Ben Settle

Worst way ever invented for starting an email

On today’s “Ben Settle Show” podcast:

• The single worst way ever invented for starting an email. (Producer Jonathan winced out loud when I gave an example of this. It’s embarrassing even reading emails that start this way.)

• Why it’s silly to worry about email opt-outs.

• How sending so-called “good will emails” hurts not only your sales… but your list, too.

• How one of history’s greatest marketing minds tests his ads (which is, not-to-surprisingly the opposite of what most online marketers do).

• Why the idea of the USP has been butchered and can actually work against you.

• Why you can make more sales spending 30 minutes writing an email than you will spending 3 hours writing it.

• How to get money “chasing” you, instead of you chasing it.

• How to write opt in pages to get high quality leads eager to solve the problem your product helps with… instead of do-nothing mush cookie moochers who just want free stuff.

• Why I no longer have a copywriting apprentice.

And the band marches on…

Come and get your love here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/itunes

Ben Settle

Tomorrow’s “Ben Settle Show” podcast covers 7 more “Email Players rules” (success maxims, philosophies, etc I do business and live life by that have made life a lot easier and more profitable).

The prior 21 rules were:

(Out of context, of course, you have to listen to the shows for the full story on each one, that’s the way my beady, rat-like mind works…)

1. Email is talk radio

2. Be your own best client

3. First hour of the day belongs to you

4. Don’t put your customers on a pedestal

5. The customer is always wrong

6. Don’t let facebook steal your balls

7. Put your own oxygen mask on first

8. Write drunk, edit sober

9. Don’t let your customers steer your ship or you’re gonna end up on the rocks

10. Be a leader not expert

11. Don’t reward bad behavior

12. If you want to know what someone really wants, observe what they buy

13. It’s better to be respected than liked

14. Cut people out who complicate your life

15. Spew lukewarm people off your list asap

16. Don’t play with guns in the dark

17. Don’t try to save a damsel if she loves her distress

18. If someone is going to cast you as the villain, then you might as well play the roll well

19. If it ain’t controversial it’s probably not worth writing about

20. If you have fun writing it, they’ll usually have fun reading it

21. Don’t sell yourself for free

Anyway, another 7 are on deck tomorrow. The 21 rules above are rapped about in episodes 21, 30, and 34.

You can listen to ’em here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/itunes

Ben Settle

Jason Moffatt writes:

(Re: last Sunday’s “Ben Settle Show” podcast)

Thanks for the reminder on that Halbert stock letter close. Used it this morning and have already drummed up around $11K of business so far if we decide to take each client. I reckon it’ll double by the end of the day, but then I’ll definitely be in a position where I won’t be able to let everyone buy. Good problem to have 🙂

(They don’t call him “Profit Moffatt” for nuttin’.)

Anyway, it’s a doozy of a close.

A true masterpiece.

And, something everyone who wants to learn about persuasion and influence should study in my humble (but accurate) opinion.

To hear it read and “dissected” go to:

www.BenSettleShow.com/antipreneur

And, listen to the most recent podcast.

More:

If you leave us an honest, detailed, non-trollish review before Sunday at midnight, and Producer Jonathan deems it one of the top 3 reviews, I’ll be sending your righteous self two gifts:

1. The Agora tapes

These are 3 trainings I did in December for Agora Financial:

• Infotainment
• Email marketing
• Selling with stories

You cannot buy these recordings anywhere.

(For any price.)

You can only get them free.

But, the downloads are yours if your review makes the top 3 reviews.

And, secondly…

2. “Crypto Marketing Secrets”

This is the entire 30-issue run of my old “Crypto Marketing Newsletter” rag I used to publish before “Email Players”. It’s not for sale anywhere else, for any price, either. And since it was $27 per issue, and 30 issues long, this is a “for real” $810 value.

But the time, it is a wastin’.

This contest ends Sunday at midnight.

Plus, it sometimes takes iTunes a while to publish reviews. So if yours isn’t published on iTunes by the deadline…

You’re out!

(Regardless of how good it is).

Here’s the shiny, “candy like” link:

www.BenSettleShow.com/antipreneur

Ben Settle

Recently I was asked:

what in your humble opinion would you suggest I do from a complete newbie stand? I mean where do I start…

The not-so-humble answer?

“just put something out there and start selling.”

I know… I know…

Easier said than done, eh?

Or is it?

Let me give you a real world example of how just taking ONE step (even if it’s just listening to a podcast) can *potentially* (your milage will vary of course) lead someone down a path going from $0 to $15k (or higher) in as little as 90 days.

Checky:

A while back “Email Players” subscriber Nicholas Lal posted this note of gratitude in the private Facebook group Ryan Healy and I run for our paying customers:

I have to also thank Ben Settle, because the first few issues of his newsletter were great but I still didn’t know what I wanted to do. Until he included the bonus interview with The Solo Guy Igor Kheifets.

I reached out to Igor, spoke to him for about 3 hours. Ended up signing up for coaching with one of his top students and I sit here today as a very reputable seller in the solo ads industry. Cranking out at least 3 emails per day, practicing different things Ben has taught, and in the last 3 months I’ve done over $15,000 in sales with an email list of 10,000+ and growing daily.

5 months ago I couldn’t even tell you what a solo ad was. I was barely just learning how to write emails (which I’m still not great at but getting better).

Through Ben’s podcast I got to know Jonathan Rivera, better who along with Darin are my real estate mentors. And through Jonathan I met Jim Yaghi who is teaching me traffic. It’s just all one big family at the Podcast Factory. And now I got this dog…err… Doberman named Dan in my car on a new podcast. I can honestly say between Jonathan’s 4 shows he produces I have listened to every single show.

This is my year, I told myself I want to be our or corporate America by the time I’m 35. I may not may that goal, but I think I’m well on my way.

It’s just a small step, as I don’t think solos is what I want to do forever. But the point is one $97 a month subscription to Ben planted a seed in my head that in 90 days I exploded into a business that generates enough money to pay the rent. And up until now he probably had no idea.

Thanks guys!

The lesson?

If you don’t know where to start, look at the ground, take a step… and start walking (figuratively speaking). Yes, during your walk through the big bad business ‘hood you’ll get lost, confused, be given bad directions, walk in circles, and possibly even be chased by a dog or two.

But so what?

At least you’re moving.

And, it beats licking corporate boots forever, yo.

More:

If you want a little guidance on what to start with… may I (in a blatantly biased manner) suggest listening to a few episodes of my “Ben Settle Show” podcast?

And if you’re REALLY motivated?

Write an iTunes review for it.

Because, until Sunday the 3 best reviews (as judged by Producer Jonathan) will win:

1. The Agora tapes downloads
2. “Crypto Marketing Secrets”

And those will only further help you towards thy goals.

But time is of the essence.

The contest ends Sunday.

Details are *impatiently* waiting for you to read here:

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

Ben Settle

Whenever I attend one of the local entrepreneur meet-ups here in The Burgle, I always (always!) get handed at least a few business cards. And, in many cases, the person mindlessly handing me their business card asks if they can have my business card.

Of course, I don’t have a business card.

(Never needed one.)

And, in one case last year, some chick even tried to debate me on why I “need” one, and how I’m missing out (something like that — I tuned her out the second she handed me a business card for something I am not even remotely in the market for).

Anyway, these people used to annoy me.

Now?

They amuse me.

And, it will further amuse me next time someone tries to shove their damp business card in my hand while asking for mine, when I say:

“I don’t have a business card, but I dominate the first two pages of Google for my name”

Heh.

The way I see it, there are two kinds of business cards:

1. A regular business card (like you see people hand out)

2. And, what I call a “bid’niz” card:

A dominate presence on Google for your name. Or a best-selling book. Or a popular podcast. And the list goes on.

Anyway, just something to think about.

On to other news:

One of my “bid’niz” cards is my podcast.

It’s called:

“The Ben Settle Antipreneur Show”

And, for the next few days I am having a contest where the 3 best reviews (as judged by Producer Jonathan, not me — so it is at least a little less biased…) will get:

1. The Agora tapes downloads

(a series of trainings I did for $200 million publisher Agora Financial last year about infotainment, email marketing, and selling with stories — these are not for sale anywhere for any price, you can only get them by winning this contest)

2. My “Crypto Marketing Secrets” book

This is a physical book.

(That I mail to winners, at my expense)

It is a compilation of the 30-issue run of my old “Crypto Marketing Newsletter” that ran from 2010 to 2012. Each issue was $27, which makes this a for-realz $810 retail value worth of prizes.

(Not to mention the value of the Agora tapes).

Want to win these goodies?

Then here’s what to do:

1. Go to www.BenSettleShow.com/antipreneur
2. Listen to some episodes
3. Leave an honest, helpful (to would-be listeners) iTunes review

Producer Jonathan’ll pick the winners next week.

If’n you’re one of them, the above goodies are yours.

But, you best hop to it.

iTunes sometimes takes time allowing reviews through (especially if it’s your first iTunes review). So if it’s not up by Sunday at midnight, yours won’t be counted no matter how good it is.

So chop! chop!

That review ain’t gonna write itself…

www.BenSettleShow.com/antipreneur

Ben Settle

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