Ben Settle

Maybe I shouldn’t be so hard on The Burgle, after all?

New “Email Players” subscriber Wardee Harmon (whose office is in my old haunts in The Burgle) writes:

“This is changing my business. I believed it when you said it or I would not have tried it. Yet, I am surprised by how much I like doing it. I thought I would dread it, but I actually look forward to the daily writing and I have more ideas than days to email!”

She also reported:

• December sales (in just her first 3 weeks) were her highest sales ever

• She made top 3 for sales in an affiliate contest (with a list size much smaller than the usual top affiliates) with double the conversion rate of almost every one else’s

• She now gets from 5 to 50 (or even a hundred) replies each day to her emails (which gives her an unlimited supply of email “fodder” to do with as she wants)

It’s a fun time to be an Email Players subscriber.

Lots of big changes in businesses are being made.

Lots of marketplace branding & positioning are being built.

And, yes, lots of sales are being created.

(Out of thin air, basically, just sending emails, no other changes.)

Plus, the info I’ll be showing in 2016 in “Email Players” is going to blow people away (my sales last year were almost twice as high as the year before, due in large part to some changes in the way I write emails and promote myself — things you can only learn from the elBenbo’s mouth, not by observation or in any of my other teachings, speaking gigs, trainings, or products).

However, a word of warning:

The people who are seeing these big bumps in sales all are doers and already have a product and an offer. They don’t think they can magically make more sales by putting each issue under their pillow each night via osmosis with no list, no offer, or no desire to work. And they sure as hades don’t get their monthly issue and then just nod, smile (eyeballs rolling to the back of their head at their temporary dopamine drip high of getting something “new!”) just to file it away (without implementing) and chase some bright shiny object on the side.

They read, implement, profit.

They also treat it like an investment not an expense.

(They are investor-minded, not opportunity-minded.)

And, as a result, they make lots of sales.

Very simple.

And, pretty easy, too.

(And fun.)

Get in on the February issue before it goes to the printer tomorrow here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Behold this quote from comedian Dante Nero:

“A woman falls in love with you for what you are, spends the rest of the relationship trying to change you into something you’re not, and then leaves you for a man who is what you were.”

He’s obviously talking to spurned guys in that quote.

(His podcast is all about that.)

But, in business, it applies to both men and women.

And, it especially applies to freelance copywriters, coaches, and consultants — where there are certain clients who hire you for what you’ve done/are known for, spend all their time getting you to change everything you know works (based on raw experience and 100-years of direct marketing history) to what they think will work (based on some cool ninja-sounding bright shiny object theory they learned at a seminar or on Flakebook). Then, when you give in just to “get along”, they say what you did didn’t work and hire someone else who does what you were originally doing.

That certainly happened to me back in the day.

It’s also happened to many others who tell similar tales of woe.

And you know what?

If that happens to you (just like when it happened to me), it’s all your fault — not the client’s. Chances are, the clients are good people and mean well, but are being led astray.

You simply don’t know how to manage them.

And, thus, you both got hurt as a result.

That’s the bad news.

The good news is, this is one of many such things I teach in the February “Email Players” issue. I show you not only how to avoid having the above happen to you… but I also show you how to never get “friend zoned” by a client, either, where someone gladly takes your best ideas, your time, and your knowledge… only to turn around and hire someone else who gave them hardly any of their time or ideas or knowledge, and probably aren’t even as good as you at whatever it is you do/sell.

This happens all the time to copywriters especially.

And, it also happens to anyone who doesn’t know how to sell.

(i.e. people who only know how to pitch “benefits.”)

And you know what else?

Maybe I’m just old fashioned like this.

But, in my way of thinking, if you truly care about the clients you want to help, and if you truly want their business long term, then it behooves (how’s that for a word?) you to know how this bizarre game works, so they’ll fall in love with you instead of someone else, and so you can save them from making the mistake of hiring/buying from someone inferior.

More:

Don’t think this doesn’t apply to selling other kinds of products.

It ain’t just service providers that make this mistake. Info publishers (especially those who stubbornly insist on “moving the free line” farther and farther), people who sell health-related products, sales reps for big ticket products, etc — everyone who has anything to sell is potentially at risk of making these kinds of mistakes. And, when you apply what I show in the February issue in your emails, chances are it simply won’t be an issue for you henceforth.

Anyway, more about this in the February “Email Players” issue.

She goes to the printer tomorrow.

Subscribe in time to get it today here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

One of my newest copywriting fledglings Ashwin Vidiyala is a happy camper:

I started subscribing to Ben’s Email Players in December, and i’m not even through his Email Player’s Playbook yet, but my emails have improved a crazy amount. I’m also applying for jobs and freelance work right now, and i’m getting so many callbacks because of my emails (which I upload to my blog everyday) it’s unbelievable. I’m fresh out of college, and people are talking to me like i’m some expert. I already got some freelance work, and hopefully more on the way. I’ll let the group know when I hit $5K a month. Ben Settle, you’re a f__ing badass!

Yes, it’s true.

Not just about the badass thing.

But, that my “Email Players” newsletter can help even fledgling, fresh-out-of-college newbie copywriters get more clients, more sales, and, yes, more “authority” in whatever you want to be an authority in, too.

The February issue goes to the printer Friday.

I believe the info inside this particular issue can help anyone who does client work (copywriter, coach, consultant, you name it) double or even triple their business in the next several months while also having fewer headaches, drama, or gnawing bouts of anxiety.

I can’t guarantee that, of course.

(You have to be willing to change the way you think, and implement, for example.)

But, the info inside did as much for me.

And, I believe it can do the same for you, too.

Subscribe here to get it while there’s still a little time left:

http://www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Target Marketing Magazine’s Direct Marketer of the Year Brian Kurtz writes:

A close friend and world class copywriter recently said to me:

“If I don’t change something, I’m gonna stay stuck in this copywriter gig, making $15k/promo, working my ass off, sweating blood and spending MONTHS working on each promo…then left wondering how long my control will last until they hire somebody to beat me.”

The result:

As Brian says, the trend is moving from work-for-hire copywriters… to copywriters “marrying” a client where they serve as both copywriter and a sort of consultant — getting paid not just fees, but either % of the company sales or even a a piece of the company, etc.

It’s a good trend, too.

But, it’s not without its swamps, either.

Couple thoughts for copywriters who get turned on by this:

1. Been there, done that

I got in my first writer-client relationship (of the sort above) back in 2009 (for the very same reasons today’s copywriters are finding that arrangement so attractive) and it was (due to my own stupidity) a near disaster.

Why?

I wrote ALL the ads and emails that helped quickly take that start-up company to over $200k per *month*… and yet, I made probably less than $15k in the 1.5 years I worked with them. (And even then, I had to chase the owner down some months for my meager little royalties.)

But, really, it was all my fault.

For one:

I got in bed with the most unethical guys I’ve ever done business with.

Oddly enough, they were great at first.

But, like my friend Michael Senoff told me years ago when he and I first did business together (I wrote ads for his products, we split the sales), “people change when big money comes into play” — and, so it was.

And secondly:

I was naive about the deal.

I “settled” (no pun) for 5% of the sales of a non-existent continuity program. Continuity was the carrot constantly dangled in front of me. “When continuity is launched… you’ll be easily doing xyz per month Ben, but first, we need you to write the ad for this other product…” (which I wasn’t getting paid on in any way, shape, or form). Then, when continuity finally launched, they barely ever promoted it. I doubt it was mailed for more than 2 or 3 times.

Again, completely my own fault.

I naively believed when I should have been questioning.

And, in hindsight, I should have demanded a % of the company sales overall (not just continuity) — especially since all the emails and sales letters were written by Yours Unruly and I think it’s safe to say I had at least that much to do with the overall sales. Plus, there were some other precautions I should have taken, too (like rights to look at the accounting, and not be a cheapskate and spend the money to hire an accountant to do so every quarter, amongst other things.)

Anyway, I made lots of mistakes.

And, maybe you can benefit from them.

What about the other deal?

It lasted exactly one year before I bailed.

I got paid 1% of the overall company sales (they were doing over $500k – $1 million per month most months and a $5k per month base. The money in that deal was great, and the people were also great (they never tried any funny bid’niz and were always straight with me about everything). But I realized about 5 months in I was still basically a glorified employee, subject to the same whims and Friday night rush jobs as any other work-for-hire bloke and, well, that’s just not my bag.

Anyway, my point is this:

This new copywriting trend can be good.

It can be very good, in fact.

And profitable.

But, it’s not without its pitfalls.

More:

I think Brian Kurtz is spot on correct. Copywriters with lots of talent and options are definitely going in the direction of marrying one big client instead of doing an endless string of one-night-stands.

But, there’s another trend emerging, too.

Here’s what I wrote to Brian right after reading his email:

… there’s also a handful of copywriters who simply decide to be our own best clients. And only sell our own stuff, while outsourcing traffic, etc… I’ve been doing that for almost 6 years, and most recently Kevin Rogers told me he finally decided to do it too. If it does happen more widespread then it could completely reverse the whole game where copywriters will be the new clients.

Strange times…

Strange, but EXCITING, too, as Brian replied.

And you know what else is exciting?

The beauty of the email system I teach in my “Email Players” newsletter is it can make you far more attractive to would-be clients looking for a marriage arrangement (i.e. you work for only them, they give you a piece of overall sales) than even copywriters with more talent and experience than you. And, of course, it can also make YOU a lot of extra dineros if you decide to brave the elBenbo route and be your own client, selling your own products, and keeping all the booty for your righteous self.

Either way, my system can get you to the goal faster.

And, I daresay, it can get you there 10x’s faster than you’re going now.

Enter the February “Email Players” issue.

It goes to the printer Friday.

(Time’s short to get it.)

And, it’s a perfect example of the kind of mindset and attitude to have if you’re going to cater to clients or if you’re going to do your own thing. The mindset I teach inside the February issue pages is some of the most controversial and (to some people no doubt) *repulsive* info you’ll probably ever read in the marketing world.

At least, I hope it is…

It certainly ain’t for the mush cookie, boot-licking types.

Or, for people who are afraid to have their opinions and assumptions challenged.

(If that’s you, the next issue will do you zero good, don’t even bother.)

For everyone else?

Here’s where to subscribe:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

I can’t help it, I must name drop:

One of my favorite tax-asset protection gurus (not a goo-roo), New York Times bestselling author (including being an author of one of Robert Kiyosaki’s “Rich Dad” advisors books), and who has been invited to the White House for round table discussions on business finance… Diane Kennedy (hi) writes on Facebook:

I don’t want to miss an [Email Players] issue.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go to http://www.emailplayers.com/ and just sign up. He says it’s “very expensive” but it’s not. It’s like $99/month or something like that.

I used just a few of his techniques and increased my net monthly income by $4K per month. $99 to make $4k…pretty good.

I don’t know if I ever told Diane this.

But, she was one of my constant companions during the leanest, and most depressing times of my business career. I still have the audio cassette tape (yep, cassettes, pre-mp3’s, and even CD’s weren’t as popular) of her and a few of her fellow brilliant business minds sitting around a table discussing how the rich invest their money.

I found that info extremely inspiring.

(And extremely profitable, it laid the foundation for how I run my business today.)

It also kept elBenbo excited about my future during some pretty gloomy times.

Anyway, it’s satisfying to be able to give back a little.

Even if it’s just her making more sales via “Email Players”.

Speaking of which:

Time’s getting short to get the February issue.

There’s not a ton of hard email training in it.

But, everything inside can be applied to email (I do every day — this info is what makes me stick out in inboxes like a fart in a library).

The deadline looms.

Subscribe here in time while you can:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

My ex-copywriting apprentice drops some powerful email advice.

She writes on Facebook:

Ben Settle: copied by many, but never duplicated.

Something’s been happening to me lately and I’m not happy about it.

I started mailing my copywriter’s list regularly—until I got several emails from people asking if Ben was writing them.

Hmph!

So I quit emailing.

Then, on FB…people started messaging me about my “voice” and how similar it was to his.

So I started second guessing every post!

Today, someone asked me if I was Ben’s Announcer Babe.

I’ve done this to myself..unintentionally.

But there’s hope for me yet!!!

I have a plan.

A plan to find the voice I lost a while back when I LOVED writing to my blog (single mamas dramas).

Silly sarcasm. Humorous little stories.

From now on…I refuse to write to any list if it’s not MY own voice! (Ben FULLY endorses this, fyi).

Why?

Because I’m so sick of all the copycats out there and I realized I’m NO better than all of them (and that bugs the crud out of me)!

I don’t like swearing (online, that is)…I don’t mind if others do it—it’s just not MY style.

I don’t use words like droogie and gooroo.

I love making people laugh and I love my own unique spirited personality…so from here forward…that’s what you’re going to get!

Just wanted you to know. Public proclamation.

elBenbo Kenobi has taught her well.

Apparently, *too* well, since she was writing in my voice.

But, she was wise enough to catch herself and correct it.

(Can’t say that for the rest of my copycats out there.)

Anyway, back to her point:

As she has noticed, there are many people constantly copying my words, vernacular, and even trying to copy my personality (especially on flakebook), and they simply don’t realize how pathetic it makes them sound.

Best advice money can’t buy:

Be an original you.

Not a warmed over version of me or anyone else.

In emails, the best way to do that is to learn my not-so-mysterious ways, but express it with your unique individuality. The way to learn my ways, and learn them correctly (you can only get about 20% — if that — via reverse engineering or hearing someone else re-teach what they heard or read me say somewhere, too bad for the freebie seekers) check out the “Email Players” newsletter.

But really, just subscribing isn’t enough.

You have to implement.

And, you have to treat it like a long term investment — as everything I teach in every issue compounds on itself over time, just like good exercise habits, good eating habits, and, yes, good money habits.

If you treat it like a 30 day dieter who then binges on crap and balloons back up to where they started?

It’ll do you no good, save your money.

(Which is why I don’t allow people who join then quit within a month or two back in when they try, or allow them buy anything else from me, either — let their dopamine-addicted azzes go haunt someone else.)

Anyway, February issue goes to the printer Friday.

It’s a special “Valentine’s Day” issue.

Yes, my little fledgeling, that vaginal Hallmark holiday I refuse to celebrate.

It shows you how to apply the exact same principles used by men who are successful with women (the ones who never lack female companionship and never feel the icy sting of being “friend-zoned”) to be super successful in business, marketing, email, negotiation, getting clients (regardless of what you services you sell — coaching, consulting, copywriting, whatever) persuasion, and selling.

I believe if you follow the info inside it’ll be near impossible to fail in business.

(Whether you be man or woman.)

You also get a jagged little glimpse into my love life, too.

(Not that you should care, yet going by the questions I get, a lot of people do for some reason I can’t fathom.)

And, well, a shrieking-good time will be had by all.

Here’s where to subscribe in time:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Some inspiration today for your bad-self:

When Misty the Ben Settle Show announcer chick first took over that lists daily email writing duties, the first wave of emails she sent me (despite being an “Email Players” subscriber for a couple years and already writing ridiculously profitable emails to her own lists) were pretty much crap. This is something she readily admits to, so don’t think ol’ elBenbo is just being a turd about this. Yes, they were “formally” correct — but there was no fire to them. No individuality. None of the excitement I had seen her write before I knew would be perfect for the podcast list (which is why I invited her to be the email writer in the first place — she’s kinda like a female version of me — only not as nice).

Instead, her emails were all play-it-safe.

Timid.

And, yes, gawd-awfully boring.

*The exactly opposite of how she normally writes to her other lists.*

(i.e. She’s a natural ball buster.)

The solution?

Well, it was kind of like in the movie “The Matrix” when Morpheus was fighting Neo, who Morpheus knew had great power but was holding back. While they’re fighting, Morpheus tells Neo he’s faster than this and to:

“Stop trying to hit me and hit me!”

So it was in this case.

I told her to stop holding back, stop worrying about writing emails in my shadow, and write just like she does to her other businesses.

The result?

Well, she’s been pounding out emails with ease ever since.

We’ve been making lots of sales.

And, she’s been creating a tight knit group of fans who look forward to her daily rants.

Anyway, if you want to write emails like she does, check out the “Email Players” newsletter.

I show you how to control the email game like Neo controls the Matrix — bending words, perception, and how people think about you and your products using just emails each day. It takes work. And it takes an investment of time and money. But, if you got what it takes, you can be banging out emails people love to read and buy from as easily as the rest of my students do.

February issue goes to the printer this week.

If you want in, now’s the time, Neo:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

This week’s “Ben Settle Show” is all about how to pick a coach to hire — regardless of the niche or industry (copywriting, marketing, business, fitness, life, fashion, sales, accountability, you name it, any kind of coach).

Including:

• The “anti-coaching” reason why Portland is the most screwed up city on the planet. (ooh)

• Why it’s better to be water boarded than hire a coach who’s so pathetic he (or she) resorts to hard selling or shaming you into hiring them.

• The best way to “vet” a would-be coach you want to hire.

• Why you should avoid hiring coaches who only have raving happy clients.

• The best asset a business-related coach can bring to the table. (And it has nothing to do with knowledge or experience — if a coach ONLY brings this to the table they are almost always worth hiring.)

• My 2 favorite podcasting coaches.

• Why the length of time someone has been coaching isn’t necessarily a good attribute to hire a coach on.

• A “red flag” to look for if you hire a coach who is naturally entertaining.

• What to ask coaches who dazzle you with metrics before hiring them.

• And more…

You can download this baby here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/antipreneur

Ben Settle

So here’s the thing:

More and more and more (and more…) I keep hearing about people who hire a coach, pay that coach a boatload of the green stuff, and then get very little actual help from said coach and, in way too many cases, get nothing but theory and info that only works for coaches teaching people how to do what they can’t seem to do themselves.

Kinda reminds me of the consultant joke:

“A consultant is someone who can show you 300 ways to make love but can’t get a date for themselves on Friday night”

Yep.

That sums up a lot of these coaches all right.

But, here’s the thing:

Not all coaches are bad.

And, in fact, many are very good (can teach and DO what they teach).

The trick is seeing through the nonsense and charms, and figuring out which ones are worth hiring and which ones are worth avoiding like the frankenstein apocalypse plague.

Enter tomorrow’s “Ben Settle Show” episode.

I show you exactly how to tell the “for real” coaches from the frauds.

And, how to save yourself a ton of scratch (some of these coaching programs are over $20k), frustration, and, yes, humiliation (the kind of “I feel like such a dumbass” self talk you so richly deserve if you let yourself get seduced by a scoundrel coach who dazzles you with nonsense — hey, pain is a good teacher…)

All right, enough.

The podcast will be up tomorrow.

If you’re wanting to a hire coach, tomorrow’s show is for you.

(Any kind of coach — business or otherwise).

Listen to our other episodes here while you’re waiting:

www.BenSettleShow.com/antipreneur

Ben Settle