Create An Information Product - Planning The Content

Planning The Outline & Content

Since this series of posts is about creating products fast, you’ll notice me offering you some amazing shortcuts throughout this report that will help you get your ebook written super fast!

To get my outline and content setup, I just go back to the sketch pad  and play with it. I’m one of those people who likes to see everything laid out in front of me if I am to arrange them in any kind of order or sequence.

Of course, it doesn’t have to be done on a large sketch pad, like I do. Find out what method works best for you and do that.

You can just as easily create a document on your computer and start jotting down ideas for the book there.  Basically, you want to make a note of all the sub-sections you will want to talk about. Then, when you’re done listing these sections/chapters down, just arrange them in a sequence/order that makes sense. You’ve now got a table of contents, or at least the first draft of one.

Here’s an easy way to get some ideas on creating an outline for your book: just look at the existing books on the subject! Whenever possible, try to use what’s already out there, there’s no point in reinventing the wheel. Go to the library and pick out a book on the subject you’re writing about and see how they have it all laid out.

I’m not saying “copy” it word for word. Just get “ideas” on what to do. If the book you’re looking at has a good outline, you can model off of that. If the outline (table of contents, etc.) are hard to follow on that book, you can improve on it when creating your ebook! (So, you’ll get ideas on what to do and also what not to do by looking at existing samples of work.)

That should be the core mindset for you while you’re creating your own products:

Make your product better than what’s already out there!

I can’t tell you how much time to spend per day on each chapter because I don’t know what your lifestyle or schedule is like. Just spend some time working on the chapters, one at a time, and pretty soon you’ll have the ebook completed.

Here’s what I would suggest you do each time you sit down to work on your ebook: Look at the Table of Contents you’ve created and pick a subject/chapter that most interests you at that time.  Work on that chapter!

You’ll enjoy the process a lot more if you’re writing about something that excites you at that moment.

There are many other benefits to doing this as well, which I won’t go into here. Let’s just say that when you’re excited about the subject you’re writing about, your reader will feel that excitement when she reads your ebook. And that’s always a good thing. There are too many boring writers (and books) out there. Yours won’t be one of those if you use the above\ technique.
Avoiding Doubts, Fears, and Writers Block

I’ve been creating ebooks and reports for a while so I don’t find myself doubting or fearing the future too much. But, that can happen from time to time, especially if you’re a beginning writer.

Here’s a simple remedy: do whatever it takes to shift your focus. That’s all there is to it.

Put the project aside for an hour (or even a day) if you have to. Go watch something funny on tv. Listen to your favorite music. Read a motivational book or article, play with the kids, or just go for a walk.

It’s really not as difficult as we often make it out to be. Just change the track your “train of thought” is currently riding on.

Doubts and negative thoughts may enter your mind occasionally. Don’t fight it, just gently nudge your thoughts towards the positive and productive.

Then, go back to the project with a new, fresh attitude and perspective.

It also helps to envision the end result just the way you want it to be.

For example, if you’d like your book to earn you $50,000 per year, keep seeing/visualizing that result consistently, as if it has already happened! This process will burn the “success” image into your brain and pretty soon, doubt will be a thing of the past.

Once you get excited about the end results you’ll achieve, get back on the computer and start writing!

Proper Layout and Design

Again, don’t make it hard on yourself, especially if this is your first ebook. Just go out there and look for the best sellers related to your subject. Study the best ones and find out why

they are the best. What is it about them that’s appealing to you. Then, use those formats as models.

Here’s an easy way to make your ebook easy to read: suck the reader in! Most how-to books are dry and boring, with just a list of facts and figures. Make yours entertaining too, if possible. Here’s something you should always keep in mind…
 
“It’s not the story that makes a hit. It’s how the story is told!”

See, anyone can write a book that delivers facts and figures. But few people can write a book that others would want to read. This is why it’s so important to be passionate and excited about the subject you’re writing about. And, it’s also why you want to write in a conversational tone instead of the rigid formal tone that most text books use.

Inject your personality into the ebook. If you have a great sense of humor, give your readers a taste of that. (Of course, you don’t want to force or fabricate a personality. Just use what comes naturally. Don’t try to be somebody you’re not.)

Pricing Issues

How do you decide what the best selling price is for your ebook. Surprise, surprise. I just look at what’s already out there. Research is your biggest ally in this business. I look at how much the other sellers are charging for their products. I also look at the sales page to find out what they’re offering in exchange for that price. And whenever possible, I take a look at the actual products others are selling, to see how well they’re done and if they are worth the asking price.

Then, there are several ways you can use that information. Here’s an example…

If most people are charging $47 for the standard info on the subject, you should aim on offering:

2) a better product/package, and

3) a better deal/offer.

So, you can either offer the same or similar info for say $39.97… or you can keep the price at $47 but add some valuable bonuses to the package to increase the perceived value of the overall package (or provide additional useful info in your main product that other people are not offering. Make yours better, remember?)

Promoting Your Book To The World

If you have an existing mailing list, tell them about your new ebook first! Offer them the best deal possible - a special offer that no one else will be getting. (You’ve gotta treat your own list the best.)

I would also offer an affiliate program to my customers so they can promote the product to others while they earn a commission.

If you don’t have your own list, the first thing you may want to do is, start sending out ‘joint venture’ offers to other businesses in your field. Offer them a nice-sized commission (at least 50%) and explain to them how they (as well as their customers) will benefit from the deal.

I would send out at least one JV letter, per day!

If all you do is work on striking joint ventures with other marketers and business owners, you will not need any other marketing strategy to pull in amazing profits! Joint ventures are the best thing out there for us writers and marketers — especially online!

You can also use highly-targeted ezine ads to get customers. (Here’s a twist to this technique: instead of targeting customers, target affiliates who will help you sell the product! This strategy can grow your business very quickly!)

Another strategy that can work well for you (if you don’t have an existing customer list) is to write short, focused articles and submit them to targeted ezines. Articles can be a great way to get viral advertising working for you.

There are hundreds of other strategies you can use. However, the ones listed above are some of the best and most effective ones around. You should always go for ‘quality’ traffic verses ‘quantity.’

Ken Mathie
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