Why All Copywriters Can and Should Develop Information Products
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Why All Copywriters Can and Should Develop Information Products
by Marcia Yudkin
If you earn good money as a successful copywriter, should you bother to carve out time from working for clients to create your own information products for sale?
I say yes. Here's why.
Reason #1: It's a great way to get potential clients over the trust hump to hire you. Think of how the ice cream store gives you that little spoonful of an unfamiliar flavor so you can find out whether or not you like the taste before you commit to a full ice cream cone or dish of it. Likewise, your infoproduct provides a sampling of your intellect, talent, knowledge and writing flair. When you have a potential client, it's certainly less time consuming for you when they read or listen to your infoproduct and sell themselves on your expertise than if you gave a free introductory consultation.
Indeed, one copywriter active on the Warrior Forum,says that his copywriting career was going nowhere until he developed a few infoproducts. Then instead of chasing down clients (unsuccessfully), they came after him and said, "Hey, your copy is pretty good. What would you charge for a sales letter? I'd like to hire you."
Similarly, just last week a guy in England was thinking of hiring me to create a tag line, which is one of my specialties. He was wavering, because it's not cheap, and I saw that he ordered a little $29.95 report I wrote. Then about 40 minutes later, his tag line order came through. That report gave him enough confidence to hire me.
Reason #2: You'll have something to sell to do-it-yourselfers who'd rather save money or think they can't afford you. If you don't have an infoproduct for them, they'll go away and buy one from someone else.
Interestingly, they think they are buying a report or a home-study course to save money and learn how to do something themselves. But what I've watched happen time and time again is that they learn what's involved and they sort of understand it, but they don't have the time to do it, or they're concerned they'll mess it up. Besides, you know so much more than they do (they've just seen the proof), and they end up hiring you to do it.
Reason #3: Infoproducts increase your perceived expertise. In 2006, the company Rain Today released the results of a survey of 200 authors of business books, and here's what they said:
The median direct income from their book was $34,000; the median indirect income
from more speaking engagements, ability to generate more leads, charge higher fees, close more deals, etc. - was $100,000
84% of authors reported a strong or very strong influence on their ability to stand out against competitors
63% of authors reported a strong or very strong influence on generating new clients
96% of authors said publishing a business book affected their professional practice either positively or extremely positively
Although I don't know of a comparable survey of people who have published non-book infoproducts, I interviewed several of my infomarketing proteges on this question. Two told me they knew from client comments that their non-book information products definitely made them an expert in the eyes of their clients.
It just stands to reason that if a potential client is trying to decide between a copywriter who has an infoproduct and one who only has clients, the one with the infoproduct comes across as more of an expert.
Reason #4: Infoproducts provide additional income. One copywriter said in a recent newsletter that she's made more than $100,000 from her various infoproducts. Another says his infoproducts, promoted in his newsletter and on the web, are bringing him an average of $500 a week.
Reason #5: Infoproducts enable you to earn while on vacation or in retirement. This factor was the real motivator when I decided to develop a more extensive (and expensive) line of infoproducts. In 2006, my most expensive product was $95. In 2007, my husband and I were able to take almost three months off to drive to Alaska and back - from Massachusetts - and finance the trip by sales of infoproducts while we were off having fun. I did not do any client work at all during that trip, and yet the money kept flowing into my bank account.
Reason #6: Infoproducts make it easier for you to make it through slow times. When you have family issues to take care of, when you want to switch niches, they give you breathing space when you need it. Whenever things slow down, you simply step up promotion of your infoproduct or create a new one.
Reason #7: Developing infoproducts helps you understand your topic better. I'm not sure whether creating infoproducts will make you a better copywriter, but it will definitely enable you to explain points better to your clients when they have a question.
Your first information product doesn't have to take that much time to create. Friends of mine have created their first PDF report, audio interview or teleclass in just a couple of day (including their thinking and organizing time). Why not jot down some topic possibilities for yourself right now?
The author of 16 books and nine multimedia home study courses, veteran copywriter Marcia Yudkin has been selling information in one form or another since 1981. She has developed and sold more than a dozen multimedia home-study courses on publicity, writing, web site structure and personal branding. Download a free recording of her answers to the most commonly asked questions about information marketing by entering your information into the privacy-assured request box at http://www.yudkin.com/infomarketing.htm .
by Marcia Yudkin
If you earn good money as a successful copywriter, should you bother to carve out time from working for clients to create your own information products for sale?
I say yes. Here's why.
Reason #1: It's a great way to get potential clients over the trust hump to hire you. Think of how the ice cream store gives you that little spoonful of an unfamiliar flavor so you can find out whether or not you like the taste before you commit to a full ice cream cone or dish of it. Likewise, your infoproduct provides a sampling of your intellect, talent, knowledge and writing flair. When you have a potential client, it's certainly less time consuming for you when they read or listen to your infoproduct and sell themselves on your expertise than if you gave a free introductory consultation.
Indeed, one copywriter active on the Warrior Forum,says that his copywriting career was going nowhere until he developed a few infoproducts. Then instead of chasing down clients (unsuccessfully), they came after him and said, "Hey, your copy is pretty good. What would you charge for a sales letter? I'd like to hire you."
Similarly, just last week a guy in England was thinking of hiring me to create a tag line, which is one of my specialties. He was wavering, because it's not cheap, and I saw that he ordered a little $29.95 report I wrote. Then about 40 minutes later, his tag line order came through. That report gave him enough confidence to hire me.
Reason #2: You'll have something to sell to do-it-yourselfers who'd rather save money or think they can't afford you. If you don't have an infoproduct for them, they'll go away and buy one from someone else.
Interestingly, they think they are buying a report or a home-study course to save money and learn how to do something themselves. But what I've watched happen time and time again is that they learn what's involved and they sort of understand it, but they don't have the time to do it, or they're concerned they'll mess it up. Besides, you know so much more than they do (they've just seen the proof), and they end up hiring you to do it.
Reason #3: Infoproducts increase your perceived expertise. In 2006, the company Rain Today released the results of a survey of 200 authors of business books, and here's what they said:
The median direct income from their book was $34,000; the median indirect income
from more speaking engagements, ability to generate more leads, charge higher fees, close more deals, etc. - was $100,000
84% of authors reported a strong or very strong influence on their ability to stand out against competitors
63% of authors reported a strong or very strong influence on generating new clients
96% of authors said publishing a business book affected their professional practice either positively or extremely positively
Although I don't know of a comparable survey of people who have published non-book infoproducts, I interviewed several of my infomarketing proteges on this question. Two told me they knew from client comments that their non-book information products definitely made them an expert in the eyes of their clients.
It just stands to reason that if a potential client is trying to decide between a copywriter who has an infoproduct and one who only has clients, the one with the infoproduct comes across as more of an expert.
Reason #4: Infoproducts provide additional income. One copywriter said in a recent newsletter that she's made more than $100,000 from her various infoproducts. Another says his infoproducts, promoted in his newsletter and on the web, are bringing him an average of $500 a week.
Reason #5: Infoproducts enable you to earn while on vacation or in retirement. This factor was the real motivator when I decided to develop a more extensive (and expensive) line of infoproducts. In 2006, my most expensive product was $95. In 2007, my husband and I were able to take almost three months off to drive to Alaska and back - from Massachusetts - and finance the trip by sales of infoproducts while we were off having fun. I did not do any client work at all during that trip, and yet the money kept flowing into my bank account.
Reason #6: Infoproducts make it easier for you to make it through slow times. When you have family issues to take care of, when you want to switch niches, they give you breathing space when you need it. Whenever things slow down, you simply step up promotion of your infoproduct or create a new one.
Reason #7: Developing infoproducts helps you understand your topic better. I'm not sure whether creating infoproducts will make you a better copywriter, but it will definitely enable you to explain points better to your clients when they have a question.
Your first information product doesn't have to take that much time to create. Friends of mine have created their first PDF report, audio interview or teleclass in just a couple of day (including their thinking and organizing time). Why not jot down some topic possibilities for yourself right now?
The author of 16 books and nine multimedia home study courses, veteran copywriter Marcia Yudkin has been selling information in one form or another since 1981. She has developed and sold more than a dozen multimedia home-study courses on publicity, writing, web site structure and personal branding. Download a free recording of her answers to the most commonly asked questions about information marketing by entering your information into the privacy-assured request box at http://www.yudkin.com/infomarketing.htm .