Ben Settle

Lindsay Sacks partakes of elBenbo’s mysterious ways, and reports:

Well let me tell you…my writing is so much more relevant, interesting, and engaging since knowing you. I’m excited to get up and write every day. I have a keener interest in knowing about a greater variety of topics and people. I’m more passionate than I’ve ever been and giving my first hours of the day to my own business has created more momentum than I thought possible.

As grouchy and crotchety as you are, you change lives directly and through me to the people I mentor and email and teach.

I’m a huge fan girl. Obviously.

Been getting lots of testimonials like this.

My email sack is ever hungry for more, if you have been using my ways and want to report your results, too.

Meantime:

The February issue goes to the printer in a couple days.

Hop on here before it leaves the station:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

More tales from elBenbo’s dating files:

Late last Summer, I was dating a girl who was getting very aggressive about me giving her my commitment. We had dated for a couple months, and, like most girls, she wanted some kind of security.

But, elBenbo does not allow himself to become a “kept” man easily.

I make chicks fight for it.

(As they should.)

And, she just wasn’t at the level for me to want to girlfriend her up.

At the same time, I was actively dating and pursuing other girls I met. I told her (actually, insisted) she go see other people, too. But she didn’t want to see these other people, she only wanted to see me.

“Why do you have to keep talking to these other girls?” she asked.

My response?

Every company has a human resources department that is always taking applications. Even if I have a good employee as my assistant, for example, I’m still always taking applications from other would-be assistants.

Why?

Many reasons.

For example:

If my assistant starts getting complacent and repeatedly disrespects me or her position… or if I catch her embezzling funds… or she’s caught also working for a *competitor*… or if she just ups and leaves without even giving her two week notice, I have to have someone I can pull out of the drink at a moment’s notice.

To her credit, she understood where I was coming from well enough.

She understood her position was my *intern*.

She was not yet a paid employee.

She also realized she could be one if she worked hard, kept her nose clean, and I was ready to fill that position. But at that time, all I wanted was interns. Eventually, one hangs around long enough, proves themselves exceptional, doesn’t get seduced away by another company, and demonstrates a fiery determination to only work for me.

I can hear the snowflakes weeping and gnashing their teeth already.

“elBenbo! You jerk!”

No, it’s not jerky, it’s smart.

Every good company takes applications at all times.

It keeps everyone on their toes and from becoming complacent.

And you know what?

This has pretty obvious business applications too, of course. Not just for hiring actual employees. But also, when it comes to managing clients and customers.

I talk about this more in February “Email Players” issue.

It goes to the printer in a few days.

Subscribe here while there’s still time to get it:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

More advice you didn’t ask for:

One of the big lessons anyone in bid’niz or any man who is having trouble with the ladies is in the movie Rocky 3. Many a dude learns (the hard way) the lesson of Rocky — that getting the girl (winning the Title) is just step one.

After that you gotta defend it.

And I don’t mean just keeping her more attracted to you than other dudes.

The game never ends.

As comedian Dante Nero loves saying:

“You have to constantly
pimp your girl.”

There is no exception to this.

Yes, some girls require less of this than others.

And if you find one who needs less, hold on to that girl and never let her go. In 21st century America at least, and if she’s attractive with a low notch (sex partner) count, that is almost as rare as hen’s teeth.

But SPURN me not on this and ignore it.

The game never ends.

Just because you win one battle there will be another one eventually. And because of that you have to constantly be training — running, sprinting, lifting weights, chasing chickens around the yard, doing one-armed pushups, eating nothing but raw eggs for breakfast, shadow boxing, sparring, and the list goes on. If you get lazy, complacent, and start drinking beer and eating bon-bons all day, you’ll start to get weak.

You’ll get exhausted faster.

Your wits will get slower.

Your muscle memories will lessen.

Your technique and power will fade.

And then, eventually, you’ll lose your title to Clubber Lane, along with your peace of mind and self respect.

This of course applies to business, too.

Especially if you are comfy working on retainer.

Something I talk a lot about in detail in the upcoming Valentine’s Day edition of the February “Email Players” issue — which goes to the printer in just a few days, after which it will be too late to get in on it.

Here’s where to subscribe:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Long time customer Wyla Green manages to raise the temperature of elBenbo’s cold, lifeless heart a whole half of a degree:

A LONG time ago, I saw something in you that I didn’t see in any other marketer and rarely in other people. You were being yourself when others were pretending to be something other than what they really are. Mr. Settle, I have had many ups and downs in my life in these past few years, but there has been one positive constant: YOU. Don’t underestimate how you change people and dare I say touch them deeply. What you do is far beyond “marketing.” I cannot express how much I appreciate you.
Thank you, Ben.

Hold on a sec…

Whew!

There, that’s better.

Those pesky feelz almost penetrated my dank, subterranean soul.

Anyway, this is what I teach up in my monthly “Email Players” newsletter.

Persuasion principles, yes.

Email techniques, of course.

But, most importantly:

Building deep, long term relationships with your customers. You can’t do that with the horse pucky some of these clowns prattling on about how to be “authentic” teach. But, you can do it by being an original you vs a warmed over version of someone else.

Especially, if you do it via email each day.

Which, of course, is something else I teach in “Email Players”.

Except this next issue.

There is no email instruction in it.

But, the information inside can add another 0 to your email profits.

Here’s where to subscribe:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Full disclosure:

One big influence of mine is the late comedian Patrice O’Neal. I’m not a big fan of the lifestyle he lived, but his deep thinking and ability to bring things down to the street level was second to none. Anyway, he once talked about the dangers of letting a girl become your entire focus and universe — that you are constantly revolving around, trying to please, and need.

His example was the movie Superman 2.

Remember that little ditty?

In the movie, Clark, to appease Lois Lane (who fell in love with him because he was Superman, not friggin Clark Kent), gives up his powers for her.

After which he gets his butt kicked, and becomes miserable.

Next he’s walking through the snow looking for his green crystal in Antarctica.

A rough, long journey without his powers.

But, necessary to get those powers back.

Anyway, here’s the point:

Far too many guys these days give up their superpowers for a girl. They will stop being Superman because she thinks she wants something else, when it was being Superman that attracted to her in the first place.

No good.

That is, if you don’t want to be a self-made eunuch.

More:

Yes, this applies to businesses, too.

Maybe even more so.

And, if you understand how to use this superpowers thing to your advantage, you will find you almost can’t do wrong by your customers or clients — even if they insist on wanting to change you for their nefarious ways.

I rap a lot more about this in the February “Email Players” issue.

It’s powerful stuff, Babycakes.

And, could even save your business’s life.

Here’s where to subscribe before the deadline to get it:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Continuing on my dating life stories from yesterday…

Here’s another for your bad self:

One of the many girls I dated after the ex-copywriting apprentice and I parted ways last summer was a girl who loves New Zealand. She has a bunch of friends there, work there, and other support there. She also was being pursued by a guy who really wanted her to move back there so he could take another shot at ‘dat azz. In fact, when her and I were dating she would try to get me to be more interested in her by talking about that every now and then.

The old “let’s make this guy jealous so he’ll commit” routine.

Unfortunately for her, elBenbo is far more adept at these games than she is.

(It drives girls crazy how when they are testing me, I am actually testing them and always pull out whatever horse shyt they are hiding, while hiding all my horse shyt safely out of sight — you can’t out-villain elBenbo, ladies…)

Where was I?

Oh yeah, I remember:

So one day we were hanging out and she does it again:

“I love New Zealand and want to go back, but I’m really liking my life here now with my job and meeting you…” yada yada yada.

My answer?

Well, I can tell you it wasn’t “no, please, stay, and here’s why…”

Just the opposite.

I told her she should go back.

I told her I am the wrong guy for her, and I’m not going to be committing to her any time soon if ever. (Yes, I literally used those words, which was the truth.) I also said, she should not only go back, but try to make things work out with that ex-boyfriend there. He realized he made a mistake, wants her back, wants her a helluva lot more than I do, and she should seriously consider going back there…

In essence, I was trying to get her to tell me “no.”

Not as a “tactic” though, but out of transparency.

(Every word I told her was true.)

Now why would I do this?

Because I try to live life by principles, not tactics.

And one principle I live by is the power of the word “no.”

(Hat tip to the late Jim Camp…)

Trying to get a no is one of the best ways ever invented to get the truth out of someone, get everyone’s cards on the table, eliminate any confusion, and, keep life as simple as possible.

So what happened?

That, my little droogie is revealed in the February “Email Players” issue.

And, it accompanies an extremely profitable and valuable lesson for anyone who sells (in any medium — emails, copywriting, phone, belly-to-belly, video, etc) for a living. In fact, it’s one of the single most profitable lessons I can ever impart on someone — especially if you are someone who struggles getting sales or clients, or just wants to amp up your current sales.

This bad-boy goes to the printer soon, though.

Subscribe before the deadline here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Behold a real life story from the dating files of elBenbo:

After ye olde ex-copywriting apprentice and I split ways last summer (and have not spoken since, such is my talent for pissing girls off… ) I wasted zero time getting back into the game. One mistake men make is not jumping right back into it after they leave a girl or get dumped by a girl. Sitting around feeling sorry for yourself or pretending that precious little snowflake is the “best” you can do and you’ll never do better is horrible negative self talk that not only is harming you psychologically, but it’s simply not true.

As I said in a podcast recently:

There is ALWAYS another girl.

Always.

And, even better, there is always another girl better than the one you just had.

There are many girls on the girl tree, Fonzy.

And, if you are a high value man (and you are, you secksy beast, you…) the math is on your side. By that I mean, there are far more girls who want and need a man like you than there is a supply of men like you out there in snowflake land these days.

I can tell you this from experience many times over.

And, so it is.

Anyway, what does this have to do with you?

Probably it has nothing to do with you.

Unless, you are someone who is lacking the amount of client work (at whatever you do) or numbers of customers you want.

Enter the February “Valentines Day” “Email Players” issue.

She goes to the printer in approximately one week.

And, not only do I got way deeper into this subject for guys having girl troubles… but also how to apply this all to getting all the clients and customers you can stand. So many so, you might even have to create a waiting list if your business is not set up to scale.

To subscribe in time to get this 100% politically incorrect issue go here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Behold the difference between Opportunity-minded buyers (who I try to repel, but some sneak in) and Investment-minded buyers.

It just doesn’t get any more clear than this.

Below are 3 emails I got just yesterday.

And, if you are like the first guy below I sincerely mean it when I say don’t waste your time or money buying any of my products. This is not some idiotic reverse psychology tactic. My products won’t do you any good whatsoever, and you are better off chasing the secksy BSO’s (bright shiny objects everyone else peddles) and not the un-secksy DUO’s (dull unpolished objects) that elBenbo peddles.

Save your muney.

Save your time.

And, yes, save your energy…

Here goes, exhibit #1:

“I am currently paying USD 97 monthly for your Email Players Newsletter. I would like to terminate my subscription with immediate effect as I find the price too steep for the amount of content provided. However, I did find some nuggets that helped me with my sales. Thank you for your tips!”

No commentary from me needed.

I wish him all the best, and I mean that (not sarcasm).

Now, here are the other two:

(From “Email Players” subscriber Sam Pealing)

“This month’s Jim Camp issue is a goldmine of information. I think almost any business in any industry could thrive by using the principles and observations that you broke down in pages 1-8. And the thing is, it’s distilled information. It took me 30 minutes to read, and it’ll take me 30 minutes to read it the next time I do. That’s much more time efficient than going through a few hundred pages of business waffle. A week ago, on New Year’s Eve, my grandad died. He was a huge part of my life, and the event shook me. It sapped me of all motivation, and destroyed my habits. I took the whole week off and withdrew. After a week of getting my head straight, this EP issue – especially the Jim Camp analysis -has really thrown me back on track and made me excited to get back into helping people learn English the right way. So, cheers for that, Ben. Oh, and that ‘needs more gore’ section? It went right for the jugular with that example. Now my minds spinning on how I can do something similar!”

Again, no commentary needed.

Here’s the other one:

“I just signed up for your newsletter and got my copy of “The email Players Playbook” Friday, which I am finishing my first reading of right now. I also launched my daily email broadcasts on Thursday. Sent my third daily email today. I’m starting with a list of about 4000 (clients, former clients and inquiries over the past several years). Already have about 120 unsubscribes, though only 12 today so far, and a couple of product inquiries (I sell insurance client newsletters to insurance agents – it’s a “continuity” product, plus websites, other content products and am creating an insurance blogging course/ebook). Anyway, thanks so much, Ben. Mucho value received and more to come, I know.”

No commentary need with this one either.

Oh!

Wait!

Look, here’s yet another Investor-minded one that came in yesterday:

(From a guy who bought ALL the “Email Players” back issues in one shot)

“Add me to the ‘Daily Email Changed My Life’ list! When Carlton suggested to me in our first meeting last year that I needed to do a daily email I thought he was nuts – over the hill – his brain was getting mushy. Now I kneel at his (and your) feet for wisdom beyond understanding. I used to struggle to get a MONTHLY newsletter out. He showed me I needed to simplify and you (and Ryan Lee, too) showed me how. If you told me then what would be happening now I simply wouldn’t have believed you. But it’s happening. P.S. I’ve only gotten through the first four newsletters of 2011 – and already my friggin’ head is exploding. You mentioned the 12/11 email in your last podcast – it truly IS epic! I’m working on a product launch use those tips right now.”

Okay enough.

There is a very clear distinction between the mindsets.

Which are you?

Opportunity-minded?

Or Investor-minded?

Something to ponder on while you anxiously await tomorrow’s musings.

In the meantime, here’s where to subscribe to “Email Players”:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

P.S. If you subscribe today you will *not* get the January issue. However, next year it will be in the catalog that goes out with each issue and you can purchase it that way if it suits your fancy.

Behold one of the best quotes ever penned:

“I have spent my whole life scared, frightened of things that could happen, might happen, might not happen, 50-years I spent like that. Finding myself awake at three in the morning. But you know what? Ever since my diagnosis, I sleep just fine.”

— Walter White
“Breaking Bad”

I do so dig on that quote.

Reminds me of something people are afraid of:

Mailing daily.

In fact, a while back I got into a talk about this on flakebook with some of my customers. One of them, in just 30-60 days of daily emails, went from living client-to-client to getting two whopper clients on retainer. Another said she doubled her sales. Misty (my podcast announcer babe and sometimes business partner) often talks about how mailing daily completely changed her life and her business, and the list goes on. My podcast producer tells me it took him from making $1k per month in sales to around $1k per week, and so on, and so forth.

But you know what?

Most people are too chicken to do this.

They’re scared of getting lots of opt outs.

Scared people will complain.

Scared people will think they suck at writing.

Scared of this, and scared of that…

Bah!

Yes, you WILL get opt outs. (Good, they were never going to buy anyway). You WILL get complainers. (Good, use their emails as fodder). You WILL be insecure about your writing if’n you aren’t writing regularly already. (Good, most emails are way too polished anyway.)

But, you should also see more sales, too.

Maybe even lots more.

Plus other intangible benefits, too. (Better bond with your list, JV opportunities, rock solid personal branding, people seeing you as a leader and not just another “expert” yada yada yada…)

Yes, your milage will vary.

And no, there are no guarantees.

But, what do you have to lose?

It costs you nothing to try.

And, the potential upside is huge.

Anyway, one of the things you get when you subscribe to my “Email Players” newsletter is a short book called “The Email Players Playbook” — and inside, towards the end, I even lay out a simple 30-day game plan to follow.

Very easy.

Very simple.

And, very profitable.

But, only if you do it…

Subscription info here:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle