[1] The world's first full-time copywriter,[2][3][4]: 53  he worked for the department stores Lord & Taylor and Wanamaker's before becoming a freelancer in 1886.

[8] He initially worked as an insurance agent, and then traveled to England to sell the Wilcox and Gibbs sewing machines.

Powers pioneered the use of many new marketing techniques, including full-page ads in the form of a story or play, free trial uses of a product and installment purchasing plan.

[7] His campaign created a demand for sewing machines in the Great Britain that Wilcox and Gibbs could not meet.

After some years, John E. Powers later came back to New York to work as a subscription agent for The Nation.

[8] In 1886, Powers became a freelance copywriter, and worked for other companies including MacBeth's Lamp Chimneys, Beecham's Pills, Vacuum Oil, Scott's Emulsion and Murphy Varnish.

He used simple language, avoided exaggerations, limited headlines to a few words, and did not use designs or illustrations in his ads.

When Powers was hired by a near-bankrupt Pittsburgh-based clothing company, he recommended to the client to be honest with potential customers.