Ben Settle

This was originally just going to go to the private list for people interested in paid advertising opportunities in the Email Players newsletter, but, here it is in all its non-glory:

Sometimes your long-suffering servant elBenbo gets accused by the trolls and skeptics of using a bit of “puffery”… as if some of the things I claim about “Email Players” possibly be true, and are maybe even a wee bit exaggerated.

But, if anything, I think I’m holding back.

And, here’s a little venom for those nay-sayers proving why:

Your book “The Email Players Skhema” just detonated in my brain.

I started reading it today after it had been sitting on my desk all week. I got to page 10 and said, I need a fresh notebook to write down all the ideas that are blasting into my mind.

Here’s a sidebar note before I talk about just a few of the ideas that were generated.

Ben, you sometimes talk about Gary Bencivenga and with good reason. Gary is brilliant when it comes to copywriting. One of the best ever and acknowledged as such by the best of the best of his peers. I was at Gary’s once-in-a-lifetime retirement seminar May 20th, 2005, at The St. Regis Hotel in New York City, along with 130 of the most brilliant minds in copywriting, marketing and sales.

In addition to Gary “telling all” about how to become a successful copywriter, he revealed 2 of his “secret weapons” for generating ideas and bullets. Dale Carnegie’s book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” and Frank Bettger’s book “How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling”.

I have to be honest about this and I want to be perfectly clear!

Your Email Players Skhema book blows to smithereens both books that Gary Bencivenga said were for decades his secret weapons.

Here’s what I got from just the first several pages of your book where you detail your “13 ways to write subject lines that are almost impossible to ignore”.

For the record, I’m a real estate Broker and from the dozens of ideas generated here’s just 3 for subject lines that your book detonated in my brain for me to build an email list of hungry real estate salespeople:

From subject line secret #6 – Your average listing commission 5% – Mine 8.51%
From subject line secret #2 – They just “stole” $3,237.57 from your commissions
From subject line secret #3 – Highest ROI real estate training ever – every $1 brings $6.21

I could go on with the ideas generated by your Email Players Skhema book and I’m only up to page 25 of your 135 page book. (Looks like I’ll be staying up most of the night.)

By the way. I’ve read thousands of books on just about every business subject.

My all-time favorite book however is the Bible. Today your Email Players Skhema book just hit #2 on my list. (It won’t go higher!)

Ben, your Email Players Skhema book is “Da Bomb”.

And I’m absolutely looking forward to your April issue of the “Email Players” newsletter!

Ben, you have my permission to use the above in any way your “obnoxiously twisted mind” sees fit.

Vic Pattenaude, Broker

The May issue goes to the printer shortly.

You’ll know if you’re too late because you won’t be able to order at the shopping cart — since it will be turned off.

To get this issue in your hot little claws, go here immediately:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

A couple months ago, I was commanding, er, I mean, suggesting to my woman and “Email Players” subscriber Stefanie Arroyo (Yes, she pays for the subscription and does not get it free — how else is she going to value and learn from it…) she make a shift in her business model.

She had been wanting to do what I do for a long time.

(Which I showed in the January 2018 “Email Players” issue)

And tried to apply it to her business and offer preferences.

But, it just wasn’t happening.

In her case, she has the kind of personality where she gets very bored being on a set schedule. The idea of sitting down at the same time each day to write an email, or to do any task, every single day, at the same time, makes her want to crawl into a hole and put the rock over it.

Which doesn’t jibe with my usual advice of:

1. Build a list

2. Email it each day with a very specific kind of offer that is both scalable & creates financial security

3. Email those buyers other offers on the backend

In other words:

The exact opposite way her brain likes to work.

Thus, she asked if the email-every-day business structure I usually advise can be “adapted” to using other media. Like, for example, to video Livestreams — which she loves doing, and it’s not like a chore for her, like daily emails are.

The answer?

“Of course it can, Fledgling,” I said.

And then, I told her how my methodology can be (and is) adapted to other media and business/work preferences all the time.

So, I sat down for a few minutes and created a new plan for her.

A plan that is “custom fit” for business owners with small attention spans, and who are easily bored, don’t like my kind of rigid “dictator-like” schedule, or simply prefer using livestreams and videos.

If that’s you, do this:

1. Subscribe to “Email Players” before the deadline tomorrow

2. Turn immediately to page 17

3. Read the psyhology behind this business plan and simply swap out your offers/URLs for hers and see what happens

Once I send this issue to the printer tomorrow, it’ll be too late to get it.

Click this link while the clickins’ good:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Let me tell you about the country’s top concealed carry instructor.

He lives out in the bung hole of the universe (or within burping distance of it) in the county I used to live in… is one of the NRA’s top-ranked concealed carry instructors… is easily the greatest infotainer I have ever seen (I wrote an “Email Players” issue just on his methods a couple years ago)… and, he is never lacking for business with an almost rabid level of loyalty from his fans, even though:

1. He’s kind of a prick and is “mean”

2. He’s more expensive than other instructors in his area (he donates it all, but his up-sell game during his class is A+)

3. He is harder to get into learn from than others in the area — being booked solid sometimes for months in advance

4. He literally has contempt for his students

Here’s why I mean by contempt:

He actually loves and respects his serious students who go out and actually start carrying after they get their concealed carry license from the Socialist Republic of Oregon.

But, those who don’t?

He literally said in his class:

(Paraphrased)

“People will come say hi to me on the street after taking my class. And the first thing I ask them is, ‘are you carrying?’ If they say no, I tell them to go away. I don’t want you trying to talk to me if after this class you get your license and are not carrying.”

i.e. Don’t waste his time if you aren’t serious.

He only wants to associate with gun owners who carry and not those who aren’t.

Now, there are many lessons to learn just from this.

Such as the amazing persuasion power of not being Needy.

The importance of having cold indifference.

And, especially, his truly spectacular customer *curation* game.

I have never seen anyone curate the way he does.

And, he was one of my inspirations over the years for the 4-point method I use to curate my customers — keeping the low class jackasses and new product junkies out, while making my business, my offers, and my daily emails far more attractive to grownup business owners — and have a far more successful, stable, and ever-increasing-in-profits business.

A methodology I teach in the May issue.

But, that miserable old deadline is coming fast, though.

To get it in time, go here immediately:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

One of my favorite scenes from “The Two Towers” movie is when the Riders of Rohan slaughter an orc party, and then put one of the orc heads on display to frighten off the other orcs in the area.

It was an early inspiration for what I teach in my “Copy Troll” book.

But, it’s also useful for frightening off people who should not be buying what I offer. By displaying their antics, it scares these other “orc” customers off, and lets the ideal customers I want know it’s safe to enter my lush green lands.

Case in point:

If you’ve read my last few days’ emails, and want to see a perfect example of someone who is a magnificent example of:

1. A new product junkie…

2. A hyper “S” personality…

3. A small thinker in info-marketing…

Look no further than a bloke who I broke my own rule (proving even I have to keep any tendency to be “nice” in check…) with, and let resubscribe to get the April “Email Players” issue last month.

Predictably, he gave the same sob sister story others do to be allowed back.

And, also predictably, he did not like the April issue.

The reason?

“There was 6 pages of adverts and 10 pages telling me what not to do. I just expected more – I don’t think I benefited from the issue so I’m sorry to say that I can’t continue.”

Despite his fuzzy math — there was 17 pages of content, more content than the usual 16 pages, and only 4 pages of advertising – it’s been quite useful.

Why?

Two main reasons:

1. Amusement

An info-marketer complaining about seeing (oh noes!) ads that can be studied in an info product is rather like a direct mail writer complaining about seeing direct mail in his mailbox.

It borders on marketing insanity.

But, it’s an *amusing* kind of insanity.

Like when the Joker told the story about the two escaped mental patients on a roof top.

And the one with a flashlight says:

“I’ll shine this light across to the other roof and you walk on it to get to the other side.”

And the other one says:

“Do you think I’m CRAZY? You’ll turn it off when I’m half way across!”

2. A head to display

Even better… it gave me a perfect orc head to display, to keep the rest of the new product junkie orcs away from even thinking something like “Email Players” might be a good idea to invest in.

So if you think like the guy above, consider this email the proverbial orc head staring at you:

Save your money, Chuckles.

I promise you will be better off.

And this is especially true in the paid newsletter henceforth — where there will be lots MORE ads, to the tune of, eventually, if the demand is there, as many as 7 full pages of ads combined (even more than the new product junkie above’s mythical 6 pages in the April issue) — embedded within and as loose leaf inserts. Ads that a small thinking new product junkies will no-doubt be horrified by:

“I’m paying for this – how dare he include these ads!”

… even as they get up-sold on everything else they pay far more for in life — from pricey restaurants, to hospital visits, to new cars, to warranties, to an extra shot of sugar in their coffee, to even buying domain names.

But forward-thinking types?

They will see those ads as the bonus “back door swipe file” it is.

Complete with special offers nobody else outside Email Players are privy to… and, even if they don’t buy from them or have any interest in them, are worth studying.

More reasons for the orcs to scurry back to their caves:

The future of “Email Players” will also be far more akin to the kind of deeper thinking info found in the April issue — which, I even predicted in the first email I used to promote it in late March, would be the kind of info small thinkers would hate, flee, and be warded off by… while bigger thinking types would love, embrace, and profit like crazy from.

Take, for example, one of Australia’s top copywriters & marketing consultants Pete Godfrey.

Right after he read that issue (which you can no longer get) he hunted me down on Skype and said:

“Ben you legend! Still loving the newsletter mate… please…keep publishing.”

And Blas Carrasco, who said:

“I just finished reading this month’s issue and let me say… For me, it’s the best one yet and I know I’ll lose sleep over it because I have a zillion-frackin things whirling around my noggin now. This issue has come at a perfect time as I’m currently working through a sales page for a product I created.Thanks for a badass newsletter and an insomnia filled night.”

And Ross O’Lochlainn, who said:

“Ben… a quick note to say your latest issue…has been a mind blower. I’ve been thinking about what you said in this issue. A LOT.” [Note: his comment was almost a page long, but it has lots of “spoilers” for that issue, so I omitted…]

And Steve Jolly, who said:

“Best issue in my 4 years of EP. Thank you!”

And, as far as the (gasp!) paid ads I am going to be testing more of inside go… the founding father of internet marketing as we all know it — Ken McCarthy – said this after I told him the secret inspiration and motivations I have behind testing them:

“Brilliant aspiration on so many levels.”

HINT:

It ain’t just about money — I make little money in the short term doing these ads, especially compared to when I stuck a single, long form sales letter for one of my own offers in the envelope each month…

Bottom line:

These guys are playing chess and getting cerebral with their businesses, while the new product junkies drool on the carpet while shooting marbles and singing along with Barney the Dinosaur on tv. And, it’s my goal that this email serves as a warning displayed “head” to these marble-shooters to save their money, save their time, and save their energy… and keep playing in the business equivalent of the bin of sticky balls at Chuck E. Cheeses where they will be more comfortable.

Because, as I show over and over and over… they have no place amongst the EPOTH.

(i.e. the Email Players of the Horde)

But, there is always the possibility of hope, for those few orcs with the desire to change their wicked ways.

I say “possiblity” because it’s all up to you.

I can show you my version of the 12-step program.

But you have to follow it, endure the withdrawals for when you crave something new instead of implementing what you have, and change the way you think long term, and make it a part of your “business lifestyle” — and not just a one-time quick fix for your latest new product craving.

And lest someone head to social media to say how “mean” I am:

The Riders of Rohan didn’t particularly *like* slaughtering orcs & displaying their heads.

But, it was necessary.

Not just for the safety of their lands.

But, also, for the safety of the rest of the orcs, too.

And so it is when I write emails to ward off the new product junkies, freebie-seekers, and shallow-thinkers wandering the goo-roo casino. They are probably far better off downloading another free eBook or mindlessly reacting to their social media feeds than hanging around here being pitched every day.

Marbles, after all, are cheap.

But learning from, buying, and implementing my newsletter ain’t…

For anyone still reading this long email who is interested in “Email Players”…

The deadline to get the May issue is Tuesday.

Here is the link:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

I recently read an email from the great and esteemed A-list copywriter Bob Bly about how consumers are ripping-off businesses who use direct marketing.

Specifically, these 3 types:

1. People who buy just to get the premium/bribe/bonus then refund

2. People who are “serial returners” who constantly buy and then return

3. The freebie-seekers — who never buy, have no intention of buying, but will take all your free stuff, get plumb grumpy if you dare tell them about an offer, and, if you let them, will greedily hoard as much of your time as you are foolish enough to give them – which is one of many reasons why I don’t answer non-customer service questions from non-Email Players subscribers, incidentally.

Anyway, it was a great email.

I highly recommend you read everything Bob puts out.

But, in the case of the specific types of customers above, I will say there are ways of repelling them so they never waste your time, energy, or resources. And, I show you my 4-part method for doing so in the May “Email Players” issue.

Doing so can not only build your business, but your peace of mind, too.

Here’s the jolly, candy-like link:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Below is a follow-up video to yesterday’s follow-up video of Thursday’s email about why the world is crawling with S’s and what this means for businesses.

It’s another one from the dark, in bed, when I woke up.

So, it’s pitch black and you can’t see me.

(You’re welcome)

Anyway, here’s the link:

In other words:

More to come on this…

I recently shot a video in the pitch darkness of my private bed chambers, going deeper into yesterday’s email topic, where I shared some extremely useful and profitable information I’ve been using to make more sales.

A topic apparently not everyone appreciated.

That being the case, let’s not disappoint the scoffers, and keep that momentum going:

Also:

Yesterday’s email was originally a video, but it did not do justice to what I wanted to say, so I wrote it as an email, instead.

So when you hear me reference “yesterday’s video” that’s what it is.

Not long ago, I wrote an email about a guy who said your pal & daily muse was discriminating against blind people, because I don’t sell my “Copy Troll” book as a PDF, so the text can be enlarged, etc.

And right afterwards, a blind “Email Players” subscriber responded:

I have something for you since you can’t tell that guy what you think without serious PC backlash…

I can tell that blind guy to sack up and find a way to make it happen for himself and quit compounding his disability.

Even if elBenbo Publishing doesn’t hand it to him on a silver platter. If he wants it…he should just get it and stop being a soapbox biyatch

I have less than 2% residual vision. Can’t read printed books and I don’t miss a word of your monthly newsletter or “must reads” like Breakthrough Advertising.

How? Determination, sheer will and technology.

I used to subscribe to another newsletter that would arrive every month as a pdf but it had columns, varying size text, text as images…

You name it … a real checklist of “How NOT to communicate with the blind”

“Oh No I guess the information is not for me”

Yeah right..

I hired a guy on Fiverr to read them every month and send me the .mp3.

Not to pirate or circulate.

To learn privately

It goes further

I even asked my retired mother to read a copy of Eugene Schwartz Breakthrough Advertizing aloud while I typed it out WORD BY WORD. Not as good as hand written but it is what it is.

The most painful part wasn’t the typing.

It was the amount of times she wanted to stop and tell me “Oh this is just like Don Draper!”

Anyway I wanted that information just like everyone else and I hate whining. (mine and that of others)

Ben if it wasn’t for the content of your email today I likely NEVER would have told you about my vision.

Why would I? What do you care and how does it help me?

My company manufactures and sells adapted physical education/sports for the blind equipment, an inflatable ice bath for athlete recovery and an online course by a canine physio for people to help their aging dogs live more comfortable lives.

Nobody needs to know my physical shortcomings in order to benefit from what I offer.

As an unapologetic partially reformed high school bully…that reader of yours needs to be spun around and have his tighty whities hiked up hard in a 1980s homage to the wedgie

Keep hating the blind elBenbo you can’t kill this villain 🙂

Signed

A student you can’t shake no matter how you deliver your goods

Jeff Christy

And so it is…

All right, on to the business:

The May “Email Players” issue goes to the printer soon, if you want to get your hot, sticky little claws on it before the deadline, and join the ranks of hardcore players in business like Jeff, and many others in my Horde, go here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle