Ask HN: Best way to learn copywriting and sales? - rayalez
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jkuria
Sales: The very best books/resources on the subject are:

1\. The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes 2\. Zig Ziglar's The Secrets of
Closing the Sale 3\. Brian Tracy's The Psychology of Selling

Copywriting: The 3 Best Books (All out of print):

1\. Tested Advertising Methods by John Caples 2\. Scientific Advertising by
Claude Hopkins 3\. Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene Schwartz

If I could add a fourth it would be: 4\. The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan
Kennedy

If you want to get even deeper, here is a longer list:

[https://capitalandgrowth.org/questions/627/what-are-some-
goo...](https://capitalandgrowth.org/questions/627/what-are-some-good-books-
for-a-young-marketer.html)

~~~
pryelluw
These books have made me so much money. Solid reading material.

------
siquick
For Copywriting read The Boron Letters by Gary C. Halbert

"A series of letters by history’s greatest copywriter Gary C. Halbert,
explaining insider tactics and sage wisdom to his youngest son Bond."

[https://www.amazon.com/Boron-Letters-Gary-C-
Halbert/dp/14848...](https://www.amazon.com/Boron-Letters-Gary-C-
Halbert/dp/1484825985)

------
saluki
Reading the recommended books and resources in the other responses are a great
place to start.

To really learn I recommend starting a small product or ebook and learn
copywriting and sales on your own product. You will gain a wealth of
knowledge.

Here are a few more recommendations:

[https://copyhackers.com/2013/04/how-to-sell-without-
selling-...](https://copyhackers.com/2013/04/how-to-sell-without-selling-your-
soul/)

[http://www.microconf.com/past-videos/](http://www.microconf.com/past-videos/)

startupsfortherestofus.com

------
verganileonardo
Read everything published on: \- www.conversion-rate-experts.com \-
[https://copyhackers.com](https://copyhackers.com) \- Ramit Sethi (i learn a
lot by assessing his messages)

Also, the most important thing I learned: do not rely on your intuition the
best copy! Run a short open survey with your client and website visitors to
learn what they want and how they describe it - then, use their exactly words
and phrases and scenarios to describe the product

------
markfer
Echo all of the resources jkuria posted, plus 'Influence' is a must read.

I'll be releasing a Sales 101 online course soon that's aimed at developers
shortly if you're interested.

------
jaworrom
"Scientific Advertising" Claude 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

"The Robert Collier Letter Book" \- by Robert Collier

"Tested Advertising Methods" -by John Caples

"The Lazy Man's Way to Riches" \- by Joe Karbo

"Break-Through Advertising" \- by Eugene M. Schwartz

"Advertising Secrets of The Written Word" by Joe Sugarman

"Making Ads Pay" by John Caples

"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

"The Elements of Copywriting" by Gary Blake and Robert Bly

"The Ultimate Sales Letter" by Dan Kennedy

"Cashvertising" by Drew Eric Whitman

"Write to sell " it is written by Andy Maslen

"Influencing Human Behaviour" by H.A.

"Tested Sentences That Sell" by Elmer Wheeler

"Unlimited Selling Power" by Moine and Lloyd.

"Writing for Emotional Impact" by Karl Iglesias

Bob Bly's "The Copywriter's Handbook"

"How To Make Your Advertising Make Money" \- John Caples

"The Copywriters Handbook" \- Bob Bly

"The Adweek Copywriting Handbook" \- Joseph Sugarman

"Sales Letters That Sizzle" \- Herschell Gordon Lewis

"Cash Copy" \- Jeffrey Lant

"Magic Words That Bring You Riches" \- Ted Nicholas

"Ogilvy On Advertising"

"Method Marketing" by Denny Hatch.

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

"The Greatest Direct Mail Sales Letters of all Time" by Richard Hodgson.

"How To Write Advertising That Sells" by Clyde Bedell

"Ads That Sell" by Bob Bly

"Advertising Headlines That Make You Rich" \-- David Garfinkle

"Magic Words" \-- Ted Nicholas

"Robert Collier Letter Book" \-- Robert Collier

"My Life In Advertising" \-- Claude Hopkins

"Bird" \- Commonsense

"The First Hundred Million" by E. Haldeman-Julius

David Ogilvy's "Blood, Brains and Beer"

"Confessions of an advertising man"

"Million Dollar Mailings" by Denison Hatch

"The Wizard of Ads" trilogy by Roy H. Williams

"Making Ads Pay" by John Caples

~~~
sharmi
Did you actually read all these or are these from your to-be-read list?

