Remote Control — The Best Thing about Being an Information Marketer

We have all heard the clichés, haven’t we? Even if we’ve never even worked in one, the horrors of this place are detailed everywhere. In films, in books, in many case studies. It’s compared to a dungeon, a jail, an oasis of no return. You like the comforts of it, but you hate that you “can’t go anywhere”, either physically or professionally.

That’s right: the office.

Obviously, I’m being facetious. But it is fun listing all the jokes, especially having worked in an office myself. I would be remiss to say that all offices are bad, as would some of my family members. While it wasn’t always perfect, I have fond memories of good camaraderie with my colleagues and accomplishing a great number of large scale projects. I often took long lunches with friends and could talk freely with people I met on the job.

But being an information marketer is different. Your office is wherever you happen to be working and your colleagues are simply your clients and the professionals you associate with to better your business. You will not be “punching the clock” like others and most likely working from home. This is called working remotely.

So how do you work remotely? Well, like this:

--Get the right tools: Like information marketing itself, working remotely doesn’t entail a lot of tools. I’ve spoken a million times about having a good computer with a reliable Internet connection, but these days you may want to consider the laptop path. My friend is an editor and she does absolutely everything on her laptop. This enables her to do all her tasks while sipping coffee at the café and catching up on all of her favourite fashion websites at break time. If this sounds appealing, consult your local laptop and computer shop for the best type of laptop and how to dial up remotely.

--Get the right space: Like I mentioned above, your new office space doesn’t have to be at home. It can be anywhere. But this means you work from the place that best suits you for getting your tasks done. Don’t hang out in restaurants that are noisy and distracting. And, as a friend once learned the hard way, while the local pub had great food and alcoholic drinks, it did not yield any progress. In fact, it only resulted in an extended afternoon nap. Don’t be afraid to stay at home if that type of space helps you. For others, working far from home can be good too, be it the café or a bleached house on a Greek island. It makes no difference where you work, provided you get the job done.

--Get a Schedule: No doubt in your business you will have daily tasks and repetitive duties to perform. This can be tedious and there is always the temptation to deviate from it. But the absolute best advice I can give is to make a schedule and, above all, stick with it. Unless you have a prior appointment, make sure you keep on track with your agenda. Write your newsletters at the time everyday, send out the mail at the time you like to, and even set your break times. This will only create a high level of efficiency and your clients will enjoy the consistency, thereafter rewarding you with product purchases.

--Keep Your Head Screwed On: You are your own boss. You will be working by yourself. Again, you will have temptations. Surfing the Internet, calling friends, taking too many breaks…they are all fun but you must remember that you are at work. It takes a lot of willpower to resist temptation, but you can do it. Think of the success you are achieving on your own and what other possibilities lay ahead for your business. Remember the saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day?” It’s absolutely true. Use the future as your inspiration for achieving the success you want.

Working remotely is truly a gift of the modern age. It has given people the freedom to avoid the confines of the age-old office stereotype and allow them to make whatever space they want their area of success.

With the proper dedication, you can reap the rewards this too.


Have a good week,

J.

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

A Legal Matter — Some Good Legal Tips for Information Marketing

Dear Info Marketers,

Well, I just found out that a friend just got his M.A. in education. We were happy for him as he had been at it a while. With two B.A.'s and now an M.A., this is a pivotal moment in his life. Or at least it was supposed to be. After not turning up for a party in his name, I tracked him down for a beer and he finally admitted it. He doesn’t want to teach. And he’s in debt. And his relationship to his girlfriend is on the skids. And…and…and…you get the idea.

I always feel bad for a guy like this. They get to certain point, accomplish a goal, and then realize they don’t like it or don’t want to do it for life. It’s costly, time consuming, and frustrating. Count yourself lucky that you are information marketing. You can be your own boss and the dollars you make are your own. You can be successful on your own terms.

Well, almost all. You can always be sure of two things in life, right? Death and taxes. The first is unavoidable and pretty morbid. Let’s leave it and digress into taxes. You can deal with them. In fact, you can deal with all the government/legal matters of your business on your own. Here are some things you should be aware of to ensure that you stay in control:

--Copyright: Your company is your own. Your name is on it and it represents you. The good news is that once you declare this, you officially own the name of your company. You don’t have to go through any legal channels to declare otherwise. The bad news is that once your company name gets social prominence, you have to watch who is using your name. If people are using your name to make money, make sure they get permission from you beforehand. To be safe, consider trade-marking your name at your local government patent office. Keep tabs on who is using your name.

--Expense/Revenue Record: Since you are self employed, you aren’t getting the deductions you did at the desk job. That said, you should keep a receipt record of all the expenses you make and what revenue you bring in for your business. I mean everything. Tax time always comes and if you want to sit right with the government, make sure you note everything. This could be beneficial as you might be entitled to deductions or rebates later on.

--Disclaimer: I was watching television at a friend’s house a year back and I remember one of those zany commercials coming on with some man doing a gonzo stunt. It was a hoot to watch, but I noticed the little white subtitle at the screen’s bottom: “Stunt performed by professionals. Do not attempt at home.” This looked unnecessary, but according to some research I did, it’s actually smart and prevents future lawsuits. This is something you can adapt. Don’t make huge claims with your business as if you don’t deliver, you might get in trouble. Be careful on how you express thoughts and ideas in your writing too. Speak your mind, but keep it professional. If what you are writing is entertainment, put it in a disclaimer at the end.

--Consult Pros: Not sure about taxes? How much you are paying for supplies? There’s no shame. Just find out. Search the net for local private or government pros you can give you consultation. It’s often free and can save a hassle. Even with a lawyer if you want intellectual property advice and you might have to pay a fee it is still worth it in the end.

When I said that “death and taxes” quote was pretty morbid, I meant it. It gives the same feeling as I had with my friend and his long education. You want to spend your time living life. Part of living is being prepared for tomorrow. If you take the right precautions and work towards a common goal, you will be prepared.

More to come. Have a great week.

J.

Big Stories — What Publications to Observe

Dear Info Marketers,

I was the first one in the office one day last week and noticed several different newspapers and magazines piled at the door when I arrived. I took them in with me, but later consulted the boss about this. Do you really need all of these? I inquired. Absolutely, he replied. If you think the world's activities stay in one spot all the time, you are mistaken my boy.

My boss wasn't joking or being ironic. He's very successful and now I know why: he stays on top of trends constantly. His subscription to several local papers plus some name magazines and key Internet sites has ensured him in being up-to-date with the current business world.

As the information marketer, I would highly recommend this to you as well. Sounds tough? Well, the good news is that you don't need that many to keep tabs on. Not even as many as my boss does.

Here are some publications that you might want to invest in:

--The Best Local Business Paper: I have to specific about this because if you are like us, you live in a city with several different daily newspapers. You should subscribe to the paper with the absolute best business section. Here in Toronto, my boss gets to two papers, The Globe and Mail and The National Post, as both have the most detailed business sections in the province and even the whole country. Both have huge coverage and during certain days of the week, the business section is the dominating portion of the paper. Find the same newspaper for city or town.

--A Good Business Paper: I used to live in the basement apartment of a philosophy professor. He liked to read up on economics as well as keep stocks, so he subscribed to The Economist which he got monthly. Again, I cannot recommend the best one for you, but look at this magazine, The Wall Street Journal, or a magazine devoted entirely to economics. These magazines often carry economic forecasts that can not only help you see the future of your information marketing business, but of your personal finance as well. Ask around with fellow info marketers or consult your local newsstand for the business magazine that would be best for you.

--The Best Related Trade Magazine: This is the magazine that has the best news for your information marketing business. If you are provide information on sports, do not subscribe to Model Trains Monthly. Get Sports Illustrated or something similar. If you are into woodworking and carpentry, Popular Woodworking is worthy checking out regularly. These magazines can be good not only for industry news, but also for advertising and related deals to your business. Again, consult your newsstand or search the Internet for related publications.

--A Good Internet Site (or More Than One): In this day and age, it's important to find news on the web as it is the fasted producer of news updates. Check blogs and message boards as well. Even the smallest sites can have the smallest yet most important tidbit of advice that you could ever hope to find.

Staying updated can be tough. But knowing where to search is half the battle. Find those publications that can help you the most and then use them for your updates and information. Your business will strengthen as a result.

More to come so stay tuned.

Have a good week,

J.

The Headless Chicken — What to do With "Down Time"

When you come from a rural based family like I do, you can't help but soak up the lingo. My families had sayings that were not only funny to me when I was small, but even funnier to my friends in the city who never heard such odd expressions.

"We're beating a dead horse here!" was a favourite, particularly of my calculus teacher when trying to solve problems. Another was "That stinks to high heaven." And "He's as useless as..." — wait. Can't use that one. Sorry guys, family publication.

But my favourite was always: “He's running around like a chicken with his head cut off.” Slightly morbid, no doubt. But it conjures up the appropriate images, doesn't it? The sense of directionless-ness, confusion, and, worse yet, imminent death. Information marketing will hopefully never lead you to the latter experience, but you'd be less than human if you never experienced the first two. That's alright, as being your own boss can feel like that. You're taking risks that you're friends punching the clock cannot even conceive of. Naturally, you are going to have days where there is little activity and this can be potentially stressful if you don't know what to do with your time.

Here are some thoughts on what to do during your “down time”:

--Get creative: You are a creative person because you are an information marketer, right? Why not take a break to get more ideas? Get out some pens and paper or a notebook and start randomly jotting down ideas for the future. This might sound trivial, it can be great in the end. Ask any musician. If they even get four bars of a melody in their head, they will write it down, record it on a boombox, or, as I heard Louise Post from the band Veruca Salt once doing, phoning her answering machine to record it over the phone. A stock pile of ideas for the future is always an asset.

--Re-organize: You've likely been busy working at your business and your office is now a mess. Down time should be used efficiently to get re-organized. Throw out trash that you don't need, get your financial records in order, and make a list of what items you will need for the future. Thinking about tomorrow today is, again, only an asset.

--Network: Check out your leads and customer list. See who you have come into contact with since the inception of your business or search the websites for potential allies who have a product similar to your own. If you come across someone who might be able to help your business, come up with a pitch for them, and give them a call. Try not to make things too social and stay on task with trying to make your business grow. Sometimes during downtime, you have to be the one to stir the pot a bit, but this can generate new ideas and associations, so don't be afraid to do it.

--Step Outside: If you are in any kind of rut in life, the best thing is to get out of it. Sounds too simple right? Well, it is and it is necessary. No one is superhuman and your mind is going to need a rest sometime. Spend time with family, take a holiday, or pursue an outside interest. I mentioned the beating of a dead horse earlier...you do not want to be the person being that beater as it will not amount to anything.

The other prominent old saying from my childhood was the clerically derived “Idle hands make the devil's work.” It can be true as if you have nothing to do, you might face going down a path of instability and potential tragedy. But if you have gotten thus far in your information marketing career, you shouldn't worry. You will be creative enough to ward off any of the devil's temptations. Or wind up like a chicken sans tété...

Good luck and have a good weekend,

J.

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

Gimme the Green — Grants and How They Can Help You

Dear Info Marketers,

Well, spring seems to be upon us. The weather has been great and I have managed to get outside every night this week for a jog or walk. Hope it stays this way (!).

Oh, and Happy Post-St. Paddy's Day! Hope you got out for a green beer, Guinness, maybe a lamb stew, and some live jigs and reels.

On to business...

I've said it before several times: you don't need a lot to become an information marketer. In terms of materials, work space, or even the amount of money you do or don't have, information marketing is great because it's so bare bones.

However, you never know what's going to happen down the road. I always hope that that road leads you to success. If you get to this point, you are most likely going to expand your business. But, as we all know, expansion is directly proportional to available cash quantity and you might not have any to spare. This is okay as you might be able to get a grant.

Grants are everywhere. Whether you want to start a travel resort or publish a book, there seems to be an agency or foundation out there that can help. I've been reviewing a lot of the publications here at IMI and E-Wealth Daily, as my colleagues have done a lot of research into helping small businesses acquire grants. Here are the tips they all offer:

--Search the Internet: Most grant information is online. Search out the type of grant you think you may want to acquire by typing the categories into your Internet search engine i.e. "small business grant", "grants for publishing". In your searches you might discover other grants that you didn't know existed. Save the links in your "Favourites" directory of your Internet browser so you can go back to them at a later date.

--Read the instructions: That's right. Read everything. Find out if you do in fact qualify, what you have to submit to get your grant, when the deadline for application is, and who to contact for follow-up. Big print and fine print, it doesn't matter. Read it all.

--Do up a plan: Grants are not free money. You cannot expect to get one just by signing up for one. If you misuse it, there can be dire consequences for you down the road in terms of your reputation. You have to show the provider that you are serious about your project and what you intend to do with the large sum of money they are going to give you. Come up with a detailed outline of your business. Name what you are going to spend your money on, and what your future goals with the business are. Provide visual or graphic examples of your product and offer ways that the grant could help improve it.

--Be patient and keep records: Bureaucracy is sadly a part of life. Like waiting for your income tax returns, these things can take time. Do not rush the judging staff. They will respond in due time. Keep working at your business and stay focused on yourself.

**NB: When you are awarded your grant, keep all records of it in your tax files. This stuff has to be recorded for tax claims, so it is important you keep a well organized file of your grant information.

--Do not be deterred by rejection: Rejection is also a part of life. If you get turned down, don't worry. Seek out another source or apply for the same one at a later date. This is what my cousin did when he wanted to start his own engineering business. After he got turned down for one grant, he applied for another through another agency and was awarded it a few months later. If you think there is something wrong with your package, take it to an employment assistance office and they can provide the advice you need to improve your submission.

Times seem tough these days. We hear about cuts and job losses, both in the private and government sectors. But there is always cash available to help you take your business to the next level. Take your time to find them. You will not be disappointed.

For more information on some of our grant assistance publications, visit us here at the E-Wealth Daily website.

Take care,

J.

Guestimate — Some Basic Numbers for Info Marketers to Consider

Dear Info Marketers,

I just got an e-mail over the weekend from a man just starting out as an information marketer. He was asking about numbers. Very specific ones at that. This kind of questioning I like because it forces me to try and provide palpable advice to information marketers who want to start up their info marketing business.

You have to consider all kinds of numbers when starting your information marketing business. I’ve spoken about budgeting several times in the past, but there are more numbers to consider when launching your info marketing business.

Here are some to consider:

--Number of clients: You always hope that this list grows like tree roots. Still, you should always watch the numbers of your clients. Always keep tabs on times when the numbers decrease and increase, and set goals for yourself. A good marketer will have a set number, but will also set standards for a new, higher number to reach.

--Production Numbers: You never know how many actual products to create. Even if you think you are sure of the number of people that will buy the product, you never know until each item is sold, especially if they are print products. With that in mind, you can come up with some numbers based on your client base. If you have say 2000 clients on your e-mail list, you should have 2000 products to offer. Don’t go overboard with this figure as it can be costly. Speak to your local print shop and they often can cut you a deal on the number of products you want to create. Remember: you can always get more if the demand is there.

--Number of Colleagues: You are going to need help in your information marketing business, but since it’s your own venture, you should try to keep it to a minimum, due to costs of others’ services. At IMI, we have our in-house staff, plus a few others that we contract in to help us. In the event we need outside help, we get recommendations from people we trust. But the rule is that we only do this for things we cannot do ourselves.

--When the numbers get too big: This may sound comical, but you may run into a situation where there are a lot of numbers to organize, namely tax and revenue numbers. This problem isn’t unique, but it has to be dealt with. If you find yourself bogged down by the legal and financial responsibilities of your business, don’t panic. You can get an accountant to help you. They aren’t too expensive and have very skilled expertise in this area. We keep one on deck at IMI and he is always aware of ways we can save, what we owe, and some revenue ideas for the future.

Numbers can seem overwhelming, but like anything else in life, they just have to be organized. Keep on top of all numbers that you have to deal with and you will never have a problem with your information marketing business.

Hold the Phone — Setting Up Teleconferences

Dear Info Marketers,

NOTE: For all you having difficulty receiving the E-Wealth Daily, we send our apologies. There has been a technical matter at our end but our team is just resolving the issue now. We truly appreciate your patience.

Now on to more interesting matters...

I have been working a lot with my colleagues lately in doing research in finding certain products and programs for both IMI and the E-Wealth Daily. Obviously we do a lot of searching and have to scout out a lot of competitors offering the same product or service. In order to find out more about a product, the provider will often offer to set up a teleconference.

The teleconference is not a new phenomenon. My dad used to have them regularly at his job back in the Eighties. But now, thanks to the Internet, the teleconference has been upgraded to allow for better communication between two long distance parties, and this is something that an information marketer can benefit from when trying to sell products. Thus it helps if you have some guidance in how to co-ordinate a teleconference.

Here are some tips:

--Schedule: If you want to set up a teleconference, it is of the utmost importance that you create a schedule. Contact the other party and arrange the best possible time for the two of you to sit down and talk. Make sure you honour this date and be prompt when the time comes. Keeping the date highlighted in your personal agenda or scheduling it in your Microsoft Outlook can be helpful too.

--Equipment: Obviously a good, operational telephone is necessary for the teleconference, but be sure to use a one with a speakerphone option. That way you can be heard by the other party and have others sit in on the conference with you. Your local office supply store can be helpful on finding the best type of phone for you. As well, make sure you have access to an Internet hook up. We recently had a conference call with a lady from Tennessee and she used an online conferencing interface to demonstrate a product we were interested in, all of which we viewed on a colleagues computer. Depending on what your information product is, you may or may not need this option, but it can be a handy tool to have. Again, consult your software or office supply provider on what type of interface could help you on a conference call.

--Location: In my former job, there was always a large number of staff so most teleconferences were held in one of the boardrooms. All the boardrooms were soundproofed, had an Internet hook up, and a small dial in module used to connect the calls and go live through a speaker. As an information marketer, you don't likely need all this. Just make sure the area you are conversing from is free from noise and, if necessary, accessible to the Internet. That's all you really need.

--Communication: The one aspect of teleconferencing that can be daunting to others is the lack of interaction with another person. You cannot see the other person and are robbed of any informal discourse that could occur. That said it is important for you to be as professional as possible over the phone. This call is necessary to your business so you want to keep it running smoothly. Stay on task, keep a sense of humour, and talk in a way that is relevant to the subject of the conference. If you have to take notes on the call or what you want to talk about, do so. There is no shame in being prepared or ready for action.

Teleconferencing can be a great way for you to interact with clients, service people, and others who can assist your business. Take advantage of it whenever possible.

For more information, go to the E-Wealth Daily website here.

Have a good weekend.

J.

The Big Blue – Dealing with Clients Overseas

A few years ago, I was working in China, in a private school on a small peninsula, far outside of one of the country’s largest cities. For a time, I was the only native English speaker for quite a distance and the only Caucasian for an even greater distance beyond that. But I really enjoyed the solitude of being by myself and learning the life of this new country by interacting with my students and colleagues. But humans are social creatures, especially with their own brood, so everyday I would check my e-mail to see who from North America had written.

E-mail was, and still is, pretty quick. I would shoot my mom or dad a message the night before, and wake up to the replied message in my inbox. When I was much younger and living with my roving chemist father in South Korea, it used to take well over three weeks to get a letter or package by mail. Obviously correspondence has gotten quicker now, and as an info marketer, you are going to be dealing with people across oceans and miles away from your home. This is a good thing: when you talk about expanding business, you can really do it now.

With this added marketing advantage, you should know some rules of the road first:

--Simple Writing Language: Unless you are multilingual and can do translations of your information products, you are likely going to be dealing with exclusively native English speakers. That is, residents of North America, the British Isles, Australasia, parts of the Caribbean and, if possible, South Africa. Each one of these area’s English is different and often informed with slang or indigenous language influences i.e. Gaelic. There’s no way to be “hip” to them all, so as I’ve mentioned in previous messages, keep the writing simple. It really will broaden your market and make it easy for anyone who speaks English.

--Currency Changes: If you have a demand for your info products and decide to market your product to other countries outside of your own, great. Just don’t forget that the coins in your pocket are not necessarily the same value or type as the ones in someone’s from Waterford, Auckland, or Kingston. Keep abreast of the market value of your client’s currency and be ready to do a conversion so they know what they will be paying and for your product with their own money.

--Delivery Costs: We’ve all seen those infomercials on television. You see the price of an appealing product, and it looks good, but you have to take into account shipping and handling on top of that. Be ready to give this information to your customers as well. Call your postal or courier service and get an estimate of what the product would cost to ship abroad.

--Government Regulations: As well, before you send anything, check with your postal service or government websites if there are any legalities as to what you can or cannot ship to another country. It will save a hassle later on. A friend once wanted to mail a bottle to wine to family member working in a country where alcohol was banned. You have no idea what kind of trouble it put the two of them in.

A lot of people say “the world is getting smaller” as a figure of speech. In terms of modern communication, it is. But you should utilize this as an info marketer. A client base in Cape Town is as good as one down the street.

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

Notes on New Media - What You Can Use To Promote Your Info Product

Dear Info Marketers,

Just when you thought it was spring...

I am not sure what's going on in your neck of the woods, but I just woke up to a nice patch of wet snow and thus had twenty minutes added on during my trip into the office. Ah well, I should not complain too much. The sun will come out in due time.

I was digging through my CD collection this past weekend. I found some old discs from my friends and favourite bands of recent years. One band had gone on to be signed by a major label, and so now this disc that sat in my collection the band had given out at a show is now something of a collector's item. They recorded this debut on a computer in the basement of a member's parents' basement back when Pro Tools and digital recording technology was something quite new. And look what happened...!

This is something I can highly recommend to all you information marketers out there. After your business is established and you see some revenue coming in, consider using some of that cash to invest in new media to promote your product(s).

Here are some suggestions that I have seen some other information marketers use:

--a CD-ROM: A CD-ROM can act as a virtual paper release for one of your information products. Suppose you had a special report or other newsletter that proved popular with your clients. You can take that same report and create a digital version of it and then bus it to a CD-ROM. This can be offered as a one-time special offer, or as a bonus to one of your existing print info products. You can use the same template as your newsletters, add some graphics, and even some colours using Microsoft Word or Paint.net, then compile them for CD-ROM release.

--a Webinar: A lot of successful info marketers are working globally these days, and as such, cannot make contact with all of their clients when they want to. Now they have turned to the digital forum to do so. You can do the same. If you have a special message and a video camera, record yourself and upload it to your website. Either that or offer it as a special bulletin to your clients. People looking at your face graphically and presenting information orally will see that there is a person behind the words and, as such, be more apt to purchase your products. Don't worry if you are not digitally savvy - you can get information on uploading videos from the Internet or from your DV retailer.

--a DVD: One fellow information marketer began hosting his own info sessions across the U.S. He saw that the session, aw well as being popular, contained valuable information to all of his contacts and he decided to record it all on video, like a live concert recording. He edited the footage down, added titles and a bit of music, and before long had a new product in his hands in the form of a DVD. This is a good option for you. If you wind up hosting an event or information session, you might want to consider creating a DVD of the session and marketing it at a future date. This type of product can be costly as you may have to hire a video editor, but it can also be very profitable in the end.

Digital media has the unique ability of being able to be utilized by anyone. And since it shares this characteristic with information marketing, the two go hand-in-hand in helping further make your information marketing business a success.

More tips and info to come, so stay tuned. For some new advice from the experts, go to the E-Wealth Daily website.

Have a good week,

J.

Avoiding Over Doing It - Discretion and Common Sense for the Information Marketer

Dear Info Marketers,

A few years ago, I got a kick out of Morgan Spurlock's documentary Super Size Me, a very comedic look at the effects of fast food on our lives and many other popular consumer goods in today's marketplace. It started by a mother suing McDonald's for her children getting fat on fast food and led to the Spurlock himself going on a month long "McDiet" which wound up having dire consequences. Complete with many "wide" shots of heavy people and a soundtrack complete with "Fat Bottomed Girls" and "Rock and Roll McDonald's", the cinema earned my six bucks that night for high marks in entertainment.

Now I know: this is a documentary, and most documentaries aren't necessarily giving you the whole story in two hours. There was a lot of heavy response to this film, with people either cheering it as a call-to-action against the commercial food world, to others deriding it as false, fear-mongering, and exaggerated, Regardless of your political affiliation or opinions of the commercial food industry, the message is still the same: don't overdo it. Fast food of all kinds is a treat, not a staple food. You have to keep yourself healthy and maintain your own healthy lifestyle.

Same goes for information marketing. I've spoken briefly in the past of having restraint when working on your information marketing business, but now it's time to get into the nitty-gritty of it.

Here are some tips:

--Don't spend a lot to get started: I once took a job at a hardware store and auto centre where I was sent out to the auto shop after the boss fired the installer. All the mechanics were pretty surly guys in a comical kind of way. One thing that got their under their craw was how much gear they had to buy. Steel toed boots, upright tool chest, coveralls, and infinite numbers of hand tools. Info marketing doesn't require that much stuff and nor should it. A desk or table, a chair, a fully functional up-to-date computer, some stationery, and some reference books to what you are providing information on - that's about all. Keep it simple and don't waste money on getting all the fashionable toys that only burns a hole in your wallet and doesn't really improve your business.

--Keep production costs down: Once you get going and start producing larger information products like books or guides, monitor your output. Only produce enough copies that you know are going to sell. Do not create an excess amount of inventory as it is costly and will just clutter up your work space. A good note on this is that you can work out a deal with your printer and you can have a certain number of productions at a reduced price.

--Do not fall for scams: This is easier said than done, but as the old saying goes: "If it's too good to be true, it's likely garbage." Actually, that saying was modified by my friend's dad and I had to censor a word or two. But he's right. You can get roped into something like a new fangled computer program or outsourcing service with the intention of saving money, but it might wind up costing you more and will not benefit your business. Do your homework whenever you are getting something to assist your business and check everything right down to the fine print. At IMI, we tested three different Internet providers, complete with teleconferences and trial packages, before settling on the one we wanted. Later, one potential provider wound up being fraudulent and we wound up saving a lot of hassle due to our extensive investigation.

--Plan and plan and plan - Some things in life need to be spontaneous. A surprise for your partner, a night out with some friends,...all that great stuff. Not in business, sadly. Plan out everything with a budget and be prepared for potential disasters that lie ahead. Again, it can be hard work, but it will save infinite numbers of potential hassles in the long run.

Being an information marketer is great as you are your own boss. The only trick is that you have to act like your own boss and treat what you are doing seriously, with a discerning eye on every activity. You have to work hard, but this can be an accomplishment and will always lead to benefits down the road.

Good luck!

J.

Come visit us at The E-Wealth Daily and The Information Marketing Institute to see how we can help with your information marketing business.

All Its Own - Giving Your Info Products a Look

Dear Info Marketers,

I just got a letter from a contracting friend of mine. Yes, that's correct. A hand written letter, composed on two sheets of motel stationary pad paper and complete with his comical verbage. He's in Thompson, Manitoba right now doing an engineering contract for a large firm. This place is over 700 km north of Winnipeg and bloody snowbound this time of year. I really enjoyed getting his letter though. While I love getting e-mails and texts from friends, I really appreciate the personal feel of hand written letters, greeting cards, and post cards. You can tell someone has actually put some real physical effort into writing them.

Obviously I could tell this was my friend's letter by his lively and doctor's grade handwriting. It had its own look and feel. And that's what your information products should all have. Their own look. You can create a mass amount of appeal and gain new clients by just investing some time to create a visual display for your products.

A good way to start is to create a logo and/or header for all your products. If you're more graphically inclined, you can do this by just using some pen and paper, and then doing the design on Adobe Studio or even Paint.net. Logos are meant to be simple so you may just want to create one making the text of your business name more graphically appealing. My superior Michael Lombardi did this, as you can see here. Other times you might want something with a picture or symbol. If this is required, come up with an idea and take it to a graphic designer. They can be done reasonably quickly and cheaply.

Designing both your print and online product pages is important too. Make sure they have a similar look, page-to-page, and do not radically differ in their appearance. At IMI we work closely with our in-house graphics people to make sure each page has the write logos, text fonts, layout specs, everything. I learned a bit of this firsthand from, again, watching Michael Lombardi, who always tried to keep his direct mail, newsletters, and web pages looking consistent.

Keep your writing consistent too. There can be a tendency for some people to fall off their path of best judgement after writing a lot and shoot for more "poetic" written passages. This can often fail as people will not understand what you are trying to communicate. Your writing should be kept simple and easy so that someone can pick it out of the mailbox or inbox and start reading immediately.

Once you get going with your business, you might want to send out a survey or do a product test by getting feedback on a new design. You should monitor which product designs have the best response from clients and which ones generate more negative feedback. Beverage companies will often do this, and hold market research meetings to get the public's response.

Fashion and trends work in tandem with public taste. It can be difficult to keep up with this and, let's be honest, a pretty shallow past time. But it can also be fun too. If you think of yourself like someone working for Coca Cola or Planter's Peanuts and how they have managed to continually rework their looks to changing times, you can utilize creating a look to your advantage.

Good luck and have a good week,

J.

P.S. For more information on info product marketing, click here for the Information Marketing Institute website, or go here to the E-Wealth Daily website.

The Power of the Word - Tips on Writing

Dear Info Marketers,

The weather forecast is calling for winter for a while longer, but the good news is that by Wednesday we are supposed to start seeing some spring-like weather. Not sure if this is true, so I am adopting on the "I'll-believe-it-when-I-see-it" stance.

Actually, I shouldn't complain. Winter can be good. Getting outside for some skiing or skating is fun, and if that doesn't interest you, you can stay inside and do something else. One thing a friend of mine did was stay home and do some writing. He just got a job at an ad agency and is working to better his skills. I went over to see him on Saturday having not seen him for a couple of weeks. He showed me the stacks of paper he had been writing. Suffice to say I was pretty impressed.

I picked his brain for a while and asked him what he had learned about writing for banner ads and web promos, as these skills are completely applicable to information marketing. Here was what he said:

--Keep it simple - In ad writing, less is truly more. Writing simple direct statements are generally what the client wants. Avoiding five and six syllable words and convoluted ideas help immensely to creating better ad copy.

--Practice, practice, practice - Like playing music, the skill of copywriting takes time. You can't be a pro after writing a page. Some copywriters take years to hone their skill. My friend was a bit of a shut in for a good part of this winter, but he readily admits that this after-hours work is making him a more confident writer, and he is already being offered better writing projects at work.

--Don't be cute, be direct - Even if you are promoting children's toys, write like a pro. An example he used was the headline "Stack the deck in your favour!", used for a health product. It was too cute. He later reworked it to "Isn't it time you did what was right?" This question was more direct and wasn't trying to sound comical. Remember: it's the words that sell, so they have to be the best.

--When in doubt, ask the client - If you get stuck on an idea or are unsure what exactly you are trying to write about, give the client a call. Just say: "I'm just calling to confirm...". This can be helpful in finding new words or ideas to finish writing the product copy.

When it comes to writing, I cannot recommend my colleagues Adrian, John, and Mathew enough. These guys all have a ton of experience and write copy extremely well. In fact, Mathew has just put together a great report that can show you how to write moneymaking information products, even if you've never put to pen to paper in your life. Click here to learn more.

If you want to write, write. Fill notebooks and scrap paper with as many lines as you can. Read what ever print you can get to expand your vocabulary. And whatever happens, don't quit. You can only get better with time.

Good luck,

J.


P.S. Ever the teacher, I should point out some good references for all you beginning writers. These books are written by pros and can help you get started:

a. The Well-Fed Writer by Peter Bowerman.
b. The Copywriter's Handbook by Robert Bly.
c. Advertising Secrets of the Written Word by Joe Sugarman.