1. Do Your Homework in Social Media Land. It seems that some people view the social networks as a giant directory of contacts with a license to essentially spam people with sales messages. Like cold calling, this is a numbers game. I imagine that if you hit enough people with your pushy sales message, eventually someone will bite. But a more effective way to do this is to do your homework.

If you want to pitch your services to someone via social media, take a personal approach. Understand what they do and what their needs are. Make a personal connection before you go straight into sales mode.

One of the best pitches I received was from a fellow member of a LinkedIn group, who sent me a message letting me know that we were both members of the same group. He made a point of mentioning some details he had seen on my profile (proving that he did some homework), then he mentioned his services along with a brief description of his experience. He further set himself apart by mentioning the benefits of working with him: super-fast turn-around, commitment to always meeting deadlines, etc. His came across as both genuine and competent, and we’ve been working together ever since.

2. Respect Time and Be Clear. Just this morning I received a voice mail from someone who said, “Hi, my name is XYZ and I’d like to work for you. You can call me back at xxx.” Who has time for this? I have no idea what he does, who he is or why he wants to work for me. I don’t have time to return calls like this.

3. Don’t Be Obnoxious. I know there are sales trainers out there who advocate aggressive cold calling. I don’t subscribe to this program. Last week, I received three messages in three days from a sales rep for a local sports team. I know their pitch—they want businesses to buy packages and come out to the games. They call me every year. But the guy who called this year was relentless. He even left me a voice mail at 10PM on Thursday night! This is not the way to inspire a sale.

4. Be Memorable. At a conference last year, I met a woman who owns a virtual assistant business. She was smart and engaging and fun to be around, but I already had someone doing that work for my business. Several months later, she sent me a gift—something funny that reminded me of the fun we had at the conference. It put her at the top of my mind and I ended up referring a few people her way. A month later, I had an additional need for her services so I called and hired her immediately.

5. Use Social Media the Right Way. Last week I received a tweet from someone who let me know he was sending me an e-mail. This showed me that he had researched me enough to follow me on Twitter and investigate what I do. He did send me an e-mail with a concise pitch regarding his services. It turned out that I didn’t need the services he was offering, but he did manage to get my attention.

Without a doubt, I delete more pitches that I answer. And the truth is that I’m very open to finding new service providers and I’m always on the lookout for solutions. I imagine that I’ve missed some potentially good opportunities because the pitch failed to dazzle. So if you do nothing else when pitching your services, aim to dazzle. That is the key to standing out.

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When it comes to marketing, there is a fine line between enticing sales copy and manipulation. Sometimes I come across a long sales page and I feel like I need a shower. As a consumer, I’m willing to get out the wallet and buy a product that will improve my life. But I’m downright turned off by contrived testimonials, big promises and three easy over-inflated payments.

Imagine if Amazon.com used this strategy to sell books. You would look up Webster’s Dictionary and see something like this:

Get your ULTIMATE and COMPLETE Guide to EVERY WORD in the English Language! From Arachnophobia to Zamboni, and everything in between, nobody defines words like we do!

NOW FEATURING POP CULTURE SLANG AND ACRONYMS!
Tweet, LOL, and LMAO – Oh yeah, we’ve got it all.

But wait, there’s more…

THIS BOOK COULD SAVE YOUR MARRIAGE
Struggling to find the right words when arguing with your spouse? Turn to page 892 for the definition of Vitriol. Need something heavy to throw at the wall when you’re frustrated? This book achieves velocity like no other.

For centuries, hundreds of thousands of people have used dictionaries to create life-changing experiences. Now you too have the unique opportunity to own a piece of the American Dream.

Abraham Lincoln, Britney Spears, Larry King, my neighbor and a guy I met at Starbucks all own dictionaries! Watch their testimonials where they reveal how words have transformed their lives to make them smarter, more attractive and richer than their wildest dreams…

But wait, there’s more…

SPECIAL BONUS
33 people have generously provided bonus reports, ebooks, audio recordings and tickets to their seminars—a value worth $157,779—and you will receive ALL of these bonuses for FREE with your purchase! But you have to HURRY! This offer is only good until midnight. After that, the bonus items go back into the vault.

CAN YOU REALLY AFFORD TO NOT OWN ONE?
For just three easy payments you too can be the proud owner of your very own dictionary.

Still not convinced? Here are twelve more testimonials from my friends…

* * * * *

I have no doubt that use of the long-form sales pages can work to convert sales, build anticipation, create urgency, and for some, serve as the foundation for a lucrative product launch. But I also know from experience that a “regular” sales page can generate plenty of sales. I will admit that I haven’t done a split test to find out which converts more sales for my business, but I also know that for me, it doesn’t matter. It’s my personal preference to present my products and services without the hype. I also have friends who use long sales pages and swear by them. To each his own!

I’m curious to hear about your experiences. Do you buy from these pages? Do you use them in your own business? What do you think?

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1. Generate Product Ideas
Start by listing the questions you are asked most often. If you find yourself answering the same questions repeatedly, consider that insight into potential product development opportunities.

2. Get Input from Your Target Audience

Survey your target audience–not your friends or your family, but the people you most want to reach. Find out what needs they have that you can fill with the right product. You can use a tool such as http://SurveyMonkey.com to gather data.

3. Evaluate Internet Search Demand

Google’s free keyword tool allows you to type in a key phrase and see the number of monthly searches conducted locally and globally. The tool also generates a list of related keywords, which can be a great way to inspire product ideas while determining demand for the products you create.

4. Find a Market Need

The best information products fill a need for your buyer, which means your product should solve a problem, provide how-to advice or reveal hard-to-find industry information. Also, a product that is too broad may have a harder time finding an audience versus one that is designed for a niche market. For example, if you’re an authority on travel, instead of creating a report with general travel packing tips, you could create a series of reports with packing tips for specific destinations, increasing appeal with travelers headed for those locations.

5. Choose Your Format

Information products come in many shapes and sizes. Here are some options to consider:

Book – A physical book typically doesn’t have a large profit margin (unless you have a specialty topic that can command a higher price), though it does bring additional business benefits. For example, you can leverage your author status to get access to media interviews, paid speaking engagements, consulting contracts and more.

Ebook – Thanks to the influx of digital readers, ebooks are hotter than ever. You can make an ebook available through your website as a simple PDF document, or you can take extra steps to have it formatted for Kindle, Nook, iPad, etc. Consider using http://Smashwords.com for a cost-effective way to convert and distribute your ebook.

Special Report – Shorter than an ebook, a report is typically two or more pages on a specific topic, delivered in PDF format.

Audio Recording – The industry standard is to deliver audio recordings in MP3 format, using software on your computer or a service such as AudioAcrobat.com.

Video Recording – Due to bandwidth and space requirements, videos delivered digitally should be shorter in length or hosted on another server (either a private server or a site like YouTube.com) for easier viewing.

Everything Else – An information product is basically any way that you can package and deliver information. You could develop white papers, transcripts of recordings, workbooks, booklets, databases, formatted spreadsheets, worksheets, templates or training programs that combine multiple formats.

6. Establish the Right Price

Every market is different and your price will depend on many factors: how much your audience can afford to pay, how much they want or need your information, scarcity of competition, your authority and reputation in your field, and perceived benefits of your offer. Also consider the perceived value of your product. A price that is too low may send the message that it won’t be worthwhile, while a price that is too high may limit the number of purchases and raise expectations with those who do buy. For best results, test different pricing options to find which will work best.

7. Create a Great Sales Page

I’m going to take a stand here and tell you that I despise long-form sales pages. I can also tell you that you can absolutely sell products without them. (Can you imagine how absurd it would be if your favorite retailer created overly-hyped sales pages for every single product you clicked on?) Instead, create a great, content-rich sales page that describes the benefits of your product, includes compelling testimonials, establishes your authority as the product creator, and makes it easy to purchase.

8. Automate Delivery

Consumers buying online want instant gratification. Make sure you automate the purchase and delivery of your products using a shopping cart system such as http://ejunkie.com or http://payloadz.com.

9. Promote, Promote, Promote

You can have the best product on the planet, but if nobody knows about it, it won’t matter. Make sure your product page is optimized for the search engines. Consider purchasing Google pay-per-click ads to test sales conversion. Cross-promote your product on your blog, social media sites, newsletter, and everywhere else where you have the opportunity to reach your target audience. The more effort you put into it, the more rewards you will receive.

P.S. I wrote a little book on this subject: From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur: Make Money with Books, eBooks and Information Products (John Wiley and Sons)

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It was the most creative and productive weekend I’ve ever had! I have this fabulous Levenger Circa Notebook that allows me to move pages around (every creative person should have one of these!), so I pulled out the pages with random notes and ideas for all my top projects and spread them all around. Then I tackled them, one at a time, choosing based on which one I was feeling most excited about. On the first night, I lost track of time and worked until 3:30AM! I ran out of steam by 11PM on the second night, but it was still a full and productive day.

Here’s what I accomplished:

- Worked out a ton of exciting new details for my latest book. So excited!

- Finally launched my Facebook Fan page. I have been putting this off because I like the two-way engagement of the personal profile, but I’m about maxed out on friends and it had to be done. I’ve also decided that it will be a FUN new adventure!

- Updated new services for Authority Publishing: Corporate books!

- Practiced meditating. This is new to me. I’ve been hearing forever about the importance of meditating, but I have an incredibly busy brain and quite frankly, I didn’t understand the point of it all. NOW I GET IT! Wow! It was exhilarating and exciting because I got clarity on some ideas that have been bouncing around in my head. Meditating will now be a regular feature in my daily routine.

- Updated my goals for the year and printed out a new copy to post at my desk. Just keep raising that bar a little higher…

- Worked on numerous projects and celebrated getting them done!

What I learned from this crazy, creative explosion was that I operate at my best in this environment–no distractions, no concern about time, and with the freedom to create. I’ve decided that this is essential to my existence on this planet. So I am now going to dedicate one day each week for creative projects. I expect that this will have a tremendous impact on my business since that will be my focus. I can’t wait to see what happens next…

And here’s what I also know for sure: Everyone should make this kind of time. You don’t have to check into a hotel. You can simply decide to give yourself an afternoon or a day or a late night to do whatever you feel drawn to do. We all have projects we put off, things we would like to do “someday.” Why wait? Give yourself this time and you will be very glad you did!

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I expected sales to be slow over the holiday weekend, but they were busier than usual (I’m not sure why, though I’m not complaining!). And though I’ve been selling information products for years now, I still feel like a kid on Christmas when I login and get a flurry of “You’ve got a sale” e-mail messages.

If you aren’t yet selling information products, then you could be missing out on cash in the bank. Here’s a quick list of some of my favorite types of products to create for fun and profit!

Books – The ultimate info product, a book opens doors to speaking engagements, media interviews and cash in the bank (note: You can make more money when you publish yourself!). Bonus: Use your book as a tool to grow your business, attract consulting clients, impress strategic partners and much more.

eBooks – Thanks to the Kindle, iPad, Stanza for iPhone and Barnes and Noble’s Nook, ebooks are hotter than ever. You can sell a simple PDF version through your site or use a service like Smashwords to distribute your work to many outlets.

Tele-Education – The teleseminar market is saturated with free options, but have you considered using this technology to conduct training classes? I’ve offered many online training sessions over the years, typically in multi-week formats (3-, 4- or 6-week programs). These command higher dollars and offer added value for attendees.

Another version is a conference-style event, such as the Nonfiction Writers Conference that I launched in April. Remember that you can then sell the recordings and transcripts for years after your event is over!

Workbooks – I love workbooks as a tool for learning, and when it comes to consumers, workbooks often have a higher perceived value than a typical book. You can create companion workbooks for programs that you offer, to compliment your books, or simply as a format that works with something you want to teach. Offer workbooks in both hard-bound and ebook versions for maximum sales potential.

For more ideas, check out my previous post on 50 Ways to Transform Content into Information Products.

Now go make some money!!

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2. “Casual Friday” whenever you want.

3. Brilliant ideas that keep you up at night.

4. Designing your own flex time schedule and spending more time with your kids than you would if you had a “real job.”

5. Goals, vision boards, mastermind groups and entrepreneurial camaraderie!

6. Celebrating wins large and small—new clients, increased revenues, great alliance partners and media coverage.

7. No false sense of job security.

8. Working out in the middle of the day or whenever the mood strikes.

9. Pets at your feet in your home office.

10. The anticipation and excitement you feel on Mondays (a great sign that you’re traveling on the right path).

Happy (Entrepreneurial) Independence Day!

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- From your Twitter page, click on FIND PEOPLE in the top menu bar

- Click the link on the left for LinkedIn

This will take you to LinkedIn where your friends with Twitter handles will be listed and you can easily choose to follow them (one at a time).

You will also see an option for the Tweets application that allows you to integrate Twitter into your LinkedIn profile. This will display your recent tweets on your LI profile and also allow you to monitor your Twitter news feed.

Pretty cool!

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I knew I was going to enjoy this event, but what I didn’t expect was all the inspiration. Many of the business owners are new and their enthusiasm was beyond contagious. There were also plenty of ideas bouncing around for each participant and a general feeling that though it may not always be easy, entrepreneurial life rocks!

Sometimes we forget to enjoy this ride that we are on and that the resources we need are almost always within reach…

I will be sharing more posts and details on the Project Rev blog, but just wanted to send out a reminder to all of you to spend a little time with others who are in your shoes. Discuss your challenges AND your successes. Celebrate each other. Help each other figure out what it takes to be successful and spread that good karma around. Whether you do this via a mastermind group, a networking event, volunteer to help local entrepreneurs, or you just call up some friends and invite them to lunch, don’t lose sight of what is possible. The economy is turning and we all have a tremendous opportunity to ride the coming wave!

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• Keep a toiletries bag ready to go. Instead of having to pack up everything in your bathroom, buy a second set of shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, razors, brushes, styling tools, etc. and have them ready to go. This alone will save you a lot of time in the long run.
• Pack a night light. Hotel rooms are dark and unfamiliar (and some of us still don’t like the dark…).
• Roll clothing when packing in the suitcase to save on space and minimize wrinkles.
• Want to avoid a lot of ironing? Two words: polyester blend.
• Try to coordinate your wardrobe around one base color like black or brown. This will minimize the amount of shoes needed.
• A staggering amount of baggage gets lost during air travel and may not be recovered for 24 hours. Carry essentials on board (like medications) and don’t pack important items that are hard to replace (family heirlooms, airline tickets for a future flight).
• To avoid having your clothes come out smelling like diesel fuel, place a few fabric freshener sheets in your suitcase.
• Pack a few Clorox wipes to sanitize the hotel room–especially that TV remote control. You saw that episode of Dateline, right? The one about germs in hotels? YUCK!
• A few essentials for every business traveler: lint brush, bandages, aspirin and other medications you may need (like sleeping pills), pens, and an extension cord in case your laptop doesn’t reach the nearest in-room outlet).
• One essential you no longer need: the travel alarm clock. Try the one on your cell phone as a back up to the in-room clock. Oh, and never trust the in-room clock.
• Don’t forget that most airlines allow you to check in up to 24 hours in advance and most have self-serve kiosks. Remember to bring your ID and credit card to pay for any bags that you check.
• Stock up on bottled water AFTER you go through security. You can bring it on the plane. You might want to pick up a snack too since most no longer feed passengers more then 8 peanuts.

Happy travels!

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This product is a great example of innovation. It’s simple, fills a need and is priced just right (currently $199). I’m also impressed with Steve’s marketing strategy. His e-mail to me began by complimenting an article I wrote, which immediately got my attention (flattery will get you everywhere!). Then he subtly mentioned his new business and product. I’m sure he wrote to me because I’m a blogger, though he never asked me to blog about his product. He handled everything like a pro and got my attention.

I was intrigued and clicked through to the website, which is clean and easy to navigate. There is no cheesey long-form sales letter–just simple, clear benefits, testimonials and complimentary photos.

This is a model that many entrepreneurs can learn from. I love the low-key approach and the innovation of this product–can’t wait for mine to arrive. Well done!

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