You CAN succeed in your own information empire. Self-publishing
valuable, how-to information is in great demand by people
today. In today`s busy society, people are pressed for time.
They need concise, simplified, practical information. They will
pay dearly for it if it will improve the quality of their lives.
Even if you have never written for money before, you can do so
if you apply the information in this report. Lack of formal
education should not deter you. Large sums of cash are not
required. What is required is the application of the
information in this report.
You must have more than good intentions, though. Your strong
desire to succeed, not only in making money, but in making a
difference in other peoples` lives, will motivate you. Then,
following through, you will execute your planned tasks to reach
your goal.
2. WHY IS SELF-PUBLISHED INFORMATION THE PERFECT PRODUCT?
Information can be sold on the basis of its value. For example,
if you could receive a thousand dollar tax-free grant, would you
pay ten dollars for that information? Most persons would.
They`d be $990.00 ahead. Yet, that information might fit on one
printed page. So, the cost of producing the information has
almost no relationship to the value of the information. Thus,
the potential for high markups and profits exist in this business.
Information products (unlike other hard goods like cars,
refrigerators, et cetera) are relatively light and so incur
lower shipping costs. In fact, the post office gives
preferential treatment for shipping books.
You could sell other peoples` products, but then you would not
have control over your business. At any time, your suppliers
could change their commission structure, let your competitors
sell the product, or even discontinue your relationship. If you
own your own proprietary product, your own copyrighted
information product, no one can legally sell it without your
permission. You control its production, promotion, and
distribution.
3. WHY SELF-PUBLISH SPECIAL REPORTS INSTEAD OF BOOKS?
A Special Report (sometimes called a folio) is a written
document of from one to several pages on a specialized subject
of interest to certain readers. It should be concise and
practical information of value to a particular audience. It
might be professionally bound with a cover and personalized for
the reader or it might just be a few pages stapled together or
it may even take the form of a computer file or electronic
book. This publication is an example of a Special Report.
Books and booklets must be produced in certain minimum
quantities. This is fine, when you`re well-established
financially. However, Special Reports can be produced on
demand, one copy at a time, if necessary. This means that if you
receive one order, you can publish it from your home computer by
simply printing a copy of your file.
Even if you have no computer, you could type one copy of your
report and have it photocopied as required. This results in
virtually no money being tied up in inventory. You spend money
only when you receive orders.
Books are lengthier and require more time and effort to
produce. Therefore, it will take you longer to make money from
your efforts. A Special Report, being only a few pages long on
the average, is a product you can develop and produce quickly
and economically.
Many customers will appreciate the concise treatment of a
particular subject in a Special Report. They could pay forty
dollars for a complete book on home-based businesses, but maybe
they just want information on self-publishing.
Perhaps they have already bought books on How To Publish Your
Own Book, but the area of Special Reports wasn`t really
covered. For a few dollars (and often for considerably less
expense than a book), they can get the essential information
they need to accomplish their goal.
If time is money, then your customer will really appreciate your
to-the-point consideration of his selected subject. You are not
being paid by the word; you are being paid for results.
As you write further Special Reports in your area of expertise
and interest, you will find you will have a number of products
to sell, instead of just one. Then, you will have diversified
your income, having developed multiple income sources. Instead
of making money only when you are working, these products could
generate passive income for years to come. While on vacation or
while sleeping, orders could be coming in for these products you
developed.
As well, a series of Special Reports or folios on related
subjects could be combined later to produce a book. If, for
example, you produced twelve different folios on various ways of
making money from self-publishing, they could be combined in a
book on the same subject.
Thus, Special Reports can be used as the basis for creating
other information products, such as books, booklets, audio
cassettes, videos, courses, software, speeches, website content,
electronic books, business kits, and so on. The more products
you have and the more choices you offer your customer, the more
income streams you will generate for yourself.
4. WHAT SHOULD YOU WRITE ABOUT?
Of course, it is natural that you would want to write about
something that is of interest to you. However, is what you are
writing about of interest to others? You may be an excellent
poet, but the market is very limited for poetry.
On the other hand, practical and simple "how-to" information
sells. As an example, you presumably bought this report to
accomplish a number of objectives. First of all, you wanted to
make more money. Secondly, you wanted to learn how to create
valuable information of use to others, so that they could pay
you for it.
Is there a market for moneymaking information like this? You
bet there is! Just check out the business opportunity magazines
at the newstands to see that this is true. Use internet search
engines to find moneymaking or other how-to subjects and to
learn about what your competitors are doing.
The key to making money from your self-published information is
to write on a subject that is of interest and benefit to your
reader. There must be a sufficient number of persons interested
in your subject in order for you to justify the time and expense
required to undertake writing about it.
You must be able to reach these persons economically (through
the internet, magazines, or other means). Most important, what
you write should address a concern, want or need of your
reader. Provide the benefits implied in your title and
advertising. Provide good value for the money charged, and your
customers will be happy and buy other products from you.
5. HOW TO PRODUCE A SPECIAL REPORT
It is likely that you already possess information, knowledge,
and skills in areas of interest to others. Meditate on what you
already know. Sometimes we assume that other people already
know what we know. This is not the case. If this knowledge can
help others save money, increase their income, improve their
health, be better liked, improve their happiness, or give some
other important benefit, you can use this knowledge as the basis
of producing your information product.
As well as your own expertise, you can consult other sources to
add to your knowledge. Research at the public library, in
bookstores, on the internet, through personal interviews of
experts, and by taking educational courses on your chosen
subject will all help you develop additional expertise needed to
write your folio.
As for writing ability and skill, practice makes perfect. Get
constructive criticism from others. Have a friend proofread
your report. Check your grammar and spelling. Use simple
sentences. Don`t get too complicated or you`ll lose most of
your readers.
Use of a personal computer will help you immensely. Prepare
your document in text format so that you can use your
information in different formats, such as for your website, in
electronic books, for e-mailing to a printer, et cetera. If you
wish, you may export a copy of the text file you used to prepare
your own Special Report to a word processing program to format
it for printing. Only print the copies needed to fill orders.
Writing any information product requires self-discipline. You
must find a suitable time to write each day. Buy out the time
from less important activities such as TV viewing or idle
conversation. If you have specific goals and stick to them and
your schedule, you are likely to accomplish your objective of
making more money with self-published special reports.
If, for example, your goal is to produce one Special Report per
week, you will need to schedule the required time for research,
then writing, editing and corrections.
Be realistic about your goals. If you can only produce one
special report per month, don`t be discouraged. Adjust your
goals to what reasonably can be accomplished. Just think!
Producing only one Special Report per month would produce a line
of twelve different products in a year and could form the basis
of a newly published book!
6. HOW TO SELL SPECIAL REPORTS
Writing, although hard work and akin to giving birth, is only
part of the battle. Now you need to sell your Special Reports.
Remember, you didn`t just write on any subject that interested
you. You deliberately chose a subject that was marketable. You
wrote a subject others were interested in. Otherwise, you
wouldn`t be able to sell it.
Whether you use a website, magazine ads, direct mail or other
methods of advertising and promoting your Special Reports, make
sure that all your communications stress the benefits to the
target reader. They must be convinced that your folio is a
product that is needed by them and is worth the money.
Don`t forget to take advantage of free publicity for your
products. Send press releases and try to get your publication
reviewed or featured as a new product in appropriate magazines
or other media.
Special Reports can be adapted as articles that you can offer
for sale to magazines. Some consultants and professionals use
Special Reports to promote their own business and to establish
credibility as experts in a certain field.
7. THE BEGINNING OF YOUR INFORMATION EMPIRE
From small beginnings come big things. Your following through
on the information in this report could result in many
benefits. A steady production of appropriate Special Reports
will give you control and ownership of profitable products in
high demand. These products can create income for years after
they are produced. They can also form the basis of other
products: books, audio tapes, videos, courses, internet content,
software, and other salable, unique products. Establish your
credibility as a respected expert in your field.
Don`t delay; follow through. Best wishes to you in building a
profitable and enjoyable information empire!
About the author:
J. Stephen Pope, President of Pope Consulting Inc., has been helping clients to earn maximum business profits for over twenty-five years.
Steps to
a Writing an Effective Press Releases
by: Diana Ennen
Want to get the most media attention and spotlight for
your business? Then the first place to start is with a GREAT press
release. Now I can almost see half of you leaving now, dreading the
thought of having to write one of these. But wait!! I’m going to show you
easy methods to make your press release work for you and get the attention
it deserves. Ready? Let’s go.
We’ll briefly go over the basics because of their
importance. Editors want to see things done the RIGHT way. I would bet
that a lot of good releases simply get tossed out just because they aren’t
set up properly. To a busy editor, that all too familiar “10 second
glance” says a lot for you and your business; it let’s them know if you’ve
done your research enough to warrant that release to be placed in their
newspaper or magazine.
Here are your essentials:
"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" on the top left of the page.
Your contact name, phone number, e-mail address, and
website follows.
Headline is next, normally in bold and centered on the
page. Summarize what the release is about and capture their attention.
Spend almost as much time on your headline as you do writing the release.
It’s that important.
The press release body starts with the location of the
release and the date (Margate, Florida, May 5, 2005.)
Most press releases are between 200-500 words, and no more
than a page. The first paragraph has the most important information. Don’t
save the best for last, it won’t get read. In this paragraph answer the
questions, who, what, when, where and why?
It is recommended that you write press releases in the 3rd
person and use short sentences and paragraphs. Do not go over board,
trying to dazzle the editor, it won’t work.
Target your release. You will be sending your release to a
specific audience so make sure that in your release you keep to what would
appeal to that audience. What don’t they know that you can add? Nothing
works better than getting an “AAH HAA” when an editor is reviewing your
release.
Provide statistics. Do some research and find some
relevant information that applies. You can easily do this through Google.
Once you find your quote, do a Google search or Yahoo quote on that
particular topic. However, don’t stop on the first Google link and take
that for gospel. Research it a bit further. Have it come from a
respectable company or magazine.
Include relevant quotes from experts in your field that
will reinforce what you are saying. Approach authors, leaders in your
Industry, and other experts that back up the facts you are stating in your
release. They will normally appreciate the added publicity and you get the
quote you’re looking for. For example, as an author I’ll often get asked
to provide a quote for an article on home-based businesses or the virtual
assistant industry. I welcome the opportunity as it provides me more
publicity.
Also, if you have a satisfied client that you feel will
add credibility to your Release, add a quote from them as well. The first
time you mention the expert, write out their full name. Then list them by
last name or Mr. and Mrs. Smith only. I normally prefer the last name.
The last paragraph should be your call to action. You’ve
talked the whole release about your business or product, now tell them
what to do with the knowledge they just acquired.
At the bottom of the release include ### to indicate you
are done, followed by a short bio. Make sure if you include your website
that you include http:// in front of it for search engine recognition.
Your bio should include your information, any books
authored, etc. Double check this for accuracy. At this point, you’re tired
and done with the Release. But if it goes out to the world with the wrong
web address, the valuable time spent even writing the Release has been
wasted.
That’s it; the basics for writing a press release! Now one
other thing I’d like to add in, they work! They truly work. I’ve had a
recent release get accepted by PRWeb (and yes they do reject bad ones!),
and then go on to hit several other major newspapers and media outlines
and the Google alert, which resulted in our paper in the area contacting
me. You want to set up a Google news alert for your name so that you can
follow the path and see when you make the news so you can follow up. Also,
PRWeb at http://www.prweb.com
has complete guidelines for setting up a good press release. Go with the
extra money and spend $20.00. It’s worth it to get the additional
exposure.
About The Author
Diana Ennen is the author of numerous books including
Virtual Assistant: the Series, Become a Highly Successful, Sought After
VA, Words From Home, Start, Run and Profit from a Home-Based Word
Processing Business & the Home Office Recovery Plan. She specializes in
publicity and book marketing and is president of Virtual Word Publishing
http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com and
http://www.Publicity-VA.com. Articles are free to be reprinted as long
as the author’s bio remains intact
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