David Ogilvy's “Ogilvy on Advertising” was one of the first copywriting books I’ve ever read.
Within my first year of reading it, I read it TEN times.
Why?
Because it is stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey with copywriting GOLD.
There are hundreds of timeless copywriting tips, tricks and secrets packed inside this classic advertising book that are still relevant today.
In this blog post…
I’m going to reveal 7 of my favorite quotes from the godfather of advertising’s book, Ogilvy on Advertising. Plus, provide my own insights and insider tips so you can profit from David Ogilvy’s copywriting wisdom.
These lessons can be learned within minutes and applied to your writing TODAY.
Each tip can potentially put thousands (or more) in your piggy bank and help you rocket launch your copywriting career to the moon.
Alright, enough small talk, let’s get this party going…
7 Quotes From “Ogilvy on Advertising” to Help You Write Better Copy (With Insider Tips & Insights)
1. “I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art form, but as a medium of information. When I write an advertisement, I don’t want you to tell me that you find it ‘creative.’ I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product.”
David Ogilvy makes it as clear as a crystal that advertising is not about entertainment, creativity or quirkiness.
Advertising has only ONE purpose:
Sales.
In fact, David Ogilvy once said that mail-order copywriters (direct response) are the only people you should learn from.
Why?
Because each piece of copy they wrote was intended to get a direct response from their readers (buy now) and was constantly tested to figure out which sales message worked best.
David Ogilvy followed direct response principles and applied them to his advertising to create some of the most successful ads of all time.
He wrote ads for a specific audience and made these ads intensely interesting to his ideal readers.
So interesting, that they bought MILLIONS worth of products from him & his clients.
How to apply this lesson today:
When writing copy for a client, spend 80%+ of your time researching their company, product and, most importantly, their market.
Uncover what their market wants most and give it to them in your copy.
By doing so, you will naturally write copy that piques your reader’s interests and motivates them to buy from you.
2. “The most effective leader is the one who satisfies the psychological needs of his followers.”
Advertising is merely salesmanship in print.
Selling on paper (or screen) vs face-to-face.
To sell heaps of products through the words you write, you MUST tap into your readers’ psychology.
Crawl inside their minds and their hearts.
What do they want most?
What problems are they currently trying to overcome?
How do they FEEL about their current problems?
Are they scared? Angry? Insecure? Hopeless? Worried?
What thoughts are constantly playing inside their mind from the moment they wake up until they fall asleep?
Enter the convo in their mind and tap into their emotions in your copy.
It’s not as hard as it sounds…
All the answers can be found through market research.
My favorite place to find these answers is Reddit.com.
Simply type your niche’s keyword into Reddit and browse their subreddit.
In seconds, you’ll gain access to an entire community of your market where they are venting (unfiltered) about their problems, frustrations, desires, fears, etc.
This is your master class into your reader’s psychology.
Study up!
3. “Some copywriters write tricky headlines – double meanings, puns and other obscurities. This is counter-productive. In the average newspaper your headline has to compete with 350 others. Readers travel fast through this jungle. Your headline should telegraph what you want to say.”
Ogilvy is considered one of the best ad men of all time.
But he despised 99% of advertisements and advertising companies.
Why?
Because they had no idea what they were doing.
You see, most companies try to impress their clients/customers by sounding “cool”, “creative” and “sophisticated.”
Don’t make this mistake.
It will bite you in the ass like a wild rottweiler. Especially when you try to “impress” your readers in your headlines.
David Ogilvy explained how your headline has one job…
Flag down your ideal readers and get them to read your first sentence (body copy).
You do so by making your headline specifically for your ideal reader (and ONLY them).
The best way to do this is to use a keyword in your headline that calls out your reader.
For example:
If you’re writing for pit bull owners, you’d simply add “pit bull owners” to your headline.
Then…
Motivate them to READ your copy by adding a BIG benefit to your headline.
For example:
“For Pit Bull owners who want their pups to live long, healthy lives”
When you create a headline for a specific person and offer them a rewarding benefit, you will dramatically increase the chances that they read your copy and buy from you.
4. “Tell your prospective client what your weak points are, before he notices them. This will make you more credible when you boast about your strong points.”
There’s no way around this…
Your prospects have dozens of objections firing off in their brains as they read your writing.
Instead of trying to hide your weak points (which they’ll sniff out from a mile away, anyway), you should blatantly tell readers about them.
This is copywriting 101.
Raising and handling objections.
By doing so, you not only handle objections, but you also increase trust, credibility and integrity with your readers.
My favorite way to raise and handle objections is to “make the skeleton dance”.
This little-known method was taught by sales trainer Barry Maher.
Maher explained how you want to turn perceived flaws into selling points by BRAGGING about them.
This takes raising and handling objections to the next level.
Here’s a quick example to help you better understand:
Imagine…
You’re writing for a fitness instructor who has the most 1-star reviews in his industry.
BUTTTT…
He also has the most reviews.
So, a smart way to turn this perceived flaw into a reason to work with him, is that he also has the MOST reviews because clients know that he is the best option available. He has the most 5-star reviews too because he provides the most value.
See how this works?
The next time you are writing for a client figure out their perceived flaws (product flaws, negative reviews, lack of experience, etc.) and come up with smart ways to turn these flaws into reasons why your readers should buy from them.
By doing so, you will have turned your reader’s natural skepticism into reasons why they should buy from you.
5. “It isn’t the whiskey they choose, it’s the image.”
This is one of the biggest mistakes copywriters make.
They try to sell the product, instead of selling what the product DOES for their customers.
Listen good my freckled friend…
Do not focus on a product’s features and benefits.
Focus on the new life that this product will create for your readers (after they purchase).
The most successful ads for cigarettes, whisky, glasses, clothing, perfume, and just about every mundane physical product, have created a new life for their readers.
They have featured someone or something that readers can identify with and strive to become.
Here’s a quick example:
Did you know that Avatar sunglasses sold like waffles after the original Top Gun movie aired?
How come?
People wanted to become Tom Cruise’s character (he wore avatars in the movie).
They wanted to live his badass, carefree, women-crazed life.
When you are writing copy, find out WHAT your readers fantasize about.
Who do they want to become?
What do they daydream about?
Then, help them hop the picketed fence to the greener side of the grass by explaining how your product/service is the portal to their new, exciting life.
For example:
Say you are trying to sell jump ropes.
A deadly mistake would be to blab about the physical product (the length of the jump rope, how lightweight it is, the comfortable handle grips, etc.)
Instead…
Figure out WHY people want a jump rope in the first place.
What new life are they trying to live?
Are your readers single moms who have packed on extra belly flab? Paint a vision of how the jump rope will help them transform their dating lives by making them slimmer and more confident.
The key is to figure out what new life your readers fantasize about. Then, show them how they can achieve this new life (by buying your product).
6. “Only amateurs use short copy.”
There’s nothing necessary wrong with short copy.
However, there IS something very wrong with clients who limit you to a set number of words to write.
(Yes, I realize certain platforms have a word limit. But take this as a general principle for writing good copy).
Do you know why this is wrong?
Because copywriting is salesmanship in print.
You would NEVER limit a salesman to a set number of words to use.
That would be crazy.
You’d want the salesman to do a complete selling job.
Sometimes it takes 10 minutes. Sometimes a few hours. Sometimes days, even weeks.
The point is…
Your copy should be as long as it to be to get the job done.
You want to hit on every single selling point, main benefit, emotional trigger, etc.
Limiting your copy length based on anything other than telling a complete sales message is bad for you and your client.
Don’t stress over how long your copy is.
Instead, stress over if you’ve done a complete selling job.
If so, it doesn’t matter if you wrote 5 words or 5,000.
7. “Consumers still buy products whose advertising promises them value for money, beauty, nutrition, relief from suffering, social status and so on.”
The beautiful thing about being a copywriter is that once you learn the basics, you never have to stress over “what’s working now.”
What worked 1000 years ago, works today.
There are no “new” secrets when it comes to selling.
Why?
Because selling is simply human psychology.
Human psychology does not change.
Guess what?
Every single breathing person walking around today has the same basic needs, wants, emotions and desires that the CAVEMEN (and cavewomen) had thousands of years ago.
The same basic psychological appeals ALWAYS work.
So…
Here are the top 10 appeals to use in your copywriting:
- Money and better job
- Security in old age
- Popularity
- Praise from others
- More comfort
- Social advancement
- Improved appearance (including sex)
- Personal prestige
- Better health
- Increased enjoyment
Plus…
Here are six basic buying motives coined by Homer B. Smith:
- Profit or gain
- Fear of loss
- Comfort and pleasure
- Avoidance of pain
- Love and affection
- Price and prestige
Refer to these basic appeals/buying motives often and include all the relevant appeals whenever writing copy.
When you tap into your reader’s psychology, you can sell them just about anything that they WANT to buy.
Conclusion
There are hundreds of quote-worthy tips from David Ogilvy’s book, Ogilvy on Advertising.
Grab this book and scoop up all the copywriting diamonds.
If you apply just one of these 7 tips to your writing, you can improve your copy overnight and boost sales for your clients.
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