| There are three main steps to selling information, | | | | 3. Selecting the best price to sell your information |
| and with a little practice (and sometimes a little | | | | for |
| help) it's something anyone can do. | | | | Packaging Information |
| Step #1 - Research | | | | This isn't what color or type of packaging you |
| The first step in selling information is the research | | | | should use, but the format that you use. The |
| or gathering step. If you know a lot about | | | | format is the medium which you convey your |
| something or have a core expertise, a good part | | | | information through. This could be anything from |
| (but not all) of your research may lie in | | | | an ebook, to a DVD, to hosting a live seminar. |
| determining that the information you have is | | | | Perhaps one of the most important aspects of |
| something other people want. In the upcoming | | | | information marketing is how the information is |
| paragraphs, we'll discuss how you research, | | | | packaged, or put together into a format that is |
| discover, acquire and/or organize your ideas. | | | | easy to follow, can be quickly accessed, and can |
| What do you know that we don't? Or who do | | | | achieve fast results. That is what makes the |
| you know that knows something that the rest of | | | | information that you have to offer so much |
| us need or want to know? You don't need to | | | | better then that of all the other information |
| spend years becoming an expert in something. | | | | floating around out there. There is tons of raw |
| You do however need to borrow, license, acquire | | | | information swarming all around us. But most of |
| or rent the expertise from someone. If you don't | | | | us don't have the time to sit down and decipher it |
| have an expertise that you can write or speak | | | | into something that is easy to understand, and |
| about, the easiest way to go about finding | | | | easy to use. Not only do you need to provide the |
| someone who does is to look for an expert who | | | | information, but you must provide the tools for |
| is under marketed. Then ask them if they would | | | | the user of the information to integrate it into his |
| consider letting you repackage their information | | | | or her business and/or life. |
| and take it to the marketplace. Negotiate a way | | | | There are tons of different ways you can |
| to split the profits that will be mutually beneficial; | | | | package your information. Thirteen of the more |
| then they're happy, you're happy and you'll both | | | | popular packaging techniques are listed below. |
| have more money in the bank. Here's an example: | | | | 1. Publish a book or article |
| You go to a PTA meeting at your kid's school | | | | 2. Host a seminar |
| there's this guy there speaking on how to | | | | 3. Become a public speaker |
| influence your children to form good study habits. | | | | 4. Host a teleseminar |
| He really seems to know what he's talking about | | | | 5. Publish a newsletter or ezine |
| and is selling an under-priced Saturday seminar on | | | | 6. Create a computer program or educational |
| the subject. You could approach him with an offer | | | | game |
| to either market for him on a commission based | | | | 7. Produce a television program or infomercial |
| basis, or better yet, take his information and | | | | (informative commercial) |
| repackage it in the form of a self help book, | | | | 8. Become a consultant |
| ebook, audio or video disc, or anything else for | | | | 9. Teach or train |
| that matter, then split the profits with him. | | | | 10 Publish a magazine or newspaper |
| No matter whether you yourself are the expert, | | | | 11 Become a talk show host |
| or you are using someone else's expertise, proper | | | | 12. Create a product (how to course, audio CDs, |
| research is essential. No matter how much you | | | | video etc.) |
| know, or how great your expertise, you need to | | | | 13. License your information |
| be able to back what you have to say up with | | | | Put yourself in the shoes of your target audience. |
| facts, studies and real world examples. Take | | | | What format of information would you want |
| some time to make sure that what you're saying | | | | most? What would work best for your needs and |
| is correct and can be verified. Nothing ruins your | | | | lifestyle? Don't stop at just one format though. If |
| credibility more than when a customer catches | | | | you start with an ebook, put it on CD. If you |
| you saying something that is not true. If they | | | | have a home study course, teach it in a seminar |
| catch you just once, how can they know that | | | | or teleseminar. Start with one format, then |
| everything else you say is correct? Check, and | | | | branch out and expand. Different people like |
| double-check the facts before you put anything | | | | different formats. Some people might like a home |
| to print. | | | | study course, then to go to a seminar and learn |
| There's been a saying that's been floating around | | | | that way, then listen to audio CDs in their car as |
| for quite a while; it goes like this: "Copying from | | | | a refresher. Give some choice, but not too much |
| one or two books is plagiarism, but copying from | | | | or people will put off making a decision. |
| many is research." That doesn't mean to copy | | | | Organizing Your Materials |
| anything word for word, or to take other's ideas | | | | The big thing about organization in general is the |
| and call them your own. But it does mean that | | | | fact that it keeps things neat and tidy and puts |
| you can learn from the experience of others, | | | | them in a place where you can easily find and use |
| form your own conclusions, then put them to | | | | them. When you're organizing information the goal |
| print, audio or video. Take any non-fiction book | | | | is much the same. A good information product |
| for example; most of the concepts and ideas in | | | | must be: |
| the book have surfaced somewhere, sometime in | | | | - Organized |
| the past; everything is not by any means a | | | | - Simplified |
| completely new idea or concept. The key is how | | | | - Systematized |
| you package them. How you put them together | | | | - Personalized |
| into something that is concise and easy to apply | | | | - Interactive |
| and understand. | | | | - Ready to use, on demand, instantly |
| I believe it was Jay Abraham who said "All the | | | | Most people don't have the time to spend |
| notes had already been discovered long before | | | | studying and reorganizing the readily available data |
| Mozart came along." It's not the notes that are | | | | into something that fits their unique circumstances. |
| important, but how they are packaged together | | | | They want something they can use now, which is |
| (into a song) that matters. Information is much | | | | easy to understand and provides fast results. And |
| the same, you can take the same information, | | | | the best part is, they're willing to pay for it. |
| repackage it into something that is easier to | | | | To illustrate this, let's say you own a late model |
| understand and implement and you have a whole | | | | car that requires lots of love (think maintenance |
| new product. It's a simple concept called | | | | and repairs) to keep it running in tip top shape. |
| repurposing or repackaging information. An ebook | | | | You may have a decent knowledge of how cars |
| could easily become an audio CD set, or a home | | | | work and enjoy working on yours, but you don't |
| study guide. | | | | know absolutely everything about everything, and |
| In conclusion, make sure you take the time to | | | | might need a little guidance once on a while. When |
| produce quality work, and that means researching | | | | you need help, you have a few options: |
| your information. Be sure others back up what | | | | Ask a friend or acquaintance for help who might |
| you have to say, as a mistake can be drastically | | | | possibly know something you don't. |
| costly to you or your business. Don't forget that | | | | Plop yourself down in front of your computer and |
| once you publish your information, there's no | | | | plough through webpage after webpage in an |
| taking it back -- it's out there forever. | | | | attempt to find something helpful (and correct) on |
| Researching the Market | | | | the internet. |
| Before you even start creating an information | | | | Or, you buy a readily available book for $29.95 at |
| product, or make a deal with an expert to use his | | | | your local book bookstore that explains |
| or her expertise, you need to research the | | | | everything you'll ever need to know. |
| market. An easy way to do this is to look for | | | | Do you spend the $30 for the book, waste |
| other people that are selling similar information. If | | | | countless hours researching for credible |
| there isn't anyone selling it, there's probably a | | | | information on the internet, or ask a friend who |
| good reason - there's no market for it. That | | | | might know? Since I value my time, the choice |
| doesn't mean there's no one who wants your | | | | for me is easy; I spend $30 for the book. |
| information, it just means no one wants to pay | | | | Research shows that most other people feel the |
| for it, or not enough people want to pay for it to | | | | same way. Why? The book gives you access to |
| make it profitable. It would be very rare that you | | | | immediate, credible, specialized information that |
| come across a category of information no one | | | | you can quickly act on. |
| else has tapped, and in my opinion you're better | | | | Price |
| off with something that is tried and true than | | | | A well-thought-out marketing strategy takes into |
| something new. There's no reason to try and | | | | consideration not only the marketing factors, but |
| reinvent the wheel. | | | | also pricing strategies. While it's always important |
| Determine who your potential customers are and | | | | to make a profit, if the market won't bear such a |
| then determine their needs, wants, and | | | | high price, it's better to lower your profit margin |
| expectations; figure out if there is a demand for | | | | than not do any business at all. You may actually |
| your product. Get their opinions about it. Find out | | | | be able to make more money with a lower price |
| how they would like it packaged (book, audio CD) | | | | than you will with a higher one. Make sure your |
| and how much they would be willing to pay for it. | | | | marketing plan combines marketing and pricing. |
| Then take a look at who your competitors are | | | | Also be sure your price is fair and competitive |
| and how well they are doing. Find out what | | | | with the marketplace. If your price isn't right, |
| they're doing, how they work, then do it better. | | | | people will pass you by without even giving you a |
| It's as simple as that. | | | | chance. Above all, always be sure you test |
| While market research may appear to be a | | | | different price points adequately to determine |
| tedious, time-consuming process, it is often | | | | which will make you the most money, not get |
| necessary if you want to be successful. It is an | | | | the most sales. |
| invaluable tool that can save you time, effort and | | | | Step #3 - Marketing |
| money. | | | | When you're selling anything, marketing is the |
| Step #2 - Packaging | | | | absolute most important skill to have. If you |
| Packaging isn't limited to fancy graphics and | | | | wanted, you could market junk with right |
| showy slogans on the package of your product. | | | | marketing campaign (not that you would want to). |
| Packaging is how your information is organized, | | | | Marketing information can be both harder and/or |
| including the form you sell it in, at what price, and | | | | easier than marketing other types of more |
| how easy it is to use. The main goal of packaging | | | | physical products. If you're trying to convince |
| is to make sure that your product is desirable to | | | | people that they need the information you have |
| the consumer. That means everything from | | | | to offer, it can be quite a chore to actually |
| choosing the right format for selling your | | | | persuade them to purchase it; especially with all |
| information, to making sure that it is organized in | | | | the free information floating around on the |
| a fashion that is easy to understand and simple to | | | | internet. However, simply find the right audience |
| implement. | | | | that knows the true power of properly packaged |
| These are the three steps which are essential to | | | | information and the impact that it can have on |
| proper packaging: | | | | their lives and their business. If you find the right |
| 1. How you physically package it | | | | market and they'll be begging you to sell them |
| 2. The way you organize the materials | | | | anything they can buy. |