Two And A Half Ben

Recently I was watching one of my favorite sitcoms “Two and a Half Men” (the Charlie Sheen episodes, not the later ones, which are boring and lame).

If you’ve never seen the show:

It’s about two brothers and one of the brother’s son.

The one brother (Alan) is a schlubby guy, always broke, scorned and rejected by women, repulsive to be around, pathetic, terrible social skills, neurotic, and the list goes on. The other brother (Charlie) is the exact opposite. He is successful, plenty of cash, has no problem getting dates, charismatic, dream job, and garden variety fun dude.

Anyway, my ex-copywriting apprentice watched some episodes.

And, she said something about how I often remind her of Charlie.

(As well as Ralph Kramden from the show “The Honeymooners”, but that’s another email…)

Which I found kind of amusing.

Why?

Well, it’s like I told her:

“I don’t know about that, but I do know back in my teens and 20’s I definitely was Alan. Hellz, I was even more pathetic, depressing, and naive about how to be successful, obsessing over what others think of me — a totally socially awkward mush cookie. I shudder just thinking about it…”

It’s 100% true, too.

(If anything, I’m downplaying my past Alan-ish-ness.)

The point?

A lot of my “Ben Settle Show” podcast is about what I’ve learned climbing out of my miserable “Alan” ways — including mistakes I’ve made (not just in business, but personal life), mindset shifts that have added more of the green stuff to my piggy bank and freed up my time, and inner game ideas that have made life (both business and personal) a ho’ bunch more fun and exciting than in my hopeless Alan days.

The teachings aren’t always blatant.

(Often they are, though.)

But they’re always there, even if between the lines.

And, if you apply the lessons, you WILL see improvement — whether in business, selling, being more persuasive & charismatic, etc.

Hey, if I can improve anyone can.

I really was the proverbial lost cause.

(And, yeppers, I’m still very much a work in progress.)

And you know what?

To give you more of a “carrot” to check out my show, I’m having a contest for listeners this week. If you missed the details yesterday, you can see how I’m giving over $800+ (real retail value) worth of prizes to the top 3 reviewers.

Details here:

www.BenSettle.com/blog/my-latest-contest-for-over-800-in-prizes

Word up.

Ben Settle

So, I’m having another contest.

The last one a few weeks ago was, if you read my new “Vampire Apocalypse” novel and left a review, and were one of the top 3 reviews I would give you a copy of the Agora tapes (3 trainings I did for Agora Financial in December about infotainment, selling with stories, and email marketing).

This time?

It’s a tad different.

Here are the details:

Until Sunday at midnight, I will give the top 3 reviewers of my “Ben Settle Show” podcast not only the Agora tapes downloads… but also a copy of my “Crypto Marketing Secrets” book (the compiled 30-issue run of my old Crypto Marketing Newsletter).

This is a physical book.

(Mailed to you, at my expense.)

And, since each issue costed $27 and their were 30 issues… well, that ALONE (not even counting the Agora tapes you also get if you win) is a for real $810 retail value.

But, only if you’re one of the top 3 podcast reviewers.

And, only if your review appears by Sunday at midnight.

Want in on this contest?

Then do this:

1. Go to www.BenSettleShow.com/itunes

2. Listen to some episodes (if you haven’t already)

3. Write an iTunes review

4. Make your review fit these criteria: Genuinely useful (for would-be listeners to judge whether they want to listen to the show), Detailed, and Non-trollish

And that’s all there is to it.

Easy peasy.

But, a word of warning:

It sometimes takes a while for iTunes to publish reviews.

So don’t dawdle.

Don’t stroll.

(Knees to chest!)

Aaaaaand… why so serious?

Leave yo review here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/itunes

Ben Settle

P.S. This should go without saying but when you leave your review make sure you let me know it’s yours. And, to make this a little less biased, Producer Jonathan will pick the 3 winners, not me.

Today’s “Ben Settle Show” gets old school sales on your azz.

We reveal:

  • What to tell someone who complains your product is too expensive.
  • How to make more sales by not letting people buy.
  • How door-to-door salesmen would sell expensive products to hostile prospects who are annoyed at their presence.
  • How the world’s most feared negotiator sold expensive water filters door-to-door in such a way where prospects practically begged him to come inside and sell them.
  • A powerful “old school” belly-to-belly sales technique that works even better online.
  • When to tell someone not to buy (and, if you do it right, how doing so can increase your sales).
  • How to get podcast listeners to “bond” with you.
  • How to put your market “in heat” to buy what you’re selling — even if they didn’t originally want it!
  • What freelance copywriters can write (word-for-word) on a website that can get tons of new clients.
  • Why I don’t like people going into debt buying my products.
  • How to “flip” a lazy, do-nothing person into becoming a product customer who takes your product and becomes wildly successful with it (regardless of what you sell).
  • Gary Halbert’s masterpiece “take away” close.
  • And so on, and so forth…

Download this puppy here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/itunes

Ben Settle

Been re-reading Frank Bettger’s excellent book:

“How I Raised Myself
From Failure To Success
In Selling”

Very cool book.

And, very timely, too.

Because even though it’s about old school selling (face to face, phone, door-to-door, etc) that was used 50+ years ago, a lot of the principles can be applied (and amplified) selling on the Internet.

What’s that?

You want me to prove the class stuff still works?

With an example?

Well, aren’t you a pushy mo fo.

Okay then, I will do just that.

Tomorrow’s “Ben Settle Show” podcast is all about how to use one of the most profitable “old school” selling principles ever invented online.

This principal has been worth a bundle to me.

And, it can be for you, too.

I’ll shoot you an email tomorrow when it’s on iTunes.

Until then, check out our past episodes here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/antipreneur

Ben Settle

Every now and then I have to do this.

I have to explain the simple and basic (well, it should be basic) success concept that quitters never win, are doomed to perpetually fail, and have no place in my life whatsoever.

(Business or personal.)

This goes beyond the surface reasons.

Here’s what I mean:

Sometimes a person will subscribe to “Email Players” for, say, 30 days (time for one issue), then, send me an email about how great it is, how they “plan” to make $$ from it, but they have enough information now, need to quit so they can implement the 16 pages they got so far, but will be back later.”

My answer?

It’s always the same:

“No, Chachi, you won’t be back. You’re banned.”

And then I block their IP address, email address, and put them on a list I cross reference every time a new subscriber comes through the system.

Am I just being a prick about this?

And, aren’t I losing money?

No, to both.

You see, the way I see it, anyone who joins (any high quality newsletter, not just mine) and quits before *implementing* at least 3 issues has the wrong mindset for my product, and should never have subscribed in the first place. It’s like the people who take a supplement for 25 days and don’t feel the immediate benefits and then go and say it doesn’t work.

No, Spanky, it wasn’t the supplement that didn’t work.

It was you who didn’t work.

You didn’t give it a chance to build up in your system.

This is the mindset I’m talking about.

They have an opportunity seeker vs  investor mindset.

For example:

I am subscribed to lots of paid newsletters.

It’s my favorite kind of product to buy.

Why?

Because they keep me accountable, give me ongoing education without me having to waste time reading yet another sales pitch from yet another “expert” for yet another product. And it’s like having a gym membership and personal trainer cracking the whip at me to implement and use what I’m learning, or I’ve wasted my money. Plus, since I have an investor mindset (and not a mush cookie opportunity seeker mindset) I know (from experience) just ONE tip in ONE issue 4 months down the road can be the difference between not growing at all and adding several thousands of dollars per year to my bottom line.

But, it doesn’t stop there.

Because that information compounds on itself over time.

It’s no different than compounding interest.

I know the issue I just read of whatever publication I just got (assuming I implement, and if I don’t, it “stings” because I just wasted money, so it forces me to keep on track) will merge with information from past issues and future issues putting the mathematical and financial odds greatly in my favor.

In other words:

2+2 doesn’t equal 4.

It can equal 400.

Or 4000.

Or even MORE over time.

Anyway, bottom line?

If you’re on the “fence” about joining, let me be blunt:

If you have to “think” about it, don’t join. If you have a pile of info products you still have to go through because you don’t have the self discipline and balls to manage your time so you can consume and implement what you buy, don’t join. If you think you can just join, get the “Email Players Playbook” and one or two issues and you’re good to go and you’ll “be back”, don’t join.

(You’ll just be banned anyway.)

If that’s you, you are an opportunity seeker.

Not an investor.

That doesn’t make you a “bad” person.

It just makes you someone I have no desire to interact with, know or spend even a second of my time helping.

I try hard to surround myself with winners (including winner customers) and I suggest you do the same.

But you know what?

Opportunity seekers never win at anything.

They lose at everything they try.

Always.

They never win.

At anything.

And, if they do, it’s from blind luck.

Investors, on the other hand, understand the raw power of commitment, and consistency and, yes, of application.

I want “Email Players” subscribers who implement.

Who go forth and make lots of sales.

And, who have a burning desire to succeed.

I don’t want anyone who’s just gonna sit on several issues and never use anything. Or cower to their wife if she tells them they can’t afford the $3.23 per day it costs. Or who does not want to go forth and conquer their markets.

No, this doesn’t happen overnight.

It takes time.

And hard work.

And, the desire to win.

(Although you almost certainly will see a quick boost in sales if you implement what I teach, have an offer people want, and are consistent — probably even a *substantial* boost).

But business is a marathon, not a sprint.

Investors realize this.

Opportunity seekers don’t.

Investors consistently make their way towards their goals by surrounding themselves with high quality (not cheap) people and tools (i.e. products). Opportunity seekers simply sprint from one “guru” to another, one cheap product to another and, yes, one business idea to another… without committing to anything. They just riiiiiiiide the goo-roo carousel, hoping they’ll strike it rich some day.

Ugh.

What a miserable existence they must have.

That’s why I want nothing to do with opportunity seekers.

It’s why the “Email Players” sales letter blatantly turns them off.

And, it’s why I’m saying to them not to buy now.

Go haunt someone else.

Plenty of goo-roos will have you.

But, not me.

Yes I KNOW this alienates most of my list.

That’s just too bad for them.

Because here’s the way I see it:

There’s no time for screwing around. We got terrorists trying to kill us. We got bankers trying to crash the economy. And, we have government bureaucrats trying to throw every obstacle they can in our way.

There’s no time for losing opportunity mindsets.

No time for goo-roo fanboys.

And, no time for nonsense.

If you want in on “Email Players”, get your act together.

Be ready to implement.

And have the right investor mindset.

Otherwise, you waste both our time.

And for the few (very few) left reading this email who understand what I’m talking about, who want to win and not just wander the “goo-roo casino”, and who have an investment mindset?

Here’s where to subscribe:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Word up.

Ben Settle

“Don’t ask questions like that up in wine country they’ll think you’re some kind of dumb shit”

-Miles
“Sideways”

You might get a kick out of this.

(I surely did…)

Anyway, a guy on my list asked how he could stop receiving emails. His inbox is too full as it is he said, and he no longer wished to get my newsletter. Because I’m a kind, helpful soul, I made the laborious task of scrolling down his email and finding the “unsubscribe” link and clicking it for him.

But, then I noticed something.

The dude bills himself an “email expert.”

Really?

And he can’t even unsubscribe himself from an aweber list?

It reminds me of a college professor I had.

My major was Radio/TV.

And the professor (not a career teacher, a REAL teacher, who actually owns a few radio and TV stations, he just teaches for fun) got angry with the class shortly before graduation.

What set him off?

A dumb question.

In this case, one of the soon-to-be-graduates asked him what the difference between AM and FM radio.

(Something you learn on day 1).

His response?

“How can you people accept a diploma from this university and not know the difference between AM/FM radio?”

Heh.

And so it is online.

Anyway, if you’re ready to take off the training wheels and learn how email is really done, check out the “Email Players” newsletter.

I show you real emails I use in my businesses.

All analyzed.

Explained.

And served up for you to model.

Actually, this is not exactly true of the February issue (practically all other issues, yes, but the February issue, no).

No, this next issue is special.

There are no emails to study.

No examples to look at.

But, it is, word for word, some of the most profitable (and useful, for your non-business personal life) advice I can ever dispense.

And, it goes way beyond just email.

Come and get your love here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Tails up:

To more or less “launch” himself into the consulting/coaching/do-it-for-you arena, the dude who’s handling all my paid Facebook advertising (easily one of the best on the planet at Facebook advertising) is offering a “do-it-for-you” Facebook advertising service that is ridiculously generous, and accessible by anyone who has at least some kind of budget.

And before you even ask…

I get no commission or kickback for telling you about it. I just think everyone on my list should at least know this exists.

(Call it a “public service announcement”)

Anyway, here’s the offer he posted today:

For the next 24 hours, I’m offering a very special, business-transforming package.

  • Design, coding, copy and setup of your lead generating website
  • A 1 hour walkthrough to make sure you understand ‘how it works’, ‘why it works’, and ‘why I do it like this’.
  • A 1 hour walkthrough of ‘what to do next’ and how to split test your site to increase your conversions.
  • I will setup your first traffic / PPC campaign (includes ads, and copy)
  • A 1 hour walkthrough of your traffic / PPC campaign. (who, what, where, when, why, hows)
  • A 1 hour walkthrough of ‘what to do next’ and how to measure, track, test and improve your ad / traffic / PPC campaigns.
  • Typically I charge a minimum of $500 / hour for my consulting. $1,000 / hour for my ‘done for you’ services.

That means – with this package containing 5 hours of done for you site and ad campaign setup, and 4 hours of consultations – that normally you would be paying at LEAST $7,000 for this offer.

For the next 24 hours, and only for 2 more people – I am offering this to my friends, family and followers for only $2,000.

I have additional marketing services that I offer as well. Need something done? Let me know. There’s not much I can’t get done at an excellent level. We’ll work out a special deal – but ONLY for the next 24 hours.

Shoot me an email to shane (at) shanehunter (dot) org or private message me here on Facebook if you’re ready to get started.

If the price is hard to swallow, we can make out a payment arrangement so this’ll work for you.

Please feel free to share this status to help me get the word out and these spots filled.

If I wasn’t already hiring him, I’d be on this like white on rice.

Again, I get no kickback for telling you about this. I just know Shane is friggin’ surgeon when it comes to Facebook advertising

(And other kinds of traffic).

But he’s only offering this for 24 hours.

So if you’re interested, best hop to it.

Ben Settle

P.S. Another thing Shane is the best I’ve ever seen at doing is what’s called a “pattern interrupt” which makes it almost impossible for people to NOT at least look at your ads. Learning *just* that is worth the price in my humble (but accurate) opinion.

I’ve watched him create ads live, on the spot, for others.

Ain’t nobody I know better.

Check out these mangoes:

If you want to see lots of cool ways to market and sell (as well as some really dumb ways, but that’s another email) your products and services study the billion dollar comic book industry.

They have ways of boosting sales down pat.

Example:

One of the most popular Marvel Comics characters is Wolverine. In fact, for the past 40 years he’s been so popular, that for a long time it seemed as if every. single. month. he would “guest star” in another comic book to increase its sales.

Sales low on Fantastic Four?

Do a Wolverine guest appearance.

Want to boost interest in a brand spanking new title?

Toss Wolverine in.

Want to make the stockholders happy with short term sales cash surges even if it annoys the readers?

Throw in Wolvie “fast ball special” style.

And so on.

Easy peasy.

Anyway, how can you use this in your business?

Well, one of the best ways to get sales for products is to make the premium/bonus so hot and desirable that people buy the product more for the premium than for the product. And, one of the best ways to create a premium with perceived value that trumps even your main product is to include interviews and/or content with gurus in your market.

Of course, that then begs the question:

How do you get gurus to agree to doing that?

Especially if you are unknown to them?

The answer:

Become known to them.

It’s a LOT easier than you think.

And, the February “Email Players” issue contains a bonus training with a JV specialist who manages JV’s for John Reese and a bunch of other guys with big lists, influence and, yes, celebrity-guru appeal.

He shows you how to contact gurus.

How the game works.

And, how to profit like gangbusters from it all.

Very valuable stuff.

But, only for “Email Players” subscribers.

And, only if you subscribe before it mails.

Subscription info here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Last year I got a testimonial from one of my copywriting “heroes”:

Richard Armstrong.

(Yes, I am a Richard Armstrong fanboy.)

Richard is one of the scant few “A list” copywriters on the planet who has spent the last 40+ years slugging it out in the hyper competitive direct mail world. His clients have included everyone from Rodale, Boardroom and Phillips Publishing… to Reader’s Digest, Men’s Health and Newsweek… to Prevention Health Magazine, the ASCPA and, even, The Limbaugh Letter.

Anyway, here’s what he said:

“I start my day with reading from the Holy Bible and Ben Settle’s email, not necessarily in that order.”

Oh boy…

As if my ego wasn’t bloated enough.

Yikes.

Anyway, on to bid’niz:

You’ve got just 4 days to get in on the next “Email Players” issue before it goes to the printer.

What’s it about this time?

Women.

And money.

And, getting more of *both*.

(If you’re a woman or married, you can disregard the getting chicks part, and just reap the bounty of making more of the green stuff part…)

But time is short my little droogie.

Go here next:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Today’s “Ben Settle Show” doesn’t contain even a shred of “content” or value. It’s simply a discussion about my political views on:

  • Abortion (ooh)
  • Guns
  • Economics
  • Taxes
  • Big government
  • Voting
  • Law-making
  • The poor
  • Obama

A merry time will be had by all.

Download this fatty here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/itunes

Ben Settle

BEN SETTLE

  • Email Markauteur
  • Book & Tabloid Newsletter Publisher
  • Pulp Novelist
  • Software & Newspaper Investor
  • Client-less Copywriter

Type in your primary email address below to open Ben's daily email tips and a free digital copy of his prestigious Email Players newsletter.

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WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

Even when you’re simply just selling stuff, your emails are, in effect, brilliant content for marketers who want to see how to make sales copy incapable of being ignored by their core market. You are a master of this rare skill, Ben, and I tip my hat in respect.

Gary Bencivenga

(Universally acknowledged as the world’s greatest living copywriter)

www.MarketingBullets.com

I confess that I have only begun watching Ben closely and corresponding with him fairly recently, my mistake. At this point, it is, bluntly, very rare to discover somebody I find intelligent, informed, interesting and inspiring, and that is how I would describe Ben Settle.

Dan S. Kennedy

Author, ’No BS’ book series

Ben is one of the sharpest marketing minds on the planet, and he runs his membership “Email Players” better than just about any other I’ve seen. I highly recommend it.

Perry Marshall

Author of 8 books whose Google book laid the foundations for the $100 billion Pay Per Click industry, whose prestigious 80/20 work has been used by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Labs, and whose historic reinvention of the Pareto Principle is published in Harvard Business Review.

www.PerryMarshall.com

I think Ben is the light heavyweight champion of email copywriting. I ass-lo think we’d make Mayweather money in a unification title bout!

Matt Furey

www.MattFurey.com

Zen Master Of The Internet®

President of The Psycho-Cybernetics Foundation

Just want you to know I get great advice and at least one chuckle… or a slap on the forehead “duh”… every time I read your emails!

Carline Anglade-Cole

AWAI’s Copywriter of the Year Award winner and A-list copywriter who has written for Oprah and continually writes control packages for the world’s most prestigious (and competitive) alternative health direct marketing companies

www.CarlineCole.com

I’ve been reading your stuff for about a month. I love it. You are saying, in very arresting ways, things I’ve been trying to teach marketers and copywriters for 30 years. Keep up the good work!

Mark Ford

aka Michael Masterson

Cofounder of AWAI

www.AwaiOnline.com

The business is so big now. Prob 4x the revenue since when we first met… and had you in! Claim credit, as it did correlate!

Joseph Schriefer

(Copy Chief at Agora Financial)

www.AgoraFinancial.com

I wake up to READ YOUR WORDS. I learn from you and study exactly how you combine words + feelings together. Like no other. YOU go DEEP and HARD.”

Lori Haller

(“A-List” designer who has worked on control sales letters and other projects for Oprah Winfrey, Gary Bencivenga, Clayton Makepeace, Jim Rutz, and more.

www.ShadowOakStudio.com

I love your emails. Your e-mail style is stunningly effective.

Bob Bly

The man McGrawHill calls

America’s top copywriter

and bestselling author of over 75 books

www.Bly.com

Ben might be a freaking genius. Just one insight he shared at the last Oceans 4 mastermind I can guarantee you will end up netting me at least an extra $100k in the next year.

Daegan Smith

www.Maximum-Leverage.com

Ben Settle is a great contemporary source of copywriting wisdom. I’ve been a big admirer of Ben’s writing for a long time, and he’s the only copywriter I’ve ever hired and been satisfied with

Ken McCarthy

One of the “founding fathers”

of Internet marketing

www.KenMcCarthy.com

I start my day with reading from the Holy Bible and Ben Settle’s email, not necessarily in that order.

Richard Armstrong

A List direct mail copywriter

whose clients have included

Rodale, Boardroom, Reader’s Digest,

Men’s Health, Newsweek,

Prevention Health Magazine, the ASCPA

and, even, The Limbaugh Letter.

www.FreeSampleBook.com

Of all the people I follow there’s so much stuff that comes into my inbox from various copywriters and direct marketers and creatives, your stuff is about as good as it gets.

Brian Kurtz

Former Executive VP of Boardroom Inc. Named Marketer of the Year by Target Marketing magazine

www.BrianKurtz.me

The f’in’ hottest email copywriter on the web now.

David Garfinkel

The World’s Greatest Copywriting Coach

www.FastEffectiveCopy.com

Ben Settle is my email marketing mentor.

Tom Woods

Senior fellow of the Mises Institute, New York Times Bestselling Author, Prominent libertarian historian & author, and host of one of the longest running and most popular libertarian podcasts on the planet

www.TomWoods.com

I’ve read your stuff and you have some of the best hooks. You really know how to work the hook and the angles.

Brian Clark

www.CopyBlogger.com

Ben writes some of the most compelling subject lines I’ve ever seen, and implements a very unique style in his blog. Honestly, I can’t help but look when I get an email, or see a new post from him in my Google Reader.

Dr. Glenn Livingston

www.GlennLivingston.com

There are very, very few copywriters whose copy I not only read but save so I can study it… and Ben is on that short list. In fact, he’s so good… he kinda pisses me off. But don’t tell him I said that. 😉

Ray Edwards

Direct Response Copywriter

www.RayEdwards.com

You’re damn brilliant, dude…I really DO admire your work, my friend!

Brian Keith Voiles

A-list copywriter who has written winning ads for prestigious clients such as Jay Abraham, Ted Nicholas, Dr. Stephen R. Covey, Robert Allen, and Gary Halbert.

www.AdvertisingMagicCopywriting.com

We finally got to meet in person and you delivered a killer talk. Your emails are one of the very few I read and study. And your laid back style.. is just perfect!

Ryan Lee

Best-selling Author

“Entrepreneur” Magazine columnist

www.RyanLee.com

There’s been a recent flood of copy writing “gurus” lately and I only trust ONE! And that’s @BenSettle

Bryan Sharpe

AKA Hotep Jesus

www.BooksByBryan.com

www.HotepNation.com

I’m so busy but there’s some guys like Ben Settle w/incredible daily emails that I always read.

Russell Brunson

World class Internet marketer, author, and speaker

www.RussellBrunson.com

Type in your primary email address below to open Ben's daily email tips and a free digital copy of his prestigious Email Players newsletter.

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