Ben Settle

A lamentation for the ages:

Simply put, I don’t have the money this month. I scrambled to make it, but I wasn’t able to make it happen. Yeah, I’m very aware – if I don’t do it this time, I won’t be allowed to sign up again next month. I don’t like it much, but hey – your game, your rules. Thanks for the goodies I’ve gotten so far from the newsletter – I’ve gotten my money’s worth.

I have to disagree.

If he couldn’t figure out the daunting task of making — at bare minimum — $3.23 per day with the info, I daresay he did NOT get his money’s worth.

The irony truly writes itself sometimes.

And, it’s a supreme example of why my “no coming back” rule for “Email Players” exists.

Contrast the above with these apples:

My pal Shane Hunter once used info I teach to launch a successful consulting business while laying in excruciating pain after major back surgery in a hospital bed. One of my subscribers mailed me back in December to say he had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer, but to keep sending the newsletter to him anyway and to check in with him in a few months just in case (last I heard he is still fighting, btw). Another of my customers is blind to the point someone has to read my issues and books to him, and still manages to implement.

And so on, and so forth.

In case the point isn’t obvious:

Whatever someone’s excuse is, it ain’t that they “can’t” it’s that they “won’t.”

These blokes who quit while insisting they get so much “value” out of what I teach don’t even have the foresight to take advantage of the perk they get to ask me questions via email before curling up into a fetal position and giving up.

i.e., they don’t even try, they just roll over.

Thus, my no-coming-back policy.

Fortunately, there is a solution for all this for those with foresight & and a backbone.

And to explain this solution, I refer you to a scene in the movie “The Wolf Of Wall Street” where Jordan Belfort is giving his salesmen a pep talk that goes perfectly with the times. A scene your pal, “The Count of Commerce”, elBenbo is hereby going to shamelessly paraphrase, with said simple solution almost everyone agrees with, but hardly anyone ever gets around to acting on.

Here it goes:

“Are you behind on your credit card bills? Good. Turn on your computer and start writing emails. Is your landlord ready to evict you? Good. Shut off Facebook for 15 minutes and start writing emails. Does your girlfriend think you’re a worthless loser? Good. Quit being a panytwaist and start writing emails! I want you to deal with your problems, by becoming flush with new business! All you have to do today …is turn on your computer, and type the kind of emails that I teach you in ‘Email Players’.”

If someone can’t do that?

Let ‘em go haunt Facebook or whatever it is they do to get the warm & fuzzies.

All right, let’s move on to the good stuff:

The upcoming May “Email Players” is by far the most valuable I’ve written to date. It’s about using, finding, and interfacing with your own media platforms. Do it right, and it takes away a lot of business & financial uncertainty. It can also add a lot more rupees to your piggy bank, too. And, best of all, again if you do it right… it can position you high above all your wannabe competitors, as they fold because they are too lazy, too unmotivated, or simply too low IQ (low IQ as far as marketing & business goes… not literally low IQ on an intelligence test — let the outrage culture sob sisters take note) to write an email each day, to a list of receptive leads they are consistently building, selling something that can improve their lives.

It ain’t rocket science.

But at the same time, that business ain’t gonna build itself…

Here’s the link to subscribe before I send it to the printer:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

A reader across the pond is none too happy with an email I wrote:

Yo Ben,

I study, read and enjoy almost all your emails.

But as someone from the UK, where the death toll is doubling on the daily…

This email you just wrote gets a “big yikes” from me mate.

Maybe due to my lack of context in the US? Or simply because I’ve missed the point here.

But I think portraying “Corona-paranoists” as trolls is risky. It seems these people are giving into fear, sure. But portraying them in a negative light for concern about something that’s actually concerning, not to mention causing a lot of deaths does seem ill-sighted.

Obviously it wont hurt your reputation, but as someone who respects you in many regards this cursory comment makes me raise an eyebrow.

I think keeping a level head is the best solution, but I dont think endorsing travel is very sensible considering the pain this pandemic has caused.

Either way bud I appreciate your work and hope to learn a lot from you.

Thanks for you time.

Context:

I reprinted an email the other week to my list that was sent to “Email Players” subscriber Troy Broussard (not to me) mindlessly shrieking, swearing, and lobbing insults at him (i.e., trolling) for writing about how he took his family on a vacation during the beginning the outbreak.

It was not an emotionally well-adjusted email Troy got.

So, yes, to answer the bloke above’s question — there is a load of context he missed.

Your long-suffering servant elBenbo is well-aware of the horror show going on.

In places like New York, especially, where it ain’t exactly the jolly Smurf village.

Whatever the case, what I want to do is, contrast the guy above’s email with something the great Ken McCarthy (who has spent decades of his life uncovering, exposing, and whistle-blowing media, government, and healthcare system lies & corruption) posted recently.

Here is what he posted:

There are people in this world who command massive resources who believe the world would be a better place w less people and that the surviving people should be brought under as near total control as technology makes possible. Meditate on that a bit as you watch CV-19 Theater

Half a billion people plunged into poverty…with accompanying death, destruction, serious illness and despair. All self-inflicted, but the people who set and administer the policy will not miss a single meal over it.

Do with, draw whatever conclusions from, and agree with whatever you want, makes no difference to me, and in fact, I could use some fresh troll fodder for an upcoming promo I am prepping.

I mention this to give options for thinking differently to the adults in the room.

Whatever the case:

It’s probably no big surprise to anyone how we are witnessing history unfold, just like the last big society-altering event — 9/11. And, like 9/11, I have no doubt the government — in the US, at least — will be using this event to further restrict, further control, and further create big bureaucratic monstrosities for “the children” or whatever. But if history is to be believed, whenever the politicians and media start declaring “war” on concepts like “poverty”, “terrorism”, “drugs”, etc the one thing you can usually reliably count on is getting more — not less — of whatever they just declared said war on.

Since they are now declaring war on this virus, it’s easy to predict what’ll come next.

But it’ll be a gas to see what the “TSA” of this will be that emerges.

In the meantime:

This is all a solid example of the power the media has, even though nobody believes them or trusts them. A power you, as a business owner, can have on a smaller, more practical scale, too, if you but understand how to find, control, build, use, & “stack” media platforms for your business.

Something I touch on a bit in a video on my free mobile app called:

“Interview With A Media Vampire”

If you don’t have my mobile app, simply opt in to my daily emails.

Then, look for the P.S. in the welcome email you will get soon after.

Finally, follow the directions in that P.S.

NOTE:

Do not download the app directly from the Apple or Google Play store first. You will need a username and password to access it, which you can only get at the URL above.

Tomorrow?

Something completely different…

Ben Settle

“Some worthless junkie. For him, you intervened and put us all at risk? Some contemptible junkie who couldn’t keep the peace for eight hours?”

— Gustavo Fring
“Breaking Bad”

So saideth the criminal mastermind in “Breaking Bad.”

And I have found his “don’t do business with junkies” to be invaluable selling online, too.

Specifically, when it comes to what I call “new product junkies” — a concept I was introduced to a few years ago from the brilliant Michelle Spiva back when me and my pals did our “Oceans 4” masterminds. And it had such an impact on me that day, I not only had to have her on the podcast I had at the time to discuss it, but I changed huge parts of my business in ways that has created far more growth, with far less frustration.

Anyway, here is what happened:

One of the attendees sold in a biz-opp kind of niche.

And, his biggest frustration was having a gaggle of customers who (1) were always looking for something new (2) never actually implemented or used the things they did buy (3) and because of that, they had a huge list of one-time buyers – who were also huge pains in the arse to deal with – who just craved yet another new offer they’d then have to keep creating to keep their business successful, while they never bought anything on the back-end — which is where the real money in direct marketing is.

That’s when Michelle piped up:

(Paraphrased)

“They are addicted to the dopamine drip they get whenever they buy something new.”

Yes, this is a very real phenomenon.

And, is not just something I use to mock people with.

And when you understand it you realize why doing business with these junkies can be just as dangerous to your business as doing business with a junkie was to Gus Fring’s operation — which, in many ways, letting junkie Jesse Pinkman stay in the operation led to his downfall.

Let me give you an example of what I mean from last year.

There is a particularly aggressive junkie who tried to subscribe to “Email Players” several times to get the April 2019 issue.

I think I counted 5 times — all under various different names.

Now, this is a guy who has joined in the past.

Quit right afterwards.

And then, somehow snuck in several more times.

And, the reason why he couldn’t resist is because he reads my emails promoting a specific issue, sees something “cool!” I am going to teach, his marketing prole cravings kick in and the feening begins… and he then subscribes to learn that one tip thinking it’s going to somehow change his marketing prole life (it won’t, it’ll just make it worse, and further strengthen my hold on his psyche), then quits, after he gets his hit of elBenbo’s crystal cool persuasion.

Then, he presumably scuttles off to the goo-roo casino.

Plays a few slot machines & gets distracted by the bright flashing lights and sounds.

And, I won’t see him try again until the next time I do something to activate his cravings.

Now, think about this:

This bloke — and people like him, he’s far from the only one — is so pathetically & hopelessly addicted to buying “NEW!” that he literally tries to commit fraud, paying me upwards of $100 each time to boot, and then proceeds to do nothing, only to come back again the next time he gets a craving for my, er, merchandise.

Again, he’s not the only one.

I’ve seen it many, many times over the years.

These contemptible junkies are so enslaved to their addiction for “NEW!” they simply keep wasting their money, doing nothing, probably hanging out in Facebook groups all day telling everyone they are an “entrepreneur!”, and repeating the cycle over and over and over for years, never getting any further than their next toke on.

Now, a shallow & small-thinker will say:

“Why not just sell to them? Who does it hurt?”

Because Chuckles, as Paul said in the New Testament:

“A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump”

Let serial killers, rapists, adulterers, etc in, and guess what’s going to happen?

You’ll only get more of the same.

And, run the risk of their evil ways “turning” others into such types on the sneak.

You are the sum total of those you spend your time with.

Including online.

And, yes, including by who you sell to.

By catering to new product junkies, serial quitters, excuse-makers, small-thinkers, do-nothings, copycats, freebie-seekers, etc, I’d become more “like” them — whether I want to or not, in little, subtle ways. Their new product junkie antics then can also “spread” to my other subscribers and customers just by them running around talking about how they are one of my paid subscribers, where others may think they want to be more like the junkie, and the leaven spreads.

Thus, I want nothing to do with them.

And, you know what?

By actively and aggressively repelling them and refusing to sell to them, my business has grown much bigger, much more consistently, at a much faster rate than before I stopped selling to them.

Make no mistake:

It’d be very easy to start a business catering to them.

All you have to do is what Jesse Pinkman did:

Go (figuratively) sling drugs to the other junkies coming out of the 12-step program meetings. And, many guru-types who are one failed launch away from living in a van down by the river do just that.

But, it’s a terrible foundation to build a business on, in my opinion.

You obviously can do whatever you want.

Most people reading this will not be able to wrap their minds around how dire this is.

And that’s perfectly okay.

But, the few who do?

If you want to listen to another rant I did about this, simply go into the free Ben Settle mobile app in the elBenbo TV channel, and you’ll find just such a video.

What?

Yon’t have my mobile app?

Then that’s something we shall have to remedy then isn’t it?

Simply subscribe to free daily emails on this website, and follow the instructions in the welcome email I will send you right after (in the P.S.)

NOTE:

Do not download my app directly from the Apple or Google Play stores. Go to the URL above and get a username & password first.

Otherwise, you won’t be able to access it.

Ben Settle

Since I talked about Brian Kurtz yesterday, another relevant story:

Almost 6 years ago, Brian somehow managed to wrangle together the best, most influential, and smartest direct marketers still alive… in one room, for an event he called:

“The Titans of Direct Response”

The monumental effort that must have taken makes my brain quiver.

All those old school guys, many of them hermits who don’t want to be out and about, who paved the road for all of us today for everything from being able to take credit cards… to using video… to changing entire laws that allow direct marketing in certain medias… and the list goes on… all in one room, spilling their best info, it’s crazy to think about.

But, not everyone was happy about that event.

For example:

I had lunch with Brian Kurtz about a year later at Ryan Lee’s first “Freedym Fest” event. And he was telling me how there were some guru types who threatened not to come or speak if Ken McCarthy was allowed to speak.

I guess Ken just has that effect on people whose bull shyt he calls out.

(And his talk there was solid gold, btw).

Another group:

Dames.

Yes, it’s true.

Apparently, Brian caught a lot of flack for only having guys speak there.

And, I got to thinking about that.

And, I captured my thoughts about such on a video, and put it up on my free mobile app in the elBenbo TV channel (in the video titled “How To Be Taken Seriously”). If you want to be taken seriously I dare say it could be one of the most important (or infuriating, maybe, for the seething types ) videos you’ll watch this year.

If you don’t have my mobile app, never fear.

Simply subscribe to my free daily emails via this website.

Then, when the “welcome” email shows up a few minutes later, simply follow the instructions in the P.S.

NOTE:

Do not download my app directly from the Apple or Google Play stores. Go to the URL above and get a username & password first.

Otherwise, you won’t be able to access it.

Ben Settle

One of my favorite “business” biographies is not even about a businessman… it’s from a movie director.

Specifically, the late, great Frank Capra.

In fact, I have a proverbial laundry list full of business & marketing lessons I learned from Mr. Capra’s autobiography – “The Name Above The Title” – about making movies that apply directly to marketing.

Here are a few of them:

• There are no rules to filmmaking, only sins. And the cardinal sin is Dullness
• What interests people most is people
• Self aggrandizement will get you a lot farther a lot faster than modesty
• Entertainment is an amazing tool for rallying people against the “bad guys”
• Laugher disarms skepticism, cynicism, and even hostility
• Don’t look for objective criticism or praise… look for gut reactions
• Creating Vision can literally win wars
• Don’t make the best picture you ever made in the same year that someone makes Gone With The Wind
• FDR was such a great listener he almost converted Frank Capra into becoming a Democrat
• Too many filmmakers get their ideas from other’s pictures and not from life
• Wealthy hypocrites and celebrities in Hollywood constantly virtue signaling about “social justice” secretly had just as much contempt and hatred for the very people and causes they virtue signaled about in Capra’s day as they do today
• Trying to not offend people ruins movies
• And the list goes on.

Anyway, recently I did a video about Capra with the great Brian Kurtz, who did his college thesis on Frank Capra. And we talked about many of the lessons we learned from that great man, and how to apply them to copywriting, marketing, and business.

If you want it, you can get it free in the Ben Settle mobile app.

Inside the elBenbo TV channel it’s titled:

“Mr. Smith Goes To Marketing”

If you don’t have my mobile app, you can get it free by signing up for my free daily emails on this website, and then following the instructions in the P.S. of the welcome email.

NOTE:

Do not download my app directly from the Apple or Google Play stores. Go to the URL above and get a username & password first.

Otherwise, you won’t be able to access it.

Ben Settle

Not long ago, I shot and uploaded to my free mobile app a short “power lesson” about copywriting, inspired from something I read in an Alfred Hitchcock bio I am currently reading.

It’s one of those copywriting “twists” that can make a huge impact on your sales.

And, something I probably should include with a paid product.

But alas… it’s waiting for you inside my mobile app in the elBenbo TV channel.

Specifically, the video titled:

“Alfred Hitchcopy Presents”

If you don’t have my mobile app, you can get it free by simply opting in to my free daily email list on this website, and following the instructions you will get in the P.S. of the welcome email.

NOTE:

Do not download my app directly from the Apple or Google Play stores. Go to the URL above and get a username & password first.

Otherwise, you won’t be able to access it.

Ben Settle

A few years ago, when I was still on Facebook, I got a DM from a buddy who was intensely excited about a print newsletter he was about to publish.

And it turned into a huge “doh!” epiphany for me about pricing.

An epiphany that, frankly, pisses me off when I think about it.

In fact, I woke up thinking about it recently.

(Yes, 3 years later I still think about it.)

So in the pitch darkness right after waking up, your pal Count elBenbo shot a video talking about this epiphany, the huge mistake I had been making, that probably you are making too… and the story behind it.

If price is something that frustrates you, I highly suggest watching it.

You can find it inside the free Ben Settle app inside the elBenbo TV channel.

It is the one titled:

“The Price of Darkness”

If you don’t have my mobile app, you can get it free by opting into my free email list on this website, and following the simple instructions in the P.S. of the welcome email you will get right after opting in.

NOTE:

Do not download my app directly from the Apple or Google Play stores. Go to the URL above and get a username & password first. Otherwise, you won’t be able to access it.

Ben Settle

I recently put a new video up in my mobile app titled:

“Thank God For Rednecks”

You can find it in the elBenbo TV channel inside.

It was partly inspired by recent events with the economy, but also something the great John Carlton said many years ago (2004-ish) back when he had a print newsletter. Specifically, something he said about how there will come a time when it’ll be more important to be friends with the town redneck than the town mayor.

I daresay many are seeing that wisdom play out…

Whatever the case, there is a valuable business lesson in that, too.

To watch or listen to this video simply go into the Ben Settle mobile app.

If you don’t have my app, you can get it free by opting into my email list and following the instructions in the P.S. of the welcome email you will get right after opting in.

NOTE:

Do not download my app directly from the Apple or Google Play stores.

Go to the URL above and get a username & password first.

Otherwise, you won’t be able to access it.

Ben Settle

Recently, I was sent me a Forbes article about email. And amongst all the inanely bad advice, it laid down this incredible doozy:

Email less.

It may sound counterintuitive, but it’s been found that 43% of subscribers would like businesses to email them less frequently.

I can only HOPE any competition of mine takes this advice.

In fact, it instantly reminded me of these words of advice from comedian Dante Nero:

“Don’t ask the deer how to hunt it, ask the hunter.”

This is very good news, though, if you mail more often.

After all, the more who listen to its advice, the fewer businesses you compete with in the inbox…

All right, that’s enough for today. If you want to start thinking more like the strong hunters in business & marketing, and less like the timid deer out there prancing around chittering away about mailing less like the Forbes author, simply study the strong words of the hunter and avoid the timid words of the deer. One way to get started is to go into the Ben Settle mobile app, call up the elBenbo TV channel in there, and look for video #9 called:

“Bookshelf of Boom”

I show you what works adorn my own bookshelf.

And there won’t be a single internet marketing goo-roo or other deer in sight.

Don’t have my mobile app?

You can change that by subscribing to my daily emails, and following the instructions in the P.S. of the welcome email you will get shortly after opting in.

Ben Settle

P.S. Do not download the mobile app first from the Apple or Google Play store, before going to the URL above and following the instructions. Otherwise, you won’t be able to access the app.

Also if you have any problems, don’t tell me, use the support email at the URL above.

That’s what it is there for.