Content Exchange in Info Marketer

Dear Info Marketers:

The road to success in any job these days is pretty long and hard. Just being educated or moderately experienced isn’t good enough – you have to often juggle different projects and sometimes you don’t get paid really well.

But let’s say things are looking up. You are now the highly experienced info marketer. Your info products are getting to people on a regular basis and as such the money is coming in on a regular basis. Things seem to have developed into that long sought after but highly devious phenomenon known as “routine”.

You take a sigh of relief. And the some change happens again in the form of a message that reads:

“…we would like to offer you a joint partnership with our organization through an exchange of information content…”

At first this seems like the best thing ever: an offer for you to join another organization based on their respect for your information creation skills in order to produce more profits for the two of you mutually.

Actually, it probably is one of the best things to ever happen to your business. Content exchange is a great way for you to broaden your professional horizons. You can create a good partnership with another company, get more exposure of your work, and thus get more clients to pay for your stuff.

But like any business deal in information marketing, content exchange should not be approached without some caution. By just exercising the slightest bit of philosophy, you can ensure that both the exchange and the partnership succeed to get both parties success they want.

It’s best to get on the Internet and/or the phone with the other party as soon as possible to work out the details of the content exchange. To be safe, it doesn’t hurt to do it up in writing in the form of a contract with both parties signing the agreement. Include how long the deal is tentatively going to last, how much content you are going to provide, and what compensation both parties should receive.
*NB: A lot of content exchanges are done for free. Two parties exchange content and then work out a percentage to pay the other person once profits are incurred from the exchange. Make sure you go over this with your partner and work out how much each person should get ahead of time.

Next, decide what content you are going to se in the exchange itself. It’s usually best to offer the stuff that is your best in terms of previous customer success or, at the very least, the stuff that you think represents both yourself and your business. As well, offer some introductory content to your partner’s website, introducing yourself to their client-base and explain your information goals for the future. Trademark your stuff with those little © or ™ symbols, with the name of your company and the year of the content’s publication beside it.

With the above in mind, do the same for your partner. Take their best trademarked content, post it on your website or in your mailings, with both an Internet link and mailing address to where they can be reached. It’s only good business that you extend the same courtesies to your partner that they would to you in this partnership.

Over time, monitor the effects of the content exchange. Ask yourself: are more people coming to check out my website? Have sales gone up? Is my partner seeing more business? What is working and what can be improved? These simple inquiries should only be done after a few months when some time has passed and there are figures to evaluate.

In today’s worldwide electronic market, content exchange can be the most potent asset to your info marketing business. On the Internet, any kind of exposure to your business is essential for its success. When a good content exchange comes along, work out the details with your partner, and then sit back and watch your success blossom!

It's that simple. And in info marketing, simplicity is key.

Come visit us here at the E-Wealth Daily.

Take care,

J.

Dear Info Marketers,

$$$$$$$$$$$.....

So…you’ve done the work and it’s been hard. The content, the processing, the distribution, everything. Now it’s time for your clients to ante up and deliver what’s coming to you.

El dinero…the green…those beautiful wads…whatever you call it, it’s still the same: money.

Say what you want about money, it’s always nice to get paid for something that you’ve really earned. Whether it was cleaning up that Amazon-jungle grade backyard in elementary school for five dollars an hour or closing a big sale for enough to make a down payment on a house, it’s all the same. You’ve been working to earn a living and now you can collect the fruits of your labors.

Getting paid in information marketing is a great feeling and something you can hang your mental hat on as accomplishment. I’ve written before about collecting payments and customers who may or may not be loyal in honouring their fees, so I will not dwell on such negative subject matter in this message. Instead, I will focus on the process of getting paid itself.

Payment should be an easy process, but like a lot of things these days, it’s changing. But this can be good if you are ready to adapt to some of the changes or just run with some of the older methods. Either is usually acceptable.

Here are some things to be prepared for in getting paid in info marketing:

--Do up an invoice: For tax and client receipt reasons, you should always do up an invoice. It should be a neat and well quantified chart which includes your client’s name, address, their account number with you, your contact info, and a chart showing what you provided them, a description of the service itself plus the fee you are charging. I would advise a digital program to do this on, as it can easily make your invoice look professional and easy to read. Personally, I use Microsoft Excel as I find it an easy program to create all the necessary columns and rows for this information. If you find another – i.e. the chart drawing mechanism on Microsoft Word – by all means use it.

--Be exact and professional: Nobody likes being charged for something they never bought. It’s important that you include only the necessary information when billing your clients and only that information. If you charge tax, do so, but only if you have the right credentials. When messaging your client, be polite and courteous but avoid small talk. Stick to the professional matters at hand no matter how close you are with them.

--Offer different methods of payment: Like I mentioned earlier, payment methods are changing. For a freelance web content job I did a year ago, I was paid online via Paypal. Back in my in-house publishing days, I did direct deposit through the publisher’s accounting department. Other times I have gotten an old fashioned paper pay check. Let’s be honest: it really doesn’t matter how to get paid, as long as it comes through. Find the best method for yourself and don’t be afraid to try the new online money transfers. I have found them to be very safe and secure.

--Keep all of your payment records: I have seen friends with their own business either misplace or discard their payment receipts. Do not do this EVER. Get in the habit of saving your receipts in a well organized binder or file folder. You will need them come tax time to give detail of your earnings and what you will have to pay the government.

An old colleague just got his first payment from a client for doing some customized wordworking, his life’s love and now profession. I’ve never seen him so happy. He knew he earned it and celebrated in style by taking his girlfriend out for a very nice night on the town. As an information marketer, you know you are entitled to such things too. Provided you are as professional in your payment collection as you are in your work, you will always bear that happy feeling of accomplishment when you get the cash you deserve.

Good luck!

Come visit us at the E-Wealth Daily, www.ewealthdaily.com.

Take care,

J.

Accessing Digital Archives for Info Marketing

Dear Info Marketers,

I got an e-mail from an info marketing buddy over the weekend. He’s really good at what he does and prides himself on going the extra length for his customers in providing them with the information they need.

He was really upset at his local library. For a long time, he had been using their stacks of old auto repair manuals for information in his weekly newsletters. But now things had changed.

“I couldn’t get at them this week,” he wrote. “They’re going digital with them.”

My friend is a bit older and not particularly savvy with computers. Luckily I had some advice for him that I can now share with you too. No doubt you are going to have to get some hard-to-find info at some point that is not available any other place but in a digital file someplace.

I bring some advice on digital formats from my past experience in both academic and professional areas. A few years back during my last year at school I had a job at the continuing education office digitizing old meeting minutes and records for the continuing education office. Later, I helped a local journalist oversee some digitizing of old 16 mm hockey game films. In both areas, I got to see large bodies of word and image content being compressed into small, portable, and long lasting files.

Why are people doing this? Simply because technology is allowing people to keep everything they create. It’s cheap, easy to store, and for many, good for the environment in not wasting resources. Now, likely for some of you, this is a whole new ball game as you haven’t ventured into these odd realms as I have. But that’s okay. Here’s how you can go about accessing those digital files for your info marketing business:

--Quiz your library staff: My bud, whose story I mentioned above, wound up going back to his library and the librarian was only too happy to tell him about their new digital archive. They were happy to help him access it and the only drawback being had to go to a bigger branch that is a twenty minute drive from his place. Quiz your library staff too. They are always in the loop about new developments in their materials and are usually pretty good about setting you on the right path as well.

--Check out universities, museums, and colleges: Big, well-funded post secondary and historical institutions are usually on the cusp of new technological developments, especially when it comes to the digital archiving of information materials. They often keep old newspapers on microfilm, old film reels on cassette, etc. Go check them out and you will be overjoyed at the amount of publically limited info you can now have access to. You might have to pay for a membership or to photocopy info that cannot be removed overnight, but believe me when I say it will be worth it.

--Check the web: One great thing about the Internet is that it has made a lot of things easily accessible without any charge. A lot of people are kind enough to post hard-to-get info online and you’d be surprised on what you can access – tech manuals, out-of-print material, tips and advice blogs, etc. – in just a basic organic search. Save yourself some cash and traveling time by doing thorough Internet searches for the specific information you require. Go through as many pages as possible and bookmark pages that are repeatedly helpful.

--Search out private collections and archives: I’m leery about this last bit of advice but I think it should be mentioned. Some people have invested their wealth in keeping private libraries and collections that, for a fee or favor, you can access for your own info marketing business. The only reservations I have about these institutions are how much they charge and how legitimate some of them are i.e. where they got their materials. But if you come across one in your searches, by all means check them out.

If you ever go reading about cultural landmarks that have been lost over time, it’s kind of sad. Often there was no way to preserve them and people almost had to get rid of them. Now that digital formats are available, you almost never have to waste anything that might be significant to your life and livelihood. Search out the forums you need for your information marketing career and use them to help your business flourish.

Come visit us at www.ewealthdaily.com for more assistance.

Good luck,

James Burt

Making the Pitch as an Information Marketer

Dear Info Marketers,

It's weird when you think about an idea or how someone else got inspired to do something.Ever walk down the street and see a building with really amazing architecture and wonder it was constructed? Wonder how your favourite actor seems to do whatever he or she does on the screen or stage so seamlessly? Ponder over some interesting scientific breakthrough?

In a world of man made creations, most of these things start with will power – that desire in people to want to do something great and rise to an amazing achievement.

Then comes the next inevitable question: “How much…?”

Like it or not, money matters. Whether trying to get a bridge built or networking to finance a movie production, costs are often the determining factor. Most people look at this with trepidation and it can only be assumed that some great potential dreams were not realized in the past because people let the dollars or lack thereof scare them away.

As an info marketer, don’t let this happen to you. If you’ve reached a point where you think your business deserves to get bigger but you lack the capital, take the plunge and seek out other funding sources.

How do you do this? You make the pitch.

In Hollywood, pitches are heard almost hourly. On Wall Street, I would imagine the frequency of pitching to be the same if not more. Some deals are made and many, many are not. In most cases, those who didn’t get their deal brokered suffered from a lack of preparation in getting ready for their pitch. The pitch is a process and there is a technique to it.

Here are some tips to go about pitching:

--Put together a portfolio or package: Pitching is a lot like job hunting. You have to make yourself look appealing to someone in order for them to make an investment in you. Do you have published information work? A trusted client list? A good resume with years of work experience? That’s all valuable coin in the pitching process. Put together a neat portfolio of your work and work history to bring to a pitch session where a potential investor can see what you have to offer first hand and the body of work you have to back it up.
* NOTE: This is where pictures really do speak louder than words. Whatever graphic material you may have, collect it together in a big a presentable portfolio to be shown at a moment’s notice.

--Know exactly what you want: Those throughout history who were most notable knew what they wanted and stopped at nothing to achieve it. Whether it was Madonna or Mao Zedong, these people knew what they wanted and worked hard to achieve their goals. Be the same. Outline your mission in your pitch and exactly how you intend to go about achieving your goals.

--Be presentable and polite: Like hunting for a job, pitching requires good etiquette on your part. Dress like a professional and use polite, simple language when meeting with a prospective investor. Be ready to answer questions and defend any arguments in a professional manner that you might encounter.

--Don’t stop till you get it: Rejection is a part of life. I don’t much care for it myself, be it from a girlfriend, investor, or whomever. But you cannot become dejected because one person did not like what you had to offer. Use any rejection matter you encounter as a learning ground for the next pitching session. You have to work to get what you want and it might take some trial and error along the way to do so.

Without struggle or desire, life is kind of meaningless. No one can shame someone who wants to go the extra step to realize dreams. Pitching for investment in information marketing is one way to realize dreams. Get out there and do the work you need to do in order to satisfy that need to succeed that dwells within you.

For more information, visit us here at the E-Wealth Daily website.

Take care,

J.

Markups and Info Marketing

Dear Info Marketers,

So, you think you are pretty smart? You know information right?

Question for you: What is HTML?

What? You don’t know? You live in the info age and you don’t know what HTML is…? Good grief!

I’m joking, and I now I will stop putting you down.

HTML is Hypertext Markup Language and is the code that is used for any sort of online published material, including websites, content, and graphic material. In more simple terms, it’s that tagging system with those odd and tags that make your content look the way it does online. To be absolutely truthful, I hadn’t much a clue as to it until I had to teach it to a former student who as taking a college course in computers. I had been using the Internet for seven years and had no clue as to what it was. I took the course material home and learned as much as I could on the fly to teach my student. It was a useful thing to learn and something I had to apply when I was working in the publishing field later on.

HTML is not the only markup available to people creating web material. More advanced ones like XML and XSL are now becoming the industry standard for people creating professional website material. With the proliferation of advanced graphic material and high tech content being put on the Internet, no doubt some of the older markups will come obsolete and Internet publishers will have to keep update with the changes.

Now I know what you are thinking: “Great Jimmy. But why should you care about these markups?”

Well, being an info marketer, markups can be useful to you, especially if you are going to build a website or post content online. Not only can you customize your websites the way you want, you will save bundles of cash in not having to hire a website designer to do it for you.

Here’s how you can utilize mark-ups in information marketing:

--Learn the basics: Most libraries have a good chunk of books on HTML and other markups. The Internet has loads of info too. Take some time at night or over the weekend to learn the basics of markup tagging. This help you understand what the language is and it can be learned very quick – I can attest to that!

--Create your own web pages: Follow the tagging steps and create your own web pages in Notepad, Microsoft Word, or a web editing program like Dream Weaver. It might be good to start with a basic system like HTML before using more advanced ones like XML. Be patient with this and be ready to use trial and error if you are unsure how you want your content to look online.

--Test them out online: Take your pages to your online publisher and/or hosting system and see how they look online. Most web publishers will let you see how they look first before making your site live so you can make the appropriate changes.

--Update regularly: When you update your website content, take the time to update the tagging as well. This will help you give your website a fresh look and practice your knowledge of whatever markup you are using.

Working with markups is a fun way to use your writing and design skills to help make your online material look appealing to your client base. You can become more Internet savvy and maintain your information skills all at the same time. Go and take advantage of it!

Take care and come visit us here at E-Wealth Daily.

Best,

J.

The Info Marketer Tech Pro

Dear Info Marketers,

Hope your summer is going well. I just spent the long weekend here in the Great White North on various patios relaxing with friends over good drinks.

Despite the rainy weather of late, I was happy to get out this past weekend with a good friend of mine for our annual burger lunch. There is a special restaurant we like to go to once a year in July and eat the special three patties, triple cheese, bacon, and fried egg topped burger while sitting in seats taken from old mini vans. Trust me: any restaurant lover should visit this place at least once in order to sample its truly well made and generously portioned food in a very unpretentious atmosphere.

In order to work up an appetite for our meal, my bud and I usually walk the whole twenty city blocks to the restaurant’s front door. As we headed off, I happened to look up and saw the sky going grey.

“Is it going to rain again?”

My friend reached into his pocket and said:

“Lemme check.”

He pulled out the very latest edition of the Blackberry mobile device. Within two seconds he had the weather forecast on the screen, complete with the whole weekend forecast. It said it was going to rain, so we got going as quickly as possible,

I’ve never pretended to be tech savvy. I was always late to adapting to cell phones, the Internet, web page markup, etc. But a lot of people like my friend are anything but. They know all the ins and outs of these devices and are able to give long explanations of them at a moment’s notice.

If you are one of these, count yourself lucky. If you are one of these and an information marketer, count yourself even luckier.

Creating information products about technical information is a very lucrative avenue for the information marketer. A lot of people are strapped with these new products – Blackberries, laptops, et al. – for personal or business reasons and are clueless on how to use them. You creating guides or how-to manuals are a great way for them to understand new technology while creating income for yourself.

If you decide you want to create technical based information products here are some tips:

--Keep your writing simple: Remember how oddly phrased and convoluted stereo or computer instructions used to be? Avoid any kind of jargon and big words when writing your products. Keep directions simple and only use correct terminology for the product components.

--Be thorough: Try and go through all the functions of whatever it is you are writing about. Think about all of the technology’s applications and how they are accessed by the consumer.

--Give trouble-shooting tips: It’s also a good idea to think about what could go wrong with your piece of technology. No doubt you are not the only one who has encountered viruses, shut downs, and programs fizzling out. Try and create content that provides advice for any foreseeable problem. Your clients will be happy to pay for this sort of extra advice.

--Use graphics: When I wrote a program guide for a previous employer, I was advised to use screen captures and graphics of the program. This was a good tip and my manual now had visual aids to help guide the reader along. Do the same. Incorporate graphic files into your content or at the publication stage to help give reference for what you are writing about.

Being a technical ace is an asset in just about every facet of modern life. Take advantage of what you know of new gadgets and gizmos and apply it to information marketing. Especially for guys like me who will pay for this sort of information, it will be well worth it for you in the end.

For more information, visit us here at the E-Wealth Daily.

Good luck and take care,

James B.

The Information Marketer Technical Ace

Dear Info Marketers,

Despite the rainy weather of late, I was happy to get out this past weekend with a good friend of mine for our annual burger lunch. There is a special restaurant we like to go to once a year in July and eat the special three patties, triple cheese, bacon, and fried egg topped burger while sitting in seats taken from old mini vans. Trust me: any restaurant lover should visit this place at least once in order to sample its truly well made and generously portioned food in a very unpretentious atmosphere.

In order to work up an appetite for our meal, my bud and I usually walk the whole twenty city blocks to the restaurant’s front door. As we headed off, I happened to look up and saw the sky going grey.

“Is it going to rain again?”

My friend reached into his pocket and said:

“Lemme check.”

He pulled out the very latest edition of the Blackberry mobile device. Within two seconds he had the weather forecast on the screen, complete with the whole weekend forecast. It said it was going to rain, so we got going as quickly as possible,

I’ve never pretended to be tech savvy. I was always late to adapting to cell phones, the Internet, web page markup, etc. But a lot of people like my friend are anything but. They know all the ins and outs of these devices and are able to give long explanations of them at a moment’s notice.

If you are one of these, count yourself lucky. If you are one of these and an information marketer, count yourself even luckier.

Creating information products about technical information is a very lucrative avenue for the information marketer. A lot of people are strapped with these new products – Blackberries, laptops, et al. – for personal or business reasons and are clueless on how to use them. You creating guides or how-to manuals are a great way for them to understand new technology while creating income for yourself.

If you decide you want to create technical based information products here are some tips:

--Keep your writing simple: Remember how oddly phrased and convoluted stereo or computer instructions used to be? Avoid any kind of jargon and big words when writing your products. Keep directions simple and only use correct terminology for the product components.

--Be thorough: Try and go through all the functions of whatever it is you are writing about. Think about all of the technology’s applications and how they are accessed by the consumer.

--Give trouble-shooting tips: It’s also a good idea to think about what could go wrong with your piece of technology. No doubt you are not the only one who has encountered viruses, shut downs, and programs fizzling out. Try and create content that provides advice for any foreseeable problem. Your clients will be happy to pay for this sort of extra advice.

--Use graphics: When I wrote a program guide for a previous employer, I was advised to use screen captures and graphics of the program. This was a good tip and my manual now had visual aids to help guide the reader along. Do the same. Incorporate graphic files into your content or at the publication stage to help give reference for what you are writing about.

Being a technical ace is an asset in just about every facet of modern life. Take advantage of what you know of new gadgets and gizmos and apply it to information marketing. Especially for guys like me who will pay for this sort of information, it will be well worth it for you in the end.

For more information, visit us here at the E-Wealth Daily.

Take care,

J.

Volunteering and Information Marketing

Dear Info Marketers,

It's summer. It's rainy. I am trying to find a good patio and yet even getting to one is a job in itself. Anybody want to help me...?

Helping...now there's a topic...

So I have to ask…how do you feel about working for free? Doesn’t it make you feel great inside that you are helping others by donating your valuable time and energy to assisting in the success of their endeavors? And don’t you just yearn for the next occasion that you can help them again?
I know what you are thinking: “Whatever, bud. Thanks for coming out and good luck trying to your bills. You must live at home…!”

All jokes aside, I have wanted to write about volunteering for a while now but forgot about it until I spoke with my cousin’s wife at a recent family barbeque. She’s an English grad and, at one time, an aspiring poet. Between the times of her 1998 graduation from university to her marriage to my cousin in 2004, she worked like crazy to write and get her stuff published, which she periodically did. After that though, she became dejected, decided to have a family, and is now a stay-at-home mom. She still hasn’t given up her aspirations though and is always got a pad handy for when her children are asleep or she has a spare moment.

I asked her if there was anything she regretted from that period in her life. Her reply was: “I think I should have focused more on the writing itself and getting it out to magazines than helping out with festivals and events. I really went into volunteer overkill and it didn’t come to much.”

This is a term to note as an information marketer: volunteer overkill. It’s something a lot of people quite innocently fall into and can lead to failures of business. It starts with you wanting to get ahead and offering your services for free. Your buddy needs info content for his website or a connection needs a newsletter done up for his astrology mail-out. You gleefully do it to see your name in print and something of your own creation published. And you do it for absolutely no financial compensation.

But the problem arises when you do it again. And again. And again. People take advantage of your talent and while you build a portfolio of work, your telephone bills and meal tickets are left outstanding. This is volunteer overkill and it can be dangerous to the survival of your business.

To clarify, I am certainly not saying that you should forego volunteering altogether, especially when starting out. You have to build up a portfolio of work and that takes time. But, like any other activity in info marketing, exercising some philosophy beforehand is essential. Make sure you see what you are writing content for. Ask yourself if what you are writing for free is going to be a useful assignment in creating your portfolio and pertinent to the type of information you will be continually writing about. If you want to be an automotive information marketer, don’t waste time creating free content for a tattooing website. As well, quiz the prospective client. Ask them if there will be any paid opportunities in the future for your services. If they seem professional, go ahead and form a partnership with them. If they seem flimsy or unsure, look elsewhere.

As well, consider the fact that once you get established, you can always volunteer your services later on or mentor an up-and-coming information marketer. By then, you will be a well seasoned pro and can help those out who are just starting out or provide content to a rookie business. Your contribution to either party with be greatly appreciated and you can walk away knowing you did a good deed while not sacrificing anything for yourself.

Like any business, starting out in information marketing can be tough. There is no shame in wanting to get ahead, to work hard, and to be ready to take a few knocks in the process, including receiving no pay. Helping others for free can be useful, but don’t forget about your own goals and aspirations. Always serve your best professional judgment and look to help others when you can along the way. This route will ensure your success and contribute to others’ success at the same time.

For more information, visit us here at the E-Wealth Daily.

Take care,

J.

The Information Marketer's Public Persona

Dear Information Marketers:

How's your hair? Your suit? Ever tell you that people will like you better if you wear a certain cologne or perfume...? I know. It can be irritating.

Nobody can control how other people will perceive them. Imagine you are at a party and someone comes up to you and says: “Hi. You don’t know who I am but I’m a very respectable and honorable person.” That’s quite a line, and a very unlikely one. But even if you were addressed by it, it wouldn’t matter. It is you and the other guests in the room who will be the judge if this person is honorable and respectable. He can only show you that he is in fact what he is or be proven a liar.

It’s human nature to want to be liked, respected, and seen with dignity by the public at large. Some people, no matter their shape and appearance, have little interest in what others think and often go through life without so much as shaving or learning words without contractions. Others are more keen to be liked and will go out of their way to ensure that the public views them the way they want to be viewed, often resorting to such things as plastic surgery or tooth whitener to do so. But the end result is always the same in both scenarios: people will view you the way you really are. You can try to hide your true nature, but it will always materialize in other people’s eyes.

As an information marketer, a real independent professional, a public persona is necessary to maintain. Like it or not, no matter how much time to spend behind the computer, you are in the public eye and are going to be exposed either in person or through your work. Therefore it is necessary to maintain the highest level of a persona that you possible can.

So what am I saying here? Should you start inviting your clients over for afternoon tea in your garden once a week? Should you start using language with lots of five syllable words? Or should you get a second mortgage to buy that Lotus in order for people to think you’re the big man?

Hardly. Of course, the tea and the Lotus sound pretty good…

But seriously, you don’t have to do anything to alter your public persona. You just have to keep it respectable. This means that you should always:

--keep your conversing with clients and others as professional as possible.

--maintain a neat appearance.

--always complete the job(s) you have committed to.

--be calm and collected, not matter what kind of adverse situation you find yourself in.

--always look to improve your business and learn new things to better yourself as a person.

I recall driving around a city close to the one I live in with a friend. We were heading to his parents’ home and I saw a very big sign of a local realtor. In a fit of immaturity, I snickered at his looks and the ad which showcased his slogan and MBA credentials in big red letters. My friend commented: “You know, normally I’d tell you to stop being such a jerk, but…”

But?

“I laugh too. My parents did business with that guy. He’s a total phony and does bad business. He just likes those big ads just to get new clients and show off.”

By all accounts, this realtor was a manipulator of his own persona. Had he been more honest with the public and focused on doing good business, his reputation would be at a higher level than it was. Don’t fall into this. Keep your public persona as high as the professionalism of your information marketing business.

Hope this helps you in the long run. Come visit us here at the E-Wealth Daily.

Have a good week,

J.

Notes on Embellishment in Info Marketing

Hey all,

I have a question for you, and it's all about something you know about, related to writing...

Who doesn’t like hearing to a good story?

Not too many. I am a sucker for a story from just about anybody. Thanks to a rural upbringing, I can recall stories from some of the old guys in my area about working all winter in a logging camp on a small Great Lakes Island, seeing some very bloody action during the Korean War, and, according them at least, finding water in a dry field using a magnet on the end of a string. How true any of these fables are is really not that important. They are just tales, and meant for your listening enjoyment. Nothing more.

Especially with that last story, you can imagine what kind of tales can get tossed around when you get a bunch of guys hanging out in the tavern during Happy Hour. Naturally, and depending on the number of drinks being consumed, the stories tend to get pretty wild. Encounters with Elvis and aliens and conspiracy theories…everyone has something to top the previously told stories. This is alright for a night out. It’s part of the fun. But it is something you really have to watch as an information marketer.

This is embellishment. It’s when you pretty up or even sensationalize the facts. Again, it’s alright if you are out having fun, but it can become a problem if you don’t watch it in your information marketing business. The temptation to make your written info products seem a little too good to be true can cause serious future repercussions.

Here’s an example of what can happen: you are creating information content about cars. You know all the specs of particular engines – timing sequences, fuel intake and exhaust cycles, everything. You offer a trick about an adjustment that can be made to make your engine run more efficiently. But, without thought, you start using words like: “…by doing this, you will always see a two hundred percent fuel efficiency increase in your automobile’s engine.”

That’s embellishment. Actually, it’s over-embellishment. A cynic might even go so far as to say it’s a lie. Either way, you are in trouble. You’ve stretched the truth too much and deceived your readers into believing something that isn’t true.

Some people might ask what the harm is in this. After all, you want your content to sell and it’s got to be created in order to have appeal to the masses. And it’s fun.

This is true but there is a line that is not to be crossed. That line is the fiction and fact division, and it’s hard to come back if you’ve already crossed it. To repeatedly dish out white lies, you risk legal ramifications and the ruining of your reputation. If my superior Michael Lombardi was to start writing exaggerations about financial investment to his subscribers and these tips did not pan out, he would be out of business pretty quick. If you were to give insurance advice to your clients about your buddy’s insurance firm and how good it was and how the Queen gets her insurance from him when in fact she does not and he’s only been at it a year or two, well, things could get grim.

It sounds very hard to believe, but people can become susceptible to making things up when they are feeling good or on a professional roll. It’s a human thing to embellish, but in the end you have to have discretion.

The trick to this lies, as always, in the writing of your content. Yes, you want your content to be appealing, and you can do this very simply by writing clearly and from the perspective of an interested client. You just have to steer clear of the desire of making things sound better than they are. If you are straight up about the facts and possibilities of your information, your clients will not only return again and again, they will appreciate your honesty. Plus you will never get sued or taken to task, which is always good.

Stay grounded as an information marketer. Embellishments are fun, but always observe what you are doing and how truthful your material is. In the end, it’s an ounce of prevention well worth taking.

Take care and have a good weekend. Come visit us here at the E-Wealth Daily.

J.

Information Marketing that Really Helps

Hey all,

I've been getting a lot of e-mails about different kinds of information marketing. A lot of people want to what is available to them based on things like their personal beliefs and ideologies. Hmmm...well...

Probably like a lot of you out there, I am one of those people who don’t like being told what to think, do, or believe in. As a human being who tries to be a good person, I enjoy living my life the way I think it should be lived.

The good news is that I find most people to be exactly the same as me in that respect. The bad news is that there are still a few people out there who not only like to tell me what to think, but want to profit off it as well. Bogus politicians, pseudo-scientists, and religious orders are only too keen to prey on your neurosis in order to tell you what to think and get you to pay for their own special method of betterment.

Some of these people almost act like bad info marketers – “Read this in order to get salvation…” or “Buy my book on how to use your thoughts to grow an inch taller…”. It’s sad to see people do this to others, and even sadder to see them profits from it. But you should know that it doesn’t have to be this way. Info marketing can actually serve a very useful purpose. You can market good information that can really help people in life.

Here are some info marketing arenas that can be utilized to actually help others:

--World information: Ever volunteered or taught overseas? Worked with a global aid organization? Have some insight on famine or global concerns? Is so, why not put together an information product based on what you know? One correspondent I have gotten to know over the last month worked with a Peace Corps operation in Ghana. When he was done he got a job writing ad copy. A random client found out about his experience and asked him to a leaflet about his experience and write content on Ghanaian issues for a charity organization. This person wound up doing writing about what he loved, getting paid for it, and even was sent back all expenses paid to do more charity work.

--Health issues: Cancer is one of the most tragic and frequent causes of death in the world. No one knows this better than an old colleague from the publishing world. Her mother got breast cancer and wound up dying a very rapid death. My colleague did a lot of research on the subject before and after her mother’s passing, and wound up accumulating a wealth of knowledge on the subject. She left the company to do freelance editing. Along the way, she was hired by the local cancer society to edit content. Finding the content to be subpar, she told her superiors her story and showed them her research. She is now the head editor and columnist for their newsletter. The message from this: knowing about real health matters is always in demand. People are always interested in the latest information about what could affect/improve their health and wellbeing.

--Victims’ issues: I would hate to ask how many of you have been in bad relationships or had harm done to you by someone else. I would hope none of you have been through it. But if you have, your experience in this area is actually in demand. Victims’ assistance organizations, school guidance centres, and related government organizations need you to share what you know in order to help those have been in or prevent others who might be exposed to similar situations. Check your local employment or government centres to see how you can get involved.

--Parenting matters: The world is always changing and this especially affects children today. You might have children and know something about their various modern health, education, or support needs. From this knowledge you can create information that all parents would be interested in. In fact, I have seen some of own family who had children with special needs that have created information products based on their own experience.

Some critics might see this kind of information marketing as insensitive profiteering by trying to use tragedy or bad experiences to make a buck. But I think differently: real, authentic experience and information of all kinds is needed in the world to help others. If you have this sort of experience, there is no reason why you can’t become successful while trying to provide help at the same time.

For more information, visit us here at the E-Wealth Daily.com.

Take care,

J.

Information Marketing for those "Other" Markets

Dear Info Marketers,

Religion, politics, erotica...the list that most people don't want to touch or even talk about. But every once in a while, myself included, get the courage to tackle those subjects.

“Look, whatever you do, do NOT talk religion or politics with them. You’ll regret it…”

I was fresh out of school and I was just starting out as a teacher of disabled adults. My colleague, a hefty, cigarette puffing, warm-hearted Macedonian who ran the centre, was very experienced as a teacher and had dealt with all of the students up to that time. He was warning me of what can happen when you deal with these topics in a professional setting, based on one of his own experiences I am sure.

Now you have to understand that was young, curious, and a bit arrogant to say the least. Some heavy discussion was what I thought made classrooms interesting. But when I found out I had one devoutly Orthodox Christian woman, a conservative Roman Catholic man, a Gujarati Hindu lady, and a young atheist fellow in my class who had actually had confrontations with one another before, I knew what my boss was talking about. Surprisingly, when I got to teach some history and philosophy related subjects, I found they were up for some levelheaded debate and we wound up discussing things like religion and politics quite freely. That made the day seem that much more enjoyable for all of us.

Believe it or not, my former boss’ advice is something that applies to information marketing too. I have gotten some e-mails from some people who want to get into information marketing but are interested in creating content for the “other markets” such as political, religious, or socially risqué arenas. They ask me for advice.

Hm. Alright. Here goes…

Writing information for these markets is tough. It requires a lot of gusto on the part of the creator and is not something that is going to appeal to everyone. But the markets do exist and you can make a living at it. I have no business telling you what you should or should not create information for. That’s for you to decide.

Once you decide that this particular arena is for you, you should set about it in the most professional manner. Make sure you do some research and learn all avenues of what you are writing about. If it’s religious, read the religious texts, scholarship, and even differing opinions on that particular subject. If it’s political, check out related newspapers and websites. Don’t be afraid to check out the other parties’ politics and see what they are saying as well as your own. You will become more knowledgeable of what you are creating content for.

I might also advise some discretion. Now don’t think I am saying that you should be like a secret agent. You should be proud of what you do at all times provided you are sincere about it. But some people are not as clear-minded about certain matters as you might be. It is a shame sometimes, but conflict is inherit in the human race and somewhat necessary to our existence. That said if you are writing this particular content, do not canvass to others who might have reason to do harm to you based on what you think. You are asking for trouble if you do this.

Above all, be a pro. Approach what you are doing with integrity and aim to create the most intelligent and well constructed content imaginable. There are loads of writers and commentators who I do not agree with one bit, but that have earned my respect for at least bringing maturity and professionalism to what they do. People might not agree with you, but they can respect how you operate as a working professional.

We live in a part of the world where you have the right express your mind freely. I have been in parts of the world where certain books, music, and even food are banned for various reasons by those in power. Thus, by default of being a citizen of the west, you also have a right to be successful in sharing what you think and feel. Information marketing is a good professional route to achieve both.

For more information, visit us here at The E-Wealth Daily.

Good luck!

J.

The Information Marketer Gun for Hire

Dear Info Marketers.

Think being an info marketer is boring, stay-at-home work?

Well, get this...

My friend Neil is thirty-six years old. He has been comfortably living in his grandmother’s basement for years. Provided he watches over his plus ninety year-old granny, he has the place to himself. He’s had the same job of computer infobase generator for years. Like a vampire, he’s usually a little paler than you and only comes out if you invite him. He dislikes crowds, social gatherings, and anything interrupting his viewing of the latest X-Files DVDs release.

Yes, Neil is one of those shut-in guys. But he’s my bud and I am actually pretty happy for him these days. Worried that his current post is on the rocks, he started applying for jobs and finally got a contract to, of all things, head out west to design computer game graphics for a small entertainment company. He’s a computer whiz and loves these kinds of tasks. He’s going to head out west under the guise of a “family holiday” from his present job, so he can hold both positions at once. As he later told me: “Hey, I’m the computer gun-for-hire.”

Sounds almost like a mercenary, doesn’t it? Well, if you play your cards right, you, as an info marketer, can be a gun-for-hire too and have an exciting career as a result.

I know this sounds like a difficult position to aspire too, but it isn’t. You have knowledge and the skill of the writer on top of that. You are an asset to someone who needs it. You just have to get out there and apply yourself.

Here’s how to become an information gun-for-hire:

--Get your toolkit in order: I would suggest acting like, an assassin here. Actually, forget that example. A mechanic is a better example. Both need a toolkit to use on their job. Yours should include a portfolio of work and a business card reading [YOUR NAME]…Information Specialist. People will ask you what you do once you introduce yourself, so you simply say that you provide written information and content for publications. That’s all you really need to start. Updating your website would help too…

--Go to the right areas: You’d be surprised who needs information. Restaurants need well written, detailed menus. Lots of companies need product descriptions. Magazines need profiles and columns. Blogs need content from know-it-alls… you get the idea. Like when you are seeking out clients for your own info products, finding the right forum for freelance information creation isn’t hard. It just takes time. Go looking for people, show them your portfolio, and then offer to create information for them.

--Get the credit: You researcher it. You wrote it. You are the pro. It’s that simple. Make sure you get the credit in return. If you are happy just to take a fee, great. But, if possible, leave your name and website and/or e-mail address somewhere in the forum that you wrote in. The public will see this and people will seek you out for more gigs. *For this step, make sure you work out a credit deal with your client beforehand. I didn’t do that on a job once and while I got paid, I couldn’t leave my e-mail on the product I wrote for. It was a brochure and I know a lot of people saw it…(!).

--Make sure you know your stuff: Getting the gig is important, but make sure you deliver too. Creating positive, informative content is good. Creating false, over-exaggerated content is bad. Sinful, in fact. If you don’t know everything about what you are writing about, be it a lawyer bio for a compendium or the area in New Zealand where a particular lamb comes from for an agricultural column, find out. Ask the client or seek it out yourself. You can get into some very problematic areas if you don’t. Ones that might involve nonpayment, a ruined reputation, or in the worst case scenario, lawyers.

--Be prompt, clear, and professional: When working as a gun-for-hire, do what you would normally do for your own products. Make it the best content possible. Your client will like it, and you WILL benefit from it in the future.

You’d be surprised the number of people that don’t care for writing content. Their interest lays elsewhere – business, labour, design. Take this as a cue to get out there and offer yourself and your services to the public. Like my buddy Neil found out, your success will only grow as a result.

For more info marketing tips, go to the E-Wealth Daily website here.

Take care,

J.

The Worst Kind of Info Marketer

Dear Info Marketers:

Another week. More heat and lots of rain. The city is green, but I think more sun is in order. Better weather is something we all deserve.

Speaking of "better"...ever been ripped off? Had something bad happen because of someone else? Or maybe you were just plain lied too. Either way, it sucked didn't it? Your faith in humanity goes right out the window at that moment and you turn into a person you'd rather not be.

They say that there is real and good science – i.e. biologists researching bacteria growth, physicians testing new medicines - and then there is bad or pseudo science, like the man who claims magnets will cure your arthritis and drinking beer will make your hair grow. I only wish that later one really worked…(!).

In the real world it’s important to distinguish between what is the real deal and what is fake, phony, or a plain old scam. There’s no shame in considering something that seems too good to be true. The trick is not to get sucked into it, wasting valuable time and money on something that absolutely does not work.

That or becoming part of it.

Life is tough, and it’s often tougher to be an honest, forthright entrepreneur. I would be remiss in saying that you never have to “sell yourself” or “go for the gold” all the time. That’s part of competitive enterprise. But it’s important that you approach it in an ethical fashion. If you don’t you might end up losing your business and credibility altogether.

This can happen to info marketers. I’ve seen, shuddered, and even laughed at some of the pseudo professionals I’ve encountered. Here’s a list of some of them. Read them and make a note of not becoming like them:

--The fudger-of-facts: I have written about this in past newsletters. There is always the tendency to over blow facts about whatever information you are writing about. But you have to be very careful with this. In the event someone, perhaps even a client, finds out about this, you could get into a lot of trouble and see a decrease in client-base, profits, and a disregard for your professionalism.

--The outright liar: One step up from the fudger-of-facts is the liar. He or she is the one that just makes things up in the name of a dollar. Certain televangelists, politicians, and even journalists have come up in this category. But it can happen to an information marketer too. If it’s revealed that you are supplying content that is a complete fabrication of your own mind, you will lose everything. Your reputation, money, and career. Always do the right thing – write what is true and nothing else.

--The slacker: We all talk of wanting to be “free”. And when you become an info marketer, you are really the freest working professional out there. You are at home, doing what you love, making a name for yourself. But with certain freedoms comes the necessary responsibilities. You have to keep a schedule and be timely delivering a product to your clients. It’s that simple. Deviating from that because you don’t feel like it will result in customers thinking your heart is not in your work. As a result, they will leave. Don’t fall into that trap. Stay responsible and stay on track with what you are doing.

--The sloppy info marketer: I had a guy e-mail me a while back asking why he wasn’t able to gain more customers. I read over his content and found it loaded with spelling and grammar errors, as well as words that were only meant for a guy’s night out. I loved this guy – he’s an old colleague – but he was never burdened with an overbearing work ethic. I finally told him, as I am telling you now, that sloppiness is not even an option in this business. Always do the best work you can in creating info products and if in doubt, get a second eye to look it over.

--The guy-who-doesn’t-like-paying-bills: This person is held with probably the most contempt in any industry. If you do not uphold your end of a bargain and it results in people not being compensated for it, you WILL suffer. Until we live in that utopia where no one has to worry about paying bills or the rent or acquiring food, money will always be necessary. With that in mind, it is up to you to pay for all your expenses related to your business. Be professional and don’t embark on agreements that you cannot uphold. Your professionalism will always be regarded with respect as longs you do not…pardon the diction…“screw anybody”.

At the end of the day, everyone knows in their heart what it takes to be a good professional. Whether its information marketing or any other business, think of what you would want out of the product as if you were a client. If you can please yourself by working hard and creating the greatest products possible, you will never make the list of the worst info marketers. Ever.

Good luck and take my advice: it's worth it to be the best.

For more info, visit us at http://www.ewealthdaily.com/.

Best,

J.

Out in the Field as an Info Marketer

Dear Info Marketers:

I just got off the phone with a buddy of mine who is "out in the field". That's right he's a field operator of information marketing. What is this exactly? Let me explain...

It is impossible for one person to have knowledge on everything. The human mind is only so big and you can only record and recall so much information. Some might see this as a real hindrance, especially in the world of information marketing where recalling information is crucial to the generation your pay cheque. But not having an infinite brain capacity can actually create another more interesting avenue for you.

Part of being an information marketer is almost like being a detective. You often have to get out into the world and do some investigation and research in the field that you providing information about. This is actually one of the most fun aspects of information marketing. It gives you a chance to get new information and expose yourself to interesting areas and people that you wouldn’t otherwise experience behind your desk.

When you decide to embark on some field research, it’s important that you get ready. Take a whole bunch of pens and a thick pad of paper. If it helps, a tape recorder and/or digital camera can help too. Use whatever tools you think will help you get the most important information available.

A lot of marketers are unsure where to start and I always advise them to go right to the places and individuals most knowledgeable about their particular info market. If you are creating content about classic automobiles, go visit a mechanic or auto restoration pro who knows their stuff. If you are writing about agriculture, you might want to make trips to livestock auctions, feed production facilities, and scientific facilities. Watch the people there, ask questions, take notes, and observe. You can see how things operate first hand and even see what lies ahead for that particular industry. Put yourself in a journalist’s position and see yourself as someone who has to get the whole story.

I should also mention discretion and legalities as well. It’s a good idea to not go trespassing around people who do not want you there. If you try and ask people about their industry and they become hostile, it’s best to back off and go someplace else. They might not be the most legitimate of professionals or they want to work in secret. Either way, you will save yourself a load of personal and legal hassle by respecting the wishes of others and moving on.

It’s also good in field work to reference the people you got your information from in your info products. This is respectful of them and they will appreciate your consideration of them and what they helped you with. As well, they will be more forthcoming with more information in the future, thus making them reliable sources. You can also benefit in another area: one interview with one professional can be a salable newsletter or product all on its own.

In the end, field work is always rewarding on all fronts to the information marketer. It allows you a bit of professional adventure, establishes new contacts for your business, and can be a great profit generator at the end of work day. Take advantage of it whenever you are in need of new ideas for your info marketing business.

For more information, visit us www.ewealthdaily.com.

Take care,

J.

Keeping on Top of Your Accounts

Dear Info Marketers,

Well, I hope it's summer where you are. Here in the Big Smoke, it is very much that hot time of year. I have been enjoying reading a book with an ice cold beer on my rooftop at night, and biking on the paths during the day.

That is of course when I am not doing the info marketer job.

Speaking of which, I was asked by a colleague about money. That's right. The dough, moolah, whatever. Money-in, money-out. Money-in, money-out. You know the vicious routine. When you are running a business or even if you still have a day job, it’s important to watch this cycle. And let’s face it: you want more of the former and less of the latter. A lot of people suffering through bad financial periods in their lives spend more than they bring in, and do not monitor their expenses, taxes, etc. Consequently they wind up in debt very quickly and their job or business goes belly-up as a result. It’s important that this does not happen to you.

There are loads of gurus and businesses out there that are designed to help people stay out of debt. The good news is that for you, the information marketer, you don’t need any of them. You just need a little organization and knowledge on how to monitor your accounts properly.

Here are some tips to help you with the endeavor of keeping an accounts file:

--Keep your receipts: Whatever you spend money for your information marketing business, make sure you get a bill as record. Be it a hand written waybill or printed receipt, keep them all. Put them in a file and do not toss out even the most trivial looking sales slip. You never know what tax deductions or special benefits in the future.

--Keep everything organized: You will no doubt accumulate quite a pile of receipts. It’s important to keep them organized. One trick my dad used to do with his credit card receipts was to get some binders and three-ring dividers to keep all of his receipts organized, with them taped to pieces of paper or in three ring Mylar bags. I still do this today. Believe me, when tax time comes around – and it always does – you can take all your receipts to the accountant and have your return quickly filed. God forbid you get a visit from a government official, but if you do, you can show them all your records right up front and save a terrible auditing. It’s that simple and there is no better way to stay on top of your financial game.

--Track your records: As time wears on, you will get to see what you are spending money on. Check all your receipts and work-related bills. Once you can see where your money is going weekly, monthly, and/or annually, you can make decisions as to what expenses can be reduced or eliminated altogether. Again, staying organized and keeping a receipt file will help with this.

--Trust your instincts: This might sound as an odd bit of advice, but it is helpful. There is a good chance that you know in your gut what is and is not worth spending money on, and how much cash you have available to spend. Don’t ignore this. A lot of people want to live large and buy something whenever the wind blows. That’s just plain irresponsible. Always think of your business first and make good judgments based on its survival.

Rightly or wrongly, money matters. It has made some people very notable in history, while it has also brought many people to their knees. Those who have managed it properly and seen success in their lifetime all seemed to come up with a game plan as how to manage it. There is no difference in the scenario of information marketing. If you get prepared with a proper accounts file, your success will continue on as well.

Be sure to send any e-mails to jburt369@gmail.com or visit the E-Wealth Daily site here for more info on how to stay on top of your accounts.

Take care and I'll be back soon,

J.

Shopping for a Good Internet Provider in Information Marketing

Dear Information Marketers,

Summer is on. It's warm up here in the Great White, but lots of rain. I've been relegated indoors a bit, but jump out on my bike when the sun pierces out of the clouds. Of course when you are inside, you spend a lot of time online. Good or bad, I search a lot and try to see what this odd little invention has to offer everyday.

I can’t remember when I first heard the word “Internet” before. If memory serves, it was back in my days of regularly viewing action movies of the Stallone, Segal, and Van Damme class. In one film, one of our heroes was saving the world for a collection of lunatic terrorists, he used a military issue radio/computer that allowed him to connect to the “Internet satellite” and communicate with his superiors and some people that could give him some back up.

Even then, I knew that a lot of what was going on in the film was fiction, of the most unbelievable kind at that. And that scene I just mentioned is so funny to look back on, as it makes the Internet seem like an elite, espionage busting tool only good for the best of the best.

Today things are different and anyone can have the Net. That’s the good part. The tough part is that, especially if you use the Internet regularly for business like in information marketing, you need to shop for the best possible provider.

What does this entail? To be honest, it’s doesn’t require much more than if you were out to buy a car or house or computer. You want the best so you have to shop around for the best. With that in mind, you have to know what to look for.

Here is what you should consider:

--Reputation: Like a lot of new inventions, the advent of the Internet brought intense competition from the private sector. Thus there were a lot of companies that sprung up, claiming to offer the best, but delivered anything but. If you are looking for a good Internet provider, chat with your friends and colleagues and see which ones they use. A referral from them might even lead to you getting a deal of some kind as a new subscriber.

--Space: I had an e-mail account that as good for a lot of things. I could hold as many messages as I wanted in my account, could customize my messages with font options, and paid nothing to have the account. Its one drawback though was that its message size was pretty small. Every time I would send a digital photo to a friend, the message would bounce back saying it was too big to send. When you go to your provider, ask how much digital space both your e-mail and, if you get one, website is capable of holding online. A good provider will be able to provide that space at little to no extra cost.

--Price: Always a big concern. Again, shop around. Having a good reputation is very important, but also check prices as well. Very companies that start up might offer you a good deal as a first time subscriber.

--Perks: Like I mentioned about space, some Internet providers don’t offer much beyond the basic package of e-mail and or website features. If you have graphics or videos of your products, seminars, or advertisements, you will no doubt want to post them online. Make sure your provider has the capabilities to help you with what you want stylistically.

--Assistance: No doubt something is going to go wrong down the road. Your website will crash or you cannot access your e-mail. If this happens, the most logical solution is to phone your provider to see what is going on. Make sure your provider has in house staff that can be reached at any time to help with any problem that might arise.

Your website provider will likely become one of the most essential contributors to the success of your information marketing business. With that in mind, always seek out the best provider to help you with all your Internet needs. You won’t be sorry that you did.

Take care and be sure to check us out here for more news and opportunities.

Best,

J.

How to Build a Great Portfolio

Dear info marketers,

I have been tracking a lot of people on the job hunt these days. It's a tough hustle, especially in this day and age. I haev done it myself...

Years ago I needed some extra cash. I was broke and was having trouble finding a job. A friend I had met in a writer’s group asked me about freelance writing.

“Have you ever considered it?”

I told her I had but wrote off the possibility as I had no experience. She smiled and changed the subject. A few weeks later there was a message on my answering machine from an Internet company saying that I had been referred to them by my friend to write the content for their website.

I called my friend later to thank her. Towards the end of the call, she gave me one last piece of advice.

“Keep all the galleys of what you wrote and bookmark the website on your computer browser. It’ll help build your portfolio.”

She was right. I did what she said and it helped me get several jobs later on. Building a portfolio will also help you as an information marketer. If you get into the position where you are being offered a job to write information content for someone but need to show your work, a portfolio is as essential as a resume to display your qualifications.

Here are some tips on building your portfolio:

--Save everything: I have come across people who, after a few gigs, toss some of their completed written material thinking they will never have to use it again. They may have had a bad experience doing the job or do not feel the work was very good or it is unimportant. But this is a bad habit. Keep everything. You never know what the future will hold and what material might come in useful to apply for a particular job down the road.

--What to include: What to include in your portfolio is ultimately relative to what job you are applying or being considered for. For example, if you are offered a contract to write information about sports, leave your other information products or newsletters at home except perhaps one sample to show your ability to write on diverse subjects. Like a resume, keep it short and brief and only include three to five samples of written content.

--A carrying case: I went out for coffee with my friend a few months later after that first writing gig. She brought along her portfolio. It was a hug leather case that cost her almost one hundred dollars. But she organized it and equipped it with her business card, a pen, and all relative samples in plastic laminate pages. Do the same. You don’t have to spend too much money, but get a good robust carrying case that can organize all of your samples and be readily opened and displayed to a potential employer.

--The digital portfolio: In this day and age, print material is transforming to digital media. Be ready for this. Make sure all your content is digitized into document files that you can e-mail to prospective employers i.e. in PDF or Microsoft Word document form. Get a USB drive that you can carry around with you and hook up to a computer if you need to send out samples at a moment’s notice. Being ready for the future often means keeping up with current changing trends and the digital route is a good way to be prepared.

--Update it: Keep all your files, but make sure your carrying case and digital portfolio shows your most recent and prestigious samples first. When someone looks at it, you should be ready to show only the best examples first. Period. Keeping updated will help you with this.

At the end of a coffee meeting, my friend told me an interesting story where she was at an interview for a job. The employer took her portfolio, flipped through the first six pages in a few seconds, and offered her a job on the spot. Pretty great, no? This might not happen to you right away, but if you get your info marketing portfolio ready now, there is no reason why it can’t.

Best of luck!

For more information on info marketing tips, click here for the new E-Wealth Daily.

Now You Are Successful...

Hey all,

Well I am back from traveling. Met some clients and relaxed. Also got to some of your e-mails and had some time to respond. And one e-mail was pretty interesting...

I have spent so many of the last newsletters dealing with things that might help you plan your day as an information marketer and how you can help keep up with change. Now I want to talk about fun things: what to do once you get successful.

Getting successful is the name of the game in information marketing. If you tough it out long enough, you will see both prestige and the accompanying cash to go with it as reward. But as the adage goes, success comes with a price. It’s so easy to want to celebrate day in and day out by going to restaurants and buy friends rounds of drinks. Or new cars. Or furniture for your rec room. Whatever you fancy, overzealous celebration can have disastrous consequences.

Once you get successful, there are a few things you should take time to consider. They are:

--Mindset: It’s good to understand success and to keep an open mind once success happens for you. Don’t get arrogant once you start seeing money rolling in from your information marketing business. Success will only continue if you keep your head on and pursue the same level of quality in your work as you had previously.

--Improvements: Take a few notes to see what you did that made you successful. Was it just your content writing or was it the inclusion of a special offer with your newsletter? Had you redone your website and attracted new clientele? Should you expand on a new idea? Always ask yourself what is working to help your business be successful and, above all, what can be done to improve it. Watch your business over time and see what can be done to make it the best it can be at ALL times.

--Taxes: This is the part of information marketing that isn’t much fun but sometimes requires the most attention. Since you are now your own boss, you are responsible that the people of the government are kept happy. You will have to file your own taxes and note whatever expenses are being made for your business. Now this isn’t as hard as it sounds. Search the Internet or consult your local employment centre to see what tax deductions need to be made from the income you earn. Set up an expenses account at your bank to and use this to track all money going in and out of your business. Provided you keep your expenses and tax work organized, you shouldn’t encounter much trouble with those in bureaucratic positions.

--Recreation: With the aforementioned tax and expense information in mind, don’t think that being an info marketer is strictly business. See what revenue is coming in and what can be used for fun. Put aside some cash to take a trip or save some for something special you would like to buy. Again, just be organized and do not overspend on things that are unnecessary. Reward yourself, just with discretion.

--Your future: My friend works at a major bank and he often uses the term “money in-money out”. That is, you see what money is coming in and what money is going out. This monitoring will helps you plan your professional future and what can be done to make it more successful then it already is. Once you see success, think about consulting a financial specialist and how they can help you with money investments. Look at ways to eliminate unnecessary expense. Talk to other information marketers about what they do in terms of staying successful and what pitfalls to avoid. In short, when you are not writing content, keep an eye on the roads ahead – particularly the financial one - to see what can be done to both maintain and improve on your business’ success.

The key to success is always thinking about tomorrow. Once you get into the groove of becoming a good information provider, you will, with the right skills, become equally good about predicting your future. It just takes time.

Take care,

J.

For more information, click here to read the E-Wealth Daily.

All of the Specs – Tips on Providing all Necessary Elements of Information to Your Clients

Dear Info Marketers:

Ah, what a nice week. I am writing the galleys for my next few E-Blasts on the rooftop of my flat and loving the sunshine. It's a busy day for others here in the Big Smoke, but I get to take it all in.

Speaking of taking it all in, let me tell you a story. A few years back, I went home to see some family. While out for a burger and beer with an older friend of the family, I crossed paths with a friend I used to hang out with in public school. We chatted away for a while and, as they say, it’s surprising how much hasn’t changed.

I had met my friend through the local comic shop that had since closed in my hometown. We spent a good hour talking about our old love of comics – both of us had since quit collecting when we left high school – and our memories of secret identities, black-and-white underground taboo stories, and who and drew what. All of this talk harkened to a question a client once asked about information marketing: “How much knowledge should I be providing my clients?”

Obviously being well versed in anything is always an asset, but you have to know when to trim the fat and be concise in what information to provide. Here are some tips on what information is necessary in, well, information marketing:

--Classifications: Model trains, jukeboxes, even sports footwear…they all have a make and model. Whenever you want to provide information on a specific product, include all the specifics about it. Knowledge is truly power in this business and the more you know, the more your clients will pay to learn even more. It’s true that you may encounter the ridicule of “nerd” with your friends for this, but your clients will thank you for it.

--Sources: If you have a regular source for wherever you acquire certain products and consultation, reference it in your information content. For example, on newsletter I subscribe to about travel always points to good websites for airline tickets and outdoor gear. This can be beneficial to both your customers and you as customers like being in the know and merchants might offer to take out ad space in your newsletter and pay a fee to do so.

--Avoidances: If you really want to provide great information to your clients, consider telling them what to stay away from. A fellow information marketer who deals in antique furniture keeps a blog about people who wheel and deal in the antique world and are scammers. He lets people make their own postings on who are good and who to avoid. Thanks to the Internet, you can express opinions freely and, with reason, tell the public who may be worth staying away from.

--Prices: I probably should have put this at the top of the list. If there is one thing people are continually conscious of, it is cost. If you can provide information on good deals and where the best places with the lowest prices are, you will always have a continual client base. No question about it.

--Forecasts: Keep up with news about the information you are providing and if you can include a column of what is to be expected in future for whatever it is you are providing information on, people will stay interested in your product. My superior Michael Lombardi keeps abreast of financial news regularly and writes about it for his clients. A friend wrote regularly about film and video and with the advancement of HD technology, and his tips a few years ago on the increased industry usage of video has made his product increasing popular and profitable in the industry.

You can’t take the pulse of all clients, potential or confirmed. But you can provide the necessary information regularly to keep clients routinely interested in your product while attracting new ones as well. A solid information base means solid revenue for you.

Take care and more to come.

Best,

J.

PS Be sure to visit the E-Wealth Daily site for some cool new updates from myself and my colleagues. I am heading out of town for a week and might not get to make a new posting here, so keep checking the E-Wealth site for tips and advice. Feel free to shoot an e-mail too!

Dealing with That Unhappy Clients

Dear info marketers,

Hope you had a good weekend. The sun was out here and I got out on my bike long enough to get some colour on my skin. It was grand.

I recently got an e-mail about an information marketer and his trouble with some of his clients. He asked for some advice. I replied with this story:

I remember having a paper route as a kid. At all of eleven years old, I started having my own professional responsibilities and making money on my own. But as you might expect, I had to encounter that cumbersome experience of dealing with my customers. I had to approach them personally to collect the bi-weekly fees, take notes of when they did not want to receive the paper due to holidays, and answer to any and all complaints they might had had. It was a tough job, but looking back, I seemed to have handled it well and I held the job for four years with some nice kudos from my customers.

Dealing with customer complaints was always tough. If you had a friend do the route for you and he or she made a mistake, it might meant you had to deal with a customer who was understandably unhappy for not getting their paper. But it was a job that had to be done and one that you might have to deal with as an information marketer. You might get a client who never received a product from you or becomes upset with the information you are providing. Regardless of the situation, there are some ways you can deal with unhappy clients.

When dealing with an unhappy client, you should:

--Listen, listen, listen: Whether the complaint you receive comes via phone, letter, or e-mail, listen to everything that the client is saying. Find out exactly what the problem is and be absolutely sure what the client is unhappy about.

--Be professional: This is your business. It represents you and you represent it. Whatever problem comes your way is going to test the level of professionalism you and your business possess. Keep that in mind when a client complains, you must always respond to them in a professional manner and do not break from the professional stance you have built up for your business.

--Do not react: No only should you keep a professional manner, you should not let your emotions get ahead of you. You might have to deal with a client who is slightly unruly and may use cruel or rude language with you. The worst thing you can do in such a situation is react in the same way you are being addressed. Again, be professional. It’s hard to do, as I have to do it in the past, but it can work out - if you show the more mature manner in the situation, the other person will see the irrationality of their behaviour and show more courtesy to rectify the problem.

--Be proactive: Always aim to solve the problem. Apologize for any inconvenience you might have caused your client and offer to fix the situation. If you can’t deal with the problem right away, offer to get back to the client with a solution at a later date. Hold up your end of the deal and get back promptly to the client on the date you promised with a detailed solution.

--Learn: Mistakes happen to everyone. But the smart information marketer will take these bad situations seriously and find ways to improve their business based on the problems that occurred. You can only improve your business with time and these bad scenarios are a sure fire way to make your business better.

Client-to-client relations can be both great and difficult. If you find yourself in the latter situation, use the above tips to help fix problems that occur and never break from the professionalism you have worked so hard to maintain for your business. You will be glad you did in the end.

More to come. Check out the E-Wealth Daily website here for other news and information.

Take care,

J.

Publisher’s Toolkit – What You Need When You Go to Press

Dear Information Marketers,

Wow. What a crazy week, weather-wise. Sun, rain, sleet...not sure what's it's like for you, but here it has been crazy. I had to put my bike away and take more transport. Got a lot of reading done in the process, which was good.

Speaking of reading, I haven’t gone anywhere without a book for a long time. I never used to be a big reader until I worked abroad and had television robbed from me. Looking back, it was the best thing that ever happened as I found a world of knowledge that I never really took advantage of.

A fellow information marketer e-mailed me a few weeks ago and asked: I have a lot of stuff information here and I think it’s time to take the next step. How do you publish a book? For a long time, I never thought about how someone could publish a book on their own as I always assumed you needed an agent who queried a publisher to print and distribute it for you. You had a fifty-fifty chance of being successful.

But things have changed – for the better I might add – in the digital age. Now you can publish your own work and have all the success you want off it. I asked around and found a guy who had success self-publishing a novel after being dropped by his agency over a disagreement over rewriting his novel. He sent me a list of what you should have if you want to publish on your own.

Here it is:

--An editor: Once you have your content written, no matter how good you think it is, get it edited. Hand it over to a friend you have confidence in or hire someone who edits professionally. An extra set of eyes can give you that objective input you need to make your content look good and correct any outstanding errors that may exist.

--A graphic design: Your product’s content is of the utmost importance, but after that, you need to make it look presentable to your clients. Coming up with a graphic design is how you plan for your information product to look for public use. My friend advised getting a real graphic designer to help you with coming up with cover and layout ideas. I agree, but if you have already have experience with this in the past with publishing print products as some of my colleagues do, feel free to apply your skills to this tasks.

--An ISBN (International Standard Book Number): You know that funny thirteen digit bar code on the back of your books? That’s the ISBN and it gives the book its individual identification for public use and sale. Getting one can be a bit time consuming, but my mate said it’s a good thing to have in order to legitimize your product for the public to use. You can get information on purchasing this code online by visiting www.iso.org.

--A distribution plan: Don’t be confused by this as I am not implying that you have to network with a big distribution agency to sell your book from here to Kuala Lumpur. Quite the opposite, in fact. Start displaying your product on your website and offer it to existing clients in your e-newsletters. Check out related tradeshows and if you can get a place in one, bring along some copies to sell. Also pitch it to friends and colleagues, as someone may be able to carry it for you in their place of business or company and can sell it for a small honorarium. This “baby-steps” method will help your products’ success to get rolling and could lead to others offering to market it for you. If you start small, you can only get big.

This short list of tips is exactly what my friend used to get his book out to book shops and buyers. After thinking he would not have much success after being dropped by his agency, my friend can only certify this to you that it’s a surefire way for people to see what you have to offer and dig into their pocket to pay for it.

For more information marketing and wealth creation tips, visit us here at The e-Wealth Daily website.

Take care,

J.

Q & A - Some Questions and Answers From and For Other Info Marketers

Hey all:

So you've been writing away and sending messages. I am glad - it’s always nice when you get e-mails, especially ones from other information marketers seeking advice. As the guy who is dishing out the goods on information marketing tips and advice, it really forces me to do my homework, think, and research the answers to everyone’s queries.

Over the past months, I’ve been banking all of my e-mails in a file on desktop here at E-Wealth Daily and dug them out on the weekend to go over them. Some of the questions were pretty good and I thought I should compile a bunch of to share with you. These are all valid questions – ones that I think you should consider for your information marketing business as well.

Here goes:

--Q: Hey James. I just started my info marketing business and I create information about sports, specifically basketball. I am getting to a point in my content creation where I am expired of ideas. I am debating writing content that might border on, well, false information and exaggeration. What’s your take on this? I think I know the answer but thought I better check…

A. False information, be it in high school term papers or information marketing, is always a bad idea. Especially if you are selling it to the public, the proliferation of false information can potentially result in ugly legal ramifications that you can only conceive of. My uncle always said: “If you don’t know, don’t bull…”…wait. Well, you get the idea. In short, you can be creative, but make sure you are always truthful. If you are out of ideas, take a break and then do some research for new ones.

--Q: James, tax time is here. I have never done any filings for my information marketing business before. Help!

A. This question is very important. What I would suggest if you have never filed a tax return for your business is to collect all of your sales receipts of your information products, all of your receipts for things you have bought for your business, and find a good accountant. They can walk you through the process of filing taxes, show you what you might have to pay, what return you may be entitled to, and what you can write off as expenses. Finding an accountant is like finding a doctor: search out a bunch of them and find the best, but be sure they can take a new client.

--Q: My products have not been reaching my clients through the mail. ARRGHHH! I am mad and don’t know what to do.

A: Funny you should mention that. I sent a package a few weeks ago to a friend and it never made it to their place either. I know the postal service in this part of the world is pretty good. But I would suggest that if you have very important products to send like items customers have ordered, consider using a courier service. They offer insurance, are very fast, and will handle your products with absolute care.

--Q: Hey man, any health tips for information marketers?

A: HA! I thought I better include this one as your health is important. Like people who work in offices or drive truck, information marketers will spend a great portion of time sitting down, strapped behind a computer. There is little physical exercise there. That said you should always make time to get up and get exercise. Factor in daily running or walking into your work schedule. As well, do not get in the habit of eating poorly either. Snacking gradually over the day is actually good, but think about eating dried fruits and nuts over the chips and carbonated drinks. Health is an important discipline to consider in any job, and all information marketers should be aware of it.

At E-Wealth Daily, there really is no such thing as a stupid question. Feel free to send queries any time and we will respond with the best advice possible to make your business a success.

For more information, visit us here at the E-Wealth Daily.