbie copywriter (and newbie Warrior) here...

Does anyone have suggestions on books for newbs who have never written copy or been in the advertising business before? I'm not talking about stuff on how to string a sentence together, more about the nuts and bolts of putting together copy without a lot of jargon (or at least explaining what the jargon means).

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Ken Strong

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Hesster

Newbie copywriter (and newbie Warrior) here...

Does anyone have suggestions on books for newbs who have never written copy or been in the advertising business before? I'm not talking about stuff on how to string a sentence together, more about the nuts and bolts of putting together copy without a lot of jargon (or at least explaining what the jargon means).

That's what this thread is about -- go back and check out some of the books mentioned. None of them are grammar handbooks, they're all about how to copywrite.

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Hesster 16 years ago

Originally Posted by KenStrong

That's what this thread is about -- go back and check out some of the books mentioned. None of them are grammar handbooks, they're all about how to copywrite.

I probably should have been more clear. First rule of copywriting, I suppose.

If I'm starting from scratch, which book should I read first to get a good overview of the basics before moving onto more advanced books? There's a lot of material out there.

The Copywriter's Handbook? Writing Copy for Dummies? The Everything Guide to Copy? The Well-Fed Writer? All of the above?
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- chonji36 15 years ago
  
  Hi, here are a few books that I found extremely usefull in helping me understand the process of good copywriting: Claude Hopkins Scientific Advertising, Joe Sugarman The Adweek Copywriting Handbook, Ted Nicholas, How To Turn Words Into Money And Magic Words That Bring You Riches!
  
  Thanks
  
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zauberer

15 years ago

In my opinion and as has already been mentioned get How To Write A Good Advertisement by Schwab and also Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy and then get your hands on about 50 to 60 good swipes of John Carlton, Gary Halbert, Gary Bencivenga and Brian Keith Voiles and memorize them until you can recite them in your sleep.

Also get your hands on courses that break down good copy and explain step by step why and how the letter was put together. License To Steal by John Carlton is one such example. It helps you get good fast

Originally Posted by Hesster

Newbie copywriter (and newbie Warrior) here...

Does anyone have suggestions on books for newbs who have never written copy or been in the advertising business before? I'm not talking about stuff on how to string a sentence together, more about the nuts and bolts of putting together copy without a lot of jargon (or at least explaining what the jargon means).

[ 2 ] Thanks

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ARSuarez

15 years ago

Originally Posted by Hesster

Newbie copywriter (and newbie Warrior) here...

Does anyone have suggestions on books for newbs who have never written copy or been in the advertising business before? I'm not talking about stuff on how to string a sentence together, more about the nuts and bolts of putting together copy without a lot of jargon (or at least explaining what the jargon means).

Honestly, it's a very good idea to start with Bob Bly's "The Copywriter's Handbook." He goes through a lot of information you'll need to know. Plus, it's inexpensive on Amazon.
And as I'm sure you noticed, pick-up "Scientific Advertising" by Claude Hopkins. You can find that one online, if need be. Just read it.

I also recommend "The Ultimate Sales Letter" by Dan Kennedy. A very thorough checklist style book. More good advice is to get together a good swipe file. Study big winners, practice 'em in longhand, start memorizing. Voila! You're getting good.

Best,

Angel

P.S. Read The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert. You can find a .pdf collection of them online. Great resource.

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CityCliq 14 years ago

Read Letting Go of the Words by Ginny Redish and Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug. These books are geared towards web writers, but can be applied in any marketing situation.
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undergroundguru

16 years ago

Pretty sweet list so far.. I love Scientific Advertising!! One of the first books I read on advertising & marketing!

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blfred

Banned 15 years ago

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Dr. Robert Cialdini, Ph.D. is not a copy writing book per say, but it's probably one of the best books on how to sell out there.

Brandon

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jaxsterjoe

8 years ago

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jaxsterjoe

8 years ago

Originally Posted by Michael Lee

My recommendations:

Web Copy That Sells by Maria Veloso
The Architecture of Persuasion by Michael Masterson
Influence The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini
The Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joe Sugarman

Going to buy Web Copy That Sells and Influence The Psychology of Persuasion . To sell you have to understand the prospect. Hope they help with my copywriting.

Thanks
1 reply

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PatrickBrianONeill

8 years ago

Originally Posted by jaxsterjoe

Going to buy Web Copy That Sells and Influence The Psychology of Persuasion . To sell you have to understand the prospect. Hope they help with my copywriting.

JaxsterJoe, those are 2 excellent selections.

Maria Veloso is arguably one of the most successful online copywriters. I own the book and highly recommend it.

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EmpoweredCreator

15 years ago

Web Copy that Sells - Maria Veloso

This is an awesome copy writing book that really explains how to do it from A - Z

She even gives you a good system to use to develop your copy for your webpage.

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- Ron Herman 15 years ago
  
  Though Joe Sugarman has been mentioned, and although "Triggers" is not a 100% pure "copywriting" book, I still regard it as one of the best I have read. I also love my extensive swipe file.
  
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dontono7

15 years ago

Thanks for the tip on "Web Copy That Sells" by Maria Veloso, I was going to ask that but saw two people that think it's a great book. Ok, now I need to buy it...

Thanks
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Maximillion_Z

15 years ago

Originally Posted by dontono7

Thanks for the tip on "Web Copy That Sells" by Maria Veloso, I was going to ask that but saw two people that think it's a great book. Ok, now I need to buy it...

I think you'll find that not everyone agrees:

YouTube - Bad-NLP The Worst Example of NLP You...

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pegasuspress

15 years ago

A lot of great suggestions here. My personal favorites:

Web Copy That Sells by Maria Veloso - lays everything out in a logical step-by-step sequence that even beginners can easily understand. She also has a copywriting course at webcopywritinguniversity.com which I haven't taken as it is much more expensive than the book.

Dan Kennedy - just about anything by this guy is pretty good from my experience.

Drew Eric Whitman - If this is who I think it is I bought a book of his about 10-12 years ago and it was excellent. (Unfortunately I can't find it anymore.) Again, follows a logical process. Does anybody know if he's the guy who bills himself as the "copywriting surgeon" or "ad copy doctor" or some such thing? I remember the book I bought had a picture of him on the cover in a surgeon's mask.

One thing I've noticed, which someone mentioned earlier, is that a lot of the top copywriters do advocate sitting down with proven sales letters and just literally hand copying these letters over and over to get the experience of how it actually feels to write great ad copy. Sounds a bit strange and it's tedious as hell but a lot of them swear by it. I tried it once but after a few days it just started driving me nuts so I stopped. There just might be something to this method though. Apparently Hunter S. Thompson did the same thing with writers he admired, like Hemmingway. He turned out to be pretty good, to say the least, even though it's obviously a completely different style of writing.

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Daniel Sanchez

14 years ago

Scott Haines a protege of halbert did the same thing...copied one of Halbert's books by hand...

And the great Stephen King as a boy used to copy novels by hand...over and over.

There's a reason this is considered such a great exercise.

Originally Posted by pegasuspress

A lot of great suggestions here. My personal favorites:

Web Copy That Sells by Maria Veloso - lays everything out in a logical step-by-step sequence that even beginners can easily understand. She also has a copywriting course at webcopywritinguniversity.com which I haven't taken as it is much more expensive than the book.

Dan Kennedy - just about anything by this guy is pretty good from my experience.

Drew Eric Whitman - If this is who I think it is I bought a book of his about 10-12 years ago and it was excellent. (Unfortunately I can't find it anymore.) Again, follows a logical process. Does anybody know if he's the guy who bills himself as the "copywriting surgeon" or "ad copy doctor" or some such thing? I remember the book I bought had a picture of him on the cover in a surgeon's mask.

One thing I've noticed, which someone mentioned earlier, is that a lot of the top copywriters do advocate sitting down with proven sales letters and just literally hand copying these letters over and over to get the experience of how it actually feels to write great ad copy. Sounds a bit strange and it's tedious as hell but a lot of them swear by it. I tried it once but after a few days it just started driving me nuts so I stopped. There just might be something to this method though. Apparently Hunter S. Thompson did the same thing with writers he admired, like Hemmingway. He turned out to be pretty good, to say the least, even though it's obviously a completely different style of writing.

Thanks

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jennymcroland 14 years ago

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TonyDJackson

15 years ago

Gary Halbert taught me dig deep into the desire of the consumer and cut it out with a knife... Gary Bencivenga showed me how to seduce men & women with the sweet and gentle words of angels! Perhaps Gary's course is beyond your reach or possibly sold out. If so, I highly commend "every precious word" of Bencivenga's Bullets (free). Gary is the most persuasive and gracious copyrwriter I have ever read.

Tony

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ryancameron 15 years ago

John Carlton is definitely in the top 3. Check out: marketingrebel.com

The guy is one of the most influential copywriters of all time. His book is my favorite.
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Sleaklight

15 years ago

hmm Made To Stick by Chip heath and The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell are small books that deserve to be read

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femkeshe

15 years ago

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Rezbi

15 years ago

You guys missed out 'Power Copywriting for the Internet' by Bob Serling.

Excellent book.

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Mr. Subtle 15 years ago
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- Rezbi 15 years ago
  
  Subtle,
  
  I'm surprised you don't have Break Through Advertising on there.
  
  I'd have that one and no other if I had to have only one.
  
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- silombajustin 9 years ago
  
  Thank you for this list am getting them and study them Cheers!
  
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webgeek154

15 years ago

I agree. Breakthrough Advertising is a goldmine.

- WebGeek

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CreativelyScrappy101

15 years ago

Hi! Just joined Warrior Forum and quickly found this thread. Love it. Excellent books - I have read and used many of these books and agree! I would also add David Ogilvy's "Ogilvy on Advertising". Didn't see it in the list, but it has lot of great copywriting tips for ads, particularly headlines. Any thoughts on this one?

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Star Riley

15 years ago

I recommend the Bible especially the portions with Jesus communicating with others, nothing more powerful in this life created by man.

If your copy can save someone then they will not only "praise" you but spread the word. Good copy needs a great product that does what it states.

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- Leedir 15 years ago
  
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  kfk2003 15 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Leedir
  
  There are so many books listed here. Where would a novice start?:confused: (I love this emoticon :confused
  
  Dan Kennedy's "Ultimate Sales Letter" is probably the easiest to start with. It doesn't go too in-depth but provides a good overview of the entire copywriting process.
  
  After that you'll have no problem with any of the other recommended books.
  
  Thanks
  
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OLOORE 14 years ago

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- Ken Strong 14 years ago
  
  To keep this thread somewhat manageable for people to read, let's eliminate the "thank you" and "I agree" posts, and only post about books that haven't already been mentioned in the thread... and there can't be a lot of those at this point.
  
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  ZoeMarketing 14 years ago
  
  Hi MaxiMillion_Z
  
  You can find one of the best books on Copywriting here: MagicWordsSell.com
  
  In his book Trevor 'ToeCracker' Crook teaches:
  
  How To Write Kick Butt, Cash Generating Headlines . . . . . . Pages 4-5
  
  12 Easy Rules To Writing Sizzling Headlines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 6-9
  
  8 Different Types Of Headlines . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 10-14
  
  Trevor's 9 Point Critical Checklist For Evaluating Headlines . . .Page 15
  
  Proven Money Making Headlines For Your To
  Model From . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 16-22
  including:
  
  Templates to get your copy started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  
  How to use grabbers to get immediate attention (Plus samples) . . . . . . . . . . . .
  
  Your first sentence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  
  2 killer opening paragraphs guaranteed to get your copy read . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  
  How To Edit For Profit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 23-26
  
  How To Craft Winning Bullets Every Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 27
  
  To Guarantee OR Not To Guarantee? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 28-31
  
  4 Simple Rules To Writing A Compelling PS . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 32-33
  
  Telephone Script To Adapt To Your Business . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 34-36
  
  Marketing And Copywriting Questionnaire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ages 37-42
  
  His book is pure content filled with valuable information to help you become successful at Copywriting and creating Sales Pages that sell like crazy!
  
  MagicWordsSell.com
  
  Extremely worthwhile addition to your list of Top Copywriting books ever...
  
  Zoe
  
  Thanks
  
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Stephen Bray

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Star Riley

I recommend the Bible especially the portions with Jesus communicating with others, nothing more powerful in this life created by man.

If your copy can save someone then they will not only "praise" you but spread the word. Good copy needs a great product that does what it states.

Robert Collier makes good use
of the Bible in a number of his
letters

If you're into integrating
design into your copy to
create memorable features
Henry Wolf's 'Visual Thinking'
is a classic.

One of Wolf's Creations.

Stephen

P.S. The link is to an illustration
of the book cover, not an affiliate
link.

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bobbly

15 years ago

I would add:

>> Method Marketing by Denny Hatch.

>> My First 50 Years in Advertising by Maxwell Sackheim.

>> The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy.

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Dan Pueppke

15 years ago

Reading three books by Robert B. Cialdini, Professor of Psychology at Arizona State. This is VERY interesting stuff. I wish that I had gone into marketing in college.

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doctorjay

15 years ago

Originally Posted by dakotadaughter

Reading three books by Robert B. Cialdini, Professor of Psychology at Arizona State. This is VERY interesting stuff. I wish that I had gone into marketing in college.

Agree about Cialdini, he's a master of influence. I'm currently reading and enjoying "the Robert Collier Letter Book," previously mentioned. I cannot remember the author's name but the "Platinum Rule," is interesting basically it say, "Do unto others as they would like to be treated." It is a great copy writing advice - put yourself in your readers shoes.

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serrac

15 years ago

Someone mentioned Brian Keith Voiles in relation to swipe files.

His Ad Magic course was one of the original "high end" copywriting courses, but... apparently he didn't realise what he was doing when he sold someone the master resell rights...

So now Ad Magic is all over the internet (+ebay) for as little as $27

Maybe not "cutting edge" anymore but certainly worth the dollar cost and effort to work through.

Also check out the excellent interview Michael Senoff did with BKV at hardtofindseminars.com - truly inspiring.

Regards

Serrac

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PMinc

13 years ago

Originally Posted by serrac

Someone mentioned Brian Keith Voiles in relation to swipe files.

His Ad Magic course was one of the original "high end" copywriting courses, but... apparently he didn't realise what he was doing when he sold someone the master resell rights...

So now Ad Magic is all over the internet (+ebay) for as little as $27

Maybe not "cutting edge" anymore but certainly worth the dollar cost and effort to work through.

Also check out the excellent interview Michael Senoff did with BKV at hardtofindseminars.com - truly inspiring.

Regards

Serrac

Voiles is awesome, but he just missed spot in my list of 15 top Senoff interviews: Hard To Find Seminars: Michael Senoff’s 15 Best Interviews

I knew I should've stretched it out to 20.

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ARSuarez 15 years ago

Hey Warriors,

Kinda surprised. I think I've noticed one of the best books - recommended by countless gurus, including Sir Gary of Halbert - is missing.

I think it's one that everyone getting into copywriting should read. Personally, I think several readings is essential. It deals specifically with one of the most difficult, and important, parts of writing copy.

The author is famed for selling such a high volume of items in his industry. An industry which strives to achieve such a goal as a career objective.

This book is The First Hundred Million by E. Haldeman-Julius.
If you want to understand the arts of writing and testing compelling headlines, you need this book.

All the best,

Angel
- Thanks
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nadal 14 years ago

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Grazina Ajana Szewczyk

14 years ago

Even though it's not a copywriting guide get Seven Kings' "On Writing." This is one of his few non-fiction books with a slight autobiographical slant. Excellent stuff.

In a nutshell King says, you've gotta have some intrinsic talent or all the study in the world won't help. Once you've determined you've got the basic talent there are two things you must do consistently. Those are: read a lot and write a lot. The rest will take care of itself. I agree. Good luck.

Totally agree as well.

I found a great way to improve your writing: write "so what?" on a bit of paper, and put it on the top of your computer screen, or on the desk where you write. Every time you finish an article or a sales letter, read it from your reader's point of view, and watch for this "so what?" question. If the reader is thinking, "so what?", you lost him.

By the way, what a yummy list of wonderful books (I already have a few

).

Thanks

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Dr Eric Smith

14 years ago

Inbound marketing dives into copywriting just a bit. It's also an excellent guide on creating a white hat web presence

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wiseworks

14 years ago

Has anybody read Ray Edwards book "Writing Riches: Learn How to Boost Profits, Drive Sales and Master Your Financial Destiny With Results-Based Web Copy"?

If so would you consider it a top copywriting book? It should be shipped to me today.

Would you consider him a top copywriter?

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Grazina Ajana Szewczyk

14 years ago

Has anybody read Ray Edwards book "Writing Riches: Learn How to Boost Profits, Drive Sales and Master Your Financial Destiny With Results-Based Web Copy"?

If so would you consider it a top copywriting book? It should be shipped to me today.

Would you consider him a top copywriter?

wiseworks, I've been learning from Ray for over 3 years, and it helped me improve my copywriting skills a lot. You can look inside the book here

Writing Riches the Book by Copywriter Ray Edwards | Ray Edwards Small Business Marketing Strategies

click on
Look Inside Writing Riches above Scribd window, it'll open to a bigger one.

Thanks
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wiseworks 14 years ago

Originally Posted by Grazina Ajana Szewczyk

wiseworks, I've been learning from Ray for over 3 years, and it helped me improve my copywriting skills a lot.

I actually received his book today and am on chapter three already. I really need to get my conversions up on my sales page. He seems like a really good guy. I hope I learn from this book quickly.
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Drez

13 years ago

These aren't specifically copywriting books. But they WILL help you write better copy.

1. An Actor Prepares by Constantin Stanislavski

2. The Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell

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Jake Gray

13 years ago

Originally Posted by Drez

These aren't specifically copywriting books. But they WILL help you write better copy.

1. An Actor Prepares by Constantin Stanislavski

2. The Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell

Number two is definitely a "must-have".

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hmbiv 13 years ago

I'd just like to echo the thoughts on Cialdini. I've heard him interviewed before and his story is quite compelling. Quite simply he wanted to figure out why he fell for all the good sales people who sold him. He figured out they used a formula.

And of course, one can see a similar formula in at play many of these authors' books.

It's art and science working together to produce action in people....cool

Harry
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fancyrae

15 years ago

Books are great, and I've read most of the ones mentioned here. But let's not forget the bite-sized chunks of great information and examples from blogs. A couple of my favorites include copyblogger.com and makepeacetotalpackage.com .

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Blazer2007 15 years ago

All the books and information in the world will not make you Take Action.

Trust me! I have purchased most of the books listed above.

The only thing that helps best of all...

...taking winning copy and writing it down on paper.

When you read information that shows a sample advert - write it
down to understand the inner workings - just copy that puppy down
by writing it on a piece of paper.

This is not for you to read and show your friends, family or wife how great you copied a
winning ad on a sheet of paper - but to build retention in your mind about
how to write winning copy that sells.

Copy the masters in this way and you will soon be thinking like one.

A little action goes a long way. Books are not taking action.

Not knocking books - but they turn into educational entertainment,
if you never apply your new found knowledge.

I know writing things down is not Internet like/digital, but think about it, neither are you.

Digital 1s and 0s are there one millisecond and gone the next.

Learning how to write good copy is a skill that last a lifetime, does not require electricity and may one day save your life!
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- Robert Boduch 15 years ago
  
  Lots of great books listed above.
  
  Here's one that may be a little difficult to get, but it's a gem nonetheless.
  
  It's called: How To Write Advertising That Sells by Clyde Bedell
  
  If you can find it, grab it.
  
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  Robert Boduch 15 years ago
  
  Thank you Matt! Much appreciated.
  
  Here's another one worth reading if you can find it:
  
  Ads That Sell by Bob Bly.
  
  It's out of print, but I did find a copy on ebay a while back.
  
  Cheers!
  
  Robert
  
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  wheelstb 10 years ago
  
  Does anybody have experience with the book, Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content?
  Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating...
  
  It seems to have a lot of good reviews. I am looking for something in the audiobook format. So, my choices are a little bit different.
  
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  walker22 10 years ago
  
  Great thread with tons of great titles to add to the reading list.
  
  I think Loren mentioned it but Herschell Gordon Lewis' "Direct Mail Copy That Sells" is a staple I refer to all the time. Why? Because he goes into detail about specific word choices and how each word has an impact on what message you're building in the reader's mind.
  
  Also, I keep every email and sales piece I can get my hands on by Porter Stansberry from Stansberry Research. He and his team write copy so good that I have to make sure to keep my credit cards in the other room because his copy makes me want to buy every product he writes about. Scary good!
  
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  PatrickBrianONeill 10 years ago
  
  Good mention on Porter Stansberry, Walker22.
  
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  jonlomb 10 years ago
  
  These are great lists. Nothing can substitute,however, for practice. Blogging every day is a great way to get the practice needed for more specialized tasks. You don't need to post on the same blog, but practice really does make perfect. For most people, writing is not like riding a bicycle, you need to exercise the muscle to keep the skill sharpened.
  
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Jeremy Morgan 15 years ago

Web Copy That Sells: The Revolutionary Formula for Creating Killer Copy Every Time by Maria Veloso

The last decent copyrwriting book I've read.
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John Hamel 15 years ago

Here are some of my favorite copywriting books:

1. My Life in Advertising and Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins
2. Tested Advertising Methods by John Caples
3. Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy
4. How to Write a Good Advertisement by Victor O. Schwab
5. Magic Words That Bring You Riches by Ted Nicholas
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Nelson Clements 15 years ago

Some of my favorite copywriting books are Making Ads Pay by John Caples How to Write a Good Advertisement by Victor O. Schwab. Try out these books and they are easily available on amazon.
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MissEvonne 15 years ago

These are my 3 favorites with an emphasis on the 1st one.

1. The Adweek Copywriting Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Powerful Advertising and Marketing Copy from One of America's Top Copywriters by Joseph Sugarman

2. The Copywriter's Handbook, Third Edition: A Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Copy That Sells by Robert W. Bly

3. Web Copy That Sells: The Revolutionary Formula for Creating Killer Copy Every Time by Maria Veloso
- Thanks
- 1 reply
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- rygone 15 years ago
  
  Several have listed the Architecture of Persuasion by Michael Masterson as a "top" book on copywriting...
  
  It looks like the AWAI is selling it for $24.95...
  
  Is this an ebook or printed book?
  
  Is this the SAME content as in the AWAI course?
  
  Anyone have any reviews of this book?
  
  Is it available for sale used (cheap)?
  
  Thanks
  
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Bullett 15 years ago

If I had to pick one that has had the biggest impact over my freelance career, it would be Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene Schwartz.

It's hard to really understand but if you can "get" it you'll create grand-slam promos.
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- bulldawg13 15 years ago
  
  Stephen King's "On Writing" and Bob Bly's.
  
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RickDuris 15 years ago

When I work my mentors, one thing I notice is what they read. They would ANALYZE every page, every paragraph and every word of Denny Hatch's Million Dollar Mailings.

They would have three or four copies of the book hanging around, one in every room of their office.

By the the time the yellow highlighter, paper clips, post it notes and loose leaf pages were inserted, it was one ugly, beaten up, twice as thick, book.

This one book is not to be underestimated. Denny who founded WHO'S MAILING WHAT! Archive is a relentless researcher and gifted copywriter in his own right.

What he created was brilliant. - Rick Duris
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awhitaker 15 years ago

Back in 1998 when I got my first advertising copywriter job, I read "Hey Whipple Squeeze This" by Luke Sullivan. I highly recommend this book for any aspiring copywriter. It's entertaining, it's easy to read and it will hopefully spark some creative thinking in your own copywriting endeavors.
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theemperor 15 years ago

How can a book on selling help with copywriting?

I just downloaded and read "How I Raised Myself from a Failure to Success in Selling" by Frank Bettger. (PDF format was $10)

It is a absolutely superb read. Not only does it have all the top tips for becoming a better salesman, they style of writing inspires curiosity and makes you want to read on more, it's like a huge catchy sales letter!

The only bad thing is the overuse of baseball analogies ... if you know nothing about baseball it can be offputting and get a bit boring "oh not another baseball story!!!" but this can be understood as he was a professional baseball player.

I am going to use some of the sales techniques in doing any copywriting, and of course study the style of Bettger himself to see how he makes the chapter so compelling and interesting that I have to punch myself to stop reading and get to work!
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Bill Jeffels

15 years ago

Originally Posted by Maximillion_Z

Ok, so there are some of us who'd like to learn the art of copywriting, but cannot afford the prices of the top-end courses out there.

For that reason, it would be great to generate a thread with the top (affordable) copywriting books and/or resources to at least get us started - or perhaps cover everything that is needed?

Here are some I know of, some I've not read, but I'd be happy if those pro's out there would add to the list:

"Scientific Advertising" Hopkins,

"Tested Advertising" Caples (4th edition or earlier only),

"How I Raised Myself from a Failure to Success in Selling" Betger,

"How to Write a Good Advertisement" Schwab.

"How to Write Sales Letters That Sell" Drayton Bird (Just ordered my copy - looking forward to it

)

Great books. Right now I am in my office looking at the copy books that have helped me. Here are a few.

The Ultimate Sales Letter--Dan Kennedy
How To Write A Good Avertisement-- Victor Schwab
Advertising Headlines That Make You Rich-- David Garfinkle
Magic Words-- Ted Nicholas
Advertising Secrets Of The Written Word--Joe Sugarman
Robert Collier Letter Book-- Robert Collier
How To Write Sales Letters That Sell-- Drayton Bird
Breakthrough Advertising-- Eugene Schwartz
Tested Advertising Methods--John Caples
My Lif In Advertising/Scientific Advertising-- Claude Hopkins

Theres many more great ones out there too.

Bill Jeffels

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jayguy

15 years ago

You will have to let be know how Drayton Birds book is - I bought Commonsense Direct/digital marketing and it is meticulous in its approach. I hope "How to Write Sales Letters That Sell" is as informative as his other books.

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Hesster

15 years ago

I picked up The Do-It-Yourself Direct Mail Handbook by Murray Raphel and Ken Erdman from the library, and it's really good. It was published in 1986 and focuses squarely on mail, but a lot of the information is applicable on the web also. Amazon says there might be an updated version published in 2000, but if so, I haven't been able to find any copies.

There's a section where they asked a whole bunch of different copywriters what personal systems they used for their sales letters that I found particularly valuable.

Thanks

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Shaka

15 years ago

I consider Ted Nicholas to be the Crown Prince of copy. I have followed him for close to twenty years ands although Halbert, Carlton, Sugerman Kennedy et al. are very good. In my opinion he is without peer.

He claims to have sold $4 billion worth of goods and services during his 40 year career. He has written many books which can be found on his website. Here are two excellent titles he has written:

Magic Words That Bring You Riches
How to Turn Words Into Money

Thanks
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JohnB23 15 years ago

I'll add My Life in Advertising/Scientific Advertising.

Just reading Scientific Advertising is too dry and too short for most people to really "get". My Life in Advertising gives you more context and basis. Probably a bunch of people out there that have seen Scientific Advertising online, like in a pdf or in a free ebook and think...this is considered a classic? But there's nothing there.

But the truths in Sci Advertising are profound.

Robert Collier Letter Book....I admit is too hard, I bought it maybe 6 months ago, 9 months ago. After seeing it so many times on these must buy lists. But then I get it, start reading it, and think...oh my god! Too hard, lol. Put it down after 20 pages. Some books you might click with, some you might not.
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jayguy

15 years ago

Check out Drayton Bird Asscociates website it has loads of examples on it about some of the copy they have utilized in successful campaigns. The amazing thing is that really subtle differences such as text font can make a difference in a letters success.

Thanks

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ideapro

15 years ago

David Ogilvy's "Ogilvy on Advertising" and another of his books "Blood, Brains and Beer" are perhaps all the talented young copywriter need to develop his skills. I read them in the 1980s and used the techniques he outlined to build an advertising agency based on scientific, proven principles that actually work and work amazingly well.

Using the ideas he discussed, my clients sold billions of dollars in computer hardware in the 1990s. They competed against the richest, most powerful companies in the world. And, they won.

Ogilvy's short and easy-to-understand books are worth a thousand times their weight in gold... a million times.

Others have written their books, but nobody beats Ogilvy when it comes to clear, concise, inspired teaching of the basic advertising techniques for aspiring young writers and creatives. Nobody has done it better. Nobody has done it as well.

You can read the other books, but read Ogilvy first.

[ 1 ] Thanks

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Tom Vo

15 years ago

@ideapro: Can you tell me more about "Blood, Brains and Beer"? I have "Ogilvy on Advertising" and "Confessions of an advertising man", books that are considered by many as the foundation of any copywriting (or advertising) library. I love both books, but so far I never heard anybody recommending "Blood, Brains and Beer". So, I`m just a little curious.

Tom VO

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Loren Woirhaye

15 years ago

I agree with Harlan about Veloso's treatment of NLP issues -
she merely grazes on a deep topic and paints subtle methods
with a very broad brush.

She just put out a new edition however and she may have
either eliminated the NLP part or improved it.

Veloso's book, actually, among just about every book on copy
I have, is one of just a couple that even mention NLP or
embedded commands.

Do you need that stuff to write effective copy?

I don't think you do.

I suspect Veloso's book is responsible for the rash of
websites out there with hamfisted attempts at NLP
persuasion in writing (I'm not claiming expertise in NLP,
but I can spot a stupid persuasion attempt from about
100 feet).

Anyway - Veloso's book is not a bad blueprint if you are
new to writing copy. It's a quick read and it touches
on a lot of relevant issues. As you get deeper into the
literature of copywriting I think you'll find much of the best
stuff was written for direct mail, not the web - but of
course you'll have to take those direct mail concepts and
adapt them to web usage, which is another layer of
skill to acquire.

The best material on copy, in my experience, comes from
seasoned direct mail pros. There are quite a lot of excellent
books out there you can learn from. Many of them haven't
been mentioned here due to being out-of-print and uncommon.

I have dozens of books on copy and they are all useful reading.
I've read a few ebooks which were just awful though... and
gave really ignorant advice.

My advice is to read (and re-read) the classics. Read new ones
people mention here (ie. Ca$hvertising, which is 1st rate) - and
read stuff on selling, direct marketing, psychology, and persuasion
as it comes you way. I picked up a shabby paperback called
"The Hidden Persuaders" recently at a book sale. I learned from
it... so keep your eyes open for any material you suspect might
make you a more well-rounded writer and salesperson. The
effect is cumulative.

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balamasti

15 years ago

newbie here want to know is it possible to get the E-book versionog those books

Thanks
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CDarklock 15 years ago

Originally Posted by balamasti

newbie here want to know is it possible to get the E-book versionog those books

Some of them have e-book versions. You have to go looking for them, though... I found "Scientific Advertising" somewhere as a free download, and I've seen some of the others offered as bonuses with other products.
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jjjroy

15 years ago

Get a copy of "Million Dollar Mailings" by Denison Hatch.

It's all about Direct Mail, but includes loads of examples showing headlines, bullet points and lots of successful sales copy.

Some of the samples are pretty small, so be sure to wear your reading glasses ;-)

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JezH

15 years ago

There is a huge amount of free copywriting resource on Clayton Makepeace's blog makepeacetotalpackage.com called The Total Package and I can also recommend Ben Settle's "Copywriting Grab Bag".

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Bigsofty

15 years ago

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Foresight2020

15 years ago

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waihon

15 years ago

Originally Posted by ckauza

Do you have any tips on how to evaluate someone's copy to tell whether it's "good" or "bad" (other than "Does it produce the intended result?)? I'm asking because I have clients who are asking for evaluation of their copy before they launch (this is in relation to website and email campaign copy).

Web Copy That Sells written by Maria Veloso contains a formula for measuring the selling quotient (a predictor of a website's sales performance) of web copy.

The formula allows you to rate your web copy on a scale of 1 to 100, and the best part is even if a website scores lows, you'll know exactly how to fix it.

I like Maria's book. In fact, I bought both the first and second edition of the book.

Thanks

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Sarah_Lyle

15 years ago

What about Ralph Ginzburg? I've just had a sales email about his stuff is it worth a shot? he looks kind of weird!

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davesanclemente

15 years ago

Try reading "The Wizard of Ads" trilogy by Roy H. Williams. Fantastic stuff.

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Steve Baker

15 years ago

I was training a new copy writer a few months ago and I asked Ted Nicholas for some advice which he openly gave me and I'm sure he won't object to me sharing.

Bear in mind he may be a little biased to his own work - and rightly so.

Here's Ted's reply;

Hi Steve,
There are no shortcuts to becoming a first-class copywriter.
It requires 500 to 1,000 hours of study. And lots of practice.
But it's well worth it for any serious person who applies themselves.
Numerous of my students have become millionaires once they master their skill.
A case in point is Matt Furey who spoke at my Tampa seminar in February.
Matt started studying my materials in 1995, beginning with a $317 Ted Nicholas course.
In the last few years he's sold $30,000,000 worth of information products on the internet.
There is lots of valuable help available at very reasonable cost.
Here is a minimum suggested program for your colleague. The first step to becoming a great writer is to become an enthusiastic reader, for at least an hour a day.
1. Study three of my books, MAGIC WORDS THAT BRING YOU RICHES, HOW TO TURN WORDS INTO MONEY and BILLION DOLLAR MARKETING SECRETS.
2. Acquire the best copywriting course in the world, MILLION DOLLAR COPYWRITING BOOTCAMP.
3. Join the Ted Nicholas Mentoring Program.
4. Read my (free) E-zine, The Success Margin.
5. Build a success library. At minimum include these books:
Ã¼ Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins
Ã¼ Robert Collier Letter Book by Robert Collier
Ã¼ Confessions of an Advertising Man by David Ogilvy
Ã¼ Making Ads Pay by John Caples

6. Attend a Ted Nicholas live seminar ASAP.

You could make all the above possible (except a live seminar) for less than $1,000.

Warm regards,

Ted Nicholas

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Pnigro

15 years ago

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CDarklock 15 years ago

Originally Posted by Pnigro

I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE TO START

The Gary Halbert letters.

Untitled Document

Costs nothing, and there's a boatload of great info there.
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amig

15 years ago

good thread!
did a search on google for hopkins "scientific advertising" and there is a free pdf version on the wiki page.

Thanks
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Ross Bowring 15 years ago

For a modern take on the timeless principles of direct response you can't go wrong with Drew Eric Whitman's Ca$hvertising.

Another often overlooked book is Luke Sullivan's Hey Whipple, Squeeze This! Although it's geared more for agency copywriters, you'll find great value in the brainstorming exercises he suggests for coming up with hooks.
- Thanks
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IWebGirl

15 years ago

Hello,

That would be great if you said which top priority books to start with.

I have the Veloso book. I find it too sketchy. All of points are covered but not in depth. I like the sales letter blueprint though.
I find the Ultimate Sales Letter way too boring and off target (not for selling on line).

I have opted for Cashverting and and the Cialdini's book but the practical one.
I have also added Maximum Influence: The 12 Universal Laws of Power Persuasion because it seemed cool.
I feel that Cashverting will be my top priority book though. I like to read and apply not just read a bunch of books so I read over and over until I get it. That's why I need to pick one main book.

I have also started writing down online sales letter that seemed to be doing good at Clickbank. After all Cickbank tells you which book sells the most. It seems that getting the right testimonials is even more important than writing correct copy though.

I also intend to write down any sales letter that makes me extremely nervous not to buy the product.

I have downloaded many sales letters I felt were great and will write down some of them too.

I saw the Veloso blueprint applied for some of the top selling ebooks at Clickbannk #11 to #20 but it seems you need more than that to make it to the top ten. However it seems to me that her blueprint can help you make the top 40 without years of training but maybe I am too naive. We will see.

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raphaelgaga

15 years ago

Hi,

Just thought I'd share this.

One of my favorite copywriting books that I rarely hear people mention is "How to Write Sales Letters that Sell" by Drayton Bird.

He has other books that are good as well. But this one is a gem.

Cheers.

[ 2 ] Thanks
1 reply

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Bill Jeffels 15 years ago

Ya, Drayton Bird is great.

Also Commonsense Direct Marketing is killer. His blog "Bird Droppings" is loaded with great info.

Take care,

Bill
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raphaelgaga 15 years ago

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- Bill Jeffels 15 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by raphaelgaga
  
  Didn't know he had a blog. I know what I'll be reading tonight. Thanks. (And thanks for the PM.)
  
  Yes, great talking to you.
  
  Drayton Bird Bird Droppings
  
  Best,
  
  Bill
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
  Signature
  
  Bond Halbert's Badass Blog
  " You Are One Sales Letter Away From Being Rich " --Gary Halbert
  
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  SamKane 15 years ago
  
  Thanks for the recommendation.
  I'm buying his book just because
  I read this: Ogilvy once said of Drayton Bird, "Drayton Bird knows more about direct marketing than anyone else in the world."
  
  Thanks
  
  Signature
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dtendrich

15 years ago

Stephen King, On Writing

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waihon

15 years ago

Thank you all for sharing your favorite copywriting books.

Here are the copywriting books that I bought and have been learning from:

* The Online Copywriter's Handbook - Robert W. Bly
* Web Copy That Sells -- Maria Veloso
* Web Copy That Sells, 2nd Edition -- Maria Veloso
* Hypnotic Writing -- Joe Vitale
* Winning Website Sales Letters (e-book) -- Robert Boduch

Thanks

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NyceGuy

15 years ago

I read "Direct Mail Copy That Sells" back in 2006 and even after bumping on many other ebooks, courses and books that talk about writing sales letters, I think it remains to be my most favorite.

However, it took me a long time to figure the basics, even after reading the book three or so times.

The PROBLEM, however was not the book itself. I was the problem. I wasn't practicing. You got to do it for you to "get" it.

You have to get a arbitrary product and start practice writing a sample copy as if you were actually selling the product.

I am not perfect currently, but I am waaaay better than I was back then. I have sold products using my own sales letters. I only use the "pros" for big ticket items. Not so much though.

My experience, however, is that if you can get serious and practice writing copies, then it will way better than hiring others, coz only YOU know and understand your product better than anybody else, and because of this, you will know the exact emotions to ignite though the copies.

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pikachu

15 years ago

Also a great book worth checking out - Ca$hvertising by Drew Eric Whitman.

Thanks

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mph

15 years ago

Yes, John Carlton's "Kickass Copywriting Secrets of a Marketing Rebel" is definitely a GREAT book. That guy has a way of hitting the nail on the head - it's a no-nonsense book that manages to teach you the "how"...and it's written in a very engaging tone.

Definitely in the top 3.

Thanks
1 reply

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Marcel Hartmann

15 years ago

Originally Posted by mph

Yes, John Carlton's "Kickass Copywriting Secrets of a Marketing Rebel" is definitely a GREAT book. That guy has a way of hitting the nail on the head - it's a no-nonsense book that manages to teach you the "how"...and it's written in a very engaging tone.

Definitely in the top 3.

I've heard great things about this book. John Carlton's story is very interesting, too, having come up the way he did and shifted the paradigm and standard of advertising in niche magazines.

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TPL001

15 years ago

Not all (the below are) necessarily on copywriting, but Halbert's list is great (I think this is similar to what Maximillian stated Halbert recomended). Abraham's lists are just as good. (I have not read all of those on these lists, but I am working through them.)

The Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joe Sugarman is apparently the same as Advertising Secrets of the Written Word, only cheaper.

Being Direct by Lester Wunderman. He is Mr Direct Marketing, and he tells the story of his development of direct marketing in the US. This is direct marketing in action. He laid such a great foundation. Joe Sugarman's Success Forces is also good.

Jay Abraham reckons he has read Scientific Advertising, by Claude Hopkins, many times. (Was it 30?) David Ogilvy reckons you should read Scientific Advertising at least seven times (and something to the effect that he would not hire anybody unless they had). This reminds of Warren Buffet's statement, that he had read Benjamin Graham's Security Analysis about 11 times.

These men know the value of reading the classical literature in their field; they know that they need to stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before them. Even Dan Kennedy reckons you should listen only to those who have walked the talk, and not just spoken about it (e.g. Robert Collier). Okay, I know it is not relevent to this post, but it is to my point. If you want to understand economics, and can afford to read only one book, read Human Action by Ludwig von Mises. A simpler introduction is Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt.

Gary Halbert_hands_on_experience
•Scientific Advertising, Claude Hopkins
•The Robert Collier Letter Book, Robert Collier
•Tested Advertising Methods, John Caples
•How To Write A Good Advertisement, Vic Schwab
•The Gary Halbert Letter (all back issues), Gary Halbert
•The Boron Letters, Gary Halbert
•The Lazy Man's Way to Riches, Joe Karbo
•Breakthrough Advertising, Eugene Schwartz
•7-Steps To Freedom, Ben Suarez
•The First Hundred Million, E Haldeman-Julius
•My Life In Advertising, Claude Hopkins

Books recommended by Jay Abraham on website
•Reality in Advertising, Rosser, Reeves
•My First 65 years in Advertising, Sackheim, Maxwell
•My Life in Advertising, Claude Hopkins
•Communications on Advertising, Burnette, Leo
•Ogilvy on Advertising, David Ogilvy
•Your Money Back, Eicoff, Alviin
•The Albert Lasker Story as He Told It, Lasker, Albert
•With All Its Faults, Cone, Fairfax

Books recommended by Jay Abraham in Stealth Marketing pp. 114-5
•Think and Grow Rich, Napolean Hill
•The Greatest Direct Mail Sales Letters of all Time, Hodgson, Dick
•Direct Mail and Mail Order Handbook, Hodgson, Dick
•How to Make Money in Mail Order, Melvin Powers
•Secrets of a Successful Mail Order Guru: Chase Revel, Ron Tepper
•Successful Direct Marketing Methods, Bob Stone
•How to Make Your Advertising Make Money, John Caples
•Writing that Works, Roman & Raphaelson
•Direct Marketing Success: What Works and Why, Gosden, Freeman
•Maxi-Marketing, Rapp & Collins
•Taken at the Flood, John Gunther

Books recommended by Jay Abraham in his book, Getting Everything...
•How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie
•The Seven Habits of Highly Effective people, Stephen Covey
•Out Of Crisis, Edwards, Deeming
•Managing in a Time of Great Change, Drucker, Peter
•Swim with the Sharks without Being Eaten, Harvey Mackay
•Thriving on Chaos, Tom Peters
•A Technique for Producing Ideas, Young, James W
•The art of scientific investigation, Beveridge, William
•Language in thought and action, S.I. Hayakawa

Thanks

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jettvero

15 years ago

Glad to see "The Ultimate Sales Letter" by Dan Kennedy is recommended here. I read a few pages and was pretty impressed. I'm gonna nab this one for sure.

Will have to add "The Greatest Direct Mail Sales Letters of all Time " by Richard Hodgson to my list.

You can never have too many weapons in your arsenal.

Thanks

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ShaneJohnston

15 years ago

Not really Copywriting books, but along the same psychology of persuasion as Cialdini's Influence, some of my recent reads/recommendations are;

Predictably Irrational - Dan Ariely
Sway, The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior

I would also second the vote for Malcolm Gladwell's Tipping Point.

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netwiseprofits

15 years ago

Just thought I would add to the list

Here is a great book called

Words That Sell by Richard Bayan it has more the 60,000 words and phrases to promote your ideas, services and products.

It's a great book for creating headlines

To Your Success
Leo

Thanks

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baljamin

Banned 15 years ago

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SuzanneR

15 years ago

I have to add my vote to Joe Sugarman's Adweek Copywriting Handbook.

I have a number of copywriting books on my shelf...and that's been the one where I've gotten the most applicable tips that have stayed in my memory.

One well known copywriting coach gave his students some advice about studying methods and books that I thought was particularly good: Study and absorb one teacher at a time-- and stick with the principles until you know them...instead of trying to cram your head with every copywriting philosophy out there.

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Gallardo 15 years ago

Wow this is indeed a very useful thread especially for people like me who is learning the rope! Just wondering why no one mention about Yanik's Instant Sales Letters?
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Ledward Kooper

15 years ago

I'm new here and want thank everyone for such excellent copywriting resources! I'll chime in and add a suggestion. It's an "oldie" that I've found useful: Maxwell Sackheim's Billion Dollar Marketing. This book is part instruction, part history, and full of old swipes. I'm not sure you can still get it but it's published by Towers Club-aka Jerry Buchanan.

All the best,

Ledward

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Intrepreneur 15 years ago

I've just finished reading a short and concise copywriting book that was very easy to understand and will certainly help you to start a good pitch from scratch. This coupled with also reading Getting Everything You Want Out Of All You've Got by Jay Abraham. (AWESOME Book).

Was A Super Learning Experience.

I think for a person with copywriting struggles trying this reading formula will help you a lot.

Jay Abraham: Getting Everything You Can Out Of All You've Got
Andy Maslen: Write To Sell

A great little formula to read one after the other.

Of course it's not the end of the line because there is lots to learn but in my opinion purchasing then reading these 2 books is a huge confidence builder for you.

Enjoy.
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Agnes Lyle

15 years ago

A top marketer (can't remember which one for the moment) said that Robert D. Boduch's "Great Headlines Instantly" is in any serious marketer's copywriting library. I think it's well worth reading.

Thanks

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PowerRay

15 years ago

The Elements of Style
by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White

Not a copy writing book per say but one of my most value resources for writing.

For under $10 it is an invaluable resource I view as the holy grail of writing.

Thanks

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Dainis

15 years ago

This isn't a book, but John Carlton's SWS coaching program is really opening my eyes. I find it empowering and functional. By that, I mean, 3 weeks into the program, my sales are starting to go up, and I'm just barely starting to implement the skills I've learned.

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Nathan Alexander

15 years ago

Does anyone else skip around with who their "current" favorite is? I always have one or two, then I read this thread and go home and change my mind because I get all excited again about those resources.

Definitely Joe Sugarman's stuff. His book "Triggers" I think it's called is also somewhat contained (if not almost entirely) in the Adweek book.

I going through Robert Collier's book slowly. That seems to be something you have to stay with to keep "in it" or I get lost.

Great stuff though.

Thanks

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STKING

15 years ago

My fav was mentioned at the beginning, "Tested Advertising" by Caples. This book will give you many ideas on headlines and how to write about anything to make it appealing. I've used it several times for articles and press releases. I hate to write, but you gotta in this biz.
In fact, I need to read it again b/c I get something new each time.
Happy writing.

Thanks

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dwilk12

15 years ago

I've read alot of great books but this one comes close to the best. Presented in an easy to read format and chapters that unlock the next as you read.

"The Lazy Man's Way to Riches"

-by Joe Karbo

Thanks
1 reply

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jasondinner

15 years ago

Originally Posted by dwilk12

I've read alot of great books but this one comes close to the best. Presented in an easy to read format and chapters that unlock the next as you read.

"The Lazy Man's Way to Riches"

-by Joe Karbo

The Lazy Man's Way To Riches really works. Especially when you couple
it with its companion, The Roadmap To Riches Workbook.

Talk about great copy.

"Only 23 Steps To Success" lol

Makes it sound so easy.

Plus, it's right in line with "the all time must read once a year for the rest of your life" book,

"Think AND Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill

If you have never read that, get it now on amazon.

If you've read it, read it again.

The audio book of the revised edition is great too.

- Jason

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Igor Kheifets

15 years ago

I highly recommend "Ogilvy on Advertising" by David Ogilvy

and also "The Ultimate Sales Letter: 3rd Edition" by Dan Kennedy

Great and affordable. Tons of Value

Igor

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TrinitydelaCruz

15 years ago

Haha, what a boat load of book recomendations.

I know Gary Halbert speaks so highly of fictional books to improve copywriting skill. And there was this one series that he read pretty much religiously. Can anybody help me remember it pls? Thx!

Thanks

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Passion8

15 years ago

Hi Everyone

Wow. What a great list of reading material! I am a great believer in life-long learning and this thread alone gives us enough resources to keep us busy for years.

I am currently reading Joe Vitale's Hypnotic Writing (been around forever, but is constantly revised and up to date), and can thoroughly recommend it. Joe encourages you to write from a positive perspective and also teaches you how to tap into your 'inner' writing talents. As many creative writers are aware - this is the secret to harnessing your natural abilities and enabling your words and story to flow easily.

Another good resource I refer to is John Carlton's blog (marketingrebel.com) He gives away plenty of free information such as mini tutorials and extra bonuses to his subscribers. Well worth checking out.

Happy Reading Guys!

Thanks
1 reply

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Ross Bowring

15 years ago

Originally Posted by Kym Mulcahy

I am currently reading Joe Vitale's Hypnotic Writing (been around forever, but is constantly revised and up to date), and can thoroughly recommend it.

Kym, I found Joe's "Buyer's Trance" book very useful. He discusses nestled loops. Gives a few good examples too. However, as anyone who has read a Vitale book knows, his never-ending cross-promotion of his own products gets tiresome quick.

Thanks
2 replies

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Passion8

15 years ago

Originally Posted by Ross Bowring

Kym, I found Joe's "Buyer's Trance" book very useful. He discusses nestled loops. Gives a few good examples too. However, as anyone who has read a Vitale book knows, his never-ending cross-promotion of his own products gets tiresome quick.

Can't disagree with you there Ross. He is a salesman after all!

Thanks

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MrCopy

13 years ago

Originally Posted by Ross Bowring

Kym, I found Joe's "Buyer's Trance" book very useful. He discusses nestled loops. Gives a few good examples too. However, as anyone who has read a Vitale book knows, his never-ending cross-promotion of his own products gets tiresome quick.

I really want to like Joe's stuff more than I do. I find very little content, spread over many chapters combined with endless ads for his stuff.

His copy (which he outsources by the way) must be very good because I keep trying to buy his stuff despite the fact I have been so disappointed.

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vinild

15 years ago

What do you guys think about Marlon Sander's program on salescopy at salescopy.com?

Never heard of anyone mention him on this forum.

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Loren Woirhaye

15 years ago

I recently read Drayton Bird's "How To Write Letters That Sell" -
it's quite good for letters - not space ads, not the sort of thing
here you have to scream for attention. Very old-school in many
ways, but very insightful too. A good companion to Robert
Collier's "Letter Book"

Recommended, but it doesn't focus much on headlines like
a lot of copywriting books that are more applicable to space
ads (like Sugarman's and Schwab's).

The line between letters and space-ad methods is somewhat
blurred on the internet. You should really learn about both
styles IMO.

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frankgotgame818

15 years ago

One book that has helped me is more about direct mail but with enough copywriting tips that made it worthwhile for me. Secrets of Successful Direct Mail by Richard V Benson, available via bottomlinesecrets.com

Recently in a used book store I found an old book by Marcia Yudkin called Persuading on Paper. The book is slightly over 10 years old but still has enough copywriting ideas & concepts that I have found useful and helpful.

Thanks
1 reply

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TPL001 15 years ago

Another recommendation is Wunderman, Lester: "Being Direct: Making Advertising Pay". he calls himself Mr Direct Marketing. This is a business autobiography, similar to Claude Hopkin's "My Life in Advertising". And it is full of great gems. It is just that the lessons are not systematically laid out like any of the above mentioned books on copywriting.
- Thanks
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Maximillion_Z

15 years ago

Does anyone recommend Bob Bly's ebooks that he markets to his list?

Some of them look good - but I do worry they may be ghostwritten considering how many he cranks out... Sometimes he'll come out with a new info product each week!

Thanks

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musomax

15 years ago

Hi Maximillion,
Thanks for the time you invested in collecting the list from the thread. For a person like me who has set a goal to master copy writing before the end of 2010, this is very helpful.

Yes, I don't have to go through the whole list. You've saved me time and may the universe pay you back a hundredfold. Of course many thanks to all those who contributed to the list. A glorious 2010 to you!

Thanks
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Megas 15 years ago

Joe Vitale's Hypnotic Writing helped me out alot.
Definitely the first book I would get as it helps you get started with the basics.
I should say the book hypnotizes you on how to be hypnotic...
- Thanks
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Rickmci

15 years ago

Originally Posted by Matt Jutras

Just picked up a nice hefty hardcover book called "The Greatest Direct Mail Sales Letters of all Time " by Richard Hodgson. Fantastic! Almost an entire course stuffed in there.

Dan Kennedy calls it his "secret weapon", and after reading it...I know why.

Hum. Did you buy it online or at a bookstore? I can not find it online...

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mhdeaton

15 years ago

cashvertising is about the best book Ive read in a long time. And I have 20% of this list. I liked it so much that I outlioned it and basically memorized this freaking little gem and Ive never even heard of the guy that wrote it. Im sure Ill hear of him in the future however.

Thanks

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RebeccaLongster

15 years ago

Someone's probably already mentioned this, but:
"Magic Words That Bring You Bitches - Ted Nicholas" ? hrmmm . . . .

You've got The Lazy Man's Way to Riches down twice (It's amazing how I keep tripping over titles I recognize from years ago. Cool to see they're still out there.)

Love seeing SKs On Writing on the list ~ great book. Along the same lines, I'd recommend Anne LaMott's _Bird by Bird_

Thanks for this list ~ quite cool!

Rebecca

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lightcam

15 years ago

Sales Bible by Jeffrey Gitomer.

This is more about sales and customer service, but a great book... plus sales is closely related to copywriting.

Thanks

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Justin Quick

15 years ago

Does anyone else see in the list at the top Ted N.'s book "Magic Words That Bring You Bitches"

Riches, maybe?

lol

Thanks

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AlanCarr

15 years ago

Guess I should be plugging my own:

Amazon.com: Carr's Copywriting Checklist: Checks,...
It's a very fast read - each page may be only a paragraph or two - but some seriously powerful tips and checks.

AC

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kjimeno

15 years ago

You can never go wrong with Dan Kennedy....my vote goes for a Kennedy

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TheFlash

15 years ago

but even more than reading books, seminars that teach you copywriting... where can we find?

Thanks

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DigiCypher

15 years ago

That's.... alot of books lol. I'll be sure to grab a few. Thanks Maximillion!

Cheers!

Thanks

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DigiCypher

15 years ago

Btw, since you asked us to let you know of duplicates etc. you do have a duplicate of "Million Dollar Mailings" by Danny Hatch right at the bottom. I'd send a PM, but I haven't hit the required 50 posts yet =P

Thanks
1 reply

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smak 15 years ago

The 2 John Caples books are gems for me:

Tested advertising methods
AND Advertising that makes money (this one is not as popular as the famous 'Tested advertising methods' but nevertheless I found it more powerful, hence under-rated.

Others that I always get inspired when browsing through them are:
Joe Sugarman's Adweek Copywriting Handbood
Clayton makepeace's Total package and UDCC
Robert Colliers book.
- Thanks
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samuraiwriting

15 years ago

Wow! This is a lot to read for copywriting. I was hoping for an a,b,c method. I had been perusing courses but haven't bitten yet. I did buy the Robert Bly book and started to read it. He mentions the AIWA affiliation throughout it but that's a really expensive course for not much information on what I would actually be learning.

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lightanjoy

15 years ago

Phew! Talk about overwhelm! Just shows what an important topic copywriting is! You could spend years and years on this alone. My all time favorites are Sugarman (after meeting up with him at a seminar), Cialdini and Breakthrough Advertising by Gene Schwartz. I have stuff by Dan Kennedy but haven't read it yet .... but this list is certainly a great resource ... manyb thanks to all contributors

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downhomebruce

15 years ago

Maximillion, I might add John E. Kennedy's Reason Why Advertising to your great list.
It's one of those "ancient classics" and even though Hopkins does come out of
that tradition with Scientific Advertising , it's still well worth a read for any marketer. And best of all, it's in the public domain. Easy to grab a copy off the Web.

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abhinav

14 years ago

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14 years ago

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Hesaidblissfully 14 years ago

This was on Clayton Makepeace's website. It's not a book, but it has links to ads written by direct mail copywriters like Dan Rosenthal, David Deutsch, Gary Halbert, and has direct mail advertisements from The Economist and Prevention magazine. Plus it has interviews with Gary Bencivenga and others.

FREE Swipe File | The Total Package
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Profolegy

14 years ago

Hi All,
I have one didnt seem to see it listed hope I havnt doubled up.
"The Secret of Selling Anything"

A road map to success for the salesman…
who is not aggressive
who is not a “smooth talker”
and who is not an extrovert
by Harry Browne
Gary Bencivenga Says
Gary talks about an unpublished gem written years ago by one of the most brilliant
salespeople and writers of all time, Harry Browne.
This undiscovered treasure is called…
The Secret of Selling Anything: A road map to success for the salesman.
"The one rule that sums up the job to be done, the one formula that is fully in harmony
with the real world, the secret of success is: Find out what people want and help them
get it!

"This is the way you separate yourself from the mass of people who just 'get by.' This is
how you make sure that your services are always in demand. This is how you command
a high price in the marketplace, by making sure that what you're offering is what people
really want…" — Harry Browne
Yup. Simple as that.

Find out what others want and help them get it.
If you want it you will have to google it, I bought about year ago 141 page pdf.
Cheers .....bruceS.........

Thanks
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Maximillion_Z 14 years ago

Wow, haven't visited this thread for a while. Can I just say a big THANKS! for all your input.

And double thanks for making it a sticky!

I came back because WF emailed me when someone actually tried to sneak in an affiliate link for an ebook. Can you believe that?

Profolegy - about the Harry Browne book. I purchased it, downloaded it, printed and put it in a binder - as soon as Bencivenga published that bullet.

It's a brilliant book - far different from anything else on the shelf.

Would anyone on this thread like me to update the weebly site so you can rate each book? (Moderarors - it's not a monetized site, just a list of books with star ratings)
- Thanks
- 1 reply
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- Maximillion_Z 14 years ago
  
  I received a pm a while ago stating that Advertising Secrets of the Written Word is exactly the same as The Adweek Copywriting Handbook.
  
  Many people think this, but it is not so. Well, at least not 100%.
  
  If you own the Adweek Handbook, take a look at page 9, where Sugarman states:
  
  ---
  
  This handbook is based on a book I wrote in 1998 called Advertising Secrets of the Written Word. The book consisted of the lessons I had taught at exclusive seminars I conducted beginning in 1977.
  
  My challenge was to take the first book, revise it to make it current and add many of the copywriting techniques to be considered when you write for the Internet, direct mail, public relations releases and other copywriting tasks. In the revision process I had to reread my book chapter by chapter and revise it where necessary.
  
  ---
  
  Thanks
  
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wdoucette

14 years ago

I just finished reading "Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd" by Youngme Moon. It's about product and marketing differenciation, not copywrite-specific. But it makes you reconsider the hard line taken in the classics like, "The Compywriter's Handbook" by Bill Bly.

While the principles of fundamental psychology still apply, I don't think you can ignore the fact that consumers are growing increasingly sophisticated and cynical.

Thanks

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SmashTweet

14 years ago

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papacuppa

14 years ago

I just want to say I absolutely loved On Writing -- Steven King. My friend lent it to me and I was going to politely refuse because he writes fiction and I prefer non-fiction. But he insisted and so I gave it a test run. Needless to say I got to the end. Brilliant read...

Here's my 2 cents...

First up, this isn't ostensibly a book you would read for writing tips but the science it explores can put you in a very powerful position. (In my opinion).

The book is called Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely. He teaches Behaviourial Economics at Duke University and ocassional dabbles in Cognitive Neuroscience (something that certainly gets my neurons firing!)

But what's important is that he explores the irrationality of the human mind. For example:

"Why do we splurge on an expensive meal but cut out vouchers to save twenty-five pence on a tin of soup?"
-- taken from the back cover

So how does this relate to copywriting? Well, we've always marketed products in a logical manner. Even now, large businesses are investing millions into marketing campaigns that should 'logically' work, but don't.

The key, Dan says, is CONTEXT.

There's a great example of this at the start. A while back, Economist.com put an advertisement out for subscription to their magazine.

Economist.com advertised the web subscription at $59 for the year and the print subscription for $125. All perfectly rational stuff -- the cost of print is obviously more, and most people opted for the lower cost web subscription.

Now here's the interesting part...

economist.com made a change to their offer; they added another option.

Web and print subscription TOGETHER for the same price as the stand-alone print subscription -- $125.

The result? Popularity of the $125 subscription sky rocketed beyond the web only option.

By rearranging some words, peoples' perception of VALUE changed. The $125 offer now seemed like a great deal in the context of what we were seeing.

And while it isn't necessarily rational, conveying VALUE is what copywriting's all about isn't it?

It's all about providing CONTEXT.

Thanks

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RobertAxelsen

14 years ago

Wow! What a great thread and a great list

Wish I had seen it earlier. JUST received a bunch of copywriting books that I bought on Amazon. They are all on the list, though: The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy, Influence The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini, Tested Advertising Methods by John Caples, The Robert Collier Letter Book by Robert Collier, Robert Collier Letter Book Robert Collier.

I based my list of books mainly after Bill Glazer's recommendations in this episode of NO B.S. Live TV: Episode 27 – On the Set

I also ordered Dimwit's Dictionary by Robert Fiske and How to Sell Anything to Anybody by Joe Girard. Not copywriting books per se, but both can be recommended. The Dictionary gives you More Than 5,000 Overused Words and Phrases and Alternatives to Them, while Joe Girard shares how he sold 13001 cars in 15 years as a car salesman and became certified by Guiness World Records as the world's greatest salesman

I got the 5th edition of the Tested Advertising Methods by John Caples. Is it really that different from the 4th edition? Should I consider getting the 4th edition as well, or not worth it?

Thanks
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ARSuarez

14 years ago

Originally Posted by RobertAxelsen

I got the 5th edition of the Tested Advertising Methods by John Caples. Is it really that different from the 4th edition? Should I consider getting the 4th edition as well, or not worth it?

I have to say... yes. I originally had the 5th edition (beautifully bound, by the way). I was SO excited to read it, because of Caples' reputation and the fame of the book.

Man, was I disappointed.

The book was a complete BORE. I couldn't get more than 4 chapters in before I set the book aside. I was just about to give up, when I discovered...

The 4th Edition.

Alibris: Tested Advertising Methods - John Caples

Think I'm going to start re-reading it again, come to think of it.

All the best,

Angel

[ 1 ] Thanks

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RobertAxelsen

14 years ago

Thanks, Angel!

I'll of course give the 5th edition a try, but keeping what you said about the 4th edition in mind I'll probably end up getting it as well

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Quatrel

14 years ago

Nice list. Discovered a couple I don't have yet.

Another resource was Power Direct Marketing by Ray Jutkins - although he did the whole subject of direct marketing- not only copywriting. He is dead now, but his material is online at rayjutkins .com

Thanks

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ARSuarez

14 years ago

Here is another great book I learned about recently from Dan Kennedy:

Amazon.com: Twenty Ads That Shook the World: The...

Thanks

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RobertAxelsen

14 years ago

I saw the Gary Halbert recommended list was mentioned here. Great

I thought I'd also share the actual Gary Halbert letter, entitled "Hands On Experience For A Basic Education In Advertising Principles!", where he answers the question (great resource!):

"Gary, I've got to learn how to write copy. I've never done it before and I've got just 30-days to learn how to create a world class promotion. Can you help me? Can you make me into a world class copywriter in just 30-days? Can you, huh? Can you? Huh? Huh?"

The Gary Halbert Letter

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pluginy3

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Matt Jutras

Just picked up a nice hefty hardcover book called "The Greatest Direct Mail Sales Letters of all Time " by Richard Hodgson. Fantastic! Almost an entire course stuffed in there.

Dan Kennedy calls it his "secret weapon", and after reading it...I know why.

I have just purchased "The Greatest Direct Mail Sales Letters of all Time " by Richard Hodgson excellent book

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PMinc 14 years ago

Non-Copywriting Books that All Copywriters Must Read

I've read several pages, even added several titles to my Amazon wishlist.

However, there are a couple of books, though not about copywriting, that I feel would greatly improve your style.

"How I Raised Myself From Failure to Success" - Frank Bettger

"Positioning" - Al Ries & Jack Trout

"Trick Baby" Iceberg Slim (a novel, but trust me, after you read it, you'll know what I mean)

and... "Crush It" Gary Vaynerchuk
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RupJolly

14 years ago

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ARSuarez

14 years ago

Originally Posted by RupJolly

Hi Guys,

Can someone come up with the top 3 copy writing books they've read that are available off Amazon?

Top 20 or 30 is great, but I want a top 3 so I can get started (Only so many hours in a day). The best of the best!

Thanks!
Rup

Hey Rup,

This is an explosive question.

Everyone had a different preferred book.

However, I think most will agree you need "Scientific Advertising" by Claude Hopkins on the list. Like, really. It's mandatory reading.

I'd then say grab the 4th Edition of "Tested Advertising Methods" by John Caples (if not Amazon, Alibris books). Lastly, pick up "How To Write A Good Advertisement" by Vic Schwab.

There are others - The Collier Letter Book, Breakthrough Advertising, Cashvertising, etc...

But you can get those three I just mentioned for under $20. Maybe even under $15.

Best,

Angel

Thanks

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ARSuarez

14 years ago

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14 years ago

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Grazina Ajana Szewczyk 14 years ago

I agree with Matt that copywriting is copywriting. I'd go even further and say, "Writing is writing". Storytelling skills, and the ability to create a picture, a real world, in a reader's mind are the most important skills you can have to be a good writer.
I understand that you guys talk about books on copywriting but try these books:
“On Writing Well” and “Writing to Learn” , both by William Zinsser. I read them a few times

Here' another one
“Ask for the Moon and Get It” by Percy Ross with Dick Samson.
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BrianMcLeod

14 years ago

I know I'm a little late to the party with this book...

...but I just got a copy for Christmas and starting to dig into:

Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely

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Bill Jeffels 14 years ago

Hey, Brian.

Just got this one too.

Looks cool.

Best, ,

Bill

.
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idhay30

14 years ago

Hi there... I am nubie here.....
reading this thread is good think to know........
and i think i sould reading many book about copy writing....
does anyone know the link to read ones....?
thanks

Thanks
1 reply

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Grazina Ajana Szewczyk

14 years ago

Originally Posted by idhay30

Hi there... I am nubie here.....
reading this thread is good think to know........
and i think i sould reading many book about copy writing....
does anyone know the link to read ones....?
thanks

look at the first post of this thread, there's a list of books that you should read.

My advice is, follow the copywriters you admire, sign up to their ezines, webinars and so on. You'll learn a lot from them, they often have fantastic websites/blogs with lots of free information.
Good luck and welcome to this forum

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Don Halbert

14 years ago

Buzzmarketing: Get People to Talk About Your Stuff by Mark Hughes

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Rentamentor

14 years ago

Hi Maximillion,

Thanks.

An Amazing book by a guy named Koch has made me more moolah than most about Copywriting.

"The 80/20 Principle" by Koch

Changed what I wrote.

How I wrote.

Who I wrote to.

How I did research Before Writing.

Helps You Focus on the top 10 or 20% of a market niche of buyers that USUALLY account for 50% or more of the Profit!

I won't ruin the book by telling too much.

BUT.

The Best Copywriting written for prospects with no moolah - bombs.

The Best Sales letters written BEFORE you know the Clients' HOT BUTTONS. Reason Why they REALLY hire and pay you. FAIL.

WEIRD.

But often what people say is NOT what they want.

You can kiss a lot of FROGS to learn this. Like me.

OR

Read This book!

Glenn
The Rentamentor Network

Thanks
1 reply

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Grazina Ajana Szewczyk 14 years ago

An Amazing book by a guy named Koch has made me more moolah than most about Copywriting.

"The 80/20 Principle" by Koch

Do you know his other books?
Apparently, the "Living The 80/20 Way: Work Less, Worry Less, Succeed More, Enjoy More" is even better.

Amazon.com: Living The 80/20 Way: Work Less,...
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Rentamentor

14 years ago

Thanks Grazina,

I looked and didn't like it.

In Book #1 - the entire book focused on one Universal - powerful idea. 80/20 even explains how much of the energy power in gasoline goes to turn the wheels.

20%!!!

Book #2 - He seemed to run out of gas. Pun intended. He wrote chapters about all kinds of different Unrelated things.

Every time I look at book #1 - I get a new idea. Can't say THAT about many books.

"Think and Grow Rich" is another.

Thanks,
Glenn

Thanks
1 reply

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Grazina Ajana Szewczyk

14 years ago

Thanks Grazina,

I looked and didn't like it.

In Book #1 - the entire book focused on one Universal - powerful idea. 80/20 even explains how much of the energy power in gasoline goes to turn the wheels.

20%!!!

Book #2 - He seemed to run out of gas. Pun intended. He wrote chapters about all kinds of different Unrelated things.

Every time I look at book #1 - I get a new idea. Can't say THAT about many books.

"Think and Grow Rich" is another.

Thanks,
Glenn

I didn't read the other book either but the first one is brilliant. The Pareto principle is brilliant

but the way Koch interprets it, the examples etc. makes it fascinating and very practical.

It's funny how different can different people see the same thing:

Although I also liked his original book The 80/20 Principle, Richard Koch has done a much better job in applying Vilfredo Pareto's 80/20 principle to everyday life in Living the 80/20 Way. The 80/20 principle means that in any area of life a few (approximately 20 percent) are vital and many (approximately 80 percent) are trivial. The key is to focus your time and energy on the 20 percent of your work projects, friends, investments, and leisure activities that are really important.

that's a comment from Amazon.com.

Thanks
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Rentamentor 14 years ago

Thanks G,

"How to Get Anyone to do Anything" R. Philip Hanes

What a RASCAL!

The whole book is filled with stories about how to get moolah out of
wealthy people - Win-Win.

Glenn

P.S. - I'm using his ideas right now to Test Market a book - Chapter by Chapter.
- Thanks
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JamesZakaria

14 years ago

There are some gems of advice in Michael LeBoeuf's "How To Win Customers and Keep them for Life". It's less about copywriting and more about understanding why people buy again and again. Read it dozens of times.

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Rentamentor

14 years ago

Thanks James,

Many of the fiction books by James Patterson help me with copywriting.

Headlines - for example.

Patterson seems to have borrowed an idea from Disney. The entire company is built on fairly tales.

Patterson names many of his Best Selling books after Fairy Tales.

"Along Came A Spider" - comes to mind.

Glenn

Thanks

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Rentamentor

14 years ago

James - Almost forgot.

It's been years since I read Laboef's book.

What's a top idea of his?

Maybe I should dig it out and re-read it.

Thanks

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gforces

14 years ago

Wow this is some thread and would take hours probably to read through everything... but tons of great info. My one request would be can anyone give a 'shortlist' of those books that are a must read for those interested in improving their copy-writing? I was thinking about a short list of 10 Best books.... over maybe even shorter than that... like the top 5 best books of all time on this important topic.

And one last one... anyone else read "Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd" by Youngme Moon? Just wondering if anyone can give a short review... Cheers.

Thanks
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Rentamentor 14 years ago

Good Question Gforce,

Yes, I confess to reading 99% of the books listed here.

But...

I started making money by copying Gary Halbert.

I got hold of all his newsletter back issues. And started writing.

Gary loved to GRAB Readers by the Throat.

For a Forex co client I've been Experimenting
with getting Emails opened w/a Gary Halbert idea. (He knew people are Attracted to BAD NEWS.)

Guess Which one of these Subject Lines Gets Opened Most?

A - Nurse Makes Money for Retirement

B - Golfing Trader Complains After He Banks 4 Million

============

The NURSE Subject line boosted his click thru rate
by 31%.

The Complaint Testimonial JUMPED things by over 70%

And now we're testing a CArtoon version.
The more of the 5 senses you use - the better.

An Animated Movie of the COMPLAINT Testimonial.

YouTube -

So.

If it's Quick money from copywriting you want
STUDY GARY HALBERT.

Thanks,
Glenn
- [ 1 ] Thanks
- 1 reply
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- Sandor Benko 14 years ago
  
  I know I'm a bit late to this game, here's my top 3 anyway, hope it helps:
  
  The Ultimate Sales Letter - Dan Kennedy
  Copywriting Guild - Mike Dillard audio course
  Living the 80/20 Way: Work Less, Worry Less, Succeed More, Enjoy More - Richard Koch
  (Strictly speaking this last one is not copywriting, but will change what/how you
  write. Still not completely up to grips on this one.)
  
  Thanks
  
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Tony Tikos

14 years ago

SECRETS OF A FREELANCE COPYWRITER by Bob Blye, as a matter of fact, I recommend you look up all of his books and read them. He is one of the most famous copy writers

Thanks
1 reply

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ARSuarez

14 years ago

Hey Warriors,

Just have to say - I'm reading Ray Edwards' book, "Writing Riches," and think it's fantastic.

An excellent primer on copywriting. Not the standard, recycled material. Edwards also has an uncanny ability to explain things with clarity. Some copywriters take page after page to get the point across. He does it simply, directly, and very pleasantly.

It's truly an amazing little gem.

Best,

Angel

Thanks
1 reply

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robfrancis

13 years ago

Originally Posted by ARSuarez

Hey Warriors,

Just have to say - I'm reading Ray Edwards' book, "Writing Riches," and think it's fantastic.

An excellent primer on copywriting. Not the standard, recycled material. Edwards also has an uncanny ability to explain things with clarity. Some copywriters take page after page to get the point across. He does it simply, directly, and very pleasantly.

It's truly an amazing little gem.

Best,

Angel

I also purchased this book and am very excited about putting what Ray says into action with several new products I will be launching. Of course, some things I have come across before but that doesn't detract from the book at all. Very clear and organized. The copywriting is aimed at sales page/pitch page for the Web, although he mentions several times applying the same technique for emails. Highly recommended.

HTH,
Rob

[ 1 ] Thanks

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Note Taking Nerd #2

14 years ago

Here's five more oldies but goodies...

My Life In Advertising - Claude Hopkins - I saw "Scientific" on the list but I like this one better than it so I mentioned it.

Obvious Adams - Robert Updegraff

Magic Power of Emotional Appeal - Roy Garn

Reason Why Advertising & Intensive Advertising - John E. Kennedy

Albert Lasker - The Lasker Story... As He Told It

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sswenson

14 years ago

I'm brand new to copy writing and am working through the list above slowly but surely. I was recently introduced to Ted Nicholas and found his Billion Dollar Marketing Secrets very valuable.

Thanks

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Ideaswise

14 years ago

Has anyone mentioned Steve Harrison's book yet? 'How to do better creative work'. Excellent, particularly from a UK point of view. And he's my old boss as it happens...

Thanks
1 reply

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ryanmcgee 14 years ago

Copywriting Grab Bag by Ben Settle

The System Club Letters by Ken McCarthy

Cash Copy by Jeffrey Lant

The Secret to Selling Anything by Harry Browne

How To Make Maximum Money With Minimum Customers by Craig Garber
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WebRank1

14 years ago

Is it me or is The Brilliance Breakthrough - Eugene Schwartz not listed in here?
It is the best book by Eugene as far as I am concerned.

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MadHattie123 12 years ago

Originally Posted by WebRank1

Is it me or is The Brilliance Breakthrough - Eugene Schwartz not listed in here?
It is the best book by Eugene as far as I am concerned.

A friend just emailed me a pdf copy today. I'm printing it out right now. At first glance, it certainly seems quirky. I'll have a better idea after I actually go through it.

Has anyone here used this book? Can you report on the benefits/value of working through the assignments?
- [ 1 ] Thanks
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ckatheman

13 years ago

Without a doubt - Joe Sugarman's Advertising Secrets of the Written Word. While not exactly "modern web" style, the techniques and thought processes are worth their weight in gold. These are ads you will remember for years.

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Mitt Ray

13 years ago

For improving your copywriting skills I would recommend the books "Write to Sell" by Andy Maslen and "The Copywriter's Handbook" by Bob Bly.

Both of them are really good back, if you want some quick tips it's better to use Andy Maslen's book, it's very easy to read and it's straight to the point. Bob Bly's book is very complex, it describes everything in detail. If you want to learn to write specific types of marketing material then it's better to use Bly's book.

And for the proper running of your copywriting business use the book "The well-fed Writer" by Peter Bowerman. It's very good and will help you learn a lot.

[ 1 ] Thanks

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ecoverbox

13 years ago

Great list! I found "The Adweek Copywriting Handbook" by Joe Sugarman particularly useful when I was first starting out.

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topgun129 13 years ago

Hi All,

I would have to say Ad Magic by Brian Keith Voiles hands down is killer for learning salesmanship in print. I love the way how he dissects the different parts of a sales letter and trains you to be a world-class copywriter. Highly Recommended!

P.S. I have 2 copies of Ad Magic and if anybody is interested picking up the 2nd copy please PM me.
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Rushmore LLC

13 years ago

Maximillion...I've been hovering around the warrior forum forever and never registered until now, mostly because I didn't think I had too much to offer. I'm starting to find some IM success now and finally registered thinking I can give as well as get, in terms of information sharing.

I've been employed professionally as a copywriter (freelance) by many large companies, including Best Buy, West Publishing and Medtronic...interesting thing about most white collar corporate copywriting...they want you to constantly focus on features instead of benefits. I can't tell you how many arguments have had with various "suits" in the business about this. They just don't get it. A few brave souls let me write marketing copy my way (95% benefits/5% features) and were always blown away by response, when they had the ability to track it.

But to finally get to the point of your question. Top Copywriting Books are anything by:

Gary Halbert
or
Robert Bly

Gary is so darn fun to read, and his style...in my opinion, is best suited for IM or direct mail.

Bob Bly is a true professional, and in my opinion the ultimate source. If you follow his instructions you can write for any market, in any medium.

I've seen a lot of suggestions in this thread that I've never read though, and will definitely check out. Great stuff!

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MarketersBlackBook

13 years ago

Absolutely LOVE the ULTIMATE SALES LETTER by Dan Kennedy.

thank you for all this.

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MarketersBlackBook

13 years ago

There is this guy named Ross Jeffries. Apparently he was in the seduction, and pick up community but he also has a few marketing ebooks that NLP based.

This guy actually has really good material in his stuff and a while back I would use his anchoring strategies to sell cars on craiglist. However, I can't find the book anymore. I dont remember what it was called but its super packed with NLP patterns that influences a leads unconcious mind to make a purchase. Its crazy stuff.

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Maximillion_Z

13 years ago

Originally Posted by MarketersBlackBook

There is this guy named Ross Jeffries. Apparently he was in the seduction, and pick up community but he also has a few marketing ebooks that NLP based.

This guy actually has really good material in his stuff and a while back I would use his anchoring strategies to sell cars on craiglist. However, I can't find the book anymore. I dont remember what it was called but its super packed with NLP patterns that influences a leads unconcious mind to make a purchase. Its crazy stuff.

Did he ever release any as a physical book?

[ 1 ] Thanks
1 reply

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MarketersBlackBook 13 years ago

Originally Posted by Maximillion_Z

Did he ever release any as a physical book?

I don't think he did. It was an ebook. I think he worked with Joe Vitale to put it together, but I am not sure exactly.
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RCwriter

13 years ago

I just got Web Copy That Sells by Maria Veloso and it's current and loaded with rich content.

There are a couple other NLP inspired books that focus on words, and both are powerful.

Words That Change Minds by Shelle Rose Charvet
The Unfair Advantage by Duane Lakin

I almost forgot this one, and it may be the best pure sales book ever.
Donald Moine, Unlimited Selling Power: How to Master Hypnotic Selling Skills.

I've used the NLP books as guides when writing sales scripts for telephone and face to face selling. The principles apply to web copy as well. Good, basic, pursuasive techniques.

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JustSomeWarrior

13 years ago

I used to require all of my employees to read a few books. We were in the IT world and it was important that they learn to upsell to really help improve our profit margins. Zig Ziglar's secrets of closing the sale and Frank Bettger How I raised Myself from Failure to Success In Selling. Both great books.

I also wholeheartedly support anything by Dan Kennedy or Geoffery Gitomer.

Good luck to everyone!

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Eduard Stinga

13 years ago

The one sentence persuasion course - was short and opened up my mind as a beginner into copywriting

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darkonetoo

13 years ago

Some copywriting books just speak to certain types of people. I have always been interested in the "why" certain types of advertising will work. Principles mean more than the exact words like "its not your fault" type of formulaic crap.

Knowing individual's core motivators and how they are accessed makes your copy completely unique and captivatingly "different".

The book I nominate for most valuable in the "why" category is the following--

Blair Warren's: Forbidden Keys to Persuasion

I was one of his original students and profited immediately from his insights. I never looked at a sales page the same way again, and found it almost impossible to not write an ethical order pulling sales letter.

Blair Warren is almost invisible in the IM world. Thankfully. He used to sell a short Persuasion course called the- "One Sentence Persuasion Course"; the 27 Words to Make the World Do Your Bidding, now free. (just google it) It should be useful to everyone interested in copywriting. You probably will never need anything else.

DarkOneToo

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Maximillion_Z 13 years ago

Please remember this is a physical book thread.
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ProfitwithAdam

13 years ago

[DELETED]

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Mark Andrews

Banned 13 years ago

Copywriting by Philip Stobo.

This 1967 book normally fetches around £80-90 pounds online, there's one on eBay.co.uk at the moment for £19.99 or best offer including free post within the United Kingdom.

This is a first edition btw...

Book, Copywriting by Philip Stobo, 1st edition, 1967 | eBay

Thanks

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Will Roarke

13 years ago

Great thread. Thanks for posting these resources up for everyone to see.

Personally, "Tested Advertising Methods" is on the top of my list. I have it sitting next to me anytime I sit down to do any kind of copywriting or ad writing.

Everyone would do well to bring Caples' testing mentality into their marketing efforts.

Thanks

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yecall

13 years ago

Do you have The Well Fed Writer by Peter Bowerman? If so, my apologies. It helped me to no end. Less a book about technique than the overall running of a successful copywriting business, it pointed me in the right direction.

Thanks
1 reply

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Rentamentor 13 years ago

Hi Guys,

"Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women" - Jayne Ann Krentz

The entire book is about THE Psychological Copywriting REASONS WHY Romance Novels
make up more than 50% of all books sold.

Ms. Krentz has sold several 100 million books.

So qualifies as a Copywriting EXPERT in my book.

I find myself re-reading it once a year or so. And since I've borrowed words from some
of Jayne's Book titles - Then Split Tested. And her Words BEAT my Control.

And made a bunch of munny.

I thought I'd mention it here.

Here Introduction alone is a Gold Mine for us Copywriters.

Thanks,
Glenn Osborn
Millionaire Mastermind Marketing Assoc.
- Thanks
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freeiHelp

13 years ago

Hi highly recommend "The Ultimate Sales Letter" by Dan Kennedy

This book is most useful to small business owners who want to generate qualified leads and not waste time, money, and energy in sending out useless junk mail.

Thanks
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gjabiz 13 years ago

I have read most of these works. But there is one OBVIOUS omission.

And it was written by a contributing Warrior, who has posted above, named Glenn Osborn.

I am NOT an affiliate, get nothing for saying this...but I think the vast majority of newer copywriters coming here would MOST benefit by getting their hands on a copy of Glenn's

UGLY COPYWRITING Manual...How to Beat Reader's Head Like a Drum and Make Them ENJOY it. Volume I.

I just finished it again for about the third time this year and every time I read it, I get great ideas.

His WF id is rentamentor and you'd do yourself a favor by looking up Glenn's posts and having a review of his site...where he has thousands of CASE STUDIES and results of his many TESTS...in a wide variety of businesses.

It is my opinion, it deserves to be in the TOP 5 of any copywriting manual you would want to have.

Gordon Alexander gjabiz
- Thanks
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Rentamentor

13 years ago

Thanks Gordon,

Here's one of my Copywriting Mentors who Literally KNEW many of the Top
Copywriters who wrote the Best Selling Headlines world-wide.

I found this video of Drayton Bird telling stories about each MEGA-Headline.

You'll see why he's a copywriting Mentor of mine.

Glenn Osborn

=============

Direct marketing Podcasts & Videos downloads by Drayton Bird | draytonbird.com

Thanks

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uebomoyi

13 years ago

Cashvertising is by far the best copy writing book in my opinion. Drew really went in great detail to explain the importance of give-and-take marketing. It's so smart it's ridiculous. He really is a genius. I plan on looking into some other books as well to expand my campaign but boy that book really blew my mind...

James

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sasai

13 years ago

[DELETED]

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themesplice

13 years ago

"Making Ads Pay" by John Caples

This book isn't about as much as "Tested Advertising Methods", but I personally feel
MAP is much, much better than TAM.

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ZackRex

13 years ago

Hey everybody,
I'm just starting to learn how to copywrite and I bought The Well Fed Writer, by Peter Bowman. I was just wondering whether or not this would be a decent starting point for someone who was serious about getting a legitimate skill-set together. If anyone could shed some light for me, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks
1 reply

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Rentamentor 13 years ago

Dear ZackRex,

I confess I haven't read that book.

But in my tests where I borrow headlines and ideas from many of the old copywriting
gurus - my copy Experiments FAILED.

I believe it's because modern TOP Movies and Books Have Created HUGE EXPECTATIONS
to get to the point FAST.

The Movie "CowBoys & Aliens" produced by Steven Spielburg - for example.

Another Example:

I've been asked to write a short 1000 word article for a new "How to Make $ from Home Ezine."

My Working Headline is BORING..

"Moolah From Home."

But the article is about how to get Instant NO RESISTANCE Permission from anybody
IN PERSON OR FROM HOME over the net - to use their Success Story or Testimonial.

So.

"How to Get Permission to Make $ From Home"

OR

"Permission Slips Make U Munny From Home"

Well.

BETTER.

I - Both ... Make You Curious - sort of a Cliffhanger in a Headline.

TRY IT Yourself in emails and forums.

IF nobody asks for more info - You Struck Out. Need to try again.

Thanks,
Glenn Osborn

P.S. - You can Learn More About Front Loading or as Claude Hopkins calls it "Sampling"
in your Copy from his 2 books. Hopkins was self taught. His copy concepts stand up
over time. (Based on my tests, anyway.)

P.P.S. - Here's a LINK to HOW to Get INSTANT WRITTEN Permission from Anybody...

Need some INFO (not legal advice) on this interesting question... - SOWPub Small Business Forums
- Thanks
- 1 reply
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- VegasVince 13 years ago
  
  Well, since almost all of them have been named...I'll toss out one book and one site.
  
  1. Cash Copy...Dr. Jeffrey Lant.
  
  OK.....this dude might be the most obnoxious, pompous prick who ever lived and his current endeavors leave a lot to be desired. And make sure u call him Dr. Lant or he will slam the phone down on your ass.
  
  Oh yeah....don't call him Jeff or you will get an ear full as well. The most ego centric yet prolific writer Dr. Lant delivers the goods in CASH COPY. Too bad he's gone the route he's gone. At the same time, however, this is a very underrated book....and nobody can accuse this dude of "lack of content."
  
  Granted.....this massive book hit home hard in regards to CLIENT CENTERED MARKETING COPY. I think even the great Brian McCleod will vouch for this one.
  
  2. Sent this link to James J Jones a year ago....and was surprised he hadn't heard of it but loved it.......Spend 5 minutes on this site and you'll get sucked down the rabbit hole.
  
  This guy busts his ass to provide swipes, insight and general bad-assery to the greatest copywriters of all time....and this is my favorite site because it's all content baby.
  
  Info Marketing Blog | Direct Response Marketing | Copywriting
  
  peace, Vegas Vince
  
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LeeMark

13 years ago

I consider these two books-Making Ads Pay-John Caples and The Architecture of Persuasion-Michael Masterson.

Thanks

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The Copy Nazi

Banned 13 years ago

I haven't read this one...and the title puts me off...but it was recommended by a UK copywriter Laurence Blume and gets good reviews - all copywriters now bookstore - Copy. Righter: Become a master wordsmith and harness the copywriting secrets that will win you hearts, minds... and business

Thanks

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JohnRoark

13 years ago

Great List !

Can I purpose to you some books ?

- William Zinsser's On writing well
Basics on writing.

- Christian Godefroy's How to write letters that sell
Some says he's the best european copywriter. Joe Vitale considers him like one of the top copywriter. He worked with Gene Schwartz.

- Chip and Dan Heath's Made to stick
Classics

- Colin Wheildon's Type and Layout
Thanks to Christian Godefroy for advise it. A great stuff about layout of good ads. Very specific, but important. It's more for print than web copy.

Thanks

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SpeedCopy

13 years ago

David Ogilvy's "Blood, Brains and Beer" - Never heard of that one before?

You've got a really good long list here. Should keep me busy for a long time.

Thanks

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premiumonlinewriting

13 years ago

Andy Maslen's 'Write to Sell' is a great one. And pretty much all Bob Bly's books. Peter Bowerman's books are also excellent for the business/management side of things, as opposed to actually writing copy.

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staceythewriter

13 years ago

"The Idea Writers: Copywriting in a New Media and Marketing Era" by Teressa Iezzi

Thanks
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Calamaroo 13 years ago

Maybe I just missed it but...

...I am totally shocked that Elmer Wheeler's two books haven't been mentioned on this thread:

Tested Sentences That Sell: How To Use "Word Magic" To Sell More And Work Less!

Sizzlemanship: New Tested Selling Sentences

Wheeler coined the sentence "Don't sell the steak, sell the sizzle"

Also, Positioning by Al Ries and Jack Trout. Not a direct response marketing book but probably the greatest brand marketing book ever.
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dogstar

13 years ago

"A Technique for Producing Ideas" by James Webb Young...every aspiring creative mind should read this book...whatever the pursuit...I was a copywriter for over 20 years and this was the only book that offered me any practical method to coming up with stuff...Highly recommended!

Thanks

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Mark Andrews

Banned 13 years ago

Marketing Outrageously: How to Increase Your Revenue by Staggering Amounts! by Jon Spoelstra

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show....Jon_Spoelstra

jon spoelstra - AbeBooks

He also wrote...

Ice to The Eskimos: How to Market a Product Nobody Wants

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...to_the_Eskimos

Thanks

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Joseph Denali

13 years ago

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Bill Jeffels 13 years ago

Good stuff.

Don't forget to read Collier. Spend the money for it.

He's that guy that makes Sh*t make sense!

Jeffels

.
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Eoin: BelfastCopywriter

13 years ago

I love Andy Maslen's 'Write to Sell' - excellent, practical info.

Thanks

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Rabrown

13 years ago

I know this isn't strictly a copyrighting - but to write any kind of creative copy for sales I found 'Whatever you think -think the opposite' a refreshing and inspiring take! Check it out

Thanks

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kaaregarnes

13 years ago

I have to recommend The Brain Audit by Sean D´Souza. More the psychology behind great copy, but still good.

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alwanstud

12 years ago

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Brooke@wadeswrittenword

12 years ago

Thanks for this helpful post.

I'm brand new to the forum, and though I've been a writer for sometime, I'm trying to break into this revolutionary idea of writing copy for money, rather than the peanuts that I've grown accustom to.

I wanted to add a book I came across a few years back:
"How To Make Money While You Sleep" Brett McFall

The book takes readers through a 7-step process to create a product and market it online. Chapter 6 covers the process for writing a powerful and compelling sales letter.

All in all, its an informative read, really well positioned for beginners and provides a thorough list of examples and references.

Just wanted to share and say thanks...because I haven't yet figured out how to use the forum efficiently and I don't know how to do that 'thanks' thing that everyone else is doing. When I do, I'm sure I'll be part of the 'in' group.

Cheers.
Brooke

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ejunkie

12 years ago

Almost all of the greatest copywriting books have already been mentioned, I would like to add one more to the growing list.

Not exactly copywriting but essentially a marketing book, Al Ries and Jack Trout's Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind (1970s) is something every copywriter must read.

The book changed marketing forever.

There is simply no excuse for not reading about the principles of positioning. And understanding it in the context of the consumer & his mind, the product, the competition & product category.

A gem from the book: "The battleground is not the market place, it is the mind of the consumer. Conquer the mind. And you conquer the market."

And it gave birth to one of the biggest jargons in the industry .... a term advertising is now synonymous with - mindshare.

Thanks
1 reply

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MadHattie123

12 years ago

Originally Posted by ejunkie

Almost all of the greatest copywriting books have already been mentioned, I would like to add one more to the growing list.

Not exactly copywriting but essentially a marketing book, Al Ries and Jack Trout's Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind (1970s) is something every copywriter must read.

Here it is:
Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind
Al Ries and Jack Trout
Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind, 20th Anniversary Edition | Al Ries, Jack Trout | digital library Bookfi

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Rentamentor

12 years ago

Thanks for the Book Endorsements,

Because I had to Make Munny - from Day 1 with my Copy & SalesLetters - I spent a week reading thru all of Gary Halberts "Halbert Letter" Newsletter Back Issues.

I think his son Bond - now sells all of these as a book.

VERY VALUABLE.

Because I've Personally SEEN Gary READ one of his Newsletters to a room full of people. Then watched HUNDREDS of them RUN to buy his Product at back of room.

Not once.

Not twice.

THREE TIMES. (3 Different Newsletters - Just reading to the room!)

THIS is the kind of Copywriting You want to Learn From.

Thanks,
Glenn Osborn
Rentamentor Network

P.S. - A Profitable Copywriting Hobby: I now write sales letters that sell Stories. (UNusual - Laugh-Out-Loud -- How to Make Munny Stories Mostly.)

Welcome to EnchantedNLP.com

Thanks

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brainclark456

12 years ago

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell

"Not a marketing book, but a great read. And all about INCENTIVES and understanding what people want."

Thanks

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RobAus

12 years ago

Writing to sell by Andy Maslen. Just bought it as my first ever copywriting book and every page has something. Easy to read and I feel it'll help heaps with my online b2b sales. I love the fact that companies don't buy things, people do. Sounds simple but not so easy to figure out when you're deep in the product

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BizManRobert 12 years ago

I learnt most of my copy writing from the late Gary Halbert (RIP)
However, I notice you don't have Dr Robert Cialdini mentioned in your list.
(sorry if he is mentioned in this thread as I have not read through all the posts)

Just want to mention this book: Dr Robert Cialdini's
Influence: Science and Practice (5th Edition)
Why?
Becasuse if YOU don't study it and don't use his tactics in you're copy...you are effectively leaving money on the table!
This book is a must have for ALL copywriters.

You can get a second hand copy from amazon for around 12 bucks.
I would of gladly paid $500 for this with the tactics I gleaned from this GREAT book
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rabbroon

12 years ago

Thanks for tips everyone, already have a couple of these gems on order.
Another something to look out for which relates not necesseraly to copywriting but to being succesfull is The Mind Factor by Karl Morris.

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eClarke

12 years ago

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ThomasOMalley 12 years ago

I just finished reading Great Leads by Michael Masterson and John Forde.

Great info. on creating the most powerful headlines and lead paragraphs for your sales letter based on the stage of market awareness.
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HimanshuS

12 years ago

All these books are pure gems. I haven't read all, but read reviews and mentions about most of them. However, I didn't find anybody mentioning Joe Vitale's "Hypnotic Writing" here. I have read that several times, and I personally feel it is a wonderful book on this subject.

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kevin dubrosky

12 years ago

Originally Posted by HimanshuS

All these books are pure gems. I haven't read all, but read reviews and mentions about most of them. However, I didn't find anybody mentioning Joe Vitale's "Hypnotic Writing" here. I have read that several times, and I personally feel it is a wonderful book on this subject.

Yup. Great book on writing in general.

One more (if no one has mentioned it yet):

Writing That Works
Kenneth Roman + Joel Raphaelson

It's a bit outdated as far as cultural references and cutting-edge technology, but it's fundamentally sound in my estimation.

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buddhabux

12 years ago

hey fellow copywriters,

check out this little-known gem, has full sales scripts. how to counter objections, basically street smart NLP from the trenches of face to face selling (eg selling ginza knives on the Atlantic City boardwalk!).

a treasury of cool old school selling easily translated to the printed word, its available on AMZ for 1 cent.

Ed McMahon's Superselling: Performance Techniques for High-Volume Sales

much success, david alan ramsdale, m.a.

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ykaw97

12 years ago

That would be "The Robert Collier Letter Book." So many ideas and principals are in this book and no one should be without it.

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podcastcoach

12 years ago

I just started reading "Writing Riches" by Ray Edwards (who also has a great podcast).

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sumgd07

12 years ago

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FullMontySEO

12 years ago

I just checked out this this list and I would agree with every single book here. However, getting to the copywriting doesn't stop at just reading the right books. One thing that really helped me is reading the ads of all of these copywriters.

Get a swipe file. Read at least one ad every single day out loud. Another thing you can do is Get a pen pad of paper and write out only the top performing ads by hand. Yes, this is tedious. But it works!

To swipe files that I personally own and recommend are:

Hard to find ads by Michael Senoff
Lawrence Bernstein's Ultimate Marketing Swipe File.

Cheers!

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PranaProjects

12 years ago

Originally Posted by FullMontySEO

Get a swipe file. Read at least one ad every single day out loud. Another thing you can do is Get a pen pad of paper and write out only the top performing ads by hand. Yes, this is tedious. But it works!

To swipe files that I personally own and recommend are:

Hard to find ads by Michael Senoff
Lawrence Bernstein's Ultimate Marketing Swipe File.

Cheers!

I heard great copywriters like Bob Bly and David Garfinkel suggest that too. Thanks for sharing about the swipe files you own. Can you share the link where we can get those? Thanks!

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UKCopyKing

12 years ago

Seth Godin's "Small Is The New Big", combined with Andy Maslen's "Write to Sell", were the 2 books that made a huge difference to me.

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thatjc

12 years ago

Thanks so much for the excellent list of books for copywriters!

To add my 2 cents - I'm studying the book in your list, "Influence - The Psychology of Persuasion" by Robert Cialdini". By the way, it's now available on Amazon as a Kindle eBook, at a low price.

I'm finding it to have great potential power in leveraging the principles of persuasion revealed by Social Psychology research.

As a student (expert?) on/of Visual Communication and landing page design, I'm also working on integrating those Social Psychology persuasion principles into web page visual design rules and into the landing page sales processes.

Thanks again for the awesome list!

_jc

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jachu2

12 years ago

Thanks! That is a great list. I shall read some of these to further improve my marketing and copywriting strategies.
I also think you should add, 'How to Win Friends and Influence People'. Even though this treasure is not directly related to copywriting, it is still one of my favourite books for understanding people.

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Sam Fitz

12 years ago

Thanks for creating this list! I'm currently reading "INFLUENCE - The Psychology of Persuasion" by Robert Cialdini. Ph.D. I noticed a few people mentioned it here, but being about 2/3 of the way through and thoroughly enjoying it, I wanted to second the recommendation. I like that although almost everything it discusses can be applied to sales, it is presented as "psychology" and therefore has the appeal associated with a broader audience than just salespeople.

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mstrmindmktg

12 years ago

Writing Riches by Ray Edwards. This book talks about how to write sales letters, emails, etc. He's been a copywriter for some top companies and internet marketers. Great book.

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Ryan Kuchel

11 years ago

A really good book I am currently reading is John Carltons new book "The Entrepreneurs Guide To Getting Your Shit Together".
Motivational, entertaining and really good for copywriting.

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HVDMarketing

11 years ago

Being new to copywriting, I picked up "Web Copy That Sells by Maria Veloso".

Great thread, thanks for all the recommendations WFers.

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Host Hoot

11 years ago

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art72 11 years ago

Pheewwwyyyy... that's an exhaustive and overwhelming list!

Thank You!

Be it I've NEVER actually read ANY of the books mentioned (yet), and I am a novice at copywriting... I found myself 'stuck' in the middle of nowhere, in a town where the number of cows/cattle is equal to (maybe even greater than) the county's human population - looking for a book on Copywriting techniques in an actual library (of all places!)

Anyway, after explaining the difference (at least) five times... "No, not books on Copyrights, but books about Copywriting"; the librarian found only 1 book available. *Go figure, after seeing all the great references mentioned here, I find the one copywriting book not mentioned in the 6 pages of this post!

While I am currently reading 'the ONE and ONLY library' book on copywriting (in Okeechobee, Florida) entitled; "Kick-Ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps" - by Susan Gunelius - I've learned more in 5 chapters than I ever could've imagined.

Ultimately, if you (like myself) thought you understood the psychology in crafting 'compelling' writing and in creating a 'perceived need' to your target audience, but never knew "How to" structure those writings (to a specific audience), this book is enlightening, for sure!

The 10 Step Copywriting Outline in her book was my 'missing ingredient' all along, and armed me with a new way to structure my future marketing efforts, and more over created a great insight in writing sales oriented copy.

It may not be as good as other mentions in this post, but it's definitely an easy read, and puts the art of Copywriting in a tangible and employable format, even for newbie's (like me!)

This book has '