8 Copywriting Books Copywriters Need to Read to Build Marketing and Mindset Skills

I’ve already recommended that you read Influence by Robert Cialdini and I’m happy to say that he collaborated on this book, too. This one is all about making small changes to a message or an approach that leads to a big influence. Remember, even if you’re marketing the perfect solution to a problem that a target audience needs solved, you still need to influence them to take action (and solve their own problems).

Oh, we all think we’re so smart and sensible, right? Turns out that is deeply and intrinsically untrue. Dan Ariely goes into some fascinating studies about exactly when and how we act in utterly irrational ways. How does this affect you? Well, sometimes getting people to take action involves using this irrationality wisely and to your advantage.

Lots of people are afraid of “selling” or “being salesy.” Well, as Daniel Pink discusses, pretty much everything we do is sales is one way or another—but there are effective, helpful ways to do it and ineffective, “salesy” ways to do it.

This one doesn’t really have anything to do with influence or sales, but more about how you approach your own life. No matter what you do, whether we’re talking about building a copywriting career or just changing cell phone carriers, you face obstacles. This book is how you can embrace obstacles and use them to make you a better, calmer, and overall happier person.

Now, if you’re one of my Comprehensive Copywriting Academy students, you’re not going to find anything new here in terms of principles or foundational elements. But what Miller does offer is a new perspective from which to view copywriting and crafting messaging that really connects with a target audience.

Brunson is the founder of ClickFunnels and he’s certainly no stranger to building a business. But what I was surprised with in this book is his mastery of messaging as well. He has some great tools for generating ideas and formulas for creating compelling copy. (HUGE NOTE: I do NOT recommend using formulas as-is. Effective copy isn’t plug-and-play. But they can be a good way to help you generate ideas and structure your wording.)

Here’s the thing about taking on any new project, whether it’s building a business or creating a new career: It can sometimes be a slog in the middle. The first part is exciting, full of possibility and motivation and, once you’re established, it’s rewarding both emotionally and financially. But the middle…well, the middle can be tricky. There are always more “no’s” than “yesses” and it there will be some days when you doubt yourself. (Which is why we created a full training on how to get through those feelings in the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy.) This is a good reminder that, yes, the middle is messy and challenging but that it’s absolutely worth it.

Honestly, it kind of rubs me the wrong way to call this concept a “miracle” but I get it; he has books to sell. I will say, though, that even though it’s a whole book centered around one little two-line “equation,” it provides a lot in terms of understanding why it’s so valuable and why it’s worth adopting for yourself. This is an especially great one for anyone starting out on their copywriting career journey to help you get through it.