A belated gift from the copywriter even legends call "the best"

FHappy holidays. While I don't celebrate Christmas, I wish you good health with the company of your family.

Happy holidays. While I don't celebrate Christmas, I wish you good health with the company of your family.

And even though it’s a bit late for Christmas gifts, I do have one for you.

But you’ll have to keep reading to figure out what it is.

Anyway:

From reading my weekly emails, I hope one thing I've cemented in your minds is that the greatest copywriters in the world aren't broccoli-headed 20 year olds on TikTok.

The greatest copywriters to ever live and still living, are not pushing trendy AI tools and the “miracle” of AI slop. They're also not filming reels in their rented Lambos.

Most of them are dead. The ones still alive? They're old. In their 60s, 70s, even 80s.

And that's exactly why they're worth learning from.

See, there's a reason I wrote an entire series about pre-internet marketers like Ogilvy, Gary Halbert, and Eugene Schwartz. These guys built empires with nothing but words on paper. No funnels. No Facebook Ads. No automation.

No shortcuts.

Just direct response fundamentals that made them millions.

If you want to get better at this craft, you don't learn from the TikTok kids regurgitating ChatGPT prompts. You learn from the masters who proved their methods worked before the internet even existed.

That's why I recently bought Clayton Makepeace's Quick Start Copywriting System from the halbert site.

Most of you reading this won’t know who he is, I doubt even most copywriters have heard of him.

But I paid $1,500 for his entire course.

It was recommended to me by a pal of mine on X. A seasoned copywriter who’s been writing copywriting since ‘08-’09.

I’m talking about warrior forum days.

I would’ve been around 11 years old then.

And like you might’ve guessed, Makepeace passed out in 2025 from pneumonia at the young age of 68.

The dead always have stories to tell.

They leave legacies, mysteries, and lessons.

And I’m always on the hunt for great hard-to-find copy.

It’s almost a hobby of mine, to find a niche and high quality copy that others can’t get their hands on. It gives me an edge.

That's the thing about learning from the greats, they always have something to teach you.

Which brings me to Gary Bencivenga, a living legend.

If you don't know who he is, here's the short version: He's universally considered the world's greatest living copywriter, up there with Dan Kennedy and Matt Furey.

DR marketer Brian Kurtz calls him "America's best copywriter, the gold standard."

Gary Halbert, when he was a contemporary of Bencivenga said, "Many people think Gary Bencivenga is the best copywriter on earth. And, believe it or not, it's hard for even me to dispute that."

Copy wizard John Carlton said, "His controls are nearly impossible to beat."

This is the guy other A-list copywriters look up to. And these are just a few of the dozens of testimonies he has.

About a year ago, Gary did something he's never done before, he launched a free email list where he teaches his tips and ideas.

At a very high level, copywriters are typically known for something, a speciality or MO(modus operandi). Like Halbert with his stories(boron letters), Kennedy's true as an arrow (No BS style), Ogilvy's creativity(Hathaway Man with an eyepatch) and so on.

All high level copywriters have a distinctness about them, an “it” factor, a speciality.

And with Gary Bencivenga, his speciality is Bullets.

Bullets aren’t just a list, bullets (or fascinations) are short, punchy, benefit-driven phrases that grab attention, create curiosity, and persuade readers to keep reading by teasing valuable information or outcomes.

Bullets are literally the lifeblood of copywriting.

In other words:

The better you get at bullets, the better your headlines, hooks, calls-to-action, storytelling—everything.

Just like how I told you a few emails ago about Russell Brunson acquiring Dan Kennedy's list, I'm telling you now: If you're serious about copywriting, you need to be on Gary's list.

You stay subscribed to me because I'm on the bleeding edge with news, data, stories, and value. I don't gatekeep. I share what works.

And what works is learning from the best.

So here's your belated gift:

Go subscribe to Gary Bencivenga's email list. It's free. And it's taught by the man who's beaten every A-list copywriter in split tests for decades.

If you want to get better at this craft, really better, you learn from the masters and practice the craft of copy.

Not the TikTok kids. Not the AI bros. But the guys who built empires with nothing but typewriters, stamps and copywriting pillars.

That's where the real knowledge is.

Fathi

P.S. Next week I'm holding your feet to the fire with new years resolutions. Grow some thick skin by then.