Ben Settle

One of the things you see copywriters do is put the dorky little “as seen on” logo at the top of their ads.

“As seen on…”

Then logos of major news sites, publications, shows, etc.

Sounds good, doesn’t it?

Like a great idea?

Like “killer copywriting”, even?

I’m not saying it won’t increase conversions.

But, when people haven’t actually been seen on those places except because they ran paid ads there, it’s not really true. Yes, it’ll work on the weak-minded and hyper buyers who buy everything. (The one that amuses me most is when people put “as seen on Clickbank”)

But the skeptics?

Which make up as much as 2-5 x’s more people than hyper buyers?

There is a much better way to use credentials like that.

(Assuming they are true.)

A way I’ve used to make ads that would otherwise seem mundane and boring sound suddenly exciting and, dare I say it, sexy? A way I taught the Ben Settle Show announcer chick in today’s podcast. A way you, too, can use, as well if’n you want.

You can learn all about free here in today’s show:

www.BenSettleShow.com/blog

Ben Settle

P.S. During this 4-part series you’ll have a chance to get my re-released “Copy Slacker” product at a huge discount. Make sure you listen carefully if you want to get your greedy, sweaty little hands on it for $200 off this weekend only.

One of the things I taught the Ben Settle announcer chick while hacking away at your sales letter with reckless abandon was the “genie secret.”

What’s the genie secret?

Well, let’s put it this way:

Back in the golden age of direct response (B.I.E. i.e. before the Internet era) the old school marketers used to do things quite differently than most of today’s whipper-snappers online do when writing their ads.

For one thing, they used to create their ads first.

Then, the product.

There was one guy in particular (can’t remember his name) who used to write an ad, run it in newspapers, then, if it got lots of sales he would scramble to create a product to fulfill all the claims and promises in his ad (I believe that’s illegal these days, btw, so don’t try that at home…) Basically, guys like that would (and some still do, although they don’t try to pre-sell with those ads) pretend they had unlimited, genie-like powers to grant their market anything, write an ad selling it, then create a product that includes as many of those claims as possible, then adjust the copy for the stuff they couldn’t fulfill on.

Thus, I call it the genie secret.

You can call it whatever you want.

(I recently did this for the work at home market, we haven’t tested it yet though).

More:

This tactic also can be used to create what is one of the hardest parts of a sales letter for a lot of people, too — the all-important opening paragraph.

But worry ye not.

elBenbo has your back.

Because, in today’s Ben Settle Show podcast (part 3 of a 4 part series ripping my show’s announcer babe a new ad hole on the air) I show you this tip, how to use it, and, how to have peace the rest of your life (maybe).

Here’s where to download/listen to it:

www.BenSettleShow.com/blog

Ben Settle

P.S. During this 4-part series you’ll have a chance to get my re-released “Copy Slacker” product at a huge discount. Make sure you listen carefully if you want to get your greedy, sweaty little hands on it for $200 off this weekend only.

Last year I drove back into the golf market.

And, since it isn’t information I’m selling (which I was selling before) but something completely different, that nobody else is (at least not using the format and mechanism we are), I had to re-examine the market a lot more closely.

In other words…

There are no competitors to study.

No ads I can analyze to see how they approached it.

And, no swipe file of ads to raid for guidance.

Ordinarily I’d have been flying blind.

But, I wasn’t.

You see, my fine feathered little droogie, your boy elBenbo has an ace up his sleeve when it comes to learning about what a list (and market) wants so he can better sell to them — specifically in the headline.

An ace I rarely see anyone else use.

An ace I learned by observing an ooooold school ad agency.

What is it, you ask?

Well, what I did was, I used this trick I learned by studying what the old, “mad men” era Norman B. Norman agency would do to get inside their market’s head and psychology when they created their ad campaigns, and applied it to our Facebook group.

(We don’t even have a list).

The result?

I got TONS of market intel.

I know exactly what their objections are. Exactly how much they want what we’re offering. (Without even knowing it exists yet.) And, exactly what to say in a headline when I’m writing an ad.

It’s the ultimate market research/headline writing shortcut.

And guess ye what?

I reveal exactly what it is and how it works in today’s “Ben Settle Show” podcast — which is part 2 of my scathing critique of the show announcer chick’s sales letter.

Here’s where to listen/download it immediately:

www.BenSettleShow.com/blog

Ben Settle

P.S. During this 4-part series you’ll have a chance to get my re-released “Copy Slacker” product at a huge discount. Make sure you listen carefully if you want to get your greedy, sweaty little hands on it for $200 off this weekend only.

Recently I put Misty the Ben Settle Show announcer chick on the hot seat.

(And recorded it.)

I took her main offer/sales letter and burned it to ashes.

Then, helped her rewrite it from scratch… from the ground up.

As she described it:

“’It’s like he ripped me a new asshole and then pulled a new sales letter out of it’

^^ my closing reaction to a 90 minute sales letter teaching session with Ben Settle For the purposes of teaching, and massive conversion, I volunteered my sales letter as tribute. I let Ben burn it to the ground only to watch him summon it from the dead like a Phoenix from the ashes. From my sales letters charred remains, he created an irresistible offer that only a crazy lady would turn down. I might even frame it. Jonathan Rivera weighed in too and made sure to record this totally raw podcast episode for your listening pleasure.”

Anyway, the first part of that recording is now live.

And, I show you perhaps the easiest way ever invented to write a story for your ads.

You can download it free here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/blog

Enjoy the BBQ…

Ben Settle

P.S. During this 4-part series you’ll have a chance to get my re-released “Copy Slacker” product at a huge discount. Make sure you listen carefully if you want to get your greedy, sweaty little hands on it for $200 off this weekend.

Nothing to do with email, copywriting, marketing, or bid’niz.

But, here’s an announcement anyway:

I decided to put the first novel of my 7 book “Enoch Wars” series up on the Internet free.

No opting in.

No banner ads.

No registration required.

I simply thought it’d be fun to give people a, uhm, taste of what these books are about by giving the first book away gratis in plain text format anyone can read on any browser (even if you have a web browser from 1997) — with or without any special software, devices, or gizmos.

The link is here:

www.ZombieCopBook.com

Again, I don’t know if it’ll help your marketing at all.

(Although it might, who knows?)

But, an awful lot of world class copywriters, marketers, and bid’niz people have raved about it.

For example:

“a fun, entertaining, engaging, and compelling read that draws you in and keeps you turning pages”
– Bob Bly
(A-list copywriter & bestselling author of over 80+ books)

“I couldn’t stop reading”
– Dan Gallapoo
(World Class Copywriter For Agora Financial & Other Prestigious Direct Marketing Companies)

“Extremely engaging and makes you not want to put it down”
– Eric McMillan
(World’s Leading Pay-Per-View Ad Marketer & traffic guru)

“To keep up with Zombie Cop, book writers and Hollywood are going to have to step-up their game. The bar’s just been raised”
– Greg Perry
(Oklahoma’s #1 used & rare book dealer & world’s “most published” author of computer books)

“Reading [this] book and designing the cover were a lot more fun than most of my work!”
– Kirk Douponce
(Book cover designer for all the world’s biggest book publishers, such as Simon and Schuster, McGraw Hill, Harper Collins/Zondervan and Thomas Nelson)

“If you’re into ruminations about the secrets and mysteries of ancient times, Sacred texts, and the never-ending saga of supernatural battles of good and evil — again — you. will. love. it.”
– Caleb Osborne
(Full-Service Advertising Agency Owner)

“Most satisfying book I’ve read in months…Bought it on Thursday and was done by Friday night”
– Yoav Ezer
(Owner of one of the world’s most prestigious services for helping authors get published)

“the characters, though demented, almost had this dry sense of humor in their thoughts. I was getting a kick out of their own self talk. Plenty of fight scenes… plenty of gore”
– J.E. Clair
(Head copywriter for some of the highest selling companies on ClickBank)

“Surprisingly a lot of depth to this book — layers upon layers of bad guys, layers of story lines, and of course, a sense that there’s another book to come”
– Stephen Dean
(One of the most prolific copywriters in the Northwest US)

“Totally gruesome, twisted stuff. LOVING IT TO PIECES.”
– Jim Yaghi
(Computer Scientist, Leading Google AdWords & Traffic Specialist)

Anyhoo.

Yes, the book is deranged.

No, it’s not a “nice” story full of unicorn farts and sunshine.

And, of course it’s not intended for people under 18 yrs old.

But you know what?

I daresay my free novel will be the most entertaining read of the year for you.

And if not?

I’ll give you your non-money back.

Bon Appétit…

www.ZombieCopBook.com

Ben Settle

“Email Players” subscriber and rapper Drew Morisey nails it:

“Need to get back in the swing of things on daily emails. At this point I’m busting out about 4-5 a week which is better than most of my competitors, BUT what should be mentioned even further is that I sort of converted ElBenBo style format into my YouTube videos, and my business has grown from 1.5k a month to 5k a month in roughly three months. I’m too lazy (and now with a bigger business, overworked!) to do the numbers but I would hazard a guess that Saint Settle’s lessons had something to do with this… the format even works with YouTube videos (assuming one has the audience)”

Yep.

It’s ALL the same.

The same methods I teach for writing emails can be adapted to video, social media, articles, blogs, podcasting, and any other media. All you need is a list/audience/followers, and you’re good to go.

Anyway, time’s almost up to get in on the March issue.

She goes to the printer tomorrow.

Giddy-up and get it here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Today’s the deadline to get the March “Email Players” issue.

Here’s what’s inside this bad-boy:

• How to combine email with podcasting to nab up to $28 per click on your affiliate promos (and, also, how to do it without even needing a podcast of your own).

• A little-known way to use email to sell products that don’t yet even exist!

• How to cook up million-dollar product names. (And, how to do it in mere seconds, without struggle, busting your brain, or, worse, swiping anyone else.)

• A secret way of pumping out all the email content you want using this Twitter guru’s “stupid simple” formula.

• How to use plain ol “retro” emails to create a lovable and authentic personality (even if people hate you now) people love to buy from!

• A secret place to put email links that, according to one of the top email companies, can jack up your click-thrus by 30% or more.

• And a ho bunch mo’.

Grab your email goodness right here before it goes to the printer:

www.EmailPlayers.com

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