Legendary marketer David Ogilvy generated over $864 million for his clients.
He was a British advertiser known as "The Father of Advertising.”
Here are 10 writing rules he lived by:
In 1982, Ogilvy sent this 1-page memo to his staff:
And it starts with a clear promise:
“The better you write, the higher you will go in Ogilvy & Mather. People who think well, write well. Good writing is not a natural gift. You have to learn to write well.”
Now, replace “Ogilvy & Mather” with any company, and this holds true.
Here's a breakdown of the 10 points:
1. Read the Roman-Raphelson book on writing. Read it 3 times.
Every company on Earth would be a better place if this book was required reading.
If you are still sending emails with Walls of Text, read this.
2. Write the way you talk. Naturally.
“Finding your writing voice” is a waste of time.
You already have your voice—the one you use every day.
Here's how to start using it in your writing:
Then, transcribe it and start there.
3. Use short words, sentences, and paragraphs.
This one takes practice.
But the easiest way to find when you're being too wordy?
Read everything aloud before you publish it.
When you find yourself getting caught up, it's a sign you need to simplify.