Ben Settle

One of probably the top 3 questions that rolls in around here goes like this:

“Ben, I want to sell a print newsletter like you do, how do I get started? How many people should I have on my list before trying to sell it? How do you put each issue together? What is the capital of Latveria….?”

And the list goes on.

This is especially true this month, since I talked about the subject in the November “Email Players” issue.

And, I completely understand where it comes from, obviously.

After all, it’s my offer of choice as well.

But, here’s the thing, Pookie:

By virtue of having to ask those questions, those requesting this info are demonstrating they are not ready to sell a subscription offer at all, much less a print newsletter, which is way harder to sell than a membership site, coaching, or other subscription offers that have less moving parts in my opinion and experience. This is especially true of the “how many people should be on my list before I do it?” question. If they had even a modicum of knowledge about the fundamentals of direct response marketing, they would know there is no magical number when you have that many people on your list it is time to start cranking on the launch machine.

In fact, that question shows how even MORE unprepared they are.

But, to throw these chaps a bone, I’ll just say this:

The best time to sell a subscription offer is when your market tells you.

Either directly (which will very likely not happen), or by virtue of you sacking up and writing daily emails — and not just lobbing free tips on social media at people all day as your head gets swollen with high fives & likes at all the supposedly awesome free tips you give away. And, I further argue you should be doing daily emails long enough to get feedback in the form of questions your lists asks, an idea of what they are already buying and spending money on, what formats they prefer to consume info in, how highly in regard they hold you as someone worth following, and dozens of other “tells” that only your list can give you, and not some marketing expert or whatever.

I can’t speak for anyone else.

And, it is probably because I am more methodical at this sort of thing.

But it took me at least 2 solid years of doing daily emails before launching my first newsletter. And, technically, 7 or 8 years, if you count the years I wasted by not mailing daily.

That said, here’s a rule of pinkie toe I advise on this subject:

If you are new, or even newish, to marketing, selling online, and business… don’t even think about selling a subscription offer for a while. Even if you have magical copywriting and marketing powers beyond the rest of us mortals.

Instead, build a list.

Mail it.

Make mistakes.

Learn from those mistakes.

Imbibe the lessons along the way.

And later, when you are ready, you’ll know it. In fact, there’s a very good chance that experience will tell you selling a print newsletter especially is not going to be as profitable or smart as selling something digitally delivered, depending on you, your market’s preferences, your list’s respect for you, your aptitudes, your dislikes, your patience levels, your budget, your ability to think forward, your maturity at meeting deadlines, your character for sticking with decisions, your writing speed & quality, how much you honestly enjoy writing vs making videos or audios, and a whole host of other things.

There might be a few outlier newbie types who have pulled it off.

But, if there is, they are few and far between.

And, chances are you aren’t one of them.

I certainly wasn’t, hence the 8 years…

But, that said, if you are still gung-ho on selling continuity:

Realize a print newsletter is the hardest and most time intensive and most complicated of all the continuity to make work. At least, going by the feedback of every single person I know who has attempted it. Including the ones who were modestly successful, who wisely realized they are better off doing a membership site or selling software or getting people in an app, or doing group coaching, or something else that is not direct mail-oriented.

All right, one more thing about this.

As I mentioned, this question about starting a newsletter comes up a lot.

And because I mail my list so often, and am in touch with them (you) each day, that is one of many ways I know my particular list wants to know more about this particular subject from my particular perspective. Thus, yes, I will be coming out with a comprehensive book about this. In fact, it has been in the outline stages for months, as I keep adding things to it. And, I hope to write it early next year, after I get these multiple software ventures I am embroiled in up and at ’em first.

But, this book will be my entire publishing model from A to Zoe.

It will NOT show you “how to” write emails or craft sales copy or launch products, or build a list, or how to write books/content, or anything like that. It will only show my email-driven print book & newsletter publishing model — the “what” I do — from stem to stern. In other words, everything I do and have done (like everything I sell, it’ll have zero theory, Chuckles) to build & structure the publishing & business side of my outfit.

It won’t be for cheapskates or anyone legitimately on a budget, either.

In fact, to extract the full value out of it, you will have to be a customer of some of my other books & my Email Players newsletter.

i.e. it will not be “newbie friendly” in the slightest.

And it especially won’t be for anyone who can’t be bothered to peel their brains off social media long enough to first get educated in the fundamentals of direct response marketing, copywriting, email marketing, or selling online. Frankly, even for seasoned pros it will be something that requires long months of reading & implementation to make happen, as it’ll be a 2-5 year plan at the very least, even for the fastest and brightest of those who want to do it. This is the culmination of nearly 20 years up in this business, after all. I couldn’t boil this down into a cheat sheet if I wanted to.

But that’s not going to happen until later.

For now?

If you want to be up to speed on my ways of using email to sell, and if you have a list and an offer in place already, I recommend getting in on my “Email Players” newsletter as far in advance as possible.

If that interests you, go to the link below.

If not, then I give you props for reading this 1100+ word email about a subject you have no interest in.

You, my friend, are a trooper.

Giddy-up…

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Once upon a time, I saw a discussion where people were weeping & gnashing their teeth over “graymail.”

What is graymail?

It’s when people opt in to get your emails, but never engage.

i.e. They never read them.

Never click on your links.

And, just let them sit in their inbox.

ESP’s notice this and they penalize you for it.

My opinion?

Graymail, Gmail’s promotions folder, more aggressive spam filters, and all other so-called DEATH OF EMAIL! changes have always worked to my advantage. In fact, what amused me the most about the email ex-spurt solutions displayed was not a single one of them mentioned simply writing emails people want to read, click, and buy from in the first place.

Nobody talked about generating more qualified traffic, either.

Or shooting for higher quality leads.

Or qualifying their opt-ins harder.

(Both at the opt-in page and right after)

Or learning how to write more engaging copy.

Or any of the other fundamentals of direct response marketing that people who have only learned from other “internet” marketers rarely get around to talking about while doing their social media grandstanding.

More fun facts:

According to the ex-spurts my ways shouldn’t work.

I’ve been told this by several of them over the years, even as my sales have gone up, my business has gotten more successful, my audience has grown, my customer loyalty has increased, and my “Email Players” subscribers have told me about their record sales doing all this stuff that supposedly doesn’t work.

It always reminds me of this Earl Nightingale-ism:

(paraphrased)

“Whatever you find yourself doing, if you look around at what everyone else is doing, and do the opposite, you’ll probably never make another mistake for as long as you live.”

All right, that’s enough internet for today.

To write emails people look forward to reading and engaging with, go here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

I was yapping with my woman a while back, who used to be in the coaching industry, and she was telling me about all the self-described “enlightened” marketers/coaches/entrepreneur chicks in her niche.

Some of these enlightened ones do things like:

• Not taking coaching calls during the dark moon
• Not starting ad campaigns until mercury retrograde is over
• Creating “energetically aligned” funnels
• Not taking any clients on unless they do energy clearing and the client has done an oracle card reading first
• And (The One Enlightenment Secret To Rule Them All) manifesting money by masturbating and thinking of money when they orgasm

There were a lot more where those came from.

But, those are some of the highlights.

And here’s why I bring this up:

I don’t know what kind of dough these girls make. But I would bet one of the spirit crystals they stuff down their bras at night that elBenbo’s unapologetically *endarkened* email ways would make them a lot more sales, with a lot less hassle, and in a lot faster time than their enlightened ways — regardless of the phase of the moon, if their energy is aligned, or even if their energy is plum drained from all that money manifesting in the bathtub.

It’s certainly been the case for other coaches who have learned at my non-altar.

And, for a lot of other business people, too.

All without having to touch your parts to manifest the success.

To see if my unenlightened ways can help you, go ye here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

One of my favorite documentaries is called “A Football Life – Mike Ditka” about the legendary — and my all-time favorite sports coach — Mike Ditka.

Entire volumes of business books can be mined from this short video.

Especially when it comes to handling trolls, critics, haters, etc.

For example:

The documentary shows footage of Ditka talking about his critics. The man had tons of critics, haters, trolls, and others with axes to grind when he was coaching the Bears. And I’ve never seen anyone handle hostile reporters or put the sports media Maynards in their place like him.

In fact, here’s what he said about his so-called media critics:

“Media’s fickle. You’re a hero today, you’re a bum tomorrow. Took me a while to figure it out but once I did I treated them all the same. Like dirt.”

There is a lifetime of wisdom in this.

Far too many people are far too timid in their emails due to “critics.”

Instead of ignoring them or, even better, trolling them back… they appease them, put them on pedestals, care far too much what they think, and, as a result, hold themselves back.

“Oh noes! What will my Facebook friends say about me if I send this to my list?”

Who cares?

Let ‘em weep & gnash their teeth, maybe they’ll learn something.

Obviously, you can do whatever you want in these circumstances.

But, I can tell you what Ditka would say and did say in the documentary:

“You’re going to have your critics. Screw ‘em.”

I don’t know if this adds anything to your life. But, maybe someone needed to hear it. If, for no other reason, than to give themselves permission to stop being such a pansy, write that email they want to use to sell their product, and try to make some sales instead of spending all that time pandering to people who don’t like or respect them anyway.

If you want help with the writing part, that’s where I can help.

Specifically, in my “Email Players” newsletter.

Details here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Reader MV asks:

Hey Ben,

Im a “short” time reader and hap-hazzard follower.

Just a quick observation from your emailings…Ive noticed you regularly refer to Copywriting/Marketing experts as “the late great” so ‘n so…

My question is why?

Youve been around long enough, done the work and obviously have a solid reputation so…
Why do you feel the need to refer to them in every email?

Just a question. No agenda. No hate. Just Curious….

My first thought is:

Why wouldn’t you want to give reverence to those who paved the way for your own successes and triumphs? In fact, the more successful I get at this game, the more appreciative I am of these great men of business & marketing I’ve learned from over the years.

I couldn’t not give them their well-deserved props.

It would be too… weird.

Another thought on this:

Back in my Flakebook days, this not sourcing and giving credit was so rampant it was borderline criminal. Especially, for example, the round robin of secret gurus who would pass around a checklist the great Dan Kennedy wrote for his “Ultimate Sales Letter” book about researching a market without giving any credit to him. In some cases, the blue light specials doing it would even imply they created it, and not the man who’s been at this game since before they were even born.

More still:

If you actually want the best for your friends, your peers, your customers, students, etc why would you not want them to know about those who impacted your own success?

Why keep them a secret?

What, you think those customers will defect and leave you, Maynard?

First off, that’s probably not going to happen.

And secondly, if they do, so what?

There are millions of potential customers even if you’ve picked a super obscure niche or market. If someone leaves, who cares? Let ‘em go. If your business & marketing game are both tight, they’ll be replaced with someone better soon enough. But, the reality is, if you fear these things, then that means your game is weak and you got bigger problems than some customers fleeing. Plus, that way of thinking shows a naiveté about how buyer psychology works that’s holding you back in ways you can’t even fathom.

If this sounds cryptic, let me put it to you this way:

Summer of 2018 I did a series of shows on my old podcast, each featuring someone on my “Mount Rushmore” (hat tip to the great Brian Kurtz for that analogy…) of favorite marketing teachers. I not only talked about all the cool things I learned from them, but I shamelessly promoted them, their sites, their products, etc. And during that time I didn’t see a single customer “defect” and got as much, if not more, new business during that time as usual. The best buyers — the serious students, not the contemptible new product junkies and small-thinking types who chase loose change on the sticky floor of the goo-roo casino — appreciate being told about some tip, some secret, some teacher who will give them an edge. It only makes the best customers bond with you more, trust you more, and want to do business with you more.

Finally:

Not giving credit when one should is pure, unadulterated Neediness.

There is no other explanation.

And nothing will destroy your influence like Neediness. People smell it a mile away. And if you have this dreadful disease of the psyche it’ll seep out in subtle ways in your writing, in your videos, in the way you move, behave, and react to questions/objections/trolling, etc.

Neediness is the deal-destroyer.

It destroys brands, reputations, and entire businesses.

On the other hand, being secure enough in yourself to admit you learned something from someone else, and letting everyone know it when relevant, opens the mind to doing more business with you.

Anyway, bottom line:

I’m not saying to be paranoid about this.

Sometimes you have knowledge that is bubbling up in your mind and you really don’t remember where it all came from, or it’s a combo of multiple sources + experience + your own unique application of whatever it is, and so on.

I ain’t talking about that.

I’m simply saying don’t be shy about giving props when the opportunity arises.

Because that’s what it is:

An opportunity —

To share a resource you benefited from. To display your respect for those who have helped you. And, yes, to demonstrate your non-Neediness.

All of which’ll do more for your business than keeping people a secret.

Okay, enough of this clacking.

Let’s get some business done ‘round here:

One thing I’ve been doing to simplify my business over the past several months especially is, when I send the “Email Players” mailing list in to the printer at the end of the month, I turn the product off in the cart so “stragglers” get in.

It frustrates people who can’t be bothered to make clearly-defined deadlines.

But, it simplifies my life and my printer’s life.

Thus, people have not been able to subscribe this month at all.

But, it’s been turned back on as of this morning.

Here’s the almighty link:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Back in March, the World’s Greatest Copywriting Coach David Garfinkel interviewed me for his prestigious Copywriters Podcast.

And, I just put it on my Media page.

It’s at the link below, and is the first interview at the top.

I hope to horrify or delight you…

Here’s the link:

www.BenSettle.com/media

Ben Settle

To help round out this month and Halloween, below is a list of blood-thirsty marketing monsters roaming the internet looking for hapless victims to financially attack, plunder and, in some cases, ruin.

So sharpen your stake.

Grab your pitchfork.

Get the torches out.

And let’s hunt the evil…

FREEBIE-SEEKING FRANKENSTEIN

This monster roams the countryside looking to attach new parts to his body. And after you’ve given him a free arm, leg or other valuable part of yourself…

… he doesn’t stop!

He relentlessly lurches towards you, arms stretched out in front of him, chasing you around to give him even MORE free stuff.

Unfortunately, you can never defeat him.

The bastard’s practically immortal.

But you CAN ward him off.

First by ONLY giving him something small.

And second, by making it clear everything else must be paid for.

HELLHOUND LAWYERS

These vicious beasts foam blood at the mouth and lack souls.

They do truly nasty things, too — like seek out deals to kill… drag innocent people through frivolous litigation to take as much moola as they can… and sometimes even defend the other marketing monsters who have attacked **you**!

These killer canines are cunning and vicious.

Often the only way to beat ’em is with your OWN hellhound lawyer.

Pray one never catches your “scent.”

HYDRA OF HYPE

You often see this giant, dragon-like thing with multiple heads in highly competitive niches.

Like diet, biz opp, work-at-home, etc.

And each time the law cuts one of its heads off, a new, even MORE hypey head re-grows in its place — breathing even MORE fiery hype, screaming headlines and exaggerated claims they can’t back up.

The law cannot slay this beast because of its regrowing heads.

However, it’s easily avoided.

If you listen, you can hear it coming a mile away.

CREATURE FROM THE BROKE LAGOON

This thing is slippery like a fish and is hard to catch.

He likes to swim around forums, blogs and anywhere else he can parrot bad advice that’ll keep you broke. The difference between him and the other monsters, is this creature doesn’t KNOW he’s doing bad.

In fact, he thinks he’s doing GOOD.

He thinks his half-baked advice based on theories and hearsay work — even though they have never worked for HIM.

But, since he needs to survive, he tries to sell it to others.

Usually as an affiliate for something he’s never used.

Stay away from his swamps — like forums — and you’re safe.

COPYWRITING CRYPT KEEPER

This emaciated wretch is more a danger to himself than you.

He haunts the marketing graveyards constantly running ads that are lifeless, useless and don’t have a popsicle’s chance in hell of working.

Plus, his laugh is annoying and he’s kinda stinky.

But other than that, this shriveled up bag of skin is no threat.

Unless, of course, you copy & swipe HIS advertising…

CONTENT STEALING CYCLOPS

This insidious monster has just one eye.

And it’s always fixed on OTHER peoples’ content and stealing it.

He never speaks or talks. He just grunts and snarls and glowers over everyone’s content with his one, piercing eye. When he finds something he likes, he shamelessly takes it (with no regard to ethics, rules or copyright laws) and puts it on HIS websites.

To make matters worse:

It’s almost IMPOSSIBLE to find his lair.

He has no email, phone number or contact info.

And since he puts your content on sites like “blogspot” blogs, you have no recourse except jumping through hundreds of hoops that are not worth your time.

There’s not much you can do about this one.

But there are ways to use his evil deeds to your advantage if you use a little strategy.

THE SWIPE & STEAL SLIME

This shapeless mass of goo (roo?) oozes around the Internet absorbing everyone else’s ideas, ads, and sales letters. And then, when he wants to pitch something, shamelessly takes whatever he’s absorbed and uses it as his own.

There’s not much you can do about these monsters.

They’re impossible to catch since they have no real “substance”.

But it’s good to be aware of them.

Otherwise they could absorb YOU and make you a blob like them.

SERIAL REFUNDING SUCCUBUS

This elusive demon likes to hop from one business to the next — buying products, copying the content, and then refunding them while you’re sleeping.

More:

You can sometimes see it lurking on sites like clickbank and anywhere else they can have an easy refund policy. And you know it has struck when you make a sale and, within a few hours, it’s already been returned.

Unfortunately, it usually attacks while you’re sleeping.

But you CAN help stop its rampage.

Simply keep a file (like I do) of anyone who refunds with a lame excuse and don’t sell to them again.

You can also tell your colleagues to watch out for them, too.

BUREAUCRATIC BOOGEYMAN

Just like hell hound lawyers, these things lack a conscience.

They love to sneak into your personal life, your private records and even your bank accounts… and take and use whatever they want for their own twisted ends.

Unfortunately, LOTS of these monsters roam the countryside.

With more and more created each day.

And the more successful you are, the greater the chances they’ll target you. So make sure you’re prepared.

Their bite can literally murder your business.

GOO-ROO GHOUL (GHOUL-ROO?)

This monster often appears as a “guru.”

And he looks exactly like an expert.

Yet, he’s the complete opposite!

You see, what he does is, he lures unwary newbies in his market (usually “rabid” markets) to his cave and devours their every last penny — while delivering little or no real value.

And to make matters worse…

He is a master at using “social proof.”

In fact, he’s so unbelievably good at using it, his victims actually think he’s doing them a favor — almost like it’s a privilege — as he consumes their last dime.

OK Scooby Doo, that’s all for now.

These are the most ruthless monsters roaming the Internet.

If you want to protect yourself from their wrath this Halloween, put away the candy, get thy bootyus to the castle armory, and strap on the weapons you can find in the November (and grand 100th) “Email Players” issue that goes to the printer today:

www.EmailPlayers.com

It’s the best way to defeat these fiends.

And, make extra scratch, too…

Ben Settle

I don’t know if it’s some kind of Halloween thing or what, but I have noticed this month has shown many more Email Players subscribers being plagued with stolen, hacked, and compromised credit card issues than ever before.

You’ll always see a handful each month when selling subscription offers.

But this month there’s been at least twice as many.

Including some up to this very day.

And each time, it can be very frustrating for the customer. I can read the frustration in their “please don’t cancel my subscription, a new card is on the way!” pleas for their lord & master elBenbo to stay his itchy trigger finger that is always so quick & eager to cancel & curate out those he deems unworthy, and eject them into the emptiness of the Outer Void, never to be allowed to return.

But, here’s the thing.

And a lot of people are probably going to shriek at me like a banshee at this.

“Ben that’s so unfaaaaaiiiirr!”

And maybe they will be right.

But, I have decided to double down on the brilliant Dan Kennedy policy of:

“Your crisis does not become my crisis.”

Fact is, it’s a pain in the ass to keep up with peoples’ overdue credit cards problems after I’ve sent the Email Players list in — which I will be doing later today for the November issue.

I won’t go into all the reasons why.

Because they aren’t important.

What is important is, my policy for bad credit cards at the end of the month:

I will no longer be making “exceptions” and waiting for people to get their new card in the mail after being hacked. All accounts not current at the time I send the list to the printer will be deleted, with the customer blocked in the shopping cart for wasting my time having to go through and do so. That means, if you want to get the next issue, you will have to temporarily use a different card for now, then switch to whatever card you are waiting for later when it arrives.

It’s very simple, as I can send you a secure link to change it at any time.

But anyone not current by the time I send the list in will be canceled.

And before some sob sister or mush cookie holds a candlelight vigil about this:

If you are an adult, with a real business, the only kind of subscribers I want and care to have… and if you (1) don’t have a second credit card or (2) a personal credit card you can use temporarily while you await your new card, then you have no place amongst us in the Email Players of the Horde.

Don’t give me those silly excuses, Maynard.

Your long suffering taskmaster elBenbo knows.

Oh, yes, he knows indeed that if your precious cell phone account, internet account, cable TV account, Netflix account, Amazon Prime account, Spotify account, iTunes account, or any other entertainment-related account was being paid for with a defrauded card, you’d somehow find and use a different card to keep services going unencumbered.

True story:

Last year when I had an office in the Old Town section of the town I lived in, I had my high speed internet on my American Express business card. And, something went kablooey with their system, where it couldn’t work with American Express for some reason.

I kept foolishly ignoring their warnings.

And, it got to the point where they were about to shut it off the next day.

So what did I do?

I simply used my personal credit card until they got their shyt together.

This ain’t rocket science.

It’s simply a matter of priorities.

And, thus, henceforth, for anyone whose credit card has been compromised, hacked, stolen… if you want the next month’s issue — in this case, the November issue — you need only let me know you want to use a different card, I’ll send you a secure link to change it, and when your shiny new card arrives, simply let me know again and I’ll send you another secure link.

But I won’t be “holding off.”

And I won’t be making any exceptions.

Whatever the case, the deadline for the November 100th “Email Players” issue is almost here.

If you want in on time to get it, use the link below.

If you need to swap out your credit card, best let me know.

And if you couldn’t care less, either way, you’re a trooper for reading this far…

Whatever the case, here is the link to subscribe:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

“Email Players” subscriber Petr The Affiliate pops in to say:

Yo Ben,

you probably do not care and I might just be bothering you with this, but do you know you’re actually a great “ghost” coach?

Here’s what I mean:

As an Email Player I know I can basically ask you anything and as much as I want (within reason). But having followed your emails, podcasts and all for 6+ years and having bought and gone through many of your products (for example I’ve watched the entire original Copy Slacker series 7 times), I can quite confidently guess what your answer will be.

So my mental process goes like:

1. I get stuck on some business problem.

2. If it’s something you could help with I think up a question for you.

3. I let it sit a while and 99% of the time later realize you had either talked about somewhere in the past or knowing your philosophy I deduce your answer (i.e. you had trained me how to think about it).

4. I realize I do not need to bother you with my question. (I remember your EP rule “there are no stupid answers, only stupid questions” + I remember the rule from my martial arts days that the pupil should never bother the teacher with trivial questions, forcing him to learn to think and learn for himself.)

So the actual option of being able to ask you makes me think harder about what I want to ask, which at the same time usually helps me to come up with the proper answer.

I don’t know why I’m writing this. Maybe it’s just my urge to let the teacher know the pupil is doing well under your guidance and discipline.

And the Teacher appreciates it, my loyal Disciple.

In other news:

I’m chomping at that old bit to send the 100th issue of “Email Players” to the printer tomorrow, which is the deadline to get it.

To subscribe in time hit that devious link below:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle