Gary Halbert’s Copywriting Secrets: Why They Still Matter Today
Listen, if you’re in copywriting, you’ve probably heard of Gary Halbert.
He’s one of those legends that everyone keeps talking about.
But the thing is, people throw around names all the time. “Oh, Gary this, Gary that.”
But most haven’t really sat down and studied his stuff.
And when I say “studied,” I mean getting into the gritty details—like, do you actually know what made his copy tick?
What he did differently that made his letters convert like crazy?
Let’s Talk About Those Letters
Gary Halbert’s famous "Boron Letters." If you haven’t read them, stop what you’re doing and grab them.
They’re that good.
Here’s the deal—these letters were written from prison (yes, you read that right), and they’re still pure gold.
They reveal exactly how Halbert thought about sales, persuasion, and customer psychology.
He didn’t just focus on getting attention; he honed in on the core—the pain points and desires of his audience.
And he had this brutal simplicity in his writing.
Each line served a purpose, each word pulled weight.
No fluff.
Only raw, targeted language designed to pull readers in.
The AIDA Formula — Halbert’s Way
You’ve probably heard of AIDA—Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.
It's a framework that's almost copywriting 101 at this point.
But Halbert didn’t just use AIDA; he wielded it like a weapon.
He’d start with these hard-hitting headlines that grabbed attention instantly.
And then, he’d build interest not by rambling but by cutting right to the chase—why this product matters to you right now.
He was all about focusing on the reader’s needs, not his own agenda.
For Halbert, the reader’s world was everything.
Every sentence was designed to make the reader feel understood, sometimes more than they even understood themselves.
The “Find a Starving Crowd” Principle
If there’s one thing Halbert preached, it was this: you can have the best product, but if you don’t have the right audience, you’re done.
He believed in finding “starving crowds”—those markets so desperate for a solution that they’d bite at the first thing that promises relief.
Take it from him: market research is not optional.
He’d dig deep into every audience, uncovering layers of wants, needs, and desperation that most marketers miss entirely.
This wasn’t some “optional” step.
It was the foundation of his strategy.
Simplicity Is King
Let’s be real—too many copywriters get caught up in fancy language.
But Halbert was a master of keeping things so simple you almost feel it’s too simple.
But that’s why it worked.
He knew that people don’t want to think;
They just want to know: Does this solve my problem?
And he’d hit them with that clarity like a brick.
Want proof? Check out his “Coat of Arms” ad—it’s ridiculously straightforward, no fancy language, no metaphors.
And yet, it was a massive success, pulling in millions.
Metrics and Testing—It’s Not All Gut Feeling
People often think Halbert just had some magical instinct for good copy.
But let me tell you, he tested everything.
He didn’t just “think” a headline would work; he ran tests to prove it.
He’d split test, check response rates, and tweak every little detail until he got results.
Every little change mattered.
In one famous example, he increased response rates by simply rewording a headline.
Halbert was an absolute data fiend when it came to testing his copy’s effectiveness.
Why It All Still Works Today
Now, you might think, “Yeah, that’s old-school stuff. Things are different now.”
Well, here’s the thing: they’re not.
Direct-response copywriting has evolved, sure, but people’s psychological triggers haven’t changed.
Gary’s secrets are still powerful because they speak to universal human needs.
That hunger for connection?
It’s still there.
The desire to feel understood?
Still there.
And people still want clarity over cleverness, every single time.
Learn from the Best
If you’re serious about copywriting, don’t just brush over Halbert’s work.
Study it.
Understand how he got inside people’s heads, what his ads were really saying between the lines, and how he turned curiosity into action.
Gary Halbert’s approach isn’t just a set of rules; it’s a way of thinking.
And once you get that mindset, you’ll see why his legacy still dominates the field today.
