Free copywriting & marketing tips, articles and MP3 interviews for serious business owners

Just a quick heads up:

I’ve got a little gift for you this coming week.

Actually, it’s more like 7 gifts.

Here’s the scoop:

Over the next week or so I’ll be sending you a series of tips for cheap (and free, in most cases) ways to advertise your business in ‘09.

I call this email series:

None of these methods are “rocket science.”

And none of them require any special skillz or ability.

But all of them can bring you new business, leads and sales very cheaply (again, in most cases, even free) — regardless of what you sell or who you sell to.

By the time we’re done, you’ll have a nifty little “checklist” of cheap, 100% proven advertising methods.

The first one’ll come zinging your way manana.

See ya then.

Ben Settle

By the way…

One cheap advertising method that did NOT make the list is social media. Reason why is because it’s not as fast as the 7 ways I’ll be covering. However, it’s still a cheap way to generate business.

You can learn more about using Twitter, FaceBook, and other social media sites in this interview I did with a social marketing coach:

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Here’s a neat copywriting tip for ya:

Back in late 2004 (or maybe it was early 2005) after the Bush/Kerry election, one of my co-workers at the time went on a cruise with his wife, and told an amusing story with a powerful copywriting lesson.

Here’s what happened:

They were on deck sunbathing next to a couple guys who were also soaking in the rays, sun glasses on, relaxed and having a good time.

Then, out of the blue, one of the relaxed sun bathers said — without moving, raising his voice or even so much as changing the relaxed expression on his face –

“Man, I don’t know what I’m going to do now that Bush is back in there. We’re all screwed. Not sure if I’ll even have a job anymore. Can you pass me the lotion?“

No anger.

No fear.

No clenched fists or even expression change.

And that’s the point:

Despite his words… the dude obviously wasn’t THAT distressed about Bush 2.0.

In fact, according to my friend, the guy was out each night laughing it up and having a good time with the ladies, ordering pricey meals and drinks on the house.

Which leads us to the copywriting lesson:

People will say they LIKE certain things.

They will say they HATE certain things.

They will say they WANT to buy certain things.

But what they SAY they like… what they SAY they hate… what they SAY they want to buy… ain’t always so.

I’ll even pick on myself as an example.

I love reading the Bible. I enjoy studying it. And I do consider it the most important book I own.

But I’d be lying through my teeth if I said it’s the most read book I own.

The reality is, I’ve only read it cover-to-cover one time.

Yet, I’ve gone through certain copywriting and marketing products — top to bottom — 10, 15, even 20 times.

And so, if you wanted to sell me a book, would you send me an offer for a Bible… or another copywriting/marketing book?

Which do you think I’m more likely to buy?

Anyway, just something to think about.

Find out what your prospects REALLY want to buy — and not what they “say” they want to buy — and you’ll sell far more.

Ben Settle

P.S. To find out what truly gets prospects to buy, you gotta dig deep. When I interviewed “A-List” copywriter Doug D’anna (easily one of America’s top direct response copywriters), he explained one place in his city (not the library) he goes to find out what his prospects truly want to buy.

You can read it in Appendix 6 of The Copywriting Grab Bag.

To be notified when it’s ready, go to:

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Chances are you’ve heard about “Princess” Caroline Kennedy.

Daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy.

And niece of that wonderful, expert swimmer Senator Ted Kennedy.

Now, I can’t imagine why….

… but it seems a lot of people are upset about the idea of her being handed Shrillery Clinton’s Senate seat — despite having no qualifications whatsoever.

Yet, there she is… with some sources close to Governor Paterson saying she’s all but a shoe-in.

Now, like it or not, there’s a GREAT marketing lesson here:

The princess could very well become a US Senator without needing any qualifications.

Without needing any real political experience.

And, in fact, without even needing to know what she’s doing or talking about.

Why?

Because, due to a combination of family name, connections and a media love affair with all things Kennedy…

… the princess is in the political “catbird seat.”

The catbird seat is (in case the phrase is new to you) slang for being in a position of advantage and power.

In business, it’s the position where all the customers, money and “celebrity status” flow naturally — whether you’re actually the “best” at what you do or not.

It’s extremely powerful, too.

And is one of those things where, if you have it, you almost can’t fail.

Because once you nab this position, people buy from your ads no matter what you say.

Testimonials from complete strangers come from out of nowhere.

And you have such an enormous advantage over your competition, it’s almost like they don’t even exist.

That’s what it means to be in the catbird seat.

And grabbing that seat is a worthy goal for 2009.

No… it’s not easy.

And it takes a lot of thinking, effort and strategy.

But it can turn you into the proverbial “success magnet.”

Even if you do everything else “wrong.”

Ben Settle

P.S. One way to get into the catbird seat is simply being prepared. When you see an opening in your market or niche — and are prepared for it with superior marketing and copywriting skills — you can grab that seat before anyone else.

You can learn 122+ ways to prepare yourself for these catbird seat opportoonities in The Copywriting Grab Bag at:

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Know what one of the coolest things about copywriting is?

If you look hard enough, you can find lessons ANYWHERE.

For example:

One of my favorite (political) sites is Vox Day’s blog.

Vox Day is a political columnist for WorldNetDaily.com whose blog is “must reading” for me each day.

Why?

One reason is because his writings (as well as many of his regular commenters’ posts) are often great examples of clarity, psychology and using metaphor to explain complex ideas in a simple, easy-to-understand and persuasive way.

And while Vox offends certain people (another copywriting secret)…

… reading him can make you a much better copywriter, marketer and all-around business pro.

Case in point:

Vox’s most recent post is 10 “rules” for commenting on his blog.

As I read them, I was struck by how eerily similar they are to the exact same “rules” the average prospect has for us when reading our sales pitches.

In fact, if you simply look at them not as rules for posting on a blog, but rules for writing to your prospects, they contain some of the best “copywriting” advice you will ever hear.

Here are a few that stick out (summarized):

You are expected to back up your assertions, so don’t be surprised if you happen to get called on them.

Are not the people we write ads to saying the EXACT same thing?

Cross-comments and off-topic comments will usually be deleted.

Again, our busy, over-stressed and ADD-riddled prospects are telling us the same thing.

Make sure every word and idea counts — or cut it.

Don’t make assumptions about the regulars here based on my ideology and religious faith.

Just substitute the words “the regulars” with “your customers”, and the word “my” with “your”.

Stop to think for thirty seconds and read everything twice before responding to it.

Again, change the word “sending” with “responding” and you have a stellar copywriting tip.

Anyway, Vox has 10 rules like this.

They are not all immediately applicable to copywriting.

But at least half of them are.

And in some cases, they are exact reflections of what your prospects are thinking when they see your ads.

You can check ‘em out at:

Ben Settle

P.S. Just a reminder: my revised Copywriting Grab Bag book’ll be available soon (hopefully this month).

I added in 3 appendixes (with Terry Dean, Doug D’Anna, and about writing press releases — which you may have noticed are no longer available on my site free). Plus a few new chapters and an accompanying CD with MP3’s of all the appendix interviews and a huge 101 ad swipe file.

To be notified when it’s ready, go to:

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Well, here we are — on the doorstep of 2009.

But before you open that door, I want to give some advice.

I know you did not ask for this advice.

And so, I certainly won’t be offended if you ignore it.

BUT… I highly encourage you to at least consider it.

Doing so can make you stick out head and shoulders from the crowd in ‘09 — especially when the “band aids” on the economy peel off and reveal the gooey, puss-infected wounds underneath.

Anyway, here’s my advice:

Focus on getting customers instead buyers.

I first learned this in a short, $20 book called “The System Letters” by Ken McCarthy.

And it’s one of the single most important business lessons I have ever heard — that radically changed the way I do business.

Why?

What’s the big deal?

Well, think about it this way:

A BUYER is someone who buys ONE time.

He MIGHT buy again some day.

But usually, he buys one time and then moves on to the next bigger and better thing.

A CUSTOMER, on the other hand… makes it a “custom” to buy from you over and over and over.

So instead of a one-time sale, he buys from you multiple times — years into the future.

Plus, many of these extra sales are practically handed to you on a silver platter because of all the trust, and respect and loyalty they have for you.

I call it “selling in advance.”

And it’s by FAR the easiest and most reliable way to sell.

Because even if your sales pitch sucks or you break all the “rules” of copywriting, selling and marketing, it won’t matter.

They aren’t buying the “thing.”

They are buying YOU.

The mere fact YOU are offering it is good enough for them.

It’s the ultimate form of positioning.

And it lets even total “newbies” take market share quickly.

Anyway, I’m no prophet.

Heck, I’m not even a “Miss Cleo.”

But I stand behind this prediction for 2009 and beyond:

The few (and there aren’t many) marketers who go after “customers”… instead of “buyers”… will prosper BIG TIME.

They will have FAR more peace of mind and financial security as the economy explodes and most businesses start running around like be-headed chickens.

And when the dust settles, they’ll still be standing.

So here ya have it.

I’ll see ya in ‘09.

Ben Settle

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As a comic book geek, my “fanboy” hairs stood up with this news:

Zack Snyder — who directed the brilliant “300″ and upcoming “Watchmen” movies — wants to direct the movie version of “The Dark Knight Returns”.

This story is about an older, out-of-shape Batman who comes out of retirement due to rising crime and violence.

It’s psychologically dark, “gritty” and unlike anything at the time.

In fact, it changed the entire comic book industry forever…

… and even saved “Batman” from cancellation.

(Bats wasn’t always as popular as he is today.)

What does this have to do with your copywriting?

This:

In one “scene”, Batman lugs an unconscious gang-banger to a building top — and holds him there face down, looking at the street.

And when the sociopathic killer regains consciousness, all he sees is blackness — as Batman’s hand covers his eyes.

After asking this killer a few questions (and getting nothing back but mindless drivel about his “rights”)…

… Batman removes one finger from the guy’s eyes at a time — until he sees where he’s at (hanging by a thread by Batman’s “weak arm”) and starts telling Batman what he wants to hear.

As Batman says:

“It was tough work carrying 220 pounds of sociopath to the top of Gotham Towers — the highest spot in the city. The scream alone is worth it.”

Anyway, what’s the point?

How in the world can this help you write better ads?

The answer is simple:

Ol’ Bats made the gang-banger an “offer he couldn’t refuse.”

In other words:

Batman would not drop sociopath from 300 feet in the air, if sociopath told Batman what he wanted to hear.

And guess what?

In a way, that’s EXACTLY what great ads do, too.

No… not with threat of violence, you silly.

But by making your offers so “in harmony” with what your customer wants… whether it be to eliminate a pain or gain something they desperately desire (or both)… he almost can’t HELP buying from you.

Even if he didn’t originally want the product you’re selling.

And even if your ad is poorly “written.”

Frankly, if you get your offer right, your customer has no choice but buy.

Which is why more sales are made NOT with brilliant writing…

… but with brilliant OFFERS.

What’s the moral of the story?

Put time — LOTS of time — into your offers.

In fact, if you’re going to swipe something, swipe the kind of dramatic, “ballsy” offers your loudmouth competition is scared to match.

It’s like having a 40 meter head-start in a 100 meter race.

And let’s you “win” without needing to be the best “copywriter.”

Ben Settle

P.S. You can learn 3 powerful ways of creating “can’t refuse” offers (that go WAY beyond lame-o 30 or 90 day guarantees) in chapter 32 of “The Copywriting Grab Bag”:

One of them in particular is especially good, that I learned while while writing ads for a martial arts guru a few years back.

You can get it at a special discount if you’re on the “VIP” notification list at the above link.

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Since it’s Christmas Eve, I want to tell you about a present.

A present that can make a HUGE impact on your business next year.

You can grab it now at:

This is an extremely valuable video Terry Dean made about the internal workings of his business.

In fact, there is so much pure content and “for real” useful information in this video, it makes most of the other guru “free content” out there look almost silly.

I hope you get at LEAST as much out of it as I did.

Have a great Christmas, my friend, and I’ll see ya soon.

Ben Settle

P.S. One thing you will notice in Terry’s video is his emphasis on using email — how that’s where the real “gold” is online.

And if you want to learn his unique way of using email, I HIGHLY recommend his “Email Mastery” course:

If you buy from this link, send me your receipt and I’ll give you an exclusive interview I did with Jay White (the “go to” email copywriter for guys like Alex Mandossian, Stephen Pierce, Rich Schefren and Jeff Walker) about email copywriting that is part of my “Affiliate Trump Card” system.

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Ever watch that movie “Bonnie & Clyde”?

Pretty gruesome movie.

Especially the end — when ol’ B&C get sprayed with bullets.

And while it may be gruesome…

… it’s a perfect “metaphor” for copywriting.

Because, you see, many of the best ads are almost ALL bullets.

They “spray” their customers with lots and lots and lots of bullets — bam! bam! bam! — one irresistible benefit and unique “twist” after another…

… until — sweet Moses! — they GOTTA have the “thing” sold.

This is why I consider bullets to be numero uno.

More important than your body copy.

More important than your leads and hooks.

And even more important than the all-sacred headline.

Blasphemy, you say?

Well, think about it:

What is your headline and subheads and leads and guarantee copy and PS’s other than your best bullets?

Maybe not in “bullet” form…

… but the super-dramatic tension and drama and power is there.

And you can easily “shape” them into whatever you want.

So bullets are big time important.

And some extremely expensive products have sold on the power of just one, itty-bitty bullet point.

But here’s the thing:

Most people simply don’t know how to write a decent bullet.

In fact, most bullets you see (especially online) are limp and lifeless.

There’s no “energy” in them.

No drama.

No twisting or turning or tension.

As Ken McCarthy (the best bullet point teacher I’ve ever seen) told me when I interviewed him for my Copywriting Grab Bag book — most bullets are not really bullets.

They’re more life wuffle balls — easily avoided & ignored.

And it’s the few people who know how to write bullets — and really understand how they work — that seem to have the least amount of problem writing ads.

It comes so easily and naturally once you get bullets down.

Bottom line?

Nobody spends enough time on their bullets.

Which means, if YOU spend a lot of time on YOUR bullets, and really work on getting them right, you will give yourself a gigantic advantage over your competition.

Simple?

Oh yeah.

And that’s the beauty of it.

Ben Settle

P.S. One of the unique bonuses I give away when you buy John Angel’s swipe file course from my affiliate link at www.SwipefileSecrets.com

is a cool bullet point “cheat sheet.”

Just take these bullet point “templates”, insert your own claims and ideas, and — BAM! instant bullets ready to fire away.

But you can ONLY get this cheat sheet when you buy John’s swipe file course from my affiliate link at:

And then email me your receipt at: ben [at] bensettle.com.

(Also, when you go to the order page, make sure you see my affiliate name “vantagenet” at the bottom. Otherwise you won’t get credit for buying it and I can’t send you the bullet point cheat sheet.)

P.P.S. And speaking of bullet points…

I’ve been kicking around doing a tele-seminar about bullets.

Is that something you’d be interested in?

If there’s enough interest, I’ll do one in early ‘09.

Let me know, k?

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