Earlier today I got this email asking where the beef is:<\/p>\n
\u201cHi Ben. I joined your newsletter and ever since all you are doing is marketing your print newsletter. you’re not entertaining or teaching or anything. What gives?\u201d<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Is this free content cop right?<\/p>\n
Am I just pitching and teasing?<\/p>\n
With nothing to sink your mighty fangs into?<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s find out what \u201cgives\u201d and get to the bottom of this mystery. It could be Yours Salesy needs to change up his game to appease the other non-buyers. Below are the 10 email subject lines that have gone out since 4\/20 (when the free content cop joined my list), along with what those respective emails taught:<\/p>\n
1. \u201cSociopath proof 2.0\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 the dangers of basing your buying decisions on social proof<\/p>\n
2. \u201cThere is no justice, only power\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 why you should embrace your negative, down-and-dirty motivations to better achieve your goals<\/p>\n
3. \u201celBenbo\u2019s nihilistic goal lecture\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 a link to last weekend\u2019s podcast about how to \u201cflip\u201d being discontent into achieving whatever goals your greedy little heart desires<\/p>\n
4. \u201cWhy I\u2019ve been ignoring your emails\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 gave reasons on why people on your list might be ignoring your emails, so you can make sure you aren\u2019t doing those things and make more sales<\/p>\n
5. \u201cBrick & mortar business owner wipes the floor with his competition\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 a testimonial email, and pure pitch<\/p>\n
6. \u201cA secret (but ethical) way to profit from gut-wrenching loneliness\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 talked about why loneliness is so dangerous, and educates the reader about the existence of a way to write emails most people have never thought of before<\/p>\n
7. \u201cDrop shipper cleans up using Twitter and Email Players\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 a testimonial email, pure pitch<\/p>\n
8. \u201cThe king of content drinks wine from his mighty goblet\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 educates the reader about why the \u201cusual suspects\u201d of content (value, benefits, infotainment, etc) are not the most important attributes of persuasive content, and let\u2019s the reader know there is something better they should be aware of<\/p>\n
9. \u201cYet more proof why stingy emailers have skinny kids\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 testimonial, pure pitch<\/p>\n
10. \u201cStan Lee\u2019s secret to building an audience so loyal they\u2019ll help you bury a body\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 teaches the reader why they should study the life of the great Stan Lee, which is not only a powerful tip, but easy for anyone whose Google isn\u2019t broken to do on their own<\/p>\n
Seems to me the free content cop simply hasn\u2019t been paying attention:<\/p>\n
Ten emails, only 3 of which are pure pitch.<\/p>\n
The rest have tips, lessons, and profitable (or, at least, useful) ideas embedded. But, admittedly, in order to benefit from them, one has to (1) not be a lazy thinker and (2) have a bit of motivation in them to dig deep enough to mine the value.<\/p>\n
Such are the reasons why I don\u2019t cater to the free content cops.<\/p>\n
(They make terrible customers for me, your milage may vary.)<\/p>\n
But, I will say this:<\/p>\n
Just like mindless trolls do, the free content cops serve a Valuable function in my business as unpaid marketing \u201cinterns\u201d giving me content.<\/p>\n
Like for this email, for instance.<\/p>\n
Now, onwards and upwards to the important part:<\/p>\n
The righteous sales pitch.<\/p>\n
The May \u201cEmail Players\u201d issue is going to the printer Monday. It shows (amongst other things) how to not only not worry when your competition gives everything away free (prompting them to ask you, \u201chey! why should I buy your product, when I can get the same info free on Youtube?\u201d), but actually profit from it.<\/p>\n
This is rampant in certain markets.<\/p>\n
i.e. markets that sell to vegans, fitness, dating, cooking, health, golf, etc.<\/p>\n
Anyway, after the Monday deadline, it will be too late to get the May issue since I don\u2019t sell back issues anymore each month like I used to. (The April issue which, ironically, you can no longer get, explained why).<\/p>\n
To subscribe in time to get it, hustle on over to this link:<\/p>\n