The Official Website of Freelance Direct Mail Copywriter Josh C. Manheimer

Direct Mail Copywriter. Direct Response Copywriter. Conversion Copywriter. Performance Messaging Strategist. Whatever you call me …

I’m the guy who writes the

thing that drives people

crazy for your stuff.

Old School Direct Mail Copywriter Featured In MILLION DOLLAR MAILINGS, WHO’S MAILING WHAT, INSIDE DIRECT MAIL, and THE WORLD’S GREATEST DIRECT MAIL SALES LETTERS.

Worst case? You get a free audit. Best case? Check it out.
You get the best conversion copy in the history of your company.

Perhaps you’ve heard of my clients?

Trusted brands driven by performance.

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More Clients ...

JOSH'S LEGENDARY

DIRECT MAIL COPY

More Legendary Winners ...

The Most Successful Direct Mail in Meredith's History!

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"Your More direct mail package indexed 200, doubling response. That doesn’t happen too often in magazine history and is the first time it's happened at Meredith."

Ellen de Lathouder
VP Creative Services
Meredith Corporation

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The Most Successful Direct Mail in Rodale's History!

LEGENDARY-CONTROL-RODALE-EVERYDAY-HEALTH-HINTS-DIRECT-MAIL-JCMANHEIMER-COPYWRITER

"TRIGGER now tops our winner's list as the BEST-EVER direct mail for Rodale books with results 2 to 1 over the standard! Response was so high, we had to change the print run."

Kathi Ramsdell
Promotion Manager
Rodale Press

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Historic Break-Through for Time-Life!

HISTORIC-DIRECT-MAIL-CONTROL-GOOSEBERRY-PATCH-COPYWRITER-JCMANHEIMER

"Your copy is making Oxmoor House direct mail history! It pulled an unbelievable response - so much so that we canceled our creative test for the next mailing, thinking it would be wasted money!"

Julie Doll
Promotion Manager
OxMoor House

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Josh Manheimer has not only created some of the most successful campaigns in the history of performance marketing, but his old school, hand-crafted copy often sticks around for years.

Josh has an 11-year membership acquisition control for The National Fire Protection Association which won a MAXII Award -- the judges said it was "one of the great achievements in direct marketing history." He has a 10-year circulation control for F&W's Writer’s Digest. His circ control for Southern Living hung around for eight years. And his audience development kit was a 5-year winner for the erudite, NY Review of Books.

THE #1 DIRECT RESPONSE TIP THAT YOUR MUST MEMORIZE:

For your direct mail promotion to work, all three legs of your stool must be in place.

1. A compelling offer.

2. Qualified buyers.

3. Clear Creative

Absent any one and you’ll get bupkis.

Send a great offer for your new bamboo fishing rod to people whose only interest in fishing is the Lunch Special at the Bonefish Grill, your response will be dreadful.

Send a tepid offer of your fishing pole to people who are qualified—they’d rather stand in a stream than stand in line at the ballet—you’ll still get yawns.

Compelling offer to qualified buyers. There are no other choices.

There’s one more way to screw up.

The third leg. Your message has to be clear. If you bury it in 9 point type, reversed out, in sea foam … not good. That’s why God created direct response designers.

The other day I read this from one of the geniuses over at Joanna Wiebe’s shop, CopyHackers. His name is Samual J. Woods. He wrote …

“Even though your funnel exists on ads, emails, articles, landing pages, sales pages, video, webinars, or VSLs, you’re funnel doesn’t convert because of the Mechanics. Your funnel converts because of who it’s for (your Perfect Profile), what you’re offering (the Irresistible Offer), and how you communicate everything (your various Messages). And your Messages determine the Mechanics.”

Sound familiar?

He’s talking about the stool. You gotta have all three legs.

Qualified Buyers. Irresistible Offer. Clear Messaging

So if you find yourself scratching your head wondering what went wrong, chances are you either sent something smart to the wrong people, or you sent something stupid to the right ones.

Josh's Capabilities

What Can I Create For You?

LIFETIME-MEMBERSHIP-DIRECT-MAIL-CONTROL-JCMANHEIMER-COPYWRITER

LIFE TIME MEMBERSHIP OFFER

HEALTHCARE-STARTUP-METROHOMEMD-WEBSITE

HEALTHCARE START-UP

SUBSCRIPTION EMAIL

NATALIA-ALONSO-DANCE-MAGAZINE

EARNED MEDIA

SOLAR ENERGY POSTCARD

NON-PROFIT WEBSITE

B2B POSITIONING

AFFINITY-LIFE-INSURANCE-COPYWRITER

LIFE INSURANCE

CBD MAGALOG

HOSPITAL STAFF RECRUITMENT

CIRCULATION CAROUSELS

AAA-AIR-AMBULANCE-RESCUE

AFFINITY AIR AMBULANCE

B2B AGENCY POSTCARD

DANBURY-MINT-DIRECT-MAIL

COLLECTIBLES

B2B HEALTH PRINT AD

MUSEUM MEMBERSHIP

VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS

MEDICARE TV SPOT

LOW COST MEDICARE CADENCE

HOME MORTGAGE

SKILL BUILDING EMAIL

B2B HEALTH BLOG POST

FEATURE FILM SCRIPT

STUDENT LOANS

TAKATA-AIRBAG-AUTO-RECALL-DIRECT-MAIL

AUTO RECALL

D2C AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

APP

B2B EMAIL

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MEDICARE CADENCE

MEMBER ACQUISITION

NEJM MEDICAL CME CREDITS

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WINE CONTINUITY

AFFINITY CREDIT CARD

D2C ADVERTORIAL

CME TRAINING

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

DISCOVER-PERSONAL-LOANS-DIRECT-MAIL-JCMANHEIMER

PERSONAL LOANS

DISABILITY INSURANCE

ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE

* FOR THE MEDICARE MARKETER IN YOU: If you'd like to test a fresh round of cost efficient, direct mail, Medicare cadences to keep your response rates up and your acquisition costs down ... ...

* FOR THE START-UP FOUNDER IN YOU: If you suspect your offer could be more compelling, your value prop more clear, your features and benefits more inspiring ... ...

* FOR THE PERFORMANCE MARKETER IN YOU: If your emails aren't opening, your VSLs aren't hooking (in the first 3 seconds), your landers aren’t landing the order ... ...

* FOR THE CONVERSION COPYWRITER IN YOU: If you need to run circles around Chatty and Claude with hand-crafted, quirky copy that has human fingerprints all over it ... ...

* FOR THE PUBLICIST IN YOU: If you need to attract earned media with gripping PR pitches to help launch your new adventure ...

* FOR THE DIRECT MARKETER IN YOU: If you know testing fresh creative by the best copywriters in the world is the fastest way to jump start your response rates ... ...

* FOR THE GROWTH MARKETER IN YOU: I have the chops to hand-craft for you powerful, nuanced, conversion copy that is compelling AND compliant — from soup to nuts — without drama …

josh@jcmanheimer.com WHOOOSHES into my farmhouse ... around the crock pot ... between the Basset Hounds ... and onto on my desk like the pneumatic tube at your bank’s drive-thru.

* FOR THE DIRECT MAIL MARKETER IN YOU: If your printing and postage budget will cost more than the GDP of a small nation because you're rolling out to every household in the country ... ...

“One way to intrigue is with teaser copy on the outer envelope that is so wildly interruptive and outrageous, you simply must find out what’s going on inside. This is the technique used by Josh Manheimer for Art & Antiques.” —Denison Hatch, Who’s Mailing What!

Dennis Hatch Study

Performance Creative

Strategist

Transform Your Brilliant Vision Into a Dynamic Message Your Market Can’t Ignore.

I tag team with growth marketers, founders, artists, agencies, mad scientists … and help articulate what makes your feverish vision unique.

Clearly and compellingly.

So folks stop. Nod their heads. And shout, “Count me in!”

For the VISIONARY in you

For the START-UP FOUNDER in you

For the PUBLISHER in you

Case-Study-Rodale-Legendary-Control-JCManheimer-Copywriter WHO KNEW? ... my direct mail package for EVERYDAY HEALTH HINTS would be the most successful sales letter in Rodale’s history. There was a time when Rodale Press hired the best direct response copywriters in the world. So when Rodale’s Marketing Director, Kathi Ramsdell, summoned me to Emmaus to discuss launching a new book about alternative healing, I jumped at the chance. “Your copy now tops our winner’s list as the BEST-EVER direct mail package for Rodale books with results 2 to 1 over the standard! In fact, response was so high, we had to change the print run.” Kathi Ramsdell, Rodale Product Manager FEATURED IN MILLION DOLLAR MAILINGS The art and science of creating money-making direct mail — revealed by more than 100 direct marketing superstars who wrote the best, and produced the most powerful mailings of the past decade.

MASTER THE ART OF WRITTEN PERSUASION

Welcome to Josh's

DMU

Direct Mail University

Need inspiration? Thumb through my legendary direct mail campaigns and learn how I beat controls.

"The Improvement in p(1) net subs was a whopping 45% !"

Chris Salem

PUBLISHING DIRECT MAIL PUBLISHING DIRECT MAIL
Start-Up Direct Mail Start-Up Direct Mail
Financial Direct Mail Financial Direct Mail
Insurance Direct Mail Insurance Direct Mail
Healthcare Performance Creative Healthcare Performance Creative
Membership Direct Mail Membership Direct Mail
Non-Profit Direct Mail Non-Profit Direct Mail
Everything Else Direct Mail Everything Else Direct Mail
Special Interest Direct Mail Special Interest Direct Mail
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
MORE DIRECT MAIL WINNERS ...

before josh

Life is lonely.

after josh

"We were astonished when your copy pulled 72% better. I had not thought such an increase was possible."

Rob Dubin, Publisher, Sailing Quarerly

“Josh, I’ve used your letter with our current donors and… this is the best response rate we’ve received!”

Rob Benn-Frenette

Executive Director

BullyingCanada

“The more aggressive version of the letter (yours) did better. No surprises there. But what WAS surprising is that it outperformed my version by nearly 50 basis points. Not bad for a 1st campaign!

A.C.

Marketing Director

Dealstruck

Thought Leadership

You'll find Josh's copy in MILLION DOLLAR MAILINGS, WHO'S MAILING WHAT, INSIDE DIRECT MAIL, and THE WORLD'S GREATEST DIRECT MAIL SALES LETTERS.
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"Not sure if anyone’s mailing these days. And I’m really not sure anyone’s posting 10% response rates. Anyone, that is, but MaryJanesFarm!" Greg King Senior V.P. Circulation Belvoir

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John Carlton, Clayton Makepeace, Dan Kennedy, Joanna Wiebe … (huh?) Josh Manheimer?

COPY
MENTOR
I bought John Carlton’s Kiss Ass Copywriting course way back in 2003 for $1,495.
I bought AWAI’s course in 2005 for $495. I then bought AWAI’s Master Program for $795.
I bought Clayton Makepeace’s Quick Start Copywriting course for $795 (now it’s $1,295.
I went to Titans of Direct Response event several years ago, and spent a small fortune to be there … and the DVD’s to the event still sell for $2,000 even today
I was Dan Kennedy’s NO BS Adviser to Birmingham, AL … which cost me $14,000.
None of this includes every possible copywriting resource I have on hand, both analog and digital.
"My point, Josh, is that of all the resources I have on hand … dude … I constantly find myself bypassing all of them for your work. That, in my mind, is pretty remarkable."
—Aaron Crocker, expert direct response copywriter

" If you want to witness brilliance... "

…go to Josh’s website and read every single word of every single page. Then save the pages to your computer and repeat the exercise again next week. Then the week after. Continue doing this week after week. In just a few months of this routine, you’ll have gained more copywriting insight than sitting down with Gene Schwartz himself. That Josh dude is a monster. And there’s a ton you can pick up from his samples on his website.” —K.G.

"The best storytelling copywriter in America …"

"I am NOT the greatest storytelling copywriter in America. That title belongs to … Josh Manheimer. This guy doesn’t just beat controls, he bludgeons them to death with 100%, 200%, even 300% victories." Richard Armstrong (probably the best storytelling copywriter in America)

"Thank you for forcing us to think differently"

“I Hey Josh! Great timing... I just got off the phone with Legal. She’s OK with the story! Thank you for forcing us to think differently. I gotta tell you, I was shocked by her willingness to give this a try, but I was equally thrilled that we’re able to try something new. Thanks again!” – Gail, Healthy Directions

“Your Dr. Sinatra package is doing very well... with an average order that’s much higher than what we typically see. Thank you again for all of the hard work and effort you poured into this piece. It appears to be paying off in a major way! Best, Gail” – HealthyDirections

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Guess the Product

(Here’s my positioning.)

Your Questions Answered

What makes direct mail and long-form direct response copy still work in 2026?
Direct mail and long-form conversion copy work because they grab attention by creating a one-to-one relationship with your tribe. Unlike a banner ad or social scroll, a sales letter--when crafted correctly--forces a personal, linear experience. The reader slows down, allowing the copywriter to frame the problem, build belief, anticipate objections, introduce proof, and present the offer in a compelling way. That sequence drives response. No matter whether you are selling insurance, health, financial services, membership, enthusiast markets — response depends on clarity, credibility, and a great offer. Long-form copy gives you the chance to weave together the threads so they conspire (and create the magic) that triggers action. Interestingly, a copywriter's skills transfer easily from old school direct mail to new school Instagram carousels. It's the same old Art of Persuasion, repackaged for today's attention span -- from Stone Tablet to Apple iPhone.
A direct mail copywriter is a professional writer who specializes in crafting persuasive marketing materials designed to be sent directly to a target audience through the mail. The goal is to generate a response—usually a sale, a donation, a subscription, or a lead. Unlike general advertising copywriters, direct mail copywriters are response-driven. That means they write with a specific action in mind and measure success by how many people take that action. What a Direct Mail Copywriter Writes: Sales letters (the long-form kind that comes in an envelope) Postcards Self-mailers Catalog copy Insert mailers and envelope teasers Response devices (order forms, reply cards) Follow-up sequences What Makes This Role Different: Measurement: Every campaign has a clear ROI. You know how well it worked by the response rate. Testing: Small changes (like a headline or call to action) are tested to see what improves results. List targeting: The message must match the audience, often segmented by past behavior, income, geography, etc. Offers: Direct mail copywriters understand how to structure and position irresistible offers. Industries That Use Direct Mail Copywriters: Insurance Health and wellness Financial services Publishing and subscriptions Nonprofits and fundraising Membership and affinity programs Consumer products (especially high-ticket or recurring offers) In short, a direct mail copywriter doesn’t just write to sound good—they write to get results in the mailbox.
Let's just say I'm pretty good at my day job. You'll find my work featured in MILLION DOLLAR MAILINGS, WHO'S MAILING WHAT, INSIDE DIRECT MAIL, and THE WORLD'S GREATEST DIRECT MAIL SALES LETTERS (four times). I've created the most successful direct mail campaign in the history of Rodale Press. The most successful in the history of the Meredith Corporation. And huge, historical winners for The Danbury Mint and Time-Life (OxMoor House). I've had an 11-year control for THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION. A ten-year control for WRITER'S DIGEST. An eight-year control for SOUTHERN LIVING. And a five-year control for THE NY REVIEW OF BOOKS. My control for THE ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL quadrupled response and -- it was written in Chinese! My sales letter for CONSUMER REPORTS rolled out to 40 million people, and my winning effort for BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS would mail to every household in the country. It's not unusual for me to get love letters like this from my professional colleagues: If you want to witness brilliance, go to Josh's website and read every single word of every single page. Then save the pages to your computer and repeat the exercise again next week. Then the week after. Continue doing this week after week. In just a few months of this routine, you'll have gained more copywriting insight than sitting down with Gene Schwartz himself. That Josh dude is a monster. And there's a ton you can pick up from his samples on his website. —K.G. (Facebook)
Because a fresh perspective from a proven, old school, direct response copywriter can energize your folks with fresh ideas ... offer new ways of presenting old features and benefits ... supply innovative nuances to how you phrase your offer and guarantee ... create captivating voices (demanding to be heard) who really speak to your audience ... ... which all conspire to help widen the columns on your spreadsheets with big response breakthroughs.
 I've gone up against the best copywriters in the world—and beaten them. How? By getting your audience to nod their heads in agreement and trust what you have to say. By tapping into their desires, their fears, and their sense of urgency to drive action now. By crafting great stories to capture attention. Powerful features and benefits to trigger their engagement. Iron-clad guarantees to reassure those who are hesitant. Compelling offers to motivate qualified buyers to say, “YES!” now. These universal truths of direct marketing work in print and online.
I'm portable. I offer you the flexibility to scale your team as needed. It's not easy to sell the same thing over and over. I've been privileged to work across many verticals in my career and I'm struck by how good ideas cross-pollinate.
It's not unusual for my copywriter colleagues to discover my work, steal everything on my website, and then post on Facebook where the gold is hidden ... " If you want to witness brilliance, go to Josh's website and read every single word of every single page. Then save the pages to your computer and repeat the exercise again next week. Then the week after. Continue doing this week after week. In just a few months of this routine, you'll have gained more copywriting insight than sitting down with Gene Schwartz himself. That Josh dude is a monster. And there's a ton you can pick up from his samples on his website. " --K.G.
No secret. Hard work. I started my copywriting career when mailboxes were bursting with brilliant sales letters by the best freelance copywriters in the world. I would climb into the dumpster behind my post office, drag home garbage bags of direct mail, and study how the great copywriters and designers teamed up to craft their elaborate mail packages. Almost everything you see today on the web found an earlier form in print.
For large, easily definable projects where I go off and do my thing, we can establish a set fee--half up front. If, however, you want to throw a dozen of your most challenging conversion headaches at me, some clients have found it more convenient to pay me monthly so I thoroughly understand their business and can then tackle problems as they arise. I'm easy and flexible. Got a different plan in mind that works for you and your accounting department? Let's chat.
I can. I will work with your in-house design team, if you have one, or partner with the rock star, freelance, direct response graphic designers. I'm a creative Stop-and-Shop.
Turns out my old school copywriting skills are not only transferable to the digital world, but give me a perspective (and an edge) that is hard to replicate -- thank goodess! As a result I hear from ... S uper smart founders, entrepreneurs, artists, mad scientists ... with brilliant ideas who ask me to help put their feverish ideas on paper and articulate their messaging -- clearly and compellingly. Savvy performance marketers who know testing fresh creative from the best copywriters in the world is the fastest way to get big, historic wins. Agencies and printer's (with In-house agencies) often ask me to fill in when they look around and realize they have gaps in their skill set.