Recommended Copywriting Books for Digital Marketing Assistants

Lessons from a Unicorn Digital Marketing Assistant who actually does the work:

Grab a few copywriting books and learn everything you need to know about copywriting. You don’t need an expensive copywriting course to level up as a digital marketing assistant. There’s a wealth of copywriting knowledge by all the best experts to absorb in print or in your earbuds as an audible book.

You’re here because you already see the value of knowing copywriting.

It’s a requirement in this digital day and age that marketing assistants, coordinators, and specialists understand good copy.

Does that mean you have to be a conversion copywriter who charges $20k a sales page? No. But you could absolutely get there and work your way up by gaining copywriting experience in your current role.

Digital Marketing Assistants use copy all the time, in:

• social posts
• show notes
• blogs
• emails
• email sequences
• landing pages
• thank you pages
• DMs
• and more

And FYI, a marketing assistant who can write copy should be charging at least $50/hour.

You need to be able to pay attention to what’s well written, where your client could improve, and when they missed the mark and need to hire a copywriter.

So this copywriting book list is a great place to start leveling up.

Use my Amazon links to purchase these copywriting books, I’ll make a whopping 3% commission for making these recommendations so thank you in advance, or save this blog and check them out from your local library or Overdrive account.

Personally, I like to buy physical business books because I’m always earmarking, underlining, and highlighting important parts.. and referring back to the books. I use my Kindle for fiction reading.

But you do you!

PRO TIP – if you’re not a fan of reading, or feel like you’re too busy to just sit and read a book?

…grab your ear buds and sign up for a free trial of Audible to start listening to these books on audio.

This blog may contain affiliate links for programs, tools and courses that I recommend. If you purchase these programs, I could receive a small commission. Thank you! I only recommend vetted programs and tools I use myself! Please check out my tool & resources guide here.

Hi, I’m Emily, a Digital Marketing Strategist & Consultant

I have been freelancing since 2009 when I started writing press releases for some of my local clients. I kinda fell into freelance retainer work soon after. It changed my life. As a military spouse who moves every 1-3 years, it was the first time my work moved (or PCSed) with me and I didn’t have to keep starting over.

This freelance marketing work changed my life in other ways too:

• It allowed me to be home with my four kids and be the one to raise them

• I made extra money for fun things like travel, massages, kids’ extracurricular activities or car repairs.

• My brain stayed active, challenged, and up-to-date.

• I was part of a team again.

• I got to help people (my clients!)

• I had my own thing outside of mom life or my husband’s military rank.

For the last decade, I’ve worked with clients in retainers, projects, and fractional services. My client load has always been full because I offer a rare skill set that involves marketing.

So now I teach how to do the same work I still do to my fellow over-educated, under-employed military spouses, and stay-at-home mom friends inside the Unicorn Digital Marketing Assistant School. We focus on the marketing tactics of email, funnels, content, SEO, social, and affiliate marketing. It’s level-one marketing that opens the doors to other managerial positions and creative specialities.

To be successful at marketing services, we must understand copywriting. I want to help you look smart and be the best… because when your clients are successful, and you played a part in their success, your business will explode in terms of referrals, reputation, and rates.

So let’s dive into copywriting book recommendations.

Copywriting Books for Digital Marketing Assistants

Here is my list of copywriting book recommendations that will make you a stand-out, indispensable marketing assistant or help you niche into the copywriting services all together.

The Copywriter’s Handbook: A Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Copy That Sells 

By Robert W. Bly

Words That Sell

By Richard Bayan

How to Write a Good Advertisement

by Victor O. Schwab

How to Write Copy That Sells: The Step-By-Step System for More Sales, to More Customers, More Often

By Ray Edwards

The Choice Factory: 25 behavioural biases that influence what we buy

by Richard Stotton

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

by Robert B. Cialdini 

This is the book most copywriters refer to. It was originally written to help buyers and consumers become aware of the sales tactics used on them, but has become the copywriter’s Holy Bible. Read this but know that manipulating people to buy something they don’t need via copywriting is just unethical. But this book will put you in the know, but doesn’t mean you should use these persuasion tactics.

Let’s go deeper into copywriting

Listen to my podcast Unicorns Unite where I interview copywriters and hone into their stories, best advice, and copywriting tricks that have made them successful.

Start with this episode featuring Copy Mentor Marisa Corcoran where we break down the art of storytelling — a tactic that works really well for emails and social posts.

Listen on Apple Podcast or Spotify

A few more copywriting episodes to check out:

• Launch Email Strategy with Brittany McBean, Episode 142
• Offering Audits as a Copywriter with Amisha Shrimanker, Episode 88
• Welcome Sequences with Allea Grummert, Episode 76
• Choosing a Niche as a Copywriter with Brenna McGowan, Episode 72
• List-Building Advice with Liz Wilcox, Episode 57
• Copywriting and QuizFunnels with Chanti Zak, Episode 34
• Cloning Brand Voices with Just Blackman, Episode 36

Where to find copywriting clients

If you’re flexing your copywriting skills and need clients, I suggest you apply for our Digital Marketer’s Workgroup. Inside our tight-knit referral community we are always looking for budding copywriters to take on writing projects.

Megan Stone, a new copywriter, was hired by another Workgroup member as a junior copywriter in her agency. It’s the perfect scenario to gain experience and mentorship.

But we also share job leads from online business owners who are looking for copywriter or marketers with copywriting skills and strategy in their daily and weekly marketing or during launches and promotions.

Learn more and apply here for the Digital Marketer’s Workgroup.

The Takeaway: Invest in copywriting skills to improve your value as a digital marketing freelancer and command premium rates.

Copywriting will always pay off. You’ll need a grasp of the marketing conversation in your day-to-day marketing work and messaging — copywriting books will help you catch up quickly.

This is a world I wish I had known sooner. Especially as a young stay-at-home mom with a journalism degree, I should have niched into copywriting or at least charged double my rates because I was writing for clients all the time not realizing I was giving it away. Don’t make this same mistake!

You have such a great head start by reading this blog. Run with these writing skills. They’re bankable and will serve your business… and they’re something that clients will pay a pretty penny for.

Loved this list of Copywriting Books?

Check out this article with my 10 Must-Read Online Business Books for Digital Marketing Assistants

Now – let me know which one you’re going to read first!

“I help smart women learn the in-demand digital marketing strategies and tech skills to get hired as a unicorn virtual assistant.“

Further Reading:

In-Demand, Profitable Niches for Virtual Assistants 

How to Raise Your Rates as a Unicorn Virtual Assistant

All About Virtual Assistants Contracts

How to Rock Your Next Discovery Call as a Virtual Assistant