Ben Settle

This email is for affiliate marketers.

Specifically, ye affiliate marketing scoffers and naysayers who think my email methodology “doesn’t work!” because nobody else on the Warrior Forum or wherever is doing it my way.

Following is some beef soup for your soul.

It’s from my biz partner Ryan Levesque.

And, how I was able to out-convert all the affiliates selling his Survey Funnel product last July — including people with way bigger lists and whose lists are way more qualified to want to buy a sales funnel-type product than mine.

(i.e. they sell sales funnel products, I sell email products.)

Giddy-up:

Ben promoted one of my information products to his list as an affiliate. Even though his list is smaller than some of the bigger “gooroos” who promoted the product… Ben had the highest conversion rate among all affiliates to date.

Prior to Ben promoting the highest conversion rate (sales vs. webinar registrants) was 21.6%.

Ben blew that number out of the freakin’ water with a 28.6% conversion rate (32% better) – and 50% of those sales came on the LAST DAY when Ben sent not one… not two… but THREE emails to his list. (Heresy!)

So in other words – all that stuff Ben teaches about mailing OFTEN…. mailing MORE than you might think is prudent… and using a TONE that might make you feel uncomfortable?

It works.

I’ve seen the numbers first hand.

Ben generated over $20,685 in affiliate sales for me using what he teaches – and he did those numbers in a single weekend! The man knows what he’s talking about – and more importantly, he practices what he preaches.

Now, there are 2 reasons I’m showing you this:

1. I like getting my props

2. In the October “Email Players” issue I walk you through exactly what I did to out-convert all Ryan’s guru pals… including the exact emails I used so you can see the psychology behind them.

This is invaluable info.

Especially if you’re an affiliate marketer.

(And, even if you’re not.)

Subscribe here today to get it in time:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

One of my favorite parts of the movie “300” is when the Spartans are fighting an entire army of supernatural-like beings that claim to be immortal.

Does it scare the band of 300 Spartans?

Hellz no!

As the narrator Dilios says:

“immortals…we put their name to the test.”

And they begin slaughtering them left and right in a bloodbath of epic proportions — oh yeah baby!

Loooooove that movie!

Anyway, here’s the point:

That movie is based loosely on real life events.

A tiny band of 300 Spartans led by King Leonidas really did hold off entire armies. And they did it by using not just brawn, but wit, cunning, intelligence and positioning. The same traits that can help you (even if you have a small list now) conquer the army of goo-roos and gurus you are up against.

One way is to stop thinking in terms of list size.

And, instead, think in terms of AUDIENCE size.

When you have an audience (and not just a “list”) you have far more reach… far more power in the market place… and, yes, far more potential for sales — regardless of if you are even that good at creating ads or copy or emails.

Enter my droog Danny Iny.

He’s like the “King Leonidas” of audience building.

He has it down to a science.

In fact, not only has he built his own business from $0 to almost $700k per year in just 3 years using his audience-building techniques, but he has hordes of students who have kicked gluteus assimus using his methods, too.

And guess ye what, Spartan?

He can help you, too.

And, he will do it free.

How?

By getting your bootykis on his free online interactive workshop tonight where he explains his methods.

This is “for real” information, too.

Not just sales pitch.

He’s gonna show you what to do.

How to do it.

And, how to profit from it all.

This IS an affiliate link:

www.EmailPlayers.com/audience

However, there’s no other way to attend.

So deal with it.

That’s all for today.

I’ll see ya on the workshop tonight.

(5 pacific, 8 eastern time).

Ben Settle

So check this out:

Yesterday I told you about Danny Iny and how he built a business from $0 to doing close to $700k per year in just a few years. You hear that and it almost sounds like I’m full of crap, doesn’t it? Or like something only HE could do and a simple minded newbie fresh off the turnip truck could never pull off.

Well, that’s where you’re wrong my little droogie.

And, I’m going to prove it to you.

Check this out:

I have many varied interests.

I read many different kinds of blogs.

(Most have nothing to do with bid’niz.)

And, one of them is in a market where a lot of guys are confused, in pain and they don’t really know how to solve the problem that plagues them.

Anyway, the point?

A lot of people comment on blog posts in this market.

A lot of people ask questions, too.

But, not a lot of people have answers.

And so, the few who DO have answers stick out like an honest man in the White House. In fact, there is one guy who comments ALL the time on blog posts in this market, and he gets deep, is clearly passionate about helping people… and is SO helpful and popular, people practically BEG him to start his own blog and write his own book on the subject!

Until now, he has refused.

But, that doesn’t matter.

Because some of his “fans” have taken to putting all his blog comments onto its own blog!

That’s how popular this guy is.

How well known he is.

And, how much people respect him.

They are ASKING HIM to sell them something.

Yet, he has no site of his own.

No list.

And, no product.

What he DOES have… is an audience!

A raving fan base who hang on to his every word, save his blog comments for future study, and just hoping for him to some day create a product they can pay for.

This is just one (of many) things Danny Iny teaches.

It’s goes beyond building a “list.”

He teaches you how to create an audience.

And, how to go into ANY market — whether you’re brand spanking new or a seasoned pro — and start building a raving fan base of people who are *waiting* for you to sell them something (and many of who will eagerly join your list as HOT, eager-to-buy customers the second you slap an opt-in form up).

And like I just said:

This is just ONE small part of what Danny teaches.

He actually has a whole system.

And, he’s teaching it free.

Here’s the scoop:

This Thursday at 5:00 pacific (8:00 eastern) he’s teaching a free interactive workshop online showing you how to create your own raving fan base using methods it took him YEARS of trial & error to figure out.

I’ll be there too.

Taking notes.

And, learning with you.

Here’s where to register:

(again, it’s free)

www.EmailPlayers.com/audience

Be there or be nowhere…

Ben Settle

“Ben why don’t you talk about list building!”

I hear this on a weekly basis.

From all kinds of people.

From all walks of marketing life.

And, from all corners of the planet.

Well, guess what?

I have heard thy groans and I have found a solution for you.

(Don’t worry, it’s free.)

Check this out:

Late last year, I got an email from my droog Daniel Levis saying he wanted me to meet a friend of his named Danny Iny who is to the blogging world what I am to the email world. So I jumped on skype with him and, sure enough, we hit it off and had a great chat.

Anyway, turns out he’s a master at something besides blogging.

And that is building an “audience”.

No, not just a list.

An AUDIENCE.

There is a huge difference between the two.

An audience who knows, likes and trusts you… wants to hear from you and is eager to buy from you may or may not be on your “list” — but it doesn’t really matter. They are actively engaged with you, hot to buy from you, and trust you over and above any of your competitors. And if they want you what you have, they will find a way to buy from you.

Think of someone like Rush Limbaugh, for example.

He has an “audience” of 14 million people.

But, not all of them are on his email list.

Yet it doesn’t matter.

They still buy from him.

And, they buy readily and eagerly.

(Whether they are on his list or not).

Anyway, Danny developed a system for building an audience (and, thus, a list) which took him from $0 to just shy of $700k per year in just 3 short years (which is talked about in the free pdf interview I sent you yesterday if you read that far down the email).

He’s got a ton of successful students, too.

And he really has it down to a process anyone can do.

What??

Prove it, you say??

Okay tough guy, I will.

Here’s the deal:

This coming Thursday (September 18th) at 5:00 pacific (7 central, 8 eastern) Danny is holding a free interactive online workshop on how to build your own raving fanbase/audience from scratch… regardless of if you’re a brand spanking newbie or a seasoned marketing veteran who wants to add another “0” to ye olde profits.

I’ll be there.

And, if you want to be there, too, go to this link:

www.EmailPlayers.com/audience

Yes, this is an affiliate link.

But, it’s free to attend.

And, even if you don’t buy what he sells at the end, you will walk away with a lot of great tips and ideas for building your own audience.

(Whether you buy or not).

Good times….

Alright, that’s it for today.

More goodies tomorrow…

Ben Settle

Alrighty then…

Below is an interview transcript of a conversation I had with a cat who went from $0 to $700k in sales in just a few short years using a system for building an audience (not just a “list”) he created that is so simple, even a goo-roo fanboy could do it.

It’s especially useful if you are a newbie.

(Or if you are invading a new market.)

Real, actionable tips are inside.

And, they “for real” work.

Here’s where to download it:

www.EmailPlayers.com/audience/scratch.pdf

More about this tomorrow…

Ben Settle

Title: The 21 horsemen of the Email Players apocalypse

Behold… today’s “Ben Settle Show” podcast reveals:

• How to keep your spam complaints to almost zero. (I mail sometimes twice per day, 7 days per week, and hardly get any spam complaints. This is how…)

• The #1 most valuable market research skill I taught my copywriting apprentice.

• What to do if competitors (or anyone) lies about you, paints you as a villain, and hates on you. (Do this and you’ll not only not care about having haters… you’ll profit from them.)

• How to know if an email you write is worth sending. (If you are unsure your email is not going to be profitable, run it by this criteria and watch your sales go up, up, up…)

• How a copywriting friend would get thousands of visitors to his blog whenever he wanted. (A warning: This technique works like gangbusters… but takes big, “clanging” balls to pull off.)

• The single best way ever invented to write emails people love to read (and, in many cases, buy from).

• The worst thing you can say in an email if you want an audience, a bigger list, and more sales. (Sadly, a lot of people do this thinking it works, but it doesn’t — and their dismal sales show it.)

• What the Bible says about how to treat your list so they’re full of qualified, “ready to buy” prospects.

• The most interesting man on Facebook. (I highly recommend friending and following him ASAP. His business advice is free, some of the best I ever heard, and is always profitable.)

• How to profit from trolls and idiots (with too much time on their hands) who want to debate you via email, social media, or in any other way.

• And much, much more.

Download now and there will be peace…

www.BenSettleShow.com/itunes

Ben Settle

Over the last several weeks I’ve done an off-and-on “Ben Settle Show” series about my so-called “Email Players rules.”

These are basically maxims I do business by.

Some I’ve learned by observation.

Some I’ve learned from studying smart people.

And a few are from my brain.

We’ve done 2 such episodes (with 7 rules each, 14 total), and those first 14 Email Players rules are as follows:

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 an 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

Anyway, here’s why I bring it up:

Tomorrow’s “Ben Settle Show” podcast covers another 7 of these rules. I’ll send you an email tomorrow when it’s up. In the meantime, you can learn about the first 14 above in-depth (i.e. with commentary and context) here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/itunes

(They are episodes BSA21 and BSA30)

Download ’em.

Listen to ’em.

And, yes, profit from ’em.

Word up.

Ben Settle

I’m not going to say testimonials are worthless.

(I use ’em myself.)

But, my opinion  is many testimonials are probably the weakest form of proof there is in ads, emails, sales letters, etc.

Why is this?

Well, let’s put it this way:

I live in bigfoot country in the Pacific Northwest.

And, every single year, there are all kinds of bigfoot sightings — even from forest rangers, law enforcement and other people with credibility.

Yet, these “testimonials” are coldly ignored.

Mocked.

And, yes, even laughed at.

Same with UFO sightings.

Got lots of ’em.

Even from “authority” figures people tend to believe.

Yet, few are believed.

Why is this?

Because people reading testimonies fall into two camps:

1. People who already believe you, and just want more validation to pull the trigger to buy. (i.e. a hardcore bigfoot believer will believe the sightings because he WANTS to.)

2. People who are skeptical yelling “bullshit!” at each one.

There are exceptions to this, of course.

But, we live in the age of the skeptic.

Everyone has been screwed over by someone in the past few years especially — whether it’s their banker, their lawyer, their government, their real estate broker, their favorite political party, the list goes on…

That’s why I say assume nobody believes you.

Nobody believes your shnazzy testimonials.

And, nobody believes your advertising.

That’s the bad news, Chachi.

The good news:

There are simple ways to build belief. To persuade people you’re not out to fleece them. And, to make MORE sales as a result.

Probably the best way is demonstration.

Simply demonstrating your product or knowledge.

And guess what?

Email lets you play demonstration like a fiddle.

Each day (if you do it right) you can demonstrate you da man (or woman) in your market, the one to be trusted above all others and, yes, the one to buy from.

It’s what I teach in “Email Players”.

And, I can teach you, too.

That is, if you can follow instructions.

And, write a simple email.

More info at:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

I’ve mentioned the movie “Sideways” before.

It’s about a couple middle aged dudes who go on a wine tasting weekend in California… getting into various misadventures, etc. A fun, thought-provoking flick with great acting and a story I can watch over and over and not get bored.

Anyway, here’s why I bring this up.

One of the two guys is named Jack.

He’s a voiceover actor.

And, he’s also a low class jackass kinda guy who’s about to get married the next week, and wants to spend all his time on the wine adventure trying to get laid before his big day.

Towards the end…

(SPOILER ALERT)

He finds a waitress he wants to have sex with.

When Miles (his friend) objects, Jack says:

“Listen, man. You’re my friend, and I know you care about me. And I know you disapprove, and I respect that. But there are some things that I have to do that you don’t understand. You understand literature, movies, wine… but you don’t understand my plight.”

Pretty funny scene if you watch it.

And, kind of useful, too.

Specifically, for people learning copywriting, email, etc.

What I mean is this:

A lot of people get into copywriting and email marketing and they understand headlines, and storytelling and closing an ad. They’ve studied (even wrote out by hand!) dozens of ads by Halbert, Bencivenga, Carlton, etc. And, they can recite Caples, Hopkins, and Schwartz chapter by chapter and verse by verse.

But, they still struggle.

And, they don’t know why.

Well, the reason is simple:

They don’t really understand their market.

The copywriting tricks of the trade are fun… but, unless you learn your market first… unless you understand their “plight”… your copy will be taken about as seriously as Jack takes Miles’ advice not to have sex with another woman before he gets married the next week.

You gotta understand their plight, Beavis.

Otherwise, persuasion “tricks” won’t do you a lick of good.

Anyway, something to drink on.

This goes for email, too.

It’s why I always tell people no matter how well your emails are, if you don’t know your market… don’t have an offer they want… don’t have a responsive list… they’re dead in the water.

So learn your market’s plight.

Get in their heads.

Then, sell, baby, sell.

That’s where “Email Players” swoops in.

It’s a monthly newsletter.

And, I show you the exact same email ideas & tactics I use.

(With examples.)

Subscription info here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle