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

A few weeks ago I mentioned reading Steve McQueen’s biography.

Specifically, all the business lessons and ideas contained inside, amongst other ideas and thoughts I had on the book (which was one of the best biographies I’ve ever read, and, in some ways, one of the best business books I ever done read, too).

Anyway, here’s another lesson:

Steve was notorious for “saying” pages of dialogue with a single look.

In fact, my consulting client in the entertainment business last month was telling me how it wasn’t uncommon for 2-3 pages of dialogue to be tossed out while filming because Steve would stare at the camera in such a way where all that needed to be said was said with a look, and no dialogue was necessary.

Just one of the many reasons he was the highest paid actor of his day.

This also applies to email and sales copy, too.

By using metaphors, humor, stories, analogies, slang, and figures of speech you will find you can often “say” in a sentence or two far more than you can with 3 pages of drivel that takes forever to get to the point.

That’s a free lesson in writing emails, my little fledgling.

I wonder how many people will actually use it…

Oh, and speaking of which:

The February “Email Players” issue doesn’t talk about how to “say” more with fewer words (saving that for a future issue this year), but it does reveal perhaps the single most profitable business/marketing lesson I ever done learned from Steve McQueen… a lesson that can also (if you’re a guy) make you 100x’s more charismatic and influential.

’tis a simple little thing.

And, like McQueen’s dialog, lets you throw out pages (so to speak) of trying to write, talk, sell, and convince your way into people buying from you, and gets people eagerly wanting to buy from you without you having to “say” much at all.

She goes to print in about a week.

Subscribe to get your lovin’ here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

One of my favorite customers Doc Carney morbidly writes:

So I am sitting here, it’s 8:42 PST and I’m writing you because this morning I get your email…Then I had this terrible thought.

—–
What if ol Ben DIES?
—–

You know.

Has a heart attack, gets run over by some old lady when he’s getting out of car. Get’s poked with a knife from his apprentice.

Like I said, it’s early, and my mind is running a hundred miles an hour right now, and my little fingers are working hard to get this on the computer screen.

Then my next question pops into my head.

“So… who’s going to take his place?”

My thoughts on that?

NO ONE.

What you’re doing and who you’re touching via emails will NOT be and cannot be reproduced on any scale. (deep shit huh)

A lot of people write, and a lot of people write emails, but it’s like a fingerprint or a snow flake.

There’s only one of them, and my friend, whether you know this or not, there is only one of you, and I’m proud to say today, you’re a friend of mine, and whether we get to meet in San Diego again or not, if I die or you die first, just let it be known, we were buddies and it was an experience.

Sincerely written and submitted to you on a platter by none other than me.

Doc

Doc brings up a good point I’ve been thinking a lot about lately.

I’ve been noticing and more people are trying to copy me — to use my “fingerprints” (so to speak) in their emails. People trying to use my words, my slang, my stories, my figures of speech, my “personality”, etc.

Which is foolish.

Especially since, many times, their own lists will say something like:

“So and so sure sounds a lot like you do!”

Reminds me of the comic book “Sin City” from the 90’s.

When Frank Miller published it, it was a huge hit.

The story about Marv — the mentally disturbed, butt-ugly, bad-ass guy going around in a trench coat taking on organized crime, psychopaths, cannibals, rapists, and every other kind of scum you can think of — struck a chord in the comic book world because it was so fresh, original, and different from everyone else.

So what happened?

All the wannabes came out of the woodworks.

Suddenly, all these comics popped up with a character walking around in a trench coat fighting criminals, and they all (every single one to my knowledge) ultimately failed miserably, even if they made a little bit of money off the demand for a month or two.

Why?

Because they were trying to copy something they didn’t understand.

It was hackville.

And, it didn’t take long for the public to catch on.

So it is online.

Yes, you can get away with trying to sound like someone else for a while. But, eventually, it will catch up to you. Eventually, people will start seeing you as a warmed over version of me or whoever you’re trying to copy. And, eventually, people on your own list will laugh at you.

SPURN me on this at your peril my little droogling.

If you want to learn how to write emails in YOUR personality, using YOUR vernacular, and selling using YOUR strengths (everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses), then check out the “Email Players” newsletter.

You can’t fake it til you make it.

You have to actually make it.

And that’s where I can help.

I show you the blue print (so to speak).

But you build the house yourself.

You decorate it yourself.

And, it’s un-mistakenly YOU, not me or anyone else.

But, if you join this month, a word of warning:

The February issue is going to startle some of the ladies on the list (with many shaking their fists at me calling me the devil no doubt — goooooood), and contains no hard email teaching. You can still use the info to write profitable emails (I certainly do, which is why I’m teaching it). But, there are no examples, or subject lines, or email break-downs, etc.

It’s experimental stuff.

And, you know what?

Last time I did something like this (last February), it was one of the most well-received issues ever. I remember even getting a voicemail from one of the world’s leading online traffic and lead guys Charles Kirkland saying I need to do more issues like that.

So anyway, that’s that.

To subscribe to the February issue before it mails, go here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Came a Facebook comment from one of my business partners:

The Legend of Ben Settle….

Just hired a new Intern ( She is a bit shy and doesn’t know I am posting this here, once she gets out of her shell, I will bring here her) we met this morning about what she wants to do for my agency and set out some goals.

I asked what are her 3 objectives over the next 18 months

?1. Learn how to put a Marketing Strategy together and execute it? 2. Learn how write Headlines ?3. Email Marketing

I ask… so are you learning from anyone in the marketing world outside of the classroom.

She Responded

“… this guy Ben Settle has a cool podcast and his style is straight forward….”

I think she will be rewarded with the first Email Players Scholarship in my office.

Ben Settle – “Reaching Millennial’s Cause Email is Dead”

I will keep you all posted on this

Intern, eh?

My pal Shane Hunter replied saying I was like an “ethical Bill Clinton.”

Hm.

Anyway, point is this:

Thus is another example of the kind of reach you’ll have when you use my style of email and communication (not my personality or words — but the straight forwardness). Something I teach each month “Email Players” newsletter and in the “Email Players Playbook” (that comes with your subscription).

My audience-building methods for writing emails don’t just apply to email.

They apply to podcasting.

Sales copy.

Articles.

Videos.

And any other way you sell.

Subscription info here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle