Ben Settle

OK, so I’m not much of a traffic guy.

Sure, I do fine and dandy with conversion.

But traffic?

Not so much.

It’s just never been my bag, I guess.

In fact, traffic has always been my “achilles heel.”

My kryptonite, if you will.

So recently, I asked my mastermind pals (Ray Edwards, Daniel Levis, Ryan Healy and John Anghelache) what they’re doing for traffic. And just for kicks, we decided to turn what was originally intended to be a private mastermind call about traffic into a recording called:

It covers well over a dozen highly effective ways to get traffic.

Most are extremely simple to implement.

Some are a bit more advanced.

And one of them is even kinda “hair-raising” that can potentially bring thousands of new visitors and opt-ins to your site in a single weekend (pretty much anyone can do it, too — but it’s definitely NOT for the timid or “thin skinned”…)

Anyway, it’s about 52 minutes long.

And it’s designed for both Internet newbies and veterans alike.

Now, there are two ways you can download it:

1. You can grab it for $27 (by instant digital download) at:

Or…

2. You can join “The Crypto Marketing Newsletter” and it’s an unadvertised bonuse that comes with your subscription:

(NOTE: If you’re already a subscriber, you get it free — it’s on the page with the bonuses you got when you subscribed where it says “Unadvertised Bonuses”)

Anywhere, that’s it for today.

Something different mañana…

Ben Settle

Oh how I loathe the phone.

Maybe it’s my introverted personality. Or my awareness level of how much time gets wasted on the horn. Or that it kinda drains the energy out of me (on the rare occasions where I agree to do hour phone consults, I sometimes get bad headaches and drop off into a deep, coma–like sleep afterwards).

There’s nothing I’d rather NOT do than sit on the phone.

There are exceptions to this, of course.

Like if I’m interviewing someone, or someone is interviewing me.

That’s usually pretty fun.

But generally, phones suck.

I want nothing to do with them.

And to paraphrase the great Weird Al Yankovic, I’d rather jump naked on a huge pile of thumbtacks than spend one more minute on the phone!

Anyway, why should you care?

Probably, you shouldn’t care.

Unless, of course, you’re one of these strangers who I have never met before, who likes leaving voice mails with no details about who they are or what they want (instead of emailing the details of their request like a normal introvert would).

I’m talking about voice mails like:

“Hey Ben, my name is so-and-so, give me a call back…”

No context.

No “reason why.”

Right.

I don’t want sound like a jerk, but that just ain’t happening.

Not know-how.

Not no-way.

It’s not just because of the reasons I cited above about my hatred of the phone, either. The other (more important) reason is because TIME is the one commodity I guard most aggressively. Heck, I barely have time to call my parents each week, much less a goo-roo fanboy looking to do a JV or for free advice. And I’d get nothing done if I called back everyone who asks to “chat just for a few minutes.”

And you know what?

I HIGHLY suggest you do the same.

Guard your time like a dragon hoarding treasure.

Be stingy with it.

Cling to it.

Breathe fire on anyone who would take it from you.

And never, ever give it away lightly.

Ben Settle

P.S. For another lesson about “time vampires“ (and how to make sure they never sink their sharp fangs into your soft neck) check out this email at:

Today’s email doesn’t apply to everyone.

In fact, most people can safely delete it.

It’s for the “uninitiated” only.

And it is basically an unorthodox “FAQ” for the influx of newer subscribers I’ve gotten over the past few months, answering common questions I’ve already addressed in the past. Like, for example, why I don’t sell eBooks, which copywriting products I recommend, my opinion of NLP, do I ever have sales, which marketing gurus do I trust (and which ones do I avoid), and so on, and so forth.

So there’s no real “tip” today.

Just links to prior emails that are now on my blog.

And a way we go…

• Why I don’t sell digital products
• Underrated marketing books I recommend
• Why I don’t (usually) hold sales
• Marketing gurus I like
• Marketing gurus I avoid
• Top 10 copywriting courses
• My lexicon of terms and words
• Why I don’t (usually) sell products via affiliates
• Movies I recommend for marketers
• Top 10 swipe file ads
• My uncensored opinion of NLP
• Why I send full emails instead of teasers to a blog

Anyway, that’s all for now.

Have a GREAT weekend, my friend.

Ben Settle

Uh-oh…

Methinks my dog is getting a bit “portly.”

We’re not fabulously wealthy here at Casa de Settle, but we do well enough to buy the best dog food (thank God) so we can keep her healthy (and, unfortunately, a tad plumper than she should be) for many years to come.

But it wasn’t always that way.

There was a time when we could barely afford to eat at all!

And if we’d had our dog at the time, she probably would have been raised on the crap food found in grocery stores (which is mostly the equivalent of fast food).

Things were pretty dark back then.

I had no natural copywriting or marketing talent.

And I couldn’t sell my way out of a paper bag.

So the only thing I could think to do was something one of my high school coaches drilled into my head: “outwork the other guy.” And so I did. When I got a book or course, I tore through it 5, 10, 15 times.

I’d write other successful ads out long ad while at my job.

And EVERY car trip had marketing training playing.

Did it pay off?

I dare say it did.

I’m nowhere NEAR to my ultimate goals. But I’m dang glad I took my licks back then, and got into the habit of outworking everyone I compete against, and being more meticulous than they are.

For example:

• Going through books, courses and training 15+ times (I’m on my 22nd time through Gary Bencivenga’s course right now)

• Researching products I sell for weeks on end

• Refining my ads by reading them out loud 10 times

• Knowing products I sell better than even the authors do

And so on, and so forth.

It pays to be meticulous like this.

Luckily, it takes no particular brains or talent, just the desire to succeed and the faith to know it works.

Very simple, my friend.

Maybe not easy.

But definitely simple.

Ben Settle

P.S. Another thing I’m super meticulous about is writing bullets in my ads. The more bullets I fire off, the higher the response. I’ll show you all my best bullet writing tricks in the next Crypto Marketing Newsletter which goes to print Monday.

Here’s where to subscribe:

It’s funny how life works sometimes.

Back in college around 1995-1996 I was an avid subscriber to Men’s Fitness, Men’s Health and other similar magazines.

And I got a LOT of cool direct mail.

A couple promotions were especially good.

So good that, not only did I buy the products they were selling… but I ended up KEEPING the ads — including dragging them with me the 7 or 8 times I moved after graduating college.

(Incidentally, I later found they were Gary Bencivenga ads.)

Question is… what made me want to KEEP them?

Even after I bought the products they sold?

The answer?

The bullets on the covers.

Oh yeah!

Those bullets were absolutely irresistable.

I just HAD to keep them because whenever I looked at the covers of those ads (they were technically “bookalogues”), I’d see these teasers and think, “I may want to look that up some day…”

They were that masterfully written.

And it’s a perfect example of how taking your time and writing truly irresistible bullets (and not rushing through them) can add YEARS to your ad’s life.

Even if they don’t buy now… maybe they will later?

Hey, it only takes one bullet to close the deal.

So anyway, the message is clear:

Nobody spends enough time on their bullets.

And if you want to become a human bullet machine, then head ye over to “The Crypto Marketing Newsletter”:

The next issue is soup to nuts about bullets.

Including a few “sneaky” things few people know about.

But it goes out next week.

So grab it while the grabbin’s good…

Ben Settle

Did I tell you about my latest project?

It’s a book.

Specifically, a book for Christian entrepreneurs I’ll be giving away free as a PDF, or if you want to read a hard copy, it’ll be on amazon.

But here’s the rub:

I’m NOT the one “writing” it.

Instead, I’m interviewing various people I respect on the subject and turning the transcripts into the book.

So they’re doing the real “work.”

And I’m just holding the clipboard…

Anyway, one of the people I interviewed is my friend Greg Perry (he’s got a few awesome info-products selling cheap on his eBay page at www.BidMentor.com), and we were rapping about customer service and how just doing THAT part right beefs up sales.

His example was “Chick-Fil-A.”

A fast food joint here in the US.

One night it was pouring rain, and a Mom with 3 young kids ordered at the drive-thru after the dining area closed (just the drive-thru was open). And when she paid, she asked if they could eat inside, instead of in the car?

Let’s face it.

Most places probably would have scoffed.

Or maybe even laughed at her.

But as Greg said:

“Not only did they say yes, but when the Mom got parked, she looked up and THREE Chick-Fil-A employees were next to her car with UMBRELLAS to escort her and her kids inside through the pouring rain. And when they got inside (completely dry) the table was already set up with plates, utensils, napkins, drinks, and straws!”

Holy shnikes!

Now THAT’S customer service!

And is there ANY doubt that family, and their friends, neighbors, co-workers, little-league coaches and everyone else they know… did not hear about this story and be instantly SOLD on Chick-Fil-A?

Price almost doesn’t matter at that point.

And even food quality is secondary.

Fact is, customer service is a bad joke today, and most businesses treat their customers like a “herd” of cattle, instead of people to be served.

And that’s GOOD news for us.

Why?

Because now it’s all about R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

It makes you instantly stick out.

And if you give it, you almost can’t lose.

Ben Settle

I just found the coolest FaceBook fan page.

Frankly, if I could only “like” one fan page, this’d be IT.

What page do I speaketh of?

Kramerica Industries’ fan page, baby.

Kramerica Industries was a “business” (er, sort of) created by Cosmo Kramer in the show “Seinfeld.” Some of his business ideas were actually pretty good (like the pizza place where customers make their own pie and the bottle that squirts both ketchup and mustard)… and others were a disaster (like the giant rubber bladder system for oil tankers…)

Anyway, very cool fan page.

And kinda inspiring, too.

Because no matter how nutzo Kramer’s ideas seemed… you had to admire his scrappy entrepreneurial spirit as he sallied forth and tested them anyway.

Too bad we don’t see this online more.

Especially when it’s so easy to test.

For example:

I’ve seen truly “hideous” ideas kick bootay online — like not using testimonials, guarantees or even a headline. Marketers look at those things and cringe. It’s sorta like another Seinfeld episode where Jerry’s girlfriend paints Kramer’s portrait, and two snooty art buyers look at the painting in both disgust and awe: “He is a loathsome, offensive brute — yet I can’t look away…”

That’s EXACTLY how it is, too.

But you gotta test those “loathsome” ideas.

Even if they offend your pre-conceived views.

And even if they make no sense.

Hey, Kramer would.

And if it’s good enough for him…

Ben Settle

P.S. As customers of my Street-Smart Email course know, Seinfeld is one of my “secret weapons.” To learn how to use the show to beef up ye olde profits, simply hop on the notification list for when I re-release it at:

Here’s a testimonial for it that rolled in yesterday:

Hi Ben,

This email course is incredibly valuable.

I can’t think of another info product I’ve purchased in the last 3 years which comes close. The last time I got this much value out of a course was Glenn Livingston’s $1,200 “How to Double Your Business”.

Thanks so much for the knowledge.

I’ve listened to the cd’s twice and read the transcript once. Each time I get something new. My sales have never been higher, and I’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback from members as well.

Thanks Ben – this is fun, and profitable!

– Travis Giggy

Everyone wants the “big secret” to marketing.

One person will say it’s video.

Another mastering Google.

Yet another will say copywriting… or content… or salesmanship… or podcasting… or social media… or email… or blogs… or… whatever the new fad of the week is.

Well, here’s the real secret:

There IS no secret.

Actually, I take that back.

There is a secret… but it’s only a secret to people always looking for secrets, because to the rest of us it’s not a secret, but is often packaged up as a secret in the secret goo-roo courses since so few people understand it, and thus it still seems like a secret.

So anyway, here’s the secret of all secrets:

The message to market match.

That’s it.

Match the right message to the right prospect (and at the right time) and you will win this crazy game we call marketing.

And it won’t matter what “media” use, either.

Or how killer your ad is.

Or how much you know about technology.

In fact, imagine this:

There are two marketers slugging it out in the market. One has all the high technology, video, connections, JV partners, money to spend on advertising, the whole sha-bang… but his message is about as appealing as a dead carp to his market. And the other has the message to market match down PAT… but his tools are just a notebook and a ballpoint pen (and maybe a library with Internet access).

Who do you think would win?

And who would you bet your green stuff on?

It’s really no contest, is it?

The message to market guy would hand a severe whoopin’ to the fancy pants guy every time.

Anyway, the point is marketing is not magic.

It’s not “voodoo”, either.

Heck, it ain’t even a card trick.

It’s just solid fundamentals.

He (or she) with the best fundamentals wins.

Ben Settle

P.S. When you subscribe to The Crypto Marketing Newsletter the free bonuses (you get immediately upon subscribing) immerse you in pretty much all the fundamentals of online marketing — copywriting, PPC marketing, affiliate marketing, article marketing, audio marketing, local marketing, email marketing, blogging, setting up joint ventures… the whole canine ka-boodle.

We’re talking solid fundamentals.

And they’re yours for the taking at:

Bam! Bam! Bam!

That’s the sound of your ad killing your competitor’s ad.

Well, that is, if you know how to use bullets.

Sadly, most people don’t (even if they think they do). And, in many cases, do more HARM than good to their sales when using bullets in their ads

Like, for example…

1. Making them all start with “how to” (zero variety)

2. Overpowering the reader with only straight benefit bullets — with no tease, mystery or romance

3. Being TOO clever (and thus, too confusing)

4. No strategy in placing them (every single one of my bullets is where it’s at for a reason, are yours?)

5. Not writing enough bullets

6. Not being aware of the aesthetics of a good bullet (don’t worry, I’m not getting artsy-fartsy on you here, but there’s something to be said for spacing bullets so they enhance the ones around it)

7. No curiosity factor

8. Too boring (no fun or adventure reading them)

Anyway, here’s the sad truth:

Most ads shoot blanks, not bullets.

And that’s why, if you did nothing but avoid the amateur mistakes above in YOUR bullets, I’d bet someone else’s money you’d find a nice little boost in ye olde profits.

Oh, and don’t forget…

The next Crypto Marketing Newsletter is ALL about bullets — including many ways I’ve never revealed before. (Not even in my copywriting book.)

You can still subscribe in time at:

Ben Settle