First fastlane attempt starting today!

[alainn]

Hey everyone,

I would like to become a producer like suggested in the fastlane book(great read by the way - if you haven't read it yet, you should buy it now!). In other words, I'd like to begin producing products that will be consumed by consumers.

My product of choice at the moment? An information product.

I'm at the idea generation stage. Doing some research.

My question is: does anyone on this forum have any advice for a first-time information producer? I'm thinking of starting with a simple e-book because I'm on a shoestring budget.

 

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[John Rogers]

Info product as fastlane is a stretch for me. However the process of producing and selling the product will likely yield a lot of valuable lessons. If you're determined to create an info product, my suggestion would be to at least do some fastlane thinking first, and identify a potential fastlane market. Then produce your info product for those customers. That way, if your true fastlane business does end up being in that market, you will already have some appropriate customers in your marketing funnel.

As far as the subject of your ebook goes, think in terms of desperate buyers. What kind of problems in that market result in the potential customer needing an instant solution?

John

 

[Guest3722A]

think in terms of desperate buyers

There's a gem of a statement and one that helped fill my brick n mortar business fast to the point of a waiting list months out.

 

[code junkie]

Offer some information for free, and make that information good. This is usually done with a blog. Just don't make it so that a person could easily skip over buying the book and just read through the blog instead. If possible, accompany it with some kind of subscription service that keeps the customers paying continuously.

think in terms of desperate buyers.

Yeah, I'm seriously considering writing one of those e-books about how to get a girlfriend, but the market is probably saturated as hell by now.

 

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[John Rogers]

Yeah, I'm seriously considering writing one of those e-books about how to get a girlfriend, but the market is probably saturated as hell by now.

Narrow down the scope of the product. How to get a girlfriend for the disabled. How to get a girlfriend for introverts. How to get a girlfriend even when you live 50 miles from the nearest town.

I'm not saying you should enter that market without doing some serious research, but there are certainly opportunities there.

 

[exon]

In addition to product/content quality/need -- marketing plays a major role. In order to become someone who can tell others what to do you should become the obvious expert.

Revenues from the sale of high quality info products are directly proportional to the quality and quantity of promotion/campaigns. Campaigns are much more effective way because people decide to buy something when they see it 5, 6, 7 or more times ... Campaigns for info products are simple -- "Train to transaction"

Another important thing is having a Huge list.

 

[x9vjzs098u123rnl]

If you have a bit of an education budget and would like some more step-by-step guidance in making info products, I can highly recommend Mark Joyner's 13-Day Information Product Creation Kit.

The course is mostly common-sense information but it comes with some nice swipe files if you're new to writing copy/salesletters, as well as techniques to legally get some reviews/testimonials on your product.

 

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[Kung Fu Steve]

Info product as fastlane is a stretch for me.

While I agree with most of what you're saying, I think this part is way off. We must truly identify the problem. The reason it is a "stretch" is because we are drowning in information... BUT we are starving for wisdom. What we need are informational products that are quality.

If you need examples of where informational products work here are some examples: Tony Robbins, Carlton Sheets, Lucinda Bassett, Eben Pagan, Frank Kern, Timothy Ferris, Robert Kiyosaki, soon to be MJ DeMarco, the list goes on and on. All multi-multi-millionaires.

I'd like to point out that they did not come up with the MEANS first, they decided what the END was. You see an "e-book" is a MEANS to an END. This is completely backwards. If you are serious about getting into the informational don't flood the market with more crap like your current mentality brings. I don't say this to be mean but I am trying to get you to understand that most people into "e-books" and "informational marketing" are into get rich easy. Too often information like this gets confused with get rich quick scams and overnight millions in your new online business that you don't have to work at. Don't be this person.

SOLVE A PROBLEM.

Then come up with the means to get your message out. I.E. E-books, Paper Books, Videos, Seminars, whatever.

Looking for an example? I have been in the information market for many years since I have taught martial arts. People pay me for the information that I give them. But I also go above and beyond, I give them the information on how to eat healthy, exercise properly, get better grades in school, build their confidence, I am giving them information and they are paying me for it. But the MEANS of teaching daily classes and giving certain exercises came from asking "what is the best way to meet the END?"

My new business is similar to other "Success Gurus" (Tony Robbins, Stephen Covey, Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, Dennis Waitley, Zig Ziglar, etc, etc) where I will be giving people INFORMATION in exchange for money. But the ONLY way I will succeed is if I give people information that is way more valuable then their money. If I set the price at my upcoming product at $297, I better damn well give them something for it. Why would someone pay me any sort of money for information that in reality they can get for free? Well several reasons. 1. It's the culmination of over 500 books and audio cds, plus 200+ seminars. 2. It's all in one place. 3. The personal touch on it. 4. The information is WISDOM and not just information. Wisdom I define as something that will instantly impact your life.

What sets me apart from anyone else? My own unique flare, my own unique exercises, my own unique teaching style, my own unique view, my own unique experiences.

In my market, the "success" market (if you would label as that), we are all teaching similar information. Mainly information that Napolean Hill accumulated from successful people. But he certainly wasn't the first either.

How does ANY of this relate to you? Well I hope you stuck with me because here's the deal; if you want to be successful in your fastlane plan you must...

1. Master the Fastlane mentality
2. Find a problem that is not being solved (OR solve it better than anyone else)
3. THEN figure out your means to your end.
4. Ask questions after you take action, take more action, ask more questions, rinse and repeat.

I hope this was helpful. This is the sort of information I wish I had when I started out. It took me a while to figure it all out thanks to several of the members on here and hundreds and hundreds of hours of research.

Still too complex? Take action.

 

[alainn]

but the market is probably saturated as hell by now.

One thing I learned from a book called The Magic of Thinking Big is that a lot of people stop where they think the market must already be saturated. The truth is(according to the author) that there is still a lot of opportunity in a field like how to get a girlfriend or any other field. It's like MJ talks about, all you have to do is a add a new spin to an old product/an old idea... and it can become a hit

 

[alainn]

While I agree with most of what you're saying, I think this part is way off. We must truly identify the problem. The reason it is a "stretch" is because we are drowning in information... BUT we are starving for wisdom. What we need are informational products that are quality.

If you need examples of where informational products work here are some examples: Tony Robbins, Carlton Sheets, Lucinda Bassett, Eben Pagan, Frank Kern, Timothy Ferris, Robert Kiyosaki, soon to be MJ DeMarco, the list goes on and on. All multi-multi-millionaires.

I'd like to point out that they did not come up with the MEANS first, they decided what the END was. You see an "e-book" is a MEANS to an END. This is completely backwards. If you are serious about getting into the informational don't flood the market with more crap like your current mentality brings. I don't say this to be mean but I am trying to get you to understand that most people into "e-books" and "informational marketing" are into get rich easy. Too often information like this gets confused with get rich quick scams and overnight millions in your new online business that you don't have to work at. Don't be this person.

SOLVE A PROBLEM.

Then come up with the means to get your message out. I.E. E-books, Paper Books, Videos, Seminars, whatever.

Looking for an example? I have been in the information market for many years since I have taught martial arts. People pay me for the information that I give them. But I also go above and beyond, I give them the information on how to eat healthy, exercise properly, get better grades in school, build their confidence, I am giving them information and they are paying me for it. But the MEANS of teaching daily classes and giving certain exercises came from asking "what is the best way to meet the END?"

My new business is similar to other "Success Gurus" (Tony Robbins, Stephen Covey, Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, Dennis Waitley, Zig Ziglar, etc, etc) where I will be giving people INFORMATION in exchange for money. But the ONLY way I will succeed is if I give people information that is way more valuable then their money. If I set the price at my upcoming product at $297, I better damn well give them something for it. Why would someone pay me any sort of money for information that in reality they can get for free? Well several reasons. 1. It's the culmination of over 500 books and audio cds, plus 200+ seminars. 2. It's all in one place. 3. The personal touch on it. 4. The information is WISDOM and not just information. Wisdom I define as something that will instantly impact your life.

What sets me apart from anyone else? My own unique flare, my own unique exercises, my own unique teaching style, my own unique view, my own unique experiences.

In my market, the "success" market (if you would label as that), we are all teaching similar information. Mainly information that Napolean Hill accumulated from successful people. But he certainly wasn't the first either.

How does ANY of this relate to you? Well I hope you stuck with me because here's the deal; if you want to be successful in your fastlane plan you must...

1. Master the Fastlane mentality
2. Find a problem that is not being solved (OR solve it better than anyone else)
3. THEN figure out your means to your end.
4. Ask questions after you take action, take more action, ask more questions, rinse and repeat.

I hope this was helpful. This is the sort of information I wish I had when I started out. It took me a while to figure it all out thanks to several of the members on here and hundreds and hundreds of hours of research.

Still too complex? Take action.

Well said, reminds me of a video I saw today by Eben Pagan:

(I'm pretty sure this is the link - watch the video on Yaro's site)

Eben Pagan Asks: Why Aren’t You Selling Information Products?- Entrepreneurs-Journey.com by Yaro Starak

 

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[Kung Fu Steve]

Well said, reminds me of a video I saw today by Eben Pagan:

(I'm pretty sure this is the link - watch the video on Yaro's site)

Eben Pagan Asks: Why Aren’t You Selling Information Products?- Entrepreneurs-Journey.com by Yaro Starak

I'm a big fan of Eben Pagan. I have studied him and his businesses for a while. I can't take credit for the "money = value", that's alllll him. But it makes lots of sense. Any of us that have chased money have figured out pretty quick that we don't get anywhere. And I think this is the exact reason why. Money isn't really what we are after. It's value.

 

[lightning]

Excellent post Kung Fu Steve, one of the best Ive seen in a while!

2 thumbs up and speed+ to you.