20 Handy List Of Books, Websites and Tools To Help You Improve Your Copywriting And Persuasion Skills

Tested Advertising Methods

John Caples

A classic written by advertising legend John Caples. Originally published in 1932, but all the copywriting principles Caples teaches are still relevant in 2021.

Because as John Caples said: “Times change. People don’t. Words like ‘free’ and ‘new’ are as potent as ever. Ads that appeal to a reader’s self interest still work. People may disagree about what self improvement is important, but we all want to improve ourselves.”

The Copywriter’s Handbook – A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Copy That Sells

Robert W. Bly

This book is a good introduction to copywriting. Robert W. Bly reveals a bunch of useful copywriting techniques. These techniques can help you write better copy for different mediums. From print ads, direct mail, brochures, PR materials, commercials, email marketing and writing for the web.

D&AD – The Copy Book

D&AD

A bible for copywriters and creative directors. This book features a selection of ads and essays by some of the World’s most forward-thinking advertising professionals. Including copywriting legends like Barbara Nokes, David Abbott, Dan Wieden, Neil French or Lionel Hunt.

Ogilvy on Advertising

David Ogilvy

Written by the Founder of one of the World’s best advertising agencies Ogilvy & Mather. Ogilvy reveals:

• How to get a job in advertising
• How to choose an agency for your product
• The secrets behind advertising that works
• How to write successful copy—and get people to read it
• Eighteen miracles of research
• What advertising can do for charities
• And much, much more.

Scientific Advertising

Claude Hopkins

Another classic. Written by Claude Hopkins, the father of modern advertising. If you want to write copy to win awards, don’t read this book. But if you want to learn the psychology principles behind ads and copy that sell, this is a must-read.

But don’t take my word for it, read what Ad legend David Ogilvy once said about this book, “Nobody should be allowed to have anything to do with advertising until he has read this book seven times. It changed the course of my life.”

Reality in Advertising

Roster Reeves

The book attempts to formulate certain theories of advertising, many quite new, and all based on 30 years of intensive research. These theories, whose value has been proved in the marketplace, all revolve around the central concept that success in selling a product is the key criterion of advertising. In the course of explaining his own hard-headed approach, Mr. Reeves shows why the ad campaigns for many products are just so much money poured down the drain. He has some devastating things to say about advertising’s misguided men – the ‘aesthetes’ and the ‘puffers’ who put art and technique ahead of the client’s sales, and he punctures many of the misguided philosophies which lower the efficiency of advertising, rather than raising it.

But even more important is the thoroughness and clarity with which he explains many of the mysteries of how to write advertising that produces these sales. Here, in short, is a concise, forcefully written guide that has been called a ‘Rosetta Stone’ for the advertising business – an essential book for anyone who works in advertising, or uses advertising extensively. It is today required reading in hundreds of great corporations and many of the world’s leading business schools.

The Creative Copywriter’s Companion

Tom Attea

In this landmark book, one of America’s most award-winning copywriters and creative directors, who conducted the copywriting training program at Young and Rubicam for five years, shares the most complete, and often refreshingly original, strategic and creative guidelines ever described for creative copywriting. If you’re looking for a book that explains how you can become a great creative copywriter, who knows how to use the resources of language to magnify the selling proposition, instead of subordinate or otherwise distract from it, you just found it.

You’ll discover how to optimize your copywriting for every touchpoint inthe customer journey – from a member of the target audience to a prospect, purchaser, brand loyalist and advocate.The tactics are explained so you can implement them yourself and start to achieve remarkably consistent success for your clients and in your career. You’ll also be able to use the book as a helpful companion to refer to over the years.