Ben Settle

One of history’s coolest marketers is Bruce Barton.

Back in his day (early to mid 1900’s) he was a household name, a giant in the advertising business and even an advisor to presidents.

And he was an kick bootyus teacher.

One of his best teachings (in my humble, but accurate, opinion) was in a 1924 radio broadcast about when the Biblical patriarch Joseph was the second in command in Egypt.

Joseph was “it.”

Egypt’s top dawg.

Everyone was commanded by Pharaoh to follow his orders and his name was as familiar to every Egyptian man, woman and child as their own, until…

And Joseph died…and there
arose up a new king over Egypt
which knew not Joseph.
(Exodus 1:6-8)

Boom!

In a matter of a couple decades, all Joseph’s power, prestige and name recognition vanished like a fart in the wind. He went from being “the man” to being a footnote in some hieroglyphic somewhere — completely forgotten.

There’s a ginormous lesson here for entrepreneurs.

And that is this whole idea of how easy it is to be forgotten.

Happens ALL the time.

One day you’re “Joseph” and everyone in your market knows who you are… the next they’ve forgotten you or have found a new king to hang with (and buy from).

Anyway, this is why I’m so big on email.

When you do it right, it’s almost impossible for your list to forget about you (in fact, you’ll many times make “top of mind” status).

Yes… I’ve beat this drum to death this week.

But this is the #1 skill to have, IMHO.

Nothing else even comes close.

More:

An arguably more important lesson from the Bible you can apply right away is in the good ol Book of Revelation.

One of the most profitable lessons I ever done learned.

And, guess what?

I reveal what it is on tomorrow’s “Ben Settle Show”.

So sit tight my little droogling.

It’ll be here before you know it.

In the meantime, listen to past episodes here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/itunes

Ben Settle

Behold…

Below’s the Brian Kurtz interview I promised.

Brian is the Executive Vice President of Boardroom — a 9-figure per year book and newsletter publisher who some call the “mastermind” behind their operation. He was also named Marketer of the Year by Target Market Magazine. And, he got to work side-by-side with legendary copywriters like Gary Bencivenga, Doug D’anna and even the late great copywriters Mel Martin (inventor of fascination bullets — yeah, those delightfully obnoxious bullets all us wannabe Mel Martins write were perfected by him) and Eugene Schwartz — who he was good friends with.

He’s also seen millions of dollars in split tests.

Has some completely unique perspectives on marketing.

(You ain’t hearing anywhere else.)

And, is simply brilliant.

(As you’ll see.)

However, a word of warning:

Due to some technical thingies beyond our control, the last 20 minutes of our talk was cut off — including a couple of subscriber Q&A’s.

Hey, my bad.

But, that doesn’t make it a bad interview.

Oh, no, no, no, no…

Just the opposite my fine feathered little droogling.

I got to geek out with Brian about things like the most profitable lessons he learned from the recently deceased “grand puba” of direct marketing Marty Edelston… the most profitable copywriting lessons he learned talking with Gene Schwartz… the craziest test results (the ones that made him go “I can’t BELIEVE that worked!”) he’s seen… tips on what and when to oursource if you want to grow a 7, 8 or 9 figure business… who he thinks are the top copywriters of all time (and which are the top ones today to study)… and a ho’ bunch mo’.

I had a blast listening to Brian talk marketing.

And, you will, too.

Guaranteed.

Or your money back.

To listen free click this link:

Click Here To Listen To The Brian Kurtz Interview

(I’ll post the transcript probably next week.)

Enjoy…

Ben Settle

P.S. One of the parts that got cut out was how to attend the Titans Of Direct Response Brian’s hosting. All the best old school direct response marketing genius’s will be under one roof.

Like Jay Abraham.

Gary Bencivenga.

Dan Kennedy.

Joe Sugarman.

Ken McCarthy.

Parris Lampropoulos.

David Deutsch.

And a bunch more old school guys that have been at this for longer than most of us have been alive.

Nothing like this has been done before.

And, will never be done again.

In fact, I was just talking with my friend copywriter Ray Edwards and he was saying he’s going because he — to this day — regrets not going to Gary Bencivenga’s event in 2004, or getting to meet the late great Gary Halbert. Good point… I mean, let’s face it, all due respect (and I really mean that)… but these old school badasses who have forgotten more than we’ll ever learn on the subject due to the rigors of direct mail ain’t getting any younger, yo?

For more info on that, go to:

www.titansofdirectresponse.com

Last week an “Email Players” subscriber sent me an email with a subject line that said:

“We don’t need you anymore”

He thought that a pretty cool subject line.

And, I likey it too.

But then, I read the email and think it would probably work against someone using it in the context it was used. It was too much of a disconnect — kind of like when space ads use a headline that says “Sex!” and then tries to sell you some mundane service or product that has nothing to do with sex, or talks about sex in a way that has nothing to do with what you were hoping it would.

(i.e. they just wanted your attention).

And so it was with the email I read.

They weren’t really saying they didn’t need them anymore.

What they were saying was, wouldn’t it suck if your employer told you they didn’t need you anymore, etc.

Meh.

Dirty pool.

And so it is with subject lines.

(Or ad headlines.)

Frankly, I think it’d be a perfect subject line if someone was doing an email using my repulsion marketing strategy.

Like, for example, if I was writing to freebie seekers.

That subject line would fit like a glove.

(Come to think of it, I might use it for that some day…)

Because then I really would be telling someone I didn’t need them anymore — and proceed to tell them exactly why (i.e. they waste time, whine about being sold to, aren’t really serious about bettering themselves, the list goes on).

The point of all this?

Context, baby.

It’s all about context.

Even a great subject line falls flat out of context.

It’s almost like “de-balling” them.

Speaking of which…

The August “Email Players” issue contains a subject line someone sent me recently that anyone can use and I would bet someone else’s kidney would get extremely high readership.

(And, even more importantly, generate lots of sales.)

It’s an absolutely brilliant subject line.

One of those “gotta open!” subject lines.

In other words:

If I HAD to get an email opened, I’d use this one.

It’s all ‘splained in the August issue.

She goes to the printer next week.

Subscriber here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Your similitudes are a trifle earthy, but your meaning is clear

– Mr. Brink
On Borrowed Time

One of my favorite “Sunday night insomnia” movies is:

“On Borrowed Time”

It’s kinda like a “Twighlight Zone” tale.

Basically, it’s about this old man who tricks the grim reaper up into his apple tree on his property, and traps him there (with all the repercussions of such a thing having to be dealt with — nothing and nobody dying, etc).

End spoiler.

Here’s why I bring it up:

Mr. Brink (the grim reaper) is talking to the old man’s grandson who likes to make up words on the spot. But, even though the the boy makes up his own words, the meaning of those words are clearly understood — which the grim reaper tells him.

The point?

This is how the human brain works.

It fills in the gaps when you’re communicating.

There have even been readership studies done showing entire paragraphs of words could be read, even if they were spelled wrong as long as the beginning and ending letters were consistent with words people already know.

Well, something like that.

What’s important is realizing this:

You can (and should) create your own words.

Or, if you don’t have the time, inclination, creativity or desire to create your own… then simply borrow slang from other cultures, countries and languages.

I do this all the time.

And, you should, too.

I’ll even make it easy on you.

The August “Email Players” issue has a swipe file of such words.

Use it.

Abuse it.

And, yes, profit from it.

Subscribe before it mails here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

A little while back my pal Doberman Dan found out why some of his emails weren’t getting delivered to big parts of his list:

Swearing.

We’re not talking f-bombs here, though.

We’re talking about relatively mild words.

In fact, here is what he was told:

Cablevision, a corporation operating a few different ISPs most notable being Optonline, began blocking a few choice words from arriving in their customer’s inboxes. Those words include “Shit” and “Pissed”.

How about that?

Didn’t see that one coming, didya?

Anyway, this is why I often find it amusing when online marketers try to sound “tough” and “cool” by swearing like drunken sailors.

When really, most of them sound like idiots at best.

And, fake at worst.

(Yes, I occasionally use a bit of profanity at times — but there’s always a point to it, to bring attention to something or for entertainment value, not to do it just for the sake of it)

The solution?

It’s like I told Dan:

If you must swear, create your own swear words.

Or, better, use foreign slang swear words.

They make emails more fun to read.

And, if done right, more profitable, too.

What?

You don’t know any?

Worry ye not, babycakes.

Because the August “Email Players” issue contains a slang swipe file specifically designed for making your emails more fun, more entertaining and more profitable.

And before you even ask:

Yes, this stuff gets by the ISP nazis.

Anyway, I use this stuff in various markets.

And now you can, too.

That is, if you subscribe in time.

She goes to the printer next week.

Here’s where to subscribe:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Sigh…

I recently was informed by someone who claims to be an “expert” at conversions and sales funnels that I should turn all my sales letters into VSL’s (video sales letters) because, and I quote:

video sales letters always out convert text sales letters.

Really?

Is that right, Chachi?

I think not.

Yes, VSL’s can kill it in sales.

And, many do.

But, anyone saying they are “always” better is either lying to you (and has some kind of agenda) or is simply ignorant.

Example?

Alright, how about these mangoes:

Waaaaaay back in 2007 I wrote a sales letter for a manual called “Magnetic Sponsoring”. When hanging at the “No Excuses Summit” in Vegas last month to speak/train the nubile marketing minds attending about email marketing, I got to talking to the guys who run the business that sells that book. And they told me that sales letter, some 7 years later, is still chugging along, kicking butt, nearly unchanged — and has racked up a multi-million dollar sale count over the years.

Naturally, their team is always trying to make it convert better.

And, one of the things they’ve done is test a VSL against it.

The result?

My “plain Jane” text sales letter crushed the VSL.

And that’s just one (of many) examples.

So to all the VSL nazis out there:

Quit being dorks.

There is no one size fits all anything.

And, yes, that’s free advice.

More:

This is the beauty of email.

I have found in many cases if you do email the way I command you to do it, it almost doesn’t matter what sales letter format you use. In fact, my droogie Jim Yaghi has told me repeatedly he will often use my email methodology to send people to a plain order form and still make lots of sales. (And when we partnered in the weight loss niche, we could never get one format to pull better than the other — presumably because the emails were doing the bulk of the selling to our warm list.)

No, I’m not saying forget sales letters.

I’m saying email can do a lot of the heavy lifting.

And, is perfect for people who hate writing long offers.

(Or who simply suck at it.)

To learn my email system, read the *text* letter here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Contrary to what the mush cookie marketers think:

Email opt outs are not bad.

They’re good.

Sometimes very good.

And there are practical, financial and profitable reasons for this I’ve covered (just go to my blog and type in “unsubscribes” in the search box) — making each unsubscribe you get an event to be celebrated, not weeped over.

There’s also a mental side to this.

For example:

Are you worried you lost a subscriber?

Then you need to adjust that sad sack attitude of yours and start realizing the value you bring to your market.

Here’s my attitude:

When someone opts out, I didn’t lose a subscriber.

A subscriber lost me.

I’ve lost nothing.

They, on the other hand, have lost an ongoing free education on email marketing, copywriting, sales, persuasion, etc.

What have I lost if someone leaves?

Nothing.

Frankly I often remove people without them knowing.

My list is constantly on “probation.“

You step out of line, you make one false move, or start getting pissy with me, you’re outta here.

And don’t think you’re the first.

Ever see “Fast Times At Ridgemont High”?

It describes “the attitude”:

The attitude dictates that you don’t care whether she comes, stays, lays, or prays. I mean whatever happens, your toes are still tappin’. Now when you got that, then you have the attitude.

That’s the way to look at your list.

Yes, you really want to help the people on it.

Yes, you want to grow it.

And, yes, you want to sell to it.

But whether it grows, stays, lays or pays your feet are tappin’.

That’s the attitude to have.

And you know what?

It comes naturally from using my system.

When you email daily.

And, when you see the results.

More info here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

This is for ye olde “Zombie Cop” fans:

As of a few hours ago I’m officially 50% done with the sequel first draft which I call, “Vampire Apocalypse”. If all goes well, it’ll be done by next Sunday and then I’ll let it sit until after Labor Day. The original plan was to write it in 7 days (2 chapters per day), but the writing quality suffered and my attention span sucks out loud.

So, I dialed it back to 1 chapter per day.

Anywhat…

I think (and I’m right) anyone who does copywriting — whether you write copy for clients or yourself — should write a novel.

Doesn’t have to be deranged like mine.

But for one, it’s tremendous fun.

And secondly, it’ll help your sales copy in all kinds of ways. (Creating better storytelling, pace, intrigue, etc…)

It ain’t nearly as hard as you might think, either.

Simply write one chapter per day.

Takes maybe an hour and a half (give or take).

Before you know it, it’s done.

I have no idea how other people do it, but for me the key is to treat the first draft like a rough sketch a comic book artist does when drawing a character.

They literally start with a stick figure.

No bells or whistles.

No detail or shading or anything.

Just scribbles and lines and stick figures.

Then, they go back and tighten up lines, erase stuff, add stuff, maybe put some shading in, vary the line width, add color, yada yada yada… it may end up not looking like what you originally planned to draw, or it could be exactly it.

But that first sketch?

Just lines and gestures and scribbles.

And that’s exactly how to write fiction quickly.

Just brain fart whatever comes out on the page.

Most of it will make no sense to anyone but you.

(As I keep telling people who want to proof read it as I write it — it ain’t ready yet, not by a long shot.)

And that’s fine.

That’s what the second draft is for.

Then the third draft.

And the fourth…

Each draft you fill stuff in, take stuff out, “zoom in” on other parts, get whole new ideas to add, and so on. What I’m gonna do is 10 drafts. The first 5 I’ll read through silently. And the next 5 I’ll read out loud — just like I do with sales letters.

Then it’s off to the editor and cover artist.

Anyway, Vampire Apocalypse should be ready before Christmas.

In the meantime:

If you want to read “Zombie Cop” before then, it’s on Amazon. It’s gotten great reviews from a lot of people I respect who actually read it and didn’t just give me a “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” review. A lot of reviews talk about how they don’t usually read these kinds of books but really enjoyed it and read it in a couple days.

It’s just $2.99 on Kindle.

We also have an audio and print book version.

You can also read the 1st chapter free.

Here’s the link:

www.ZombieCopBook.com

Ben Settle

P.S. If you already read “Zombie Cop” and haven’t yet left a review, I’d be eternally grateful if you did.

Doesn’t have to be a long one, either.

Can be just a quick “here’s what I thought” of it.

Every review helps.

And, helps others decide if they should read it or not.

This time on “The Ben Settle Show” we reveal:

• How to “ethically trick” clients into writing most of your sales letters for you.

• What exact kind of movies the most successful copywriters see at the theater, and how to use this unusual secret to make your ads more persuasive.

• How to write ads that nab a ton of sales even if you don’t know jack about “copywriting.”

• A little-known place (used by all the big TV companies) where you can get an in-depth analysis of your market. (Everything you would ever want to know to sell them… if they so much as take a dump at 4:00 each day, you’ll know about it…)

• How even a raw newbie copywriter can write ads that beat the pants off copy written by better and more experienced copywriters.

• Dan Kennedy’s market analysis “cheat sheet.”

• A sneaky little way to use insomnia to give your sales letters more persuasive “pop.”

• Why so many Americans are frustrated and angry.

• The only question you should ever ask in a marketing survey if you want intel you can use to actually sell with.

• And lots, lots more…

Download your Ben Settle Show goodies here:

www.BenSettleShow.com/itunes

Ben Settle