The Robert Collier Letter Book & Marketing Course - should I get it & in what edition & form?

[jchengery]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering about the Robert Collier Letter Book. I know it is one of the most respected works on direct mailing and copywriting. I know one very well-respected Internet marketer has put it on his recommended book list for 2009, but he also suggests getting the 4th edition or earlier. It is not an easy book to find; I did find the 6th edition online, but I'm not sure whether it is worth getting or not.

Why would one suggest that your best value is via the 4th edition or earlier? Is there that much of an advantage with getting the 4th edition or earlier or is a more current edition just as useful?

Additionally, I've seen digital versions of the Robert Collier Letter Book on eBay - would that be worthwhile to purchase? It is supposedly from "the original 1937 Letter Book," a "reformatted replica of the original 1937 edition."

Also, I've also seen reports of a "Robert Collier Marketing Course" (also known as "How To Make Money At Home In Spare Time By Mail In Seven Lessons"); is this a book/course worth getting or not?

I'd appreciate any and all advice on these topics - thank you.

Please take care and have a great day!

Sincerely,

Joe Chengery III

[Justin Mandel]

Thanks for asking this question Joe - I've been wondering the very same thing

[Loren Woirhaye]

The older editions, including the one currently published by
Robert Collier's family, include illustrations not in the one
that came out in the 1950s. The 1950s version has an
additional chapter or 2 but lacks the illustrations.

Get the print-edition. It's worth spending $30 on. If you
are serious at all about the craft you'll read it many times
and mark it up. By the time you've printed up a PDF you
won't have saved any money either and you'll just be taking
money from Collier's heirs by purchasing illegal ebooks of
his work.

All I know about "How To Make Money At Home In Spare
Time By Mail In Seven Lessons" is that it was recently
republished and there are some reviews on Amazon.

"The Letter Book" is the highly-regarded classic. The
mail-order course is not.

[jchengery]

Hello Loren,

Thank you for the info. - greatly appreciated!

A few follow-up questions.

1. When you say "illustrations," are these illustrations of creating sales letters or what exactly are these illustrations?

2. Where exactly can I find the older editions? I've heard, and found in my limited searching to this point, that the older editions are harder to find (and often cost high amounts, even more than $30). I'd appreciate any info. and/or links to where I can get the older edition of Robert Collier's Letter Book - thank you.

Again, thanks for thei info. - greatly appreciated!

Please take care, keep up the great work, and have a good day!

Sincerely,

Joe Chengery III

[Loren Woirhaye]

The reprint of the 1937 edition is available from his
grandchildren at Robert Collier Publications: Inspirational Books to Change Lives

The illustrations how the role pictures played in the
circulars and ads Collier wrote. He sold a lot of history
books and classics by mail so there are pictures of,
for example, Salome dancing before Herod, with copy
laid-out around the image. It's a valuable insight into
the way Collier created "mind movies" in readers of
his letters.

I only have the 1937 reprint so I don't know for sure
how it's different. I've read other people's comments
about liking the pictures though, and they do tell more
than 1000 words in some cases.

[jchengery]

Hello Loren,

Thanks for clarifying and for the link - greatly appreciated! :-)

Please take care, keep up the great work, and have a good day!

Sincerely,

Joe Chengery III

[mccflo99]

Hi Joe,

You can get the 37 reprint on Amazon for $24.07 and if you grab annother book to take you over $25, shipping is free...

Amazon.com: The Robert Collier Letter Book:...

Here's a great addition to bring you over that $25 mark...

Amazon.com: How to Write a Good Advertisement:...

Excellent start to your copywriting education.

Have fun,
Chris Elliott

[Raydal]

I also own the 1937 version as referenced above and it's
indeed a "must read" for marketers. You will find his strategies
polished and used by the so called "gurus" today and sold as
high-priced products. You can get all these for less than $30!

466 pages of pure marketing education!

-Ray Edwards

[jchengery]

Hello Chris & Ray,

Thank you for your advice on getting the book (including where to get it) - greatly appreciated!

Justin - happy to help!

Please take care, keep up the great work, and have a good day!

Sincerely,

Joe Chengery III

[Dave Ryan]

Yeah the version I have is a blue soft cover... I recommend getting an actual version of the book because then you can take notes and highlight and fill with 3M notes!

A little tip to maximize your copywriting education:
Use a notebook and write out the pieces of copy from any of your books by hand into it along with an analysis of what happens in the copy, where, and why!

The RC letter book is one of those books you should probably go through a few times. I know that when I first went through it for a second time there was a lot of "clicking" and "aha" moments that were missed the first time through.

To Higher Profits,
Dave Ryan

[jchengery]

Hello Dave,

Could you give the edition number and/or copyright date of your book? That would help me determine whether specific listings online are of the earlier or republished version or of the later version - thank you.

Thank you for your tip on maximizing my copywriting education - greatly appreciated! I've heard that one should write out sales letters (that really make you stand up and take notice) you see online or in your postal mail and really focus on why certain elements are written into those sales letters - this way, you'd be able to understand the psychology behind using certain elements (such as bulletpoints) and being able to know when and how to use them effectively in your own copy.

I think books that are "complex" (complex in the sense that it takes a while to truly understand the message or messages behind the words) often require more than one reading - thanks for suggesting that; I'll make sure to read through it a few times. It's one of those types of books where it's good to go through now and again, just to refresh your mind on the main concepts, as well as discover anything new you didn't discover before, as you mentioned.

Thanks again for the advice - greatly appreciated!

Please take care, keep up the great work, and have a good day!

Sincerely,

Joe Chengery III

[jchengery]

Hello again everyone,

Dave mentioned about the original/republished edition in soft cover being blue; what color is the hard cover of the original/republished edition? Would it happen to be red with a gold rectangle surrounding the words, "The Robert Collier Letter Book," or is this the later version without the illustrations.

Again, any information would be greatly appreciated - thank you.

Please take care, keep up the great work, and have a good day!

Sincerely,

Joe Chengery III

[cobwab]

The Prince of Print, Gary Halbert, listed this book as the best book on coywriting ever printed and at the time thet newsletter recommendation came out a used copy costs over $200, so at $20 on Amazon it's a bargain.

[Bill Jeffels]

I purchased my copy of The Robert Collier Letter Book from copywriter Carl Galletti

Amazing book. Carl's site is Robert Collier Letter Book.com

Best,


Bill Jeffels



.