Ben Settle

When I first launched “Email Players”, a blue light special who subscribed made me the following offer:

(Paraphrased, this was 6.5 years ago)

“Ben! If you’re so good at this, why don’t you put your money where your mouth is? I have an offer that converts at (whatever the %’s were). What if you write me an email campaign and I’ll pay you a commission on the extra sales over what I usually get! This is a great deal, you’d be a fool not to take me up on!”

My response?

“Away with ye, marketing prole boy.”

And off he scuttled… to some forum.

And, in this forum, he whined about my rebuking him to his marketing prole friends and, like the marketing proles do, they all started saying, “yeah, that Ben sure is a dummy — why wouldn’t he take you up on that generous offer?” Along with the usual prattling marketing proles do, with more drama than you can find on a Game of Thrones episode.

Another true story about marketing proles:

Once upon a time I decided to help someone get started in the copywriting bid’niz.

And, this person (a chick), started mysteriously getting various offers (all of them stewpid ideas) from various people (all guys pretending to be successful, but were just newbies) asking her to partner up/JV to sell their products, do work for them in exchange for “exposure”, and other deals that made zero sense at all considering she had zero experience at all, with no portfolio or prior experience. i.e. they simply wanted to have the secks with her and, like marketing proles with zero game do, that was the only way they knew to try.

My point?

Call them cautionary tales.

Marketing proles are everywhere.

And, this is one of the games they play.

If you’re new to this bid’niz, my advice is to tell them to stick it where the sun doesn’t shine.

Create your own offers.

Build your own list.

And email it every day.

As for creating offers and building a list, that’s not my speciality. But, when you’re ready for the email part, that’s where my “Email Players” newsletter comes into play.

It ain’t cheap.

And it ain’t for the marketing proles.

To see if it’s your cup of beer, check it out here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

True story from my Wine Villains event last July:

The day after the event, we all went to a winery. And “Email Players” subscriber, fire-breathing feminist, card-carrying Trump hater, and A-list copywriter (with a list of controls longer than the Clinton machine death count) Kim Krause Schwalm said:

(Paraphrased, based on memory)

“Ben, people think of you as a misogynist and sexist, but there are a lot of girls here to see you at Wine Villains. You obviously don’t hate women, you want to help women.”

My answer?

I don’t want to help *women*.

I want to help people.

Women just need the most help…

Anyway, here’s the point:

I have found that most chicks in this bid’niz can’t stand me. But, the small number who do, are insanely (in a good way, of course) loyal, and some of the best customers I have… who implement, profit handsomely from, and run with the information I teach them.

And they are this way (I believe) because:

1. I don’t put them on a pedestal

2. I don’t try to charm them

(If anything, I try to repel people, but that’s another email…)

3. If they’re mucking up I tell them what they don’t want to hear, instead of going out of my way to supplicate to them (like practically every man in their lives does) and not try to hurt their feelings — something the Facebook attention seekers, drama queens, and amusingly insecure “I give zero fugks!” chest-pounding chicks can’t stand.

In other words, I treat them like I treat guys.

Anyway, why should you care about any of this?

Probably you shouldn’t.

But maybe someone needed to hear it…

Now, on to the fun stuff:

Me pitching you.

If you want to learn my evil misogynist email copywriting ways, have a ball using them, and make a lot of sales implementing them, check out the “Email Players” newsletter by hitting the jump here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

But if you’re a dame, hear ye this:

Only do it *after* you fetch your man a sammich and beer.

Anything else, would be secksist…

Ben Settle

An inquiring mind requests:

“Can you write a email about harvey weinstein to show off your uncanny methods”

During my senior year in college, I did an internship in Un-holywood. And, the entire 8 weeks I was out there I couldn’t wait to get back home.

I hated that town.

I hated the people there.

And, I hated the seedy nightlife and filthy vibe that’s everywhere you go.

This was despite the fact:

• I could have easily stayed out there working (I worked for some movie producers on the Warner Bros lot — getting a PA job, where everyone starts, on a movie was in the bag if I wanted it).
• My boss’s wife (who was the casting director of shows and movies like NYPD Blue and Star Trek, while he was a production manager on many movies you’ve heard of) told me when we all had dinner one night I should pursue acting, and, very likely would have at least gotten an audition somewhere. (not that I had an interest in acting, but still…)
• I had made several key contacts while there, and would probably not have had much trouble finding work in the industry due to the nature of knowing the right people.

Yes, even with a few opportunities for a career in movies (and I love movies) I wanted out.

And, I have never regretted it.

I didn’t know of any secks scandals at the time, but just being out there you can sense the corruption, filth, and depravity.

So the Harvey thing doesn’t shock me at all.

And who knows?

If enough Corey Feldmans and other victims start going to the police, and don’t let the Barbra Walters of the media mock and silence them, then it could all come tumbling down.

In the meantime?

Come to elBenbo’s casting couch (my “Email Players” newsletter), have an offer & plan, and build a list of receptive leads, and you can avoid having to whore yourself out to the cretins of the marketing world… slinging bull shyt affiliate offers, licking client boots, or being beholden to a job you hate.

It’s not nearly as hard as you may think.

And, it can happen fast, too.

When you’re ready for the email part, go ye here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

“I torture all my friends. It’s how I show love.”

— Crowley
King of Hell/King of the Crossroads

Today is the deadline to get the November “Email Players” issue.

Here’s what awaits you inside my email torture chamber:

• The world’s most-feared negotiator’s secret to virtually eliminating objections to buying from you in your email copy.
• 2 secret way to write email copy for clients that (1) practically guarantees any changes they ask for are minimal at worst and (2) can make your copy so many sales you’ll be like a hero to them.
• The “french fry secret” Wal-Mart and other monster retailers do at their checkout counters to make so many new sales you’ll be slapping yourself silly for not doing this earlier. (Like I did when I first started experimenting with this.)
• A secret way of using Google to make even mind-numbingly boring topics and ideas exciting and secksy in your copy.
• A quickie game plan for people on the ropes financially for making quick cash almost on demand. (NOTE: Only works if you already have a list an offer — if you’re brand new, with no list or offer, this probably won’t do you much good.)
• A “lost” document (I dug up on an old Internet forum) that shows a real-life example of how to “embed” sales pitches into your paid content, emails, books, or any other informational product. (This was written by the world’s greatest direct response historian over 17 years ago — and yet probably less than 300 people on the planet have ever seen it.)
• And a whole lot more…

Today’s the deadline to get this issue.

If you want it, subscriber here, while you still can:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

True story:

To help promote AWAI’s 2016 Copywriting Job Fair & Bootcamp last year, the great Brian Kurtz gave a testimonial about me.

And, part of it said:

“In a world of self-promoters and people who constantly tell you how good they are at whatever they seem to be good at, Ben is the antitheses of that…he mostly stays home and simply produces e-mail that consistently delivers as both content and promotion…and frankly, he’s so skilled at it, you rarely know which he is doing since he is always doing both.”

Now, full disclosure:

I am far from being a natural at this.

Or, even close to being the best at it.

In fact, the person who I learned a lot about how to do this (combining content with promotion — a staple of my email methodology) from, is the great Dan Kennedy. I have always, since the first time I heard his Peter Lowe talk, been in awe at how he seamlessly interweaves content with promotion in everything he does.

(Books, speeches, newsletters, informational products, etc.)

More:

I have spent many, many (many) hours over the last 15+ years mindlessly trying my level best to de-construct & mimic how he does it for my own content, emails, copy, etc the best I can.

(And he still takes me to school every time I listen to one of his trainings).

But, here’s the thing:

Turn the clock back 17 years to something I read in a secret forum I somehow found when I first started as a copywriter, that was full of A-list marketers and copywriters and multi-million dollar business owners. (I have pages of their stuff printed out, it formed the foundation of my learning.)

I have no idea how I snuck under the rope and got in.

But, I will never forget a post a brilliant guy named Phil Alexander where he deconstructed one of Dan Kennedy’s books and methodically showed (page by page) where Dan inserted “disguised” sales pitches within it.

I cannot put a price tag on how much it’s been worth to me.

In many ways, that document paved a foundation for how I do emails.

And guess what?

I tracked Phil down recently.

And, I asked if I could share it with my “Email Players” subscribers, which I am inserting in the November issue.

It goes to the printer tomorrow.

After that, you’ll miss out.

Here’s where to subscribe:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

“I thought that, when I got the corner office, it was all gonna be rainbows and two-headed puppies. But if I’m honest, it’s been Hell.”

— Crowley
King of Hell/King of the Crossroads

A question perfect for Crowley Month…

One of my Email Players subscribers (who will remain anonymous) asks:

Hoping for some advice from you, sir.

(Not sure if this type of question is covered under the “you can ask for help” benefit of being an EP subscriber, but here goes…)

My niche is ______. I have a list of about 20k people. The majority—65% or so—are customers who bought my flagship product (a guide to using ____). I first released the product in 2010 and thanks to some fortuitous promotion near the beginning, it’s done quite well.

I’ve released a handful of other products in the intervening years, all < $30. These sell decently, but they’re inexpensive.

As for emailing daily—since I assume you’ll ask—I’m about 80% there. Most weeks I email 3–4 times, sometimes 5, and the feedback I get is positive.

(Forgive the lengthy introduction; just wanted to provide some context)

Bottom line is this: I’m running pretty low on money. Due to a hefty spousal/child support payment and other non-negotiable expenses, my minimum monthly nut is about $13k).

I email the list and make a few sales, but the cost of most of my products doesn’t amount to what I need to make each month. I promote my most expensive product (the ____ thing) and the response is pretty poor since most folks already own it.

Here’s how I see my options:

• Raise the prices of my products (?)
• Make a new, more expensive product (currently in the works)
• Find something to promote as an affiliate

I guess I’m wondering what you’d do with a warm, fairly engaged list of 20k that has (mostly) bought things in the past—and you’re low on cash.

Sorry again for the non-pithy question. Please tell me to piss off if this is out of bounds, but any advice you could offer would be much appreciated, sir.

There will be no telling my “Email Players” subscribers to piss off.

(“Off you fugk”, though, is always on the table…)

Anyway, here’s the thing:

This is a common problem that can happen to anyone.

And, the answer I gave him (one of the perks of being an “Email Players” subscribers is getting to ask me questions I’m qualified to answer via email) is tucked safely way on pages 14 & 15 of the November “Email Players” newsletter.

I’m sending it to the printer tomorrow.

If you want it, best hit the jump below now while there’s still time:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

“Email Players” subscriber Cédric Beau has me *slightly* softening my mockery of the law of reciprocity in this one instance:

Hi Ben. A quick thank you. I tried your way during a couple of weeks, and my sales went up like crazy (and they were already great before that, so it was just… amazing) After that I subscribed to email players. It was like a “thank you subscription”, I really didn’t expect anything from it. It was just for me a way to give you a com on my sales haha.

Then I read the email playbook. And god, that’s a goldmine. I loved it. I find the monthly newsletter too short, but I’ll stay subscribed. Coz even a short newsletter like that contains so much goodness, and the ROI of them are so great, that I don’t mind the 97usd. It’s worth it. Good job. You deserve your success.

Heads up:

The next issue is in the bullpen, warming up to go to the printer.

It’s packed full of insights that have made Yours Unruly a lot of sales. And, I daresay the information inside can do the same for you, if you implement it and take action.

(If you don’t take action, nothing I say will do you a lick of good.)

She goes to the printer in less than 3 days.

Subscriber here to get the next issue, before the deadline:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

One of the best persuasion lessons I ever done heard was 10 or so years ago, when Michael Senoff was interviewing the late, great negotiator Jim Camp.

Sometime during the interview, they did a bit of roll-playing.

(As if Jim was selling Michael gasoline)

And, to make a point, Jim Camp said to Michael:

“My name is Jim Camp and I work with Phillips Petroleum, and we offer high grade gasoline at $3.70 a gallon. And you will find our additives to be of the highest quality. So don’t you want to buy Phillips gasoline?”

To which Michael obviously declined.

Why?

Because all Jim was doing was making claims.

And, all those claims did was create objections.

(Like a lot of today’s email and other sales copy do, not-so-coincidentally)

So, he switched it up.

Instead of pitching the gasoline, Jim asked Michael about his car’s engine, asking how many miles he could afford to take off its life, asking if he’d ever experimented with a higher octane and, if not, what held him back, and so on and so forth, and constantly bringing it back to Michael’s car and not his gasoline.

It was a great example of the difference between pitching and selling.

And, pretty much the opposite of how the marketing proles write email copy.

Well, guess what?

In the November “Email Players” issue I go into how to apply this concept of not creating objections in emails (or any other kind of copy) in depth, and in a way none of your lazy, flakebook addicted competitors listening to the nonsense on social media about selling are doing, or would even know how to do.

I’m sending this puppy to the printer in 3 days.

If you want to get it, subscribe here in time, while you can:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

A few years ago, Agora Financial flew me in to teach some of their copywriters and editors some of my diabolical ways.

And, recently, I asked Agora copy chief Joseph Schriefer how things were going.

His answer?

“Things are great dude. The business is so big now. Prob 4x the revenue since when we first met… and had you in! Claim credit, as it did correlate!”

Claim credit?

Well okay then, don’t mind if I do…

Anyway, one of the things I taught the laddy and lassie bucks that day was some of the info secretly tucked away in the pages of my “Email Players Playbook” — which comes with a subscription to my monthly “Email Players” newsletter. It’s the same methodology I use in my own business (I don’t just teach it and not do it) each and every day, and have used in multiple markets selling multiple different kinds of products, not to mention teaching it to multiple other kinds of business owners (not just online business owners or info marketers) in a myriad of different markets.

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

If you want in on this bad-boy, go here while you can still get it:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle