From Good to GREAT: Advice and Information Products

Providing valuable in-demand content through information products is one of the quickest and easiest ways to showcase your expertise, grow your list and to start making money as a woman in business online.

Every woman should have at least one information product. The must-have is a freebie (or “pink spoon” sample) that your website visitors can gain access to when they subscribe to your list. (Keep your eyes peeled for my new pink spoon coming in the next week or so – a 34 page special report called “How to Set Goals with Confidence”)

There are many benefits of having an information products revenue stream but I have to warn you…

When it comes to researching HOW to create your “for-free” info products proceed carefully because there are two schools of thought on this – one that can become a catalyst to your success and another that can damage your reputation…

Tell me, have you ever heard this advice:

“Give your what and why for-free; Save your how for-fee”

Jurassic advice like this may have worked in the past but today, our fans and followers want – and expect – MORE.

The questions I’m most often asked next are… “How do I give the how for free and still make money? How much of the how do I give?”

The key is to give SOME of your how for free. A sampling. Not all of it. Not too much, and not too little.

Here’s an example…

My forthcoming Equity-Rich Women Online UnBlueprint and Toolkit™ has ten focus areas or modules.

I can GIVE my audience a complete how-to that provides depth on one or two topics without giving away my entire system.

i.e. My C.L.A.R.I.T.Y. formula (how to develop your authentic definition of success) is a complete how-to that is a fraction of Module One in my System; My P.A.R.T.N.E.R. method (how to create profitable win-win joint venture relationships) is only just one of more than five sub-topics in Module Nine. See what I mean?

Sharing how-to advice gives your audience an opportunity to sample your expertise. It’s advice they can take action on immediately. When you provide logical how-to advice, your audience can see themselves implementing it. This builds trust in your ability to “close the gap” or in other words, your ability to help them get from where they are now to where they really want to be.

Are you beginning to see why giving a snippet of complete how-to for-free is a better idea than dangling the “what and why” carrot?

Here’s something else to think about…

If your audience is reading your ebook, watching your video or listening to your teleclass – you’ve already convinced them that you have information that can be valuable to them. Giving only the what and why at this point is like trying to convince the convinced. It’s a pointless conversation bordering on insult.

You know when you hear fluff versus great content, don’t you?

Content-rich information products – for free or fee – stand miles and miles apart from non-content rich.

I don’t know about you but I value my time. Time is precious. We live in an over-communicated, over-advertised world. I want to make my time count and that means I want to consume REAL content.

Here’s how I consistently produce great content and operate in a no-fluff zone ~ I keep it REAL:

Relevant: Relevant to your client promise – the transformation they experience as a result of working with you.

Exact: Great content is specific. It’s not general. Great content has depth rather than just scratching the surface.

Applicable: Your audience must be able to apply the information almost instantly after they consume it.

Leading: Your content must guide them and invite them to take “the next step” – i.e. purchase your system; hire you as their coach or consultant; attend your event; become a member.

Action Step: Think about the difference you make for others and the process you use.

What aspect of this bigger picture could you be giving to your audience as a complete how-to that has depth and allows them to experience your expertise in a way that builds trust in your ability to help them?

Are you keeping it R.E.A.L.? Review your content – it’s never too late to revise.

Here’s to your information product success!

~ Gina xo