'How to Win Friends and Influence People' has sold over 30M copies.
But years earlier, Dale Carnegie wrote a near-identical book… and it flopped.
The difference? A little-known copywriting framework from the greatest mail order copywriter of all time.
Steal this 👇
But years earlier, Dale Carnegie wrote a near-identical book… and it flopped.
The difference? A little-known copywriting framework from the greatest mail order copywriter of all time.
Steal this 👇
Dale Carnegie was a business and sales teacher in NYC.
In 1926, he wrote his first book:
‘Public Speaking: a Practical Course for Business Men.’
It was a dud. Carnegie took the L and went back to teaching.
In 1926, he wrote his first book:
‘Public Speaking: a Practical Course for Business Men.’
It was a dud. Carnegie took the L and went back to teaching.
Fast-forward a decade. Carnegie's classes are more popular than ever.
A Simon & Schuster employee takes the course and convinces Carnegie to write another book.
✨ Here's where the magic starts...
A Simon & Schuster employee takes the course and convinces Carnegie to write another book.
✨ Here's where the magic starts...
The publisher hired a young copywriter named Victor Schwab to promote the book.
AdAge would later call him "the greatest mail-order copywriter of all time." But in 1936, he was a nobody.
Yet Schwab had a brilliant insight...
AdAge would later call him "the greatest mail-order copywriter of all time." But in 1936, he was a nobody.
Yet Schwab had a brilliant insight...
Schwab knew the cover of a book was nothing more than an advertisement.
So he rewrote Carnegie's book title and all the chapter titles using his now-famous copywriting framework👇
So he rewrote Carnegie's book title and all the chapter titles using his now-famous copywriting framework👇
Victor Schwab's copywriting framework:
- Get Attention
- Show People an Advantage
- Prove It
- Persuade People to Grasp This Advantage
- Ask For Action
You can see each element on the cover of 'How to Win Friends:'
- Get Attention
- Show People an Advantage
- Prove It
- Persuade People to Grasp This Advantage
- Ask For Action
You can see each element on the cover of 'How to Win Friends:'
But Schwab didn't stop there.
He also wrote a full-page ad in the New York Times.
This ad sold more than 1 million copies of the book in 3 years.
It's a masterclass in copywriting. Read it carefully. Soak it in.
He also wrote a full-page ad in the New York Times.
This ad sold more than 1 million copies of the book in 3 years.
It's a masterclass in copywriting. Read it carefully. Soak it in.
The rest, as they say, is history.
'How to Win Friends' remains a best-seller after 86 years.
It was a favorite book of both Warren Buffett AND Charles Manson (talk about influence)
It created a new category: Self-help. But I prefer Carnegie's description as an 'Action Book.'
'How to Win Friends' remains a best-seller after 86 years.
It was a favorite book of both Warren Buffett AND Charles Manson (talk about influence)
It created a new category: Self-help. But I prefer Carnegie's description as an 'Action Book.'
As for Victor Schwab, he ended up buying the ad agency he worked at and renaming it after himself.
He pioneered the practice of split-testing ads with different titles, offers, and calls to action.
Schwab literally wrote the book on writing good ads:
He pioneered the practice of split-testing ads with different titles, offers, and calls to action.
Schwab literally wrote the book on writing good ads:
'How to Win Friends' would have probably flopped if not for Schwab's copywriting framework.
It's a powerful reminder:
Even the greatest works are doomed to fail without a little salesmanship.
It's a powerful reminder:
Even the greatest works are doomed to fail without a little salesmanship.
That's a wrap!
If you enjoyed this thread:
1. Follow me @BenjaminPutano for more advice on writing and book publishing.
2. RT the tweet below to share this thread with your audience👇
If you enjoyed this thread:
1. Follow me @BenjaminPutano for more advice on writing and book publishing.
2. RT the tweet below to share this thread with your audience👇
Writing is the most high-leverage skill for entrepreneurs today.
Read a free chapter 'Great Founders Write,' launching this summer:
greatfounderswrite.com
Read a free chapter 'Great Founders Write,' launching this summer:
greatfounderswrite.com
@TrungTPhan I think you'll like this story
Lots of people got rich off 'How to Win Friends.'
Leon Shimkin was the Simon & Schuster employee who discovered Carnegie. His bosses offered him a $25k bonus (~$500k today).
Instead, Shimkin asked for 1/3 of the company. Shuster went on to be the largest publisher in the US.
Leon Shimkin was the Simon & Schuster employee who discovered Carnegie. His bosses offered him a $25k bonus (~$500k today).
Instead, Shimkin asked for 1/3 of the company. Shuster went on to be the largest publisher in the US.
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