Forgotten classics, shared & explained:

Over the years, I’ve read and studied many classic direct-response letters and long-form ads.

And if I liked the copy enough, I’d transcribe it by hand (an exercise called “copyworking”).

About 20% of the letters I copyworked are “famous” — written by well-known copywriters any student of the craft would recognize.

The rest are relatively unknown... but they’re still great letters — highly crafted “controls” that pulled an awesome response for multiple seasons or years.

Moving forward, I’ll be curating my favorite classic letters and ads inside VGC Plus.

I’m calling this “The Lost Letters” series because while valuable, this copy is all but forgotten.

My hope is that you read each one, then take ~20 minutes to copywork it yourself. If you do this on a regular basis, your copywriting — and thinking — will improve.

You’ll pick up on the pacing and tone, the word choice, the urgency and scarcity plays, the spacing and punctuation, the emotional appeals.

Slowly, surely, you’ll internalize the language and tropes of direct response copywriting.

For example:

Below is the 7-step success formula behind one of the longest-running sales letters ever 👇

In copywriting, a “control” is the version of an ad that repeatedly pulls the best response rate. Every conversion copywriter has one job: beat the current control.

And it usually happens. Eventually, almost all controls cycle out. But some, very few, persevere — and these are the ads you want to read, study, and transcribe by hand.

One such ad is by Bob Stone. He wrote a direct-mail letter (see below) that went unbeaten for over 35 YEARS. It survived literally 100s of tests. Incredibly rare.

And the secret behind this masterpiece?

This 7-step formula called “Bob Stone’s Gem” (named after its creator):

1. Single strongest benefit
2. More about the benefit
3. What the prospect gets if they act
4. Proof
5. What the prospect loses if they don’t act
6. Summary
7. CTA

Back then, Stone used it to write a letter, old school. But you can use it today to create digital ads: landing pages, emails, pitch decks. It still works (and always will) because our psychology is constant.

And now it’s yours to read, study, transcribe — and use. :)

Want access to more Lost Letters?

Unlock every single one, instantly, inside VGC Plus.