Where Can I View the Works of John Carlton, Halbert, etc.

[The Oilman]

I'd like to spy on the best direct response letters/ads ever created.

Where can I find these?

[Floyd Fisher]

The Gary Halbert Letter

http://www.hardtofindseminars.com/

[George Sepich]

You probably already know about this for Halbert but here it is: The Gary Halbert Letter and I believe John Carlton wrote most, if not all of these golf letters at OHP Direct - Golf Instructional - Golf School - Golf Training - Golf Teachers - Golf Tips - Lower Scores -. That should at least be a start for you.

George

[The Oilman]

Any other places you guys know of?

[Woody C]

There are some great seminar presentations by both of them on YouTube. Just search their names there.

[Dean Shainin]

You can get some really cool free stuff from John Carlton here...
John Carlton - Marketing Rebel - 7 Free Marketing Strategy Lessons

There are plenty of videos on YouTube as well with a simple search...

Cheers,
Dean

[gjabiz]

Originally Posted by The Oilman

I'd like to spy on the best direct response letters/ads ever created.

Where can I find these?

Developing a "Swipe file" is a good idea Oilman, and learning from the "best direct respons letters/ad ever created" sounds like it would be helpful...BUT. Even if you know they worked or were the controls...you still lack information in making a decision if they were the best. How do you know? Because a copywriter says so?

There are copywriters who will tell you how much the ad pulled in dollars, but what you don't really know are the variables of the thing. How much did the ad cost, where was it run, what was the return and what were the "test" variables. There are very few resources for this kind of information. The sites you were given will give you a few "winners", but unless you know when and where, how much, how many...all you've got is someone saying this ad "worked". Even ads that may pull in two hundred thousaand dollars for examples could be a dog because it cost 240,000 to run the ad...so it "lost money" apparently, unless it was a lead generation ad whose purpose was to build a list.

There are some examples out there in some books, like Joe Sugarman's book or some very detailed examples in Vincent James book (the only I know of that gives enough INFORMATION to prove it was a "great ad", with the costs, the media, the number of units sold, the number of resonses, the breakeven point... all the DETAILS that really determine if the ad is "great" or not.

The problem with so many "swipe files" today, they are throw together by a 3rd party who really doesn't have the KNOW on the ad. The copywriters who tell you, well that's another story, but they are few and far between and ALL of them will focus on their winners, and never tell (or almost never) you about all the LOSERS they had. Say you saw a Gary Halbert ad without knowing the results, you may falsely assume it is an ad to put into your swipe file...yet it was a dog. Gary was one of the few who talked about his dogs...but then again, he put ALL the credit on the success of the ad to the COPY. As most copywriters do...when it could have been a factor in addition to the Copy...like the choice of media and timing, the targeted prospects or just a dynamite PRODUCT that could have been sold with a picture and a BUY THIS NOW button.

Just make sure that what goes into your Swipe File has a direct from the copywriter or the company that ran the ad information regarding it's performance.

Good luck, keep us posted with what you find.

gjabiz