I received an email from an online family member, who recently bought a copy of Breakthrough Advertising with an upsell of a collection of some of Gene Schwartz’s most compelling (and successful) ads (what we call, “The Gene Schwartz Swipe File”).
Her question:
I am new to this type of learning. This is a very uneducated question, so forgive me but, how do you recommend I study these swipe files to get the most out of them?
It’s a wonderful question…and it uncovered a blind spot for me.
That is, selling stuff that is incredibly useful is only useful if applied.
My bad. ☹
My first thought was to send her a quote from one of the greatest copywriting legends of all time, Gary Halbert.
So that’s what I did:
“Get yourself a collection of good ads and direct mail pieces and read them aloud and copy them in your own handwriting.”
If Gary said it—and did it—that’s good enough for me.
And it’s a practice that has stood the test of time, and it’s part of the instruction manual that has been collectively written by the top copywriters (i.e. those at the top of the food chain coaching and practicing today).
Note that Gary says the ads need to be “good” (i.e. big winners, known controls, even classic ads)…and note the “most successful ad in the history of the world” is cited later in this blog post, which can be the first on your list to “copy.”
By “copy” that doesn’t mean “copy and distribute”…this is an internal exercise to make you bigger and stronger as a writer and a copywriter. Please keep reading…
Also note something else Gary said above: “…copy them in your own handwriting.”
Translation: Your own handwriting is NOT originating from your keyboard.
Here’s a meme that explains why this is true in one sentence:
But one sentence/meme wasn’t enough for me.
I went down a rabbit hole on this…all the way to how one’s thumb and index finger have a singular relationship with one’s brain.
I encourage you to do some additional digging on this too…only if you are not convinced of Halbert’s theory that is…or if you’ve done the research yourself, good for you.
And…keep writing. 😊
In addition, I wanted to send you an updated version of a post I wrote in 2022 which was titled, “The O.G. of Stealing Smart” …to answer the question that my online family member asked above…and to uncover some other benefits when you commit to creating a swipe file of your own.
Many of us pride ourselves on being students of the craft of marketing and copywriting…and part of that includes becoming adept at “stealing smart.”
Now remember, stealing is a felony and stealing smart is an art.
And stealing smart as an art equates to re-purposing, re-imagining, re-engineering winning ideas, platforms, and design…which has nothing to do with copying, pasting or plagiarism.
With AI, both ends of the spectrum have become more prevalent:
Re-imagining (i.e. “art”) on one end and plagiarism (i.e. “felony”) on the other.
But once “decriminalized,” AI makes using swipe files even more impactful.
If not, it’s just sloppy, lazy…and could be illegal.
Isn’t that true with everything related to AI?
The key is to first identify patterns—which includes copy platforms, narrative structure, design—and then adapt and innovate…not copy.
That doesn’t include “copying” Halbert-style…that kind of copying is a requirement of all copywriters and marketers who want to be great.
In this spirit…and to continue to answer my online family member’s question (and serve all of you), I want to tell you about “The Original Gangster of Stealing Smart.”
And despite being labeled as a gangster for this blog post, be advised he is not on any FBI lists of most wanted direct marketing criminals.
He never stole anything from anyone.
Far from it.
This O.G. wears the title like a badge of honor.
The gentleman I want to talk about today is Denny Hatch, who perfected how to use swipe files to full advantage…with integrity and tenacity.
With a healthy dose of marketing wisdom.
Denny is currently, in my estimation, a “Professor Emeritus of Direct Marketing,” by blazing a trail as a pioneer in direct mail…then as the ultimate archivist and lifelong student…and finally as a lecturer, author and blogger covering all the things we hold dear about this wonderful corner of the universe we call direct response marketing.
Including email, the Internet and now AI.
He’s written many books, with titles such as 2,239 Tested Secrets of Direct Marketing Success, Write Everything Right!, Method Marketing…and a host of novels, articles, newsletters…and even marketing checklists (one of which is yours for the clicking in the P.S. below).
One of his landmark achievements was publishing a newsletter that came with the ultimate archive of direct mail promotions, in the form of envelopes, postcards, magalogs and bookalgos, in every category imaginable…and the archive expanded to email promotions after email marketing became a thing.
This exhaustive and invaluable tool he created in the 1980’s was called Who’s Mailing What! (WMW!)
Sure, there were selected swipe files available before this…but there was nothing like WMW!
And dare I say nothing has rivaled it since.
WMW! enabled subscribers to not only see who’s mailing what…but also who was mailing when…and who was mailing (what and when) most often.
The theory: That’s how you chronicle promotions to learn which are the best (i.e most successful) promotions.
Why would a mailer keep mailing a promotion if the promotion was a dud?
In fact, WMW! had awards for the longest standing controls (i.e., long standing winning promotions) …and Denny knew every one of them…and created not only a collection like no other, but it was one he studied himself and applied it to everything going on around him…for 50+ years.
Put more simply: Denny’s love of his life, after his wife Peggy, is direct mail.
And by extension, direct response marketing.
Which shows up in everything he says and writes.
In 2021, I invited Denny to speak at my Titans Mastermind to chronicle his incredible career and share how his research and curiosity with direct mail fit into the history and fabric of direct marketing.
He didn’t disappoint.
The title of Denny’s presentation:
A Whirlwind Tour of Direct Marketing Knowhow:
From July 10, 1194 through the 21st Century
Despite Denny being around the industry for a while, he was sure to let us know that he was not around in the 12th century…but wanted to be sure we knew that direct marketing didn’t start with Ben Franklin in the 18th century either.
It was a whirlwind–more like a tornado–and not simply a stroll down memory lane, full of marketing lessons for the ages…and efficient too…with Denny covering 10 centuries of direct marketing in a little over 40 minutes.
An insurmountable feat for any mere mortal…but not for this O.G. 🙂
I thought it would be appropriate while I am hosting my Breakthrough Advertising Bootcamp event this week (Gene Schwartz was a swipe file fiend himself)—to share Denny’s presentation from that Titans Mastermind meeting in 2021.
It is one for ages…literally.
Just click on the screenshot below that reads, “The Most Successful Advertisement in the History of the World” …which Denny will tell you all about (among other equally astounding facts and figures). Facts and figures that lead to action and profit.
And don’t forget to grab his checklist in the P.S.
…Also covered in this epic presentation…and implied…and hidden in plain sight:
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Excuse the (ever so slight) hyperbole of the title…and I will tell you that it’s much more than an attention grabber.
I invite you to be grabbed. 🙂
Warmly,
Brian
P.S. To prove more conclusively that Denny is not simply a passive collector of every great promotion ever written or recorded, here is a monumental report he put together which he called his Ultimate 85-Point Marketer’s Checklist.
It might load slowly…but it will be worth the wait.
This is accumulated wisdom from a man who considered his mailbox a never-ending source of entertainment and education…he never passed up an opportunity to read all his mail very carefully…and then he stole smart.
He applied everything he “stole” to a rule of thumb or a new way of looking at direct marketing.
Click here to access this wonderful (and useful) checklist.
It’s worth printing and keeping next to your desk…forever.
P.P.S. In Denny’s video presentation beginning with direct marketing from the 12th Century, he quotes a classic ad from John Caples (from earlier in the 20th century) …the famous “piano ad” (which is NOT “the most successful advertisement in the history of the world”…but it’s close). 😊
Csaba’s breakdown is a perfect example of how we use swipe files for fun and profit…without committing a felony.
Jeremey Hunsicker, a former Titans Mastermind member, sent me this cartoon he created to commemorate that Caples classic (which is still being emulated today):
Thought you might get a laugh out of it…
P.P.P.S And finally, a priceless picture of TWO O.G.’s, of “stealing smart” …which made them pioneers of marketing invention and innovation…with over a century of direct marketing wisdom between them:
Denny Hatch and Richard Viguerie at Titans Mastermind, September 2021
That reminds me to profile Richard Viguerie in an upcoming post…who is close to 90 years old (he might even have celebrated 9 decades on earth already) …he’s the “Father of Direct Marketing Political Fundraising” …and still works every day, teaching, learning…full of curiosity and wonder.
He will be presenting at my Titans Xcelerator Mastermind (on June 25th) so I will write it shortly after. He’s a Titan of epic proportions.
Denny and Richard are inspirations for all of us to look up to…and steal smart from…without invading their intellectual property of course. 😊
P.P.P.P.S. Oops…one more thing…
There was a lively and meaningful discussion that followed Denny’s presentation at the Titans meeting in 2021…with all the Titans who were present, including the two pictured above.
That video is currently locked away in the Titans Mastermind Vault, but I might just release it later this year…if I receive enough requests for it…from you.