! Copywriting !
Three World-Class Teachers, One
Student...Tuition: $0.00?!

                                   - Charles Brown

Hello my new Friend,

You already know the importance of being able to write convincing
and interesting copy.  Even if you can't do it to your liking at this
point in your career, the main thing is you know how important it is.

...you do know the extreme and utmost importance of good copy-
writing skills don't you?  Whew!  I'm sorry, for a moment there I thought
you weren't aware of the fact that........o.k. o.k., I'm moving on...

Anyway, that's why you'll appreciate the following links to proven
winners.  These are links you should definitely bookmark if you haven't
already done so...

As a matter of fact, if you've been in this business for any length
of time, you've undoubtedly gotten to know these characters just
from their ad copy or tutorials.  If you haven't been in this business
long and don't know them--then good--because you're in for a treat!

Now, there are quite a few successful copywriters out there.  The
list is pretty long.  However, the list of great copywriters is short.
I specifically selected these guys (and they are "guys" only by
coincidence) due to the fact that everything they write is not only
educational, but fun*...

This makes it easy to learn from them without feeling like it's just
another required chore on your 'must-do things to be successful' list.

Enjoy,

Charles Brown

* It's no secret in copywriting circles that "stories sell, facts tell."  This is the main reason I selected these 3 famous copywriters for you to save links to their stuff.  Because they--more than any other that I've come across--use the power of story-telling to get their points across. This makes you actually enjoy learning, and it's also the main reason they've made themselves extremely wealthy!  Because ad copy that tells a story isn't seen as "ad copy" at all.  If you can spin a little story related to the product, there's a good chance the reader will forget he's reading a sales pitch--or won't realize he ever started reading a sales pitch to begin with!  And this could be the difference between night and day, sales or no sales, wealth or bankruptcy for you. ---it's that important.  -C.Brown

So it is with great pride that
I'm able to introduce to you  (if you 
haven't met them yet) three of the best
copywriters in the world, (in no particular
order)  and they are:

Gary Bencivenga, Gary Halbert,
and John Carlton.

(Dan Kennedy is another, but I had to pick 3 ;)
 

Gary Bencivenga You may have never heard of Gary Bencivenga before.  Gary was one of those down-to-earth, hard-working Americans who never sought the spotlight.  Which works out good, because most successful copywriters are no different than successful screen writers in one respect:  unless you're in the biz or you're interested in that kind of thing, you wouldn't know his name--only the work attached to his name.  Gary B. worked tirelessly in the background, making millions-- if not billions--of dollars for Fortune 500 companies (while making himself wealthy.)...  But then he decided to retire, and now the "man behind the curtain" was able to come out and give a seminar on copywriting. Invitations were sent out for $5000.00 a seat--no discounts--and a limited number of seats.  The seminar was quickly sold out, and in the front row--and one of the first to buy a seat was non other than the "Prince of Print" himself, Gary Halbert.  (Halbert's words;) Just this info alone should be enough to convince you of the power of the absolutely free Bencivenga bullets.  (And by the way, to quote Gary Bencivenga, the site is a "No-Hype Zone" where there is not one single ad or request for your money.)

You'll see that not all incredibly successful copywriters share Gary
Bencivenga's modesty.  You'll get a kick out of this next guy:  He
doesn't use a fake persona for marketing's sake like "The Rich Jerk" and
not near as caustic...But Gary Halbert has definitely sought attention
to himself his whole career.  Yet you'd never even know Halbert, were it
not for your interest in copywriting....even though Halbert has been the
brains behind the success of some of the biggest companies and even
celebrities while shamelessly promoting himself as hard as he could for
30 years!... 

Such is the anonymity built into the job of copywriter.  (We're not
talking about journalists who have their credits on every article they
write--who, by the way, could learn volumes from the likes of Halbert,
Bencivenga, and John Carlton, to name a few.)

The best copywriters are far more talented than most famous authors
of the bestsellers you see on the newstands.  The writings of John
Grisham and Gary Halbert, for example, have been read by millions
of Americans---including you and me.  Except you never realized you
were reading something written by Halbert.  Because his name and
credit for his works have never, ever been published...

At the end of a 'killer' ad in Parade magazine, for example, you've never
seen, "Ad written by Gary Halbert...for more of his works logon to..." 
This is because, of course, the ad writer's copy is the property of the
person or company he's working for.  Written as if coming from the pen
of that company.  But there are definite benefits to being a good
copywriter over a good paperback author.  One of them is money: 
Great copywriters generally make far more money than the most
authors, and their income is steadier--not just when they churn out
a novel.

Gary Halbert (Gary Halbert passed away on the night of April 08, 2007, but he was so much bigger than life that his persona will live on forever in his writings and the memories of those whose lives he touched.) Even if you're new to internet marketing, there's a good chance you've heard of the infamous Gary Halbert, the "Prince of Print."  You've heard of him because that's what he wanted!  His self-promoting banter can be uproariously funny and in the same sentence obnoxious.  But that's just his personality in print for us wanna-be copywriters. (Yes, he preys on our inexperience and naivete, the bastard.)  Just check out this headline to one of his "letters" (most aren't titled like this):  Why I Am The Best Copywriter Alive (I'm Even Better Than  The Ones Who Are Dead)!  The only thing that makes you not click away from his site when reading such a Halbert headline is that he will do a fantastic job, for instance, of dissecting one of his famous ads and show you exactly how to make your own just like it!  It can truly be a fun, eye-opening experience.  The problem is, however, that there are currently 204 "letters" and you sometimes plan on reading only 1 or 2 but end up spending hours reading them. The Gary Halbert Letter is actually a series of educational "letters" on marketing and advertising...letters to you--the reader--posted on his website and written in his signature style of writing.  You'll be flabergasted, surprised, angry, feel compassion, laugh--each letter draws you into a scenario and makes you take up his sword and help 'fight his fight.'  Just by reading his letters, you get a priceless education in copywriting.  You will see how the story-telling style most definitely sells people because YOU will be sold.  (But, like I said, he doesn't attempt to really sell anything to you 99% of the time.) He does a good job of segueing each letter to the next.  (A few letters here and there are quick "filler" letters in which he makes no serious attempt to teach anything, and tells you as much.  But you'll even pick up good nuggets of copywriting wisdom from these, simply from reading them.) Below is a sampling of some of just 6 of his (currently-OCT '06) 204 "letters."  Keep in mind that often the headlines are all part of your learning experience:  While they scream, 'HYPE,' they are good examples of winning headlines for you.  The main body is always a good read and at least one real, useable lesson awaits you.

(Clicking on the underlined link on the letter opens that letter.) The education you stand to get from just reading his "letters" on his site, "The Gary Halbert Letters" is worth every irreverent comment. Besides, normally they're funny and he even uses self-deprecating humor here and there.  Only very occasionally do you see any offer in these letters.  And when you do, it's normally at the end of a long "letter" that's not built around the offer (which, otherwise, would make you feel you'd been 'had').  No, any offer is separate and it's usually aimed at folks serious about getting a leg up on some new biz-op.  I've learned to not even read these offers any more because they usually cost $10K-$20K--not including airfare and hotel--for you to show up at a seminar...or a closed-door meeting he hosts.  By the way, these Gary Halbert seminars usually sell out before he can even finish making the hotel arrangements.  That's because everything he touches turns to gold because he writes the ad copy for whatever the current venture is--'forcing' the venture to work... even if it doesn't seem like it will fly at first.

Below is an example of one of the teaching methods Gary Halbert uses
to show you how to write great ad copy. In this example, he asks
you to evaluate the sales letter and email him with your opinion. 
He wants to know if you think it did well, average, or poorly, and
why. 

Down here below the above sample sales letter, Gary Halbert writes:

"Okay. That's it. Short, but sweet. How did it do? 
You tell me. E-mail your pathetic guess to me right away!"

The next week he'll post the answer and explain, in detail, every angle
of the sales letter--nothing is ever left to hypothesis or vague
guessing...he absolutely will know what made it work or not work
and why.  But he'll walk your through a few of the answers sent in...
You'll be drawn in....priceless!

By the way, the above ad copy is actually one of the simplest type 
that he'll dissect.   He has million-dollar sales letters that were the
"control"* and doing great for years.  Yet he would rewrite them and
beat the control.  He takes you through several of these in "The
Gary Halbert Letter."  You get all this for free.

*The "control" is nothing more than the best-converting sales piece for a product...a sales piece stays the "control" until a better-converting sales message de-thrones it, which now becomes the "control."

Here's the link to TheGaryHalbertLetter.com

John Carlton I know I'd said earlier that the three famous copywriters I was going to feature were not listed in any particular order, but perhaps I lied.  Because it appears that somehow, unconsciously, I've saved the best for last.  If you haven't become familiar with the writings of John Carlton yet, boy oh boy, you are in for a treat.  So I'm not going to waste your time making you read my sub-par, I'm-not-worthy writing.  Not for much longer, anyway.  Because I'd just be taking up time you could be reading a style of writing that's so entertaining that you'll be hooked once you start reading.  You're practically guaranteed to become a John Carlton fan today, I'm betting on it.  The best part is, of course, that you'll be getting a priceless education in copywriting while you're getting entertained. We're talking some of the best--if not the best--copywriting in the history of the marketing world here folks.  Who is John Carlton? John Carlton says he's "the most respected and ripped-off copywriter alive."  Now, before you start thinking he's got Gary Halbert-like ego issues, you oughta know two things:  1.  The above cocky claim is the only blatantly egotistical statement you'll see John make.  But once you read his stuff, you'll allow him that one little act of self-puffery...  Especially since...  2.  He studied under Gary Halbert--and worked for him for years!!  For crissakes, if that's the only bit of egotism that springs forth from his warped mind--and if you know anything about Gary Halbert, you'd know it would be impossible to spend that much time with him and not be warped--then he's doing good! I'll stop blabbering, but you need to take a relaxing few minutes and read one of John's issues of "The Marketing Rebel Rant."  I promise you won't be bored--even if you have no interest in marketing or copywriting whatsoever--he's that good.  I've selected one--not that it's any better than the others--and stuck it right below...After reading that one, you can go read up to 10 others without having to pay the $199/yr. subscription fee.  By the way, John Carlton is probably the only copywriter who charges that much for a newsletter.  As you know, most people can't give their newsletters away.  His $199/yr. subscription, however, is absolutely worth it---yes, once again, he's that good... Figures he was a protege of Gary Halbert's. Read issue #10 of the Marketing Rebel Rant.  Enjoy!  John Carlton's "Marketing Rebel Rant" newsletters.  (11 issues free.)

Suggested way to use the power of these copywriters
(for newbies):

1.  Simply create a folder on your desktop called, "Copywriting," or
whatever you want to call it.  Here's how:  Right click, select "New
Folder" from drop-down list. 

2a.  Place links to the three sites inside.  Here's how: After opening
a site, grab the blue bar at the top of your monitor/webpage with
your left mouse button and drag the window down a little so you can
see your desktop above the top of the webpage...
Or, if the top-right window buttons look like this  , you could
just click the center one to reduce the window size.
 
2b.  Just to the left of the webpage's address (in the browser's address
bar) is a little icon (the left-most part of the browser address
bar).  Drag this icon with your left mouse button onto any place
on your now-exposed desktop.  Then you can rename the link
whatever you want by right-clicking it (just like renaming a folder.)

3.  Now you can change the default folder icon to something else that
you may like better.  Here's how:  Right-click on the folder icon. 
Select "Properties" at the bottom of the drop-down list.  Then select
"Customize" from the tabs at the top.  Then select "Change Icon"
from the lower part of the window.  Now just choose the icon. 

So now all you have to do is to open the folder you've created and
click on one of the copywriter's links to take you instantly to their site
to continue your education!