Monday, November 26, 2012

Create Products: Make Money From Your Passions

Have you got a passion you'd like to pass on? Would you like to also make some money from sharing your enthusiasm and experience? Then the easiest way to do so is to create an information product that you can sell over the internet. Not only is this the easiest way but it is the cheapest way and there is a booming market for information products these days.

Now I'm not going to over-inflate how much money you can earn from your products. This will depend on the particular form that your passion takes and whether or not there are large enough numbers of people who want to learn what you know and are willing to pay for it. It will also depend on your passion and drive to get your products seen by the right people. However you already have one advantage as passion and enthusiasm is naturally attractive and infectious and so if you let the right people feel that passion when you promote your products then your chances of making a sale are increased.

So you are probably wondering how to get started and create your own product? Well the first step is to capture and organise the content you want to deliver in your product. Try not to squeeze everything you know into one product so come up with 4 - 6 topics related to your passion that you could turn into products. Then focus on one topic at a time and write down the key steps or ideas that your customer will need to master the topic and achieve the same results you do. Then write down some brief notes on each step to remind you of the main points to cover when you actually start creating your product.

Having done this preparation the next step is to decide what format you are going to use to deliver your content i.e. are you going to put it into an ebook, audio or video? Each type has its place and purpose. An eBook is good for generating interest in your main products by giving them a taster - literally giving it away. Videos may be essential if the information you need to convey can only be really understood properly if they can see what you are talking about. Audios are very versatile and are quick and easy to record. So you need to decide what will work best with your particular passion and then get writing or recording.

How to Make an eBook Into an AudioBook   Working With Top iPhone Developers for Best Solutions   How Gamification Can Turn Businesses Into Winners   Easy Ways to Find Content For Your Audio Products   

Why Should I Make An Audio Version Of My Digital Information Product?

Audio products are valued higher than written digital products. This may be due to the fact that it is a little more technical to create audios than the simple ebook or special report. But the good news is that they can also sell for more money than written content. You can sell an audio version of an ebook for about double the price. For example if your ebook sells for $27, then the audio book can sell for up to $67.

On top of that, once you make an audio version of your written digital information product, you now have two separate products that you can market. That means you just doubled you income potential by simply repurposing the same information into another format.

Yet another reason to create an audio book is that you can offer it as an upsell or maybe as an added bonus to your ebook. That way you have increased the value of your product. This allows you to raise the price point which earns you more income with each sale.

You will also reach more people with your information when you make an audio version of your product. For example, there are many people would rather listen to your ebook while driving to work, or while they're running on the treadmill. These potential customers would not buy your written ebook, but they would jump at the chance to get the audio version of it.

You can also create many different formats using audio to reach a wider range of customers. For example, you can create a recording and then make a podcast of it. You can then take the podcast and sell it on iTunes, or some of the many other channels available on the internet. This will get your content to millions of people that you would not have access to otherwise.

Once you have an ebook or special report created, making an audio book is really simple. You can get audio recording software on your computer for free that will make decent quality audio tracks that usually output the.MP3 format. Alternatively, you can outsource the recording process to make it sound really clean and professional. Try looking on fiverr.com or elance.com for recording professionals.

I really recommend trying to outsource the recording of your audio book. This will streamline the process, and it's really not very expensive to get done.

The increase in potential income is well worth the outsourcing expense.

How to Make an eBook Into an AudioBook   Working With Top iPhone Developers for Best Solutions   How Gamification Can Turn Businesses Into Winners   Easy Ways to Find Content For Your Audio Products   5 Simple Steps To Creating A Digital Information Product Using A Resource Report   

Record An Interview - Cool Recording Tools

To record an interview with an expert in your industry can be one of the quickest ways to create a product to sell and make some quick income, build your list and increase your credibility.

Even if you don't want to conduct an interview, an easy way to build a product is to simply record yourself talking on your topic.

Lots of people get stuck at the very first obstacle - deciding how to record an interview with the right equipment. These days there are lots of very good quality recording devises that will record your voice. I want to give you a few of the tools and resources that I have used many times to create voice recordings and interview products.

FREE RECORDING TOOLS

Audacity is free software you can download and will allow you to record your own voice directly onto your computer just by plugging in a microphone. Most computers have a built in microphone, or you can get a headset that includes a microphone (I use Logitech).

You can also edit your recording using the same program to cut, copy, splice or mix sounds together. Changing the speed or pitch of a recording is handy too. You can import sound files, edit them, and combine them with other files or new recordings. This is great if you want to add some intro or outro music to your recording. You can then export your recordings in many different file formats including mp3 and wav.

Free Conference Calls

To record an interview using a free service, I can recommend freeconferencecalling dot com. Free conference calls are simple and easy to use, and only need your name and an e-mail address to receive an instant account.

Once you enter your name and e-mail address, you instantly get given dial-in numbers and an access code for immediate phone conferencing.

Your teleconferencing lines are available to you 24/7 and there is no need to schedule or make reservations.

While many of the other services need you to have internet access, free conference calls does not. You can use any telephone in any location. This service will record your calls and after a recording is made, you can access them to download to your computer.

Instant Teleseminar

I love, love, love using Instant Teleseminar! This is an easy to use system that allows you to speak to one person or a group of people to either record an interview or make a presentation.

You will need to book the date and time of your interview into the program. You then receive a telephone number to give the person you are interviewing and they call into that number at the given time.

The recordings are crystal clear and you can manage your set up to allow the recording and/or download to be immediately available to your listeners. This service will host your recordings and give you a link to place on your website or in your autoresponder so people can access the recording. There is a monthly fee of around $67 but you can get your first interview done by using their full service during a 21 day trial.

Once you get into the habit of doing interviews or presentations on a regular basis, I highly recommend this program.

Pamela for Skype

My latest toy is Pamela for Skype. This software allows you to call someone for free using Skype to Skype, and will automatically record your conversation. You can also set it to record the video, so if you want to be able to see the person as you interview them, this is a great option. Pamela keeps a copy of the recording in its system as well as placing a copy directly onto my computer.

By adding some credit into your Skype account, Pamela will record a Skype to land line call.

There are several different pricing levels depending on what features you want. I use the Professional version and this allows me to have unlimited recordings, for unlimited length of time. My professional version was a bargain for a once off purchase price of around AUD $32.

There are many more resources that will allow you to record an interview and create an instant product but what you don't need is overwhelm. Any of the resources above will work really well for you. I challenge you now to go away and take action!

Make a connection with someone to interview Decide what recording program you will use Record the call Offer it to your subscribers How to Make an eBook Into an AudioBook   Working With Top iPhone Developers for Best Solutions   How Gamification Can Turn Businesses Into Winners   Easy Ways to Find Content For Your Audio Products   

Options for Recording Audio Products

Your recording process will make a big difference to the final product. Although it is possible to "clean up" the recording later, you'll eventually be limited by the original quality. So aim to create a high-quality recording first.

You don't need the highest quality possible; you only need the highest quality required for your final product. For example, if you only want it so you can send it to somebody to transcribe, you can even record it on an old-fashioned low-quality cassette deck, because you'll never be publishing the recording itself. Similarly, if you only ever plan to publish it on the Internet, you can get away with a lower quality than if you're publishing it on CD, because your audience will prefer the fast download to the CD quality.

There are a number of options available, and we'll group them based on the number of people taking part.

1. Solo

If it's just yourself, you have the luxury of choosing an environment that suits you and a single microphone you can position right near you. Here are some options:

Directly to computer: Plug in a microphone to your computer and record directly into it, using easily-obtainable software (for example, Garage Band on a Mac, or Audacity on a PC). Smart phone: There are recording apps available for both iPhones and Android phones, and the quality is quite good, especially if you plug in an external microphone. iPod: You can buy a special microphone attachment for your iPod, which turns it into a recorder. Digital voice recorder: These are smaller and more portable than your computer, and some have better battery life and storage than your phone. There are a number of options available. When buying one, consider three things: The best recording quality; what microphone you can use with it; and how easy it is to transfer files to your computer.

2. Two people

As soon as you involve somebody else, you create some other challenges for yourself: You both have to find a suitable environment; you have to schedule time; you might each be using different equipment; and you have to prepare your material more diligently.

However, provided you take these into account (and to be honest, these aren't difficult to overcome), it's easy to create audio products that are interviews or conversation. Here are some options:

Phone: Some devices plug directly into your phone line, so you can record both sides of a phone conversation. This is extremely convenient, and the quality is reasonable (but not wonderful). Test this carefully before you use it, because sometimes the quality is very poor. Skype: If you are both comfortable using Skype, this will give you higher quality than a telephone line. Recording is not built in to Skype, but there is free and low-cost software to record Skype calls. Teleseminar or webinar: Most teleseminar and webinar services have a recording option (for some, it's an optional extra), and it's usually very easy to use (for example, just clicking a button when you begin, or sometimes the recording is even automatic). Studio: Finally, for high-quality professional recordings, you might consider hiring a studio for a few hours. To save money, prepare as much as possible in advance, so you don't waste time in the studio itself.

3. Group

When you expand the participants even further, the same challenges you faced with two people get even bigger. Again, these aren't insurmountable; they simply have to be managed. Here are some options:

Event A/V system: If you're speaking at an event with its own audio-visual crew, ask them whether they can record it for you. Even if they aren't recording it themselves, they should be able to plug in your device (and by extension, your microphone) directly into their system. This gives you a high-quality recording of your presentation. However, it doesn't include the audience interaction or responses, so if that's important to you, make sure you record that separately. Teleseminars and webinars: As I mentioned earlier, if you're conducting teleseminars or webinars, use the option to record them. Digital voice recorder: The low-quality devices don't work well with groups. However, the better devices can record your audience participation quite well. Just put it on a table in front of you and it captures both you the presenter and questions from the audience. How to Make an eBook Into an AudioBook   Working With Top iPhone Developers for Best Solutions   How Gamification Can Turn Businesses Into Winners   Easy Ways to Find Content For Your Audio Products   5 Simple Steps To Creating A Digital Information Product Using A Resource Report   

3 Reasons To Create A Special Report For Your Digital Information Product

Special reports are very similar to an ebook with the exception that is much shorter in length. They always answer a specific question your reader wants answered. Of course, you want to write your special report on a topic in your niche so that it is relevant to your offer.

3 Reasons Special Reports Make Great Digital Information Products:

1. They are fast and easy to create. They address a specific topic within your niche. For that reason they are typically much shorter in length than an ebook for example. This is great when you're the one doing all the writing. You can be specific in your writing and only have to worry about producing a product that is about 10 - 20 pages in length. Another advantage to keeping these reports shorter is that your readers are more likely to read the entire report.

2. Special reports make great lead magnets. A lead magnet is simply a digital information product that you give your visitor in exchange for their email address and the permission to send them emails. This is huge since it gives you the opportunity to develop a relationship with that person and market many products to them over time. As I mentioned earlier it is advantageous to use a special report for a lead magnet, because the reader doesn't know you very well yet. With a shorter report they are more likely to read the entire piece of content. At the end of your report you always want to include a call to action with a link to one of your paid digital information products. This link will take the reader to your sales page where you can immediately turn your new subscriber into a customer. Also, be sure to scatter links to affiliate products throughout the report. Do this sparingly since you don't want to appear like a spammer.

3. They are great low-barrier-of-entry products. They make great front-end sales offers. $7 is a great price point for special reports. You can redirect new subscribers to your sales page where you can sell your special report. It's really important that your report is directly related to your lead magnet product. This will skyrocket your sales conversions. Another way to market these reports is to your list. You can write an email to your list and again send them right to your sales page for your product. If you want to make more profits from these digital products try bundling like 10 of them together and then selling the bundle of reports for $97 for instance.

How to Make an eBook Into an AudioBook   Working With Top iPhone Developers for Best Solutions   How Gamification Can Turn Businesses Into Winners   Easy Ways to Find Content For Your Audio Products   5 Simple Steps To Creating A Digital Information Product Using A Resource Report   

Three Reasons You Should Create Info Products Quickly

It seems that the majority of people who start an internet marketing info business spend too much time trying to get their first product created. I've heard stories of individuals taking two years or more. Maybe they don't have the confidence or perhaps they just procrastinate. Fact is, creating info products very fast is one of the keys to running a successful online business. In this article, I'll provide a few solid reasons to prove my point.

Reason 1: You Need to Find Out if Your Product is Going to Sell

So many marketers rely too heavily on market research. Sure it's important. However, even if a product idea appears to be a hot seller on paper, there's no guarantee that it will be. The only way to know for sure is to create it and start promoting. Now I'm not suggesting you create shabby, inferior info products. Rather, I'm recommending that you create something that's high quality, yet simple and easy to produce. If the product sells like hotcakes, then revamp it and add more bells and whistles.

Reason 2: You Need Feedback to Tweak Your Product

Getting your simple product on the market fast also allows you to receive feedback from your customers - feedback that will help you make the product even better and perhaps even a higher ticket item. Not many online info marketers use this approach, but we all know it works. Think of all the large corporations and popular business that do this. This approach will also give you more perceived value in the eyes of your customers. This method is only possible if you can create info products quickly. It just won't be practical if you invest too much time in the initial product.

Reason 3: You Need Time to Determine If Improving Your Product Will Be Profitable

In some cases, you may discover that a simple info product that you created quickly does really well on the market and it needs little enhancing, if any. Some info products that give black and white, quick solutions don't need anything else. They are fine just the way they are. I do believe, however, this will be the exception instead of the norm. Almost every product can be improved and even enhanced.

Hopefully, this information has been helpful to you. Once you get that first product under your belt and begin to generate revenue, you'll have ideas to improve this process and will be motivated to create more products.

How to Make an eBook Into an AudioBook   Working With Top iPhone Developers for Best Solutions   How Gamification Can Turn Businesses Into Winners   Easy Ways to Find Content For Your Audio Products   5 Simple Steps To Creating A Digital Information Product Using A Resource Report   

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