The best copywriters all have one thing in common:
They are life-long learners.
If you want to get good at copywriting, you must learn, every single day.
Over the last 4 years, I’ve consumed a LOT of copywriting resources.
I’m talkin’ hundreds of books, courses, articles, interviews, videos, blog posts, etc.
And lucky ducky for you…
I’ve compiled a GIGANTIC list of my favorite copywriting resources, to help you learn copywriting (the right way), build your skills and improve your writing.
Virtually none of these copywriting resources are “new”.
They are not taught by online “gurus”.
Every copywriting resource is from elite copywriters, marketers and salesmen who have proven their success through decades of hard-won experience and products sold.
I’ve organized this list in terms of media (books, blog posts, courses, etc.). Refer back to this giant list often.
And stay learning!
IMPORTANT:
You’ll get the most bang for your buck if you plow through each copywriting resource AT LEAST TWICE (I’ve gone through many of them +10x).
The first time, just read for fun.
The second time, take detailed notes/summaries.
Plus, you should extract at least one big idea from each copywriting resource. Something new that you can apply to your writing, marketing and/or lead gen, right away.
Alrighty, let’s get this party roaring…
The 7 Best FREE Copywriting Resources to Get Started
Let’s kick this hippo off with some free goodies.
Don’t let the price fool you, these resources for copywriters are worth their weight in platinum.
- The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert
- The Gary Halbert Letter
- Gary Halbert & John Carlton Interviews with Michael Fortin (link has access to multiple interviews, listen to them all, they are pure diamonds)
- Gary Bencivenga’s Bencivenga Bullets
- Ben Settle’s Antiprenuer Podcast and TheBenSettle.com Podcast
- Dan Kennedy’s Magnetic Marketing Podcast
- Neville Medhora’s Kopywriting Kourse YouTube Channel
The 10 Best Copywriting Books for Beginners
If you’ve read any of my previous posts, I talk about these books a loooot.
They are some of the best copywriting resources you’ll ever discover.
They are the 10 copywriting books I read as a raw beginner to quickly learn the basics and feel confident in my skills.
However, they are helpful for copywriters at any level.
If you haven’t read them yet, you’ll want to change that, FAST.
Here they are:
- The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert
- The Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joseph Sugarman
- How to Write a Good Advertisement by Victor O. Schwab
- Scientific Advertising By Claude Hopkins
- The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy
- Ogilvy on Advertising By David Ogilvy
- Tested Advertising Methods By John Caples
- Cashvertising By Drew Eric Whitman
- The Copywriter’s Handbook By Bob Bly
- Kick-Ass Copywriting Secrets of a Marketing Rebel By John Carlton
To learn more about these books and their authors (all great copywriters), click on this blog post.
5 More Copywriting Books (Beginner to Advanced)
Here are some of my favorite copywriting books that I read after these first 10 books. These copywriting resources are worth reading multiple times and taking detailed notes.
- Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene Schwartz
- Crypto Copywriting Secrets by Ben Settle
- The Lazy Man’s Way to Riches by Joe Karbo
- Brain Audit by Sean D’souza
- My Life in Advertising by Claude Hopkins
The 7 Best Books & Courses on Direct Response Marketing
Along with copywriting, every copywriter should study marketing, sales and human psychology.
Marketing is important because you will need to market yourself effectively to grow your freelance business (or move up the itchy corporate ladder).
Here are 7 great marketing resources:
- Magnetic Marketing by Dan Kennedy
- Getting Everything You Can Out Of All You’ve Got by Jay Abraham
- Dan Kennedy’s No BS Newsletter
- 26 Instant Marketing Ideas by Tom Schreiter
- 10 Million Dollar Marketing Secrets By Dan Kennedy
- The System Club Letters by Ken McCarthy
- Dotcom Secrets by Russel Brunson
The 7 Best Books on Selling
At its core, copywriting is nothing but salesmanship in print.
Gary Bencivenga (considered the world’s greatest living copywriter) recommends that every copywriter reads and studies the top sales books on the planet. As you read these books, look for ways to implement these sales secrets into your writing.
Here are some of my favorite sales books:
- KISS: Keep It Simple, Salesperson by Fred Herman & Earl Nightengale
- The Secret of Selling Anything by Harry Browne
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- The Patterson Principles of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer
- No Lie: Truth is the Ultimate Sales Tool by Barry Maher
- No by Jim Camp
- Start with No by Jim Camp
The 5 Best Books on Human Behavior and Buyer Psychology
If you want to grab attention, engage your readers and sell to them, you must tap into their psychology.
All good copy digs deep into their reader’s psychology and sells on emotion.
Every resource on this list will help you understand human behavior and buyer psychology, but these books take it to the next level. They give you a deeper understanding of how humans think, feel and act.
- Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy by Martin Lindstrom
- Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal
- Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
- Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
- Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade by Robert B. Cialdini
The 8 Best Online Courses for Copywriters
No.
Not all copywriting courses suck.
But, to be fair, I’ve never taken a “new” copywriting course from online gurus.
However, I have spent THOUSANDS (if not tens of thousands) on copywriting courses from proven, old direct response copywriters.
Here are a few of my favorites (they can get VERY EXPENSIVE but will pay their cost back in spades IF you apply them).
- Matt Furey’s Email Copywriting Course
- Matt Furey’s Toa of Email Seminar
- Eugene Schwartz’s Rodale Press Speech
- Titans of Direct Response by Brian Kurtz
- Doug D’anna’s Long Copy That Sells
- Gary Halbert’s Copywriting Seminar
- Gary Bencivenga’s “100 Seminar”
- Ken McCarthy’s “Advanced Copywriting For Serious Info Marketers” course
The 10 Best Copywriting Blogs
See this blog post for more details on these blog posts and discover my top 3 favorite posts per blog.
1. Copyblogger
Why I like this blog…
This copywriting blog stands out for its comprehensive approach to copywriting and marketing. The blog's main focus on building an online presence and cultivating a strong writing style makes it a go-to resource for copywriters – no matter what type of copy you write.
Website: Copyblogger
2. The Copywriter Club
Why I like this blog…
The Copywriter Club stands out for its dynamic format, combining written content with podcast interviews. It offers a glimpse into the real-world experiences of copywriters and provides a platform for industry professionals to share their insights.
Website: The Copywriter Club
3. Joanna Wiebe's Copy Hackers
Why I like this blog…
Copy Hackers stands out for its focus on practical techniques backed by psychological principles. Joanna Wiebe often shares detailed breakdowns of successful copy, providing actionable insights that can be directly applied to your own writing.
Website: Copy Hackers
4. Kopywriting Kourse
Why I like this blog…
Kopywriting Kourse is known for its simplicity and effectiveness. Neville Medhora breaks down copywriting into actionable steps (using relatable examples) making it an ideal resource for those starting their copywriting journey.
Website: Kopywriting Kourse
5. The Gary Halbert Letter
Why I like this blog…
The Gary Halbert Letter is known for its straightforward and no-nonsense approach. Halbert's storytelling techniques and emphasis on direct response marketing provide a foundational understanding of persuasive writing.
Website: The Gary Halbert Letter
6. Dan Kennedy's Blog
Why I like this blog…
Dan Kennedy's copywriting blog is characterized by its direct and strategic approach to marketing & copywriting. It provides insights into effective marketing and copywriting techniques, often challenging conventional wisdom and encouraging a bold, results-oriented mindset.
Website: No B.S. Inner Circle
7. Ben Settle's Blog
Why I like this blog…
Ben Settle's blog is known for its irreverent and contrarian approach to copywriting. He challenges traditional marketing norms and emphasizes the power of simplicity and authenticity in email communication.
Website: Ben Settle
8. Bob Bly's Blog
Why I like this blog…
Bob Bly's blog is a wealth of traditional copywriting wisdom. His posts often delve into the psychology of persuasion and provide practical tips for crafting compelling copy in various marketing contexts.
9. Gary Bencivenga's Marketing Bullets
Why I like this blog…
Gary Bencivenga's blog is a treasure trove of classic copywriting wisdom. The blog's "bullets" format presents concise and impactful insights, making it a valuable resource for those seeking to understand the fundamentals of persuasive writing.
Website: Bencivenga Bullets
10. John Carlton's Blog
Why I like this blog…
John Carlton's blog reflects his reputation as a copywriting legend. The content is infused with storytelling, humor, and real-world anecdotes, making it an engaging and educational experience for copywriters at all levels.
Website: The Rant
3 Great Email Copywriting Newsletters to Subscribe to
I love copywriting newsletters because they are sent to you frequently and have zero flab hanging from their body. They give valuable tips, secrets and advice to implement pronto.
See this blog post to learn more about each copywriting newsletter.
1. Ben Settle's Email Copywriting Newsletter
Ben Settle publishes my favorite email copywriting newsletter.
He sends out daily marketing, copywriting, sales and business tips with a heavy focus on email marketing.
2. John Carlton's Email Copywriting Newsletter
John Carlton, labeled “The most ripped-off writer on the Web”, is a veteran copywriter. He shares a wealth of copywriting secrets in his email copywriting newsletter.
3. Bob Bly's Email Copywriting Newsletter
Bob Bly is another copywriting legend.
He has worked as a successful direct response freelance copywriter for nearly 40 years.
Bly has an email copywriting newsletter where he gives away valuable copywriting tips each week.
Conclusion
These copywriting resources will probably last you a lifetime (especially if you go through them several times, which you should).
And that’s a good thing.
Because if you want to earn the big kahuna bucks, you’ll be learning (and re-learning) from the top copywriters, salesmen and marketers UNTIL YOU DIE.
I’m not being dramatic…
The day you stop improving is the day you die.
Speaking of valuable resources for copywriters…
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