You ever read something and halfway through think, “Wait, am I being sold to right now?”
That’s Eugene Schwartz for ya.
This guy didn’t just write ads. He got inside your head.
And his secret weapon? Something called “interweaving.”
Sounds fancy, but it’s really just the art of mixing four things: promise, logic, emotion, and interest. You blend ‘em together so smoothly that the reader doesn’t even realize they’re being sold.
Let’s break it down.
What’s Interweaving?
Interweaving is about blending four key elements together: promise, logic, emotion, and interest.
You don’t hit the reader with one, then move to the next like a checklist. Instead, you mix them throughout your copy. Like throwing all the ingredients for a cake in one bowl. It’s gotta be smooth, not clunky.
The result? The reader stays hooked and doesn’t feel like they’re being shoved down a sales funnel.
Schwartz’s Famous Ad for Body Language
Schwartz was a wizard with this. Take his famous ad for a book on body language:
Promise: Right off the bat, he promises you’ll learn how to read people like a book. Everybody wants that.
Logic: He throws in a quick fact: 93% of communication is non-verbal. Boom, the promise now has some weight behind it.
Emotion: He then gets you feeling all powerful, like if you learn this stuff, you’ll have a superpower that lets you dominate every conversation.
Interest: And the whole time, he’s dropping little hints about the secrets inside the book but never fully reveals ‘em. Keeps you curious.
By the time you finish reading, you’re like, “Where’s my wallet?”
How It Works in Email
Alright, let’s say you’re writing an email to sell a time-management course. Here’s how you might use Schwartz’s interweaving magic:
Promise: Open with a big promise—this course will give them 10 extra hours a week. Now they’re intrigued.
Logic: Back it up. Say it’s based on techniques used by CEOs, entrepreneurs, and other big shots who seem to have all the time in the world. Now it makes sense.
Emotion: Hit ‘em where it hurts. Remind them of how they’re constantly stressed, always rushing, and how freeing up 10 hours will give them peace of mind.
Interest: Tease ‘em with “one secret method” that’s only revealed inside the course. They’re hooked now—they want to know what that secret is.
Do this, and they’re not just reading—they’re invested.
Be Subtle, Not Pushy
Schwartz didn’t just dump a promise, logic, emotion, and interest on you one at a time. He wove them together like a story.
Take his investment ad. He promised insane returns (promise), backed it with market facts (logic), played on people’s fear of missing out (emotion), and kept hinting at an untapped opportunity (interest).
It never felt pushy, just… smooth. And that’s the key.
Final Thought
Next time you write an email, try mixing these four elements. Don’t hit people with a hard sell. Just blend it all together and let the message flow.
May the Schwartz be with you,
Daniel Matievich