How to get a product to sell if you don't have one
When people first understand the power of information marketing, they get very, very excited. They start imagining how much money they're going to make in a small amount of time. They imagine the postman bringing them huge stacks of mailed in orders with checks enclosed. They imagine their online shopping carts filling up with orders, and cash going into their bank accounts daily.
But, after the excitement wears off a bit, they always ask me this
question: "Mr. X, information marketing sounds great, but I don't have a product to sell to anyone. Can you help me out? How can I find a product--fast?"
As you'll come to find out, finding a product to sell is actually the easiest part of information marketing. But, many people get stuck on the belief that they have to spend a lot of time and money to "tie up" an original product that no one else has, or they don't have the knowledge to create one. None of those are true.
Here's a huge secret to information marketing success, one few people truly understand: the product is irrelevant until after the sale is made. Why? Because if you're selling it via a direct mail sales letter or website, no one sees it until it arrives. And, if you're selling a "how to" information product, people are buying the information, not the media the information is delivered on.
In other words, they're not buying audio tapes, or printed manuals, or CD's or DVD's, they're buying the information on that media.
And the only information they have to make a buying decision on is what you present in the sales letter. Really, all the product has to do is live up to the promises in the letter so the customer will be happy, and buy more things from you.
The truth of the matter is, the sales message is much more important than the product. People don't buy "products," they buy the end emotional result of the product. Let me give you an example.
What's one of the most common everyday, boring items in the world?
How about... water! Even more so, how about tap water? Anyone can go to their kitchen or bathroom, turn on the tap, and get a glass of water. Knowing this, why would anyone spend money to buy someone else's tap water?
Well, a few years ago, a few sharp guys from New York, came up with a bottled water product called "New York Tap." It was, literally, a bottle full of water that came from the New York City water supply. Not too exciting, huh? Or is it? See, these guys told a very compelling story about how New York tap water was the freshest, purest water in the nation and how it was much better for you than ordinary tap water. People loved the story and started sending these guys money for something they could go into their kitchen and get. But they bought it because they loved the story, not because of the product. They loved to "one-up" their friends, and tell them they drank "purer" water than they did, and that they could afford "New York Tap."
See, these guys weren't selling water at all--they were selling elitism and a "show off" mechanism. And people just love to show off--these guys met that want, and made a lot of money (until the city of New York got wind of it, and shut them down, saying they couldn't resell their water).
So, when you create or find a product, remember, people are not buying the product itself, they are buying the end emotional result of the product.
Let's talk about creating an "information product." Most people think they have to be some kind of an "expert" in order to create a "how to product." Nothing is further from the truth--everyone reading this knows something about something other people would pay to get their hands on. And, if you don't, you can spend a day at the library (it's the big building where they keep all the books) finding information that lets you create a product.
Most people are under the impression you have to have "new" information to create a product. That's not true at all, and can be dangerous. Why? Because it's much better to sell information people have already proven they're interested in than to try to invent something new.
Take, for example, the Atkins Diet. If you go back to the 1970's when it was first introduced, people went crazy over it. Then they moved onto something else. Then, in the late 1990's the Atkins Diet (the same old thing that was around in the 70's) was re-introduced
and people, once again, went wild. The information is exactly the
same--yet people (many of whom bought it in the 70's) spent all kinds of money on books, tapes, etc., they could have gotten for free at the library.
See, you as an information marketer are NOT a scientist, a researcher, or an innovator. You are a "merchant of convenience."
You simply find information people want to know about, package it up, and then let people know about it in a compelling manner. You are compensated for providing the information, and for letting people know about it, not for "discovering it." Most people are
too busy (or too lazy) to go get information for themselves, but are quite happy to pay someone who has compiled into one easy to understand product, then explained the benefits to them. One thing you need to know is, most people don't understand why they should use a specific type of information--but when you explain it to them (via a sales message), they understand it. That's what a great information marketer does--compiles great, useful information, and then explains its benefits to people in a way that is easily understood.
When you decide to create an information product, it's best to create one in what's called an "evergreen category." An evergreen category is simply a category people will always be interested in:
how to make more money, how to pay less taxes, how to get fit, how to lose weight, how to meet women or men, how to have better sex, how to buy and sell real estate, how to be a good dancer, how to play better golf, how to defend yourself, how to get a better job, and on, and on, and on. You can find more information on these, and plenty of other evergreen categories in the library, or online.
What about "being an expert?" Here's the truth about that: all you have to do to be an "expert" is know just a tiny bit more than your customer about your product category, and you are an expert.
That's all there is to it. People do not care about "credentials" or "titles" or anything like that--they just want good information.
OK, so once you know your product topic, how do you turn it into a product? With today's technology, it's the easiest thing in the world. Whenever I write an information product, I just do it in Microsoft Word on my home computer. Kinkos, or any other copy shop can easily turn a Word document into a bound manual, as can any printer once you're doing larger quantities.
As far as recording audio, I like to use a small, hand held digital recording device I got at Radio Shack. It's very easy to use, and downloads right to your computer--you can even burn CD's from your computer, using the audio you just recorded. Or, if you're old fashioned, you can still use a tape recorder and a plug-in microphone, both still available at Radio Shack. You most certainly DO NOT have to go to a professional recording studio--I've recorded hundreds of hours of audio, and I have never set foot in a recording studio.
Many people are under the impression that you have to "be professional" and have a "radio DJ" voice when you record a product. Not true at all. What I do is sit down with a brief outline of what I want to talk to my customers about, and just imagine I'm talking to a small group of them until I'm done.
People love this because it's real--you sound like a real person, not some unapproachable corporate CEO.
I don't edit my recordings either--they're full of "um's" and "ah's" and "you know's," just like a real conversation. I tell funny stories, and give out good information. That's it. It takes me about two days to make a 6 CD set, which is plenty for any information product.
Sometimes I do a phone interview with a friend who has expertise to offer, record it, and use it as a CD. Again, I just use a small phone recording device from radio shack and do it from my couch.
When the CD's are finished, I just have a duplicator make as many as I want--and there are duplicators all over the place.
To add more "bulk" to the product, I have the CD's transcribed--some people prefer to listen than read, and they love transcripts.
That's really all there is to creating an information product--it really is as easy as it sounds. The second one you create will be even easier. Why? Because all you have to do is email your customers, ask them what topics they're interested in, then go and create a product based on that topic. Since they loved your first product, they'll be even happier to invest in your second, and third, and forth--why a man could make pretty decent money doing this!
Let's get to it...
Mr. X.
Group M Marketing
Kimble and Kennedy Publishing
But, after the excitement wears off a bit, they always ask me this
question: "Mr. X, information marketing sounds great, but I don't have a product to sell to anyone. Can you help me out? How can I find a product--fast?"
As you'll come to find out, finding a product to sell is actually the easiest part of information marketing. But, many people get stuck on the belief that they have to spend a lot of time and money to "tie up" an original product that no one else has, or they don't have the knowledge to create one. None of those are true.
Here's a huge secret to information marketing success, one few people truly understand: the product is irrelevant until after the sale is made. Why? Because if you're selling it via a direct mail sales letter or website, no one sees it until it arrives. And, if you're selling a "how to" information product, people are buying the information, not the media the information is delivered on.
In other words, they're not buying audio tapes, or printed manuals, or CD's or DVD's, they're buying the information on that media.
And the only information they have to make a buying decision on is what you present in the sales letter. Really, all the product has to do is live up to the promises in the letter so the customer will be happy, and buy more things from you.
The truth of the matter is, the sales message is much more important than the product. People don't buy "products," they buy the end emotional result of the product. Let me give you an example.
What's one of the most common everyday, boring items in the world?
How about... water! Even more so, how about tap water? Anyone can go to their kitchen or bathroom, turn on the tap, and get a glass of water. Knowing this, why would anyone spend money to buy someone else's tap water?
Well, a few years ago, a few sharp guys from New York, came up with a bottled water product called "New York Tap." It was, literally, a bottle full of water that came from the New York City water supply. Not too exciting, huh? Or is it? See, these guys told a very compelling story about how New York tap water was the freshest, purest water in the nation and how it was much better for you than ordinary tap water. People loved the story and started sending these guys money for something they could go into their kitchen and get. But they bought it because they loved the story, not because of the product. They loved to "one-up" their friends, and tell them they drank "purer" water than they did, and that they could afford "New York Tap."
See, these guys weren't selling water at all--they were selling elitism and a "show off" mechanism. And people just love to show off--these guys met that want, and made a lot of money (until the city of New York got wind of it, and shut them down, saying they couldn't resell their water).
So, when you create or find a product, remember, people are not buying the product itself, they are buying the end emotional result of the product.
Let's talk about creating an "information product." Most people think they have to be some kind of an "expert" in order to create a "how to product." Nothing is further from the truth--everyone reading this knows something about something other people would pay to get their hands on. And, if you don't, you can spend a day at the library (it's the big building where they keep all the books) finding information that lets you create a product.
Most people are under the impression you have to have "new" information to create a product. That's not true at all, and can be dangerous. Why? Because it's much better to sell information people have already proven they're interested in than to try to invent something new.
Take, for example, the Atkins Diet. If you go back to the 1970's when it was first introduced, people went crazy over it. Then they moved onto something else. Then, in the late 1990's the Atkins Diet (the same old thing that was around in the 70's) was re-introduced
and people, once again, went wild. The information is exactly the
same--yet people (many of whom bought it in the 70's) spent all kinds of money on books, tapes, etc., they could have gotten for free at the library.
See, you as an information marketer are NOT a scientist, a researcher, or an innovator. You are a "merchant of convenience."
You simply find information people want to know about, package it up, and then let people know about it in a compelling manner. You are compensated for providing the information, and for letting people know about it, not for "discovering it." Most people are
too busy (or too lazy) to go get information for themselves, but are quite happy to pay someone who has compiled into one easy to understand product, then explained the benefits to them. One thing you need to know is, most people don't understand why they should use a specific type of information--but when you explain it to them (via a sales message), they understand it. That's what a great information marketer does--compiles great, useful information, and then explains its benefits to people in a way that is easily understood.
When you decide to create an information product, it's best to create one in what's called an "evergreen category." An evergreen category is simply a category people will always be interested in:
how to make more money, how to pay less taxes, how to get fit, how to lose weight, how to meet women or men, how to have better sex, how to buy and sell real estate, how to be a good dancer, how to play better golf, how to defend yourself, how to get a better job, and on, and on, and on. You can find more information on these, and plenty of other evergreen categories in the library, or online.
What about "being an expert?" Here's the truth about that: all you have to do to be an "expert" is know just a tiny bit more than your customer about your product category, and you are an expert.
That's all there is to it. People do not care about "credentials" or "titles" or anything like that--they just want good information.
OK, so once you know your product topic, how do you turn it into a product? With today's technology, it's the easiest thing in the world. Whenever I write an information product, I just do it in Microsoft Word on my home computer. Kinkos, or any other copy shop can easily turn a Word document into a bound manual, as can any printer once you're doing larger quantities.
As far as recording audio, I like to use a small, hand held digital recording device I got at Radio Shack. It's very easy to use, and downloads right to your computer--you can even burn CD's from your computer, using the audio you just recorded. Or, if you're old fashioned, you can still use a tape recorder and a plug-in microphone, both still available at Radio Shack. You most certainly DO NOT have to go to a professional recording studio--I've recorded hundreds of hours of audio, and I have never set foot in a recording studio.
Many people are under the impression that you have to "be professional" and have a "radio DJ" voice when you record a product. Not true at all. What I do is sit down with a brief outline of what I want to talk to my customers about, and just imagine I'm talking to a small group of them until I'm done.
People love this because it's real--you sound like a real person, not some unapproachable corporate CEO.
I don't edit my recordings either--they're full of "um's" and "ah's" and "you know's," just like a real conversation. I tell funny stories, and give out good information. That's it. It takes me about two days to make a 6 CD set, which is plenty for any information product.
Sometimes I do a phone interview with a friend who has expertise to offer, record it, and use it as a CD. Again, I just use a small phone recording device from radio shack and do it from my couch.
When the CD's are finished, I just have a duplicator make as many as I want--and there are duplicators all over the place.
To add more "bulk" to the product, I have the CD's transcribed--some people prefer to listen than read, and they love transcripts.
That's really all there is to creating an information product--it really is as easy as it sounds. The second one you create will be even easier. Why? Because all you have to do is email your customers, ask them what topics they're interested in, then go and create a product based on that topic. Since they loved your first product, they'll be even happier to invest in your second, and third, and forth--why a man could make pretty decent money doing this!
Let's get to it...
Mr. X.
Group M Marketing
Kimble and Kennedy Publishing
