Great writers steal.
If you’ve read my swipe file, you already know this.
Well, today, I will admit to theft. I steal a lot from one man. Gary Halbert.
Some call him the greatest copywriter of all time.
Today, I’ll show you why.
And just so we’re on the same page, here’s what we’re analyzing. A sales letter.
If you’re lazy like me, don’t bother reading it.
Here’s the TLDR:
A system for counting cards in blackjack…with a MAJOR twist.
Let’s take a look.
How to start any copy: an engaging hook
Have you ever wondered why there is always so much excitement about winning money playing the casino game of blackjack?
What an opener.
“Have you ever wondered why” is an amazing way to start any piece of copy. Because…
- You probably have wondered it
- You probably want to know why
Remember – the only job of the first sentence is to get you to read the second sentence. And the only job of the second sentence is to get you to read the third sentence. And so on…
Halbert then explains how Blackjack is the only casino game that can be beaten. All the others rely on luck. He continues…
Next…here’s how you get the reader to keep reading
That sounds simple enough. But, here is what it really means. It means that the only way to win at these casino games, is to truly be lucky. And when I say you must be lucky, I am not kidding. You need to have God, the magic leprechaun, your rabbit’s foot, horseshoe and every other imaginable good luck charm working for you because the odds of winning are truly stacked against you. Let’s look at a few examples.
Wow. What a paragraph.
When I first read this, I needed a minute to recover.
So, right off the bat. “That sounds simple enough. But, here is what it really means.” That’s a juicy sentence. And I do mean juicy. “Here is what it really means” is such a great way to keep your reader engaged.
Next, we get a little bit of humor.
Intense visualizations that you remember. And they all underscore his main point (which will get the sale) of just how lucky you have to be to win those games.
All you need in blackjack, he says, is skill.
The best way to get readers to trust your words
For this reason, blackjack systems and strategies have been sold for as little as $10 and as much as $3,000.00. I know. I have purchased them all.
If you want to make money writing words, you should know this technique.
Halbert poses as the expert who’s tried it all here. He’s done all the hard work for you. Not only does he have opinions…he has the right ones.
And most importantly, he’s fed up, because what he bought didn’t work.
This builds insane trust with the reader.
You’ve got to show the reader that every solution out there just doesn’t get it right
In practice and research I’ve discovered that to successfully use these systems you need to either have a photographic memory, or a computer to perform the constant calculations required.
All the systems I tried are unappealing or impossible. There has to be another way!
And then explain how your solution finally does
“That’s why I’ve developed my own simple blackjack system.”
Finally, almost halfway through the sales letter, we get a product.
It’s not even THE PRODUCT he ends up selling you.
But it solves the problem he spent 8 paragraphs talking about.
Another great way to convince your readers is to play devil’s advocate
Some systems say that you don’t need to count cards. Other systems say that the only way to win is to count cards. The truth is that you do need to count! But not every single card!
Once again, this is a killer technique. “Some say x. Others say y. But the truth is…” will have your reader foaming at the mouth for the next sentence.
And then show just how easy your solution is
And, if you can add +1 or subtract -2, you already know how to count cards!
I gotta be honest: I do not have a clue how to count cards. I saw the movie “21” like 15 years ago and forgot everything about it.
Suffice to say, I think it takes a lot of skill. But Halbert dumbs his system down so much, that it has me believing I, an idiot, could do it.
It costs HOW MUCH?
It’s FREE!
If your price is high, don’t highlight it. But if it’s low, shout it from the heavens. And this is one of only two headings that Halbert uses in his entire letter. For good reason.
Once you’ve lured them in, hit them with the mic drop.
How can I make such an offer? The answer is simple. You see, aside from being a professional blackjack player, I’ve also become involved in the travel business. And, I’m currently putting together discount travel packages to gambling destinations around the world.
BOOM.
This sales letter isn’t for blackjack guides at ALL.
It’s the top of his sales funnel for a travel agency!
Pay your readers a small favor, and they’ll pay you a big one in return
All I’m hoping is that once you use my system and see how easy it is to win, you’ll make your future travel plans through my service. You can’t lose! But you sure can win.
This is a strategy straight from the hit book Influence. Doing a favor, even if it’s small, will cause someone to return it. Usually in a much bigger way.
Think about what he’s asking. He wants you to take a free (likely $20 guide) and in return, book a vacation that’s probably 20x the cost of the guide.
Makes no sense, right?
It’s smart for two reasons.
Humans will typically return a favor with an even bigger one.
He knows the type of person who wants the guide will want to go gamble elsewhere.
This whole sales letter is for vacations, and it started as a guide to win at blackjack.
Incredible.
If you want more insights, let’s get acquainted. You’ll learn more every week.
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