I’m about to show you the 9 best copywriters of all time and what you can learn from them.
Eugene Schwartz was a well known American copywriter and author. He's famous for his book "Breakthrough Advertising," which talks about consumer psychology and the art of crafting compelling copy.
Schwartz emphasized market stages or as he called it “Levels Of Awareness”.
When writing a piece of copy it’s important to know who you’re writing for and what stage they’re at in the marketing funnel.
Gary Halbert was a legendary direct response copywriter known for his charismatic personality and persuasive letters.
His "Coat of Arms" letter is one of the most mailed sales letters in history.
The letter was written in a highly personal and engaging style, making the readers feel like they were discovering something unique and special about their family's history.
He used storytelling techniques to make his offer more compelling.
Instead of telling you to buy a report, he wrote about how knights used to wear their family's coat of arms on their armor as they rode into battle. Halbert used imagery and evoked a sense of valor, honor, and legacy.
The offer sparked curiosity by allowing readers the opportunity to get a personalized report on their family's coat of arms, detailing its history and significance.
It’s hard to know how many sales this offer generated but I can assume it was over one million because they spent money to mail it out to 10 million people.
Halbert's techniques are shared in his newsletter "The Gary Halbert Letter” which you can publicly read here.
Dan Kennedy is a direct response marketer, copywriter, and entrepreneur.
He began his journey as a direct mail copywriter but branched out into consulting, speaking, and authoring a series of no-nonsense "No B.S." books.
Dan’s most famous for his “Magnetic Marketing” system which gives strategies on everything from effective advertising to wealth attraction.
The basic idea behind "Magnetic Marketing" is businesses should attract customers, rather than chasing after them.
Sidenote: This is something I’ve been able to do through social media and 100% stand by.
The key components of the system are based on being specific. Instead of broadcasting a message to a broad audience, "Magnetic Marketing" tells you to speak directly to a specific group of potential customers.
David Ogilvy is referred to as the "Father of Advertising".
He earned the nickname over time by pioneering the ad industry.
Ad agencies heavily relied on intuition but Ogilvy did everything through a research-driven approach.
He wrote the classic book "Ogilvy on Advertising," which offers insights into effective advertising practices.
His campaigns, like the one for Rolls-Royce, are iconic and still studied today.
Ben Settle is a modern-day email marketing expert and copywriter.
He's known for advocating the strategy of daily email marketing to one's list.
Settle's approach to email is both entertaining and persuasive, often blending humor with hard-hitting sales techniques.
He has a significant following of entrepreneurs and marketers who swear by his methods.
Joseph Sugarman is a pioneer in direct response television and print advertising.
He's best known for his innovative approaches to selling products, such as the Blue Blocker sunglasses.
Sugarman's copywriting techniques often revolve around creating a seamless "slippery slide" for readers, ensuring they move effortlessly from the headline to the call to action.
His book "Triggers" explores the psychological triggers that prompt consumers to buy.
Claude Hopkins was a groundbreaking copywriter who used the idea of scientific testing in advertising.
He's the author of the seminal book "Scientific Advertising," which laid the foundation for modern direct response marketing.
Hopkins believed in the power of specificity, clear offers, and the use of coupons to track ad effectiveness.
His principles have influenced generations of marketers.
Leo Burnett was the founder of the Leo Burnett Company, one of the world's leading advertising agencies.
He's credited with creating some of advertising's most iconic characters, like the Marlboro Man and Tony the Tiger.
Burnett believed in building brand images through powerful, emotional connections with consumers.
He came up with the "inherent drama" concept.
"Inherent drama" is the natural, emotional appeal of a product. Advertisers use this core emotion to connect with customers.
For example, the inherent drama of Dawn dish soap isn't just that it cleans dishes, but it effectively cuts through tough grease while being gentle.
Advertisers used this in a campaign showing a wildlife rescue worker using Dawn to safely clean oil off a delicate baby bird found in an oil spill.
Mark Ford, also known by his pen name Michael Masterson, is a successful entrepreneur, copywriter, and author.
He's been involved in numerous business ventures and has written several books on entrepreneurship and wealth-building.
The book he’s most known for is "Ready, Fire, Aim," which provides actionable advice for entrepreneurs at all stages.
I show you how to build a high-paying creative business without doing work you hate.
