The female customer who takes me on vacation with her

Email Players subscriber Nancy West reports: “Your email players go with me on vacations, on evening events I think may be boring, or walks along beaches, through woods. They have been so helpful in my life, my business and my investments. Thanks so much.” Nancy’s comment got me to thinking about something related. Not about Email Players. But about my books — and how many customers over the years have said things like they treat them almost like family heirlooms (one guy even went out of his way to save them from a fire, if memory serves…) in a way, making sure they are cared for, not lost in moves, not frivolously loaned out, that sort of thing. The reason? I like to think the content is that good. But, I also know from some of their comments they just think the books look cool. Meaning, the covers. Some people are freaked out by my book covers, too. And of course, there are always people who couldn’t care less one way or the other or even dislike the covers. But there is absolutely a segment of my list who buys them just because they want the covers to stand out on the book shelf (and want the content too, but also the coolness factor). This is a big part of my approach to design most recently validated by the great Dan Kennedy to me in a FAX he sent me (after he read my book Markauteur and praised it) where he said: "Nobody stands in front of bookshelves to admire a thumb-drive." Which is why none of my book or other product covers are done the way they are by accident. They are all done, no pun intended… by design. We work our arses off on the covers. By “we” I mean myself as the visionary and “author” of the designs… but also Email Players subscriber Kia Arian and her team who does everything they can to take my vision and breathe it life. The designs are also then used in other ways when applicable. And I have many more uses for them coming up in the future. Do these designs give my customers more “benefit?” I doubt it - not directly, at least. But they do add to the overall customer Experience of the Christmas-like anticipation of them arriving by mail (not downloadable eBooks)… the opening of the package… the seeing a cover that looks nothing like what anyone else is doing or, worse, “prompting” with AI tools that amateurs love so much… the displaying of the books in offices and dens… and one day, if the demand is there, the framed covers as art that adorn walls like I do with them all in my own office and, most recently, main residence den where they are starting to creep into. Not everything can be tracked with a spreadsheet. The Intangibles are often not trackable or scalable at all. But they can lead to more sales, a better customer experience, referrals, engagement, discussions about your offers, inspiration (I surround myself with my own book covers on the walls as they inspire me to want to create more content - I doubt motivation can be “tracked” but it can be observed, discerned, and utilized), and the list goes on. All of which brings me to the August Email Players issue. It’s the 13-year anniversary issue of the newsletter. And it is also the unofficial “sequel” to my Markauteur book, too, about the visual & design-side of my marketing universe of offers. This August issue analyzes several of my covers produced since Markauteur was launched analyzed (including the back-and-forth emails between me and Kia so you can see how cerebral we get with the process and solve problems that arise), as well as my latest opt-in page design, the comicbook-style ads (not just a cartoon caricature of me or whatever, but full-blown stories being told, often that sell my other offers) I have been producing since 2019, and even how I am going about marketing, selling, and monetizing my fiction, too, for those interested in that. This issue is double the size (40 pages). And it’s also probably quadruple the value. Reason why is I’m also including with the August issue: “Email Players Annual #3: Copywriting Conversations with God” This 68-page oversized (literally — in both size and page count) Annual issue bonus exists outside the normal continuity of the newsletter. And I wrote it to both commemorate the newsletter’s 13-year anniversary and give my best boys & ghouls something that can help them navigate the withering inflation and failing economy using ancient wisdom for success, selling, and persuasion that goes back 100s and even 1000s of years that can work for nearly any kind of business — and whether you’re a sinner or saint, pagan or atheist, including even if you’re so fragile you call the cops or your therapist when someone so much as wishes you a Merry Christmas at Walmart. You can read more about that in the P.S. below if you choose. Otherwise, to subscribe by the deadline do this: 1. Go to the link below 2. Read the sales page carefully to know what you’re getting and what’s expected of you 3. Patiently wait for the August issue to arrive Here’s the link: []( Ben Settle P.S. Some of the secrets found inside the bonus Email Players Annual #3: Copywriting Conversations with God bonus I am sending with the August Email Players issue include: * A line in the book of Exodus that is, word-for-word, arguably the single most profitable marketing lesson ever written. (I first learned about this in 1999 when selling MLM and foolishly ignored it. But when I got into daily emails years later, it helped propel my business forward in ways and at a speed that, speed that, frankly, I still don't believe sometimes..) * How to trick your trolls & haters into ramping up your email inbox deliverability… and without them even realizing it. * Denzel Washington’s creepy insight into whether trolls and reply guys are just assholes or are actually possessed by demons. * The CS Lewis method to converting scoffers, doubters, and even hostile unbelievers in your offers to becoming some of your best and most loyal customers/clients. * A little-talked about way (discovered by brain scientists some years back, I believe, but don’t quote me on that) to write headlines and subject lines that are almost neurologically impossible to ignore. * The angry boomer secret Jesus Christ used to go viral — where people told everyone they knew about Him, spread the word about Him, and got people talking about Him. (I don’t know if he does it on purpose, but I notice Dan Kennedy does the exact same thing these days.) * A secret way of using Biblical genealogies to find out if a guru you want to buy from or hire is full of crap or not. * Persuasion secret of an Old Testament prophet who converted a bunch of devil worshippers who wanted to kill him. * How to get away with teaching and saying controversial things on woke and converged platforms (like YouTube, Facebook, the ever-growing list of ESPS, etc) that kick people off for saying anything that goes against the Narrative. * A Biblical persuasion method Jesus taught in the book of Luke that, 2000 years later, Bruce Barton (son of a preacher and the second “B” in the billion dollar BBDO advertising agency) used to convince US Steel to keep paying his company through the nose for advertising when they insisted on killing the contract. * The ingenious secret Jesus used to create the biggest and most influential religion in world history that has also been used by a controversial filmmaker to create some of the biggest and most influential films in cinema history. * A powerful secret for growing a better and more response email list that Old Testament farmers used for growing better and more abundant crops. * A totally violent & disturbing copywriting tactic that works like gangbusters to get attention… but that you should avoid reading if you have a weak stomach. * Ezekiel’s “dung eating” lesson for how to sell with stealth — and in a way that can work far better than just lobbing benefits and claims at your list. * What Genesis chapter 5 teaches about how to preserve your business and protect it from being “Rings of Power’d” by your heirs. * An eerie red flag (straight out of the book of John) to look for if you want to identify the rats, bad actors, and other treacherous “Judas” types when choosing who to do business with. * What to do if you want to “exorcise” trolls and reply guys off your list. (Hint: Jesus, the Apostles, and Old Testament figures were never “nice” to evil — they always got rough with them, cast them out, rebuked them, and in Old Testament days even beheaded them!) * What the Bible says about how to go from always being scared of what’s going on in the world to having the world scared of you. * The violent lesson found right inside the book of Revelation about having a tight, responsive, and profitable email list. * One word that can help rile up large segments of your list (and it’s not even profanity) when you have to get their attention and nothing else you try works. * Advice to businesses who sell MLM offers who don’t want to be shunned and laughed at by friends, family, and peers. Real life story about this: There was once a party full of elites and A-list celebrities in Hollywood, yet everyone was gathered around a little old unassuming lady waiting in line to talk to her. The reason they loved her and ignored the celebrities? Because she was a sex therapist… no, I’m not saying to talk about sex in your marketing. That would be missing the point. But inside you’ll see a way to tap into the same force of persuasion the old lady did to potentially be “the person” people wants to consult about whatever your offers do vs being the person everyone avoids.) Anyway, there’s a lot more in this 68-page “Annual” edition. And you can read it free, my 13-year Email Players anniversary gift to you, simply by being subscribed to Email Players by the deadline on the last day of July. Here’s the link: []( 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