Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Gary Halbert, one of marketing’s most legendary men was paid 11 cents an
hour to rake the visitors area of a federal prison.sec
In The Boron Letters, a series of 25 letters written from behind the fences of
the Boron Federal Prison Camp, Gary’s son Bond amusedly tells the story.
There’s no doubt in my mind, and probably the minds of anyone who knew
him personally, that he took the job seriously. He would draw parallel lines
in the sand and the rocks to keep up the appearance of the place, and
when he was done — he would sit down, pull out his pen, and write words
that would make him rich.
Often dubbed “history’s greatest copywriter”, his most famous letter was
1
mailed over 600,000,000 times (no, that is not a typo). At the time of writing
these letters in the 80’s, he said it had raked in $40 million in sales.
To give you an idea of the logistics needed to run an operation like that,
consider the staff required to support this mammoth promotion:
If you aren’t familiar with Gary, “The Prince of Print” today we’re about to go
DEEEEP into The Boron Letters, the work of art legendary copywriter John
Carlton calls:
2
1. Books To Read (And Re-read)
2. Why NOT To Be A Student Of Copy
3. Feeding Starving Market
4. How To Create A Swipe File
5. WhatTo Do Before Chasing The Almighty
Dollar
6. Hand Copying: Is It Worth It?
Phase II: During – Key Success Formulas
1. Nugget Notes
2. Don’t Know Where To Start?
3. AIDA With The Grand Master
1. Right Attention
2. Value-Based Interest
3
Phase III: After The Draft
They were running a direct mail promotion and they couldn’t fulfill the
product they were selling, so Gary begged and begged them to stop
mailing.
Eventually they got the attention of some attorney general, and Gary
was the one who ended up in prison because he was “the brains” of
4
the operation.
Now, let’s get into who Gary was and how can he mold you — a
freelance copywriter, growth-minded business owner, or aspiring
entrepreneur — into a sharper, more magnetic, and far more profitable
marketer.
5
The Boron Letters: Everything You Need To Know About Copywr…
The McMethod
Damn - Near Every Fundamental Skill Share
219
Cookie policy
I don’t mean this is “the last piece of marketing education you’ll ever
need”. If that’s what you’re looking for, this post is probably too long for
you anyway.
Halbert was a lifelong student, and taught his son Bond to take care of
stay on top of his education like a prisoner preparing to greet the
parole board.
6
it does, even here) and, if you are smart, you must be ready.”
Another one of his monikers in the industry: “The King of Copy” might
give you some indication.
Sadly the world lost a legend back in 2007 when he died just short of
69 — leaving a legacy his beloved friend John Carlton deemed:
“worthy of a king.”
7
Gary and his Rolls Royce
Chapter Links:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
23, 24, 25
He didn’t write for the big name publishers. He was a rebel in many
regards. And he wasn’t worried about pissing people off.
8
impressionable mind.
First chapter he comes out swinging with this hammer to your core:
9
heavy ass weights.”
But I won’t try to rah-rah motivate you or any of that b.s. This post is
about raw and dirty marketing principles (not ninja tactics) you can use
every day until you meet the grave.
As you read through the pages (you ARE going to read the actual
10
Boron Letters, right?) notice how Halbert sprinkled little grit-crumbs,
showing you the path to success.
Even as I’m writing this now, I’m struggling to follow Gary’s sage
wisdom.
The cool thing is, The Boron Letters give you the tools fight that sucker
back.
I’ll let you ruminate on this little nugget from Chapter 4 of the letters.
From his prison cell — Halbert was reading an article citing John D.
Rockefeller. It said something to the effect of:
Even though I’m very much still a rookie myself, I can attest to this
undeniable truth.
11
If you’re stuck, working for the man, and you enjoy writing…this could
be your escape.)
The McMethod
John’s #1 Lesson Share
71
Cookie policy
Here’s what John had to say when I asked what his #1 lesson was
from reading The Boron Letters:
Show up, study the greats, read the books, and gradually, step by step,
12
you become great.
It’s not easy and it’s rarely fast, but if you “stay the path”, you get there
eventually.”
There you have it. Wise (and true) words from the man who turned me
onto my first love in business: copywriting.
Onwards…
I’m really excited to dig into this one…when you’re a dirt-poor hopeful
copywriter living in your parents basement, nothing beats a free world-
class direct response marketing education.
They make up the three core areas of any sales message or marketing
campaign.
13
sLearn why NOT to become a student of copy; and what, instead, to
become a master of.
2. During: in the second section we’ll cut into the juicy center of the
copy steak, and get into the core steps of writing copy for your own
business or a client’s business. Got writer’s block?
Copy isn’t in the writing, but the editing; I’ll give you a list of smooth-as-
butter transitions to keep the reader moving deeper and deeper into
your copy.
You’ll learn why never to write for applause if you’re trying to make
sales, plus the Starbucks real estate strategy for converting your most
interested leads.
3. After: crack open a cold one and flick on the TV, because the first
step of this critical 3rd phase turns laziness into profit.
We’ll check out Gary’s secret to getting 500% more readership using a
format you read everyday — and see how today’s advertisers
profitably invest millions using this approach.
14
I. Before You Write A Single
Word Of Copy:
The thing about writing good copy is, you don’t need to reinvent the
wheel.
In golf, you’ll always need to know how to putt, chip, and drive into the
fareway.
If you just need a basic understanding to write your next landing page,
sales letter, or Facebook ad — you can follow Gary’s instructions
below and get 80% of the way there.
15
In Chapter 10, he provides this simple list to his son Bond:
Simple enough, right? This is a great place to start, but you might be
wondering:
“Austin, these books are old AF, do I look like a dinosaur to you? What
about copywriting online? You know, in 2017?”
Yes, there have been some remarkable findings in the marketing world
since this was published. Not to mention human psychology, which is
equally important to your deadly written jiu-jitsu skillz.
16
4. Ogilvy On Advertising by David Ogilvy
For total newbies, these fine works will unveil a remarkable truth about
marketing to you:
You might already understand this intuitively, but we’ll peel back the
layers later on in the AIDA section of this post. Now go, Go, GO read
these!
Okie doke, glad to have you back. Now that you’ve spent a weekend
absorbing this timeless wisdom into your noggin, it’s time to…
They spoke of him like a god among mortals.The more I learn, I realize
there will never be another person like him.
One fan who stands out in my mind as a sharp Halbert disciple is Ben
Settle, creator of the “Email Players” newsletter.
There are few teachers who break down the distinction between
principles and tactics as well as Mr. Settle. And the difference between
understanding this separates the rookies from the players, so listen up.
17
Tactics are only as useful as the principles that lie beneath them.
Some examples:
page
Now, don’t get me wrong — these things are important and can
produce a tremendous lift in conversions — IF your foundational
principles are strong.
The first pillar I’ll dive into here is studying markets before of copy. This
makes sense, because the success of all copy is founded in
understanding what makes your market tick.
(If you do want to learn more about internet tactics from another loyal
Halbert disciple— check out the book from Russell Brunson and
18
company: 108 Proven Split Test Winners)
This next strategy is something you can practice every day simply by
paying attention on Facebook, going to blockbuster movies, and
reading your email…
“If you and I both owned a hamburger stand and we were in a contest
to see who would sell the most hamburgers, what advantages would
you most like to have on your side?”
They’d answer:
Halbert only wanted one advantage, and he promised it’d whip the
pants off all his students if he had it. The advantage?
A while back, I was reading that split test book I just mentioned when
something dawned on me I’ll never forget:
Most of the best marketers are in the best markets — the starving
markets. Markets that never, ever lose their appetite.
19
Personal development (people always want to improve, always
want an edge)
‘the man’ & those in business will never stop wanting to grow)
I’ll give you two ways to do this. I think the first one is better, because it
gives you a no-bullshit indication of what’s actually selling.
Hardly anyone (percentage wise) has actually read the Bible. A lot
of people own a Bible, a lot of people DISPLAY their Bibles, some
people are given to swearing on a Bible but damn-few people
have actually READ the Bible.
20
For the first method, I’ll give you a list of things people are actually
reading.
Some of these email newsletters have over 300,000 names on their list
— and they make profits with LOTS of zeroes, rest assured.
But if that’s too much, pick the niches that interest you and study their
subject lines, their offers, and the sales pages they drive you to.
Crazy how some of the best education in the world is free if you know
where to look.
Freelancing, Entrepreneurship
21
Hardcore Closer — Sales Training
Early To Rise — Personal Development, Wealth & Health
Save the ads from things you buy, you’re itching to buy, or ones that
grab your attention and stop you from what you’re doing, and get you
to read.
Add these to your ‘swipe file’ (I’ll show you how to make one in this
section)
Stand on the shoulders of giants, see further, and learn from the best.
22
By zooming out your focus beyond just copywriting — and into your
offer, and list selection — you end up writing copy that’s more tightly
dialed into your true prospect.
Unit Of Sale: a person who has paid MORE for something similar to
your product, the better chance you have of making a sale.
So, are there any other ways to bridge the gap, besides looking at
where the big dogs are making their millions?
23
There’s infinite places to look.
Shoulder supplements
It’s a gold mine of priceless insights during your research phase. Use
it, understand your fellow humans on a brand new level, and profit from
it.
24
2. Reddit.com — this requires more digging, but given the 100%
anonymity, you can find some raw, unfiltered glimpses into people’s
most painful insecurities and fears, as well as their desires.
People do not hold back on emotion, and emotion powers sales if you
learn how to channel it properly.
I read a post from a distressed mom of three. She needed help with
The point is to ‘heat up the engine’, and open your brain to ideas it can
use
building a running schedule that fit into her life, because she was so
busy taking care of the kids she could hardly grab a bathroom break
alone.
25
Know Thy Market + Offer Them
Solutions = Fuel For Great Copy
This wasn’t in The Boron Letters, but screw it. I remember this
profound lesson from an issue of Gary’s newsletter.
They forget how important it is to take the prospect by the hand and
SHOW them all the awesomeness they’re getting in simple, easy-to-
understand terms.
It’s like blasting yourself in the foot with a shotgun when you do this.
Because you can rarely tell someone too much about something that
could solve a problem in their life.
Now, I understand this can all sound like a lot — deep market
research, figuring out what the hell people want, crafting appealing
offers…
26
It’s not exactly out-of-the-box easy when you’re just starting out.
This all takes serious work, but the closest thing to a ‘secret way’ to
stomp the gas pedal down on your copywriting education, is in Chapter
17 of The Boron Letters.
Most people won’t do this, which is a cool feeling if you put in the time.
Even cooler, is knowing some of the greatest copywriters who ever
lived swear by this method.
This time, it was email copy. I hit a rut and needed to absorb the
27
wisdom of smarter writers and marketers.
I return to it over and over like a good Shakira song, and I probably will
for another decade at least.
(Again, this golden nugget lays ready for the taking in Chapter 17, if
you read any chapter read this one)
That’s it.
It’s like trying to become a great painter by pulling your easel up to Van
Gogh’s museum, and copying away.
Except you can actually replicate it down to every period, comma, and
underlined word.
It’s a way, as Gary Halbert says, to learn it “from the inside out”.
I can tell you personally— this works. I’ve handwritten over 120 sales
letters and dozens of emails.
28
Only way to find out is to do it, so John and I decided to give you a little
‘starter pack.’
2. Every day, for two weeks, write out these letters by hand
will take care of you. (John, myself, and hundreds of other great
I know some of these letters might look like they’re from your
grandma’s dusty archives, but there’s a reason for this.
Negative ghostrider.
With some minor tweaks, ANY of those letters could be easily adapted
to a modern marketplace.
The resources above will get you rolling, but here’s how you can start
building a habit that’ll serve you for a lifetime.
29
The Swiss Army Tool Every
Copywriter Keeps On Hand
I already gave you one of these above, but let me explain why you
need one (and the party foul you can’t afford to make).
I have to give the late great Eugene Schwartz credit for that metaphor.
What a swipe file doesn’t mean, is stealing other people’s work. Keep it
classy, alright?
The point is to ‘heat up the engine’, and open your brain to ideas it can
use.
30
An interesting modern adaptation of the famous ‘Why Men Crack’ ad
for a coffee substitute (be sure to look that one up if you don’t know it)
For newer copywriters: as you build your swipe file, study promotions,
and soak up mad knowledge — pay attention to what gets you excited.
31
you go the freelance copywriter route, you’ll come to learn about the
major markets:
– Financial Newsletters
– Personal Development
There’s certainly more markets, but these are the main ones.
What if you those topics don’t get your blood flowing? What then?
Halbert argues:
I think a good way to find your enthusiasm is to dig back to the stuff
that filled you with wonder and excitement as a kid.
32
savvy clients, like surfing for me — nobody knows direct marketing in
that industry, and I’m not about to spend weeks and months teaching it
to them.
I liked tennis and learning sales; now I write for both markets.
I have a client in the dental space — I hate going to the dentist and the
market bores me to tears most of the time.
Why then, did I choose it and why do I keep working with these guys?
The customers.
I think the product, a discount plan that saves seniors money, can
legitimately improve their lives by keeping money in their pocket…
I picture my own grandparents and what their life might be like if they
were worried sick about financing a dental crown or cosmetic surgery.
Care about the customer (don’t fake it) and your job becomes much
easier.
Ready?
No?
I’ll show you some good ways to slay writer’s block like a bad habit, but
let’s talk about the critical step that comes before…
In all seriousness, the best reason to actually buy The Boron Letters
on Amazon is that after each chapter, you get to hear Bond Halbert’s
wicked-sharp insights about his dad, what was happening behind the
scenes, and how to apply the concepts with masterful modern
adaptations.
34
Anything that lets your prospect transport themselves into the future,
and see their new life with conviction that they too, can experience this
change.
A good way to test this is the “yeah, right” method. Read the claim
you’re making, and if you feel the urge to call bullshit – your prospect
probably will, too.
Gary lists out the six “idea generators” you should lay out in front of
you as you prepare to write down “nugget notes” — which will be the
basis for your ad creation process.
If this seems outdated, it’s not. Simply replace ‘DM Pieces’ with ‘sales
pages’ ‘VSL’, ‘autoresponder series’ or whatever the medium is your
competitors are delivering their message through.
I won’t go into the step-by-step as much as the mindset you need while
you take notes: truly love your prospect.
It will take Bond’s advice to the next level — and it’s the secret sauce
35
of marketing legend Jay Abraham.
It also let’s you bridge the gap between the product or service you’re
writing about, and your readers’ most painful problems.
When your notes are on point, your copy has a good chance of being
on point even if you aren’t an exceptional writer.
I think this is pretty cool, because it’s more about listening than writing.
And anybody can listen.
36
The McMethod
Defanging The Beast Share
49
Cookie policy
As I was going through taking notes for this post, I kept getting deja-vu
as I’d read passages at the beginnings of chapters like:
“Well, here I sit for the second day in a row starting my letter to
you without knowing exactly what I am going to write about.”
It seems like every 3rd chapter, he is as clueless as the rest of us. He’s
not sure where to start, and he’s probably feeling the pangs of
uncertainty like the rest of us mortals.
37
Ogilvy, wrestled hard with it
In an attempt to ‘defang the beast’ and get your fingers moving, I’ll give
you some of my personal tools for movement, when writing is the last
thing I feel like doing.
the illusion that you’re writing more than you actually are)
Friend Hack: turn your phone on ‘do not disturb’ and flip it over
that work for me, here’s the spotify links: Thumos; BrainFood.
Don’t get in your own head and don’t judge yourself if you know your
7th grade book report was more coherent that the stuff coming onto
the screen. It’s okay.
“All first attempts are sloppy and lame. Most people quit after first
experience with things that don’t go so well, but if you are like my
pop and me, then you KNOW that the first attempt is almost
destined to fail.”
38
Don’t Be Like Allen Iverson:
Practice This Age-Old
Copywriting Formula
Everyone’s heard it: AIDA.
I too, treated this 4-letter copy nugget, like former Denver Nugget,
Allen Iverson treated team practice:
39
It’s easy to think you’ve got it dialed, but what if the Michael Jordan of
copy could give you the ideas to double your conversions.
This, of course, was Gary’s famous Coat of Arms letter which I would
come to appreciate, model and marvel over years later. The thing that
strikes me about it is remembering how excited my dad was to receive
the letter.
As a bonus, he held onto the letter and likely shared it with other family
members who may not have received it.
40
That letter was only one example of Gary’s genius, but for me it’s a
great reminder of the ultimate goal of any piece of copy – to be the
one thing that your reader encounters that day that changes how
they feel, and gives them hope, enlightenment and excitement for
having their promise fulfilled.”
I think that’s a great point to return to when you’re writing, editing, and
creating your message:
Here’s how you stand out like a nun at a Vegas pool party…
Because if you screw this up, it doesn’t matter what’s written after it.
Halbert taught all of his students to picture their prospect getting a pile
of mail and what almost everyone does next.
They’re busy, they’re distracted, and they have this ugly hunk of paper
in front of them — most of which is from annoying solicitors they wish
would stop mailing them.
Even online (especially online) people divide their incoming mail into
two piles: A and B.
42
This is a good example of someone using ‘grabbers’ or ‘lumpy mail’ to
43
hopefully seize attention for their charitable cause.
Gary was famous for using Japanese pennies, pesos, bags of sand —
all sorts of crazy stuff — for the sole purpose of jumping out and
grabbing the reader by the collar, and sucking them into the sales
message.
I’ll explain how you can still do this outside of direct mail. First, his
reasoning behind using a baggie of sand as a grabber for a real estate
offer:
You see marketers eff this up all the time, using subject lines like:
44
‘SEX’…
And when you open it, they go: “Now that we have your attention, how
would you like the opportunity to blah, blah, blah new car insurance.”
Trust? Annihilated.
Resentment? High.
“A cheap shot. People resent this kind of fraud. Don’t do it. If you
put your mind to work you won’t have to either.” (Chapter 14, The
Boron Letters)
How then, do you do this RIGHT in a headline, subject line, or even the
beginning of a video?
There’s dozens of examples, but the goal is to stop them dead in their
tracks.
2) Make it relevant to your message: people don’t have time for bait-
n-switch, and it’s no way to treat your precious customers. Usually this
is just ‘connecting the dots’ — seeing a metaphor that applies to your
product.
45
Here, Ben relates the poor suckers who buy bad online products twice
(and don’t learn their lesson the first time), to going *back* to the
creepy guy’s van for more candy.
3) Bridge the gap quickly: think about when you damn-near break
the glass on your iPhone… clicking something you have to read
immediately, or you’ll probably die.
Now, if the reason you clicked, isn’t talked about until 2/3 down the
page — how do you feel?
Deliver quickly, then show them how the information can improve their
life.
In this weird subject line I wrote in the tennis niche, I related one pro’s
mental trick for getting in “the zone” (she sniffs tennis balls, seriously),
46
to ways players can lower match anxiety and stay in the moment
The personal touch off the starting block is important, because it pulls
the reader closer to the message, holding their attention.
You just can’t allow people to get bored, or they’re gone in a flash.
47
1. Timestamp your sales message
“When you tell the day of the week plus the exact time you are
writing the letter, it makes it seem a more important
communication too, doesn’t it?
See how Dean does this in the next photo. You can also add the time.
I like how Dean Jackson, of the i love marketing podcast, does this in
his emails.
Chances are you’ve heard this or seen this in your own email inbox.
48
Granted, it’s a bit tactical and often overused, but it does work when
done properly.
As you can see here, Ramit and the team at IWT greet me (and
everyone else) like this in every email:
For example, I have ZERO interest in olive oil, but this page he wrote
had me gripped from headline to p.s.
49
The point is, your copy should be inherently valuable, so even
those who don’t buy feel like they learned something from reading it.
Bencivenga is a genius at this.
Know your market, the things they pay attention to, and “edu-tain”
them about their interests.
Stories.
Parables.
(Which is really just a fancy word for stories, for those of you lucky
enough to avoid Catholic school)
50
Bond gives 2 simple steps to accomplish this:
First: “Tell THEIR Story By Telling Your Own, With The Problem
Your Solution Solves”
Example: For years when I went out golfing, I used to slice every damn
drive while my buddies laughed at me, and hit theirs long and straight
down the fairway.
After you spend a Saturday morning watching these, you will [insert x,
y, z awesome benefits…]
And that’s just ONE way to do it. You can find all sorts of interesting
stories, news, facts, and email fodder in these other places, too.
Or, if you are looking for a specific category, you can easily use their
51
‘trending’ section (upper right corner of your feed) to browse trending
topics in sports, entertainment, politics (tread carefully), and science &
tech.
2. Your Snapchat
52
I hate this page ^ . Never read it unless I’m idea hunting. However, this
approach echoes the words of the great Eugene Schwartz said:
“Low culture makes big money… There is the language. There are
the words that they use.”
This stuff is front of mind for millions of people. So you have their
attention by nature of the subject.
3. Books
Bottomless ideas…
I got the idea from a story in the book Abundance by Peter Diamandis
— and related a client’s tennis training method to slum-kids in India
learning to use the internet.
53
Strangely enough, a lot of the self-learning principles are the same.
I like using 3×5 notecards to organize ideas like this, and just read a
great post by Ryan Holiday about how he organizes his.
4. News
This, a) gives credibility and authority to the problem; and b) saves you
a ton of time because you aren’t creating original content from scratch.
5. Personal Stories
Getting vulnerable will feel uncomfortable, it’s like that by definition. But
it will also automatically set you apart from 99% of the competition…
Just remember how fascinated people are with other people (ever
suddenly snap back into reality, 9 miles down your Facebook
newsfeed, looking at pictures of people you don’t even know?
54
No, of course not, me neither)…
But also remember, people are most interested with themselves. That’s
why you provide them with a story as a lens to see their own problems
through.
6. Random Facts
I’ll stick to the Boron stuff, but he basically shows you ways to make
your message stand out with super-interesting facts, all of which paves
the way into step numero three…
55
But maybe what she really wants, is for her butt to look good. And for
that guy in her yoga class to finally notice her.
* You sell the enviable yard that’s the talk of the neighborhood, NOT
the weedkiller
* You sell little Johnny’s college education, not the asset allocation of
the portfolio that’s going to appreciate x% over 10 years
Pull out your nugget notes and revisit the benefits. What does your
product DO for your customer?
56
Here is a notecard I annihilated with coffee. The red box shows a
common problem among elderly peeps with shoulder pain — I
discovered that getting KETCHUP outta the fridge is painful. That
sucks! What my client’s product can DO, is loosen up their tissues so
they can pop into the fridge no problem.
Some of the best sales letters of all time are 80% bullets. It’s a
concentrated way to pepper your reader with TONS of benefits and hit
her in the gut with bold, believable claims.
Before I give you a few templates, check out this cool bullet I heard
one of David Deutsch’s student came up with. He found a good tip in
his client’s product (a book) about how wallets in your back pocket
cause back pain.
Don’t freak out if you aren’t this clever… this is just a good way to think
57
about creating bullets that radiate with curiosity.
There was this legendary copy dude named Mel Martin. He wrote the
famous “What NEVER to Eat On An Airplane” for Boardroom, Inc.
Template:
You can also replace ‘what’ with ‘why’, ‘when’ or other variations
Examples:
58
people’s lives, this can be a great one.
Template:
Examples:
Can you cast out a question you suspect a wide majority of your
audience will say “yes” to?
Boom. You can ask a question that spotlights a common problem, then
offer a solution in the same bullet.
Examples:
* Did your financial advisor lose you at “hello” last time you discussed
your portfolio? Here’s the 7-step process to demystify your investment
strategy & ensure your advisor isn’t slaughtering you with hidden fees
* Do you have a muffin top? Learn the 7 sneaky foods that keep your
59
stubborn belly flab hanging on
* Afraid to approach girls at a bar? Learn how even ugly guys can get
hot women, when they know the pre-approach method that creates
attraction before you even open your mouth
Alright — that should give you a pretty good starting point for creating
desire.
We aren’t all that different from mice. We want more cheese (money,
sex, influence, security, etc.), and less whiskers/mice (danger, fear,
poverty, illness, risk).
Yo
– Eminem
60
It’s all been leading up to this one opportunity, as Slim Shady so
eloquently put it, and if you lose your reader, there’s no guarantee
they’ll return.
In simple terms:
“And, above all, tell him to do all this RIGHT NOW! TODAY!
You want to tell him what he will get if he hurries and tell him what
he will lose if he delays.” (Chapter 16, The Boron Letters)
61
Gary goes into a list of reasons you can use, and I recommend The
Robert Collier Letter Book if you want to go deeper into crafting
believable propositions.
The more real your proposition is, and the more details you can fortify
it with, the better it will perform.
Also, if a prospect made it all the way to the close of the sale, being
thorough is better than not providing enough info.
“Seriously, Bond, you should read my ads and DM pieces and pay
particular attention to how I close the sales. Sometimes I devote
as much as 25% or more of the entire ad to closing” (Chapter 16,
The Boron Letters)
62
“As you can see in this photo, we had to clear out all our current
products and move them into these semi trucks to make room for the
new stuff…so while supplies last you can get 40% off high quality
supplements.”
Enter Joe. He took the same letter, marked it up with a pen — circling,
underlining the important parts.
He sent the same first letter, then mailed the second marked-up letter
to the same list, reminding them of the deal.
Two weeks later, they sent a ‘3rd and final notice’ with ‘3 truckloads’
crossed out, and a handwritten ‘1 truckload’ to show the dwindling
supplies.
There’s no denying the 3-step campaign was the key variable, but
throughout the process, they wrote ugly, one-to-one copy that felt like
someone sat down and wrote directly to you.
63
and noticed Starbucks had this
concept brewed into the core of
their leasing strategy.
Bill Phillips, founder of EAS
The Starbucks
Real Estate Strategy To Closing
1-Yard Line Sales
There’s nothing worse than giving the prospect all the information,
showing them the vision of how it will solve their problems, writing out
multiple proposals and emails — only to fall flat on your forehead when
it comes time to seal the deal.
Sometimes you can’t save it; like when a person is on your checkout
page, and they get a call that their kid just headbutted the principal.
But there ARE ways to ensure you stack the odds “ever in your favor”
and deploy strategies to give you a fighting chance.
But what does this have to do with copywriting? Let the professor
speak:
64
Let that sink in. This is one I have to drill into some clients because
they think it will insult people’s’ intelligence.
Show them where they will go when they click (even include a
screenshot with an arrow pointing to the secure checkout).
Make it so when they get to the next page, they know this is EXACTLY
where they should be.
Many respected marketers argue you should ask for action (and the
65
sale) while creating this content, but of course it’s up to you.
You run a business, not a charity. It can entertain, inform, and even
educate (as long as you don’t give away your hard-earned secrets),
but it must sell.
What you really want is for the reader to order from your ad.
Halbert says the best copywriting goes unnoticed. And while I do think
certain copy “sing” more than others, most of the best performing copy
is written at around a 5th-6th grade level.
66
Ogilvy On Advertising, along the same
thread:
Just sell the dang thing, sell it simply, and you’ll be fine.
Feeling lazy? All those words got your mind numb, maxed out, and
ready to binge watch a season of Narcos?
Good. Go play with the dog. Take a nap. And get your mind off it.
The first guy who taught me this was Dan Kennedy, I think in The
Ultimate Sales Letter.
What I also remember about Kennedy is: the guy works like hell! If I
67
remember right he could wake up, shower, and be at the keyboard in
15 minutes — ready to GO.
Point being, if a guy who works harder than me (and probably you too)
is okay with this approach…maybe it isn’t so lazy after all.
Then, I return a day later, read it again, and want to vomit all over my
Mac (looking at the same exact words).
Usually it isn’t that bad and you just see your stuff in the cold light of
day, and edit accordingly.
All the prickly sections surface… the hiccups, all that stuff.
“…stop working on this project. That’s right. Just let it go. Put it
right out of your mind. Just go about your business for a day or
two.”
This is how you can suddenly spark an “aha experience” — like finding
your watch or something valuable as soon as you stop looking for it.
Let it happen. When you give it some space you’ll be amazed at what
68
happens with fresh eyes.
“Like what?”
The entire point of your message is to get people reading, then keep
them reading.
You will struggle like a fat kid in a vegan restaurant if you use big
chunky blocks of text that scream “I am hard to read!”
When you do this, and get people cruising through your copy, you can
actually write a ton of words without losing readership.
Test after test proves that long copy outsells short copy.
A-List copywriter Roy Furr wrote a good post about this in his blog
69
Breakthrough Marketing Secrets. He says:
But I think it’s best encapsulated when he quotes Brian Kurtz (who built
a 9-figure publishing business, Boardroom, Inc. using long copy),
saying:
BOOM shaka.
Remember what we said about the slippery slide? Once people are in
it — moving — and slip’n’sliding right towards the call to action…
70
Let’s take a look at what the pros are doing.
know
they should
71
3. Photo: strengthens the curiosity, makes you wonder “Is it possible
It’s VERY indirect, and plays on one key emotion: suspicion. People’s
mistrust of authority is a common deep-seated emotion, that when you
can channel it towards ‘beating the man’, it’s extremely powerful.
This one wrenches harder on the news angle, using a photo from
CNBC.
I checked Amazon’s price while writing this — it’s $853.90 per share.
The whole purpose it to get them to the next page, a short sales letter
that asks them to sign up for a free report where they learn about the
72
stock.
It was obvious my copy lacked ‘flow’ but I wasn’t completely sure why.
Then, I got an email from Daniel Levis where he compiled a list of ‘silky
smooth segues’ to transition your copy like butter.
Before any of that autotune B.S. in hip hop…there was Nate Dogg
(RIP, pour one out for him).
73
Heyyyyeeyyyyeeeeyyyeeeee….write
copy everyday
That’s what your copy should be like — a seamless transfer from one
idea to the next — just like his slick segues from verse to chorus.
So if you get stuck, go check out Chapter 17 where Gary provides a list
of segues and transitions that’ll drive the grammar Nazis insane.
(Nobody will be slashing up your work with a red pen… when you’re
cashing checks at the BANK!)
I’d create a special part of your swipe file just for segues; I use
Evernote.
74
Hold up!
If you have an extra day, use it. Set it aside and check back in
tomorrow for one final read-through.
Keeping the notorious smooth vibes of Nate Dogg alive, use this little
Chapter 22 trick to sand out the rough spots.
“What happens when you read your copy out loud is that you will
verbally stumble over all the places that are not smooth…”
And, what you do, is you keep repeating this process till your
copy is completely smooth and you can read it without stumbling
at all.”
Just this week, I’ve been at the bottom, freaking out about about copy I
wasn’t proud of…beating myself up…sinking into utter despair.
It’s lonely. Your friends won’t get it. And you doubt your skills every
75
step of the way.
Reminds me of surfing…
One moment you can be at the crest of this gorgeous water mountain;
riding nature’s own magic carpet.
The next, the bottom falls out…and a schoolbus-sized wall folds over
on you.
Mother nature has her way — kicking the shit out of you 10 feet
underwater.
You surface, and five minutes later you might be back on a wave
having the time of your life. Or maybe it takes 2 weeks.
No matter how mortified you are, you gotta keep paddling. Even when
it hurts. Especially when it hurts.
Reading The Boron Letters for the third time was a calming
reminder that even the best take heavy tumbles, sink into despair,
and go through periods of loneliness.
I stuck to the tools you can use to craft killer copy… but when you read
the letters you’ll see Gary was grappling with heartbreak, missing his
kids, and certainly the trauma of his litigation and conviction.
76
horrible he felt.
So keep up the hustle, keep learning from guys and gals in the major
leagues, but also ponder on this piece of closing wisdom Gary wrote to
Bond in the last chapter of the letters:
“One of the things I have learned is how precious the good times
and the good people are. I hope I have learned never again to not
take care of my special relationships.”
77
[Audio] The 11 Psychological Triggers From “The Coat of Arms Letter”
78