How to persuade even the most stubbornly clamped-shut mind

While back on twitter, podcaster Ellie Schnitt declared with the passion of a 1000 pronouns: “my favorite right wing thing is when they say nyc is sooooo scawwwyy like not to be that girl but I am the approximate size and strength of a ladybug and I don’t feel unsafe here so it’s objectively funny to be a Big Tough Country Boy and shit your diaper over the subway” To which my reply was: “My favorite NYC story is when @stefaniasettle saw a bum across the street of her mom’s Manhattan resell store jerking off in public, and the cops formed a protective ring around him while he did it. I like the way they do bid’niz” Which then got some replies like: “ok, how do you unsee a tweet?” “My poor eye holes.” “How can I unread this!” Fun times on Twitter. And yes, there is a point to this beyond my grossing you out. And that point is, creating Vision doesn’t require showing any pictures, images, or videos. If you know what you’re doing, your words fueling your reader’s imagination is a far more useful way to use an image to make sales than a gif or emoji, meme, or other picture. Been getting low on hate mail, so let’s take for example everyone’s favorite subject: Abortion. Ooh! Many years ago I remember seeing a bunch of pro-life protestors lining up along the road during morning rush hour holding up graphic pictures of aborted babies. Very disturbing and graphic, and horrifying. I remember feeling sick to my stomach. I suspect most everyone else who saw them did too. But, I also seriously doubt anyone’s opinion on the matter was swayed either way. Those against it were still against it (while feeling sick and probably angry at the protestors) and those who are okay with it were still okay with it (while feeling sick and also probably angry at the protestors). What'd work better? I’d argue what'd work a lot better is talking to people using just their words to create a Vision. Like, for example, when Antony Levatino testified at a House Judiciary Committee hearing about Planned Parenthood's medical procedures after having personally performed over 1200 abortions himself. You can read the transcript or watch it on YouTube. But some of the highlights included such Vision as: === “Your patient today is 17 years old; she's 22 weeks pregnant. Her baby is the length of your hand plus a couple of inches, and she's been feeling her baby kick for the last several weeks . And she's asleep on an operating room table.” “…you introduce a suction catheter into the uterus. This is a 14 French suction catheter. If she were 12 weeks pregnant or less, basically the width of your hand or smaller, you could basically do the entire procedure with this, but babies this big don't fit through catheters this size. ” “…you introduce an instrument called the Sopher clamp. It's about 13 inches long. It's made of stainless steel. The business end of this clamp is about 2 1/2 inches long and a half-inch wide. There are rows of sharp teeth. This is a grasping instrument, and when it gets a hold of something, it does not let go .” “… and out pops a leg about that big, which you put down on the table next to you. Reach in again, pull again, pull out an arm about the same length, which you put down on the table next to you. And use this instrument again and again to tear out the spine, the intestines, the heart, and lungs. The head on a baby that size is about the size of a large plum .” “… You know you did it right if you crush down on the instrument and white material runs out of the cervix. That was the baby's brains. Then you can pull out skull pieces . And if you have a day like I had a lot of times, sometimes a little face comes back and stares back at you .” “Congratulations. You've just successfully performed a second-trimester D&E abortion. You just affirmed your right to choose.” === The little face staring back is quite the eerie Vision. And I suspect many-a-person reading it no doubt has a Vision from that now seared into their own non-liquified white goo brains they will not soon forget. Plus, there is nothing to "object" to as far as arguing with it, because, like any persuasion and influence based in Vision it makes no argument to object to. It simply is what it is. And while most will not have had their minds changed immediately, the experience of reading that won’t be easily forgotten. Possibly it might even change someone’s opinion in the future over time, as it takes hold, they think about it, see it in a new context, it fits into their world when it didn't prior to reading it, and have time to digest it all. It’s happened before to some of my customers when I’ve talked about this subject using Vision — especially in my old elBenbo’s Lair Facebook group. And should that happen to someone? It won’t be because of any pictures since I didn’t show any. Nor will it be from any slick “sales copy” or appeals to reason or logic or religion. It will be because of Vision. Their Vision, not mine, from their imagination, not mine, based on their experience, not mine - or any vision I try to impose on them with a photo, picture, gif, or anything else I could include in this email. If this topic of creating Vision interests you than the June Email Players issue goes into it in depth with lots more examples of Vision and how it can work. I do not show you “how” to do it with a checklist or swipe file. Frankly, there is no checklist. Nor do I even have business or marketing examples in it. This topic transcends business and marketing and advertising and copywriting. But seeing lots of examples like I talk about inside the June issue app-so-lutely can potentially help with your own Vision creating for your business and marketing just as it has for my business and marketing, not to mention my fiction, sales copy, emails, and other content when applicable. Okay enough of this. To subscribe before the deadline go here: []( Ben Settle P.S. Here are some of the tips I teach inside the June issue: * The persuasion secret used by Gary Halbert to turn a man who tried to bully him in the army into being his collector when he became a bookie (and who also later became the best man at his wedding). * The controversial (but totally ethical to use if you want, don’t worry…) tactic Earl Nightingale used in one of his videos to influence probably millions of people to get off the couch, become successful, and make lots of money. * Why Hollywood screenwriters are some of the most persuasive “copywriters” on the planet… and real life examples (word-for-word) you can study to apply to your emails, sales copy, and other selling endeavors. * Why I believe it’s the height of stupidity to put your kids’ pictures anywhere online (even just for friends and family to see) — and the sales trick I pull out out of my self-righteous sleeve to prove this to even the most narcissistic and solipsistic attention-seeking parents who live and die by Facebook & Instagram likes. * A cunning secret used by the world famous evangelist Billy Graham (arguably one of the single most persuasive & influential men who ever lived) to “sell” a hostile mechanic who wanted to bludgeon him with a tire iron to not only back off but also do business with him. * The sales & persuasion method Doberman Dan Gallapoo used “on” me many years ago when he saw me stubbornly sabotaging my own business that has saved me from a lot of pain, misery, and despair. * The “can’t lose” persuasion secret I will use on Willis when he comes of age to make absolutely sure he stays far, far away from dating and/or marrying a woman of low character or who has a body count bigger than ‘nam. * Why your email readers’ imaginations and the images you put in their minds with your words are far more persuasive than pictures from your computer you insert in your emails. * The totally shameless and admittedly creepy “sales job” I will run on Willis if he wants to run away from home when he’s a teenager that will give him almost no choice but to sit down, shut the hell up, and thank God for me and Stefania. (Yes, the info inside the June issue goes way beyond just making you better at selling in business — it can apply to nearly any other aspect of your life, too, as you’ll see.) * A trick I learned from reading Reddit to know if something you write or say when selling/marketing/pitching hits a nerve (i.e., is persuasive) or not. * The 4 sales letters/ads I consider to be amongst the most influential & persuasive ever written. (This issue does not have any advertising examples — as the principle it teaches transcends just advertising — but I do name them and have been studying each for over 20 years now… always pulling something new out I can use in my own advertising every single time.) * The secret to selling (online or offline) without giving someone anything to object to and that can work even if you lack great selling skills, credibility, proof, writing talent, personality, or anything else. * An example of how I insert lots of sales, copywriting, and persuasion methods/teaching into my fictional books. (If you’re a fiction writer this is something I believe you should be doing whenever it makes sense — as it can only strengthen & hone your copywriting skills.) But that ain’t all. I am also including a bonus training I did for a private mastermind called: “Snob-Friendly Writing Secrets of a Mentally Disturbed Pulp Novelist! I taught it to Email Players subscriber Kevin Johns’ private mastermind members about fiction writing, publishing, & marketing. And I am including a copy of the transcript of this training with the June Email Players issue. Here’s a lil’ taste of what’s inside this bonus: * An almost laughably simple to “leap frog” over the 700 other books on someone’s kindle so they read your book first. * Ways for fiction authors to get their books bought and read, with a rapidly growing fanbase. * An old writing trick (that literally goes back thousands of years) for structuring a story for maximum engagement, impact, and reader experience. * A trick I learned from the story “A Clockwork Orange” to help make my fiction an easier, faster, more pleasant and engaging read. * The World-Building secret I use to “get away with” constantly shilling my fiction (directly and also totally on the sneak) in my emails, on Twitter, and other places on the internet to help create demand and momentum. * How to write fiction (and anything else, for that matter) where it’s not a slog or chore… and something you eagerly look forward to each and every day. (There is no way I could have written 9 novels not to mention a word count of non-fiction books & newsletters that dwarfs Tolkien, CS Lewis, and JK Rowling combined… if it was a slog or chore.) * The Beauty and the Beast secret used by Disney to create a near-fanatical wing of his customers that will probably never leave nor forsake the company no matter how hard the try to butcher even their most beloved brands. (Star Wars, Marvel… nobody destroys brands like Disney — but it won’t matter to the fanatics, and what they did with Beauty and the Beast is a great “template” any fiction writer can use to create their own wing of fanatics amongst the readership.) * The biggest — total pain in the ass — writing mistake I made when writing fiction early on that is still creating nothing but misery, complications, and frustration for me, my publisher, my editor, and even my audio book guy to this day. * Why I totally rewrote my entire first novel from scratch the last week of December last year… even though the book has a rabid (albeit small) fanbase and it’s been consistently selling for years. * Shameless advice to fiction writers (I learned from observing Tolkien, George Lucas, and David Morrell the author of “First Blood” that the Rambo movies are based on) who struggle with being perfectionists, wanting everything to be perfect, and who maybe even psychologically can’t let something see the light of day if it’s not perfect. * The purely business reason why I wrote a screenplay based on my first novel… even though I have zero illusions it will ever get made into a movie or that Hollywood wouldn’t mutilate it beyond recognition by filling it full of pronouns, gays, and awkward race-swapping even if did. * Why one of the best guys to study for writing fiction wasn’t even a writer (much less novelist or creative writer) but a technology investor & inventor who created almost his own religion for his products amongst his fans & customers. * Tips on approaching the writing of a fictional series of books… and how to plan it and write it and promote it. (My 9-part Enoch Wars novels ain’t exactly New York Times best-sellers, so I can only share what I’ve been slowly implementing — but so far it’s been working as planned over the last few years, and I think nearly any fiction writer can do the same.) * The single best writing trick I know and have used (regardless of what kind of writing you do — fiction or otherwise) for creating books people look forward to buying, reading, & consuming. * The marketing technique I have been using for years to help write fiction that does not bore, create apathy, or put people to sleep. (That’s not to say everyone who reads them likes them… just the opposite… but there is rarely lukewarm response, usually it’s love or hate, and it’s because of this marketing secret I use in every sentence.) * The #1 purely mercenary capitalist reason why fiction writers should avoid using fapGPT or any other AI tools to write even a single word of their stories or books. (Broke broccoli heads & money Twitter dorks who think fapGPT is the Second Coming won’t want to hear any of this, but nobody cares what those schlubs think anyway.) * At the same time, I also reveal one totally legitimate use for fapGPT to create commercial writing (especially fiction) that I would absolutely use if I cared enough to subscribe to it. * Why writers are he ones who make civilization work and will have to save civilization from this awful mess we’re in now. * A little talked about documentary (you can find on Amazon Prime) that I believe should be mandatory for anyone who is easily seduced by AI like fapGPT to watch before doing anything kind of writing (or do any kind of art). * The difference between using AI and a swipe file to help write your sales copy. * The brilliant thing Marvel (and other comicbook movies like Joker 2) do with their advertising that works so well people are almost more excited to watch the trailers (advertising) than the movies themselves! * The pros and cons of getting your fiction in with a big established publisher. (Personally, I don’t bother — not only because my politics would get me canceled and all the “offensive” stuff probably edited out like they are doing to established authors… but there are other reasons too.) * My (probably biased — but no less true) reason why authors should all have their own mobile apps. Here’s the link to subscribe while there is still a little time left to do so: []( This email was sent by Ben Settle as owner of Settle, LLC. Copyright © 2024 Settle, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this email may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from Settle, LLC. Click here to [unsubscribe]( Settle, LLC PO Box 1056 Gold Beach Oregon 97444 USA