New Scientific Evidence Supports Copying Sales Letters by Hand

Hi,

Nice find

Quick question...

Are the same results achievable by "typing" sales letters Or do you have to "write" the ads down on paper?

Thanks

Pusateri, I read your contribution on the other thread but I was glad to see you started a new one on this topic.

I've heard of this copywriter's trick awhile ago (from both Bencivenga and Makepeace), but have yet to put it into practice. I admit I've become so used to typing everything that the thought of writing anything long-hand is rather unappealing.

However, despite doubts or reluctance: it works.

Better learning through handwriting

When one manually writes anything, there is better retention. So if anyone wants to learn how to write solid, hard-hitting copy -- the best thing to do is take your favorite swipe ad and copy it word for word on some paper.

This link was in another thread, but there's a wealth of classic ads to swipe:

For Copywriters | Ryan McGrath

Is there any evidence that stimulating the "left rolandic operculum" results in a better ability to write copy?

VL

This is not new news. We have known for a long time that there is a link between handwriting and the unconcscious mind. I don't believe that same link exists when you type. Why? The reason for the handwriting link is because we all learned to write when we were young children...around the same time that we formed our "map of the world" and belief system.

In fact the link is so powerful that you can actually change your personality traits by changing your writing first. Just like Moshe Feldenkrais (body movement guy) found people could change their self-image, by making changes in how we move out bodies.

So when you hand copy sales letters, you send the structure, cadence, and flow...directly into your unconscious mind.

Personally, I think you can get much of the benefit of that through careful study and analysis and reading them over and over again. But I don't have any proof of that being true for others.

Yes, I learned this from Scott Haines. Read 200+ headlines and write them down on flashcards. Same thing with bullet-points.

It's quite simple.

There's a rhythm, cadence, flow and *bounce* you pick
up on from writing copy, albeit winning copy, out by hand.

I can't prove it works but, gosh darn it, it worked for me.

What gets under my skin are those who try their damnest
to debate *against* this.

They believe their doing everyone, especially newbie copy
-writers, a *favor* by telling them all you need to do is...

"study the content DEEPLY..." or, "it's FASTER to type it
out..." or, any other seemingly logical ways around what
works realistically and practically (from my experience)...

writing the damn copy out by hand.

But isn't it human nature to find shortcuts to achieve our
goals faster?

Sure.

Isn't easier paying for sex than it is developing a meaning-
ful relationship leading up to it?

Absolutely.

You tell me. Which is more fulfilling? Which teaches valuable
skills in human interactions and gives you the experience of
finding, and giving, love?

And which one teaches you the meaning of writing copy vs.
trying to find a shortcut around a subject you either LOVE
to engage in anyway...

or try to avoid as much as possible (just STUDY real hard...
pen to paper is too old fashion...etc).

If it's easier for me to teleport from one end of the country
to the other, I would still travel by plane.

Why miss out on the experience of travel to get somewhere
faster? For is that not the point of traveling?

The point is...

there are just some shortcuts not worth taking that'll, iron-
cally enough, do more harm than good.

I like shortcuts as much as anybody else.

Would you be happier if you earned every dollar you worked
for...or won the lottery?

We all know how many of those people turn out.

I'm not advocating taking shortcuts are *bad*. Technology
makes life much easier, more fun; exciting. And yet...

there are just some areas in life technology can not replace.

Getting good at copy is just *one of those things*.

Instead of looking for ways around writing copy, if you really
LOVE the art and science of writing, this will make sense.

If you *dread* it, you'll look for shortcuts that sound good
in theory but, at least from MY experience, never worked.

Writing sales pieces out by hand, however, DID work. Period.

There's something about pen to paper people discard these
days in favor of everything being done for them.

The problem with this is that it loses the very human element
you need for salescopy to succeed (the art).

So enough of the, "You don't HAVE to do it that way..." crap.

Because all the BEST ones DID (or the very least started out
that way).

It freakin' works.

Period.

It is beneficial. So is studying and reading great copy. The downside to hand copying, is it is time consuming and so limits the amount of material you can digest. I think it's important to do both.

Part of Joe Vitale's Hypnotic Writing involves an exercise where you copy a really good ad copy.

Copying great texts can help develop your own writing very quickly and efficiently.

A lot of great authors developed their writing skills using this same method.

How To Become A Copywriter In The Shortest Possible Time - The Marketing Sleuth | The Marketing Sleuth

I don't believe in following scientific studies.

I believe in using the God-given facility we all have: Our brains.

All it takes is to try something out to see if it works, or not.

Of course, there are some things where you need more evidence, but those are in the minority.

Don't say 'I don't believe this will work', or 'I believe it will'. Try it and see.

There's one thing we always say as marketers/copywriters - test.

However, from comments made, it's obvious most people don't.

My approach is to write the copy by hand and then do the hardcore editing on the word processor. Editing is so much faster, smoother and efficient when you don't have to cross out or erase.

I'm curious whether the same benefit can be gained by re-typing something, or if it's only by handcopying.

I often find that I can get over writers block by sitting down with a notebook instead of at the computer. It seems to help me get into flow and cut through cluttered thinking about a topic.

I read that Hunter S. Thompson retyped "The Great Gatsby" to experience what it was like to write a great american novel. There must be something to it. He was a great writer.

This is a fascinating discussion!

Here's another article on why handwriting may be better than typing:

Pen Mightier Than Keyboard for Making Imprint on Brain

By the way, can anyone recommend some good sales copy to copy? (i.e. people or specific sales pages?)

Ken, that mental activity (or the "light up" process) has to do with the learning process, or perhaps more to the point, the ability to recall and understand specific things.

By itself, that and 4 bucks will get a coffee at Starbucks. It's what the learner does with it that counts, and that's still up to the learner.

But knowing something does make it easier. We might "know" what Halbert did in his ad or how Bencivenga worded his bullet points, but it's not going to make anybody into Halbert or Bencivenga, obviously.

As an analogy, we could just as easily write out cake recipes by hand and learn exactly how Julia Child baked her cakes, but that doesn't guarantee we won't get a flat soggy mess anyway. That's where experience comes in.

Is that a grass-fed beefsteak mine?

Hi. I'm curious - which copies have you rewritten by hand?

It's silly to argue whether or not it works. Every copywriting giant advocates doing this will shortcut your learning curve for writing great copy.

Copy is aural really, not visual like some people think. The same technique is done by great musicians. Playing over the songs and improvisations of great musicial artists...copying them to get the structure and the exact nuance of what they are doing. I believe it's a mistake to only copy the copy...but it's a great place to start.

Only after you master the basics and understand the foundation of what came before, can you have your own unique voice and create something original, that still works to sell, but is also fresh and new.

Do you think that learning to play songs that other people wrote will make you a better musician when it comes to writing your own songs?

Do you think that watching different performances of a famous role will make an actor better at performing that role themselves?

Do you think practicing the same workouts and drills as a pro athlete will make you better at their chosen sport?

The answer to all 3 is yes - but of course, that's not ALL it takes. But it does help.

Do I re-write other people's letters by hand to copy their mojo? No. Regardless of if it works, it seems stupid and boring and I'm lazy. I barely want to write my own letters much less someone else's. I'd rather just read them and think about them and then try to write with what I learned from noodling it. But then, I don't really like to read other sales letters, either.

My point is...

Obviously it does something to your brain... and doing this with the right motivation and passion can help... but won't make you the greatest.

I mean - a lot of the greats advocate this for a reason - right?



David

P.S. - It prob comes down to a personal thing...

That's awesome, thanks for the share!!

Ben Settle, the email marketer/copywriter says he used to do this when he was getting into copywriting.

Really cool.