Hypnotic Writing: How to Seduce and Persuade Customers with Only Your Words [Paperback]

Joe Vitale (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 22, 2006

Discover the secrets of written persuasion!

"The principles of hypnosis, when applied to copywriting, add a new spin to selling. Joe Vitale has taken hypnotic words to set the perfect sales environment and then shows us how to use those words to motivate a prospect to take the action you want. This is truly a new and effective approach to copywriting, which I strongly recommend you learn. It's pure genius."
-Joseph Sugarman, author of Triggers

"I've read countless book on persuasion, but none come close to this one in showing you exactly how to put your readers into a buying trance that makes whatever you are offering them irresistible."
-David Garfinkel, author of Advertising Headlines That Make You Rich

"I am a huge fan of Vitale and his books, and Hypnotic Writing (first published more than twenty years ago), is my absolute favorite. Updated with additional text and fresh examples, especially from e-mail writing, Joe's specialty, Hypnotic Writing is the most important book on copywriting (yes, that's really what it is about) to be published in this century. Read it. It will make you a better copywriter, period."
-Bob Bly, copywriter and author of The Copywriter's Handbook

"I couldn't put this book down. It's eye opening and filled with genuinely new stuff about writing and persuading better. And it communicates it brilliantly and teaches it brilliantly-exemplifying the techniques by the writing of the book itself as you go along."
-David Deutsch, author of Think Inside the Box, www.thinkinginside.com

"Hypnotic Writing is packed with so much great information it's hard to know where to start. The insights, strategies, and tactics in the book are easy to apply yet deliver one heck of a punch. And in case there's any question how to apply them, the before-and-after case studies drive the points home like nothing else can. Hypnotic Writing is not just about hypnotic writing. It is hypnotic writing. On the count of three, you're going to love it. Just watch and see."
-Blair Warren, author of The Forbidden Keys to Persuasion

Editorial Reviews

Review

"…[gives] a huge amount of useful advice and ideas…lots of valuable references too…" (Professional Marketing, June 2007)

From the Back Cover

Discover the secrets of written persuasion!

"The principles of hypnosis, when applied to copywriting, add a new spin to selling. Joe Vitale has taken hypnotic words to set the perfect sales environment and then shows us how to use those words to motivate a prospect to take the action you want. This is truly a new and effective approach to copywriting, which I strongly recommend you learn. It's pure genius."
—Joseph Sugarman, author of Triggers

"I've read countless book on persuasion, but none come close to this one in showing you exactly how to put your readers into a buying trance that makes whatever you are offering them irresistible."
—David Garfinkel, author of Advertising Headlines That Make You Rich

"I am a huge fan of Vitale and his books, and Hypnotic Writing (first published more than twenty years ago), is my absolute favorite. Updated with additional text and fresh examples, especially from e-mail writing, Joe's specialty, Hypnotic Writing is the most important book on copywriting (yes, that's really what it is about) to be published in this century. Read it. It will make you a better copywriter, period."
—Bob Bly, copywriter and author of The Copywriter's Handbook

"I couldn't put this book down. It's eye opening and filled with genuinely new stuff about writing and persuading better. And it communicates it brilliantly and teaches it brilliantly—exemplifying the techniques by the writing of the book itself as you go along."
—David Deutsch, author of Think Inside the Box, www.thinkinginside.com

"Hypnotic Writing is packed with so much great information it's hard to know where to start. The insights, strategies, and tactics in the book are easy to apply yet deliver one heck of a punch. And in case there's any question how to apply them, the before-and-after case studies drive the points home like nothing else can. Hypnotic Writing is not just about hypnotic writing. It is hypnotic writing. On the count of three, you're going to love it. Just watch and see."
—Blair Warren, author of The Forbidden Keys to Persuasion

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (December 22, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470009799
• ISBN-13: 978-0470009796
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #149,738 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #65 in Books > Business & Investing > Marketing & Sales > Marketing > Direct

More About the Author

Joe Vitale is President of Hypnotic Marketing, Inc., a marketing consulting firm. He has been called the "The Buddha of the Internet" for his combination of spirituality and marketing acumen. His professional clients include the Red Cross, PBS, Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, and many other small and large businesses. His other books include The Attractor Factor, There's a Customer Born Every Minute, and Life's Missing Instruction Manual, all from Wiley. He is also one of the stars of the hit movie The Secret.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

272 of 290 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Core with Sleazy Filler, March 14, 2007

By 

Samuel Smith "Sammy" (Toronto, ON Canada) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hypnotic Writing: How to Seduce and Persuade Customers with Only Your Words (Paperback)

I tried to come up with another title then "Great Core with Sleazy Filler" but couldn't. It nails this book perfectly.

There are great writing and composition tips. And the book reflects its message by using its own techniques. I can see the value of this, and can see that doing so would over-reach the natural tone of such a book. However, it's all the get-rich-quick, and over-the-top usage of "I've never told this secret to anyone before" types of manipulation that really disappoint. There are also claims with regards to hypnosis and psychology that are presented as "beyond doubt" and "proven" which are tenuous and no where near being such.

Near the end of the book Joe describes his mailing list, and how profitable it is, and then lists some emails he's sent to it. It felt like he had a cult of followers who are the same people who buy the "Get Rich in 15 Minutes a Day" programs (which sums up lots of his example sales copy in the book) and believe positive thinking and prosperity theologies are all that are need to succeed (usually described as get rich). Overall, Joe continually steps over my ethical lines of clarity and honesty.

Joe references Master Mind groups, which is a a Pseudo-Christian prosperity theology (New Though, Christian Science, etc.) and continually promotes his "The Attractor Factor" book. While the power of goal setting and visualization are undeniable, lets not forget about focus and work.

If you think you'll get more of the worlds limited resources because you sit in a circle and hold hands and wish for a larger house, then this book is definitely for you. Or go to his web site to find endorsements for products like "How to Get Lots of Money For Anything Fast!"

If you want to get some excellent writing and marketing tips, and can ignore the sleaze and tone done the excesses in your own writing, then this book is great as well.

The other strange thing is the reviewers. If you dig around, you'll find that they all seem to know each other, cross review, and peddle the same low-brow wealth creation or similar products. I actually discovered this book while looking at "Think Two Products Ahead", a book with over the top promotion on the Amazon page.

My final thoughts on the books content are on the marketing concepts in this book. This book tries to sell, whereas most modern marketing theory talks about an over-communicated marketplace where people don't trust advertising and explicit attempts to make you buy. "Guerrilla Marketing", "Positioning", and "The Fall of Advertising and Rise of P.R" all talk to this nicely. But this ignores market segmentation. There is a segment of the market you can sell directly too. If you come up with a simple message, blast it to millions of people, some will buy. But you will not get word-of-mouth marketing and a growing position in the market. So, if that is not your market, focus on the writing tips, and tone down the excess and apply within your own marketing framework.

It's been a while since a book has made me feel this conflicted. I'm giving it a three, since it's good writing material. I don't regret buying it, and it did improve my own copywriting- but in the context of my broader marketing experience.

85 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A book to sell other books, February 22, 2007

By 

F. J. Caceres (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hypnotic Writing: How to Seduce and Persuade Customers with Only Your Words (Paperback)

On almost every chapter of this book the author just scratches the surface on interesting subjects and will reference other books instead of completing and going deeper into the subject himself. I didn't give a lonely star is because I did find some little bits of information. By the title you would think that it's a book to have; not so. If you can browse it, don't buy it.

57 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars hypnotically horrible, February 17, 2008

By 

Tamela A. Buhrke "Tamela Burhke" (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hypnotic Writing: How to Seduce and Persuade Customers with Only Your Words (Paperback)

The book should be entitled "All sales and no substance." This author keeps stringing the writer through a series of chapters, each saying that he is about to let you in on his secret, but instead he merely tells you more about his ebooks for sale online. His sales approach is not even very good. More like cheap and trashy. I've taken a few courses on hypnosis and can be hypnotized at the drop of a hat, but he couldn't hook me. I just found myself getting more and more annoyed. There are much better books out there. Don't waste your time or money.