The cruel tutelage of Ben Mei

Email Players subscriber Carlos Cruz calls out my BENevolent abuse: === Hey, Ben. I hope you're doing well, or even fantastic. Have you ever considered that you're a modern version of Pai Mei? A kind hermit who's a master of his craft, has barriers to entry, doesn't open spots for disciples very often, and is ready to dismiss those who aren't worthy or ready to learn. Just a thought. Another thing that has been on my mind often in the last few weeks is that the world you created has an expanded version. You send us in various directions for exploration, to neighboring territories. Those of Matt Furey, Gary Bencivenga, Jim Camp, and many others. While consuming their content and visiting their worlds, it feels somehow that I'm still in your world, if it makes any sense. As many ideas and concepts are interlinked, it's like being in both planes at the same time. Feel free quote me anytime in any medium of your choice on this. I’m a big fan and a happy denizen of the world you've built. ==== True story: I once had a copywriting apprentice. But alas, she did nothing I told her, rebelled at every opportunity, and I had to fire her. Most notably, she kept giving advice away for free and kept taking on rush jobs. Two things I expressively forbade her to do. So she had to go. And, amusingly enough, word around the campfire is she went around Facebook afterwards telling everyone I was basically the devil incarnate - too controlling, too mean, too cruel, yada yada yada. And she was right. I am controlling, demanding, even cruel to those who want to learn from me and don't do as I command. Stefania will tell you all about how I brook no insubordination. I am also very quick to berate, badger, and shame if required. i.e., figuratively whacking people on the head with my cane or forcing them to punch wooden posts until their knuckles are raw and they wake up in the middle of the night twitching and jabbing at the air as they sleep on the floor... while subsisting on nothing but rice to eat. "The beatings WILL continue until morale improves" is the mantra on Ben Mei's mountain. Being “nice” never helped anyone, after all. That’s why we have a generation of broccoli heads running around not knowing what gender they are, having to bring their mommies to job interviews according to some recent news reports, and literally breaking down in tears or having emotional outbursts behind anon social media accounts if even slightly challenged, questioned, or corrected by their betters. Clearly those hippie burnout boomer school teachers giving them participation trophies did them zero good. Anyway, I take this email and marketing and copywriting shyt seriously. And I expect anyone I teach to as well. And frankly, this is why Stefania (my “bride” if you will…) is the ONLY person I allow to coach my Email Players subscribers. In fact, Email Players subscribers are the only ones she will coach, and even then it’s at a high fee to get further compliance from those she helps. She has no desire to work with anyone else after being with me for so long where her opinion of 99% of online marketers is now even lower than my own, and that ain’t no small feat. All right enough of this self fapping to my own image. Let’s get down to the bid’niz: The double-sized milestone 13-year anniversary August Email Players issue. I wanted to do something wild and unforgettable to commemorate this hallmark issue. And so, in this case, I not only made it double the size, but I also made it double the value too — by including a 68-page bonus: “Email Players Annual #3: Copywriting Conversations with God” This oversized (literally — in both size and page count) Annual issue bonus exists outside the normal continuity of the newsletter. And I wrote it to 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. This is the last email I’m sending about it. When I send the list to the printer shortly tonight, that’ll be it. So if you want in on time, go here immediately: []( 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. 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. 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