Info Product Intensive

Info Product Intensive�

In-a-Box

Produced by: Adam Urbanski

and guest contributor:

James Roche

�Contrary to the popular belief, my experience has shown me that the people who are exceptionally good in business aren�t so because of what they know, but because of their insatiable need to know more.� Michael E. Gerber

© 2005. InfoProductIntensive.com

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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted for resale or use by any party other than the individual purchaser who is the sole authorized user of this information. Purchaser is authorized to use any of the information in this publication for his or her use only. All other reproduction or transmission, or any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any informational storage or retrieval system, is prohibited without express written permission from the Author. LEGAL NOTICES: While all attempts have been made to provide effective, verifiable information in this Book, the Author assumes no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or omissions. Any slights of people or organizations are unintentional. If advice concerning tax, legal, compliance, or related matters is needed, the services of a qualified professional should be sought. This Book is not a source of legal, regulatory compliance, or accounting information, and it should not be regarded as such. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Due to the nature of direct response marketing and varying rules regulating business activities in many fields, some practices proposed in this Book may be deemed unlawful in certain circumstances and locations. Since federal and local laws differ widely, as do codes of conduct for members of professional organizations and agencies, Purchaser must accept full responsibility for determining the legality and/or ethical character of any and all business transactions and/or practices adopted and enacted in his or her particular field and geographic location, whether or not those transactions and/or practices are suggested, either directly or indirectly, in this Book. As with any business advice, the reader is strongly encouraged to seek professional counsel before taking action. NOTE: No guarantees of income or profits are intended by this book. Many variables affect each individual�s results. Your result will vary from the examples given. Marketing Mentors, Inc. cannot and will not promise your personal success. Marketing Mentors, Inc. has no control over what you may do or not do with this program, and therefore cannot accept the responsibility for your results. You are the only one who can initiate the action, in order to reap your own rewards! Any and all references to persons or businesses, whether living or dead, existing or defunct, are purely coincidental.

Published by: Marketing Mentors, Inc., Irvine, CA, 92606 PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DISTRIBUTED WORLDWIDE. Copyright © 2005 Adam Urbanski


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Welcome to Info Product Intensive�

Congratulations on your decision to get into the business of selling information, and investing in this program to get you started! As professionals there are only three ways we can spend our time: 1. We can waste it. We all do it at times - shuffling paperwork on our desks, or looking for a lost file. 2. We can sell it. It doesn�t matter how much we charge for the services we provide. Bottom line is we still trade the time for dollars when we work with clients. 3. We can INVEST it. While selling time can certainly provide immediate income, investing time into creating greater leverage leads to more fulfilling and financially rewarding business, wealth and freedom. And that�s exactly what IPI is all about � INVESTING TIME to gain SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE and build MARKETING ASSETS. Over the next few hours this program will introduce you to some of the most effective strategies to attracting and keeping more clients, increasing income from current customers, developing passive revenue from selling information, getting more done through effective outsourcing � in short specific knowledge that you can profit from for years to come. Here you�ll find ideas, specific tools, templates, and all the resources you�ll need to create, market and sell your first information product. Welcome to the Info Product Intensive. Enjoy it! With best wishes of success in the information selling business�

Adam Urbanski Adam Urbanski Founder and Creator


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Info-Product Notes & Ideas: ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________


5

Introduction


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Info-Product Intensive� Preparation Sheet

1. Make a list of �Top 3 QUESTIONS� you want answered:

(1) ___________________________________________________________

(2) ___________________________________________________________

(3) ___________________________________________________________ 2. Make a list of �Top 3 OUTCOMES� that you will like to see after

completing the IPI program and what it will mean to you: (1) ___________________________________________________________

So that I can ___________________________________________________ (2) ___________________________________________________________

So that I can ___________________________________________________ (3) ___________________________________________________________

So that I can ___________________________________________________

3. List the top 3 things you�ll immediately TAKE ACTION on when you

learn how to put your information products together!

(1) ___________________________________________________________

(2) ___________________________________________________________

(3) ___________________________________________________________


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What is an Information Product? Simply put info-products are your answers to your prospects most pressing needs but delivered without the repetitive involvement of your time. You are reading an info-product right now. Here are just a few possible info-products you can easily create:

Articles

Special Reports

Newsletters and e-zines

Free Talks

Audio CDs

Tele-classes

E-books

Books

Coaching Programs

Workshops and Seminars

And much more�


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Why You Should Have an

Info-Product? If you are a service professional it should be your top priority to create info-products. This is especially true if you are a coach, consultant or a trainer, but other professionals can easily benefit from creating educational info-products as well. Consider just these few benefits:

Increase leverage; with little investment of time, money and effort you can create tangible products that deliver your most powerful marketing message over and over again - even when you are not there!

Gain trust and easily attract potential new clients; your info-products give your prospects what they are looking for � information and education - while eliminating what they hate � the hard sales pitch.

Maintain your dignity; when selling by sharing your advice you avoid the feeling of begging or �prostituting� yourself to get business.

Gain credibility and authority; your prospects begin to see you as a highly credible source of information and advice.

Lower marketing costs; identify and market only to those who are interested in your products or services.

Save time; your info-products educate your potential clients and answer most commonly asked questions so you don�t have to spend time answering them.

Differentiate yourself from your competitors; by providing valuable advice your message will stand out from your competitors� sales solicitations.

Increase referrals; by educating clients and strategic partners you make it easier for them to describe what you do. They appreciate your valuable advice and gladly share it with others.


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So How Exactly Do You Use Info-Products?

Here is just a sample list of different uses for info-products:

Send as a follow-up to potential clients you meet while networking

Give to all new clients to quickly educate them about your services

Give to clients and referral partners to pass along to their associates and use it as referral tool

Use them as a part of your direct marketing programs. (I had successfully used info-products in direct mail campaigns to increase response to as much as 60%)

License to strategic partners to use as a value-added bonus for their clients

Sell as a stand-alone product


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Funnel Your Way To Riches!


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Creating Your Product Funnel

Fill in the funnel below with your ideas for future products.


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28 Days to a Completed Information Product

Week 1 Market Research

Week 2 Outlining Your Content

Week 3 Creating Your Product

Week 4 Marketing Your Product


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Module One

How to get good product ideas and make sure they will sell before

you spend any time creating it.


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How to Ensure That Your

Products Will Sell The key to a successfully selling information product is providing a targeted market what they want. You want to test the waters to make sure there are enough fish in the pond and find out how many other fishermen are at the same pond. This is the crucial step of market research. Fill in the template below to easily complete your market research.

Step 1 Overture Keyword

Search

List the keywords below and then research them at� http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/

Step 2 Look up your

competition on Google

Who is doing something similar to you? What are their products? How are they selling them? What�s missing in the market place?

http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/


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Step 3 Go to your local

bookstore

What percentage of shelf space is devoted to your topic? ____________% What are some titles and sub-titles that grab you? What magazines are devoted to your topic? Is there a �Dummies� book on your subject? What edition?

Step 4 Find the size of your

target market

Look on-line for any associations and organizations devoted to your subject and list below. List any trade journals below with their circulation. Standard Rate and Data Services


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Step 5 Explore what your

target market talks about

Find and explore the Yahoo Groups and other discussion boards devoted to your subject. Take note of the language they use (you�ll use the same language in your sales material.) Create a list of the frequently asked questions below. � � � � � � � � � � � �

Step 6 Ask and survey your

target market

Use the Ask Database or Survey Monkey to find out directly from your target market what they want. What do you want to find out from your market regarding your topic? Create your Ask Question using the template below: �As a ___________ (identify who you�re talking to � your target market), what�s your single most important question about ____________.�


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Product Sheet Describe your target market In the space below, identify and describe who your target market is:

List your topics Based on your market research and your own experience, what are the top problems people in your target market faces?

Core problem What is the core problem your target market faces? In other words, why is your product needed?


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Core solution What�s your solution to the core problem? What�s your program?

Hot Undeniable Benefit Describe how the target market will be better off after going through your program. What is your �bold claim�?


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Project Cover Sheet

�How to Market Your Services with a Blog�

Target Market: The core target market would be mainly coaches, consultants, trainers and speakers, and primarily females. However, other service professionals (and male part of this market) will have interest in this program as well. (Other solo/service-professionals: dentists, chiropractors, bookkeepers, attorneys, freelance designers, hypnotherapy and NLP practitioners, personal trainers, sales-people, MLM�s, nutritionists, Yoga instructors, massage therapists, and owners of many other small, service-based businesses)

Core Problem: They most likely don�t have a blog yet but they have been thinking about it. They have heard a lot about how a blog can help with their marketing efforts, but they can�t differentiate between hype and facts, and are terrified and paralyzed by too much information that�s too generic or too technical for them. Some of them may already have a blog, but it�s �not working for them� � it takes too much time/effort for too little return, and it probably doesn�t match (look and feel) the rest of their website.

Overall Program Objective: To teach everything required to set up, maintain, and use a blog to attract more qualified prospects and turn them into well-paying clients � faster, with less effort, and on a VERY shoestring budget.

Our HUB (Hot Undeniable Benefit): �At the end of six weeks YOU WILL HAVE a SUCCESSFUL Blog and know EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO USE IT SO THAT IT ATTRACTS MORE TRAFFIC TO YOUR WEBSITE AND MORE CLIENTS TO YOUR BUSINESS even if you are completely techno-phobic and a total marketing-newbie!� This is the most complete, easy-to-understand, jargon-free, step-by-step, SET-UP-YOUR-BLOG-AND-USE-IT-TO-GET-CLIENTS program ever developed.


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Selecting a Profitable Niche for Your Info-Product

Are you practicing the �spray and pray� marketing system? So frequently I hear service professionals saying: "Well, my services could really help just about everyone." Here is a thought for you to ponder on: "If you have EVERYBODY for a prospect I guarantee you will have NOBODY for a client!" Fact is the more narrowly you define your market the easier and less expensive it will be fill your practice or business with new clients. You see, building a business is a lot like fishing. When going on a fishing trip the first thing you have to decide on is what type of fish you are after. Why? Because this determines where you will go fishing, what type of equipment you will need and what type of bait you will use. Now, translate this into business. Frankly, if often seems like most professionals are fishing for sharks in the mountain stream using a fly-fishing lure and pole. They are going after the wrong prospects, looking for them in the wrong places and using the wrong approach!

Why do you need a niche?

1. Easier to market your product or service.

2. Less expensive to reach your target audience.

3. Easy to identify and deliver solutions to a specific problem

4. Get greater market visibility faster.

5. Commend higher prices for your products.

6. Easy to tract changes in just one market.


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How to select a profitable niche It�s a process of matching your knowledge and skills with your passion and the right target audience. I recommend a three step approach:

Step One - Evaluate Your Skills, Likes and Potential Markets What are you really good at?

Do you have a lot of experience in certain industry or performing just one specific task?

What are you most passionate about? (Hopefully this matches your answers to the first question.)

Is there a one, common need most of your current clients experience that no one is addressing?

Is there one, reoccurring problem that you seem to be solving for most of your clients?

When you analyze your competitors is there something they are not offering or something you improve and provide much more effectively and efficiently?

In the market that�s most likely to purchase your products or services is there a segment that other service providers think is too difficult to get involved with?


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Step Two � Identify a group of people that have a problem/need that you can effectively provide a solution to based on your unique experience and skill-set. Who is your ideal client? (Target Market - Demographics, geographics, psychographics, Age range/average? Educational Level? Financial group? Gender?) Who is your ideal Client Group? (Niche Market) What do they want / demand? List the top five things your prospects/clients want/demand:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

What do they currently get? (Supply) List the top five things they are currently getting:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

How do they currently get it? (Supply Channels/Providers) List the top three ways they are currently getting it: 1.

2.

3.

What is their biggest desire?


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What is their biggest motivation? What is their biggest frustration/pain? What are they currently not getting? What can you deliver that�s new/different that�s currently not supplied but is highly desired? How do you know that information? Is it a fact or is it an assumption?

Step Three - Evaluate the Viability of the Niche When you finally identify a niche that�s appealing to you before you actually make a decision to pursue it here are seven questions to help you evaluate if it�s a viable choice:

1. Can you easily and affordably contact the niche? (Is there a list, an association, group?)

2. Do people in this niche recognize a certain problem and want to solve it?

3. Can the niche afford your products and services?

4. Is there a successful track record of selling these types of products or services to the niche?


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5. How much competition is already in this niche?

6. Can you become credible in this niche? (Are you familiar with this niche, do you have experience in it?)

7. Is this niche big enough to sustain your business?

8. List the top five people/businesses who are most likely to form strategic alliance partnerships with you to quickly and profitably penetrate a target market 1 2 3 4 5


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Module Two

How to create juicy content that sells with little work and

in lightening speed!


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4 Steps to Creating Great Content the Easy Way

Step 1 � Brainstorm Begin by simply getting everything out of your head. Get a stack of index cards and put one idea/topic/question down per card. Some suggestions of what you can include on your index cards�

The top questions/challenges you found from your Ask Campaign Ideas from your own experience in dealing with the topic List the frequently asked questions you�ve heard from your existing clients Take a �Dummies� book (and any other books you found in the bookstore) and

look at their Table of Contents for topic ideas Put your keywords and related words/topics Ideas you got from reading the discussion groups Some common sure-fire subjects to consider including�

o �How to get started�� o �Mistakes to avoid�� o �Proven shortcuts�� o �Inside secrets that get results��

Step 2 � Organize Your Index Cards Into Main Topics Once you�ve exhausted all you can think of and wrote it all out on your index cards, it�s time to organize them all. Start grouping your index cards under similar themes/topics. Determine what the main topics of your program will be. Typically, you should have at least 5 and up to around 21 main topics. This becomes the basis of your entire program � for example:

�5 Massive Mistakes That Can Put You Out of Business and How to Avoid Them�

�The 21 Keys to Growing Carrots� �7 Steps to Making a Fortune in Real Estate.�

Group your cards under your main topics.

Step 3 � Fill-in Content Using the Info Pie


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Once your cards are grouped according to main topics, work on each stack individually. Here is where you can start using the Info Pie. Take a stack and read through all the index cards. Ask yourself, �Am I covering the four main learning styles?� If not, add more index cards to the stack. Here are the Info Pie questions to ask for each main topic:

1. �Why is this main topic important? What are the benefits of using this information?�

2. �What are the details of this main topic? Can I include any statistics, stories or quotes to help define and describe this main topic?�

3. �How does somebody use this information? What are the steps involved?� 4. �What if people ask questions? How would I answer them? What are the

common questions and concerns people have regarding this main topic?�

Step 4 � Transfer Your Index Cards Into an Outline It�s now time to take your index cards and transfer them into a written outline. Use the formula below as a template to help you structure your index cards even further. Sample template formula:

List 12 topics 1. For each topic list 6 sub-topics

a. List 5 points for each of those (Plan on having enough content for each point to talk for about 2 minutes.)

Use the template outline provided in the following pages to guide you.


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Outline Template

Main Topic: ________________________________________________

1. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

a. Point: _________________________________________

b. Point: _________________________________________

c. Point: _________________________________________

d. Point: _________________________________________

e. Point: _________________________________________

2. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

a. Point: _________________________________________

b. Point: _________________________________________

c. Point: _________________________________________

d. Point: _________________________________________

e. Point: _________________________________________

3. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

a. Point: _________________________________________

b. Point: _________________________________________

c. Point: _________________________________________

d. Point: _________________________________________

e. Point: _________________________________________


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4. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

a. Point: _________________________________________

b. Point: _________________________________________

c. Point: _________________________________________

d. Point: _________________________________________

e. Point: _________________________________________

5. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

a. Point: _________________________________________

b. Point: _________________________________________

c. Point: _________________________________________

d. Point: _________________________________________

e. Point: _________________________________________

6. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

a. Point: _________________________________________

b. Point: _________________________________________

c. Point: _________________________________________

d. Point: _________________________________________

e. Point: _________________________________________

For more blank templates visit www.InfoProductIntensive.com


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Outline Template

Main Topic: ________________________________________________

7. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

f. Point: _________________________________________

g. Point: _________________________________________

h. Point: _________________________________________

i. Point: _________________________________________

j. Point: _________________________________________

8. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

f. Point: _________________________________________

g. Point: _________________________________________

h. Point: _________________________________________

i. Point: _________________________________________

j. Point: _________________________________________

9. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

f. Point: _________________________________________

g. Point: _________________________________________

h. Point: _________________________________________

i. Point: _________________________________________

j. Point: _________________________________________


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10. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

f. Point: _________________________________________

g. Point: _________________________________________

h. Point: _________________________________________

i. Point: _________________________________________

j. Point: _________________________________________

11. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

f. Point: _________________________________________

g. Point: _________________________________________

h. Point: _________________________________________

i. Point: _________________________________________

j. Point: _________________________________________

12. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

f. Point: _________________________________________

g. Point: _________________________________________

h. Point: _________________________________________

i. Point: _________________________________________

j. Point: _________________________________________



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Outline Template

Main Topic: ________________________________________________

13. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

k. Point: _________________________________________

l. Point: _________________________________________

m. Point: _________________________________________

n. Point: _________________________________________

o. Point: _________________________________________

14. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

k. Point: _________________________________________

l. Point: _________________________________________

m. Point: _________________________________________

n. Point: _________________________________________

o. Point: _________________________________________

15. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

k. Point: _________________________________________

l. Point: _________________________________________

m. Point: _________________________________________

n. Point: _________________________________________

o. Point: _________________________________________


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16. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

k. Point: _________________________________________

l. Point: _________________________________________

m. Point: _________________________________________

n. Point: _________________________________________

o. Point: _________________________________________

17. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

k. Point: _________________________________________

l. Point: _________________________________________

m. Point: _________________________________________

n. Point: _________________________________________

o. Point: _________________________________________

18. Sub-Topic: ________________________________________

k. Point: _________________________________________

l. Point: _________________________________________

m. Point: _________________________________________

n. Point: _________________________________________

o. Point: _________________________________________


http://www.InfoProductIntensive.com


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Module Three

What technology you'll need and how to buy it for pennies

on the dollar. (Or outsource all the work for less money than you ever thought possible!)


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How To Easily Record Your Own Audio Products

ScreenBlast Sound Forge 7.0 - $69.95 This is the only software you will ever need to record your own teleclasses or audio products. If you are like me and you upgrade computers often I recommend you get the packaged version so that you have the software on a CD

Plantronics Headset (M175) at Best Buy - $39.99 at DynaDirect.com - $29.99 (not always available)

I found this model to work very good for recording teleclasses.

Plantronics Digital Headset - $69.99 (at Best Buy)

I'm actually using this model to record audio products. I like it better from the basic headset for two reasons. One, it has speakers on both ears. Two, it plugs into a USB port and bypasses the sound card - so I get a much better quality of the recording. For me it was worth the cost.

http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/products/showproduct.asp?PID=868

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1051384798288&type=product&productCategoryId=cat08271

http://www.dynadirect.com/tp-planm175.html

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1051384250753&skuId=4098933&type=product


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Unidirectional Microphone - $29.99 (From Radio Shack)

Frankly, to start recording your audio products any basic microphone will do. You can start at about $10. I recommend you choose a "little" better quality so that you don't have a lot of static and "buzzing" in your recording.

AT&T 2-Line 2.4GHz Phone

at Best Buy - $199.99

at Costco - $169.99 (not always available)

Very good system. One of only two phones I found with the headset plug in the base - very helpful when recording teleclasses.

Vtech - VT20-2481 2-Line 2.4 GHz Phone

at OnlinePhoneStore.com - $159.99

Or do a search for it on nextag.com. If you buy the extra handset (which I recommend you do) it will cost you a bit more that the AT&T phone - but personally I like it better. This is the system I'm using right now to record my teleclasses.

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name=CTLG&category_name=&product_id=33-3018

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1051806189778&skuId=4604967&type=product

http://www.costco.com/product.asp?catid=79&subid=82&prdid=10028250&hierid=3778&log=&navtop=

http://vtech.onlinephonestore.com/flypage/1846/Vtech_VT20-2481_New_

http://www.nextag.com


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Wireless Phone Recording Controller (from Radio Shack) - $23.49

You will find this in the cell-phone section. Don't ask the store help - they have no clue it can be used for recording regular telephone conversations and will point you to buy a different gadget which doesn't work. This is the only thing that I found that gives me good quality recording without spending hundreds of dollars.

This is for recording presentations if you do a lot of public speaking

Samson UHF Series One AT831 Wireless Lavalier System - around $300

In addition to my link do your own search online - you can likely find it for less money.

You can get cheap lavalier microphone from Radio Shack - but I wouldn't recommend it - it will pick up all the interference from light switches and even planes flying over. I've been using mine for a while now and I'm very happy with it. I also have the same model but the the handheld mic - that's because I often do my own events.

Shure SCM 268 Four Channel Transformer Balanced Mixer - around $280

Again - do your own search. If you use more than one microphone you will need a mixer. The 'shure' brand is compatible with audio systems in most of hotels in North America. Four channels means that I can use up to four mics.

http://www.radioshack.com/searchsku.asp?find=17-855

http://www.zzounds.com/item--SAMSWLSL8

http://www.audiogear.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?key=ShrScm268&preadd=action

http://www.audiogear.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?key=ShrScm268&preadd=action


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Digital Recorder / MP3 Player - $229.95

Yeah, I know - you can get a digital recorder for less money. But I've tried several of those 'bargain-buys' - and they are all c#$%! Plus this one come with all the accessories you need to get started. So if you don't have a laptop computer this is a great starter package.

AudioStrategies.com - if you are not technically inclined and have the money to pay others to do the recording for you use Brigitte Nadeau's company. She is very reasonable. Last time I used her recording services it was only $30 for a 60-minute teleclass - which is a pretty good deal. For an extra $10 she will upload the file to your server or send you a CD with your chosen file format. Very good service.

For information on creating and publishing e-books, visit the member�s only resource area at

www.InfoProductIntensive.com

http://www.eaprotection.com/eguipment/DDR3128.htm

http://www.audiostrategies.com


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Module Four

How to market your products online and offline and generate

instant sales.


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How to Successfully Roll-Out Your Info-Product

1. Set a target date to release your new product.

2. Outline your fulfillment process (who will take care of producing the

product, boxing and shipping it out on regular basis � even when you are on vacation.)

3. List your potential strategic alliances and contact them. In the space below list 20 potential strategic partners you can approach to help you promote the product.

4. Give away a copy of your product to a few clients, strategic partners and COIs and solicit testimonials to include in your sales materials.

5. Create (or solicit from others) value-added free bonuses.

6. Have a graphic person develop your website header and a graphic for your package.

7. Write a sales letter.

8. Create a one-page website. - Make sure you have an opt-in for a free offer (e-course, free e-book) - Make sure to have an autoresponder connected to your web page for

automated follow-up. - Have an online merchant account

9. Write all the email announcements to give to your strategic partners.

10. Write 5 to 20 articles (or have them written) and submit them to article

directories and editors of targeted online/offline publications.

11. Open a google Adwords account to drive search engine PPC traffic.


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The Four Functions of a Headline According to Robert W. Bly in his "Copywriter's Handbook", every headline you write must accomplish four different functions: 1) Get attention: When you read a magazine or a newspaper, you ignore most of the ads and read only a few of them. Yet, many of the ads you skip are selling products that may be of interest to you. The reason you don't read more ads is simple: There are just too many advertisements competing for your attention; and you just don't have the time to read them all. This is why as a copywriter you must work extremely hard to get the attention of your prospect. 2) Select the audience: If you are selling life insurance to people over 65, there is no point in writing an ad that generates inquiries from young people. The headline can select the right audience for your ad and screen out those readers who are not potential customers. Ex. "To men and women over 65 who need affordable life insurance coverage". 3) Deliver a complete message: According to David Ogilvy, four out of five readers will read the headline and skip the rest of the ad. If this is the case, then it pays to make a complete statement in your headline. That way, you can do some selling to those 80% of the readers who read headlines only. Ex. "Caught soon enough, early tooth decay can actually be repaired by Colgate!" 4)Drawing the reader into the body copy: Very few products can be sold with images only. But most items (specially online) require that the reader be given a lot of information. That information appears in the body copy, and for the ad to be effective, the headline must compel the reader to read this copy. To arouse his or her curiosity. You can do this with humor or intrigue. You can ask a question or make a provocative statement. You can promise a reward, news or useful information. Ex. "What do Japanese managers have that American managers sometimes lack?"


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The Motivating Sequence Advertisers have developed a lot of "formulas" for structuring all kinds of ads, commercials, sales letters, brochures, pamphlets, etc... but there is one formula that works for creating any kind of marketing piece. This formula is known as "AIDA" and it stands for:

Attention Interest Desire Action

Let's break these elements down and explain them to you one by one so you can get the feel on how to structure your advertisements. Attention - The very first thing you need to do is grab your prospects eyeballs and stick them to your ad. This is done by creating an attractive layout that makes it impossible to ignore the headline. Interest - Once you have your prospect's attention, you should generate interest in your product or service. This part is usually accomplished by using riveting headlines that your reader would be crazy to pass-by. Desire - Make your lead paragraphs as seductive as possible... try to lure your reader into your copy and hit hard with the most appealing benefits you have. Show your prospect how others have benefited from your product by using testimonials. Use bullets to point out your most compelling selling points. In short - make the prospect want your product so bad that he or she just can't resist it. Action - Most copywriters stop after getting their sales message across; and this is where they fail. If you want your reader to buy, you have to ask for the order... if you want your reader to call a toll-free number, you should say so! A call to action is crucial to close most sales and it's really easy to do... just tell your reader what the next step is and he or she will take that action! As I told you at the start of this article, there are many formulas that have been developed and tested... most of them are based on AIDA. Here's two of them so you can see what I mean. ACCA (Awareness, Comprehension, Conviction, Action) - In ACCA, the consumers are first made aware that the product exists. Then they must comprehend what the product is and what it will do for them. After comprehension, the readers must be convinced to buy the product. And finally, they must take action and actually make the purchase.


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PPPP (Picture, Promise, Prove, Push) - In the four P's the copywriter first creates a picture of what the product can do for the reader. Then promises the picture will come true if the reader buys the product, proves what the product has done for others, and pushes for immediate action of purchase. As you can see, those two formulas are in essence the same as AIDA. Use the one that you understand the best and try to model it every time you write a marketing piece.


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The 21 Types of Attention-Grabbing Headlines

Virtually every method of marketing communications can be substantially enhanced with the development of stronger headlines. In fact, I'd venture to say that every type of communication (business or personal) could be harder-hitting... more direct with a powerful punch... and much more effective in attracting a listening audience with a riveting headline. Here are the 22 types of attention grabbing headlines with an example of each one to help you understand how to use them more effectively:

1. The direct statement headline "Get up to 1.25% cash back and become home-free faster!"

2. The question headline "What would you do if you had the money?"

3. The testimonial headline "Virtuapack.com has increased my sales a very real 357%!!!"

4. The command headline "This is your chance to become successful. Take it!"

5. The how-to headline "How to have the best sex ever!"

6. The indirect headline "10 reward dollars are waiting for you at the finish line..."

7. The guarantee headline "Project management guaranteed to help you complete projects on time, on budget and on target!"

8. The frustration/problem headline "If the unexpected happened to your computer data today... Would it still be "business as usual" tomorrow? Here's a 100% guaranteed way to make sure it never happens".

9. The deep discount headline "4 books. 4 bucks. No commitment. No kidding. If you love to read, this offer is simply a no brainer!"

10. The personalized headline (only if you have the names on your list) "Finally, here's how you Robert Hendrix, can use 1,479 of the best


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kept secrets of the world's greatest gourmet cooks and impress your dinner guests like never before!"

11. The benefit headline "50 fool-proof ways to make money on the internet!"

12. The "Reason why" headline "9 reasons why you should purchase E-ditor before September"

13. The short headline "Wife wanted now!"

14. The case history headline "Starting off with $56,000 in debts... a young divorced mother tells how she became a millionaire in only 34 months. Here she explains how you can start earning enough money easily to retire a millionaire in 5-8 years..."

15. The news headline "Doctors astounded by the possibility of these miracle healers!"

16. The numbered headline "The 7 secrets that can make YOU a better speaker!"

17. The "Not this-- but this" headline "No horoscopes. No fashion tips. No perfume strips. Just smart, clear financial advice for the independent woman"

18. The "If... than" headline "If you qualify... You an 5 of your best friends could be off to a week-long ski vacation on Vermont!"

19. The invitation headline "You are cordially invited to take advantage of a very special offer from The Financial Post."

20. The offer headline "This book is invaluable... indispensable... and it's FREE!"

21. The "Attachment" headline (Where you send something extra in the mailing... a sample Gourmet Coffee Packet for example.) "Sit down, have a delicious cup of coffee on us... and discover how you can enjoy this fresh-roasted Colombian coffee -- every day!"


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The 22 Reasons People Buy From You

Different people buy products or hire services for different reasons. When a family purchases a computer, they want what gets their types of job done (kids homework, their billing balances, etc); and most of them will purchase a small or medium-sized computer that suits their needs. But such a computer would not be good enough for me, I feel I am a power-user and will always purchase the latest model with all the bells and whistles included... I'm basically buying more than a computer; I'm buying status, prestige and security. Before you write your copy, it is a good idea to check this list and find the exact reasons of why your prospects might want to buy your product. Don't just read the list, *think* about each of the reasons and then come up with the ideas for your advertisements. The 22 reasons people buy from you: 1) To be liked 2) To be appreciated 3) To be right 4) To feel important 5) To make money 6) To save money 7) To save time 8) To make their work easier 9) To be secure 10) To be attractive 11) To get sex

12) To be comfortable 13) To be distinct 14) To be happy 15) To have fun 16) To gain knowledge 17) To be healthy 18) To gratify curiosity 19) For convenience 20) Out of fear 21) Out of greed 22) Out of guilt

Think about all the things you buy and why you buy them. You buy perfumes to smell nice (and you want to smell nice to attract the opposite sex). You buy a gold-plated money clip not to hold your money, but to be distinct and to feel important. Once you understand what makes people buy things, you know how to sell and write killer copy. The rest is just organization and good editing and a few simple techniques.


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11 Tips for Writing Clear Copy

1. The reader comes first. When you write any marketing piece, you should be thinking about and

writing to your reader. Use the word "You" and avoid as much as possible using the words "I" and "We".

2. Carefully organize your selling points. When writing a sales letter, brochure or any kind of ad. Place your most

appealing benefits at the top, in the headline and the first two paragraphs... then work them down to the least important one. This way, there is a better chance for you to lure the reader in.

3. Break your writing into short sections. As the length of your copy increases, it becomes more difficult to read.

Try to break long paragraphs into shorter, more digestible chunks... make it easy and more prospects will read it.

4. Use short sentences. The same principle applies. Reading a longer sentence is harder than

reading a short one. Cut lengthy sentences in half whenever possible to make your copy easier to read.

5. Use simple words. Try to write your copy so even a 6th grader could understand it. Using

complex words will not impress your reader; most likely they will annoy him to the point of leaving your ad alone.

6. Avoid technical jargon. Never use jargon when writing to an audience who is not familiar with

your industry. Jargon is useful when communicating with a short group of experts... but using it to sell something to outsiders only confuses them and obscures the selling message.

7. Be concise. Good copy is concise. Unnecessary words waste the reader's time dilute

the sales message, and take up space that could be put to better use. In other words... don't hype!


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8. Be specific.

Written advertising persuades us by giving specific information about the product being advertised. The more facts you include in your copy, the better. Copywriters, who don't bother to dig for specifics, produce vague, weak, meaningless copy.

9. Go straight to the point. If the headline is the most important part of your ad, then the lead

paragraph is surely the second most important part. It is this lead that either lures the reader into the text by fulfilling the promise of the headline, or bores the reader with uninteresting, irrelevant, unnecessary words... give them meat first!

10. Write in a friendly, conversational style. In copywriting, the printed page or the computer screen, substitute the

salesperson. A light, conversational style is easier to read than the stiff, formal prose of business, science and academia. Try to become your reader's friend when you write.

11. Avoid sexist language. Note how in the last paragraph I wrote the word "Salesperson" instead of

using "Salesman". Whether you like it or not, sexist language offends a large portion of the population... and you don't sell things by getting readers angry at you. Don't use it!


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Feature into Benefit Translation Worksheet

What I do is �. So that you can�.


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A Step-By-Step Formula for Writing Copy That Sells!

1. Pre- head:

�Attention - Solo Professionals and Service-Based Business Owners: Give Your Business the Unfair Advantage Using Innovative Marketing Tactics That Get Results Fast. Mark your calendar right now for...�

2. Headline: "The Only 3-Day Accelerated Marketing Training Exclusively For Service Professionals, Where 11 Experts EXPOSE Online and Offline Strategies Proven to Build a Client Attraction SYSTEM That Turns Your Biz Into a Money-Making Machine�

3. Open with a Problem: � Tired � Frustrated � Overwhelmed � Discouraged � Too busy

4. Explain the problem: � Why it exists � Why other solutions are no good.

5. Introduce your solution: � Show what�s possible � Build a desire

6. Describe your solution. � Provide a detailed description � use both features and benefits.

7. Provide proof and credibility � Your story and credentials � Endorsements or other visible proof (cars, homes, cashed checks,

travel) � Testimonials from other people


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8. List the benefits: � Bullets � Bullets � Bullets

9. Tell about the price:

� Compare apples to oranges � Bring it to the lowest per-use cost � Show potential savings � �Sell money at a discount�

10. Offer free bonuses:

� Describe the bonuses in a compelling way and show their value 11. Explain your guarantee:

� Make it as risk free as possible 12. Call to action � urgency:

� Introduce extra benefits for acting now � Have a scarcity factor � Explain clearly how to take the next step

13. Order form:

� Re-state your main benefits � Provide clear instruction how to place the order

14. Final comments:

� Point out how the person will miss out on great benefits if they fail to take action now.

15. Post Script (P.S.)

� Remind about key benefits, guarantee, limited availability, encourage action now.


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Your Fill-In-The-Blanks Sales-Letter Template

Pre- head (question)

Headline (who and benefits)

Open with a Problem:

� Tired of

� Frustrated with

� Overwhelmed by

� Discouraged by

� Too busy to

Explain the problem (it�s not your fault)


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Introduce your solution (imagine if you could�)

Describe your solution (now you can � introducing�)

Provide proof and credibility (why should you listen to me?)

List the benefits (use numbers and curiosity)

� � � � � � � � � �


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Tell about the price (So how much will this cost me?)

Offer free bonuses (and you�ll also get these free bonuses�)

Explain your guarantee (take action now and decide later � 100% risk free)

Call to action � urgency (limited time � limited availability)


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Order form (Risk FREE Reservation/Order Form)

Final comments (This is so good, you�d be a fool if you miss it!)

Post Script (P.S.) (Don�t forget, take action now, key benefits�)



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Six Easy Steps to Marketing Your Business with Articles

by Adam Urbanski

It�s not a secret that many successful professionals position themselves as experts in their field by writing and publishing articles. In the past getting articles published took weeks and months. Nowadays, with thousands of online publishers constantly craving for fresh content you can write an article in the morning and see it published in the afternoon.

If you doubt that writing articles is worth your time and effort, consider these obvious benefits:

Writing informative articles helps crystallize your ideas and express them in more powerful ways � which in turn makes you more attractive to your clients.

Sharing your expertise through articles helps you gain greater visibility, positions you as an expert and establishes your credibility.

Sending your articles to clients and prospects is a great way to keep in touch and educate them about your products and services � without being perceived as a pushy salesperson.

Publishing articles gives you a chance of catching interest of even the most lukewarm prospects that otherwise would have never given your business a minute of their time.

Placing articles on web sites frequented by your potential clients attracts targeted, �pre-qualified� visitors to your web site.

Regularly adding new articles to your web site gives you fresh content and entices people to visit your site more often.

Still, relatively few professionals take advantage of this powerful marketing strategy. Many don�t think the task is worthy of their time. Many others can�t seem to zero-in on the �right topic�, worry about not having enough expertise on the subject, think that no one will value their opinion and feel stuck trying to search for the �right words�. Frustrated with the entire process, they frequently give up before they even get started!


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Here is the good news � you don�t have to be another Shakespeare to write articles people will love to read. As a matter of fact, if your solutions help your clients solve their problem � you are expert enough to share your opinions and how-to tips.

Here is a simple to follow, six step process to getting started with writing and publishing articles.

STEP 1 � SELECT A TOPIC

This seems so easy, yet many people convince themselves they don�t know what to write about. If you are in this group try these ideas to jumpstart your creativity:

ask your clients what they most want to learn about your area of expertise,

make a list of the top ten solutions to the biggest problem your clients are dealing with,

make a list of the top ten resources on a specific topic,

make a list of the most common mistakes your customers make and how to fix them,

review a book,

interview an expert,

have someone interview you,

answer a customer�s question (This is one of my favorites; I often find myself taking 20-30 minutes writing an email response to a question from a client. Later, after editing out the specifics pertaining to that client, I end up with a great how-to article)

share a case study,

answer a most frequently asked question (if you have several clients asking you the same question � chances are more people would like to find information on that topic)

share the �top five sure-fire strategies to fail� � this could bring a little humor even to the most serious topic!


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comment on current news events and how it affects your customers,

comment on emerging trends you spotted,

evaluate a hot resource you just found,

There are dozens of ways to get ideas for article topics but these should get your creative juices flowing.

STEP 2 � TITLE YOUR ARTICLE

Personally, I like to title my article before I even write it. You may want to do it in reverse. Either way, the title is an important part. It must entice people to read what follows; it�s like a mini commercial. Make it fun, exciting, controversial and make sure to communicate the benefits of reading it.

If you feel stuck and can�t come up with any good ideas for titles I suggest you hop over to a local Kinko�s store. Why? Because they usually have a display with popular how-to books and audio CDs � and they have great titles. Don�t have any Kinko�s around where you live? Then go to amazon.com and take a look at their bestsellers list. I�m sure you�ll find plenty of inspiration there.

But in case that�s not enough here are a few �title templates� you can tweak to fit your needs. (Just replace the words in brackets with your own.)

(Provide a Number) Fun and Easy Ways to (Generate Pre-qualified Web Visitors) by (Writing Articles)

How To (Negotiate Like a Pro) And (Create Win-Win Deals)

Top (Ten) Tips You Can Use to (Keep Your Dog Healthy)

(3) Deadly (Marketing) Mistakes and How To Fix Them

The Lazy Way to (Make Your First Million)

(7) Steps To Achieving (Financial Success)

(12) Amazing (Life) Lessons I Learned From (My Cat)

OK, you get the point, right? Oh, if you wonder what�s with the numbers in all those titles � well, they simply work! Numbers indicate a system. They tell the reader that you've given some thought to the process or solution you are about to share with them.


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As a matter of fact as I was writing this article I got an mail from Jay Conrad Levinson � the father of Guerilla Marketing � titled �12 Things That Keep You From (Dominating Your Market)�. There you go � that�s another template for you.

STEP 3 � GATHER INFORMATION

OK, don�t panic. I�m not talking about reading dozens of books here. If you write on topics within your area of expertise most likely you already have enough information in your head to last you for dozens of articles.

But depending on the type of article you write you may need to do a bit of research to add depth to it. Also comparing and contrasting different concepts or opinions can make for a great read.

As you get more savvy with your writing process it�s a good idea to create your own editorial calendar. What�s an editorial calendar? In a nutshell it�s a plan of topics you want to write on and a schedule when you will write each article.

It can be a simple folder where you keep title ideas and resources you can refer to when you need them. Whenever an idea for an article pops into your head � write it down and scribble a few key points you would like to refer to later and stick into your folder. This will help you collect many great ideas and make your writing so much easier.

STEP 4 � WRITE THE ARTICLE

This is another place where even those with best intentions get stuck. Many of us have such a strong �internal editor� that putting that first word on a piece of paper appears to be �mission impossible.�

While eventually you will find your own way of getting started there are some strategies that seem to make the process easier for everyone.

Begin with listing ideas you want to cover, write down key words and phrases you would like to use. Write as much and as quickly as you can � without stopping to analyze or edit your writing. Don�t worry about any specific order, neatness or spelling � this is just to get the information out of your head. The more you write the better � it�s easier to edit it down then to write more later.

Next, write a paragraph on each idea or key word you listed. Add examples and stories to illustrate your points, list additional resources. Just keep writing � include anything that makes your ideas easier to understand and makes your article more interesting to read and the information more valuable.


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Don�t worry about making it all sound good right now � just keep writing everything that comes to mind. Your goal is to get this out of your head as quickly as possible � before you start editing your thoughts and questioning yourself.

Once this is done, you will likely have more content than you need for a good article. Now you can move things around and make sure the whole thing reads wells and makes sense. Spend time creating a strong opening and a good summary or call to action to close your article.

There are a couple more things to consider: tone and format. Both will depend on your target market and where you intend to publish the article.

Casual, conversational tone makes articles easy to read. Unless you are writing on highly technical subjects and your readers are engineers or doctors � use simple language that any sixth-grader could easily read and understand.

Informative, how-to articles are always popular. They have an easy to follow format:

BRIEF OPENING. Start with a story, statement or a startling statistic to get readers interested in reading further.

PROBLEM STATEMENT. Describe the problem readers are dealing with; explain what causes it and why some of the popular solutions fail to solve it,

HELPFUL TIPS. Outline your solution/approach/process/opinion and give a few examples,

RESOURCES. If possible tell readers how they can find additional resources,

CALL TO ACTION. Conclude with a brief summary and encourage them to take their next step right away!

As a matter of fact, if you take a look at this article - it follows this exact model.

STEP 5 � EDITING

I know you�ve done a lot of hard work to get to this point. But before you start looking for a place to publish your article there is just one final step � editing. Proof read what you wrote. Do it a few times. Print it out and read it in the printed form.


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In addition � have someone else edit it for you. Often we get too attached to the stuff we created and it�s hard to evaluate it objectively or catch basic mistakes. Even if it�s just one of your colleagues or a friend � it�s a good idea to have an extra pair of eyes scanning your article before you send it out.

STEP 6 � GETTING IT PUBLISHED

It won�t matter one bit how great your article is if you are the only person reading it. It�s time to complete what you started and get your article in front of other people.

Submitting your articles for print in hard copy publications may take a while and the process is a lot different than publishing online. (Perhaps I will make this a subject of my next tip.) To begin with it�s much easier and faster to have your article picked up by online publications.

Find web sites that attract your potential clients and then see if those sites accept article submissions � you�ll find that many do.

Look for online newsletters whose subscriber base matches your target market and ask if they accept guest articles. Again, you will find that quality articles are always in demand.

Finally, a quick search on �article submissions� will point you to dozens of web sites that are actively looking for new article submissions.

To make things even easier, here is a short list of the top eight web sites you can submit articles to right away:

http://ezinearticles.com/

http://thewhir.com/find/articlecentral/suggest.asp

http://www.authorconnection.com/

http://www.certificate.net/wwio/

http://www.ideamarketers.com/

http://www.submityourarticle.com/

http://webmasterhelps.com/submitarticle.html

http://www.web-source.net/article-announce.htm

And let�s not forget one of the best ways to get your articles out - publish your own ezine or newsletter. Since you are taking the time to express you expertise in writing you might as well take the extra step and invite people to receive your articles directly from you.

http://ezinearticles.com/

http://thewhir.com/find/articlecentral/suggest.asp

http://www.authorconnection.com/

http://www.certificate.net/wwio/

http://www.ideamarketers.com/

http://www.submityourarticle.com/

http://webmasterhelps.com/submitarticle.html

http://www.web-source.net/article-announce.htm


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If this entire process still sends the shivers down your spine here are a couple of ultimate shortcuts.

Sometimes when we sit down to write this �big article� it�s impossible to shut up our �internal editor�. But for most people it�s much easier to talk their ideas out. So just let yourself talk out-loud and record your ramblings. Have the recording transcribed and edited � and voila � out pops your new article.

Finally, you can get other people to write articles for you. Just give them the topic and some basic ideas. There are people out there who will research the topic and create your masterpiece for you. And you will be amazed how cheap it is!

Depending on your topic you can have your articles written for you for as little as $10 each. (Yeah, I know � it blew me away, too!) Visit http://www.elance.com and post your project � I know you will be surprised by some of the bids and the good quality of the freelancers eager to help you out!

Well, there you have it � Marketing Your Business with Articles 101! Like with any new skill it will take a little practice to get good at it. But all the recognition, credibility, extra visibility, and getting pre-qualified prospects to call you - believe me - it's definitely worth the hassle.

If you still doubt if you can do this - just remember this - if a guy who barely got his high-school diploma and who 15 years ago couldn�t put together one sentence in English can do it � so can you! Happy writing!

© 2005 Adam M. Urbanski

http://www.elance.com


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Module Five

How to automate the entire process - from promotion to sending money to the bank

- so you can make sales without lifting a finger!


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How to Automate Your Follow-Up Activities

If you have a good lead generation system in place chances are you have a lot of people to follow up with and every one of them can be in a different stage of the process. Frankly, you can drive yourself crazy trying to keep track of your follow-up activities without a good system in place. Luckily, there is an abundance of free or inexpensive tools you can use to simplify and automate your follow-up activities. For internet based follow-up use auto-responders. They are email messages that are automatically sent to your prospects or clients at a predetermined time. Once you write the messages and decide when you want them sent, the system will automatically send the right message at the right time. The autoresponders became so popular that you can now find many companies offering a very good service at little or no cost. I personally used and recommended to clients www.FreeAutobot.com (it�s not very sophisticated but it�s free). Another option is www.aWeber.com � which is one of the most popular autoresponder systems on the internet. For hosting your electronic newsletter you can use www.ezEzine.com to start � it�s easy to get started and there is no set up cost or any fees if you send less than 1000 messages a month. For a more powerful system (that�s the one I use) try www.KickStartCart.com � it�s a complete ecommerce solution � with auto-responders, broadcasting capability and a shopping cart for automating the sales of your info products. For keeping track of your off-line follow up activities you can use something as simple as Microsoft Outlook (if you are working on a PC chances are you already have it on your computer), ACT! (this is the one I personally use) or GoldMine contact management software. By the way if you don�t need to have the latest version of those two pieces of software you can buy it relatively cheap at places like www.pricegrabber.com or search other discount outlets on the Internet.

http://www.freeautobot.com/

http://www.aweber.com/?200602

http://www.ezezine.com/

http://www.kickstartcart.com/app?pr=31&id=44290

http://www.act.com/

http://www.frontrange.com/goldmine/gm_products.asp

http://www.pricegrabber.com


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How to Automate Your Marketing, Sales and Fulfillment Process.

12. Automate your marketing :

13. Automate your online sales:

14. Automate your fulfillment process:


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69

Cool Tools & Resources

For Creating and Selling Hot Information Products


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1. Research Tools Keyword Selector Tool � gives you a number of how many times people search on any given keyword in the previous month. Great resource and it�s free. http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion GoodKeywords.com � another great tool for researching keyword�s popularity. And this is one is free too. http://www.goodkeywords.com SurveyMonkey.com � want to find out what your clients want to buy? Survey their needs. SurveyMonkey.com allows you to quickly deploy web-based survey. The free version allows you a limited number of responses. http://www.surveymonkey.com AskDatabase.com � this truly is one of the most ingenious inventions of the online marketing world. If you have a list of online subscribers quickly find out what they want. Don�t have a list? Use the AskDatabase to build one with pay-per-click traffic. There is a monthly fee of $29. Click here to try it for 21 days for $1 http://www.askdatabase.com

2. Recording Audio Files Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio � This is the software I personally use (and to my knowledge most of info-product gurus use it as well. If you are serious about creating your own audio product I recommend you choose this option. It has all the features you need to record and edit high-quality digital audio from any source � phone, live conversation or a seminar. Cost - $69.95. Also offers a free trial. http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/products/showproduct.asp?PID=975 MP3-Recorder - If you are really on a tight budget this is a lower cost option. You can still record and edit your audio files but this tool doesn�t have some of the more advanced but helpful features Sound Forge Studio offers. Cost - $14.95 and offers a free trial. http://www.mp3-recorder.biz

http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion

http://www.goodkeywords.com

http://www.surveymonkey.com

http://www.askdatabase.com/specialoffer/?offercode=176801

http://www.askdatabase.com/specialoffer/?offercode=176801

http://www.askdatabase.com

http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/products/showproduct.asp?PID=975

http://www.mp3-recorder.biz


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Any-Sound-Recorder � Another low-cost alternative. Good set of features and only $24.95. Also offers a free trial. http://www.any-sound-recorder.com

AudioStrategies.com � Outsourcing the recording is a great option for recording your tele-seminars if you don�t want to invest in your own equipment. Plus it will save you a lot of stress of trying to learn too many things at once. Brigette and Steve are extremely helpful. They record all my teleseminars. http://www.audiostrategies.com

MusicBakery � Great source of royalty free music, best value wav, MP3, aif, downloads and CDs http://www.musicbakery.com

Music2Hues - Another great royalty-free high quality music library. http://www.music2hues.com

3. Transcribing & Editing Help Elance � my favorite place in the world to find cheap help with transcribing, ghost-writing, editing, graphic design, web design and programming. These are all the people who refuse to learn how to market themselves effectively so they sell their services for a �dime on the dollar�. It may be a bit confusing to first open and approve and account with them and then post your first request for bid. But once you get started you�ll see how easy it is to get dozens of people who are eager to do your �dirty work� for you to bid on your projects. http://www.elance.com

Workaholics 4 Hire � works similar to Elance, but has more of team approach. You actually get someone to �manage the project� and outsource it to individual freelancers for you. http://www.workaholics4hire.com

Copywriting Tools - It doesn't matter what level of a writer you are. With this award-winning workbook, you can't help but turn out professional-looking copy. http://www.red-hot-copy.com/copywriting_tools.htm

100 Greatest Headlines � this selection by Jay Abraham of best headlines ever written is a great resource for ideas. http://www.abraham.com/articles/100_Greatest_Headlines_Ever_Written.html

http://www.any-sound-recorder.com

http://www.audiostrategies.com

http://www.musicbakery.com

http://www.music2hues.com



http://www.workaholics4hire.com

http://www.red-hot-copy.com/copywriting_tools.htm

http://www.abraham.com/articles/100_Greatest_Headlines_Ever_Written.html


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4. Creating PDF files (for e-books) Of course Adobe Acrobat is the best for this, but at $299 it�s not the most affordable way to go when you are just getting started with creating info-products. Here are some less costly options. You can start by getting a freebie directly from Adobe Acrobat makers. A free trial account lets your create five free PDF files using its online PDF maker at http://createpdf.adobe.com

Macromedia FlashPaper - is one of the best options I�ve found for creating PDF documents from anywhere on your computer with a simple click! Cost - $79. Offers a free 30 day trial. http://www.macromedia.com/software/flashpaper PDFFactory.com - is another great product I used. Simply click �print� and select the PDF Factory as your printer and your document is instantly converted to a PDF file. Cost - $49.95. Offers a free trial download. http://fineprint.com/products/pdffactory/index.html PDF 995.com - is the very first software I ever used to convert files to PDF format. It�s a suite of three programs you can use to make and edit PDF files. Fully functioning free version shows a pop-up sponsor ad when used (a small price to pay for a good, simple to use program) or you can upgrade for just $19.95 http://www.pdf995.com

5. Getting Graphics Designed (for e-books) Having a nice �digital cover� designed for your e-book will typically improve your conversion ratios (from visitor to subscriber to buyer.) You could try software � but frankly I tired a couple and I wasn�t happy with the results. Either the software is too complicated for the average user and takes too much of my time, or it�s simple to use but the graphics are really low quality. I suggest you outsource this to people who specialize in designing �magnetic� e-book covers.

http://createpdf.adobe.com/

http://www.macromedia.com/software/flashpaper

http://fineprint.com/products/pdffactory/index.html

http://www.pdf995.com


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KillerCovers.com � has done thousands of covers for pretty much every online guru you can think of. http://www.killercovers.com EbookWOW.com � will design your header, �membership cards�, CD boxes, website headers and �buy� buttons. Their prices are great! http://www.ebookwow.com

6. Duplicating Audio CDs and Fulfillment Services. You can always start by creating your own CDs on your own computer. (That�s how I got started!) But as quickly as you can outsource this work to others � believe me, it�s worth the price. You can look for a local place that duplicates CDs � you�ll likely get good rates and save on shipping costs. Or do a search online and find a place you feel comfortable with. Or you can use the people I use in my business. OCMediaExpress.com - will duplicate your CDs in small quantities � a great feature when you are getting started and don�t want to produce a thousand copies of your product. http://www.ocmediaexpress.com SpeakerFulfillmentServices.com - will take your mp3 files and create your CDs for you. They will actually put the entire package together for you (if you have a home study course with printed manuals and multiple CDs.) This is a way to really completely automate the delivery of your physical products. http://www.speakerfulfillmentservices.com iFulfilf.com - a complete fulfillment place for info-preneurs. Will work with you if you are just starting out and have a low sales volume. You actually have to create your products first and have them shipped to iFulfill � then they will ship it to the end client every time you make a sale. http://www.ifulfill.com

http://www.killercovers.com

http://www.ebookwow.com

http://www.ocmediaexpress.com

http://www.speakerfulfillmentservices.com

http://www.ifulfill.com


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Lulu.com - want to turn your ebook into actual printed book but without printing a thousand copies? How about one at a time? I haven�t use this resource, but heard a lot about it. One negative comment � the quality may not be as nice as a top-notch high-volume printer. http://www.lulu.com

7. Selling Products Online PayPal.com � one of the easiest ways to start accepting payments online � automatically � without actually having your own merchant account. You end up paying a bit higher fees for each transaction � but there are no monthly fees to worry about. Which means it doesn�t cost you anything if you are not making any sales. https://www.paypal.com/us/mrb/pal=BRFQ9XGFXC88C ClickBank.com � another good way to start selling digital products online it to list them with ClickBank. They will facilitate the entire sales process. And an added perk is that some of the existing ClickBank affiliates might actually pick your product to promote it (but don�t �bank� on it.) http://incitedg.reseller.hop.clickbank.net KickStartCart.com � this is the shopping cart I�m using in my business. I love it. It allows me to have all the products I want, unlimited autoresponders to follow-up with prospects and clients. It also automates my ezine list management and broadcasts. Price varies from $29 to $79 a month depending on what option you choose. I use their top of the line version because it also manages my affiliate program. http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?pr=31&id=44290

PowerPay.biz � when you are ready to open you own merchant account check out this company � it�s who I�m using as my processing company for credit card charges. There are certain things to watch out for with setting up your credit card system, and this company specializes in online/information marketers. You may want to contact Jud Smith 877-877-3737 x1110 or his cell phone at 207-415-4789. http://www.powerpay.biz

http://www.lulu.com

https://www.paypal.com/us/mrb/pal=BRFQ9XGFXC88C

http://incitedg.reseller.hop.clickbank.net

http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?pr=31&id=44290

http://www.powerpay.biz

http://www.powerpay.biz


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8. Other �nice to have� tools Camtasia Screen Capturing Software � A great tool for creating tutorial flash videos. If you want to teach clients how to perform a specific task on a computer, and put it on a CD or stream it from the website this is the right tool for the job. Cost - $299. Offers a 30-day free trial. http://www.techsmith.com/products/studio/default.asp SnagIt Screen Capturing Tool � have you ever wondered how people display online images of their software or online tools they use, or snap-shots of their bank accounts? Well, they �take a photo� of what�s on their computer screen with SnagIt and turn into a graphic � with just a few clicks � super easy! Only $39.95 and also offers a 30-day free trial. This is a must have tool! http://www.techsmith.com/products/snagit/default.asp AudioGenerator.com - I use this all the time to stream audio on the web. Super easy to record new messages over the phone, easily capture testimonials from clients. Being a cheapskate I didn�t want to pay their $29 a month subscription fee so I initially purchased another tool � it was a $100 flat fee. What a mistake � it was complicated to use (and I�m pretty techno-savvy). It was too confusing for any of my clients to use on their own. AudioGenerator.com is really �idiot-proof� � all you do is record your message and have your web person copy and past a snippet of code to your website � that�s it! http://members.audiogenerator.com/specialinfo.asp?x=63788 TheMindSource.com � one of the Virtual Assistants to help you with all the admin work that can free much of your time. They do it all � handle your e-mails, registrations for seminars, teleclasses or provide transcripts of teleseminars. http://www.theadminsource.com/ Dummies.com � the dummies book collection http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/ Aweber Communication - help with web traffic conversion http://www.aweber.com/index.htm

http://www.techsmith.com/products/studio/default.asp

http://www.techsmith.com/products/studio/default.asp

http://www.techsmith.com/products/snagit/default.asp

http://members.audiogenerator.com/specialinfo.asp?x=63788

http://www.theadminsource.com/

http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/

http://www.aweber.com/index.htm


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9. Tools for MAC users Note: Since I don�t own a MAC computer I can�t say how good these tools really are. Please do you own homework before you download or buy them. PrintToPDF � converts documents from most programs into PDF files. It appears to be a good option for the $20 investment http://www.jwwalker.com/pages/pdf.html Audacity - free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download

http://www.jwwalker.com/pages/pdf.html

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download

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