Ben Settle

Behold:

Last year, when my I was instructing my ex-copywriting apprentice in the arts and craft of Ben Settle email writing, I did something the mush cookies would no doubt say was borderline “abusive” to her.

What happened was this:

She got her first client and sent me her first batch of emails.

I grunted a few times (as her email interrupted my all-important intellectual pursuits at the moment) and read through them.

I was horrified.

They were unfit for public reading.

I said:

“don’t ever show me crap like this again.”

Yes, elBenbo bared his fangs this time.

(I think there was even a full moon that night…)

Anyway, I then spent a couple hours writing her a long, detailed, and informational-dense email telling her not only what to do to correct her sins, but examples of how I think, plot, and strategize when I write my own emails. This is something I’ve never really done before. In fact, the only time I’ve ever done something like it was to some people I was hanging out with at our last Oceans 4 mastermind, at the bar, with a couple of the attendees.

(I was much nicer to them, though.)

And guess what?

The May “Email Players” issue contains this lesson.

I only did some *mild* editing.

(For context).

And if you’re a white knight mush cookie thinking I’m too mean or whatever, worry not:

Her self esteem wasn’t damaged.

In fact, she was grateful for it.

She emerged a MUCH better copywriter from it.

And, she has a thriving client base of happy-as-clams customers as a result. (And just to show I’m not pure evil to her… once in a blue moon — to keep her spirits up — I even give her an *occasional* compliment to boot…)

Anyway, at the risk of sounding goo-roo cliche’:

This is true “insider” info.

Stuff I only would tell someone one-on-one.

And this next issue is probably the only time you’ll see it.

Subscribe here before it goes to print and it’s too late:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Since it’s Monday, and it’s nothing but doom and gloom all over the place with people whining about “ooh it’s Mooooonday, help me I’m dying!” I want to douse myself in some positivity.

I also want to show you I ain’t just whistlin’ dixie, neither.

(About how much money “Email Players” makes people.)

David Frees says:

“Ben: I’m a subscriber and a podcast listener (religiously) and just wanted to let you know that one idea from the email newsletter (where you were walking through the coaching for low self esteem example) …inspired a ppc campaign that paid for the subscription many times over. Love the product and the show. Be well man.”

Aaaaah yes.

I feel the Force flowing through my ego now.

But, let’s see if we can’t pump it up another notch:

JT DeBolt said:

(In a Facebook comment)

“Ben Settle is fer reelz. We literally increased our revenue by 4-figures in the first month of subscribing to Email Players, and have continued that trend since. Crazy.”

Whooo-eee!

We’re on a roll here!

But my ego still has some more “wiggle room” for more props.

One more?

Okay, glad you agree.

Aaaaaaand someone named Sam says:

“Excuse me but what’s the point of this piece of junk email?”

Doh!

Hear that?

That’s the sound of all those props hissing out of my ego like hot air from a balloon………..

Dang.

I was doing so good, too.

Ah well.

On to bid’niz:

The May “Email Players” issue mails in a few short days.

Subscriber here while you still can:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

This week’s “Ben Settle Show” covers the next 7 Email Players rules.

Including:

• A mental “shift” that’ll instantly force you stop giving power and attention to losers, haters, and nay-sayers trying to bring you down.

• Best way to respond to hate and complaint mail.

• How to respond to refunders when they offer you “advice.”

• Why you should make fools in your business life suffer so they never bother even thinking about wasting your time again. (Since doing this my sales have soared, methinks yours will, too.)

• What a “screw you fund” is, and why every entrepreneur should have one. (Especially if you’re income is dependent on client work.)

• How to give yourself an air of confidence that’ll scare away the idiots and attract the best people into your life. (Personal, professional, and all other aspects of your life.)

• Why it’s always your fault. Always.

• A real life example of how I “got got” in business a few years back. (And how to almost 100% prevent getting into bad deals or getting screwed over in your business deals henceforth).

• The dangers of networking in Facebook groups. (If you haunt FB groups, especially if looking for clients, heed this warning or suffer the wrath of the freebie seekers you will…)

• Why good-intentioned hot chick copywriters have to use extra discernment when a man wants to hire them.

• Why brilliant copy won’t sell a turd.

• And a ho bunch mo…

Download this silver delicious episode right here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/antipreneur

Ben Settle

Nick Papa gives his opinion on iTunes:

A Child Murderer Sent Me To Your Site

I first learned of this podcast after randomly stumbling upon Ben’s website while searching for info about Freddy Krueger. (True story!) He reminds me of a guy I once knew who was (at the time) a “brown” belt in karate… a “brown” belt who routinely destroyed (and embarrassed) “black” belts. I don’t know where Ben currently “stands” in the marketing world… you certainly don’t hear all the “gurus” plugging his wares. But after listening to all his podcasts (and reading all his daily emails), like that “brown” belt, he’s a total bad*ss who’s more entertaining and more educational than the best of ’em.

^^^ Correct.

He also brings up a good point:

My products not be plugged by gurus.

It’s very true.

And mostly that is because (1) I don’t have an affiliate program (so why would anyone plug my wares — unless they’re playing good Samaritan, maybe) and (2) my products are 100% incompatible with the way a lot of gurus teach and do things.

(Especially the ones who live launch to launch.)

For example:

• I don’t move free lines

• I don’t appeal to freebie seekers by going out of my way to pretend I have nothing to sell with free webinars or whatever — if I promote a free webinar you can bet yo gluteus assimus I will trumpet in the email there will be a pitch at the end, and if someone is going to be a baby and whine about it they shouldn’t attend

• I don’t try to warm up people and show them what a swell bloke I am before selling to them (i.e. I don’t waste time with “incubating” people or sending “good will emails”, which I am 100% opposed to)

• I mostly promote dull unpolished objects as opposed to the bright shiny “ninja” objects that appeals to the low class jackass crowd

There are more.

Many more.

And I often discuss them on my podcast.

Speaking of which:

Tomorrow’s podcast contains another 7 “Email Players” rules — which are maxims, lessons, and guidelines I live my life (business and personal) by that have made life a lot more fun, exciting, and profitable.

These rules episodes are often “fan favorites.”

And, tomorrow covers rules 29-25.

Until then?

Listen to the other rules (1-28) here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/antipreneur

Ben Settle

This is for anyone who uses “business cards.”

(Especially freelancers.)

Earlier this year my ex-copywriting apprentice went to the Traffic & Conversion Summit, and used this game plan to get clients, without being just another business card in their folder to be ignored, tossed, and forgotten.

Ready?

Set?

OK then, here. we. GO —

“Before going to traffic and conversion…I sent myself a message. It contained a link to my Dropbox portfolio, my skype user ID, and my email address. If someone asked me for my card…I would ask them for their cell number and text them the copy/pasted message I had set up before hand. I thought it was clever.”

As my hero Emperor Palpatine would say:

Goooooooood.

The Force is strong with her.

Anyway, some free advice.

You are welcome.

For paid advice (that will put lots of rupees in your hot pocketseseses), go to:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settl

Aaaaaand “Email Players” just went to the next level:

This subscriber credits the newsletter for not only increasing his
sales from 1 sale per month to 10 sales per month, but also to
getting him married.

And people think I don’t have a heart.

Pshaw.

More sales, more lovin’…

What else do you people want?

Hi Ben

Shane from Juicing Radio here and proud email players subscriber.

After reading one of your email players last year I radically changed my Match profile. Before I read your tips my profile was the usual ‘I love travel and eating out’ affair. Just like every other guys profile.

I changed it so much that some close female friends I shared it with were appalled at my honesty…I have been online dating for 5 years. Sure a lot of fun but very few that went anywhere past date 3.

At the end of last year I arranged to meet a lady and was braced for the usual coffee and bullshit for an hour. Ben, was I totally wrong! We clicked and last weekend I whisked her away to Charleston and proposed to her.

Sure its quick (I used to sneer at people who do this) but it feels right and I am so very happy and so is she.

Why am I telling you? She told me that she loved my profile and how honest I was about what I wanted from life. Without that profile I may not have a got response. So Ben, there we go, email players got me married!

On the business front, I started daily emails on January 1. I am now selling 10 products a month rather than one! Sure I have a long way to go as I want a sale every time I send out a mail but it will come as I constantly evaluate my mails and study your teachings.

Thanks for all you do Ben!

Shane

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again:

There are multiple parallels between the dating world and the marketing world — if you’re good at one you have all the “tools” to be good at the other.

When you do email my way, the chicks will dig you.

The customers will dig you.

And, yes, the banker will dig you.

You can learn my ways here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Let’s talk about human behavior.

And, how to put people in a “state” so that, no matter how angry, irritated, or outright hostile they are to you (and, yes, I speaketh from LOTS of experience on this, make no mistake about it my little droogling)… they not only forget all about why they’re mad, but like you even more.

And before you ask…

Yes, you can use the following in your bid’niz, too.

Anyway, here’s the story:

A couple months ago I was watching my ex-copywriting apprentice’s dog and, out of sheer boredom, took a picture of him sitting on my lap staring off at the wall, completely oblivious and indifferent to my existence.

Then, I asked him:

“Want some num-nums?”

He immediately looked up at me, eye contact, of which I took another picture. Then, I put the two pics together side-by-side, and put a caption under them:

The one where he’s ignoring me said:

“When your girl is mad at you”

The one where he’s looking at me like I’m the dog messiah:

(After I asked if he wanted food)

“When you ask her if she wants something to eat.”

What does this have to do with marketing?

Well, to paraphrase Dan Kennedy:

“It’s hard to be mad at someone who gives you free food.”

(I’ve found this especially useful when dealing with chicks…)

Apply that to your bid’niz and there will be peace…

Also, speaking of chicks:

The May “Email Players” issue contains a lesson how guys can better sell to women, even if you’ve consistently tried and failed before.

If that’s you, worry ye not.

Your uncle elBenbo has the cure for your angst.

It goes to print next week.

Subscribe in time to get it here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

The esteemed “Email Players” subscriber Lloyd Irvin sayseth:

After reading your players guide I just said fuck it and wrote an

email telling them what I was doing and what they needed to be involved. I got 12 people to attend at $3k a pop. Two of them joined my $60k coaching group after. I guess some of that money can be contributed to that email also.

Just wanted to say thanks for that push. I’m about to do it again next week for another workshop.

I approve this message.

In fact, one of the big epiphanies I had when developing my email methodology was, in a pinch, you don’t really need a sales letter. My droogie Jim Yaghi had the same reaction. I even remember him selling a ton of seats to a webinar he was holding for $99 a pop (something like that) using just emails the way I showed him, sending his list to a PayPal order form.

Am I saying not to have a sales letter?

No, I’m not saying that at all.

What I am saying is…

Sometimes you just don’t have the time, energy, or desire to hammer out a long, droning sales pitch (or wait around as you outsource it to someone else). During those times, you just gotta hike up the skirt, strap on the nut-sac, and get them emails out.

Using my system you’ll still make sales.

And, a lot more than you may expect.

(As Mr. Irvin proved.)

What’s that?

You want to learn my mysterious email ways?

You want to try selling big ticket product with *just* email?

And, you want to do it *fast*?

Good.

Hop on your high horse and gallop on over to:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

I recently finished reading a book called:

“Bare Bones: Conversations On Terror With Stephen King”

It’s a book of interviews he did.

And, there’s lots of gold in there for email marketers.

For example:

The story of his smash hit book “The Shining”. Originally, the title was “The Shine”. But, some executive said they can’t use that title because there is a black cook in the book, and he feared people would think the title was referring to him. (i.e. “shine” was a term from WW2 some people used to call black people). Kind of a dorky choice, actually — considering anyone with an IQ over 80 would know it wasn’t talking about the cook, but the power the boy and the cook both shared.

Anyway, here’s the point:

They tacked an “ing” at the end.

So it became “The Shining” instead of “The Shine”.

Then, guess what happened?

A whole slew of horror books by wannabe Stephen Kings exploded on the scene. “The Piercing”, “The Burning, “The Searing” — the this-ing and the that-ing.

Of course, the wannabes all faded into obscurity.

Never being relevant.

Never being remembered.

Except, of course, for being hacks and knock-offs.

This happens Internet marketing land, too.

For example:

Lots of people have a product title that’s a “Blueprint”.

Or a “Manifesto”.

Or is preceded by “No BS…”

Or is a “Cheat Sheet”.

(I even had one of them years ago…)

My favorite was a few years ago when several “Brute Force” titles shot onto the scene at the same time.

Nary an original thought.

Nary a shred of uniqueness.

Nary an ounce of creativity.

The original title is watered down & the rip offs look like hacks.

Listen, babycakes:

Marketers are supposed to be IDEA people. Yet, most are hacks and jackanapes who wouldn’t know an original thought if it bit them in the prostate gland — instead buying into the idiotic notion you should just “swipe & steal.”

Dorky.

Especially with emails.

Anyway, the point?

It doesn’t take much to stand out.

You just gotta do something unique.

Use your own personality, experiences, and ideas.

And, not be a copycat.

That’s it.

That ALONE can give you a huge advantage.

So many emails are just a copy of a copy of a copy of someone else’s idea, hook or copy that simply writing in YOUR own voice, with YOUR own ideas and giving YOUR own opinion makes you stick out like a wet fart.

This is where “Email Players” comes in.

Obviously, it’s not intended for everyone.

(Like copycats and swipers.)

The newsletter (and the book that comes with your subscription) shows you how to be original. How to be unique. And, how to write emails people like reading and buying from.

That’s why my boys & girls kick so much bootay.

And, why the jackanapes are always copying us.

Which do you want to be?

An original who makes the lions share of sales?

Or, the hack who gets our scraps?

Go ye here to subscribe:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle