The first 15 emails aren’t just a sequence — they’re your reputation compressed into two weeks of attention. Be deliberate: choose voice, own it, test rapidly, and treat every sentence as either building trust or breaking it.
If you want, I can: draft subject lines for these 15 emails, write the full copy for a 15-email launch sequence for a specific product, or turn this blueprint into a one-page checklist you can print and use. Which would you like?
Email Players newsletter by Ben Settle is a premium, paper-and-ink publication that focuses on direct-response email marketing and copywriting. The first 15 issues of the newsletter establish the foundational "Settle way" of marketing, which emphasizes daily engagement, infotainment, and aggressive sales tactics. Core Philosophy: The "Settle Way"
Ben Settle’s approach, often detailed in early issues and his accompanying Email Players Playbook , revolves around several key principles: Infotainment
: Emails should be a blend of information and entertainment to ensure they are "incapable of being ignored". Daily Emails
: Frequency builds a stronger bond with the list and can actually reduce spam complaints by training the audience to expect regular content. Direct Sales
: Settle discourages "educating" in emails, arguing it can kill sales; instead, emails should bridge an interesting story or "random" hook to a specific call to action. Market Pain ben settle email players 1 15 new
: Understanding the specific pains and concerns of the target market is essential for creating content people actually want to read. Key Lessons from Early Issues (1–15)
While specific monthly content varies, the early issues (often referred to as the foundation of the system) cover these recurring themes: The First Issue (Issue #1)
: This is often provided as a digital PDF for new subscribers and contains 24 different ways
to make more money with emails, including unique subject lines and opening techniques. List Building
: Strategies for building a "responsive" list from scratch, emphasizing list quality over mere size. Subject Line Mastery
: Techniques for writing subject lines that stand out in a crowded inbox, sometimes inspired by old-school advice columns or TV shows. The Bridge Technique The first 15 emails aren’t just a sequence
: Mastering the "bridge" between an entertaining story and the product being sold so the transition feels seamless to the reader. Eliminating Unsubscribes
: Paradoxical strategies to keep engagement high while filtered out "whiners" or those who aren't aggressive buyers. Notable Features Physical Format : Unlike most marketing courses, this is a printed newsletter mailed to subscribers' homes. The Playbook : New subscribers typically receive The Email Players Playbook
, a 150-page manual that serves as a "field manual" for the entire system. High-Value Content
: Settle claims the techniques in these issues have helped generate millions in sales across hyper-competitive niches like golf and home business. Ben Settle: The 6-Figure Slacker - AWAI
Who is your ideal customer? A "Player" is an action-taker. Remove subscribers who haven't opened in 90 days. Clean your list like Settle cleans his swipe files.
Use short subject lines (3–6 words), and keep body copy scannable: one to three short paragraphs or a handful of ultra-short bullets. “Players 1–15 are already in
The keyword is cryptic, but let's break it down into three distinct parts:
When someone subscribes, what happens?
If the answer is "they get a free PDF and then silence," you are losing money.
The first 5-7 days are critical. This is the "Honeymoon Phase." They just fell in love with your idea. You need to solidify that relationship immediately.
The Protocol:
Here’s where it gets interesting. Ben doesn’t write “join now to claim your spot.” He’d likely write something closer to:
“Players 1–15 are already in. They’ve got the blueprint. The rest of you? You can either watch them win, or you can email me why you should be Player 1 in the NEXT round. Spoiler: Most of you won’t. And that’s fine. More for them.”
That’s not a call to action. That’s a challenge wrapped in an insult. And it works because his audience self-selects for people who respond to being told they can’t do something.