Ben Settle

Happy Monday!

What — Monday’s suck for you?

Then maybe this will help (even just a tiny bit)…

Last week amidst all the hustle and the bustle of the Email Players launch, I put up a brand new page of email marketing training. It’s all free — and they are in the form of radio interviews and podcasts (including my recent appearance in Ken McCarthy’s prestigious “System Club”).

No opt in required.

No effort needed.

It’s all waiting patiently for you at:

www.BenSettle.com/media

Ben Settle

A few years ago I had a huge “ah ha!” moment that forever changed the way I write ads, emails and other marketing documents.

It was a rather brutal time in my career.

And I couldn’t afford to fail.

(I was in a terrible financial bind…)

Anyway, what happened was, I had spent two months writing a very ambitious ad for a high-end product (I was getting pure commission on, no upfront fee) I knew would make a ton of $$ if I got it right… but goose eggs if I got it wrong.

I busted my hump on this ad, too.

And put everything I had in to it.

But when I finished… something was “off.”

I couldn’t put my finger on what, exactly.

But something was rotten in Denmark.

Luckily, a copywriter friend of mine at the time (a “world class” copywriter ) offered to look at it for me. And it turned out that even though I had everything “right” in the ad…the headline, the bullets, the offer, etc…there was a huge, glaring problem that would have KILLED response. Long story short… I made one small change to the copy (that took less than 5 minutes) and that ad ended up earning me close to $30,000 in commissions over the next few years before it ran its course.

Not too shabby, eh?

But… what was the problem in the ad?

And how did I fix it?

Actually, it doesn’t matter.

You see, the “magic” wasn’t in the change I made.

It was in having a savvy copywriter who was totally unattached emotionally and financially to what I was doing look at the ad and help me “see the forest through the trees.”

And you know what?

That ONE thing made all the difference.

And, it’s made a difference in every OTHER ad and email I’ve written since then. In fact, if he hadn’t shown me my error, I would have kept repeating it over and over again… choking my response each time.

Anyway, why am I telling you this story?

Why should you care?

Because this is a perfect example of how valuable it can be to have someone looking over your emails before you send them. It can be the difference between zero sales and tens of thousands of smackola in sales.

And you know what?

This is one big reason to subscribe to “Email Players”.

You see, one of the “perks” of joining is you can send me one email per month for review, and I’ll examine it line-by-line and help you fix ‘er up.

I did this for a friend’s emails recently (for his product launch).

Here’s what he told me:

“when you consider that even though i have a 5000 list, and only ever get 200 or so opens, i think i’m converting around 30% lol. this is awesome. thank you for everything you’ve helped with. i’ve also had a lot of good reviews about my emails from people.”

Not too shabby, eh?

Can’t make you any specific promises, of course.

But this is not uncommon.

And it’s why I’d charge $250 per critique normally, but “Email Players” subscribers get one free per month. (Kinda like finding $250 stuck inside each issue…)

The special discount ends tomorrow.

Subscribe today at:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Yahtzee!

The subject line of this email is also the title of the first issue you’ll get of “Email Players.”

No, it’s not about kinky sex stuff.

Or even anything “risque.”

But it does contain something I’ve found to be extremely powerful when it comes to email marketing that hardly anyone really does (and, at the same time, I was forced to reveal something kinda personal about myself I probably shouldn’t, oh well…). Whatever the case, it can make you stick out like a great shining beacon of grooviness in your prospects’ inbox.

And put some coinage in your pocket to boot.

Plus, if you subscribe today, you can still get in at a discount.

Click this link for the next step:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

P.S. Oh one more thing…

Someone asked if the first issue I’m sending is the same as the free PDF I give away when opting in to this site.

The answer is nopers.

It starts with issue #2 — nobody’s seen it yet.

Here’s where to get it:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Just a reminder…

The “Email Players” newsletter is now alive and kicking. If you subscribe today, you’ll get in at a discount, as well as get some other cool “perks.”

Details at:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

P.S. Not long ago Dr. Mani sent me this testimonial:

“I’m saving quite a few of your emails into a folder on my Eudora – because studying them is ITSELF an education into marketing by email.”

-Dr. Mani Sivasubramanian

I know many people study my emails like this.

Now, for the first time, I’m giving ongoing education on the EXACT madness behind the methods you see each day and that I’ve used in multiple different markets. (There’s a lot of psychology that goes on behind the scenes of each email I send — and usually nothing is random).

I’m always playing with new ideas.

Testing new concepts.

And, in many cases, inventing whole new ways of writing email openings, subject lines, calls to action.

I’ll be talking about these things at times in “Email Players”.

Subscribe today at a discount here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

The “Email Players” newsletter is live.

If you subscribe before Sunday at midnight, you can subscribe at a discount ($77/month instead of $97/month).

Here’s where to subscribe:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

P.S. Recently I got a LinkedIn testimonial from an entrepreneur I have a TON of respect for about the emails I write (he’s easily one of the most “street smart” entrepreneurs I’ve ever met).

Anyway, here’s what he said:

“Sometimes I don’t even open emails from Ben they make me want to spend money so bad…he understands buyer psychology better than ANYONE I have ever worked with. He not only can craft amazing sales copy… he can craft copious amounts of it seemingly at ease. It calls to mind the way Mozart supposedly wrote symphonies… it just seems to flow out of him. Wow.”

-Jeff Lerner
Ranked As One Of The World’s
Top 500 Home Business Entrepreneurs

I can show you how I do this, if you want.

It’s what “Email Players” is essentially about.

To subscribe at a discount go to:

www.EmailPlayers.com

I think I discovered a new health problem:

“Email Anorexia”

It’s just like regular anorexia — except it ain’t an eating disorder, it’s an email disorder.

Here are some symptoms:

• Scared to email frequently

• Analysis paralysis when writing

• Can’t focus for 15 minutes per day to write an email that generates sales

• Perfectionism

• Only mail when something to sell

• Afraid of people unsubscribing

There’s more.

But those are the main symptoms.

And you know what?

If you have this condition you are (intentionally or not) STARVING yourself — like an anorexic — of some serious coinage.

I know this firsthand.

I spent my first 7 years online an email anorexic.

Only mailing once in a while. Freaking out whenever someone unsubscribed. Analyzing every word and sentence of an email — afraid to send it unless it was “perfect.” Spending hours (when it should only take 15 minutes) on an email.

Luckily, email anorexia IS a curable disease.

All you have to do is take action.

Immediately!

Yes, you will stumble at times.

(So what? Happens to ALL of us…)

But the more you do it, the better you get.

Just like anything else.

If you have email anorexia, then hear ye this:

“Email Players” is the cure.

Let Doctor Settle get out his prescription pad each month and administer a booster shot of info that gets you sending regular emails… creating your own fan base of great customers… and profiting in a way that’s steady, efficient and… yes… FUN.

“Email Players” launches tomorrow.

I won’t say it’s for everyone.

But who knows?

Could be just what the doctor ordered…

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

One of my favorite books is “The Game.”

It’s by writer Neil Strauss and it’s about how he went from someone who was basically a “girl repellant” to being one of the most famous guys in the entire pick-up artist community.

Very good book.

And, for marketers, it’s especially useful.

No… it’s not a “how to” book or anything like that.

But, there are many “how to” lessons embedded within its hallowed pages for the eager marketer wanting to write better emails, ads, etc.

One of my favorites is “peakcocking theory.”

The “what” theory?

Peacocking theory, stud.

This is where you wear something outlandish or “showy” (like a pair of gold shoes, a big weird looking hat, an obnoxious glowing necklace, whatever you want) that makes you stick out and differentiate yourself from all the other guys in the club.

The chicks dig it.

And it works especially well in marketing, too.

This is one reason I mail DAILY.

It’s the ultimate “peacocking” online.

Yes, it makes you look weird to the masses.

But it makes you stick out.

It makes you the ONLY person getting any real attention.

(If you do it right, at least…)

And it increases your chances of, uhm, scoring.

Anyway, something to think about.

If you want to get real good at this sort of thing (using email to stick out) then gird up your loins for the “Email Players” launch on Thursday.

My guys (and gals) will have a serious advantage.

Plus, launch day subscribers get in at a discount.

For more details, go to:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

I’m a big fan of the “F word.”

I like to shout it at my email students.

Brag about using it.

And, even though it WILL offend a portion of your list (and make them want to unsubscribe), those who start using the F word in their email marketing all tell me they see their sales go right through the roof.

Wait a minute…

What’s that?

You think I’m joking?

Oh… you think when I say “F word” I’m talking about the old Anglo Saxon word for fornicate?

But that’s not the F word I speaketh of.

I’m talking about the OTHER F word:

“Frequency”

Frequent contact is KEY to big profits online.

That constant (preferably daily) follow-up can quite literally double your sales in some cases (depending on your list, product, and how well you can write emails, of course).

It did for me when I started mailing daily.

And it has for others, too.

And guess what?

My Email Players newsletter launches Thursday — and one of the “perks” you get when you subscribe is a book (called “The Email Player’s Playbook”) that shows you many of my best secrets for writing lots of emails without struggle or “writers block” (I’ve sometimes written over a dozen emails in a day, and it was never a big deal).

It also has an email marketing calendar in it, too.

I tell you exactly what kind of email to write on what days.

Very simple.

And, very profitable.

All you have to do is put in the effort.

Anyway, launch day subscribers are in at a discount.

More info at:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Check this bad-boy out:

Recently I read an article about the dude who created “CD Baby.” There was lots of interesting info in the piece. But one thing stood out like a lumberjack in a pink bikini:

His take on “sensitivity” training.

Here’s the short version:

Basically, as his company grew, he started getting bombarded with consultants and “experts” insisting he implement a bunch of sissy corporate policies like “sensitivity training.”

He told them to bugger off.

And it’s a good thing he did!

These programs are NOT good.

Frankly, they’re evil.

And any consultant recommending “sensitivity training” should be physically (and literally) thrown off the premises. (If anything, businesses need INsensitivity training, but that’s a subject for another time…)

Point is get the leeches out of your sight.

They’re trouble.

I’ve seen businesses do these programs and all it did was let the predators rise to the top faster.

The result?

Rampant back-stabbing.

The best workers being fired (or quitting).

Office politicians savaging morale.

No thanks, Mr. Consultant!

Think I’ll pass…

Ben Settle

P.S. Gearing up for the “Email Players” launch next week.

If you subscribe during the launch you’ll be able to subscribe for $77/mo instead of $97/mo (yes, this is a high ticket training letter — and definitely not for people indoctrinated with sensitivity training…)

Hit the link (hard!) below to read about it:

www.EmailPlayers.com