The Boron Letters

Gary Halbert was probably the best direct marketer and copywriter of the 20th century. In this exceptional book made up of letters from Gary to his son, Bond (himself a top copywriter and marketing consultant), he imparts his lifes wisdom. The letters were sent from the Boron Federal Prison and the original letters have become a cult classic. What makes this book so special is the updating of the letters in the form of a commentary by Bond telling how they apply today. From the basics of copy to what really gets people to buy to lessons from some of Gary's top converting offers (which led to billions in sales), the Boron letters is a must read. This is a must read for any student of marketing or indeed life... and that's no hyperbole!

Brilliantly written and very easy to read. Halbert's writing style is just hypnotic. You can see why he was at the top of his game when it came to writing excellent copy. Not only does he provide lessons on marketing and copy, but on life itself and how to be successful in all that you do. I highly recommend this to all budding copywriters and all of those looking for an interesting read.... I would even go as far to say that anybody who reads this book will not fail to learn something, whether its in business, marketing or life.

I first read these letters written by the author to his son from prison on the Gary Halbert Letters website and bought the book to add to my copywriting and marketing library. These letters date back to 1984 so don't expect tips about the Internet, email and social media. Instead expect advice that goes deeper than modern media. Their purpose was to teach his youngest son about marketing and life. Even by then Gary Halbert was a legendary copywriter and direct marketer who had lived a roller coaster life. He published a popular marketing newsletter and has been an inspiration to many of the top copywriters of the last 30 years. The letters are in some parts a ramble about his life in prison and the life lessons he has learned. Sometimes they contain personal comments about his family. At other times, they focus on explaining how he had managed to be so successful. The letters are not edited so you have to go wherever he takes you. His son, Bond Halbert follows up with his own comments to give his thoughts on the advice he received from his father and updates the ideas to the days of the Internet and emails. If you want a pure marketing guide, this book isn't for you. It even takes its time before it starts talking about marketing. The book covers: - How to select the best list to use. - How to train yourself in copywriting including the books to read more than once. - How to select a market worth pursuing. - How to create an information product, even when you know nothing about the subject at the start. - The A and B piles and why it's vital to pass this first test. Halbert was very firm on this while other copywriters favour teaser copy in some situations. The right thing to do is to test it. - How to use grabbers to gain attention. - How to induce guilt to reply using stamped return envelopes. - How to prepare to write the copy. - How to improve your copywriting skills. - How to use "eye relief" to keep people reading your copy. - And more This is a hard book to assess and rate. Gary Halbert was a great copywriters and his insights are valuable. So too are his lessons on life, even if you don't agree with a few, they make you think. Halbert himself recognises his "babblings are getting too random". This is the problem if you want to learn copywriting. There is little structure and he doesn't delve in as deeply as I'd want when he finds an interesting issue. 3 or 4 stars? I think I'm probably at the 3.6 level so I should round up. If you're a business owner who wants to learn copywriting, there are many books that will give you a more structured approach. If you're a copywriter, you should probably read it as part of your continuing education but it's a book of nuances rather than theories, concepts or direction. You should also read the Gary Halbert Letters. I'm left wishing there was a better copywriting book by Gary Halbert . There is a book called "How To Maximum Money In Minimum Time" but I haven't seen it or read it and it's a bit expensive to buy on spec. Paul Simister, a business coach who helps business owners with disappointing marketing, to get unstuck.

This book is very good, It seems to have a lot of real open heart wisdom from Father to son, and it's "street" wisdom, witch is always good. And street wisdom from Gary Halbert, is just brilliant. I know there are some Copywriting veterans here on reviews of this book, but for a beginner as I am, I recommend for a depth understanding on direct marketing the book (i actually wrote a review here at amazon on the book): AMA Complete Guide to Small Business Advertising Hardcover – 1 Dec 1994 Joe Vitale.

Not only a great book on copywriting but some solid nuggets of life wisdom to be found here - v enjoyable and insightful read

Interesting book, but felt that the short updates from Bond were not really up to date enough. Concepts still valid though.

Lot’s of great life advice and a real insight into how direct response marketing works; from picking a hungry crowd to financing new ventures and much more!

Great read, full of pointers on life and copyrighting, even down to the way each letter is written, genius! Off to read it for a second time now to make sure I caught everything.

I am blessed with a copy of the original, hand-written Boron letters and have read it several times over. The tactics are priceless and should be considered the Marketer's Bible. This is more than a "How-To" manual, it's lessons learned (with personal insight) from the greatest copywriter ever to walk the face of the earth, Sir Gary Halbert. The Boron Letters is a page-turning thriller into the mind of the World's Greatest Copywriter, along with rock-solid techniques that have withstood the test of time for developing Ad Campaigns that will stuff your wallet with cash. What you will learn are the techniques Halbert used to make himself and clients millions. This is Evergreen knowledge (stuff that never gets outdated) and will work whether you market by direct mail or online. There are some GREAT experts in the copywriting industry (most, if not all, trained by Gary) but, the one person who has received the most one-on-one time from Gary (in both business training and his personal life) is his son Bond, who has done an A+ job carrying the torch forward. It is a pleasure to not only have the added commentary (with added insights from Bond and how the Boron Letters are being applied in a world where marketing mediums are constantly growing and changing) but to have a Kindle version (my precious original NEVER leaves the office). You get more than just business and copywriting strategies that work. You get what Gary did on a day-to-day basis that made his copy rock-solid and kept him at the top of his game. If you are a marketer of any kind, this is a MUST READ and a MUST RE-READ several times a year.

Non solo un libro che contiene i segreti di uno dei più grandi copywriter, maestro tra genio e sregolatezza... Ma anche l'emozione che scaturisce e traspare dai consigli che Gary Halbert dispensa all'amato figlio Bond dalle 4 mura di un carcere. Lettere semplici ma preziose, dal doppio valore. Se sei interessato al copywriting dei grandi maestri non puoi perdertelo, e ti ritroverai a ricacciare indietro qualche lacrima mentre ti metti nei panni di un genio incompreso che tenta di recuperare il dialogo con il figlio, trasmettendogli i propri trucchi del mestiere.

You will learn a lot of good copywriting tips, and it’s a fun story, but don’t expect a solution to all your troubles. You’ll still have to put in the (road) work.

Das Buch wurde im genannten Zeitraum geliefert, ist unversehrt angekommen.

Au premier regard, ce livre de moins de 150 pages, dont la dernière édition mise à jour date déjà d'une dizaine d'années, n'invite pas particulièrement à la lecture. Le texte des fameuses "lettres" est présenté dans une typographie rappelant une vieille machine à écrire, et les pages ne sont même pas numérotées - un choix éditorial déroutant. Pourtant, derrière cette présentation austère se cache un véritable trésor de connaissances et de sagesse que j'ai trouvé profondément enrichissant. Gary Halbert y développe plusieurs thèses fondamentales qui transcendent largement le domaine du marketing direct pour toucher à l'art de vivre et de réussir : L'harmonie corps-esprit comme fondement du succès Halbert commence par une évidence souvent négligée : notre clarté mentale dépend directement de notre état physique. Il préconise l'exercice quotidien (jogging, marche) et le jeûne hebdomadaire pour "ordonner" respectivement la journée et la semaine. Ces habitudes simples mais puissantes améliorent considérablement la concentration et la créativité, qualités essentielles pour tout rédacteur. La persévérance et la discipline comme sculpteurs de réussite L'auteur nous révèle ce qu'il appelle "la magie de la seconde tentative" : répéter une tâche difficile au moins deux fois en facilite énormément la maîtrise. Cette approche devient la clé d'un progrès continu dans tous les domaines. Le marketing direct comme science du comportement réel "Pour savoir ce que les gens veulent, regardez ce qu'ils achètent réellement" - cette maxime simple mais profonde rappelle l'importance d'étudier minutieusement les marchés, les listes de diffusion et de segmenter avec précision pour créer des offres véritablement irrésistibles. L'enthousiasme comme moteur de rentabilité Halbert défend une vérité souvent oubliée : nous gagnons de l'argent là où notre enthousiasme est le plus vif. Non seulement cela attire naturellement l'attention des autres, mais c'est aussi la condition indispensable pour maintenir un travail de fond rigoureux sur la durée. Le copywriting comme architecture et expérimentation perpétuelle Des accroches puissantes aux post-scriptum stratégiques, chaque élément d'une lettre commerciale doit être testé méthodiquement pour maximiser les taux de réponse. L'auteur nous guide à travers ce processus avec une précision chirurgicale. Au fil des 25 lettres, Halbert navigue entre conseils pratiques de santé, techniques de marketing direct, méthodes de rédaction persuasive, stratégies d'optimisation de campagnes, et profondes leçons de vie. Il aborde la gestion financière, l'art de se vendre, l'importance cruciale de la confiance en soi, la persévérance face aux obstacles, et la préparation mentale nécessaire pour affronter les inévitables échecs. Plus qu'un simple manuel de technique, l'auteur invite finalement son fils Bond (et par extension chaque lecteur) à entreprendre un véritable cheminement personnel : identifier nos croyances limitantes héritées de l'enfance ou de notre environnement, puis adopter un "nouveau rêve" fondé sur l'intégrité, la curiosité permanente et la responsabilité individuelle. Cette transformation nous conduit vers une authentique liberté où marketing et copywriting deviennent non seulement des compétences maîtrisées, mais s'intègrent dans une vision globale où enthousiasme, discipline et créativité s'unissent pour forger une réussite profonde et durable.