- Email Players 1 - 15 ((new)) - Ben Settle

: "Old-fashioned" methods for building responsive lists without relying on trendy "hacks" or social media platforms.

: A newer physical compilation that includes "Email Players" content adapted for business-boosting strategies. or a specific list-building technique mentioned in these early issues? Learning from Ben Settle's newsletters

He does not focus on complex automation sequences, trigger tags, or AI-generated templates. Instead, he teaches how to capture attention, stimulate curiosity, and influence human behavior through the written word. Whether a marketer is sending a plain-text email in 2012 or broadcasting a newsletter across decentralized platforms today, the psychological triggers of storytelling, polarization, and curiosity remain identical. Key Takeaways for Modern Marketers Ben Settle - Email Players 1 - 15

This is where Settle gets controversial. He introduces the concept that you need enemies.

is his flagship product. Unlike typical marketing newsletters that teach "10 tips for open rates," Settle’s newsletter reads like a private journal from a cynical, hilarious, highly successful mercenary. Learning from Ben Settle's newsletters He does not

Rather than hammering readers with generic product benefits, Settle advocates for highlighting the "painful symptoms" they feel—or will feel—if they don't find a solution. Highlights of Early Techniques

But his real goldmine isn’t his public newsletter. It’s Email Players —a monthly print newsletter (yes, physical paper) mailed to a tight-knit circle of subscribers. Issues #1 through 15 represent the foundational era of Settle’s philosophy, before the brand became synonymous with "enemy-fueled email." Here’s what makes this collection a cult classic among contrarian marketers. Key Takeaways for Modern Marketers This is where

In today’s world of 90-day drip campaigns, Issue #3 is heretical. Settle suggests that long, pre-written sequences smell like automation. Instead, he advocates for "live-ish" emails—batches written daily that reference current events. He reveals how he writes 30 emails in one sitting and then sprinkles "freshness" into each one (date stamps, news references) to fool the brain into thinking a human typed it just for you.

Unlike theoretical copy advice, each Email Players issue contains actual emails Settle wrote for clients (with permission). Issue #14 includes a full 7-day email sequence for a supplement company that generated $43,000 in a slow January. He annotates each line, showing where he injected "curiosity gaps" and "pain-point jabs."