Pattern
Pattern Description
Exemplar Pieces
99-1 Pattern
This pattern was uncovered on July 20 2022 during a campfire session through an observation by William Song.
You use this pattern to focus the prospect's attention that there's a 1% chance that (s)he might get HUGE results from the category of your offer. 99% of people don't make it, but for the 1% that does, results are insane! This serves as anchor for the price of your offer, and to lower the client's expectations about getting results.
A+ Solution Pattern
Doing this is good for you AND is good for the greater good of everybody. It’s a slam dunk win-win-win. If the reader has any moral doubts about going ahead, this paragraph solves it.
Admitting The Flaw
This helps you to position yourself as sincere and honest.
Admit aspects that the reader may perceive as a problem. You can use this in relation to price, shock value and other attributes of the offering."
Agitate Pattern
Focuses on the problem and makes it grow using specificity and statistics.
Describe how the reader has tried everything but nothing works.
Alarmist Pattern
You could use a pattern like this in several different contexts.
“Your **insert client valuable here** is in more danger right time than at any time since **last catastrophe**”
Authority Client Trust Pattern
This is incredibly subtle and powerful. You can use it like Halbert in PS’s to push people who are still on the fence. ANYONE who reads a PS is interested, but still has a lingering doubt in their mind.
The way you do it is to address an authority (fake or real) in the text (i.e., "if you're a pro bodybuilder, if you're a doctor, if you have been trading for 10 years or more, etc.)
Authority Precision Pattern
This pattern builds two things:
- Authority (because the times aren’t generic)
- Curiosity and intrigue (the reader has to find out what’s special about these times)
Use precise numbers. This sustains the frames you set up, and build your authority and believability in the eyes of the reader.
Authority Quote Pattern
Leverage an authority and use their exact words to transfer their authority to you
Best Of All Worlds Pattern
While you wait for something incredibly amazing, you will experiencing something amazing.
Bikini Pattern
You show just enough to awaken interest but the reader really wants to see the rest. The prospect can go ahead and research the companies on his or her own, but visiting the website seems like a shortcut. Appeals to laziness and efficiency.
Biographical Authority Positioning
Leverage a character’s history to position him as an authority.
Bridge Pattern
Use this in conjunction with the Mystifying Pattern. After taking the reader into the unknown, rapidly begin building a bridge between the known and the unknown.
Celebrity Pattern
Leverage the power of celebrities for two main reasons:
- Celebrities have so much rapport with people that they have the power to influence them to buy — even though they aren’t authorities on pretty much any product.
- Mentioning them grabs attention and arouses curiosity.
Challenger Pattern
When you challenge the reader, you put the onus on them to succeed.
It’s a great frame for a sales message, because it sounds like it’s going to help you evaluate whether you’re suited for something you want.
Coin-A-Concept Pattern
"Turn the benefit into a “thing” and give it a name. Ex: “hidden money”
You create a concept, give it a name and attribute all the power of your approach to this concept. Everyone in your target market will want to find out what the heck it is. It exerts a very strong pull."
Counter-Intuitive Pattern
The Counter-Intuitive Pattern consists in offering a counter-intuitive yet incredibly compelling piece of information to the reader. If the reader accepts it as truth, you will have gained massive ground in taking ownership of their thought process regarding the subject at hand.
Crush The Alternatives Pattern
Similar to the "Crush The Competition" Pattern, except you don't crush competing products. You crush alternatives by making the reader feel stupid for even thinking of or using them.
For instance, in Blackjack, Halbert dismisses other gambling games by saying you need all kinds of luck to win them.
Crush The Competition Pattern
Lump the majority of competitors (“Most of the so-called ‘experts’ that you [...]”) into a single bag and detonate the credibility of that group.
You can also bring up a single feature of competitors’ solutions that instantly turns them into a hassle.
Disarm Pattern
Personal approach, offer benefit (tremendous upside potential), credibility (I, myself, have purchased shares…)
Distracting Problem Pattern
This is one of my favorite that Halbert uses. Here, he brings up a problem that very few prospects might think of. As such, it proves that EVERY SINGLE PROBLEM has been thought through. If you’re bringing up objections and problems that they’re not even thinking about, not only have you figured everything out, but you’re honest.
Disqualifying Pattern
Who is the offer NOT for. It fits right along with the Challenger Pattern he used in the headline.
"Do It Your Way" Pattern
Separate yourself from the competition by basically saying you have no stake in the reader’s decision to follow you or not. Encourage them to do it their way.
Of course, if you've laid out the argument for your mechanism well, YOUR way has now become their way.
Embedded Future Pace Suggestion
Start the pattern with “Would you like to try…” then insert the suggestion and close with the question mark.
Empathizing Transgression Pattern
This is incredibly powerful to build rapport with the reader. The character of the story shares that he made a decision and committed to a new behavior, but couldn’t hold the commitment.
For any market where change is involved, the target audience has generally been in this position.
Escalation Pattern
A classic Gary Halbert pattern. Escalate the benefits until you hit the summit.
When you tell a series of stories, go from the least to the most impressive.
When you present benefits, go from the least valuable to the most valuable.
Facts-Then-Consequences Pattern
Halbert presents facts that the reader probably doesn’t know and then derives the consequences for the reader of those facts. Very powerful to establish authority.
Fear Of Loss Hook
Definitely a great hook for an opener. People will definitely pay attention as this appeals to their fear of loss. This one is particularly good because it’s not sensationalist.
"You already have something and you might not benefit from it."
Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman Pattern
The authority figure isn’t inaccessible. Quite the opposite. He is already a part of your life, whether you already know it or not. You will run into him everywhere you go and refer everyone to him.
Framing Pattern
Use frames to preempt objections, demonstrating that a potential sticking point is actually a great advantage.
Use them also to future pace the reader’s feelings.
Gold Mine Pattern
There’s something that exists in your life right now that you’re not tapping into because you can’t see it.
Halbert Sting
After showing them the transformation, bring back the pain. Don't address the reader’s pain directly by saying “you.” Bring the pain back into their consciousness by addressing a character’s pain.
People don’t buy themselves into a good experience, they buy themselves out of a bad experience. This final reminder brings them back into reality after going through the fantasy of a better life after losing weight.""
Finish the message with a reminder of the pain and the problem. People are usually more motivated to get out of hell than to get into paradise.
Poke the reader with a challenge.
Head Start Pattern
You can use the term “head start” explicitly, but you don’t have to. The Head Start Pattern is used to leverage urgency into the message by appealing to the reader’s sense of competitiveness and significance. The idea is to demonstrate how acting now will put the reader in a special category or give him/her certain advantages over others.
Holographic Pattern
This is a meta-pattern. It means that you apply a pattern at two or more levels of a structure. He used the Mystifying Pattern and the Bridge Pattern in the frame of what he’s presenting. Now, he’s using these two patterns inside an individual element within the frame.
Hurdle Pattern
The Gold Mine Pattern always brings up a “this is too good to be true” reaction. It’s useful to temper it with a catch that you present explicitly.
"I Just Have To Know Why" Hook
The reader can’t help but to read just to find out why a particular detail of the hook is important or relevant. It’s odd and stands out.
"I'm A Local" Pattern
When you put together a local message, make sure you establish yourself locally. Plant yourself in the community. This goes a long way to establish trust and rapport with your prospects.
Impossible Pattern
Reader gets the benefit while doing something that would apparently prevent him or her from getting it
Induce Emotional Response
Subtly instruct the reader how to react to a problem, thorn or the competition by saying how YOU feel about it.
This will help you at a VERY SUBTLE LEVEL to crush the competition."
Insider Pattern
Demonstrates deep knowledge and authority over the subject matter. This tiny morsel of information is only known to insiders.
Instant Gratification Pattern
This pattern helps readers beat procrastination because they don’t have to sustain effort for a very long time. It’s very powerful if you’re able to include it in your sales message.
"It Works Even If You Fight It" Pattern
Use this pattern with “even if you refuse to diet”. In your offer, what could your clients do that would go completely against their interest? Is there a way you can leverage this in your message?
"It's OK, I Do It" Pattern
Open the gateway for his reader to feel OK about his dark desires because because you make it clear you indulge in them without any sense of guilt.
If you can use yourself as an example to show your prospect it’s OK to feel and want what (s)he feels and wants, it goes a long way to help them justify their purchase. It works very well for taboo subjects, like sex or wanting to be rich.
Legitimacy Pattern
This is very important after the Shocking Pattern. It shows that the shock wasn’t gratuitous, and it’s coming from a legitimate source. It eases the mind of the reader.
Light At The End Of The Tunnel Pattern
Show the hint of a solution in between agitation modules to give your prospect a breather.
Otherwise, (s)he might get turned off by the doom and gloom.
Magical Solution Pattern
It allows you to achieve the outcome you want without having to deal with any of the most common issues with existing solutions.
It works even if you have everything working against you.
McGuffin Pattern
In fiction, a McGuffin is a plot device in the form of some goal, desired object, or another motivator that the protagonist pursues, often with little or no narrative explanation. The McGuffin's importance to the plot is not the object itself, but rather its effect on the characters and their motivations.
It's a way of inducing curiosity for something that, ultimately, doesn't matter. It matters only insofar as it makes the reader want to read the ad.
Monolith Pattern
Distinguish yourself from potential competitors who want to meddle in obscure, marginal and even questionable approaches.
This instantly separates you from shady or scammy competitors and prevents the reader from having those thoughts in the first place.
Mystifying Pattern
Take the reader way over his/her head with science talk. It’s a quick punch. Not long. Just enough to jolt them and pull them into the unknown.
Newbie Pattern
Repositions the hurdle from “it’s risky” to “you don’t know what you’re doing.”
Now, there’s a real dynamic at play. There’s a gold mine. You can get to it safely. But… to get to it safely, you need to know what you’re doing. If you don’t, you need a very experienced guide.
"Not Your Fault" Pattern
Forgive the reader for their past failure because it's too hard, they weren't taught how to it, etc.
You can also dissociate the identity of the reader from the situation (s)he's living through right now (as in 600 Pounds).
Objection Destroyer Pattern
Use this kind of paragraph to address not only the objection that not only your prospect has, but also one that your prospect knows EVERYBODY HAS. Often, your prospect will have to defend a purchasing decision to a spouse or colleagues. Keep that in mind and make sure you cover that base.
It looks like this: "People keep saying that ***mechanism*** is bad/wrong/stupid/irresponsible. Maybe it is for most people. But not for ***authority***"
Offer Positioning
Give a plausible reason for the out-of-the-ordinary part of the offer (discount, free shipping, payment method, etc), preferably that’s part of a story.
"One-Two Punch" Pattern
State the principle in the first sentence and future pace with a sensory description in the second. This helps the reader translate the promise visually into his or her life.
Origin Story
Introduce a character and make the reader feel empathy for him. Additionally, when the reader is part of the target audience, (s)he puts him/herself in the character’s shoes, as they share these same feelings of discomfort, frustration and hopelessness.
Pacing The Reader
When you know that the reader might have some objections/questions, mirror the reader’s thinking as your own. This deepens rapport even more.
You can also describe your target audience in specific terms.
You can pace the audience's life experience or beliefs.
You can voice their internal dialogue.
You might use language that suggests "I'm just like you." (see Housewife letter)"
Pandora Box Pattern
Use vague language that leads the reader to ask him or herself questions and induces massive curiosity.
Pervasive Benefits
Not only will this solution improve the reader’s life in the area of the product, but it will permeate into every area of their life.
Pervasive Misery
Equating that problems in one area mean problems in the reader’s entire life
Remember: people buy themselves out of pain way more than they buy themselves into pleasure.
Piggy-Back Pattern
Name drop to build your authority
Name drop an authority and quote them praising or endorsing your product.
Power Bridge Pattern
This is a great way to bring up your biggest benefit. Transition from the opener into this using that language pattern.
“This place describes itself as **insert description here** and makes perhaps the most daring guarantee ever offered in **industry**:”
Then make your promise.
Powerful Proof Pattern
This is the kind of proof that validates a choice by singling it out.
It can also be the description of something that happened as a result of achieving the result, that could ONLY have happened by the result happening.
Preempting Objections
Address sticking points head on, and demonstrate how your offering is makes it easy to deal with the sticking point at hand.
Presupposition With Misdirection Pattern
Presuppose that the reader will try the product and then use misdirection to keep them from evaluating the purchase.
He sometimes also distracts his reader by making him/her think of the problems they will have to deal with once they achieve their ultimate goal.
Price Anchoring
Fix the mind of the reader on a particular price tag — usually high. When he makes his offer later on, it will seem like a bargain.
Promise + Story
Make a big promise in the headline and follow it by a story
Proof Patterns
Case studies
Celebrity mentions
Numbers
Prophetic Pattern
“I'm going to tell you some things about this *** insert topic *** that you probably never heard before.”
Qualifying Pattern
States specifically what this is for and what this isn’t for — which in turns selects the audience.
You can also outright state who it is for.
You can also mentions criteria or conditions that must be met for the engagement to make sense.
You can mention topics that you're attracted to or that embarasses you.
You can state the mindset the right prospect would have.
You can mention who you have worked with in a way that your target audience feels included.
Reality Destroyer Pattern
If your reader buys into this paragraph, (s)he will follow along through the entire message. Notice how he writes that she hardly ever wastes her time with the obvious (men). The reason is because they don’t know how to achieve the goal the reader wants to achieve. What’s written between the lines is that a man who learns what she knows will improve his sexual performance beyond expectation.
Reluctant Hero Pattern
The product is so good that you don't really want to sell it. Begins the process of getting the reader to believe that they need you more than she needs him/her.
Schlitz Pattern
The Schlitz pattern means describing in minute detail the step-by-step process you go through to deliver the promised result. Even if every single competitor does the same thing, it will seem that you are the only one doing it if you are the only one telling the story. This pattern was first used by Claude Hopkins when he developed advertising for Schlitz beer at the beginning of the 20th century, hence the name.
See-Saw Pattern
Offer something valuable, then pull it back, then offer another valuable, then pull it back. This pattern trains the reader to expect the pull-back so that they grab the offer before he pulls it back. It’s also very useful to keep engagement high.
"Second Best" Pattern
Give away something really valuable, and then say that it’s the second most valuable thing.
Can be used instead of the "That's Just" pattern.
Self-Confidence Inducer
"Gets the reader to think: “That’s it? I can do that…”
Describe the challenge/hurdle and then describe what they will get when they overcome it."
Self-Doubt Pattern
Leaves the reader to wonder whether (s)he is actually harming him/herself or others because of wrong advice. Self-doubt opens the mind to immediately find a solution.
Sensationalist Headline Hook
Secret to achieving a major interest of the market (making money) is held by an incongruous character (a nerd from Ohio) who is in a disadvantageous position (desperate). Not only does it turn up the curiosity, but it also generates the feeling of “if he can do it, I could do it too.”
Sensory Description
Always include little details in your stories. They give it texture and depth.
Describe processes step-by-step.
Set-Spike Pattern
Increase the impact of the delivery of this next section by contrasting it with the previous sections. Halbert sometimes does it by setting up what he does by describing what he DOESN'T do.
Show Them Hell Pattern
What does your target audience fear above all else? What’s the outcome they want to avoid at all costs? Pick the problem that you solve and show how that problem leads to these outcomes.
Social Proof
Demonstrate how other people think a certain way, use a certain product or make a certain choice.
Example: “Blackjack is the most popular of the casino games.”
Steve Jobs Pattern
Steve Jobs was a master of comparing his new products with things that his audience already knew. The original iPod was the size of a deck of cards. The iPod Nano was thinner than a pencil. The MacBook Air fit in a yellow envelope.
Most people have a notion that the NYSE is HUGE. Imagine a market 200 times that size.
Use this in conjunction with the Mystifying Pattern. After taking the reader into the unknown, rapidly begin building a bridge between the known and the unknown.
Targeted Tangible Benefit Pattern
It’s targeted because he inserts a specific geographic location. It’s tangible because he translates the conceptual benefit of improving eyesight into a concrete benefit of passing a driver’s license vision test without glasses.
Targeting Pattern
Mention who you have worked with in a way that your target audience feels included.
Testimonial Weave Pattern
Instead of just relaying testimonials, weave them into the story
"That's Just" Pattern
Make someone feel that (s)he’s getting access to an unbelievable opportunity. Demonstrate ALL the advantages and benefits. Then, reveal that this unbelievable opportunity was just a small slice of everything they will receive or experience. “That’s just the beginning” or “That’s just the first part” or “That’s just day one”. Tony Robbins uses this pattern often when selling his seminars. This pattern contributes to making the offer irresistible.
Thorn Pattern
Leading up to the Thorn Pattern, pace and lead the reader to reinforce and legitimize his/her desire for the heaven state. In the very last paragraph, introduce a problem/issue/obstacle. This problem is created by “so-called ‘experts’ — this makes them the enemy.
This creates an “Us Vs Them” dynamic, adds conflict in the story, and sets up the plot of what comes next.
Time and Effort Distortion
Make a laborious, time-sucking process sound like an objective, mechanical, step-by-step process that goes through like a breeze.
Tiny Fraction Pattern
Gets the reader thinking “If I can only make a tiny fraction of what this guy made… What do I need to know?”
Transition Pattern
You can use this for any offer.
After you present all the benefits, you follow with “All this is carefully explained/detailed/solved in **product name**.”
Trivia Pattern
Always include juicy tidbits in your sales messaging that makes your prospect feel “Hmmmm! Interesting! I didn’t know that! Wow!” This keeps them engaged and engrossed in your message.
Untapped Opportunity Pattern
What’s an opportunity your prospect would be able to tap into if only they used your solution?
Upsell Twist Pattern
"Whatever quantity you order, you must also pay an additional $5.95 in shipping..."
"Whatever plan you choose, you must pay the $100 setup fee..."
Us vs Them Pattern
Creates an enemy who acts against the reader's best interests and positions him as an ally.
Modeling student Javi Neire identified a sub-version of the Us vs Them as David vs Goliath.
Vengeance Hook
People will do more to get something back that’s been taken from them or that’s owed to them than they will to get something new.
"Why Would Anyone" Pattern
This is a fantastic pattern to address objections in the prospect’s mind. Why would anyone do this? Why would anyone pay that? Why would anyone want this? Why would anyone trust that? It paces the reader because it puts into words their exact thoughts.
“Are They Crazy?” is a different phrasing of this pattern. It’s equivalent to asking “Why Would Anyone Give Such A Discount?” This paces the question and suspicion in the mind of the prospect. You need to give them a plausible reason why — quickly.
Worst-Case-Scenario Pattern
If it worked for people who had it much tougher than you, don’t you think it would work for you as well?
"You're Missing Out" Pattern
The idea is to demonstrate the bonanza happening somewhere that the reader isn’t aware of. There’s so much plenty in that place that it’s even going to waste. Some of it could be yours…
You're One Of The Lucky Ones Pattern
Very few people have had access to this. You're about to become one of them.
Zeigarnik Effect
People remember and keep in mind uncompleted or interrupted tasks better than completed tasks. By starting a new “plot” element but not giving it full resolution, Gary Halbert opens a mental loop that the reader naturally wants to get closure on. The only way to do this is to keep reading. Also, it heightens and sharpens the reader’s attention, so it’s a great step to take before making an important sales argument.
Zero-Hassle Pattern
Every annoyance and hassle that the target market is fed up with is taken right out of the equation.
Take away the inconvenience of the work for your prospect. Another way Halbert uses this is comparing how clients are having a good time while others are slaving away."