Over the past several years I've become a rabid reader of personal development books. I have found I love the writing style of John C Maxwell. I have read several of his books with many to go. Do you read or listen to audio for personal development? What are some great authors to read or listen to?
I'm not sure my affinity for books written by masters of the art of advertising fall into the "personal development" category, other than in terms of giving me a better handle on this thing we do for a living, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Ogilvy as a good place to start.
From Leslie Starkey Coty via the RSC Facebook page:
"Switch" and "Think and Grow Rich."
I loved Think & Grow Rich - I just had to overlook the cost of things back then (like the cost of breakfast for a week for just a few dollars!) but the concepts are just as vital today as back then.
Rod - how have I missed Ogilvy?! I'm going to order those books now.
I also heard that Tested Advertising Methods by John Caples is a great help for copy-writing. Any thoughts?
Celeste,
RE: Caples. Yes, worth reading and keeping close by. He's one of a handful of direct-response (DR) copywriters (including Claude Hopkins and Maxwell Sackheim) whose work has inspired countless marketers. You'll recognize their influence in, for example, Dan O'Day's marketing (a compliment to Dan!) -- from the direct mail pieces he sent out many years ago to his more recent use of online channels.
BTW, Ogilvy had great respect for top DR copywriters, especially in regard to testing messages and using factual consumer research as the basis for creating effective advertising campaigns. I wish I had a better grasp of the history of advertising/marketing, the "big picture," the flow of ideas and influences and the interrelationships of all the great masters. It's a fascinating area of study, no two ways about it.
