EDITOR’S NOTE:

Ben Settle is a copywriter.

He’s also a publisher, an investor, a novelist.

I’ve been receiving his daily emails about marketing and copywriting since 2015. Believe it or not, I have thousands of emails from Ben in my Gmail. 

And I’d say 80% of those are grayed out, indicating they’ve been opened. And if I opened one of his emails, there’s a very good chance I read the whole thing. Because Ben’s copy is designed to pull you down the page:

It always starts somewhere random, with something intriguing or curious, emotional. And it always ends somewhere familiar, with the same call to action. And somewhere along the way, Ben always finds a way to bridge the dots — to make a connection — seamlessly, masterfully. 

What’s more, he always makes it look easy. 

So it’s possible I’ve read — and enjoyed — Ben Settle more than any other copywriter. (I only wish I’d found his newsletter sooner.)

And now I’m incredibly honored to have him on for a VGC Micro-Interview. I loved it and hope you will, too. 

In only 523 words, Ben shares:

  • 2 things that make it almost impossible to lose in marketing…

  • The book he read over and over and over for 6 years straight…

  • Why it’s better to think like a Publisher than a Writer...

And more…

Please enjoy one of my favorite interviews to date. 

Instantly get 6 “micro” courses and series about copywriting when you subscribe to the VeryGoodCopy newsletter for free. Plus...enjoy new content every week. Learn more → 

Thank you, Ben.

Let’s get started:

1) “What’s your work routine?”

A typical day - weather permitting - is waking up around 3 or 4 am, and choke down a fist full of supplements and nootropics. 

Then I work for an hour or two on the latest book or promo or email campaign with a big cup of spicy tea. 

After I see it get light enough outside to see, and sometimes when it is still dark to avoid tourists or other people, then walk for 10 miles for about 3 - 3.5 hours, during which I listen to audio/video content ranging from audio book biographies, to how-to business/marketing/copywriting, to socio-political content, to religious type content about current events, culture, prophecy, or whatever interests me in that area. 

I also tend to do a lot of my customer service, phone calls, and many times content creation on these walks. 

When I come back I eat, nap, then work on something else later in the early afternoon - usually something related to my mobile app software company where I do more coaching & call-related tasks.

2) “What do you know about your work now that you wish you’d known when you first started?”

I wish I'd thought more like a publisher and less like a "writer." 

You cannot scale being a mere writer -- copywriter or otherwise -- or have the kind of freedom, creative control, and income potential being a publisher of writing can do.

3) “What did your biggest professional failure teach you?”

My biggest failure was trying to start and revolve an info publishing business around Google and SEO -- specifically using article marketing -- only to watch Google "slap" article directories across the board, and wipe out almost two months of 10-15 hour days of writing well over 1,000 various articles, blog posts, emails, etc in a very short period of time. 

I learned about the stupidity of hacks & tricks, especially around a 3rd party platform like Google, and about the value of following the solid fundamentals of business building.

4) “What’s the #1 thing that has helped you shorten your craft’s learning curve?”

Writing all those articles — 10+ hours per day when doing the above — to the tune of thousands of pages of content very quickly, forced me to write fast, pithy, and accurately, with as little editing as possible. 

Writing a single email each day or even a full length long copy sales letter is as easy as falling off a log now, when before that it was a grueling event.

5) “What book has helped you the most over your career?”

The System Club Letters by Ken McCarthy — specifically for imbibing the raw fundamentals of business, marketing, and copywriting. 

I cannot recommend it enough. It was — literally, and yes this is TMI — my bathroom reading for about 6 years straight. I don't let anyone borrow it…

6) “And your parting piece of advice?”

We are entering a time where you almost can't lose if you: 

1) sending your list daily consistent emails they look forward to & enjoy reading and buying from and…  

2) aren't a flake by doing what you say you're going to do, when you say you're going to do it.