David Ogilvy’s Top Ten Writing Tips

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Curated by Paul Helmick

David Ogilvy's classic guide to writing demonstrates timeless techniques for crafting compelling copy.

These principles continue to influence successful advertising and content creation.

Paul’s Perspective:

Understanding David Ogilvy’s writing tips is crucial not just for being a better writer, but also for creating messages that resonate with audiences. His guidance is underpinned by simplicity, research, and customer focus, which are the bedrocks of effective communication.

Key Points in Article:

  • Ogilvy emphasizes clarity over complexity in communication.
  • The guide includes practical advice, like using short words and sentences.
  • It stresses the importance of deep research and understanding the product.
  • Ogilvy advises writers to maintain a customer-centric approach in their copy.

Strategic Actions:

  1. Write with the customer in mind.
  2. Use short words, sentences, and paragraphs.
  3. Never write more than two pages on any subject.
  4. Check your quotations.
  5. Never send a letter or a memo on the day you write it.
  6. If it is something important, get a colleague to improve it.
  7. Before you send your letter or your memo, make sure it is crystal clear what you want the recipient to do.
  8. If you want ACTION, don’t write. Go and tell the guy what you want.

Dive deeper > Full Story:

A memo from the legendary advertising man David Ogilvy  to his employees on How to Write

  1. Read the Roman-Raphaelson book on writing Read it three times
  2. Write the way you talk – Naturally
  3. Use short words, short sentences and short paragraphs
  4. Never use jargon words like reconceptualize, demassification, attitudinally, judgmentally
  5. Never write more than two pages on any subject
  6. Check your quotations
  7. Never send a letter or a memo on the day you write it – Read it aloud the next morning — and then edit it
  8. If it is something important, get a colleague to improve it
  9. Before you send your letter or your memo, make sure it is crystal clear what you want the recipient to do
  10. If you want ACTION, don’t write – Go and tell the guy what you want

    David.

The Bottom Line:

  • David Ogilvy’s classic guide to writing demonstrates timeless techniques for crafting compelling copy.
  • These principles continue to influence successful advertising and content creation.

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