Ben Settle

One of my engineer-background droogies Sanjay Pande who does for real scientific tests (doesn’t just play a scientist on the Internet sharing memes from “I Fucking Love Science” on flakebook all day), drops some knowledge.

First, the context:

He was a charter “Email Players” subscriber.

He read my recent email about how email game trumps sales copy game.

And, he wanted to show a real life example of such. There’s lot of wisdom (handed to your righteous self free) in the following — especially if you read it more than once. I hope you appreciate his taking the time to compile it.

Here goes:

Hi Ben,

Fodder for both skeptics and believers … with proof. You may use this as you like, or toss it. Doesn’t matter. It’s really related to today’s e-mail headline.

Here it is:

We had to revive some 5-year old products we had, as we’re still busy producing new stuff that isn’t ready yet, so we did a sale event (e-mail player style).

[Note: I’ve been a subscriber from the beginning all the way to when I moved away from Canada, but am not anymore because of draconian import measures in my current country of residence. I highly recommend the publication to anyone in business. Besides, I think I may actually have all your products, except for the E-mail Players issues from when I had to discontinue on account of not even having a known address]

The sale ran for a week. Monday to Monday.

# of sales: 21
Revenue: 7K (There’s more, but I’m restricting these figures to the period).
Refund: 1 of a $47 product that we actually bonus, so I personally gave it to the person even though they didn’t ask for it (integrity).

# of E-mails Sent: 5 (Could have done more, but really busy. I do have 3 little kids).

E-mail Subject Lines: Mostly Bleh for most people who don’t know their audiences.

#1. What Would You Do?
#2. How to Take Advantage Of …
#3. Think Like a Chef!
#4. [VIDEO] The Ultimate BI Solution!
#5. Natural Farming and The Data Vault

Sales Letter: Oddly, there was no “real” sales letter. It’s just a description of what they’re getting, i.e., the course curriculum and a buy button. This is it _____ (Would appreciate if you don’t share this url). By the way, the video isn’t even about the course … LOL. Had a placeholder so I had to put something somewhat related. Talk about having ZERO emotions, I doubt you can beat it.

Open rate: 17% to 20% (Meaningless as I have had 80%+ opens with zero sales so I don’t care). Besides, you can’t tie an e-mail to sales. Period. And, if someone wants to argue with me on this, they’ll do well by looking up my credentials. Google analytics is like pre-kindergarten stuff for us (for a frame of reference).

Audience: Geeks in a very specialized niche. Nobody in their right mind would even pick an audience like this to sell to. It’s the hardest thing you can do, when there’s so many much easier targets out there. Definitely NOT a “starving crowd” a la Gary Halbert.

The only thing keeping us going in this is the honesty and integrity of the solution we’re providing. People are throwing money at things that will fail (oddly much like what you dub the Gooroo Casino).

That’s all!!!

By the way, loving the Copy Slacker product. It’s stuff that you’ve taught many times, but I love the new packaging and messaging this time. Could have used a little more editing on the transcript, but then again, you’re living and breathing the fast way to do things. I’m sure, it’s going to help me immensely in formulating e-mails and sales letters quicker.

Warm Regards,

Sanjay

PS: Big thank you for all the knowledge you’ve shared over the years.

Couple thoughts:

One of the biggest disappointments of my business career was when I started doing pay-per-click ads and realized how limited online tracking to a sale can really be — especially using email. Sanjay reminded me of that above. In fact, my AdWords guy Jim Yaghi (another for real computer scientist, who understands the discipline and rigors it takes to do a genuine scientific test, and doesn’t just throw the terms around online to dazzle people) has told me the exact same thing.

It’s also why for the last several years I’ve been far more interested in tracking trends.

Did sales go up, or down last month?

Up?

Good, carry on my wayward son.

Down?

Time to re-examine something (offer, traffic, email approach, current events, etc)

Yes, there are probably more complicated (and maybe better) ways to track.

But, I like simple.

It’s also why I believe consistency rules the roost in email, and why the vast majority of people selling online would be better off focusing on writing an email every day (or, even better, multiple times per day) designed to sell something to their lists, than obsessing over opt outs, open rates, clicks, and statistically irrelevant email split tests to their lists of 234 people or whatever.

To be clear:

(For any marketing fanboys who have heartburn over what I just said)

I’m not saying to not track email metrics if you want/need to.

Track to your heart’s content.

I’m simply saying to focus on writing better emails first.

After all, testing two turds against each other simply gives you a shinier turd…

Speaking of which:

If you want to learn the ins-and-outs of email tracking, delivery, metrics, statistics, etc there are far better options to choose from than simple-minded elBenbo. But, if you want to learn the how-to’s of writing lots of emails that sell (and doing it without struggle, frustration, or “writers block”, etc), check out my “Email Players” newsletter. Specifically, the March issue which goes to the printer in a couple days. One of the goodies inside is a simple content-generating formula I learned from one of the world’s top Twitter gurus (he wouldn’t call himself a Twitter guru, but he sells hundreds of thousands of copies of his books each year via Twitter and his blog content).

Click the shiny, candy-like link below to get it in time:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Happy Sunday night…

Ben Settle

It’s not talked about much.

But, when it comes to informational products (books, newsletters, membership sites, courses, yada yada yada) there’s a huge difference between buying these things and paying for them.

If you pay for these things, you’re a chump.

If you buy these things, you’re a champ.

And, I’ll prove it to you right now:

One of my most prized possessions in my marketing library is Gary Bencivenga’s $5k “farewell” seminar on DVD. I bought that bad-boy in early 2008. And, I have gone through it 27 times (for some sick reason, I keep count, even though it’s completely unnecessary and probably borderline OCD). It stung forking over the $5k for that at the time. But, I can trace hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales of my products and millions of dollars (collectively) in sales in my client’s income (when I did client work) to the info that course.

I still go through it a lot.

And, I still profit immensely from it.

Thus, I bought that course I didn’t pay for it.

On the other hand:

If I’d purchased that course, laid out the $5k, and did what probably 90% of online marketers do these days with info products — where I just sit on it, maybe flip through it every now and then, but then flit off to the next BSO for another exciting new-purchase dopamine drip… and made nothing from it, got zero benefit from it, and basically give it the same value as I would a door stop as a result… I would have paid for it and not bought it.

Paying for it would have made me a chump.

Buying it though, has made me a champ (at the stuff I sell).

Again, hardly anyone talks about this.

(It’s against an info product seller’s interest, including mine, after all, to speak of it.)

But, it’s a fact.

And, there are much deeper ramification to this fact, and many benefits to be had from people who understand this fact that we talk about on today’s Ben Settle Show podcast.

This buying vs paying is one of the next batch of “Email Players rules” on today’s show.

You can listen to them all here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/110

Ben Settle

“They’re referring to me as the new king of night-time television and I think that’s a little, really, too much. Prince, yes.”

— Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show

Recently, to help promote my ex-copywriting apprentice’s upcoming “Biz N Brewz” event, I did a Facebook Q&A with Vicky Irvin’s audience answering their questions in “real time.”

Anyway, it was a lot of fun.

But, the highlight for me was when Vicky’s husband and one of my marketing heroes Lloyd Irvin said:

“Ben is the KING of email”

You know, there was a time when my ego couldn’t handle that.

But today?

It’s allll good.

Anyway, you don’t care about that though.

What you care about — especially if you’re reading this email on Friday night, you no-life-having mo fo — is making more sales with email, regardless of who the king, prince, or 2 of clubs is.

So, I’m going to leave you with a bit of advice.

Advice I gave to my ex-copywriting apprentice while typing away to Vicky Irvin’s list.

Advice, my fine feathered little fledging, that can make your emails way more profitable.

The advice:

Whenever someone gives you props, bottle that comment up and use it.

Not just on your website, but, yes, in your emails.

Do that and your marketplace positioning goes up.

Your personal brand is enhanced.

And, if you do it right, your sales are multiplied.

(Now and in the future.)

All right, that’s it for now.

To get your hot little hands on the next “Email Players” issue (which goes to the printer in a few days) go ye here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Easily one of the most amusing things I hear lately is how Donald Trump “scares” people. The idea of him being president is “frightening.” And, how it’s “terrifying” what he will do if he wins.

Why is this amusing?

Because the people who say this now know what a lot of America (justifiably in my humble, but accurate, opinion) was thinking when Obama won.

If Trump wins, well, payback’s a beeotch my little droogie.

Anyway, besides riling up the Obama fanboys on my list, here’s why I bring it up:

At the moment my bathroom reading is Donald Trump’s:

“The Art Of The Deal”

It’s an absolutely fascinating book.

And, I’m already wishing I’d read it when I was much younger.

His entire playbook he’s using to dominate the Republican field so far is right in this book. It’s all there for everyone (including Bernie, Hillary, the armchair pundits on Facebook and idiots in the media who have all said he was just a flash in the pan, etc) to read and learn from if they so choose.

But, there’s one story that hit home recently.

It’s towards the beginning of the book.

And, it’s when one of his artist friends says:

“Hey, want to see me earn $25k?”

Trump says, “sure.”

And then the artist takes some paint and throws it willy-nilly on a blank canvas. Then, the artist opens another can of paint (a different color), and does the same. Within a couple minutes he cleans up and says, “There, I just made $25k, let’s go to lunch.”

The implication?

People were buying his name, not his art.

His art was pointless and stupid.

It took no “talent” at all.

But, people were willing to pay $25k simply because of his name.

And guess what?

We got a bit of that online too.

There are people who command huge fees, prices, and income for their products, services, appearances, even though they deliver just a re-hash of something they already taught (or read in a $10 book on Amazon), or even no real value at all.

This is nothing new, of course.

I reckon you’ve seen it many times.

(Even if you’re relatively new to this game.)

And while this may anger some people, it actually is a HUGE opportunity.

Something to be embraced and not seethed at.

Why?

Because once you realize the entire marketing game is *perception*… that it’s about personality over substance in today’s celebrity-obsessed culture… and that people would much rather be entertained than educated (despite what they say they want), everything changes.

Creating an audience becomes very easy.

People tend to buy your products just because your name is on it.

And, you’re in what Ken McCarthy calls:

“The catbird seat”

Now, this is NOT a license to deliver nonsense and junk.

Frankly, you should always strive to create the best possible product you can (and this is coming from someone who hates creating content — it’s the one “necessary evil” in my world, but something I still take very seriously and work hard at).

But, hopefully, it has you thinking beyond just “value.”

Or “teaching.”

Or building a so-called “tribe.”

(I’d much rather have an audience than a tribe, different topic for a different day).

More:

If you want to learn how to create a personality that transcends you… that takes on a life of its own… and that gives you a far better chance of making more sales simply because you exist… then read ye the March “Email Players” issue.

One of the things it teaches is how to create an online personality.

Not a fake personality, though.

Not a copycat of me, or your favorite goo-roo, or anyone else.

(People who do that look like frauds.)

No, I am talking about a personality that is still inherently “you”, but just using a few little tweaks on it to make you stick out from the crowd of everyone online trying to prove how “authentic” and “entertaining” and “ethical” they are, when, really, they are anything but those things.

This is something I’ve never taught publicly before.

Mostly, because I didn’t think I had the qualifications to teach it.

But, last year, a certain podcaster (who partners with some major players in the marketing world, and has clearly seen it all) asked me to come on his show to talk about how to do this after being on my list for a while.

Unfortunately, we never did cover it on his show.

But, to prep for that show I put a lot of thought into it.

And, I teach a couple things anyone (yes, even if nobody can stand you or your personality now) can do with just emails to create a personality that is not only true to you… but something people will want to follow and feel safe and good buying from.

Anyway, it’s waiting for you in the March issue.

She goes to the printer in a few days.

Jump on the train and get ‘er in time while you can:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Something finally thaws out the cold, subterranean cockles of elBenbo’s chilly heart:

Before I came across your work I was bed-ridden. I have a chronic illness— Sickle Cell Anemia. Quit my job at Google, left my independent life to move in with my parents. Living in my bed feeling defeated for having so much skill, but no able body to live it.

Enter Ben…

In the past 60 days I’ve built a business much like yours in design. People opt-in, when they like what they see, they buy my products or ask to consult me directly. No more cold-calling.

Last week I sold my first product. Proudly.

Just now I got off the call with a future client. Proudly.

I did that, and it was not from my bed, but my couch this time.

I’m providing real value, in spite of being deathly ill.

I’m so thankful.

You gave me permission to talk about my email obsession and help people use it to meet VIPs, go viral, and earn money on Kickstarter.

Things I did in the past,but now I know how to market and monetize it.

Thank you!

I can never tell my story to you without getting overwhelmed and want to cry. It’s life-changing.

In the future I’ll share more, and maybe we’ll even meet.

But Thank you Ben Settle.

My numbers are “insignificant” since most of it goes to reducing debt (hence why I can’t buy everything you sell.), but in time it’ll shift. Plus the numbers don’t compare to knowing I can repeat it.

Thanks to you I understand how to earn a proud living even if I’m sick and bed-ridden.

You’ve brought me back to from the near-dead Ben Settle.

Literally.

I thank you.

My family thanks you.

And everyone I ever help owes thanks to you.

Thank you for giving me permission to own my email obsession and turn into a sustainable tool to help other and myself.

See you and your next message in the inbox tomorrow.

Oh and feel free to use any and all of this a testimonial however you please.

– Max Rouzeir

It’s what we do ’round here.

Yes indeedy.

Next “Email Players” issue goes to the printer in a few days.

Hit the jump to get it in time, while you can:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

“Email Players” subscriber Dale Bell asked several months back:

(In a Facebook group)

If you don’t currently have a product to sell (still learning the market and what they want), what would you add in your emails as the CTA? I’m aware I could offer affiliate products but if I’m honest, I’m not a big fan of selling other people’s stuff!

Any help is appreciated because I feel like I’m overcomplicating things here, spinning my wheels and getting nowhere.

I would say this:

99% of people online (that I hear from anyways) do overcomplicate things.

And it’s no different with Dale’s question.

In fact, for the past 8 years (give or take) I’ve been using a very simple (almost stoopidly simple) method for pre-selling via emails people on my products before said products are for sale or even have been written/assembled/created.

I’ve used it in multiple successful launches.

(In multiple niches.)

And, doing it with affiliates, social media, blogs, social proof, yada yada yada.

And, yes, I’ve helped others do the same.

In fact, another “Email Players” subscriber Vicky Fraser said this in the same facebook group thread after I revealed it:

““Yes! ^^ I’d forgotten I did this with my book. Sold 100 copies to my list before I’d even written it.”

Want to learn my not-so-mysterious method?

Then get your buttox on “Email Players” before the March issue goes to the printer.

I answer this question in detail.

(Not that there’s all that many details to it — I answer it in 3 short sentences.)

Anyway, to get it in time hit the jump below:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

In which the oft-asked question is axed:

“Ben any tips on where to place links?? you put them in the same spot from what I an tell. But lots of gurus do it different I want your opinion though thank you!”

I actually got this question a while back.

But, better late than never, no?

Anyway, checky:

Not long ago, I read about an interesting test the email company Silverpop (a high level email and lead management company, very high end) conducted about a secret place in emails to put ads for things you sell that can potentially nab you lots and lots and lots of sales.

It’s one of the most unlikely of places, too.

And, because of that, hardly anyone does it.

(I am just now starting to experiment with it.)

In fact, (again, according to Silverpop) 30% of these links are clicked on.

Where is this secret spot?

And, how can you start testing it?

It’s something I rap briefly about in the March “Email Players” issue. And, if you have a proven offer and sales letter, putting your links in this spot can be like “found money” to you.

March issue goes to the printer soon.

Subscribe here to get it if you DARE:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Some weekend inspiration for your righteous self…

“Email Players” subscriber Christi Johnson confessed a while back in one of my Facebook groups (an accountability thread — reporting on her 72nd consecutive day of sending daily emails):

I think I am on day 72.

It’s a tiny bit challenging to keep up with the specific day since I am batching by the week. Anyway…no matter the email number, I’m picking on shiny object purchasers tonight. I use to be one, so it feels really interesting to be talking to my former self.

Daily emailing isn’t just an an object lesson in marketing discipline. It’s also a pretty deep inner work, somehow.

It’s fascinating how I’m seeing my own growth as a human being as I near the 90 day mark…

Being an Email Player has some deep, DEEP (spiritual) benefits that I don’t think Ben Settle mentions in his sales letter.

#PlayerForLife

Spiritual benefits?

Sure, why not?

That’s the thing about mailing every day.

Or doing *any* kind of daily writing.

(Although with daily emails you get paid for the writing…)

When you do it right, it becomes this tight, explosive burst of emotion, tension, and thought that goes from your subconscious…. to your fingers…. to the keyboard…. and ultimately to your reader’s brain.

The result?

Ideas come forth you didn’t even know were circulating in your brain.

New ideas and fresh “twists” on old ideas emerge.

Eventually, the thought of “swiping” email copy becomes silly. The process of copying someone else’s words, ideas, or personality becomes embarrassing. And, the act of trying to behave, communicate, or be like anyone else becomes like the memory of when you did something so colossally stoopid in your youth you wish you could erase the memory from your brain forever knowing how much it held you back.

Now, go forth and write an email that sells something.

Don’t put it off.

Don’t wait to be “inspired.”

And, don’t be a cherry about it with excuses, just do it.

To learn my methods for pumping out emails day after day, go here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Next issue goes to print in a week.

Now git.

The Benai Lama has spoken.

Let’s rap about Bruce Barton.

(Legendary ad man)

A story I tell sometimes when I speak at event is about how that guy is the reason I’m even in business.

Back when I was just starting out I wanted to quit so many times I could taste it.

Just one humiliating failure after another.

One frustrating set back after another.

One sleepless night worrying about how I could possibly pay the rent or my bills after another.

I was well over $50k in debt with just a part time job.

The IRS and wolves were at the door.

And, I was technically homeless — sleeping in a cramped little office without a shower or clean water trying to peddle MLM cassette tapes door-to-door and getting constantly rejected, laughed at and, sometimes, even yelled at. My ex-wife and I were driving 100+ miles per day (between getting me to my job and her doing office cleaning gigs) in a lemon car with defective braks and engine problems (both of which could have malfunctioned at any time — made for some hair raising driving let me tell ya…) while trying to sue the POS car company that refused to take responsibility for it. All this while feeling like a total loser since she had traveled 2500 miles and sold everything she had to be part of my big dream, only to end up living homeless, driving around in a death trap and having to face the humiliation of friends and family who looked at me with nothing but pity, disappointment and, in some cases, a whiff of contempt (for daring to be the one crab trying to escape the bucket — the others trying to pull me back in with their doubting, naysaying and passive aggressive shaming).

That’s when Bruce Barton swooped into my life — cape & tights and all.

What happened was this:

I picked up a book written by Joe Vitale called “The 7 Lost Secrets Of Success” and read it all the way through—cover to cover—in one sitting.

I can even remember the exact part of the book that got me.

It was a story of how during a bad economy Bruce Barton told a struggling, out-of-work and down-on-his-luck salesman, who had a talent for writing sales letters, to look out the window at all the office buildings, and come up with a sales letter that would “sell” one of those businesses on hiring him.

After reading that story, it was like I’d been living in a cave and someone dragged me out into the light.

Reading that one simple story turned my brain on fire.

And it’s what got me into direct marketing.

Without that book, I’d probably be pumping gas at the local Chevron still while trying to hand out MLM tapes.

Every success I’ve had, every success someone who has bought one of my products or listened to one of my interviews, or read one of emails has from doing that is all because of Bruce Barton and Joe Vitale’s “7 Lost Secrets Of Success” book.

And guess what?

On today’s Ben Settle Show podcast, I walk you through these 7 secrets in detail.

These secrets changed everything for me.

And, I reckon they’ll do the same for you.

Download this bad-boy here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/109

Ben Settle

P.S. This should go without saying but I highly suggest you get the book on amazon right after listening.

It’s short (can be read in one sitting), and will teach you a different kind of mindset than the usual business books do.