The Final Gary Halbert Letter
Gary Halbert died today.
Very sad. He wasn’t old enough, whatever that means, but if you’re one of the lucky ones who had the pleasure of knowing him, you know he probably lived as much in one life as any three people put together.
Gary was a true original. The kind they mean when they say, “They broke the mold after they made him.”
Except Gary would never say, “They broke the mold after him,” because that’s a tired expression.
And when it came to coming up with new ways to express an idea, new ways to hit you between the eyes (old metaphor) with plain black and white text, there are few who could hold a candle (another one) to Gary.
Gary was one of the more purely creative people I’ve known. And smart. He just didn’t seem to think like other people. But he sure could relate to them with plain English.
For marketers everywhere, and especially for aspiring copywriters, Gary was a real inspiration.
One of the best things about him was that he gave away all of his old newsletters — many of them pure gems of wit, tips and ideas — on his web site The Gary Halbert Letter.
Though he called it “The Most Valuable Website on the Entire Internet!” — you didn’t even have to opt-in to read all of his old material.
By the way, many of us who teach internet marketing have always told people to read all Gary’s material and print out his old newsletters because you never knew if he might change his mind and take them down. After awhile, I believed he never would. Gary liked people reading his prose, and he made his living as a real, working copywriter. The old newsletters did more for his client development than any client meeting ever could.
I’m sure that whoever has control of Gary’s site will leave his material up — I’m pretty sure that’s the way Gary would want it. But you never know, maybe some hosting bill won’t get paid. If you don’t have all of Gary’s newsletters, and you’re serious about marketing, you should. TheGaryHalbertLetter.com
If you never had the pleasure of meeting him, sadly, you’ve missed your chance. But if you hang around those who knew him for long at all, you’ll hear enough Gary stories to make you feel like you knew him, too.
Gary always had the best stories.
Posted by Brad Fallon on Tuesday, April 10th, 2007 at 1:08 am 
Thanks Brad you have done Gary proud . How old was he ? I think that we need to be Rich in health as well as dollars. Just started the stomper course
Believe it or not, this will really come as good news to some.
Did not personally know Gary but read enough of his website to know that he was better than a “good” copywriter, he was a great copywriter. May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace amen.
I learned more from his free stuff than most courses I paid for. He’ll be missed.
Thanks for the update… i was always going to go to his next event. Wow, just goes to show you do it today…
I’m shocked! Gary was my mentor. For the past fifteen years I’ve made people millions of dollars by writing copy from what I learned from Gary. Does anyone know how he died?
As Gary Halbert’s First Officially-Trained One-on-One Copywriter, my condolensces go to his family and friends. His contribution to the Marketing Industry will last many lifetimes I am sure.
Very sad,
Very sad indeed,
Gary was an out and out character! Only spoke to him once and that was just hello,
what I do know him by were his outrageous copywriting success. Man-O-man, that man could sell. Will be missed for sure.
thanks for the update Brad,
blankets and throws
Brad you are right. those who having known him should read everything he produced.
I had the previlige of hanging out with Gary…At first when you meet him you say…is this the guy I’ve been staking my copywritting success on?
Because he was a regular guy, approachable and easy to talk to.
Most so called Guru, don’t make you feel that way. But Gary was the exception.
He always seem to be thinking of that new Idea or new spin on a question you’d ask him.
Case in point.
I spent an hour or so talking with him in phx., he was the most fun guy to talk with because most of what we talked about was generate stuff. But you sense that he was always thinking about what you said.
Because in the middle of our conversation
he asked me what’s new with my marketing…
I told him about a marketing Idea i had and he said interesting, that’s it…so I thought, then we continued our conversation
but during that time, I didn’t know that he was thinking of an “Elaquent Way” to tell me how I should go about the idea I mentined.
Then he sprung it on me. Wow! The detail, strategy he layed out, I wouldn’t have ever thought of doing it that way.
But that’s was the brillants he possessed.
You know what he didn’t charge me a thing to tell me that. As we who know of his work, he could demand upwards to $1000 plus per hour for his time.
Bu that simple idea lead to thousands of dollars being added to my bottom line. Sweet!
Strangly at the time he was living on a House boat and I thought that was cool.
This guy was a true free spirit…
He said at that time he only works when he runs out of money.
I guess he needed more money, but what I liked most was how raw and revealing he was when he liked you.
So…
I will miss not seeing him at events. But he work lives on. Anyone that hasn’t been touch by him can still do it through his work.
We’ll miss you Gary…:cry:
Well, some good people in this world ought to be remembered for a life time. Whatever Gary contributed, God bless him. I don’t know about this guy nor have I heard anything about him before. Thanks Brad for sharing this info to us.
Black Bible
Gary is definitely one of the best copywriter around. Read his stuff and really really like them. Sad to see him go.
Anxiety disorder cure
Will miss him.
Holiday Gift Baskets
So sad to hear! To know Gary was to either love him or hate him. I loved him.
His Hurricane Andrew Seminar was the most exciting seminar I ever attended. Most of the great marketering gurus of that era were there and it was a great pleasure to meet them. I have subsequently had some wonderful relations with several of them
Gary was about my age, 68. Carl Galletti awarded me the Gary Halbert “look alike” award at that seminar after I bought Ted Nicholas’s Secret for $1500 (I think).
I once visited Gary in his Key West home back when he was still with Pauline. He had an old Rolls Royce up on chocks in front of his house. I was there as a client. But, Gary was having anxiety problems and we spent a lot of the two days with me helping him with that since I too had suffered similar problems.
Gary hated multi-level schemes of any kind. I always thought that was kind of strange for someone whose marketing often bordered on being a “con job”. I haven’t seen Gary in the last few years and was looking forward to telling him about my new VPMSells technique for selling products over the Internet. It’s kind of a supercharged viral marketing technique. It would no doubt have stimulated a heated debate. Gary was always up for that and was a lot of fun.
He was a brilliant communicator. At one Las Vegal seminar his humorous and brilliant presentation created a stampede to the back of the room to purchase an audio cassette tape on Internet marketing back in the very early days when he was hooked up with Mike Enlow. It turns out he was sick at the time, but still brought down the house. I pitied the speaker who followed him.
I was a “lifer” for his newsletter. You are wise in recommending people to read his old newletters. They contain a lot of wisdom and great ideas. Plus, they are a good model for copywriting ideas and techniques.
All of his old friends will surely miss the old Scumbag, Sir Gary of Halbert
Brilliant copy writer. I’ve seen his stuff for a couple years now, and his insight in newsletters is awesome.
Sad to see him pass…
Bay Area Painting Contractor
I have a petition to everyone posting after I did.
We’re here to honor Gary C. Halbert “The Prince of Print”. The person who gave us his best and in most cases for free.
Also to give our most sincere condolences to his family.
So please, make sure our tribute goes without signature link.
Gary, I’m sure The Lord will have you next to him.
R I P-Gary C. Halbert
George
Very sad, I didn’t know him but my heart goes out to his family and friends and mentees, etc…
Infertility Journey
I’m really trying to check his stuff out. Thanks for letting us know his work lives on!
Jewelry Gifts for Her
Gary was definitely one of the best copywriters around that I had heard of. So sorry for his family – sad to see him go.
I was watching the Stompernet Live Videos a couple of days back. Noticed that Ed Dale dedicated his Keynote Presentation to Gary Halbert. He has so many followers among the internet marketers. He will be remembered.
Directory Submission
I was deeply sadden when i heard that Gary had died, i just came back from a funneral of another friend.
Even though i been reading The Gary Halbert letter for the last 4 years. I looked forward to reading his genius insights. I liked his story about rowing down the Mississippi River, it dosn’t matter how efficently you paddle your never reach your destintaion if your on the wrong river.
farewell
Rowan