Ben Settle

Read something really interesting in the newz today.

Something that, if you understand it, can make you more moolah… and give you a FAR more stable business.

Here’s the story:

Basically, the gummint’s cooking up a “big bang financial cleanup” (their exact words) for the economy.

Now, I don’t know about you.

But I get very “uneasy” when the gummint plans to “fix” anything — especially the economy.

Historically, this ALWAYS spells trouble.

Of course, I could be wrong here.

Maybe this will be the one time in the history of the world where the gummint’s insane interference actually werks.

But I doubt it.

And I sure ain’t counting on it.

Instead, what I (and every serious marketer I know) is doing is preparing.

Preparing for a total depression-like meltdown.

Preparing (believe it or not) to even PROFIT from Uncle Sam’s stoopidity.

How?

Well, for one thing, we are aggressively building our lists.

Think about it:

Even if the bottom drops out, people will still be buying and selling.

75% of people were still employed even during the worst part of the LAST depression.

And if everything goez to “hell in a hand basket”, smart businesses will not only survive… but THRIVE… because their customer lists are populated with those people who are still stable and spending money.

Now, all this is leading to something.

Something that can help you QUICKLY build a bigger list without spending a penny.

Check this out:

For two years, I’ve been in a very unique (and very powerful) mastermind group.

Unique because it’s so laid back and informal.

Powerful because my income has almost tripled since joining it.

And on the last call, two of the members — Daniel Levis and John Angel — agreed to host a tele-seminar about growing your list as fast as possible using JUST the traffic you’re getting now.

Daniel Levis has worked side-by-side with some of the world’s savviest “list wizards.”

And he gets paid big bux to teach his clients the exact same secrets he teaches on this call.

BTW, before you even ask… there IS something for sale.

But, the information is extremely valuable whether you buy anything or not.

In fact, I have seen some marketers record these calls with Daniel and sell them on their own as stand-alone products.

So this is hot stuff either way.

You can grab the time and day details at:

Hope to see ya there!

According to the newz… the post office may cut back on mail delivery.

Probably to 5 days per week instead of 6 — with either Saturday or Tuesday getting the “axe.”

But you know what?

While we can’t control the snail mail flow… we CAN control our email flow.

And that, IMHO, is extremely important.

In fact, over the past month you may have noticed I’ve been sending a LOT more email.

My goal is to eventually do a DAILY email — 7 days per week.

What???

Am I crazy???

Have I turned into some kind of email marketing moron?

People are more then welcome to think what they want.

But the numbers show a completely different picture.

Believe it or not, the more emails I send, the bigger and faster my list growz… the more new client inquiries I get… the more speaking opportoonities (even speaking — whoa!) I’m offered… the more people are buying products from my various interviewz… and so on.

My emails have been confusing people in other ways, too.

For example, all the political stuff.

And the annoying misspellings.

And the constantly teasing you with what’s in my (almost-ready) book at www.CopywritingGrabBag.com

Look, I’m not going to reveal all my secrets in this email.

But I can tell you it is ALL deliberate.

It is ALL putting more moolah in my pocket.

And it has (so far) ALL been well worth me dragging my lazy arse to the computer to hammer out an email on an (almost) daily basis.

Email is extremely powerful if you know what you are doing.

Far more powerful than most people realize.

And if you want to start making huge leaps in your business… start educating yourself on how genius email marketers think, work and make muney.

It’s been one of the most profitable things I’ve ever done.

And I suspect it will be for you, too.

Ben Settle

P.S.Speaking of email marketing geniuses…

One of my biggest email marketing influences (I only have about 3) is Terry Dean. Terry has been making big bux with email since before most of us even owned a computer. He’s one of email marketing’s original “pioneers” and meticulously tests everything.

And in Appendix 8 of my Copywriting Grab Bag book I grilled him on his most profitable email marketing secrets.

If you want a special discount when the book is ready, jump on the notification list at: www.CopywritingGrabBag.com

By the way, I sent the files to the printer yesterday.

So it should be ready sometime in the near future.

Do you know who Earl Nightingale was?

He was one of the early “success pioneers” who devoted his life to helping others succeed.

His most popular work is “The Strangest Secret.”

The theme of which is “you become what you think about.”

That is, according to Earl, the strangest secret in the world for success (or failure).

Well guess what?

This also applies to writing ad copy, too.

Except, when it comes to copywriting, it’s more like:

“You WRITE what you READ about.”

This is so consistently true, it’s almost spooky.

For example:

Sometimes people send me their ads to look over. Usually I delete these emails (if you want me to critique your ads, you gotta pay for it, unless I choose yours for one of my “mob critiques”).

But sometimes, for fun, I take a peek.

Usually what I see ain’t pretty.

I really HATE judging ads — no matter my personal preferences — without seeing test resultz or knowing more about the market.

But some of these are just really, really BAD.

They are simply copying the “HYPE & SCREAM” style of so many Internet sales letters.

With no original thinking attempted.

No “depth” as to what the product will actually DO for people (or how it will do it).

No even trying to establish credibility or build trust.

Dumb.

REAL dumb.

Anyway, these doods are not bad people, by any means.

They are simply victims of the “other” Strangest Secret:

“You write what you read about.”

We ALL do this, too.

We all tend to write what we read about.

And to paraphrase Earl, when it comes to writing ads:

“If we read about crap… we write about crap.”

This is one of the reasons “A List” copywriter Doug D’Anna said (in the interview he did for my book at www.CopywritingGrabBag.com) most copywriters should throw their swipe files away.

Many times they are doing FAR more harm than good.

This is also why I wrote my swipe file report last year.

This baby points you to some of the highest selling ads by some of the best copywriters who ever walked the earth.

Ads that were not only tested on the “kool aid” lists who will buy anything a particular marketer sells.

These ads actually persuade and speak to the skeptic.

You can grab this report free by clicking here.

(Just scroll to the bottom of the page.)

There’s also a free interview on how to USE swipe files there, too.

Ben Settle

Dunno about you… but my attention span is almost non-existent.

Like all “Gen-X’ers”, I was raised on MTV and action movies.

And these days, I have a hard time sitting still for even a few seconds.

Cripes… I can’t even finish a movie anymore unless there’s hobbits, super heroes or light saber fights in it.

My mind starts wandering “to and fro” real fast.

And it takes an enormous amount of effort to focus on anything I am not 100% fascinated, interested or entertained by.

Anyway, why am I telling you this?

Why should you care about my mental state?

Because what I just described does NOT just apply to guyz like me.

It’s how a HUGE portion of the population behaves.

Including people who read YOUR ads.

And it pays BIG TIME to assume all your readers are as flaky as me.

In fact, try this:

Next time you write an ad, assume your readers are ADD-riddled teenagers looking for ANY excuse to bail on you.

To escape back to the mindless, attention-gobbling vortex of Twitter, FaceBook, instant messages, YouTube videos…

… and all the other cool online devices created for those of us with “gnat-like” attention spanz.

Bottom line?

Paranoia is your friend when writing ads 😉

Treat this friend with respect, and you’ll make much more moolah.

Ben Settle

P.S. In chapter 3 of The Copywriting Grab Bag I reveal how the late, great copywriter Eugene Schwartz solved this attention span problem (which has gotten even WORSE since Gene walked the earth) to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars in sales.

You can jump on the notification list at:

Got this great question about doing copywriting research…

QUESTION: Ben, you talk all the time about the importance of doing research before writing copy. What are some research tips?

BEN: That’s a very good question. Research is everything — the most important activity of all. Get your research right, and your ads practically write themselves.

And there’s something I do that (IMHO) gives me an advantage over other copywriters.

It has nothing to do with being more talented or “smarter” than anyone.

(I’m not, believe me).

This is actually more of a tactical advantage.

A way I discovered years ago when studying the Bible.

A way YOU can use to research your ads, too — regardless of your spiritual (or lack of spiritual) beliefs.

Listen:

About 10 years ago I studied the Bible all the time.

I had this voracious appetite for it that just wouldn’t quit.

One of the reasons why is probably because I spent so much time haunting Bible forums arguing with people, debating and doing all the time-wasting things people do when they learn just enough about a subject to be dangerous to themselves.

Anyway, I found myself getting spanked a lot in debates.

In order to not look like a moron anymore, I decided I better study harder.

And so I followed the lead of what smart Biblical scholars do:

I would read a passage and analyze EVERY single word, metaphor and image associated with it.

For example:

If I saw even an ordinary word (like “touch”) I looked it up in a Strong’s Concordance to see the original Hebrew or Greek meaning.

If I read a metaphor about Jesus washing His disciples’ feet, I investigated what that actually meant back then to better know the significance of it.

And if I ran into an image about locust armies, I looked up facts about how locusts behave, and what they do to their prey to get a better grasp on what that symbology really means.

Anyway, here’s the point:

This extra effort gave me a FAR more detailed understanding of the Bible I never would have had otherwise.

Now, “fast forward” to today, and that’s how I research ads.

I meticulously research every fact about the product, market and author to the tiniest detail.

It’s like digging for gold — hard, sweaty, unpleasant work.

But it resultz in ads that put LOTS more moolah in your pocket.

Ben Settle

P.S. Just because research is “grunt work” doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to shortcut it. One of the best ways (I use all the time now) to chop your research time in half was taught to me by “A List” copywriter Doug D’Anna.

You can read it in Appendix 7 of The Copywriting Grab Bag.

To jump on the book’s notification list (and have a chance to get it at a discount when it’s ready) go to:

Uh-oh.

Al Gore’s in the newz again.

Apparently, some dude in Alaska just made a giant ice statue of him. I guess there are folks living in record freezing cold temperatures who don’t take Al’s “sky is falling” global warming claims very seriously.

Can’t say I blame them, either.

You know, I used to find Al Gore and his drama queen ways amusing.

But now he just sounds like a really bad carnival barker trying to push a flawed product on everyone who walks by.

Whatever the case… as much as I despise what Gore stands for, there’s one thing he has that — as a marketer — I think is really cool:

A passionate following.

I mean, there are legions of people who believe everything Gore says without question.

And for Al, selling to people like that should be like shooting fish in a barrel.

Frankly, if he lost everything — like access to his gas-guzzling private jets and his energy-hogging mansion — he’d be set for the rest of his life simply selling books and videos about whatever theory he can dream up to this following.

And you know what?

You and I can do the same thing.

And, we can do it without the former VP’s “hype and awe” tactics.

The key is to attract and cultivate a relationship with a following who truly BELIEVES in your product, service or business.

I’m not just talking about customers and clients here.

I’m talking about true believers.

Those who will “evangelize” for you to everyone they know.

Do that and you will have not just a list… but a “super list.”

A list of people who will never question you.

Never abandon you.

And who will, in fact, defend your every deed — and become your best sales people.

Get yourself customers like that, and you almost can’t lose.

Speaking of customers…

If you haven’t gotten on the “Copywriting Grab Bag” discount notification list, there’s still time.

No… it won’t save the world from global warming.

Heck, it won’t even save the world from Al Gore.

But it will give you tips on how to attract a cult-like following and write ads that have lots of fire, energy and “selling power” to them.

Important if you want to survive (and even thrive) in the coming financial chaos:

Ben Settle

P.S. Someone was complaining my emails are getting too political. That I should check my opinions at the door. That, dang it, this is a COPYWRITING newsletter and I should stick with that because I’m insulting and turning a lot of people off.

Well, all that may indeed be true. (At least, I HOPE it’s true.)

But if you aren’t seeing the lessons “between the lines” in these emails (yes, even with my obnoxious political comments), then you are truly missing the boat.

In fact, there are many selling lessons within today’s tip you’re reading now — and they ALL work like gangbusters.

And just to make it interesting:

The FIRST person who can name all 10 selling methods I used in this email gets a free copy of my Copywriting Grab Bag book.

If you want to take a whack at naming all 10 of them, just go to the comments section below…

I got a quick update about The Copywriting Grab Bag book.

I (finally) found a printer, and the cover is currently being re-designed to fit the new format (spiral bound).

So it should be ready somewhat soon.

In the meantime, a lot of people have asked for more details about what exactly is in the book?

What are these secrets I’m always obnoxiously teasing you about in my emails and on my blog?

So I decided to list some of the cool stuff in the book at:

www.CopywritingGrabBag.com

And remember, if you get on the “pre-notification” list, you will have a chance to get it at a discount when it’s released.

Enjoy your Sunday. 🙂

Ben Settle

P.S. If you’re skeptical if there’s anything “new” in this book, that you can’t easily find in other books, courses and even seminars, check out the audio testimonials in the sidebars.

There are “from the gut” testimonials (not canned, “bought and paid for” testimonials) from marketing greats Terry Dean and Ken McCarthy (who have pretty much seen everything)… as well as from other marketers who slug it out every day in the business world — where everything they do is tested and measured.

Just read an interesting news story about taxes.

Apparently, over 83% of corporations have “tax havens” — other countries where their moolah isn’t taxed, or is taxed at a much lower rate than here in the overtaxed United States of Obama.

And you know what?

There’s actually a powerful copywriting lesson in this.

Here’s what I mean:

As you know, I rail a LOT against using hype.

Some people don’t like that — and that’s fine.

To each their own, I say.

But the reason I do this is because every test I’ve seen or participated in has thus far shown using empty bragging, boasting and hype lowers response (dramatically) compared to more down-to-earth, “reason why” ads that talk to people like they’re human beings instead of drooling, biz-opp zombies.

However, if you don’t know how to write ads any other way (don’t laugh — many people don’t)… then I want to tell you about a few “hype havens.”

Or instances where you can probably get away with it.

No, your response probably won’t be as high as it would if you learned how to write a real ad.

But it may not affect you at all — or at least as much.

Anyhoo, here goes:

Hype Haven #1: Selling to a pre-sold list

If you know how to brilliantly pre-sell your list so they are anxiously awaiting your product’s release, and in a way where most will go straight to an order link and won’t even read your ad anyway, then you’re golden.

You can literally just slap up an order button if you want.

And get sales no matter what you write.

Hype Haven #2: Superior positioning

If you’re the “top dawg” in your niche, you can almost get away with anything.

At least, temporarily.

Including having inferior products, crappy customer service and… yes… ads slathered up with lots and lots of hype.

Frankly, your kool-aid drinking following will buy from you, defend you, promote you and even quote you chapter by chapter, and verse by verse no matter what you do or say.

Hype Haven #3: Can’t refuse offer

Finally, if someone is starving, and you got food, will it really matter if you hype up how good your food is?

Will it matter if you’re rude and offer bad customer service?

Will it even matter if the food is half cooked or tastes bad?

Not if the person is starving, it won’t.

And it’s the same with marketers who offer the right people, the right product, at the right time.

They still make loads of sales even if they do everything else “wrong.”

Anyway, I’m in NO way endorsing using hype in your ads.

But if you don’t know any other way, at least get yourself safely nestled in one of the “hype havens” above.

It’ll go a long way towards making you more moolah.

Ben Settle

P.S. If you don’t have superior positioning, a brilliant pre-selling strategy, or are not selling to a starving crowd, then what do you do?

Well, you’ll have to try harder and write real ads.

Luckily, you can learn over 122 fast and eazy ways to make more sales and moolah from your ads in The Copywriting Grab Bag at:

I recently had a copywriting brain fart while reading the Bible.

It happened while reading about false prophets and “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”

You know — the dorks acting like God’s messengers, but twisting scriptures around, and basically having people do the exact OPPOSITE of what God really wants them to do.

And it occurred to me we have a bit of that in the copywriting world, too.

In fact, I call ’em:

And at first glance they LOOK like good teachers.

They SAY the right things.

They ACT the right way.

They KNOW all the right people.

But when you partake of their “doctrine”, you find theirs is truly a rotten fruit indeed.

In fact, listening to one of these guys can not only hurt your response… but put your business in some serious jeopardy, too.

How so?

Because learning copywriting is like opening a feed sack.

If you don’t open it right and pull the string across the top — it’ll rip down the middle instead… with everything spilling all over and making a gigantic mess that’s all but impossible to fully clean up.

All of which is why it’s so important to be able to identify these “false prophets” so you can rebuke them and not be cursed by their “unclean” advice.

Of course, that begs the question:

How can you discern when you’re learning from one of these copywriting “false prophets”?

What are their “marks”?

Well, believe it or not, they have lots of marks.

Some are obvious, some are not so obvious.

For one thing, some of them are still hawking their copywriting services all over the Internet for a few hundred bucks.

I have NOTHING against doing that, by the way.

I think it’s a great way to get your feet wet and get some moolah rolling in.

But it’s when they start filling other unsuspecting peoples’ heads with bad advice, treating opinions as facts and misleading new copywriters with cockamamie theories that don’t have a prayer of working… that I feel a burning dose of righteous indignation.

In addition, another “mark” is… their clothes.

Many of these guys LOVE wrapping themselves in robes made of nothing but stitched-together ads from other copywriters.

And no… I’m not talking about swiping here.

I’m talking about outright stealing other peoples’ ads — sometimes even word for word.

And by the way, you can tell if you’re in one of these preachers’ “flocks” because many of their disciples can’t seem to form an original thought.

Can’t seem to create an original ad.

And get VERY angry when you call them on it.

Instead, everything is “swipe and steal!” — regardless of the moral, ethical and even legal implications.

Anyway, there are more marks to look for.

But those are (IMHO) the two biggies.

Watch your arse.

Ben Settle

P.S. If you’re serious about learning how to write ads that make money, you must study and show thyself approved. To learn at the feet of some the world’s greatest living copywriting masters, check out the appendixes in The Copywriting Grab Bag:

Holy mama I seem to have touched a nerve with this.

I keep getting emails about “who” I’m talking about in this post.

Sorry to disappoint, but I’m not talking about any individual in particular.

More like a mixture of people who I have seen haunting certain marketing and copywriting forums and giving bad advice to people I care about.

It just bothers me because, I remember when I was starting out. I got lucky and latched onto Gary Halbert’s site and got some personal instruction from some very generous people who had no reason to help me other than to help.

But what if I’d ran into someone teaching the wrong way to do it?

Someone who doesn’t care about their customers, doesn’t understand the relationship between copy and the more important elements like list, offer, positioning, etc?

Who thinks stealing other peoples’ stuff (not swiping, stealing) is okay and tells others to go and do likewise?

It’d have ruined my business probably and I wouldn’t even have known why.

So for those of you asking about this particular individual or that particular individual, the answer is no. It’s not.

I’m just talking about “types” here.

I’m FAR from perfect, so the LAST thing I am in a position to do is judge anyone in particular.