Ben Settle

One of my friends just sent me a funny email.

It was a forwarded email from someone else, actually.

What was funny about it is, the subject line was almost identical to the email I wrote you yesterday that said: “The George Costanza School Of Copywriting.”

Except, instead of it being about “copywriting” it said it was the George Costanza School of something else.

So I started reading.

The opening line was identical to my email.

The second line was similar, but not an exact copy.

In other words, he changed things just enough where he wasn’t using the exact words I used.

Same with the next several lines.

The EXACT story I told — but substituting different words.

Until he finally segued into his own lesson, and used ideas from his own brain instead of mine.

Now, some may think this is “okay.”

Especially since this is the Internet and “everyone else does it.”

Personally, I don’t think it is okay.

Besides the lack of original thought and blatant misuse of swiping, he made a HUGE mistake that could cost him dearly:

He lost a LOT of respect from not only me, but many others in marketing.

I’ve been getting emails all morning about this.

Apparently, a lot of people on my list are marketing spies on his.

People who, in some cases, even know him.

Some of who may have even bought from him.

And they are all P-O’d.

Why?

Because as Matt Furey says: “You don’t have just one ant in your house.”

In other words, chances are, if this dude is blatantly stealing from me, he is fully capable of stealing from THEM, too.

And how many people do you know trust people who steal?

Anyway, despite all this, I am not mad at this guy.

In some ways, I’m flattered he thinks that highly of my work. (And as someone on Twitter just told me, this is something George Costanza would probably do haha).

But I am disappointed.

Especially since, all he had to do was say something like:

“Yesterday I was reading an email from someone I know in business named Ben Settle. He was talking about George Costanza from Seinfeld…”

And then he could have said whatever he wanted.

The lesson here?

When you’re writing your emails… be honest.

Don’t steal.

And, when you want to use someone else’s idea, simply cite and give them credit.

Otherwise you could take a HUGE hit in your credibility.

And that can take a long, long time to fix.

Ben Settle

P.S. Crime doesn’t pay in the long run — and neither does stealing other peoples’ ideas and copy. You can learn how to write powerful, moolah-making emails and ads without resorting to stealing (as well as the RIGHT way to swipe) in “The Copywriting Grab Bag”:

OK, so it’s all been resolved — I’ve exchanged a few emails with the guy above. (I know him, and I always thought he was a good guy. I just don’t agree with this swiping philosophies.)

And he not only apologized, but offered to make things right publicly — which is certainly not necessary.

The main point of this was not the swiping (which is subjective as to what’s “allowed” or not), and it was NOT the subject line (which was a legitimate swipe, IMHO, and I couldn’t have cared less about it), but that when you do things like this, there can be consequences to your credibility.

An important lesson for ALL of us (especially me, I’m no better than anyone else).

So it’s all water under the bridge, we’re pals and I certainly have no ill will towards anyone.

And I very much DO appreciate everyone who alerted me in the first place.

It’s truly humbling to know so many of you got my “back”.

Ever watch the TV show “Seinfeld”?

Even 11 years after it’s cancellation, and seeing every episode several times… I STILL never grow tired of it.

The other night was an especially funny episode.

It was the one where George Costanza did everything in opposites.

For example:

He saw a hot, seksy woman in the diner, walked up to her and, instead of lying and conning her into a date, said he was a short, bald, unemployed man who still lives with his parents.

She immediately went out with him.

Later, he gets a job interview with the New York Yankees.

And instead of kissing the owner’s “boo-tay”, tells him how much the team sucks, and why his every decision is stoopid.

“Hire this man!” the owners says.

Anyway, here’s the point:

Every time George did the opposite of what he would normally do — what logic and common sense dictated — he “won.”

And you know what?

In a lot of ways, it’s the same with selling, too.

Frankly, methinks a LOT of sales advice is not only BS… but can HURT you big time.

Like, for example, all these so-called “black hat” tactics.

Or consciously “tricking” people into buying.

Or, in copywriting, looking at all the “successful” ads on the Internet and blindly copying and studying them.

Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

First off, black hat is just a “cool” term for “manipulate.”

And while you CAN manipulate people into buying, it’s a TERRIBLE way to run a long term business or get someone to buy from you again.

Same with using “tricks.”

(And by “trick” I mean literally “tricking” them into doing something they wouldn’t normally do — like buy your product.)

You don’t need tricks if you have a solid understanding of the way human beings think, behave and make decisions.

In fact, you can usually only “trick” someone once.

After that, the chances of them buying from you again (where the REAL moolah is) are null and void.

And don’t even get me started on copying Internet sales letters.

There are some really good ones out there.

But there are some really BAD ones, too.

And unless you know the fundamentals first, you’ll never know the difference, and copying them can cause you FAR more harm than good.

Anyway, here’s the lesson:

Doing the opposite as everyone else can give you a BIG “leg up”.

In fact, just for kicks, next time you have something to sell, consider doing it the “George Costanza way” — the OPPOSITE of what everyone else does.

You just might be surprised by the results.

Ben Settle

P.S. If you’d like to learn some 100% proven ways to write ads and sell without tricks, lies or manipulation, check out the interview I did with “A List” copywriter Doug D’Anna in appendix 7 of The Copywriting Grab Bag:

Doug tells the truth, the whole truth and nuttin’ but the truth about selling.

And I think you’ll find (in most cases) he goes 100% AGAINST what most other sales and copywriting “gurus” say.

Who would have thunk it?

According to a New York Times writer, women around the world are dreaming, brooding and even obsessing about holding “Sexual Congress” with our president.

Apparently, the ladies find him quite studly.

And many of them think about him ALL the time.

Now, you may find this hot ‘n heavy fantasy stuff amusing.

(I know I do!)

But don’t let that stop you from seeing the hot ‘n heavy SALES lesson in this, too.

You see, people are ALWAYS attracted to their favorite leaders.

Whether physically (like the New York Times article lady), emotionally or psychologically.

That’s why so many people worship their favorite business “gurus”.

Drive hundreds of miles just to hear them speak.

And pay them thousands — sometimes tens of thousands — of smackeroos for a single hour of their time.

But what about you?

Would YOU like to have this kind of “animal magnetism”?

With people clamoring all over you — and EAGER to give you their time, attention and moolah?

Then start using the near-magical power of positioning.

Not only can it give you rock-star like status in your niche… but it’ll make selling almost “brain-dead” easy, too.

This is no joke, either.

Positioning can change your business overnight.

Make you the guy (or gal) at the TOP of the mountain.

And put you in that much-coveted “catbird seat” — where all the money and customers and success flow.

Just look at Mr. Obama for proof.

Do you think people would be going “gaga” over him if he was still a community organizer in Chi-Town?

I seriously doubt it.

He’d be just another dude in a sea of other dudes — as easy to ignore as a car ad in a Sunday newspaper full of hundreds of car ads.

But now that he’s el presidente he’s like “Austin Powers”:

Women want him… and men want to BE him.

And it’s all because of his positioning.

Use it, and selling is like shooting fish in a barrel.

Ben Settle

P.S. On page 159 of The Copywriting Grab Bag, the guy who I consider the “Grand Puba of Positioning” — Ken McCarthy — reveals one of the ways he used to take a top position in the overheated Internet marketing niche.

His secret is almost laughably simple to do. Is easily applied to ANY market (especially skeptical markets.) And can make you stick out like sore thumb:

You may find this Copywriting Grab Bag testimonial interesting.

Not just because I want to show off how cool the book is. 😉

But because it contains a short copywriting lesson you can use right away in your ads without even buying the book. (See my commentary after the testimonial for the lesson about how I write sales letters.)

Anyway, here goes:

Hey Ben,

I had heard so much about your Copywriting Grab Bag book I scoured the internet to see if I could find one second hand (your new edition not being available yet).

Luckily, I was able to find a copy.

I was right in the middle of something when it came in the mail –I opened it just to take a quick peek and found myself getting quite /*annoyed*/ as I kept trying to put it down yet finding myself unable.

I kept seeing each new chapter with a headline I had to figure out.

Each chapter looked so small and easy to read I figured, “Why not read another chapter?”

Next thing I knew I had read the first 50 pages of your book while trying not to.

I already started using your stuff on how to write bullet points and how to pose the impossible questions… very clever.

So thanks for taking the time to write it.

Best,
Chris Blackerby

Thank you Chris, I REALLY appreciate your feedback.

I deliberately wrote it in the same “style” I write sales letters.

With short, “choppy” sentences that get right to the point.

Each idea flowing seamlessly and **logically** to the next.

And with absolutely zero “fluff” — so it is almost easier to KEEP reading than STOP reading.

All important when writing copy.

In fact, one guy said he learned more about the actual “writing” part of copywriting reading the book headlines and sentences than from the ads in his swipe file.

Anyway, to be on the pre-publication “discount list”, go to:

Those on the list get the book at a BIG discount.

Ben Settle

P.S. By the way…

… if you already own the older version of “The Copywriting Grab Bag”, and if you send me your receipt, you will have a chance to get this new version at “cost.”

The price I pay to have it printed, fulfilled, processed, the customer service, etc.

Send your PayPal (if you bought it from me) or Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc receipt to: ben (AT) bensettle.com

When it’s ready, I’ll send you a link to buy it “wholesale.”

Been getting LOTS ‘o email marketing questions.

Seems everyone wants the secret of spinning email into moolah.

Well, instead of me yammering on about it… I’ll let email marketing “wizard” Terry Dean show you how it’s done.

The following is from Appendix 8 of The Copywriting Grab Bag.

It’s about how to IMMEDIATELY monetize new subscribers.

Sometimes even within mere minutes of them subscribing to your list.

Enjoy!

BEN: You teach that it is very important to make an offer to a new email list subscriber right off the bat. What is the best kind of offer to make and what is your mindset behind that?

TERRY: Well I’ve been testing some different offers lately.

Some of the things I recently tested are high ticket offers, a $500 product, and we tested a membership site offer where they’re paying monthly; and we tested some low ticket items immediately after subscribing.

By low ticket items I mean in the $10 to $20 range.

For me the best results have been selling those very low ticket items at the very beginning.

What I mean is the moment someone subscribes, I then make them a low ticket offer, something almost as an introduction.

And usually for those types of offers my sales letters are shorter, I use long copy sales letters but I use shorter sales letters in those cases.

A lot of times it will be something that they are not going to see the offer later on or it might be a little bit different, it might be missing one of the bonuses if they purchase it somewhere else. But the immediate goal is if someone signs up, we give them a low cost offer.

We’ll get a lot of purchases from those offers with conversion rates often between 20 and 25%.

BEN: Are you finding that they become more responsive later on because they’ve bought something from you right away?

TERRY: Definitely. My goal is to get you to become a customer. I think anybody who listens to me really long is going to see that it is a strong emphasis on not as much the free subscriber as it is let’s build the customer list, so let’s get them as a customer.

The moment somebody buys, they are still on my free list, but we also add them to our customer list and that customer list will end up getting separate specials at times; and that customer list in my own mindset, in my own business, is really more valuable than the free subscriber list.

Pretty cool tip, eh?

This way you can literally start monetizing your list right off the bat — the second someone subscribes.

Of course, there is one small “catch.”

And that is, it won’t do you a lick of good unless you have new subscribers coming in.

So if you want to GROW your list faster, then check out the free list-building call Daniel Levis did last week about rapid list building:

Daniel has worked with all kinds of list building experts, and has figured out a way to grow your list without needing to spend any extra money.

Combine the call above with Terry’s advice in this email… and you can kick some serious rumpus. 😉

Ben Settle

Got an interesting story for you today.

A story that perfectly illustrates a nasty mistake almost everyone makes (or will make) at least once.

And believe it or not, the better your copywriting is… the MORE likely you are to make it.

Anyway, here’s what happened:

Recently, a friend of mine was frustrated because her ad copy wasn’t converting.

And the irony was, her entire ad — from top to bottom — was a persuasion masterpiece.

Her headline instantly grabbed attention.

Her lead and hook were superbly crafted.

The story behind her product was absolutely fascinating. (It was almost like reading a can’t-put-it-down novel in some ways.)

And everything else just shined and compelled readership:

Her bullets, close, P.S., even her order form copy.

All were “A+” start to finish.

However, nobody (not one person) bought her product despite all this brilliant copy.

“I don’t get why this isn’t converting,” she said. “I did everything I was supposed to!”

And in a way she was right.

Everything was “functionally” correct and in the right places.

However, her real “problem” was not in the writing.

It was selling a product nobody wanted.

Frankly, you could have locked all the world’s greatest copywriters in a room for 6 months to work on her ad and it STILL would not have converted.

When I interviewed master marketer Doberman Dan Gallapoo for my Copywriting Grab Bag book, he so “eloquently” put it like this:

In other words… your copy — your “sales pitch” — is worthless if nobody first wants what your product does.

Without that “starving crowd” (as the late, brilliant copywriter Gary Halbert called it), nothing else counts.

Those fancy-shmancy sales tricks and “choke holds” taught in all the copywriting books and courses will have no effect.

And even the most compelling sales messages die on the vine.

This is the #1 reason most ads crash and burn.

If nobody wants your product in the first place, you’re dead in the water no matter how “good” your advertising is.

Anyway, important “safety tip” for anyone selling anything.

Could save you a lot of time, moolah and frustration.

Ben Settle

P.S.The Copywriting Grab Bag product is almost ready. When I get my shopping cart and merchant account set up, everyone on the notification list (thank you for y’all’s patience!) will get a nice discount just for hangin’ in there:

Recently, I learned a powerful email marketing secret.

A secret both weird and fun and profitable all at once.

A secret you can use in YOUR email marketing starting today, if you so choose.

Anyway, what is this cool secret I discovered?

Al Gore.

I’m dead serious about this, too.

For some reason, whenever I mention Al Gore in my emailz, and then put those emails on my blog, my new subscriber rate spikes.

Now, I don’t know if it’s JUST because of Al Gore.

Or if it’s because people enjoy watching me poke fun at him.

Or if it’s because his fans are finding my site in the search engines, and wanna see how much MORE I can irritate them.

What I do know is this:

I talk about “Algore” and I get more new email subscribers every time — like clockwork.

But, what does this have to do with you?

And, even more importantly, how can YOU profit from this insanity?

Well, think about it:

What celebrity, politician or other “hack” can you base your emails around to appeal to your market?

Whether to poke fun at ’em, praise ’em or do whatever it is you wanna do with ’em?

Think long and hard about this.

Because I’m telling you right now…

… unless my site is some kind of “fluke”, if your market responds whenever you mention him or her, you’ll have a cool little “ace” up your sleeve to pull whenever you’re stuck for ideas (or just feel like having some fun.)

Anyway, just a thought.

BTW, this does NOT mean I’ll yammer on about Al Gore every day.

But, whenever I can tie something he says or does into an email, you can bet your bootox I’m pulling my “Gore” card.

What’s the moral of the story?

Find your “Al Gore.”

It’s a great way to build your list and have FUN at the same time.

Ben Settle

P.S. Speaking of building your list…

… Daniel Levis is giving a free tele-seminar tonight on how to build your list extremely fast… without spending ANY more moolah on traffic.

Daniel has worked with all kinds of list-building and marketing geniuses — from Yanik Silver and John Carlton… to Dan Kennedy and even Clayton Makepeace (including writing a weekly column at Clayton’s site).

If you want some cool ways to quickly and easily build your email list, then this call will give you some great ideas.

You can still register for the call (it’s tonight) at:

Well, it finally happened.

Just when I thought our politicians couldn’t possibly lie and exaggerate any worse… our esteemed House Speaker just claimed “500 million Americans are losing jobs every month.”

Whoda thunk it?

Now, either she made a big misstatement… or she’s using that same “carbon calculator” Al Gore uses to predict how we’re all gonna die next week if we don’t let the UN tax us to oblivion.

How these jokers keep getting elected is beyond me.

Anyway, there’s actually a MAJOR sales lesson here.

A lesson that can put lots of moolah in your pocket.

A lesson that is so shockingly simple, most people miss it.

Check this out:

Generally speaking, about 5% of your customers are what I call the “kool-aid drinker” section of a list.

These people buy ANYTHING you sell.

They are your raving fans who believe in you and your products with zealot-like passion.

And no… I am not making fun of anyone here.

I’m a kool-aid drinker myself for certain businesses.

There are some people who I buy EVERYTHING from, too.

The problem is in ONLY appealing to them in your ads.

You see, while about 5% of your customers will buy everything… there’s another 10%-20% who’ll buy if they’re persuaded.

These people are not sold by your golden reputation.

Or those photo-shopped bank statements.

Or even that long list of raving testimonials.

You can’t get away with bragging and boasting to them. They don’t fall for hypey, exaggerated claims. And they don’t believe a word you say.

Instead, you gotta engage and persuade ’em.

With proof, facts, and a story they can step in and relate to.

Most people ignore this section — even though it’s usually at least TWICE as big as the kool-aid section.

And, as a result, leave a TON of moolah on the table.

Anyway, here’s the bottom line:

If you wanna rake in more dough, don’t just sell to your “fans.”

Sell to the skeptics, too.

Ignoring this “silent majority” can cost you big bux.

Ben Settle

P.S. The world-class copywriters and marketers in The Copywriting Grab Bag appendixes reveal all KINDS of ways to be more engaging and persuasive without using lies, gimmicks or exaggerations.

You can still jump on the discount notification list at:

It should be ready soon…

Been getting a TON of new client inquiries lately.

I don’t know if it’s because the economy is sucking and marketers know they can’t just rely on the “kool-aid drinker” part of their lists (who will buy ANYTHING they sell) anymore.

Or if they are seduced by my obnoxiously political emails.

Or if they are just temporarily insane.

Whatever the case… usually they send me the ads they need fixed along with their requests.

And lemme tell ya:

What I see is NEVER pretty.

Some of these ads have some MAJOR mistakes in them.

Mistakes that are almost certainly KILLING their response.

But that are (thankfully) very easy to correct.

Anyway, I thought it’d be neat to list the 10 most common “copywriting killers” I’ve been seeing in these ads.

That way, if you see any you are making, you can quickly adjust and improve your sales.

Ready?

Okay, here goez:

1. Headlines that impress other copywriters but not their market

2. Relying on bragging, boasting and hype

3. Not writing to the skeptic

4. Not being engaging

5. No logical flow of information

6. Too much swiping

7. Too wordy

8. Weak offer

9. Not enough research (i.e. LAZINESS)

10. Lame bullet points that put you to sleep

There are a LOT more mistakes than this.

But these are the biggies.

The ones that, if you ONLY corrected these 10, would make your ads pull much higher response every time.

If you don’t believe me, use this check list on any ad not converting well.

I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the resultz.

Ben Settle

P.S. Speaking of check lists…

… on page 205 of The Copywriting Grab Bag you’ll find a special marketing check list created by a true marketing “genius” named Mike Winicki.

Mike has consulted with, worked for and studied close to 5,000 businesses. And much of what he teaches about copywriting and marketing flies in the face of what other so-called “gurus” say (especially online).

IMHO, this marketing check list is priceless.

And I believe it can (realistically) double the size of (almost) any business in 6 months or less.

Anyway, you can ONLY get this check list in this book.

And if you hop on the notification list, you will have a chance to get the book (and accompanying CD) at a discount: