#1 Breakthrough Advertising, by Eugene Schwartz

This book is out of print, but sometimes available used, though rarely cheaply.

Originally published in 1984, and then republished in 2004 by Boardroom Reports (who used Schwartz-style copywriting to create their entire business). Both editions sold out.

Schwartz may be the best copywriter who ever lived. Grab a copy … if you can.

#2 Web Copy That Sells, by Maria Veloso

Clear and concise, easy to follow, presents useful guidelines for creating dynamite copy.

Has excellent additional material about writing effective emails.

A student of Mark Joyner, and she must have been a darn good student.

If you can only afford one book, and you need to conserve funds, make it this one.

#3 Tested Advertising Methods, by John Caples

A classic. Examples are old, but the fact remain the same. Concentrates on headlines, because if your headline doesn’t grab them … nothing else matters.

An older book, but every pro copywriter in the world has studied this book.

You should, too.

#4 Influence, the Psychology of Persuasion, by Robert Cialdin

This is not a copywriting book.

However, it is one of the few books that actually gives insight into how humans are persuaded. And how it works is really not something so obvious.

Guaranteed to present you with new ideas you have never considered before.

#5 Positioning, the Battle for Your Mind, by Al Ries and Jack Trout

This is not a copywriting book.

But it is the original and still the best book ever written about how to communicate in our over-communicated society. When you understand this book, you will understand how to differentiate your product from the others, and how to grab a position in the mind of your readers.

To avoid writing “me, too” copy, learn this book.