Ben Settle

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the LAST recession.

The 2002 fiasco that followed 9/11. I had just subscribed to Dan Kennedy’s NO BS Marketing Newsletter at the time. And in my first issue, learned something that changed my entire life.

In fact, DK’s lesson has been my constant companion.

A “friend” that’s guided me through some pretty scary times.

And has kept me out of a LOT of trouble.

Anyway, what was the lesson?

The life-or-death importance of having the ability to produce.

It’s DK’s contention that if you cultivate your ability to produce, you will never have to worry about moolah.

Never have lasting financial anxieties.

And that you will, in fact, be part of a VERY small group who makes things happen — even if you have to drag the rest of the economy along with you to success.

It was an extremely inspiring piece.

And it was then when I really got SERIOUS about learning to sell.

I started writing out ads in my own hand every day — regardless of how boring the task, or how tired I was. I made it a habit to read and re-read (at LEAST 10 times) high ticket products I bought. And, even more importantly, I stopped worrying so much.

Because I just KNEW that by developing my ability to produce (in my case, to sell) everything would come out okay in the wash.

Yes, things would be bumpy and I’d have setbacks.

But I knew everything would take care of itself in the end.

And guess what?

Now that we’re hip deep in an even WORSE recession, I got this bug to pass Dan’s life-changing lesson on to you. To reassure you that, no matter how “hairy” things get, if you hone your ability to produce, you got nuttin’ to worry about.

Your ability to produce is the most valuable skill you can have.

The ultimate asset and investment.

Treat it like a proverbial “money tree” — water it, care for it, and let it GROW — and you’ll inoculate yourself (like a vaccine) against all the poop about to hit the fan.

Ben Settle

P.S. You can take your ability to produce to whole new levels by studying those who already have this ability.

My Copywriting Grab Bag book digs deep into the “mindsets” of everyone from A-List copywriters Doug D’anna and David Deutsch… to mega successful “kitchen table entrepreneurs” like Doberman Dan Gallapoo and Terry Dean… to old school direct marketers (who were selling in print long BEFORE dirt-cheap email) like Ken McCarthy and Mike Winnicki.

The book is launching next week — probably Tuesday.

You can read about what’s in it here:

If you bought the previous version, send me your receipt and you can get the book a “wholesale”.

Yesterday I witnessed one of the most unusual sights ever.

I was flipping through the TV, and saw something so strange, I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t still snoozing.

Something I NEVER thought I’d see in my lifetime.

Something that is, in some ways, almost supernatural in it’s weirdness.

What was this bizarre thing I saw?

A reporter (on CNBC) who isn’t drinking the socialist “kool-aid”.

I tell you, this is as rare as hen’s teeth.

Frankly, this dude ought to be put on the endangered species list — pronto.

The reporter’s name is Rick Santelli, and he was on the CBOE (Chicago Board Of Trade) floor with a bunch of other investors, completely outraged over the new “trickle-down foreclosure” plan that would make taxpayers foot other peoples’ mortgages.

He went right for the jugular, too.

With a rant that’d give even Michael Savage a run for his money.

And believe it or not, there’s a powerful sales lesson at work here:

You see, this video was so popular, it was linked to all over the Internet — news sites, blogs, Twitter even FaceBook.

People were watching it, commenting on it, and then sending it to their friends, family and peers.

Which is EXACTLY what happens when people see real, no-messing-around passion.

We’re ALL attracted to passion.

To people who have a bug up their wazoos about something that’s unfair, unjust and just flat out not right.

And it’s the same with YOUR business, too.

If you want to sell more of your products and services, then all you need to do is have a mission.

A purpose.

A passion that goes beyond just making more moolah.

It’s easy to tell when all someone cares about is making mega smackola and as fast as possible.

When there’s no love for the product.

No love for their industry.

And not even any love for their customers.

It shows in today’s explosion of shoddy products, over-hyped promises, and non-existent customer service.

Anyway, “cliche” as it sounds, passion moves mountains.

It’s like a giant magnet that attracts people.

And there’s so little of it, it makes you stick out like a SORE THUMB — no matter what you sell or who you sell to.

Sure, all the nitwits will yap away in protest when you show the passion.

And you WILL become the target of all the half-baked product pushers who you will be a threat to.

But you’ll also attract a following who sticks with you through thick and thin.

That believes in you and your product.

And who will be your best sales people as they can’t help but tell the world about you.

Is this passion stuff kinda corny?

Maybe.

But it works like nothing else I’ve ever seen.

Ben Settle

P.S. To “sound off” on this, even if to tell me how wrong I am about this new plan to rob Peter to pay for Paul’s house, use the “comments” section below:

I gotta admit — one of my favorite “reality” shows is Tapout.

I don’t usually watch reality shows.

In fact, I think most are pretty stoopid.

But I’m a BIG Tapout fan.

The show is about three dudes who travel the country, constantly looking for up-and-coming mixed martial arts fighters to sponsor and wear their clothes.

And it contains lots of cool “real-world” lessons on what it takes to win, succeed and dominate not only in professional fighting — but in all life.

Anyway, I can’t get enough of the adventures (and misadventures) of Punkass, Skyscrape and Mask. (The three amigos who star in the show).

And if you are into martial arts or UFC or anything that has anything to do with guys trying to kick the crap out of each other… you will probably love this show, too.

So what does this have to do with your sales and marketing?

Why should you care?

Because during the last show I watched, I couldn’t help but see all the ways martial arts relates to business.

Especially selling.

See, I think learning sales is a LOT like learning martial arts.

For example, in some martial arts (not all), they teach you to fall before teaching you how to fight.

And it’s not a bad idea in sales, too — i.e. learning what NOT to do, first.

Here are a few of the more common sales “blunders” many of us make at one time or another (I know I have!).

Just making sure you DON’T do these can go a long way towards ratcheting up your sales:

1. Being boring

2. Refusing to offend anyone

3. Relying on “tricks” and “tactics” instead of strategy

4. Not respecting your prospect

5. Bragging

6. Trying to create demand… instead of VISION

7. “Convincing” instead of persuading

I can go into more detail about each of these in the future.

In the meantime, if you’re committing any of these selling mistakes — STOP.

Because you’re basically like a fighter kicking is own butt:

Even if your “technique” is good, you still hurt yourself.

Ben Settle

P.S. The Copywriting Grab Bag discount list comes down today.

In fact, I’ll probably remove the sign-up form within the next hour or so. If you are not on it yet, and want a big discount on the book when it’s ready, now’s your last chance:

Before I was a snot-nose copywriter who collects ads… I was a snot-nose geek who collected comic books.

Lots and lots and LOTS of comic books.

Comics that contain some truly WORLD CLASS ads.

If you’ve read old comic book ads you know of what I speaketh.

Even the dinky classifieds give today’s top copywriters a run for their money.

They just seeped right into your brain and psychology.

And sold everything from crystal balls… to exercise lessons… to muney-making opportoonities… to info products promising you how to draw, play the guitar, and everything else you can can think of.

All so cheap you could buy ’em without denting your allowance 😉

We’re talking true copywriting masterpieces that did more selling in 3 lines than today’s big Internet ads do in 30 PAGES. (It’s true — reading old comic ads is humbling.)

The old Charles Atlas ads were my favorites.

All us skinny, pimple-popping pre-teens could relate to the dude getting sand kicked in his face in front of his girl.

Or the scrawny, “gollum-like” geek in the “before & after” photos.

Or the oh-so tempting promise to get studly simply by flexing our muscles a certain way 30 seconds per day.

Anyway, why am I telling you this?

Because with today’s ever-tightening attention spans… being pithy is more important than ever.

And you can’t get pithier than old comic book ads.

Luckily, they are pretty easy to find.

You can find them in older (pre-1990) comic books.

There’s a goldmine of Charles Atlas ads dirt-cheap on Ebay:

I also link to a bunch of cool comic ad sites in my free swipe file report — www.BenSettle.com/blog/free-swipe-file — as well.

Whatever the case, if you want to write ads that make more moolah, study old comic book ads.

They are some of the best “pithy copy” teachers you’ll ever see.

Ben Settle

P.S. A few years ago, I went and scanned all the best comic book ads I could find in my mom’s attic. And I have decided to make these ads (dozens and dozens of ’em) part of the CD that comes with The Copywriting Grab Bag.

However, I’m removing the discount list sign-up form this week.

So if you want it at a huge discount, now’s the time…

I get all KINDS of feedback to this newsletter.

Most of it’s pleasant and even inspiring.

Some it’s mean and even nasty.

But once in a while I get a comment that’s just flat out COOL.

Like this one from Pro Wrestler Zane Morris (neat having a pro wrestler on my list):

Hey Ben,

I really like your new right-wing political angle. To make people angry to captivate and hook people. You’re like the “Bobo The Clown” of inboxes everywhere.

Here’s a sample, just in case you don’t know who he is:

So you see, you’re becoming less clown-like and more genius like the man behind the paint. People are paying him fists full of dollar bills for being good at irritating them … or for being good at irritating someone else.

Money for being irritating.

-Zane
www.ZaneZane.info

Well Zane, I didn’t see THAT one coming.

Nice to know my ability to irritate others is paying off. 😉

But here’s the really interesting thing:

Zane’s comment literally contains one of the best SALES lessons you’ll ever hear.

I mean think about it:

This Bobo dood gets paid BIG bux to insult anyone with a pulse.

And the more he insults, the more people crowd around him and actually give him MORE moolah.

Now, before you get any funny ideas… I’m NOT saying to go out of your way to insult anyone (like Bobo).

But I do believe in taking a stand.

In being yourself — “warts” and all.

And if you do this, you’re going to attract, repel and… yes… irritate people.

That’s just the way the cookie crumbles.

And oh boy can it get hair-raising. (Some real “nut jobs” on the Internet!)

But it can also be extremely rewarding, too.

It feels GOOD spilling your guts without caring what anyone thinks.

To stop walking on egg shells, obsessing over whether or not someone is going to call the “PC police” on you.

In many ways it’s actually therapeutic.

Anyway, here’s the moral of the story:

Let people see the person BEHIND the paint — your “inner Bobo”.

It can get a bit sticky sometimes.

And people WILL take shots at you.

But the exciting (and rewarding) adventure makes it all worth it.

Ben Settle

P.S. Gotta “Copywriting Grab Bag” update:

The printer is mailing me a proof Monday.

By week’s end I should have it and, assuming all is OK, will be doing two specials:

1. For those who bought the earlier version.

You can get it “wholesale” — a little over what it costs me to print, mail, process, etc the product.

Just email me your PayPal, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc receipt.

2. A 24-hour special for those on the “notification” list:

I won’t lie to you… this book is EXPENSIVE.

I only want SERIOUS copywriters and marketers having it.

I don’t want it sitting on your shelf like some forgotten trophy you only think about when you get ready for company.

The Appendix interviews ALONE contain so much raw value, I can’t imagine how anyone could NOT make at least 10 times your investment back, anyway.

So it’s expensive. (Well over 100 smackeroos.)

But those on the notification list get a BIG discount:

pork… Pork… PORK!

You can’t turn on the idiot box, the radio or even surf the Web without hearing about all the nasty slabs of pork being stuffed in CONgresss’s new “stimulus” (i.e. socialist) grab bag.

I can’t even keep up with it anymore.

One day they’re giving $50 million to the National Endowment of Farts.

Then it’s another $600 million to buy new cars for those ever-so-productive federal gummint booby-crats.

Then it’s a whopping $88 million for the Coast Guard to design a new polar icebreaker. (What’s the point, I thought the ice caps were melting?)

And on it goes.

Glad The United States of ‘Murrica so wisely spends our moolah.

Anyway, all of this has got me thinking about something.

Right now, I’m working on the first draft of a sales letter.

And despite all this congressional “hijinx”, what concerns me most right now ain’t the pork in Wershington DC.

It’s all the “pork” in this sales letter draft.

Believe it or not, the “pork” in your ads can sometimes make the difference between it doing “so-so”… and kicking BOO-tay all over the place.

Why?

Because ads that are too wordy, full of bloated sentences and packed with flowery adjectives are VERY hard to read.

And let’s face it… the harder your ad is to read, the LESS likely people will read it.

The less people who read it, the less people who BUY from it.

And the less people who buy from it, the less moolah YOU make.

Anyway, that’s my email tip for today:

If you want to make more moolah, cut the pork from your ads.

It hurts cutting out stuff you REALLY want to keep in (but that doesn’t advance the sale).

But you gotta make that piggy squeal and trim it anyway.

It’ll make your ads a LOT easier to read and buy from.

Ben Settle

P.S. If you struggle with cutting the pork from your ads, then I have a neat little “formula” (I learned while reading a Stephen King book) that can make this a no-brainer for you.

You can find it in chapter 16 of the hopefully-soon-to-be-released (waiting on the printer) “Copywriting Grab Bag” book:

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: