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The full title of this book by Craig Simpson with Brian Kurtz is

The Advertising Solution: Influence Prospects, Multiply Sales, and Promote Your Brand

In my review of the book posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book a rating of Five Stars. This means it is Excellent and Very Highly Recommended.

Here is my book review.

I wish I hadn’t ignored this excellent book for so long after buying

I’m ashamed to say I bought this book in November 2016 and hadn’t even opened my Kindle copy until January 2019. Why? Well I tend to go on buying binges and there’s the constant risk I start my next buying binge before I’ve worked my way through my last purchases.

The problem was I don’t like the main title – The Advertising Solution – or the subtitle if I’m getting picky because it mentions brands. After I’d bought it, I’d forgotten it was based on the work of six direct response marketing legends. Nor did my unfamiliarity with the main author – Craig Simpson – help me. It became a book to read some time, not next [continue reading…]

in 4 – Lead Generation, Best Business Books, Copywriting

The copywriting training business, AWAI reviews the classic direct marketing book Ogilvy On Advertising by David Ogilvy.

The review is special because it’s done by Marcella Allison and special guest David Deutsch. It’s one of a series of book review videos from AWAI focused on highly acclaimed copywriting books.

I should warn you, it goes into the ideas into the book quite deeply and it’s 75 minutes long so get yourself a drink and press play…

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in 4 – Lead Generation

David Ogilvy Video – Essentials In Four Minutes

David Ogilvy is a legendary advertising man, one of the original “mad men”. he’s the author of the books Ogilvy On Advertising and Confessions of an Advertising Man.

This 4 minute video, produced by Adweek includes some of the classic quotes from Ogilvy. A highly recommended way to spend a few minutes.

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in 4 – Lead Generation

Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy

In my review of this classic advertising book

Ogilvy on Advertising

by the legendary David Ogilvy, posted on Amazon.co.uk I rated the book at the Four Stars level. This means I consider it to be in the range of good to very good.

Here is my book review.

Fascinating look at advertising history which still offers practitioners plenty of lessons

This book tells the history of advertising from the perspective of one of the recognised greats. This was powerful information back in the 1960s and ‘ 70s.

But that’s also the problem with the book. The world has moved on. The way marketing messages reach consumers and business customers has changed. Fortunately, the underlying motivations that drive purchases hasn’t, so there’s still plenty to gain from reading this book. [continue reading…]

in Best Business Books

The full title of this book by Bill Glazer is

Outrageous Advertising That’s Outrageously Successful: Created for the 99% of Small Business Owners Who Are Dissatisfied with the Results They Get“.

In my review on Amazon.co.uk, I gave this book a rating of Four Stars which means I consider it to be good.

Here is my book review.

Are you brave enough to try these outrageous methods?

The title promises “Outrageous Marketing” and the contents is likely to shock you to your core if you haven’t seen American style, over-the-top, direct response marketing before.

First a bit of background. Bill Glazer was a long term student of direct marketing & copywriting “legend” Dan Kennedy as he managed his men’s clothing store and he eventually became Kennedy’s partner in Glazer-Kennedy, a business selling marketing advice and training to small businesses. If you’re new to Dan Kennedy, the place to start is probably The Ultimate Marketing Plan 4th Edition which introduces you to his thinking and isn’t really about preparing a marketing plan. [continue reading…]

in Best Business Books

The full title of this book by Jerry Banfield and Michel Gerard is

Facebook Marketing and Advertising in 2016: What works for my Facebook page with 2 million likes?“.

In my review at Amazon.co.uk, I rated the book at the Four Stars level. This means that it is Good.

Here is my book review.

A good, practical guide

This is a good, practical guide to promoting a business on Facebook in mid 2016.

The author admits that he has learnt from bitter experience after making plenty of mistakes but he is finally extremely successful on Facebook. [continue reading…]

in Best Business Books

Reality In Advertising by Rosser Reeves – 5 Stars

Reality In Advertising by Rosser Reeves

This is considered to be a classic market text as it introduced or at least popularised the concept of unique selling propositions.

Does it stand the test of time?

In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I rated the book at the Five Stars level. This means I think it is Excellent.

Here is my book review.

A marketing classic and a delight to read

This is the famous book credited with popularising the concept of the Unique Selling Proposition. It was first published in 1961. Can a book that is fifty years old have anything to teach us about advertising and marketing?

You bet it does. It starts with perhaps the most powerful statement I’ve read in a business book.”It cost $1,000,000,000 to write this book. We spent that much of our clients’ money and made many mistakes to isolate these principles.” One billion dollars – in 1961! Who knows how much that would be in today’s money. [continue reading…]

in 3 – Your Strategic Positioning, Best Business Books

Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins

In my review of

Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins

posted on Amazon.co.uk, I rate this classic book at the Four Stars level. This means I consider it to be Good and Well Worth Reading.

Here is my book review.

A direct marketing classic but heavy going in places. More for professionals than business owners.

Can a book first published eighty years ago teach you anything about advertising in the Internet age? It can if the book is “Scientific Advertising” by Claude Hopkins.

Claude Hopkins was a pioneer in advertising and copywriting but his impact today is probably seen most through his influence on the modern direct response marketing experts like Jay Abraham.. I have heard him say that he must have read this book over sixty times and that he gets something new from the book every time that he reads it. [continue reading…]

in Best Business Books

The full title of this book by Jamie Sylvian is

Newspaper & Magazine Advertising That Works: A Simple 10 Step Guide to Creating Adverts that Get the Phone Ringing“.

In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book Four Stars. This means it is Good and Well Worth Reading.

Here is my book review.

For business owners who want more customers

This is a very short, straightforward guide to help owners of small businesses to make better use of advertising in newspapers and magazines. Marketing advisors and copywriters who are knowledgeable in direct response advertising won’t gain much, if anything, from it. [continue reading…]

in Best Business Books

Tested Advertising Methods by John Caples

Book Review Review – 5 Stars

Tested Advertising Methods : Fifth Edition by John Caples and revised by Fred E. Hahn is considered to be a direct response marketing classic.

John Caples was a naval engineer turned advertising man, and like all engineers, he thrived on feedback and analysis.

The only thing that interested him was advertising that sold and he systematically tested small changes to see if he could find things that worked even better.

The great thing about testing when it’s done properly is that, whatever the results, there are lessons to be learnt. [continue reading…]

in 4 – Lead Generation, Best Business Books