Politically incorrect secrets of an email "black sheep"

How about some "Q&A" action.



Reaching into the mail sack...



QUESTION: Ben, you mentioned being on facebook a little while ago.

I thought you quit that site last year?



BEN SETTLE: I did, then jumped back on for S&G's last Spring.



I don't spend a whole lot of time on there. But I sometimes chat

with "Email Players" subscribers and I use flakebook as a

sounding board for my politically incorrect jokes just to rile up

the masses.



Next question...



(About my "repulsion marketing" philosophy)





QUESTION: Could you describe in the level of detail that YOU

believe is necessary, (everyone has different philosophies, just

YOURs is what im interested in) who and what are your top 2 or 3

audience personas that you are specifically catering to... In

addition, could you explain exactly who you are actively trying to

weed OUT?



BEN SETTLE: Let me give you a "real life" example.



I think this will make it clear....



Last year I did an interview on copyblogger about the virtues of

selling physical products and not just digital products.



Someone said in the comments section:



"c'mon guys you can't be serious. i'm from the uk, not from the us,

and i can tell you this guy does only one thing, and not even good

- he's trying to justify his own beliefs and preferences and is

assuming many people (based on few of his friends as the "sample"

of people) like physical products? that guy is like what - 40 years

old? go ask 18 years old how they consume media, or news letters.

i'm 32 and can't remember the last time i had printed paper in my

hand (ok, it was today - local paper metro in london, uk). printed

stuff is for single people who have shit load of time on them or

for cave men like your mr. T. most people consume media online -

there's reason for that...if i paid for newsletter 140 usd, like

the guy is saying, i'd consider myself the dumbest person in the

class."



This dude is the "avatar" of people I don't want to buy.



Who I indeed won't let buy.



And, if they do slip through, I "fire" as customers.



Why?



Where do I begin?



First, he goes out of his way to prove my point while thinking he's

disproving it (i.e. saying he doesn't touch printed paper, but then

admits to reading a print newspaper that same morning lulz).



He also makes idiotic assumptions without facts.



Like how old he said I was.



That I'm justifying my own beliefs. (In the interview I

specifically said there are times when you SHOULD go digital...

duh).



And, that printed stuff is for single people with lots of time.



Really?



That's interesting considering many of the richest and most

successful people I know prefer print to digital "bytes" precisely

because it SAVES time, not because they *have* lots of time.



But worst of all...



This bloke judges information by weight and volume.



(And not the value of the information.)



It's amusing how many people think a 800-page book of filler and

nonsense is worth more than a 16-page newsletter filled with

hard-hitting tactics and advice that can quickly recoup their

investment each month several times over.



Anyway, so that's my nightmare customer "avatar."



I suggest you avoid these types, too.



Next question...





QUESTION: Ben, how long does it take before you start seeing

results if your emailing everyday. The reason I ask is because I

email every day and nothing is really happening. It would be

Awesome if you could point in the right direction.



BEN SETTLE: A helluva lot faster than if you mail once per month.



Sounds to me like you have a list and offer problem, not an email

or conversion problem. If you sell a product people on your list

want to buy, at the right price and with the right offer, you'd be

making sales.



'nuff said.



Burping along...



This next one is about that email I wrote about "open loops"...





QUESTION: You don't think storytelling with open loops and

'episodes' is a good idea? I'm curious to hear more of what you

think about it. Can so many other email marketers be wrong?



BEN SETTLE: First, I use "open loops" all the time.



So I'm obviously not against them.



The difference is, the next "episode" in my way of thinking, should

be the product -- not another email.



Would you rather people anxiously await what's in your next email?



Or anxiously await to see what's in your product?



Hey, do whatever works for you.



I'm a big fan of Dan Kennedy's teaching in never being a slave to

marketing "dogma", either way.



And that doubly applies to email.



Secondly...



Can so many other marketers be wrong?



The masses are OFTEN wrong.



Are easily baffled by bullshit.



(Just look at the politicians who get elected...)



And, are always spurning sound fundamentals in favor of stuff that

sounds "cool" whether it works or not in real life.



Happens all the time, amigo.



Example:



People who think open rates equal sales (they don't)... or who

believe studying sales letters for big product launches is smart

(it's usually not)... or who regularly send their lists to FaceBook

and YouTube (building FaceBook's and Google's lists and selling

their products and services, instead of their own).



OK, one more then we're done.



This one is a bit "politically incorrect" from Jim Yaghi:





QUESTION: Bro, no homo man but I love you.



You're a really good pal and I'm just sitting here after my dawn

prayer thinking about how much of my success I owe to you. I owe

you a lot bro. I hope to one day be able to repay that debt. And

for the record you should be gajillionaire you're a genius of

selling. All them gooroos ain't got jack on you. They're just

bigger hypocrites so they suck some ass to get promo'd and sell out

in return. But your left toe hair is better than they are.



Don't freak out bro...no homo n stuff lolz





BEN SETTLE: True 'dat, Mr. Yaghi.



I'm like the crazy old "black sheep" uncle at the family picnic the

other family members avoid. I rarely agree with the "mainstream"

not because I want to be contrarian, but because the mainstream is

simply wrong most of the time.



It's ALL good, too.



Wouldn't have it any other way...





OK, that's all for today.



If you want to join my "inner sanctum" of email superstars who are

making lots more sales using simple, easy-to-write emails (and

having a ball doing it), check out the "Email Players" newsletter.



Next issue is about doing special sales with email.



It's an extremely fast way to generate cash flow.



(And that ain't hype, neither.)



Plus, when you do it my way, it ain't complicated at all.



All you need are:



1. A list (even if a small list)

2. A product to sell

3. The ability to follow my instructions



But this bad boy goes to the printer in a few days.



Subscribe here while there's time:



http://www.EmailPlayers.com



Ben Settle









Ben Settle

Email Specialist

Settle, LLC

www.BenSettle.com



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