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I've been asked a few times, so I'll share...
I hand-copied sales letters daily for six years. Each day, without a day missed. I woke up, and for the first half-hour or hour and I hand-copied a sales letter. Pen and legal pad. Even when I was ill, even on holiday mornings...
I hand-copied sales letters daily for six years. Each day, without a day missed. I woke up, and for the first half-hour or hour and I hand-copied a sales letter. Pen and legal pad. Even when I was ill, even on holiday mornings...
Even after being out till the sun came up in Miami, with a stunning girl on the arm, probably well past a bottle deep in good tequila, managed my way to the hotel room, and continued hand-copying an ad.
It isn't about discipline, I felt it was what I had to do to compete. And I enjoyed it.
I hit a hiccup. When I hand-copied Brilliance Breakthrough by Eugene Schwartz, and his ads, my copy turned from converting to utter shit. Million-dollar ad spends, and I was the cause for...
I hit a hiccup. When I hand-copied Brilliance Breakthrough by Eugene Schwartz, and his ads, my copy turned from converting to utter shit. Million-dollar ad spends, and I was the cause for...
Money being pissed away.
The saving grace? Hand copying David Ogilvy, Claude Hopkins, and Oren Klaff pitches. Then I switched predominately to the Benjamin Franklin writing exercise. I did that daily for about threeish years. I also did it during that six-year period.
The saving grace? Hand copying David Ogilvy, Claude Hopkins, and Oren Klaff pitches. Then I switched predominately to the Benjamin Franklin writing exercise. I did that daily for about threeish years. I also did it during that six-year period.
That exercise helped me really think how the ad had to be framed, positioned, and also it naturally surfaced a way to think about an ad.
What also really cranked my copy, studying normal books on writing. I found out that Ogilvy inhaled things like Fowler's Usage Manual.
What also really cranked my copy, studying normal books on writing. I found out that Ogilvy inhaled things like Fowler's Usage Manual.
He was fascinated with words and reading. Going down that path, helped me a ton.
You don't need to be a grammar expert, but knowing how to write clearly and with style separates you from tactic dorks.
You don't need to be a grammar expert, but knowing how to write clearly and with style separates you from tactic dorks.
Who would I suggest you hand copy today? After almost ten years, here's who had the biggest impact for me when I did this exercise and I hand-copied the most:
- David Ogilvy
- Claude Hopkins
- Oren Klaff
- @craigclemens
- John Carlton
- David Ogilvy
- Claude Hopkins
- Oren Klaff
- @craigclemens
- John Carlton
And I probably did some ads maybe ten times or more. I would also try to recite the pitch as if I was delivering it in person. I would read it. Then I would try to just say it.
If I had to go back with any advice to 30-year-old me?
- Start the Benjamin Franklin exercise sooner.
- Study general books on writing sooner, especially Ogilvy's heroes: Ernest Gowers, and Fowler's.
- Stick to Adler's reading advice.
- Get to an Oren Klaff event sooner.
- Start the Benjamin Franklin exercise sooner.
- Study general books on writing sooner, especially Ogilvy's heroes: Ernest Gowers, and Fowler's.
- Stick to Adler's reading advice.
- Get to an Oren Klaff event sooner.
There is no copy shortcut. I looked at this as a craft. I felt I had to do this each day. It made a huge difference. There was no hack. It was a matter of learning copy and ads and thinking in ads.
Oh, and another thing that helped, studying some Joe Navarro.
Oh, and another thing that helped, studying some Joe Navarro.
Navarro helped me on research. Like when I could spot negative body language at someone going into a gym, or a Yoga Studio. Then with the hand-copying, I could start hearing the pitch in my head. Where I could pour on the heat.
It all takes time. I had a sales background before. So I had a foot up in the game I think. But I hand-copying those greats, and really trying to know the ad, big difference. And no I didn't try to reverse engineer shit. That's masturbation. I aimed to KNOW it in my bones.
Oh and a big note. I must emphasize, I hand-copied the same ad countless times. This wasn’t one and done and race through. I came back to ads I copied previously and did it again countless times.
