Ben Settle

More lessons from the movies:

One of my all-time favorite movies is “Gone Girl”.

And, the main reason why is, the Villain. Amy Dunne is a magnificently created and brilliantly written character. I like her so much, and her Villainous ways, I write about her in great detail in the upcoming sequel to my Villains book.

But, there’s another reason I like the movie, too.

An email-esque reason.

It has to do with the way the movie was received by women in particular.

When the movie came out, it was a thing where a lot of chicks did NOT want their dates to take them to see the movie. And, in some cases, from what I read on reddit and other places… even threatened to call off the date if they did take them. I know of one chick (of the militant feminist variety, my favorite kind…) who literally cried during the “big reveal” part about Amy Dunne and her diabolical machinations.

She just couldn’t handle it, unfortunately.

And, neither could a lot of others, from what I hear tell.

And the reason the movie got this reaction is because of the secret storytelling method I talk about in the November “Email Players” issue, I talked about earlier today, and last week in these diabolical daily emails.

A secret I have not seen anyone in copywriting talk about.

(Much less teach.)

And you know what else?

Despite this reactoin (and, I would say, because of it…), “Gone Girl” went on to do almost $400 million at the box office, on a $61 million budget.

Not too shabby.

And I talk about this method in exquisite detail in the November “Email Players” issue.

But, to get it you have to be subscribed.

And, even more importantly, subscribed by the looming deadline tomorrow.

To get it in time, go here right away, while there’s still time:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

If last night’s email about the bartending pastor who uses “Email Players” to make extra cash to support his family doesn’t rile up the people I was hoping it’d rile up, maybe this will:

My views on the movie “Paranormal Activity”…

Here’s the blood-curdling scoop:

I once got into a conversation about the movie “Paranormal Activity.” If you have no seen it, it was a smash hit movie that pulled $194 million on a tiny $11,000 shoestring budget. It is about a San Diego couple haunted and tormented by a demonic entity, in the same kind of “found movie footage” style as the “Blair Witch Project”.

Anyway, I always thought it would have been a great sales letter.

Specifically, for Christian evangelists and churches

Why?

Because the story uses the same secret email and copywriting method I talked about last week that Black Mirror and a select other highly popular (and profitable) movies and TV shows use, but that nary a copywriting teacher, book, or seminar even mentions, must less uses.

A secret I’ve used to make all kinds of extra sales.

In all kinds of markets.

And, for all kinds of different products.

Frankly, the sales this tip can make people works so fast, it can almost be creepy.

And, it’s something I talk about (with lots of examples) in details in the November “Email Players” issue, which goes to the printer tomorrow.

After that?

It’ll be too late to get your claws on it.

To subscribe before tomorrow’s deadline, go here immediately:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

“Email Players” subscriber, Pastor Darren Maclean checks

Ben

Just wanted to take a second to say ‘thanks’ for sharing all your wisdom. I’ve joined your Email Players and am devouring your copywriting grab-bag. It’s brilliant. 

I’m the pastor of a church, I bartend in the evenings (pastoring doesn’t pay all the bills) and I’m a single dad to my two teenage kids. I’m going to use what I’m learning from you to make some extra money copywriting. 

Thanks again. 

You’re really helping!!!

Cheers for now

Cue up the sob sisters who will yell at me about a pastor also bartending…

Anyway, on to business:

The November “Email Players” issue goes to the printer in a couple days.

To get in on time, go to this link:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Contrary to what a few goo-roo fanboys think, I am not anti-testing.

I think some marketing tests make sense.

And, I think some don’t make any sense at all.

But, either way, I am always amused when people brag about their testing after they have a “lightbulb moment” where they discovered the most basic and obvious of marketing principles, as if they were the first to discover it.

Take the 2008 Obama email team.

There was a detailed write-up about how they got so much dough many years ago.

And, make no mistake, their emails made a lot.

In fact, their emails brought in $600 million worth of donations with emails — which blew away everything else they did for fundraising, including direct mail and social media. Everybody thought it was social media that brought home the bacon but it wasn’t. It was good ol’ “retro” email.

Anyway, they did a lot of good stuff.

And, I even wrote an Email Players issue about it several years ago.

They found lots of interesting insights from testing. But, it was as amusing as it was astonishing to me how they had to test to find out the most basic info you already probably know just reading my free emails, much less reading my monthly Email Players newsletter and accompanying Email Players Playbook.

And I believe this was the case because they sucked at research.

They had the brand.

They had the right message-to-market match.

They even had great “writers.”

But, had they known the right market intel going in, with the right research, using my not-so-secret way of doing customer research (that allowed my ads and emails to dominate handily, and without even breaking a sweat, including when I knew nothing about those markets, in overheated markets like weight loss, golf, and self defense) they’d have not only brought in way more bacon (I daresay in my infinite madness from my asylum, maybe even twice as much…), but wouldn’t have had to waste so much time testing to find out the obvious about their market.

Anyway, I talk about my way of research in the November “Email Players” issue.

Specifically, in the bonus “Ravings of an Adman” insert I am including.

To get your hands on this sucker, subscribe before the coming deadline.

Once I send it to the printer, it’ll be too late.

Here’s the link:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Reader Freddy Hustle helps build the case that I ain’t just whistlin’ dixie about how much my diabolical ways can make a difference in ye olde bottom line.

If anything, I probably downplay it.

Case in point:

I wrote [an email] the other day that has got the highest open rate and click thru and sales EVER for many of my eCommerce clients by email. The response rate on the email was so huge 4 of my clients called me to tell me how impressed they were n even they opened the email immediately

You inspired it

Thanks Homey (12k per month recurring from email clients plus they give me 5% royalty)

And so it goes.

Also, this also serves to prove my ways work for eCommerce, too.

They work for products, services, or anything.

(That I have seen at least — even commodities like socks…)

The November issue goes to the printer in a few days.

Grab it while the grabbins’ good right here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

^^ So saideth a famous life insurance salesman.

The meaning of which is this:

If you want to sell life insurance, painting pretty images of flowers and happy families washing the car or whatever isn’t going to cut it. You have to get the prospect into that state of mind where they can see themselves at death’s door, family destitute, kids living a life of misery and chaos because daddy didn’t take any life insurance out, or didn’t take enough out, or didn’t take the right kind out.

And you know what?

This is even *more* important in emails.

This is why I like to write emails that are full of pain and despair if’n the product/market lends itself to such a thing. This means getting deep down and dirty with your market.

That’s the easy part.

The hard part?

Most people do this completely wrong.

Instead of being someone that a prospect wants to do business with, they come off as a manipulative douche bag.

But fear ye not.

The November “Email Players” issue to the rescue.

I show you several examples of how to write “hearse pulled up to the door” email copy (with a couple real life successful examples) in a way your list will love, appreciate, and want to buy from.

But time is short.

If you want in go here before it goes to the printer:

http://www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

One of the most amusing things I’ve seen on Flakebook is coaches who revolve their advertising around dark moons and when Mercury is in retrograde. And, especially, the ones who claim to manifest wealth by masturbating and thinking of money when they orgasm.

Napoleon Hill ain’t got nuttin’ on them chicks…

Anyway, here’s why I bring this up:

I got this question from an “Email Players” subscriber who was concerned about how her feedback was going up, but her opens and clicks have gone down after using my hate & dark ways.

Here was the question:

Okay, so I have a question for you, Oh Evil One: Ever since I started emailing Email Players style (which was quite a departure from my previous once-in-a-blue-moon-when-mercury-is-in-retrograde frequency), I’ve noticed our open rates have tanked. Also our click through rates.

I do great great positive feedback on how hilarious, awesome, different the emails are from folks, but I want to make sure I’m not playing to my ego rather than taking care of bidness, you see.

We sell high ticket, so our CTA is almost always “watch our masterclass” or “book a call with our team”.

My answer?

For that, you’ll have to read the November “Email Players” issue.

Wherein I show a 6-point solution to this problem, that applies not only to email, but whenever you see your sales or other metrics take a dip — whether it’s during a dark moon, when Mercury is in retrograde, or even when it is in gatorade.

This is something that happens to everyone eventually.

And, the answer will not only solve the problem, but add more sales to your evil coffers.

The deadline to get this issue looms.

If you miss it, it’ll be too late to get it.

Here is the link:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben “Dark Moon” Settle

“Email Players” subscriber Vicente Pollino recently asked a great writing question for people whose minds suddenly go blank when writing emails for other people in markets they aren’t familiar with.

Or, even their own markets and for their own products or services.

Anyway, here is the question:

Before writing, sorry for my English. Not good.

I just want to ask a question.

I’m going to write emails for a major company that sells courses for vegetarians.

Each email takes three or four hours to write and the result is not good. I do not know the vegetarian world.

When I write about my things, I can make emails in 20 minutes and I like them. But if I write for others, I am incapable.

I’m left blank looking at the screens of my computer. I am taking my first steps as a copywriter and I am very worried. I am not able to write emails for others.

Do you know if I can do something to avoid getting stuck?

Thank you very much for your time, Ben.

An admirer from Spain.

Answer:

It’s not uncommon at all for people to have no problem banging out emails for their own products and services, but clam up when having to write in someone else’s voice, for another market they are unfamiliar with, and when on a deadline.

In fact, I just had a discussion about this yesterday with someone at a masterclass I spoke at.

The good news is, this is an easy problem to solve:

1. Know the best places to research your market so you know it backwards and forwards, and can so naturally write as if you are one of them they would never know you’re not

2. Read the November “Email Players” issue

Inside the next issue I answer his question on pages 14-15 via a 7-point game plan that can make anyone near-instantly faster and more effective at writing emails (for both yourself and clients) while putting far more sales in your righteous piggy bank.

Knowing this info should “de-stress” anyone about writing copy.

(For emails or any other kind of sales pitch.)

And, put a lot more pennies in ye olde piggy bank, too.

I’ve seen it happen time and time and time again. And, I recon it’ll happen for people who have the November issue, too.

The deadline to get it is Halloween.

After that, it goes to the printer and it’ll be too late to get it.

Here is the link:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Back in my client days and through today, I gleefully break the cardinal rule of copywriting, which is:

• Get on everyone else’s lists
• Create a swipe file of their ads
• Study what the really successful ads that keep running are doing

It’s certainly not a bad idea to do those things.

Probably, you should do them.

But, I can say I did very little of that in the niches I was most successful at.

Especially in this day and age of email and pre-selling and product launches.

(Where the “sale” is often made well before someone sees your sales letter.)

That is why, when I did client work in other niches I was unfamiliar with, I was far more interested in uncovering info about the market that went beyond the obvious or what everyone else was focusing on. And I did it by playing upon a sales technique where you ask people a question about why they might want a particular benefit or why they might not want to buy. Then, after they answer that, you ask them if there any other reasons they might want it or are there any other reasons for not buying? And then what happens is, the salesman finds out the “under the radar” emotional reasons that people will buy or why they aren’t buying.

Anyway, it’s something I adapted a long ago to online selling with email.

I call it “stealth research.”

And, it allowed me to do things like:

• Write control-winning copy in the golf niche when I had never played in my life — and without carefully studying any other golf ads
• Write emails and ads that converted 40%+ of a weight loss list to buyers — again, knowing nothing about the market going in and not even bothering to look at any competing ads
• Create the ad copy for the biggest company in the self defense niche’s entire arsenal of products (info products and supplements) without looking at that industry’s ads, either — especially after we found out all the other companies were targeting the wrong people and missing out on multiple millions of dollars in business

Anyway, point is this:

I didn’t have to scour the competition’s ads.

Nor did I have to be the best “copywriter.” (I never was.)

All I needed was the right marketing intel.

Intel I show you how to get for your market in the bonus “Ravings of an Adman” training in the November “Email Players” issue, which goes to the printer soon.

After that, it will be too late to get it.

To get your grubby hands on this info zip on over to:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle