Ben Settle

True story:

A few years back I wrote a ton of emails for the diet niche. I also wrote all the sales letters, Kindle book copy, and anything else related to the copywriting. Anyway, my business partner in it Jim Yaghi did the traffic and analytics and all that jazz.

When I was gathering Copy Slacker testimonials, he said:

“The list was being pitched the $20 product and we were converting the front-end at 40%. total list size vs sales volume.  i have the emails about it somewhere here i could look through it and get some reminders. it was like magic bro i remember you were da bomb diggidy on that one!”

Goodie for me and who cares?

Well, think about this:

There are people who do much bigger numbers.

But 40% on the front end ain’t too shabby, either.

Still, here’s what we had going for us:

• Big rabid market that likes to buy
• Low cost product
• Tons of traffic
• Established brand via the author’s name, reputation, etc
• No-brainer offer/guarantee

I can tell you, with my Email Players newsletter I don’t get near those numbers.

And, I never will, because:

• Not nearly as rabid a market
• Higher priced product
• Continuity product
• Smaller market
• No guarantee
• And the list goes on

The point?

It’s futile to compare your numbers with anyone else’s.

In fact, if you ever get insecure after another marketer publicly (and figuratively) measures the size of their John Thomas by citing crazy numbers, ignore them. Their numbers have nothing to do with your offer and product and positioning, etc. John Thomas envy is a mind game you can’t win. There a lot of context and contingencies behind those numbers.

Speaking of that diet business:

With that 40% buyers on the front end, I deliberately used a special way of writing emails I learned from observing what Walt Disney used to do (in their classic animated movies) to get people looking forward to watching (and paying tickets to see) them. I have since used it in pretty much any other market I sell to or have sold to, as well.

Yes, it’s very simple.

But, very profitable, too.

And, it’s also very easily applied to email.

Subscribe here to get this issue today while there’s still time:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

One of my favorite movies is “Wolf Of Wall Street”.

I can watch it over and over (as in, the end credits roll and I replay from the beginning), and never get bored of it. One of my favorite scenes is when Jordan is motivating his guys to pick up the phone and start making sales calls.

Anyway, it just finally dawned on me:

His speech is even *more* applicable to email marketing.

How?

Well, allow ol’ elBenbo do a shameless paraphrase of his talk:

“Are you behind on your credit card bills? Good. Turn on your computer and start writing emails. Is your landlord ready to evict you? Good. Shut off Facebook for 15 minutes and start writing emails. Does your girlfriend think you’re a loser? Good. Quit being a pussy and start writing emails! I want you to deal with your problems, by becoming rich! All you have to do today …is turn on your computer, and type the kind of emails that I can teach you in ‘Email Players’.”

It’s 100% true, too.

And, I’ve got dozens of success stories to prove it.

Where people get stuck is not knowing how to get ideas.

Or, they don’t know how to write emails people look forward to reading.

Or, they can’t figure out how to sell and deliver a good reading experience.

Well, worry ye not.

That’s what “Email Players” teaches.

And, this is especially true in the June issue which is going to the printer soon. In fact, it teaches a way of doing emails so valuable, and that has made my emails so profitable (not just mine, but when I did client work) over the years… that I predict subscribers will consider it the most valuable issue to date.

Or certainly one of them.

It’s also a perfect “jumping on” issue for people new to my world.

(Can be used by newbies or seasoned pros alike.)

The only stumbling block would be its rank simplicity. If you hate simple, you’ll hate it. If you crave bright shiny ninja objects, you’ll hate it. And, if you are a typical IM’er who never does anything, you’ll hate it.

For everyone else?

The grownups?

She goes to the printer in a few days.

Subscribe today, while there’s still time to get it:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Over the past few weeks alone I’ve gotten multiple questions, from completely different people, in totally different markets, that essentially ask (1) what is a solid “benchmark” opt-in rate, open rate, and click rate and (2) if their metrics are considered “good” or not.

(After they show me their stats, of course.)

My answer:

That question can harm, injure, and even kill your advertising dead.

Why?

Because it doesn’t matter what anyone else’s stats are.

Nor is there some mythical benchmark that applies to everyone.

Let’s take opt in page stats, for example.

I purposely put barriers up to keep the riff-raff off my list as much as possible (and, frankly, I need to be doing a better job at this for my paid traffic). Why? Because I want quality over quantity. I don’t want all people on my list. I want the right kind of people on my list. I also want to be as Google AdWords compliant as possible. And, I want to be as transparent as possible — even going so far as telling people (right at the opt in) they can expect daily promotional emails from me, and forcing them to tick a box acknowledging it before the system will even let them opt in.

Now, ask yourself:

If you’re not doing the same, are my numbers at all relevant to yours?

Of course not.

Here’s another reason not to compare your results with mine.

(Or anyone else’s).

This is just common sense, but:

Unless you’re selling the exact same product, to the exact same people, and you have the exact kind of brand, with the exact same marketplace positioning, selling the exact same kind of products, at the exact same price points, that have the same appeal to the market, with the exact same opt in set up and bribe that I use, along with the exact same relationships with podcasters and other people who send me word-of-mouth traffic… with the same guy doing your paid ads as me running the exact same ads to the exact same people, and you have the exact same track record, been in business the exact same amount of time, are in Google for the same rankings, etc etc etc it’s like comparing walnuts to watermelons.

This is why I find it so amusing when people obsess over other peoples’ metrics.

Or, even better, when they arbitrarily say something like:

“Doing xyz increase response by abc %!”

As if their results are going to be the same across the board for everyone else.

Moral of the story?

Worry not about mine or anyone else’s business.

Mind ye your own business, instead.

Work on creating more appealing offers, generating higher quality leads, writing ads that give you a better message-to-market match, and, yes writing better emails. And by better, I mean emails people look forward to reading and buying from (such as what I teach in my system).

Do that and I reckon you’ll do just fine.

Speaking of which:

The June “Email Players” goes to print soon.

It is the first I’ve ever taught what I call my “rogues gallery” secret (I learned from studying old Disney movies) I’ve been using for years to write high selling emails to aggressive markets full of lots of competition (like golf, weight loss, prostate problems, and the list goes on).

It’s a great jumping on issue for people new to my world.

And, I daresay, will give you a huge advantage over other marketers.

But time’s short my little droogie.

Subscribe to get this issue while you still can here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

An lunatic ambitious fan writes elBenbo a song:

(Based off the hit, he says, by Hozier – “Take me to church”)

Ben Settles got humor
He likes to giggle at the gooroos
To many peoples disapproval
I should’ve worshipped him sooner
If the gurus ever did speak
He’s the last true mouthpiece
Every Sunday’s gettin more sweet
A fresh podcast each week
He was born sick you heard them say it
My bidniz offers no absolutes
Daily emails from the boardroom (bar room?)
Bustin copy each and every day
It’s the email players way
He was born sick but I love it
Causes me to do well

Amen, Amen, Amen

Aaaaaand that’s a rap.

Not just for the amusement, but also because it lets me know my boys and ghouls are simply a higher standard of people overall who stand out from other peoples’ lists like a wet fart in a library.

On to bid’niz:

If you want to create a loyal fanbase like this, simply learn my email methodology.

It’s quick.

It’s not nearly as expensive as it looks.

($3.23 per day — ooh)

And, it works for all types of businesses.

To get your grubby little pinkies on the June issue, subscribe here before it goes to the printer:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Hear that?

That’s the sound of a thousand fluffpreneurs screaming at the beat down they were handed yesterday by blogger Mike Cernovich on Twitter in less than 140 characters:

“Most successful people are not ‘positive.’ You gotta be ruthless with yourself, your time, and cut out the time drags and losers.”

Reckon you won’t see that in a Willy Wonka meme on flakebook anytime soon.

More:

Denying and suppressing your negative emotions and motivations is like taking a sharp (serrated!) knife… and castrating your creativity, your problem-solving ability, and your enthusiasm to push through barriers to accomplish great things.

Those feelings can give you power when you’re burned out.

Energy when you’re tired.

And, yes, inspiration when you’re uninspired.

The key is to not *stay* in a state of perpetual negativity.

(That is, if you value your physical and emotional health.)

Even Bruce Banner only lets the Hulk out when the monster is needed.

But, when the villain is defeated, he turns back into Banner.

Which brings me to the punch line:

The June “Email Players” issue hands you a special mindset for connecting with your market’s worst emotions (complete with several examples from several different markets) to multiply your sales via email in ways your feel-good competition (who are above playing in the dirt with their market) won’t be able to keep up with sending 1000 emails filled with pegasus poop and unicorn farts.

It’s one of the most important lessons I’ve ever taught.

And, it’s made me a ton more sales than I would otherwise.

(In the diet niche, Jim Yaghi — who was one of my business partners at the time — we converted 40% of the list to buyers and this is how I wrote practically ALL the emails at the time.)

Time’s getting short, though.

She goes to the printer next week.

Subscribe here today to get it in time:

www.EmalPlayers.com

Ben Settle

In Donald Trump’s magnificent “Art Of The Deal” book (one of the best business-related books I ever done read) he says something that, when translated into email marketing, is worth solid gold bar bricks falling out of the sky.

What did he say?

This:

“Most people who do have the instinct [for making deals] will never recognize that they do, because they don’t have the courage or the good fortune to discover their potential. Somewhere out there are a few men with more innate talent at golf than Jack Nicklaus, or women with greater ability at tennis than Chris Evert or Martina Navratilova, but they will never lift a club or swing a racket and therefore will never find how great they could have been. Instead, they’ll be content to sit and watch stars perform on television.”

That’s a powerful lesson never (or hardly ever) told these days.

And, what he said applies to a lot of blokes selling online.

Or, who want to sell online.

(But are too scared to try.)

I too sometimes wonder how many people are on the fence about getting serious about selling with email… who have talent and instinct for this sort of thing… but never do it or even try. Or, at most, write one email per month and never let themselves have fun with it, throw their inhibitions away (about what people will — GASP! — think of them), and don’t even try?

Anyway, you ever needed inspiration to write that email, that should be it.

Take your ability to write emails, hone it, and excel at it.

The result will be more sales and a lifestyle 99% of people on this mud hole planet can only dream of.

What?

You don’t yet have the talent but want it?

That, my little fledgling, is where “Email Players” comes in.

In one reading of the “Email Players Playbook” that comes with the subscription I can have your mind bursting with ideas and ways to sell with emails starting the very same day, then keep your mind on fire with ideas month after month so you never run out of ideas, or ways to profit from email.

Each month I keep you on track.

Give you ideas.

Examples to model.

And, fill your mind with ways to blast your sales up a notch or two (or ten) nobody else (to my knowledge, at least) is talking about when it comes to selling with email.

Example:

The June issue which goes to the printer next week.

It contains one of the most profitable email “techniques” I’ve ever used to make lots of sales spanning multiple markets and products. It’s something I was inspired to try while studying Walt Disney’s creative process.

And, it works like gangbusters.

But, only if you know how to use it.

And, only if you subscribe in time here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Check these mangos out:

Over the past year especially, there’s been this new fad amongst the goo-roo fanboys to tell people to get off their email list in some lame attempt at posturing. But, the vast majority of the ones I have been (people send me stuff like this regularly) sound not only pathetic and needy (like when someone is trying to act “tough” when scared and pretending not to be, but everyone can see right through it), but are destroying their reputation, their brand, and, yes, their sales.

It’s the other side of the coin when people declare they are opting out of your list.

Just do it, already, Cupcake.

Nobody cares.

More:

It’s as stoopid as when people on flakebook drama queen and grandstand about how they are cleaning house and getting rid of friends… instead of just, you know, *doing* it without publicly nattering on about it.

The point?

It’s tactics vs principles.

The late negotiation master Jim Camp talked a lot about this. For example, when I want people to opt out it’s not done tactically or as a technique or whatever. It’s because there are certain people I really *don’t* want on my list — and who I naturally turn away — without having to say it — via my content (and even on my opt in pages).

I want to repulse the turds away.

But, I do it as a *principle* by which I do business.

Thus, I rarely (if ever) say word-for-word “get off my list!” because I don’t have to.

Contrast that to the types of “get off my list!” emails where it’s obviously a tactic. Probably, something they saw someone else do. Yet, all their other emails and marketing are clearly pandering to everyone.

It’s a big ol’ fatty disconnect.

And people sense it.

And, yes, even laugh at it.

So anyway, that’s my take on it.

Do with it what ye will.

If you want more guidance on this, check out the June “Email Players” issue. There’s a short section in it that shows you how to get the riff-raff off your email list without all the usual goo-roo fanboy pomp, grandstanding, and drama queenery.

Subscription info here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Apparently, now even my email *signature* is offensive:

“Just a quick thought, although I feel like me offering advice to you regarding email messages is like my 10 year old offering advice to Nadal on how to play on clay. Love your email tips, but this one today left me with a bad taste. It is all helpful, funny, kind of light-hearted, feel good, friend-to-friend, etc. Then, almost as an afterthought, it closes with a stern warning to all of the crooks, thieves, cheats and liars that are, apparently, a significant part of your recipient list. Ugh. I’m sure that’s not the feeling you want to impart to your readers, but that was my gut reaction to reading that part of your message. Anyway, just one man’s opinion. My apologies if it’s not my place to comment.”

My response:

1. That’s an automated appendage at the end of all my emails.

It didn’t just go on there “today” it’s on all my emails and has been for the last 3 years since I caught a self-described “7 figure” earning fitness coach who sells high priced coaching (what a shock!) lifting one of my emails word for word, verbatim. A guy who, ironically, states on his site how hard he works for his success, yada yada yada.

(All that copying and pasting must be rough on the ol’ carpal tunnel…)

The amusing part was, his own list ratted him out to me.

Which should tell you something about how loyal people are to thieves.

More:

2. In my experience, the people who get offended by my signature at the bottom of each email are either thieves who blatantly steal other peoples’ content (or are intending to), or fluffpreneurs and snowflakes who take things obviously not even directed at them personally. Getting acid reflux about that warning when you have no intention of plagiarizing (it is obviously directed at thieves) is as pointless as getting upset at an ordinary boilerplate copyright notice.

After all, they both say the same thing.

One just says it while baring sharp teeth.

Anyway, the point:

Yes, I do wish to impart that feeling on those types.

Fluffpreneurs & snowflakes will get zero value from anything I have to offer because they don’t believe in substance in the first place. And thieves are, well, thieves.

Why would I cotton to either of them?

Why would I care what they think?

Why *not* offend them?

For everyone else:

The next “Email Players” issue is, in some ways, one of the most valuable issues to date. It was inspired by something I saw as a kid on the Disney channel (believe it or not), that has made my emails more profitable than any other strategy, tactic, or technique I’ve ever used.

This is no exaggeration, either.

Yes, it’s super simple.

(Like most of what I teach.)

But, it’s super profitable, too.

And, I can’t make any guarantees but I don’t see how anyone who has an offer and a list could not make out like a bandit using it.

Anyway, she goes to the printer soon.

Subscribe here to get it in time while you still can:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

A few months ago I was interviewed for AWAI’s magazine.

And, one of their questions was about testimonials.

Specifically, they said:

“The testimonials on your website blow most testimonials out of the water. They’re specific, unique, and from really big names in the direct response writing world. How did you get them? Did you ask for feedback? Were they volunteered?”

I thought this was an excellent question.

People often buy just because of a testimonial from someone they know or recognize.

And, even though I don’t use testimonials on my sales letters all the time (due to the confusing FTC rules on the matter) I do still use them in other ways, like on my blog’s testimonial page which I just recently updated with a bunch more. And, even then, I didn’t put *all* of them up yet.

(It is getting to seem like overkill.)

Anyway, all of which begs the question:

Would you like to know how to get a lot of testimonials?

And, would you like to get them without having to ask for them?

Then check ye out the upcoming June “Email Players” issue.

It includes a bonus training where I show you a secret way I have been using for years to not only get lots of testimonials… but, get what “for real” publicity guru Paul Hartunian calls “gold card” testimonials (i.e. celebrity-types — in my niche guys like Gary Bencivenga, Brian Kurtz, Russell Brunson, etc)… and almost always without formally requesting anyone send me a testimonial like some kind of beggar.

Best part?

It’s ridiculously simple.

Yet, I doubt too many people do it.

Probably not legendary rockstar ninja enough of a tactic, I suppose.

But, it works.

And, if you use it, I bet it can work just as easily for you, too.

Here’s where to subscribe in time:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle