What’s here: every day of the 100-day challenge – well over 100 of the best sales letters, ads and emails ever written – each one with a video
Start with: the Wall Street Journal letter, the Coat of Arms letter, the Dollar Bill letter, the piano ad and the Rolls-Royce ad
Sorted by: copywriter and type of lead – so you can find exactly what you need
Plus: what all the great ones have in common
Every copywriter hears the same advice sooner or later…
Study the classics.
Great. But which ones? And what exactly are you supposed to look for?
That’s why I gave myself a challenge: break down 100 of the most profitable sales letters and ads of all time – line by line – in 100 days.
This page is where all of those breakdowns live.
Each one shows you what the letter said, why it worked… and what you can steal for your own copy.
All 100 days are done – plus two bonus episodes. A few letters were so good they got two days. Together they cover well over 100 sales letters, ads and emails.
Start here: 5 of the most famous sales letters ever written
If you only read five, read these.
1. The Wall Street Journal “Two Young Men” letter – said to have brought in around $2 billion in subscriptions. The most famous sales letter ever written… and, I think, a bit overrated. Here’s why.
2. Gary Halbert’s Coat of Arms letter – 361 words, personalised with the reader’s own family name. The letter I credit with building a business doing around $300K a day (adjusted for inflation).
3. Gary Halbert’s Dollar Bill letter – a real dollar bill attached to the top of the page… and an honest reason why it’s there.
4. “They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano” – John Caples’ headline. Probably the most copied headline in history.
5. David Ogilvy’s Rolls-Royce ad – “At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock.”
Prefer to watch? Every breakdown has a video – and they’re all in one playlist:
The best sales letters by copywriter
Some names show up again and again on any list of the greats.
Here’s every breakdown, sorted by the person who wrote it.
Gary Halbert
Probably the most famous direct mail copywriter who ever lived. (All 11 on one page: Gary Halbert’s best sales letters.)
The Coat of Arms letter – tap a desire people already have, make it personal, and keep it clear.
“How to Collect From Social Security at Any Age” – when the market already wants what you sell, don’t be clever. Be clear.
The Dollar Bill letter – get attention, explain it straight, then earn the right to keep talking.
“How to Get What the U.S. Government Owes You” – sell the emotion, not the information. Then stack the value until “no” feels silly.
The Beverly Hills Formula ad – in a crowded market, you don’t need a better product. You need NEWS value.
The “perfect woman” personal ad – qualify AND disqualify. The right people lean in when they see you’re not for everyone.
The Tova perfume ad – don’t tell people your product is amazing. Deny it… and let them convince themselves.
The “Better Sex” ad – when your market is embarrassed, lead with credibility and permission. Then let fascinations do the selling.
“The Amazing Money-Making Secret of a Desperate Nerd From Ohio” – a rags-to-riches hook, a qualifying list, hard-hitting bullets and a risk reversal so strong it works as proof.
“How to Keep Your Money From Being Murdered” – close every escape route before you open the one door you’re selling. And a vivid headline beats a clever one.
“Larry’s Way” – the Day 100 finale – one vulnerable, vivid, specific story can do the work of a 40-page sales letter.
Gary Bencivenga
Many of the best in the business call him the greatest living copywriter. (All 9 on one page: Gary Bencivenga’s best ads.)
The Shoestring Business ad – urgent problem + unique promise + unquestionable proof + user-friendly proposition = persuasion.
The ad for his own copywriting agency – make the guarantee so strong the client wins either way. Then explain HOW you can afford it.
The Olive Oil Club letter – a commodity can have a USP. Find the urgent problem nobody talks about.
The Kurobuta Ham letter – never make a promise without a piece of proof standing right next to it.
The Health Confidential letter – tease the solutions with fascinations… then stack the offer until saying no feels silly.
“Tax-Sheltered Wealth” – an offer lead – the easiest lead to write. And the easiest to waste on the wrong reader.
“Get Rich Slowly” – a promise lead – promise, proof, promise, proof. And give the jaded reader a twist they haven’t heard before.
“Lies, Lies, Lies” – don’t manufacture emotions. Find the anger your market already feels… and give it a banner to march behind.
“The 64 Toughest Interview Questions” – meet people at the exact moment of their pain, give away real “steak” in the ad – and let the bonuses do half the selling.
Eugene Schwartz
The author of Breakthrough Advertising – here are my lessons from the book.
The Boardroom Reports ad – tap a desire that already exists, then make saying yes the easiest thing in the world.
“Do You Have the Courage to Earn Half a Million Dollars a Year?” – when a claim is too big to believe, ask a question that makes the reader qualify himself.
“Burn Disease Out of Your Body” – in a crowded market, don’t shout louder. Give an old desire a NEW mechanism.
David Ogilvy
The Rolls-Royce ad – find the one detail that proves your big idea… then let a list of facts do the rest.
The Man in the Hathaway Shirt – sell the self-image first. Then back it up with real reasons why.
The Zippo lighter ad (credited to Ogilvy) – one true, specific story can prove your promise better than any claim.
Claude Hopkins
The father of direct response – and the author of Scientific Advertising.
The Van Camp’s milk ad – reason-why copy builds a case like a lawyer. Name the flaw, explain the mechanism, then do the math for the reader.
The Pepsodent “10-day test” ad – call your free trial a “test”, make the problem something the reader can feel, and give her a reason she can repeat.
John Caples, Victor Schwab and Maxwell Sackheim
“They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano” – a story with tension, a twist and a hero the reader becomes.
John Caples’ “To Men Who Want to Quit Work Some Day” – qualify with one word, get the reader nodding, make the deal concrete in numbers.
Victor Schwab’s “100 Good Advertising Headlines” – make your ad itself valuable. And steal the headline structures, not the wording.
Victor Schwab’s “How I Made $100,000 With a ‘Fool Idea'” – the fundamentals of persuasion never change. A 1929 ad still teaches you how to write a lead-gen page.
Maxwell Sackheim’s “Do You Make These Mistakes in English?” – a question + the word “these” + a quick demonstration = a headline people can’t ignore.
Mel Martin
Boardroom’s “Master of Fascinations”.
The “Book of Secrets” – same product, new angle. When the idea flops, rewrite the promise – not the product.
“Deeply and Irrevocably Personal” – when the product is boring, sell the secrets inside it. One fascination at a time.
“The Chef’s Secret Cook Book” – find the problem your reader can’t solve on her own… then hand her the missing secret.
John Carlton
“The most ripped-off copywriter alive.” (All of them on one page: John Carlton’s best sales letters.)
The 55-year-old golfer ad (Days 41 + 42) – qualify the reader, shock them with a contradiction, then kill every objection. And a flawed hero is more believable than a perfect one.
The “Free Gun” letter – grab people with something raw and emotional… then keep them with bullets, proof and objection handling.
The one-legged golfer ad – the best angle is often buried in your client’s stories. Dig until you find it.
“Naked Girls, Pudgy Guy & Badass Bikers” – a headline that makes people say “what the…” + a story told in pictures + an honest reason why.
“What Women Secretly Wish You Knew” – in an embarrassing market, handle privacy and money BEFORE the reader worries about them. Then let page-numbered fascinations do the selling.
“Are You Mad at Me?” – past customers don’t hate you. Life got in the way. Ask, be honest, and give them a reason to come back now.
Clayton Makepeace
Often called the highest-paid copywriter of his time – and the king of the health magalog. (All 6 on one page: Clayton Makepeace’s best promos.)
21 Bullet Secrets – a bullet’s number one job is to keep your prospect reading. That’s it.
“The 23-Cent Lifesaver” – story + dimensionalization + demonstration is a triple threat. And proof belongs next to every claim.
“Invest Without Fear” – make the content the bait. Sell the free reports and let the newsletter ride along.
“Sweet Indulgences” – don’t sell the sacrifice. Sell the thing they already want, then kill one objection on every page.
“Health & Healing” – a likable expert + real content + a free report as the hook. The content proves the product before the reader pays.
“Shameless Two-Faced SOBs” – name the enemy your reader already resents, back every claim with proof, then bury the reader in value.
Carline Anglade-Cole
Clayton Makepeace’s most famous mentee – and one of the top A-listers in health.
Carline Anglade-Cole’s “What Did It?” – sell one ingredient at a time, each one a new door in. Then give the reader reasons she can repeat to her family.
Joe Sugarman (and one of his students)
“Vision Breakthrough” – the BluBlocker ad – every line has one job. Get the next line read.
Frank Schultz’s “Fluke of Nature” grapefruit ad – you can’t out-shout the competition on a bland product. You out-STORY them.
Agora, Stansberry and The Motley Fool
Bill Bonner’s International Living letter – paint the dream so vividly that you don’t even need a headline.
The Stockman Letter – a proclamation lead – cold readers need a reason to stop… and a mountain of proof before they’ll believe a word.
“Not to alarm you…” – a scarcity lead – scarcity only works when there’s a real reason behind it.
The Apple 5G letter – a secret lead – a secret lead doesn’t give the secret away. It makes the reader NEED it.
Mike Palmer’s “The End of America” (Days 67 + 68) – the bigger the prediction, the more proof you need. 37 pages of argument, then a 2-page offer.
Stansberry’s “5 Magic Words” free silver letter – the bigger the claim, the more proof and objection handling you need… right away, paragraph after paragraph.
Evaldo Albuquerque’s “Eccentric Millionaire” – make the promise easy to picture (a single $100 bill), prove it with history, and give urgency a reason.
Agora’s “Cryptocurrency Wars” – an offer lead – an offer lead works on readers who already know the guru. But it still needs an anchor, proof and copy that’s easy to read.
The Oxford Club’s “Single Stock Retirement Play” – a secret lead – a secret lead never gives away the WHAT. It explains the why and the how, and backs every claim with proof.
Boardroom’s hidden stars
Parris Lampropoulos’ “Tax Hotline” letter – a scary, official-looking hook gets the letter read. Then fascinations do the selling.
Eric Betuel’s “Twelve Smiling Swindlers” – don’t manufacture fears. Find the belief your reader already has… and sell them relief from it.
David Deutsch’s “Encyclopedia of Estate Planning” – if the topic is boring, don’t sell the topic. Tell a story that makes the reader feel the risk.
David Deutsch’s “Super Healing Unlimited” – name the enemy your reader already believes in. Then let a wall of fascinations make the free look irresistible.
David Deutsch’s “Gin-Soaked Raisins” – if your ad reads like a magazine, people read it like a magazine. And every page is a new chance to hook someone.
Jim Rutz’s “Read This or Die” – give people something they WANT to read, and let the selling ride along inside the content.
Jim Rutz’s “Tax Hotline” – sometimes you just jump right in. A direct offer + real value + a wall of fascinations.
Kim Krause Schwalm’s “Tax Hotline” – give the reader real tips up front, and make every bullet on the cover sell a page, not the product.
Parris Lampropoulos’ “How Doctors Stay Well” – a great fascination can be your headline. Then bust a myth, open a loop and give away real steak on every page.
Arthur Johnson’s “Had Enough?” – research your reader until you can say what he’s sick of hearing, in his words. Then give him an enemy you both share.
Jim Rutz’s “Limo Larry and Champagne Cherie” – sell the identity behind the desire. These readers don’t just want to save money. They want to feel smarter than the Joneses.
Bill Jayme and Hank Burnett
Two legends of the classic direct mail letter.
Bill Jayme’s “Psychology Today” letter – get the reader to DO something. A quiz turns a passive reader into a participant – and participants buy.
Hank Burnett’s Admiral Byrd expedition letter – with affluent buyers, sell significance and bragging rights. And qualify hard, right up front.
More worth stealing from
Martin Conroy’s Wall Street Journal letter – a great hook can carry a letter for decades.
Aharon Grundman’s “Wall St. Couch Potato Wizards” – a great lead is a story with a promise inside it. And proof close behind.
Chris Haddad’s “Language of Lust” (Days 54 + 55) – in a jaded market, a story does what claims can’t. It turns a skeptical reader into a participant.
Ramit Sethi’s “Delegate and Done” – modern sales pages still win with the classic moves.
Ramit Sethi’s “How to Talk to Anybody” – a vulnerable story, three busted beliefs, then benefits before features. A page template you can steal.
Paleo Hacks’ “Paleo Eats” – a free + shipping page – with a direct offer, don’t beat around the bush. Put the deal up front, then kill the “what’s the catch?” objection.
Merrill Lynch’s “Personal Invitation” (1979) – know how your audience expects to be spoken to. Formal can sell, if you treat the reader like he matters.
Modern direct response
The old moves, still working online – sales pages, VSLs and one very unusual bank bag.
Taylor Welch’s “Productivity Pack” – a modern page still runs on the old skeleton. The hook and the story do the heavy lifting.
Patriot Power Greens – an offer lead needs REAL scarcity and a reason why for everything. Then seed the big bundle long before the order form.
Craig Clemens’ “Cat Food Revealed” VSL – teach first. Bust the myths one by one, then give a real reason why for the scarcity, the price and the bundle.
The Nerd Fitness coaching page – know your audience so well you can joke in their language. Then don’t forget the emotion.
Stefan Georgi’s “Stem Cell Restore” (Days 98 + 99) – a long page is a documentary, not a pitch. Build the case, reveal the product, then seed the bigger order with a real reason.
The CopyHour sales page (bonus) – when your mechanism sounds familiar, prove it from every angle. Then explain why people never actually do it.
Russell Brunson’s NFT letter (bonus) – mail to your best customers can be short, personal and full of personality, as long as it makes them feel special.
Beyond sales letters
Not every proven ad is a letter. These are a video ad, a TV infomercial, a stack of email subject lines, a long sales email, three short emails, a swipe file of Facebook ads, a headline swipe file, a pair of advertorials and 22 classic print ads.
The Poo-Pourri commercial – humor can sell a taboo product. As long as every joke is doing a job.
Billy Mays’ OxiClean infomercial – big promises are fine… as long as you SHOW the proof right after each one.
Email subject lines, critiqued – the best subject lines work like bullets: a benefit plus a curiosity gap.
BioTrust’s “Ageless Turmeric” email – in a saturated market, a secret lead and two unique mechanisms get skeptics reading.
50 Facebook ads that made millions, Part 1 – the ads people shared were valuable before anyone clicked.
50 Facebook ads that made millions, Part 2 – these ads would get you results. But the old masters’ bullets would crush them.
40 headline ideas from proven promotions – a headline has one job: get attention from the right reader. Fear, curiosity, revenge and a clear picture beat clever.
Agora’s advertorials, two examples – an advertorial is a sales letter’s front door. Proof before promise… and never pitch the product on the page.
3 email copywriting examples that sell – email is a relationship medium. Plain text, real voice, one idea, one link.
22 classic print ads that sold – know your market’s sophistication, make the ad useful, and give a reason to respond now.
The best sales letters by type of lead
The lead is the first few hundred words of a sales letter.
Get it wrong… and nobody reads the rest.
In their book Great Leads, Michael Masterson and John Forde sort leads into six types – from the most direct to the most indirect.
Here’s a real example of each (the full guide, with 20+ examples: the 6 types of leads in copywriting):
1. The offer lead – put the deal right up front, for readers who already want what you sell. Example: Bencivenga and Perry Marshall (and a modern free + shipping page, Jim Rutz’s “jump right in” Tax Hotline promo, and Agora’s crypto offer to a warm list)
2. The promise lead – open with the big benefit… then back it with so much proof the reader can’t wave it away. Example: Bencivenga and Victor Schwab (and John Carlton’s free-book promise)
3. The problem-solution lead – start with a problem the reader can’t solve on her own. Example: Mel Martin’s cookbook ad (and a modern sales page that uses it)
4. The secret lead – tease a secret the reader suddenly NEEDS to know. Example: The Motley Fool’s Apple 5G letter (and a supplement email that uses it, a “five magic words” silver letter, and a $3 stock nobody names)
5. The proclamation lead – a bold, scary statement or prediction that stops a cold reader in their tracks. Example: The Stockman Letter (and the most famous prediction lead of all, and a crypto promo that’s half secret, half prediction)
6. The story lead – a story the reader sees themselves in. Example: the Wall Street Journal letter (and one that reads like a thriller, one that makes estate planning exciting, one that starts with “Get away from me, you creep!”, and Halbert’s “Larry’s Way”)
Bonus: the scarcity lead isn’t one of the six… but it works great on a warm list. Here’s how The Motley Fool does it.
What the best sales letters have in common
Read enough of them and the same moves keep showing up.
They tap a desire that’s already there. Nobody creates demand. Halbert sold pride in your family name. Ogilvy sold peace and quiet.
They put proof right next to every promise. Testimonials, specifics, demonstrations. Never a claim standing on its own.
They’re specific. “The loudest noise comes from the electric clock” beats “a really quiet car” every single time.
They feel personal. One person writing to one person – not a company talking to “our valued customers”.
They make saying yes easy. A small first step, a fair price, a guarantee that takes the risk away.
None of this is new.
That’s the point.
The tools change. People don’t.
Best sales letters FAQ
What is the best sales letter of all time?
The one most people name is the Wall Street Journal’s “Two Young Men” letter by Martin Conroy – it’s said to have brought in around $2 billion. Copywriters often name Gary Halbert’s Coat of Arms letter too. (Personally? I think the WSJ letter is a bit overrated. Here’s why.)
Who is the greatest copywriter of all time?
There’s no official answer. The names that come up most are Gary Halbert, Gary Bencivenga, Eugene Schwartz, David Ogilvy and John Caples – and you’ll find all of them on this page.
What’s the best way to study a sales letter?
Read it once as a customer. Then read it again as a copywriter and ask why every line is there. Copy the best ones out by hand… and watch someone take them apart line by line. That’s what the breakdowns above are for.
What are the types of leads in a sales letter?
Offer, promise, problem-solution, secret, proclamation and story – the six types from Great Leads. There’s a real example of each in the section above – and a full guide to the 6 types of leads.
Where can I read the original sales letters?
All 100 of the letters I picked for this challenge are inside my Million Dollar Copywriting Swipe Library – marked up with my personal notes and comments.
Keep going
Want every breakdown in the order I published them? Here’s the full archive, newest first.
Want the original letters themselves – marked up with my personal notes and comments? They’re all inside my Million Dollar Copywriting Swipe Library. That’s less than a buck per annotated sales letter.
And if you want the “secret recipe” I kept finding in these letters – grab it here:
Free cheat sheet
Steal the “Secret Recipe” Behind the Most Profitable Sales Letters of All Time
The 7-part structure I kept finding in proven sales letters – plus a 26-point checklist that catches the holes in your copy before it goes live.
Send Me the Secret Recipe →-Csaba
