Ben Settle

Behold my all-time favorite marketing quote:

People buy more and buy more happily when in good humor

It’s from Dan Kennedy.

And I can tell you from personal experience and sending thousands of emails out over the past 10 years (between my own sites and various clients) it’s even MORE true on planet email.

Listen, let’s face it:

Most emails are as dry and barren as a horse’s skull in the desert.

They’re just the facts.

Or just hard content.

Or just straight sales pitches.

Sometimes when I read them, I feel like Archie Bunker in that episode of “All In The Family” when Edith is nattering on about something pointless and Archie is so bored he starts mimicking like he’s committing suicide.

That’s how a LOT of readers feel.

And it’s why so many emails fail.

And that’s why entertainment is so mucho important.

Or, at least, including “entertainment value.”

Some do it naturally, and God bless ’em.

But for others it’s such a struggle they don’t even try.

Big mistake!

big, Big, BIG mistake!

This IS a skill that can be learned, applied and used in your emails to boost ye olde sales fairly quickly, and in a way people LOOK FORWARD to reading (and buying from).

And guess what?

I’m gonna prove this is true.

How?

Because in tomorrow’s brand spanking new “Ben Settle Show” podcast I reveal multiple different ways to make all your marketing fun, engaging and, yes, entertaining… even if you have the personality of a dead earwig.

Trust me, it ain’t rocket science.

It’s actually pretty simple.

And FUN, too.

(Imagine that — having fun making sales…)

Watch for my email tomorrow.

In the meantime, download past episodes here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/itunes

Ben Settle

Today’s the day, babycakes.

In just a few short hours my boy Ryan Levesque (neuroscience geek who currently works in 17 different markets, building multi-million dollar sales funnels for some of the highest grossing direct marketing companies on the Internet) is teaching that survey funnel webinar for doubling your sales (without needing new traffic) I told you about yesterday.

BTW…

I’ve seen him in action at our Oceans 4 masterminds.

Watching him thunder away at peoples’ websites, marketing plans, sales funnels, videos, and plans during the hot seats is like a world class lesson in marketing in and of itself.

More:

He’s also a master at *teaching*, too.

I don’t know if it’s his experience teaching neuroscience at University level classes… or just inborn genetics… but the dude can take complex marketing funnel ideas, methods and stats and make it dirt simple for anyone to understand and apply to their own business.

Yes, there’ll ll be something (expensive) for sale at the end.

But, don’t let that startle you if you’re a freebie seeker.

Whether you buy or not, you’ll walk away from this free webinar with more than enough info to make all kinds of new sales (without spending a ton of time and energy) in your business.

(Assuming you’re an action-taker and not a wannabe.)

Anyway, I’ll be there.

And, I highly recommend you be there, too.

Here’s my affiliate link:

www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=142030&AdID=680560

Ben Settle

More on my boy Ryan Levesque:

(Who I told you about earlier today)

One of the coolest things I ever done learned from him about building a list was what he calls:

“The neurotransmitter ‘cocktail’ buzz”

What is that, exactly?

Well, it’s his way of using a strange little quirk of the human brain (he learned from some smart neuroscientists) in his market to hold peoples’ attention by mixing a bunch of chemicals around in your readers’ brain.

But, don’t worry, amigo.

None of this unethical or anything.

In fact, people WANT you to do this.

Anyway, he’ll rap about it on tomorrow’s webinar.

Register here:

www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=142030&AdID=680560

See ya tomorrows…

Ben Settle

Let me tell you a story.

At our last Oceans 4 Mastermind Workshop, one of my business partners Ryan Levesque got to telling me about one of his clients who sells high ticket water filters that turn the water alkaline. And, how during the launch of this product, they sold so many water filters… so quickly… and with so little effort… they were told by the manufacturer to STOP all sales.

Apparently they sold out the manufacturer’s inventory.

And, they begged his client to stop selling them.

Plus, they did it in just 12 days.

And, without having a huge list.

So naturally I asked Ryan how he did it.

What did he say?

He said mostly they used a little-known “back door” funnel system (using surveys) he has been honing over the past several years working with over 2.8 million leads… over 175k buyers… in over 17 markets (most non Internet marketing markets) — including 7, 8 and 9 figure companies (like golf, tennis, satellite TV providers, business funding providers, etc).

It’s fascinating stuff.

And, it’s what he’s known for doing.

More:

He has a very unique grasp on buying psychology.

Far more than I or anyone else I know does.

Why?

Well, I am guessing it’s his neuroscience training (he has taught university level courses on the subject), and how he merges it with Internet marketing.

So yeah, he’s one smart cookie.

And his clients happily pay him a small fortune.

(Agora and Boardroom pick his brain by phone weekly.)

And guess what?

Ryan is doing an exclusive webinar tomorrow just for my list, walking us through his survey funnel methodology.

And, before you even ask:

This will be advanced training.

(i.e. it’s a no-brainer to attend and make money with the info.)

But, while it’s free, there will obviously be something (expensive) for sale for people like me who want to learn more about how he works his magic.

So don’t waste our time if you’re offended by sales pitches.

(Or if you’re looking to buy yet another $19 eBook.)

Anyway, how do you attend?

It’s easy, my little droogie.

Just go to my naked affiliate link here:

www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=142030&AdID=680560

Then, follow the instructions.

And that’s it.

Be there or be nowhere…

Ben Settle

P.S. I have seen Ryan “in action” during our Oceans 4 Mastermind hot seats and, to be blunt, I don’t know ANYONE who can teach funnels, sales psychology, website strategy and execution better than he can. I actually consider him one of the 2 or 3 savviest marketing minds I’ve ever met. You haven’t heard a lot about him because he doesn’t put himself out there as a guru or whatever.

But make no mistake, he’s the real deal.

He has 17+ concurrent clients, in completely diverse markets (I think one of them is like pig farming or something) and they ALL make out like bandits using his sales funnel expertise.

I can’t wait to hear this webinar.

And, I suspect you’ll love it, too.

Get your Ryan Levesque funnel training lovin’ here:

www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=142030&AdID=680560

Here’s what’s inside the July “Email Players” issue.

Deadline to nab it is tonight:

• A totally “unorthodox” email trick that lets you potentially nab more sales in a single day than you do in an entire month.

• A sneaky old school newspaper ad trick that can quickly multiply the sales from your emails. (The late great Gary Halbert did this all the time in his newspaper ads — and it works just as well, if not better, in email.)

• A clever email “hack” I learned from the the man Gary Bencivenga called “The world’s greatest list broker” that lets you bat out dozens of profitable emails without busting your brain for ideas.

• A strange (but true) way to make more profit from less customers without raising any of your prices.

• What a few “elite” sales people (in the know) do to routinely make multi-million dollar deals that 99% of email marketers are too chicken to even test. (This not only works like gangbusters to get you lots more sales in your emails… but is just as powerful in negotiations, getting chicks, and even winning votes.)

• A bizarre (yet ingenius) way to stand out in your prospect’s inbox even if you write a crappy subject line and suck at copywriting.

• A neat little trick (used all the time by the biggest retail stores) to keep customers eagerly spending money on your websites.

• The exact “magic” time to use a blatant sales pitch (no content whatsoever) in a way where people not only don’t mind, but are GLAD you did it.

• How to skyrocket your sales with dorky little “multiple personality” emails.

• And more…

But guess what?

That’s just what’s inside the actual issue.

The envelope also contains a bonus training about how to rapidly build your list with solo email ads from Igor Kheifets — one of the world’s top solo ad trainers.

But, time’s running out.

If you want in, subscribe by tonight here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

So Cameron signed on to write Rambo: First Blood Part II and Aliens simultaneously — while also doing rewrites of The Terminator. With a calculator, he divided the amount of time he had by the number of pages he had to write and spent the next four months jumping between three different desks, putting on different music for each script.

So reads page 61 of a book I’m reading called:

“James Cameron Interviews”

Not the most exciting title.

But it’s about an exciting dude — James Cameron.

He’s the guy behind such kick gluteus assimus movies as the first two “Terminator” movies, Aliens, and True Lies — all huge Hollywood blockbusters (he also did Titanic and Avatar which, while I was kinda bored by Titanic and thought Avatar dorky, I can’t argue with their results — the two highest grossing movies in history).

Anyway, I’m a big fan of the guy’s writing.

His work ethic.

And, especially, his “the beatings will continue until morale improves” style of leadership.

But mostly, I like his work ethic.

And, his philosophy of not being a perfectionist, but a “greatest.”

(i.e. “I only want to do something until it’s great”)

Anyway, why am I bringing this up?

Because this is exactly the attitude to have if you want to kick a lot of booTAY in email marketing.

Forget perfectionism.

Forget trying to please others.

And, yes, forget trying to be “liked” (nobody likes Cameron — actors would go home crying, crew members would accuse him of abuse, and he even once made his own brother, in the movie “The Abyss”, shoot a scene 25-feet underwater, eyes open, with a live crab in his mouth just to get the perfect realistic shot of a corpse with a crab crawling out of its mouth…the joke about James Cameron’s dictator-style on set was “I’m letting you breathe, what more do you want?”)

Forget all that.

I have always admired James Cameron’s work ethic.

His drive to write cool stories.

(Even if they weren’t all cool — i.e. “Avatar”, and the end of “The Abyss” was about as lame as it gets).

And, his desire to be great at what he does.

And you know what else?

These are the kind of customers I like, too.

Guys and gals who are action-takers.

For example:

I have talked to a lot of “Email Players” subscribers. Especially the ones who have been with me since its launch in August 2011 (going on 3 years straight now). And, there’s one thing they almost all have in common:

This same iron-fisted work ethic.

An ethic that keeps them writing daily.

Selling daily.

And, yes, making sales daily.

Those are the kind of customers I like.

And, I try to repel all others — like opportunity-minded people who can’t commit to anything, or those who never implement, and people who are looking for a “lazy” way to build their businesses.

Is that you?

Then get thee behind me, babycakes.

Go haunt the Warrior forum.

Or, better yet, Facebook.

Otherwise, “Email Players” may be a fit.

Or not.

Only one way to find out, yo?

And that’s to use it.

Speaking of which:

The July issue goes to the printer in 2 days.

(Pushing it back a day due to all the traveling I’ve been doing.)

It shows you a secret way I’ve been using since February to sometimes get more sales in a day than I normally get in a month. It also has a bonus training about building your list rapidly using solo email ads, too.

This baby is a great “jumping on” issue for new people.

But, time is short.

Subscribe here while you still can:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

On today’s (reluctantly) free Ben Settle Show podcast…

• 2 things Gary Halbert used to do on his website that will destroy your sales. (Gary was one of the single best marketing minds in human history — but if you are doing these 2 things he advocated you are basically setting fire to your sales.)

• How to use email to get twice as many podcast downloads.

• Why moving the free line is one of the worst ways to sell. (And what works 10x’s better.)

• How to “draw out” the most hostile members of your list.

• The danger and violence you can expect to happen when the government can no longer pay out welfare checks.

• How I “prep” new subscribers on my list to be buyers. (I learned this from one of the founding fathers of Internet marketing — Terry Dean — and it makes business a lot more fun and profitable.)

• Where to get a free “crash course” in direct marketing online from one of the highest earning marketers who ever lived.

• How giving away a lot of free stuff hurts (not helps) your list.

• Why so many freebie seekers are broke and desperate.

• And a ho’ bunch mo’…

Download it all (free) here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/itunes

Ben Settle

The year was 2006 AD.

I had spent the prior 3 years following all the mainstream email goo-roo advice about giving away all your best information and teachings free in emails, to make people think, “wow! if this is the free stuff, I wonder what’s in the PAID material…” and eagerly awaiting you to sell something to them.

I believed this advice blindly.

And with all the furor of a goo-roo fanboy after an IM seminar.

So that’s what I did:

I sent out infrequent emails (one or two per month) giving away lots of cool information I’d learned and profited from and never, EVER asking anyone to buy something.

That was, after all, the goo-roo way.

Then… I did my first affiliate campaign.

I was writing mainly to copywriters at the time.

And they wanted to know how to get clients.

That was the big hot button.

And (conveniently) my buddy John Anghelache was getting ready to launch a course on the subject and asked if I’d mail for him. He said he was using a proven launch formula that had worked like gangbusters for him (it did) and I was anxious to let the “hounds” out on my list.

After all, I KNEW they’d love the product.

And since I never pitched, I KNEW they’d listen.

So I let the emails fly!

For the first time in 3 years a REAL sales pitch.

But not just one pitch… several pitches.

Some disguised.

Some blatant.

But all of them with a call to action.

The result?

Hate mail GALORE, baby!

We’re talking everything from “take me off your list!” to the old standby “fuck you” used by those Cheeto eating, porno-addicted 20-somethings still living in mommy’s basement.

I must admit, it took me by surprise.

What was the big deal?

It was a solid product.

I hardly EVER pitched my list.

And shouldn’t they be “primed” to be wanting to buy from me like all the goo-roos said they’d be?

I guess my list didn’t get the memo.

They were PO’d.

Yes, some bought.

(More than I’d expected.)

But the hostility was amazing.

And that’s when I learned:

Freebie seekers are amongst the nastiest, most class-less people you’ll ever meet. They have no gratitude. No work ethic. And, if you don’t give them everything they want fast, free and NOW, they turn into little pink whiny hulks screaming profanity and insults at you.

Kind of amusing thinking about it now.

And today I take pleasure in riling them up.

(They don’t last long on my list…)

Anyway, why am I bringing this up?

Because that’s just one of many reasons why giving away lots of free stuff is not only stoopid… but will keep you broke (or, broker, at least).

And guess what?

I get deep into this subject on tomorrow’s “Ben Settle Show”.

It ain’t gonna make freebie seekers happy.

But then again, who cares about them, anyway?

I sho’ as hellz don’t.

And, after tomorrow, neither will you.

Watch for my signal tomorrow.

In the meantime, listen to past episodes here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/itunes

Ben Settle

So I once got this funny email.

It was from this guy who says he studies ALL the persuasion books and products but is still struggling with his emails. He nattered on about all the “ninja” persuasion tricks he’s been using… like how he puts a “nested loop” at the beginning of his emails… or the cool NLP things he does to change the reader’s frame (however he described it)… or how he cleverly induces the law of reciprocity he read about in Cialdini’s book to make people want to buy from him… and so on, and so forth.

Lots of tricks and tactics.

Few sales.

My response?

“You’re kinda like this fat dude I know,” I said.

“What??”

“He studies all the complicated diets and uses all the cool equipment… but still overeats and, thus, can’t keep weight off. If he simply burned more calories than he took in he’d see results whether he used all the diet tricks or not. It’s the same with your emails and ads — learn how to sell, and you won’t need the tricks.”

I don’t know if he got the picture.

But that’s what some of these copywriting fanboys remind me of.

Hey, the tricks of the trade are fun.

And, they can be useful.

But know what’s most important?

Knowing how people WANT to be sold to.

How they LIKE to buy.

And basing your copy on sound, principled thought and human nature — not the latest NLP trick or whatever.

This is what I teach in “Email Players”.

And, works like crazy.

Alright, that’s it for today.

To subscribe, go to:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle