How to Generate Ideas for Information Products
There is a tremendous opportunity for business owners, authors and professional speakers to generate new revenue streams from information products such as e-books, special reports, teleseminars, etc. If you’re not sure what kind of products you can create, the following list should help you generate some new ideas.
1. TEACH THE AUDIENCE HOW TO DO SOMETHING
To begin the brainstorming process, make a list of everything you know how to do. For example, if you are a career coach, you probably know how to write a killer resume, prepare for an interview, what to avoid saying during the interview process, what you should say during the interview process, how to dress for success, etc.
2. FIND OUT WHAT YOUR CUSTOMERS WANT/NEED
You can ask them directly by soliciting feedback or conducting a survey.
3. PAY ATTENTION TO QUESTIONS YOU ARE ASKED MOST FREQUENTLY
Often times this can hold a key to creating a product that will be in high demand. For example, as a small business expert, I receive a lot of general business startup questions. One that I am often asked is, “How do I find free money to start a business?” I could meet the needs of my audience by creating a special report with resources for locating business capital.
4. USE WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE
Compile your best articles or blog entries or take topics from your existing book and break them down into short reports. Also, look at the databases you keep for personal use and ask whether people would be willing to pay for them.
5. LEARN SOMETHING NEW AND SHARE
For example, if you are a financial planner and want to learn how to find emerging new stock opportunities, do your research and then teach your clients how to do the same.
Here are some additional examples:
*If you’ve created and formatted a spreadsheet for tracking sales leads or monitoring your business, sell it!
*Compile a list of media contacts for your industry and sell it as a directory.
*Outline one of your customer’s success stories (with their permission) and explain how the reader can benefit from what the customer learned.
*Compile a white paper that includes the latest statistics for your industry
*If you’ve had success with antiques, collectibles, electronic products, homemade goods or anything else on eBay, help others understand what worked.
*Tell your story: “How I took $500 and built an amazing business, and how you can too!”
*Create an anthology. Contact other experts in your field and ask them to contribute an article or essay.
*Compile articles you have written into a book.
*Compile your best blog entries and turn them into a special report.
*Show how to start a business in your industry. Include sample forms and worksheets that you use in your daily business operations.
*Compile articles that you have written and create exercises to attach at the end of each one to develop a workbook. For example, include an article about how to decorate a living room, then add a worksheet that will help the reader outline a color palate for her own decorating adventure.
*Show how you did something then include an outline for the reader to do it too. For example, you could explain how you marketed your business over a three-year period and then include an outline for a marketing plan, with room for the reader to fill in his own details.
*Develop a companion workbook that the audience follows through while you give a presentation or one that compliments a book you have written.
*Conduct a weekly class via email and have students send back homework for you to review. You can even automate the delivery process using auto responders.
*Offer daily exercises for a month. For example, “30 Days to Positive Thinking.”
Get creative when developing your products. Make a list of ideas and pick the one that is easiest to implement, yet has the most demand with your target audience. Produce quality products and your customers will return again and again.