Here is an example of how to write an email that builds the relationship rather than just asking for a sale.
Subject: The "evil" guru down the street
I saw something disturbing yesterday.
I was walking my dog, gnashing my teeth about a copy project I was stuck on, when I saw my neighbor.
He’s a "marketing guru."
(The bad kind. The kind who sells "get rich quick" schemes but drives a beat-up Honda.)
He was screaming at his assistant on the phone.
"I don't care if they open the emails! Just send the blast!" ben settle email players 1 15 new
I cringed.
It’s that kind of attitude that gives email marketing a bad name.
It’s also why he’s struggling.
When you treat your list like cattle to be herded... you get trampled.
But when you treat them like friends you’re inviting over for a BBQ...
You get loyalty.
And loyalty pays better than any "blast" ever could. Here is an example of how to write
Talk soon,
[Your Name]
P.S. If you want to know exactly how I write emails that build loyalty (and sales) without the "blast" mentality, I break down the exact templates in the Email Players back issues.
There is a dangerous trend in the internet marketing world right now.
Everyone is obsessed with "hacks" to grow their list. Run Facebook ads. Do joint ventures. Create a "viral" lead magnet.
They treat their email list like an ATM machine. They think if they just shovel enough people into the top, cash will spit out the bottom.
But there’s a problem.
A list of people who don’t know, like, or trust you is worthless.
In fact, it’s worse than worthless. It’s a liability. It hurts your deliverability. It ruins your confidence when you see zero opens. And it makes you feel like a spammer.
In early issues of Email Players, we talked about the mechanics of the "Indie" business model. But today, I want to talk about the Psychology of the List.
If you want to build a business that pays you for decades, not just days, you need to stop building a "list" and start building a Tribe.
Here is the 3-step protocol for building a list that actually buys:
Ben Settle is famous for the “Player 1” concept. The idea is simple: In any new launch, product, or challenge, the first person to take action (Player 1) gets disproportionate rewards, attention, and results. Players 2, 3, and so on get diminishing returns.
Now imagine an email that arrives in your inbox with a numbered list: Players 1 through 15 of a new thing. There is a dangerous trend in the internet
Not “open to all.” Not “waitlist.” Just 15 slots.