Ben Settle

Some of my favorite movies are the Christopher Nolan Batman movies.

In the third movie (The Dark Knight Rises) the main villain Bane says something that has potentially very profitable implications for anyone who sells with email. In the beginning of the movie Bane is tied up in the plane and tells the agent:

“Nobody cared who I was until I put on the mask”

Batman had the same thing happen to him.

That was the whole point:

He says in the first movie (Batman Begins) that people need dramatic examples to shake them out of their apathy — thus the cape and tights and scrambling over rooftops, impossible not to notice by those he is serving and protecting.

And you know what?

As it is in Gotham City, so it is in business.

If you want people to notice you, listen to you, care about you, and buy from you, there is a way to use this concept I teach in the July “Email Players” issue, which goes to the printer in a few short days.

If you want this issue before it’s too late, time’s running out, Batman.

Swing on over to this link to get in in time, while you still can:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Full disclosure:

I’m posting the following out of pure ego. I mean, how could I *not* brag about a testimonial from one of my copywriting heroes — the A-list copywriter who was AWAI’s copywriter of the year, has written copy for Oprah, and continually writes control packages for the world’s most prestigious (and competitive) alternative health direct marketing companies: Carline Anglade-Cole? Her talk at AWAI’s boot camp last year was brilliant, and she is hands down my favorite headline copywriter ever since.

(I have no idea how she does it).

Anyway, enough fanboy mode.

Here is what she said:

Hi Ben!

Just want you to know I get great advice and at least one chuckle… or a slap on the forehead “duh”… every time I read your emails!

All right on to business:

The July “Email Players” issue goes to the printer in a few days.

Subscription info here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

I pewp you not:

One of the most powerful “copywriting” and “marketing” trainings you can ever find is from Arsenio Hall and the story of how he survived competing against the late, great king of late night Johnny Carson.

The tl;dr version of it is this:

Johnny Carson was at the top of his game and ratings.

And along came this cool, younger, entertaining guy (Arsenio Hall) to compete on a different network and same time.

NBC’s executives were worried.

Would this be the end of the great Johnny Carson?

Was the ride over?

Of course not.

In fact, Arsenio was wise enough not to fall for his own PR, and showed a masterful stroke of marketplace positioning — anyone can do online, assuming you’re not afraid to think for yourself — to have a successful show, which I talk about in detail in the July “Email Players” issue. If you do nothing else I command in the upcoming issue but what Arsenio did, you will make lots and lots and lots and lots of the sales. I don’t care what you use to sell with, either: Email, webinars, videos, blog posts, social media, articles, podcasts, all the above or none of the above.

It works across the board for any business or media you use.

The deadline to get this issue is in 4 short days.

To subscribe in time, go here today:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Not long ago, a bloke posted on social media somewhere (probably flakebook) about a Lenox who emailed him.

It’s been a while since I wrote about Lenox’s.

So, to recap:

A Lenox is a name I started giving trolls after a troll named Lenox tried trolling me.

Thus, the term Lenox.

If you have been trolled, you’ve been Lenoxed. If you ask dumb questions that could have been answered in 30 seconds on Google or on the website of the person you are wondering about, or think you are such a special snowflake that you deserve your own sales pitch instead of looking at ones already online, you pulled a Lenox. If you go full on attack like the Hulk, you Lenoxed out. If you ask for earning shots and other biz-oppy things then that is so Lenox.

And so on, and so forth.

Which brings me to the point:

Not long ago I saw a question on Flakebook from someone who’d been Lenoxed by a guy on his list looking for help on how to respond to this Lenox reply to one of his emails:

“You’re just a greedy human being getting rich off others pain.”

Of course, everyone had an opinion.

And, none of them (from what I saw) was the correct answer.

Since I don’t work for free, I decided to withhold my opinion (i.e. fact) on the matter and, instead write an email that would serve as a template for anyone who got that kind of email (or something similar) from someone, that not only shuts the Lenox up, but makes it so people want to buy from you at the same time — making the lenox’s your own, private sales force/marketing interns.

I also wrote about the *psychology* of the email.

And, I put both the email and the psychology of it in the July “Email Players” issue.

Usually the email examples I post up in the “Email Players” newsletter are copyright protected. In other words, I don’t want people swiping or “lifting” content like a little loser. I want my boys and ghouls to learn how to think for themselves so you can stand on your own two feet in this crazy bid’niz and not have to rely on a swipe file or whatever like Linus does his blanket.

Not so this Lenox email.

It’s 100% copyright free to “Email Players” subscribers.

Paid subscribers who have the upcoming July issue can use the Lenox email however you want, adapt however you want, profit from however you want — without giving me any credit, attribution, money, props, or anything else.

It is yours to use however you want:

For client work, selling your own stuff, whatever you want to do.

It’s basically an email you can use to profit from Lenox’s who troll you.

But, only if you’re a paid subscriber.

And, only if you subscribe before the July issue mails.

Here’s where to subscribe:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Not that anyone but Yours Unruly should care.

But, next month marks the “Email Players” newsletter’s 6th birthday. And one way I want to celebrate in the newsletter next month is with a truly dull unpolished object of a teaching (absolutely nothing secksy about it whatsoever) that makes it ridiculously simple to pump out emails, get ideas for emails, and make lots of sales with your emails. It is one of those non-sexy, non-ninja, non-#crushingit tips most people will hear, nod, then ask, “yeah, yeah, yeah, now what else ya got?” without actually implementing it first.

(A common trait amongst people who sell online.)

Anyway, it’s something I had re-learned (like being yelled at, for foolishly forgetting) recently.

And, specifically, while listening to an interview between Ken McCarthy (the founding father of Internet marketing as we know it) and the great, and esteemed A-list copywriter Gary Bencivenga (widely regarded as the world’s greatest living copywriter). Anyway, the interview starts off talking about how Gary got started. How he was a very mediocre (at best) copywriter the first 10 years of his 40-year career, and downright sucked at it the first couple years — even though he thought he was better than he was due to having really good copy chiefs.

Long story short:

He had a family to support.

And, needed the income he earned as a copywriter.

Problem was, he realized how good he wasn’t after leaving his first job for another that paid better and was closer to where he lived. He said he was always just one boss’s bad day away from being fired. He barely wrote enough winners to keep his job. And, in fact, he had one assignment where the copy chief told him if it worked he could keep his job, otherwise he’d be fired.

Talk about pressure…

And then to add *more* pressure:

He was given an assignment which wasn’t selling books (which are generally easier to sell). Instead, he had to sell a completely different kind of product, and said he was sweating bullets looking at that terrifying blank sheet of paper in the typewriter. He simply didn’t know what to say or how to sell such a thing. With his job on the line, his income in jeopardy, and his career possibly hanging in the balance, he was forced to learn something most people (especially those who sell online…) never learn.

Or, if they learn it, they scoff at it as not being very secksy or cool or whatever.

Anyway, what was this lesson he learned?

Be patient, my Pet.

That lesson, and how I have applied it to *email* ever since, is safely locked away in the July “Email Players” issue.

It goes to the printer in a week.

If you want in on the fun, subscribe here to get it while you still can:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

I recently saw a flakebook post from a freelancer who got into a bit of a pickle.

The tl;dr version is this:

The copywriter found a client they liked, got excited at the sweet promises whispered in their ear of being put on retainer, then, going against their own policy, delivered a final draft before being paid for it (which the copywriter acknowledged was a muck up — and, let’s face it, it happens).

Then (shockingly!)… the client never paid.

Yes, even after sending the client reminders, and all that jazz.

Anyway, this is one of many reasons I don’t do client work.

In fact, other than a sales letter I wrote last year for a buddy (I was supposed to just consult the originally hired copywriter on the project, but then just did it myself, screw it), I haven’t done client work in exactly 6 years come this August 1st.

I don’t hate the players of copywriting (freelancers and clients).

I simply hate the game.

And in my way of thinking, why play a game you hate?

Anyway, this is why I keep things simple and neat and not dependent on clients.

It’s:

1. Opt in page
2. Relentless daily emails to a single, scalable offer
3. Sell people who buy that offer other things

No clients necessary.

No fancy software, or funnels, or tech skills needed.

And, no having to play by someone else’s rules.

Anyway, I have no idea if this helps anyone.

But, maybe someone needed to hear it…

If you’re that person, and if you want to learn how to write emails that make sales (whether for your own products or for clients — or to make yourself more attractive to would-be clients by offering this precious skill) then check out my “Email Players” newsletter.

It won’t teach you how to get paid by deadbeat clients.

But, it will show you how to write emails people love reading and buying from.

Here’s where to subscribe:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

The following question came in from Sunday’s call for podcast questions:

i’m wondering if el benbo has ever considered a waiting list for his email players newsletter like kevin rodgers does with his thing.

i’m wondering if el benbo thinks there are any benefits to limiting enrollment into his subscription newsletter.

is this something he’s considered but ruled out as a business strategy for what he wants to do?

what are the drawbacks?

really curious what his thoughts are on this kind of “close the cart” steategy?

I can’t speak for anyone else.

But, for my business model and goals, it ain’t happening. What good does it do my market to not give them the opportunity to buy? To not be able to start writing emails that make them more sales? To not help make them more successful? Not letting them buy would be incredibly selfish. So I wouldn’t do it for that reason alone.

Now, let me contradict myself:

(I’m good at that)

I *will* create a waiting list after reaching a certain number of subscribers.

Why?

Because it would be too much of a pain in the arse to manage too many subscribers without hiring an Irma (i.e. assistant) to help me, which I don’t want to do. I like being a one-man band — shrieks from the masses that it’s better to have a team and employees, and even a VA, etc notwithstanding. I like my business and life how it is. And, if it stopped being fun because, for example, I’m dealing with too many subscribers asking me questions by email (one of the perks of being an “Email Players” subscriber) that could cause a hit in the quality and enjoyment of my work.

And daddy doesn’t want that…

I’m not saying people with waiting lists are right or wrong.

People should do whatever works for them.

And, I will do what works for me.

Anyway, if you want to subscribe to “Email Players” the doors aren’t closing any time soon. But, the opportoonity to get the July issue before it mails closes next week.

Subscription info here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Not long ago James Altucher wrote an email about 30-day challenges.

Everyone’s got a 30-day challenge these days.

(Even Yours Unruly, in my “Email Players Playbook” which comes with your “Email Players” subscription.)

Anyway, it was an interesting list.

A couple of the things on his list I’ll never do.

Like, for example, live only in Airbnbs for 30 days.

I’d rather be *waterboarded* than stay in an Airbnb.

But, the list was overall thought-provoking and one of the things he said is perfect for anyone who wants to get faster at writing emails, and be able to pound them out without struggling, squirming, or wriggling in your seat trying to think up ideas.

And, that idea was:

Write down 10 ideas a day for 30 days.

He equates it to exercising your idea muscles, like any other muscle.

And, yes, I completely agree.

In fact, I have been doing something similar — not as part of a challenge, but just as a result of having lots of ideas — for years. I have a folder on my hard drive with some 2,000 various email ideas/subject lines/themes/offers. And, I’m always adding to it. Whenever I am away from my computer and get an idea, I simply whip out my phone and email the idea to myself (yes, I realize there are things like evernote or whatever, but this is what works for me).

The result?

I don’t really worry about what to write about.

I simply open the folder, take a gander, and pick whatever’s interesting.

Anyway, end of PSA.

Of course, ideas don’t equal sales.

The next step is knowing how to turn those ideas into emails.

Enter the “Email Players” newsletter.

It’s pricey.

It’s for people who have the attention span to read 16 pages per month and *implement*. (Amusingly, most people don’t have that, which is why there’s no real “competition” out there for my boys and ghouls who use my system.)

And, the July issue goes to the printer in 11 days.

One of the lessons inside is (ironically) about getting ideas.

Especially when, you have writers block or don’t know what to say, staring at that terrifying blank screen and blinking cursor when you have to write an ad, email, script, whatever.

Anyway, here’s where to subscribe to get it in time:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle