Ben Settle

“Email Players” subscriber John Hillage says on Facebook:

Quick testimonial. On a week’s holiday. Last week wanted to fund it. Short on time. Did a product sale of a 27 dollar report. Used Ben’s tactics of web M.D. ____ emails plus stories from ____ emails. Put a bullet based quick sales letter up. Used Ben’s bullets newsletter. Normally takes me weeks to write a letter. Got it done in 6 hours. Emailing daily has definitely sharpened my letter writing. Result- 40+ sales to the least responsive part of list (best customers already got it). Holiday rental paid. Thanks Ben.

Thaaaaaat’s my boy.

Your milage will vary, of course.

But when you do email right, have a responsive list, and sell products they want, things like vacations don’t have to be slapped on a credit card or stressed over to pay for.

Here’s the attitude to have:

Want to go to Hawaii for a week first class?

Write some emails.

Need some quick cash flow?

Write some emails.

See a cause you want to contribute to?

Write some emails.

I think (and I’m right) everyone in business should think this way: If you want something, belt out an offer and pay for it. It’s not brain surgery, and can be a lot of fun if you know what you’re doing.

Next “Email Players” issue goes to print soon.

Tell your travel agent to standby and go here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

My ex-copywriting apprentice recently got this Flakebook message:

“Hi I’m reaching out to say hi since we are a friends, but never had a chance to speak”

Then, when she didn’t reply he writes:

“I just love seen messages without response”

Sheesh.

Needy much, bro?

(Note to men: Attractive women get swamped with cold messages on flakebook from strangers, don’t have time to reply to the all, and, I am told, sometimes find them “creepy.”)

Anyway, I’m far from being a social media expert.

(Or even an ex-spurt.)

But, here’s how to contact people (or let them know you exist) who you really want to talk to without sounding like some kind of mouth breather:

1. Join in on a hot discussion the person is already in

2. Value their time

(Hint: mindless idle chit-chat via messaging wastes time)

3. Don’t be a dork

Pretty simple.

And you know what?

This is good advice for email marketers too.

Writing emails about subjects your list is interested in (or that you make interesting for them), valuing their time (not sending boring emails), and not acting like a dork is a good way to get engagement, sales, and, yes, people replying back if’n that’s what you want.

More:

There’s a way to make money from the mouth breathers.

The trollish ones, at least.

And, in the September “Email Players” (50th milestone issue) I show you (with an example) how to receive a troll message, then, re-directing it right back in a way that pays you — and, sometimes even gets people to retract statements, bad reviews, etc.

Go here to get in on this action:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Below is a real time email lesson for your righteous self.

In the September “Email Players” issue I reveal how to flip troll mail you get into cash-in-the-bank sales in your hot little hand. And, following is a free demonstration below about how to do just that.

Behold this email I got a few hours ago:

…after hearing your ridiculous political views, and your obvious lack of empathy for people different than you, it now makes me more happy than ever to freely download your products.

I also look forward to posting download links for your products on various sites so that others can enjoy them for free as well.

I don’t ask for much.

But, I think I deserve a higher quality troll than this.

Disappointing, to say the least.

Still, this is a good opportunity to tell you about a service I use each month (along with some other smart folks, like Ryan Levesque — who originally told me about it).

It’s a service pirates fear like the zombie apocalypse plague.

And, what it does is simple:

It gets your illegal product download links removed from Google for you. They go after all those sites full of guys who still live in mommy’s basement, eating cheetos and watching porn all day downloading your products. Everyone I know who uses this service loves them. And while they aren’t cheap, if your products are all over the pirate sites and it bothers you, they may just be your can of Red Bull.

Anyway, want to talk to them?

See if they can help?

Then reply back to this email and I’ll shoot you the details

And yes, I get a commission if you use them.

(Full disclosure)

More fun tomorrow…

Ben Settle

“Email Players” subscriber Chris Orzechowski askeths:

Hey Ben,

I’m an Email Players subscriber and I don’t usually ask a lot of questions, but there was something I wanted to get your opinion on.

Before I ask my question let me just say – I’ve been following your advice from your newsletter and podcast and I’ve started to make money as an email copywriter. I really think things started taking off for me when I became a subscriber. I guess it’s because I finally had some skin in the game. So thanks for that.

Anyway

Question:

There was something that stuck out to me. You said that if you would ever go back to traditional freelancing you would do emails only. You said you’d have a few clients that paid you like 3-5k and 5-10% of sales every month just to write emails.

Now, obviously you personally would charge a lot more being that you’re on the top of the mountain.

My question is what kind of companies should I target if I wanted to work out a deal like that? Maybe this is a stupid question – I dont know.

I was thinking 7 or 8 figure info publishers and ecommerce businesses. I feel like they would need emails the most and would probably recognize their need for it.

Obviously every business could benefit from using email, but in your own experience what do you think would be the best kind of businesses to target for these bigger freelance email retainer deals?

Answer:

Target companies *already* aggressively using emails.

I am not a big fan of going after companies and trying to “convince” them why direct marketing, copywriting, email marketing, etc is a good investment and please hire me, pwetty pwease with sugar on top.

Nah-boo.

Go after companies *already* hiring writers.

They’re already sending lots of mail, running ads, paying for it, testing, and know their numbers. Chances are they’re hungry for copywriters, especially good ones who can add another percentage or two to their response.

This goes for selling most anything.

Do thou what Jesus did:

Go to those in need of a physician (so to speak).

Not the already healthy ones.

Way easier selling aspirin to someone suffering from a migraine than trying to convince someone without pain why they might need aspirin the future.

“Email Players” info here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Today’s “Ben Settle Show” is round two of my political views.

Like last time, there’s nary any actual business, marketing, selling, etc tips in sight. It’s just little ol’ elBenbo’s thoughts on such things as:

• Abortion (I broach this fun subject once again)
• Minimum wage
• Discrimination
• Hate crimes
• And, we even touch on feminism a bit — but not too much, as I’m saving that particular treat of a topic for its own show in the future

Anyway, a merry time was had by all.

Here’s where to download your lovin’:

www.BenSettleShow.com/antipreneur

Ben Settle

“Email Players” subscriber Mary Rose Maguire writes on Facebook:

In a weird way, Ben is almost like the AA for marketers. I’ll speak for myself, here… Before I was “hooked” on the people approving of me by the open rates and zero unsubscribes. But then I noticed that I was just doing enough to not rock the boat… to say what I thought people would like… to remain trapped in mediocre marketing because to take a risk (and possibly have unsubscribes) seemed impossible for me to do. Or at the very least, unpalatable.

^^ it’s true.

If there’s one thing I want to be known for it’s this:

Freeing people from the strangling ropes of the mainstream and majority — not only in the marketing arena, but everywhere in life. The majority is very often wrong (not just business).

So it is in email marketing.

And copywriting.

And just about anything else.

If you want me to personally indoctrinate you with this way of thinking then check out my “Email Players” newsletter.

It ain’t cheap.

And, it’s not for people who need “approval.”

(From clients, gurus, colleagues, their wives, whatever.)

It’s for free thinkers.

For people not afraid to be different.

And, for those who want to stick out in their markets.

Here’s the link:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Last month I was “privy” to someone giving another person bad advice.

It was about copywriting.

And, while practically everything my advice-giving friend said was solid and right on the money… there was one piece of info that was downright bad info that could have made the person (who I also know) receiving the advice look like a wannabe and get lower quality clients.

Just about 99% of my friend’s advice great.

But 1% was bad.

And, that 1% was bad enough where — like a gnat wriggling around in a bowl of potato salad — it would have made the rest of the advice tainted and rendered inedible to use.

The moral of the story?

Actually, there are two:

1. If you’re a newbie seeking advice, take all info with a grain of salt. Don’t believe something just because that’s what everyone else is doing (if anything, that’s a good reason NOT to do whatever it is)

2. If you give advice, double check your work

For example:

There are a lot of newbie copywriters coming on the scene.

And, a lot of them simply can’t afford to pay a seasoned pro a lot of money for consulting and coaching, etc. So, they will turn to less experienced (but still good enough) copywriters for advice, critiques, analysis, etc. If you are that person giving the advice, double check everything you say with someone who has more experience than you.

Guessing can cost people a lot more than money.

It can cost them their reputation.

The effectiveness of their brand.

And, even their very livelihoods.

Awright enough of this.

To check out my “Email Players” newsletter, go here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Okay, so, here’s what’s cookin’ today:

One thing people seem to be struggling with in marketing-land is finding the right coach or teacher or product to learn whatever it is they want to learn (copywriting, emails, social media, blogging, traffic, list building, whatever).

Well, I have something to say about this.

C’mere a little closer so you can hear.

Back in 2007 when I moved to the Oregon coast I decided I wanted a dog. So, each day I’d go down to the Curry County dog shelter and walk a different dog. The dogs loved being walked, it helped socialize them (so they’d be more likely to be adopted), and it was a lot of fun.

For months I walked dogs like this.

Day in, and day out.

And, for months, I still couldn’t pick one I wanted.

I liked most of them well enough.

But, not enough to adopt.

Then, one day, I went in and saw this long-bodied (like a hot dog) basenji-corgi mix. And, through the fence we instantly “regarded” each other. Like the farmer and pig Babe in the movie “Babe”. (Except my dog didn’t pee on me). I walked the dog, had a blast, took her back and then went home. That entire weekend I kept thinking about that dog. Usually when I walked a dog I’d take them back and pretty much forget about them. But, not THIS dog. This was MY dog. And, both the dog and me knew it. So the next week I adopted her and she’s been my constant companion ever since.

The point of all this?

It’s the same with picking a coach or teacher.

You have to “walk” a lot of them to know which is the right one. You have to get on their lists, read their writings, watch their videos, buy their products, and spend time learning about them and, if you can swing it, talk to them. When you see the right person, whose style is in perfect harmony with yours you’ll know it.

You will simply regard each other.

And, you’ll know that person is who you want to learn from.

Now, I don’t do coaching.

Not one-on-one coaching, at least.

But, I do do “virtual” coaching (so to speak) via my monthly “Email Players” newsletter.

To see if we “regard” each other, go here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Who needs Obamacare when you have elBenbo care:

Hey Ben-

My wife’s pregnant.

We are self insured… meaning high deductible, zero benefit.

Why am I telling you this you ask?

Because when I found out she was pregnant and our baby was going to cost us $12-$14,000 out of pocket I said..

…”PianoFool is gonna pay for that baby”

And it has paid for it so far and will pay for it in full after I make a couple more products.

Then I simply email my list (which are expecting to hear from me, thanks to you) and they buy stuff.

That simple. So Ben…

…your method which allows me to create that connection and expectation with my list is truly buying my baby. So essentially you are.

So thanks.

It’s what we do around here.

To learn how to do the same, go here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle