The Problem With Information Marketing

9 replies
I know there are a lot of people making a killing through information marketing. I currently make a full-time living from information marketing.

But I can't help but think that there are better, more efficient ways to make money online.

Information marketing can be great for those people with good writing skills, and a good level of expertise on a subject, that gives them a great deal of original information to share with others.

For the rest of us, for those of us with no natural writing talent, and no real expertise in anything that helps us to generate original content, we are told to LEARN how to write, and to take the time to BECOME an expert on something, so we can sell our newfound knowledge through info marketing.

I personally have never been good at language or writing. If I appear good at communicating to you now, it's because of 4 years of practicing this shit full time. I don't enjoy writing at all.

Few people will deny that selling information is MUCH harder than selling a physical product. It's much easier to sell a dumbbell, than it is to sell information on how to get big biceps. There is more FREE information on the internet on how to build big biceps, than you could read in a lifetime, so you how do you make them PAY for YOUR information? - Through telling them half-truths and lies in your salesletter of course.

I've had enough of writing salesletters full of boasts and half-truths. I want to do simple, straight-forward, honest selling. I want to provide a service where there are direct benefits that people would be happy to pay for without needing too much persuasion.

So, my question to you is this:

Have you switched from information marketing to selling physical goods or providing a service? How did you get on with this, and what is your take on information marketing?
#information #marketing #problem
  • Profile picture of the author blackli0n
    Information marketing totally works and while what you say is true (in regards to having to write and be an expert)...there are many ways to leverage yourself that don't require as much quality writing and expertise. If anything, even crappy but personal writing comes off as being far more authentic and can still successfully build a fanbase. It all depends on what it's worth to you.

    I use to sell products myself and I feel it's totally not worth it unless you make a high mark-up and do a lot of branding and marketing to achieve that level.

    Either way, you'll have to work hard...I can't say one is easier than the other. It all depends on what you like and hate to do.
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  • Profile picture of the author LimitlessTraffic
    One word: Demonstration!

    Whether it's a physical product, software or EVEN information product. Instead of selling them by writing sales letters full of boasts and half-truths. You can simply TEACH them and demonstrate that the information you have works.

    Then it is just a matter of recommendation to close the deal. Even with the dumbbell example..

    Look at Mike Chang. He has build his whole business on YouTube giving away free information... He then sells more Paid information in the form of dvds etcs.

    At the end of the day, I don't think it's WHAT you sell. It's HOW you sell it.

    Hope that helps.
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  • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
    Interesting question. I haven't switched from information marketing. But I have expanded into other areas. I sell physical goods (Hip Hop Accessories).
    And a service (Niche Marketing Consultation).

    It was a natural progression, not forced. I just followed my passion. That's what you may have to do.

    My take on information marketing is the ones who do the best at it ... love it. If you don't, you don't have to force yourself. The good part about marketing on or offline is you can get in ... where you naturally fit in.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bleupage
    I've been marketing online since 2004 and I started out doing pdf and video info products. I hear people knocking info products and it's true that you can probably find most things online for free if you spend enough time..with that said I DO feel there is justification when you are doing content aggregation, which is essentially putting your PDF together with the information you find. You are providing a service by doing that. You are saving time for the person interested in your info product, so I do not see anything wrong with content aggregation.

    The real issue with info products is perceived value. It has a very low perceived value and I feel long term it's NOT a good business model. That's why now we only do SaaS platforms. Software as a service is where it's at in my opinion. It has long term value for you and your customers. Plus those sites can be sold for a lot of money and many corporations are focusing on investing in SaaS platforms

    Advice I would give to any marketer new or experienced would be to find a good service platform to build and use that as one of your long term business strategies to generate leads and sales. Once that business is built up, then you have the option to sell it for a great price if you decide you want to exit from the business.

    Just my 2 cents
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  • Profile picture of the author George Wright
    Not gonna happen Snow_Predator.

    If one chooses to sell information using half truths and boasts as you say then that's a problem with the seller, not information products.

    Truth is more half truths and boasts go into selling "real" products than go into many information products.

    "New Improved Tide" is neither new or improved. Except for the box. And it won't make your young athlete a "star." It will only make him resist getting his uniform dirty so Mom wont yell at him when he gets home, thus refusing to slide into home and losing the game. Never living down his new title of "LOSER."

    The Teddy Bear with a live fish in his stomach, (real product by the way) Will NOT give your child hours and hours of fun for only $19.95. Truth is the poor miserable little fish will soon die and your child will be scared for life.

    I could go on, but not now.

    George Wright
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  • Profile picture of the author kindsvater
    Information marketing can be great for those people with ... original information to share with others.

    ...
    Have you switched from information marketing to selling physical goods or providing a service?
    Couple thoughts ...

    - I would rather promote something original than a commodity or a product 100,000 others are also selling.

    - With original information you will have a better chance of being the one in a 100,000 who sells the product.

    Information marketing and product selling are not mutually exclusive.

    .
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    • Profile picture of the author wiifm
      Actually I just went the other direction and switched to selling information products. At least I have something unique instead of competing with thousands of others selling the exact same product I am.
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      • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
        Originally Posted by wiifm View Post

        Actually I just went the other direction and switched to selling information products. At least I have something unique instead of competing with thousands of others selling the exact same product I am.
        Congrats. To me that's the difference between an entrepreneur and a sales person.
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  • Profile picture of the author Big Al
    Disagree...

    Through telling them half-truths and lies in your salesletter of course
    I got a good example...

    Dude in the fitness industry who currently pumps out a ton of workouts for free.

    He's clever because he knows that while the workouts are free, what people want aren't really workouts. They're programs. A little like a 'done for you' service. But "done for you" doesn't literally mean I do the work for you and I get paid per hour of my time. Imagine I put out free workouts on adding muscle but you're one of those "hard gainers" so I put out a program for hard gainers. I put out a program for losing fat. I put out a program for bigger biceps.

    It's taking the information and going that one step further...

    Plus... and this is massive... we don't value free.

    If you gave away a free workout how many people don't bother to go through it. If you sell a workout, now that buyer has invested in it and is more likely to make the most of it.

    It's not about smoke, mirrors, half-truths and the like.

    It's about selling what people want and they want to spend their money on a solution. then giving them a) what you sold them, that's what they want and b) what they need. I stole that last bit from Paul Myers.

    Anyway... using fitness as an example... what's the difference between watching a free workout on YouTube and having a Personal Trainer put you through the exact same workout? Lots. It's the same with selling information products - they're somewehere in between the two.

    [Edit] One more thing... I could a) give you a system or b) give you a system based on my experience.

    Who wouldn't happily pay for an information product on making millions. And then pay again for Donald Trumps version (information) on how HE made his millions. And again on how Frank Kern and so on, and so on.

    Those unique stories, methods and the problems each individual has overcome. All different and all valuable.
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