Lets create an Ebook!

[Wuping]

Enough with action faking, time for action taking!

Hi fellow Fastlaners!
For too long I've had all sorts of ideas. As the old saying "planning is easy, execution is hard" I haven't actually been able to execute any of these ideas (except for one, but it wasn't really "fastlane"). Now it's time for a change, this thread will keep me and you updated on my progress.


Background: About a year ago, I decided I wanted to lose weight. I'd been bodybuilding for about 4 years prior and gained a lot of muscle mass, but also a lot of fat. Basically I wasn't happy with how I looked. March 2011 I decided to take action. I started reading tons about losing weight (it's unbelievable how much crap about weight loss is out there). In November I reached my goals. I had basically lost 16 kg (35 lbs) and gained a whole lot of confidence. I believe my approach to dieting is really good and it works! No secret formula, no drugs - nothing but my "method" which enables people to lose weight (if you would like to know more about this, say so and I'll explain in further detail). In the process I also learned the importance of keeping track of your actions. I always keep track of my nutrition and training, which has yielded me great results. Time to do the same for my Fastlane Progress too!

So here I am, with a wish to be able to change other people's lives as I've changed my own. I come from an overweight family, so I know many of the things overweight people go through each and every day.


Idea/Product: I'm going to write an ebook on weight loss. What will set my ebook apart from the others?

(First of all, not a lot of ebooks about weight loss have been written in my language (danish), so I'll take hardcover books into consideration too.)


What I'm going to create, is an honest, no-BS approach to dieting. How you can lose weight, change as few habits as possible, eat as much as possible and most importantly - not become overweight again.

The diet solutions out there right now, basically just focus upon a quick (and crappy) weight loss, with no real focus on the psychological aspects of a diet and what to do after the weight loss. My main focus is the psychological aspect of dieting and how to be on a "diet" for the rest of your life. Combined with a REALLY simple and effective way of loosing weight. I don't believe in "Use the super secret weight formula and get a six pack" kind of branding, as this just SCREAMS scam and it's something I would never ever approve of.


-So basically a no BS ebook which focus upon losing weight as easy, fun and realistically as possible with the use of my own experience and basic nutrition knowledge.



Monetization: Right now, I think of doing a free light edition of the ebook and a regular sale of the ebook. If it turns out to be a success, I'd like to create a community for the clients where they could share their story etc.


Support: I'm offering my free support and guidance if people should encounter any problems. This may not be as Fastlane as possible, but I really do believe in over delivering and it's truly my passion to be able to help people lose weight. By being that close to the customers, I would also have a great chance to really learn further about the challenges overweight people are facing each and every day, and hopefully guide them to success and a healthier body.

Marketing: I haven't got TONS of money so my marketing has to be kind of creative. I'm thinking about joining the leading online communities about weight loss and exercise and help people there (with a link to my homepage eventually). YouTube is also a great tool. There I would create videos helping people with basic dieting issues. And perhaps include some videos specifically for those who've bought the ebook. I would also like to use Facebook and/or Google Adwords. I really really love Facebook for its possibilities to target specific groups. (Right now middle-aged, single women are an obvious target group)


As you might sense, my mind is a bit scattered. Right now my main focus is to keep track of my progress, and make sure that I CREATE something instead of just walking around THINKING.


So that's it (for now). I would love to hear your thought, especially if you're in the ebook business or have lost weight yourself - or if you simply can contribute with anything I would love to hear it.

 

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[hedgehog757]

Interesting...why an ebook?

 

[Wuping]

Interesting...why an ebook?

Opposed to a "physical" book?
I think ebook has a lot of benefits. First of all, perhaps most importantly, I can test the "Need" without a huge investment in physical books. The delivery of the book is completely automated. There's a huge profit per sale etc.
Furthermore having a "real" book published about nutriton, would probably require a brand and formal education, of which I'm yet to acquire

 

[AndrewNC]

I see too many of these commercials and programs about "how to lose X amount in 3 months" "lost 10 pounds in 3 weeks" and stuff like that. How about a book with a theme that the goal is for the LONG TERM. Short, daily workouts and diet plans that keep you healthy over time. idk if it would help market it, but it would be different from what I see everywhere

 

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[DeletedUser2]

you see that X pounds in X days, because that is what the market responds too.
they want magic, not reality.

just so you know.
the real question is who is your audience? and how do you get to them effectively? and cheap enough? 1 ebook is usually not enough to make it in that market.

 

[V8Bill]

If you can detail a way to lose weight fast and keep it off in a healthy and permanent way then you will have a real winner on your hands. If what the public want is a fast solution (and let's face it - who doesn't?) and what you want is to keep your readers happy healthy and slim then you need to marry those two things together to have something different.

No one wants to know how to lose weight slow. It's easy to do that, just eat less, change what you eat and exercise and over time you'll lose weight. There's not one person alive who doesn't know that. To be a true breakthrough you need to address human failings and come up with real steps that people can take that are doable, enjoyable, easy and fast. As impossible as that may seem, that's what people want.

I went from "fat" to "flat stomach" in 90 days (less actually - I fell off the wagon in 90 days but my results came much faster) by converting to vegan-ism. All it took was one spark and someone I had respect in to ask me to "try it for a few days and see what happens". I tried it but I also had something to prove (the mental aspect was strong). I wanted to do something that everyone said I would never be able to do. I wasn't fit, I didn't exercise much (never have) I just changed what I put into my mouth. It was such a radical change there was no room for ambiguity. vegan is pretty strict - if it had eyes or comes from something that had eyes - it's out! Easy to follow and no wiggle room.

I'm fat again now (6 foot and 115kg) and I'll tell you what changed. I had a guy who I had huge respect for (in other areas) who made it his game to tempt me into the delicious meat eating game again. It started with seafood and he had some great lines to tempt me. I broke when we were at a seaside holiday location and he was eating a fantastic smelling glistening and (what I would have previously described as) scrumptious looking prawn BBQ shashlik. There were scallops as well and they smelled irresistible, so I caved. I had one bite. That's all it took. Within 3 days I was sitting at the seafood all-you-can-eat buffet stuffing my face like it was water and I had just crawled through the Sahara and was dying of thirst. It was like a massive relief that I had "given up". I was living life again and felt like my vegan-ism was just a stupid exercise in martyrdom. I tuned my mind back to convincing me that life was for living not for starving and denying myself of simple pleasures.

So what really happened? For 90 days I was a STRICT and political vegan. It was a simple diet (no eyes) and it was working rapidly. It satisfied many desires. I was getting thin, I didn't have to think much and I even cam up with my own little saying. When asked how I was able to eat such plain food I just said "I had de-romanticised food" for me it was now about just filling the tank to keep from starving. It didn't matter what it tasted like. Being a car-head and die hard hot rodder I used a car analogy to keep my mind under control "petrol/gasoline doesn't taste very nice I bet either but it certainly does the job of providing energy to move the car and sometime very fast!".

Another thing that bothered me was the social element. I was always the "weird one" at the restaurant ordering side dishes of beans (no butter) and any other vegan style side dish. It was actually very difficult to find food to eat. I had also tried to add an organic element to my new regime which made it even harder. I had to start cooking for myself (cooking was never really fun for me - too much hassle for just a meal) and it was all just a big hassle. Is it any wonder I eventually caved when enticed with some seafood? Who should I blame the most? Not the guy who chose to play with me. I was just weak enough to let the mental side win.

90 days as a vegan was the fastest way I had ever lost weight (dropped to 85kg from 115kg in 90 days and I was happy with my shape within 30 or 40!) but fortunately I have a side-on photo of me talking on stage to a large group of 500+ people to stir my emotions again to at least "want to lose weight" but my current problem is my self talk is broken again and it's not a small task to fix. I know it can happen in an instant like it did back then but I really like sugary fatty foods (at least I'm honest). A bitter coffee is just not the same thing as a super strong super sweet coffee. I love stuffing lots of food in and having huge steaks again. I think I actually like the feeling I get as it goes past the back of my mouth and down into my throat - weird or what?

Anyway, I suppose my point is that if you really want to be a successful diet book writer you have to come up with something people want and that keeps you happy. Mega fast weight loss in a healthy way. It's possible (I think 60 days is fast) or at least get that first step to arrive as fast as possible. That first step being something they notice. The final target weight is probably not as important as getting them to notice a drop in clothing size as soon as possible. You said it and it's been repeated above... "fast weight loss is what people want" They just want it GONE!

My post is long (apologies) but hopefully there is something in there that will help you write a powerful relevant and popular book. You have to write something different and make sure it's what people want. Write that book and you'll sell lots of copies - I'm sure of it. "Take it slow" won't cut it. It has to be fast, easy and forgiving or at least deal with the mental side of it as it's people's "self talk" that will defeat them every time.


HTH

 

[Pat]

Commandment of Need

Test the market NOW, before you start writing. Set up a landing page and send some traffic. Record how many people click click on the buy now button. Then show some sorry message and capture their eMail. See if you would make profit.

 

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[Dos]

I suggest you test your system first with your friends if it will also work for them.

If they find it easy to do or very effective then that's the time you start writing the book.

Just write and write and write. Worry about marketing later.

 

[Wuping]

First of all, thanks for the HUGE and great response! I'll do my best to answer you all.
Just a quick update on my progress so far: Today I wrote 10 different chapters. It's great (and actually fun) so far. It's no fluff, just pure useful info. Obviously it needs some polish, but just getting some thoughts down on paper is a great feeling.

@AndrewNC It's an interesting thought, I've been thinking the same way too. Obviously I can't (and won't) compete with those "get ripped in 10 days" products. I would like my product, to be considered as serious, genuine and helpful and a true aid to a successful weight loss.

@zen******* Thank you for stopping by, you always provide some great info! Yup, I'm well aware that they want events, not process. I definitely have to think about how to communicate a steady successful weight loss without it being too "slow and boring". Because truth is, it's not. Lots of people would like to drop 5-10 kg, which could be done in about 1-3 months. 3 months is a short period of time in exchange for a lifetime of greater confidence and healthiness But obviously communicating this is the tricky part.

About the audience. 47% of the adult population in my country is considered being over weight. So there's a HUGE audience, targeting the right group will therefore be hard. The product, is not for extremely obese people (as they need professional help) but for moderately overweight people. Many people already exercising/doing fitness would like to drop a few pounds. Therefore targeting these people through facebook and their interests seems like a good option now. Much of my target audience, probably also frequently visits online communities about weight loss and exercise. Being "visible" in there is probably an important part of the advertising too.

@V8Bill Thanks for your very thorough and detailed post Bill. Without knowing you personally, your fat loss journey was doomed to fail from the start. The typical thing people do, when they start their weight loss is changing TOO much at once. They start exercising, deny themselves ALL their favorite food, eat way too LITTLE and guess what? They all fail sooner or later. You went from eating meat, to be a vegetarian. It's FINE to eat meat and whatever you like, it's basically all about calories in versus calories out. Dieting doesn't have to be boring and pure suffering from when you wake up until you go to bed. And Bill, you can still put sugar in your coffee if you would like to. It's also about measuring your intake and come as close to your daily need for protein, fat and carbs (fibres preferably too) and you will lose weight.

What's really interesting about your story too, is your focus on the psycological aspect of dieting. Not many "gurus"/books/etc adress this. I know what it feels like, to be the "odd" person in a restaurant. I know what it feels like to CRAVE candy, pizza and all that. However I very rarely give in and binge. I think I've developed a "system" that so many people could genuinly benefit from.
Once again, thank you for sharing your story Bill, it was an interesting reed +speed!

@Pat I've been thinking about that too. However setting up a landing page in 2 mins and dry test potential customers, will indeed give some insight. However it's not an actual insight, as SO many things change when you've got an actual product to promote. The need for losing weight is there, I "just" need to communicate my product in an innovative and fresh way.

@Dos It's already been done. Remember this is not a secret formula to weight loss. It doesn't matter if you think it works or not, because it DOES. It's just based on calories in versus calories out. My friend has done the exact same thing and he lost A bit more than 10 kg (22 lbs) and still uses the "system".

If you guys would like to, I could upload some images of my transformation? There's probably someone else out there wanting to lose weight and wanting some motivation?

 

[Pat]

Of course the market is there, but it is one of the most saturated markets out there. I highly doubt that you will be able to compete with the big players in the industry. It doesn't even matter if your product is better, your marketing has to be better.

It's good that you are excited about your weight loss, but that doesn't make this a good business idea by default.

But if you think you know better and don't have to test the market first, be my guest.

(By testing the market I mean testing YOUR landing page for YOUR product and see if YOU can make profit at whatever price you would go with. If you want affiliates, make sure that they can make profit as well from what you would pay them).

 

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[V8Bill]

He doesn't have to compete with the big players really. He just has to sell enough to make enough money to be happy.

Wuping, my diet change did work actually. It dropped my weight and shape down to what I wanted in about 60 days and kept it there for about 9 months. It was only when I returned to carnivourism that I slowly started to put it back on.

I suppose my point was to illustrate what worked for me really fast; a shocking and instant change in lifestyle, diet and mindset. After all, it was my diet and lifestyle that got me so overweight in the first place. The change to a vegan diet was nutritious but radical and what got me to change to it was a mental decision to change that instant. I took up a 10 day challenge made to me and stayed there for 9 months to prove a point to me and others that radical lifestyle changes are only a decision away.

Maybe if you propose a simple challenge (instead of being all gentle and soft and trying to convince readers to make a permanent change forever) it might work for them too like it did for me. I probably put on weight again because of my own mental issues and because I had no one to challenge me anymore (I had already proven my point I guess) so maybe you can add a way to keep them challenged? Maybe by using personal email monitoring as an optional extra cost? When people pay money for monitoring they might be more motivated to do what they say. If they feel encouraged by you and don't want to let you down (as well) they will stick to it. You might reach less people but the extra income will be an added compensation for you and help you stand out from the crowd and be a marketing angle too.

Perhaps you encourage them to be "bad" every once in a while? Maybe you could even add some encouragement to be bad once a week or once a month! You know, as a release of pressure, a reward and something to look forward to? Now that would be different and unique!

 

[Wuping]

V8Bill I really like your idea, of creating a challenge. My friend has agreed, to do an "experiment". A 30 day challenge (perhaps less if he drops weight quickly) where we'll document his journey with video, pictures etc. This could serve as motivation for other people too. And they offer them the exact same system to get their hands on.

However I'm all for providing value, so offering potential customers a free "gift" is something I would like to do. Whether that would be the 30 day challenge and then upsell the ebook (or the other way around) I'm not too sure about yet.

I haven't had time to write much on my ebook this week, but I'm going to write a bit today.
Hope you're all enjoying the rest of the weekend!
Cheers

 

[V8Bill]

Keep us informed, real undeniable proof goes a long way toward credibility and should help your product a lot (if you can manage to get noticed). Getting noticed will be another challenge but there are ways. Like others have said though, weight loss is a very thick market with a lot of emotions tied up in it. People know how to push the right buttons and you will too.

 

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[Noel]

Just to say I have found this thread really interesting. The advice you have been given is invaluable here and a test is a good idea with the landing page! You can test ads on facebook and direct to a landing page. Read purple cow Seth Godin for marketing ideas. I think you need to re-read some chapters from MJ's book again.

 

[Wuping]

Just a brief update. Got some more writing done this evening. I had an old related domain name to weight loss, which I'll set up with a wordpress installation and a simple theme. Then I think I'll try do some mini testing via ads from facebook perhaps. Still need to think about this a little

Talked to my friend today about the weight loss challenge. Unfortunately he's got an infection at the moment, but if he's healthy again soon, he's ready to commit to it. I really feel, having actual PROOF of this working would be a great way to convince people to buy and try the product.

Been a bit down lately (lacking motivation and having a hard time getting things done), but then I'm reminded of my thread and that I need to keep writing

Hope you're all doing good!

 

[PatrickP]

How are things going with this?

 

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[Wuping]

How are things going with this?

Thanks for asking Patrick!

I actually more or less finished the ebook. It's about 90% complete and more than 20 pages.

Then I started doubting the idea, which is really one of my big problems. I start thinking "hmm, will this ever make me enough money? What about this new idea I've got!? It's probably a lot better" and in that way I keep going round and round if you know what I mean?

It's actually quite frustrating. I'm glad you bumped my thread, as this is once again a wake up call. I already got the domain etc, just need to set it up basically. However it's like I'm always doubting the idea I'm working on and therefore I kinda stop taking action and start working on a new idea, start, stop etc:/

It's actually quite frustrating as I'm really disciplined most aspects of my life - I'm not afraid of hard work! I just think I need some sort of guidance or belief in my ideas.

If any of you have had similar problems or suggestions to what I can do, I'm all ears!

 

[bane]

Set up a landing page and send some traffic.

I can set up a landing page but how do you suggest I send *some* traffic? Is there a "normal" way? Thanks

I actually more or less finished the ebook. It's about 90% complete and more than 20 pages.

Wuping! How is it going now? What can you teach me/us with the power of hindisght!?! haha

 

[healthstatus]

Thanks for asking Patrick!

I actually more or less finished the ebook. It's about 90% complete and more than 20 pages.

Then I started doubting the idea, which is really one of my big problems. I start thinking "hmm, will this ever make me enough money? What about this new idea I've got!? It's probably a lot better" and in that way I keep going round and round if you know what I mean?

It's actually quite frustrating. I'm glad you bumped my thread, as this is once again a wake up call. I already got the domain etc, just need to set it up basically. However it's like I'm always doubting the idea I'm working on and therefore I kinda stop taking action and start working on a new idea, start, stop etc:/

It's actually quite frustrating as I'm really disciplined most aspects of my life - I'm not afraid of hard work! I just think I need some sort of guidance or belief in my ideas.

If any of you have had similar problems or suggestions to what I can do, I'm all ears!

if you never publish, it won't make you any money. You have nothing to lose, put it out there. Even if it flops, you will learn something for the next project.

 

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