Copywriting

‘Scientific Advertising’ Turns 100 This Year. 5 Timeless Copywriting Tips

The Claude Hopkins classic, first published in 1923, is now public domain and free to read.

In his seminal book on the business of advertising, Claude Hopkins asserted that marketing had reached the level of science, and should therefore be approached from that mentality. (Credit: 9george/DepositPhotos)

If I told you I had a writing gig for you that paid $151 per word… would you want to hear more?

That’s how much money (in today’s dollars) companies would pay for top-notch sales copy in the roaring twenties, according to Scientific Advertising, a short book written by Claude Hopkins in 1923. Lauded by many legendary marketers and copywriters of the 20th century, Scientific Advertising’s status as one of the best copywriting books ever written continues in the digital age. The book is also public domain, which means you can read it in its entirety for free.

As Hopkins notes, “A salesman’s mistake may cost little. An advertising mistake may cost a thousand times as much.” Copywriting is truly one of the most powerful skills an entrepreneur can learn. You don’t have to be an amazing writer to write amazing copy. What you need are science, structure, and story.

Here’s a bit more about the story behind Scientific Advertising, along with 5 takeaways you can start implementing today.