How to create a salable audiobook and ebook from an interview with an expert?

11 years ago

That is a popular way of gaining traction, I would say you have to be a fairly skilled interviewer or the interview should contain some really juicy information to get people to pay for it.

Why not do multiple interviews and offer one as a freebie if someone signs up to your mailing list then offer them the rest of the interviews as an upsell?

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Dan Allard

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Frank Rauber

Is it really a promising way to just interview an expert on the phone and then selling that programm as an audio file and just transcribing the interview and selling it as an ebook?!

Depends on what you mean by promising. You probably won't get rich by doing it, but people (including myself) have made money by doing this. I think it's a great way to get into product creation and start building a buyers list.

Originally Posted by Frank Rauber

Does one have to be a skilled interviewer?

I created an interview series without prior experience, and some people say I mumble. So I just tried my best to speak clearly when I was doing the interviews and they turned out fine. Remember- the people you interview will do most of the talking.

Originally Posted by Frank Rauber

Can I put my name on the ebook and audio file, even if it's just an interview?

Yes! But you should also the name(s) of your interviewees.

Originally Posted by Frank Rauber

Do I have to label the ebook and the audio file as an interview?

Technically no, but you should! If your customers are expecting something else they might be disappointed and ask for a refund. Instead be upfront about what your product is and what it can do for your customers.

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JohnMcCabe

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Frank Rauber

Hello,

I heard an audio programm with Frank Kern, where he says that a good way of creathing a product is interviewing an expert in a chosen field on the telephone, recording it, transcribing it and then selling the transcribed ebook and the interview as a downloadable audio file.

I think it depends on both the market and the expert. For example, if you were into fantasy football, and you could get an interview with whoever the big name FF geek is (FF types, I use 'geek' as a term of affection), you might have a marketable product. If the interview is with BillyBob, whose claim to expert status is winning the league at his local pub, maybe not so much.

Originally Posted by Frank Rauber

My question now is: Is it really a promising way to just interview an expert on the phone and then selling that programm as an audio file and just transcribing the interview and selling it as an ebook?!

Does that really work?

From the "I may not be your market" section, I personally dislike unedited transcriptions. They need to be edited to take out the ums, ahs, likes and other annoying speech mannerisms.

Same goes for the audio - edit out the sneezes, coughing jags, aimless filling while someone is collecting their thoughts, etc.

You audience will greatly appreciate it.

Stand by for the rebuttal "I didn't do that and still sold a million copies" response...:p

Originally Posted by Frank Rauber

Does one have to be a skilled interviewer?

You don't need perfect diction, but you should have some skill at drawing answers out of your subject. Asking the questions people really want the answers to doesn't hurt, either.

The good news is that interviewing is a learned skill. Larry King and Barbara Walters didn't start out as "the Larry King" or "that Barbara Walters".

Originally Posted by Frank Rauber

Can I put my name on the ebook and audio file, even if it's just an interview? Do I have to label the ebook and the audio file as an interview?

Kind regards
Frank

Yes, you can put your name on it. You don't have to label it as an interview, but I can't see why you wouldn't advertise the fact that you are getting your info "straight from the horse's mouth."

Thanks
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China Newz 11 years ago

This sounds like a viable revenue stream but how profitable will it be? How do you price those interviews? Maybe .99 cents or 1.99? Why would someone pay for an interview with someone when they could go to YouTube or another source and find it there? Maybe they have to contain new, relevant content that can be useful to the purchaser. Guess these are all issues you have to address but if you do it and it sells, then keep going.

In terms of interviewing people, preparation is key. Research the topic, the person, maybe do a mock interview with someone close to you,

I have interviewed a few experts in my niche, on Skype and via phone, and posted them as blog posts. Never really considered monetizing them, though. In the information age, there is so many ways to get content, it just seems that people will always take the free alternative. But then again, what the hell do I know? Keep me posted on how things go.
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lotsofsnow

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Frank Rauber

Hello,

I heard an audio programm with Frank Kern, where he says that a good way of creathing a product is interviewing an expert in a chosen field on the telephone, recording it, transcribing it and then selling the transcribed ebook and the interview as a downloadable audio file.

My question now is: Is it really a promising way to just interview an expert on the phone and then selling that programm as an audio file and just transcribing the interview and selling it as an ebook?!

Does that really work?
Does one have to be a skilled interviewer?

Can I put my name on the ebook and audio file, even if it's just an interview? Do I have to label the ebook and the audio file as an interview?

Kind regards
Frank

If the customer is a fan of the person you interview: sure they love it.

Most of the time the interview type products that you see are with lame people that nobody really knows.

So, in IM, if you could score an interview with Frank Kern or for WF audience an interview with Allen Says: Sure you would have a home run.

All the other "well known marketers" are not really well known enough that enough people would care.

If you can find somebody that is well known enough or a person that has achieved something that enough people would like to achieve: then it can work.

Thanks
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Frank29 11 years ago

Thanks for your responses.

Frank Kern seems to swear by this. On the interview he had with Tony Robbins and also in the webinar with an assistant from Tony Robbins (from the programm the "New Money Masters" by Tony Tobbins) he puts a lot of emphasis on this.

Frank said that his first big success was when he sold an ebook with a downloadable audiofile on how to teach a parrot how to talk.
He said he contacted an expert, interviewed him, took the transcription as an ebook and also sold an audiofile.

He didn't say how much he made in his career with this strategy, but he said a relative to him made about $3,7 million in 24 months with this strategy.

He said one should look for which products already sell well (clickbank-> marketplace-> sort by gravity, popularity). Then looking which claims are made there, turining them into questions and then contacting an expert an asking him those questions.
This interview should then be transcribed and the interview should be used as an dowloadable audiofile.

One of his further strategies is to give people some of the content completely for free.

What do you think? Do you think this works?
From what I know so far Frank seems to be an expert on Internet marketing. But I still don't know how to exactly go about it, so I appreciate your posts very much!
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dshipman

11 years ago

Question - Do you give the interviewee a cut of the ebook profits? I've always wondered if these experts are okay with being interviewed for ebook content and if they do it for free.

Thanks
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Big Mace 11 years ago

I did this using Pamela for Skype.

Interviewed one of the top 5 sellers on CB, recorded it, added a little music to the beginning and end, made it an mp3.

I sold this for 9.95, using a simple sales video.

Didn't get rich but it certainly works.

This was in the fitness niche, not sure if it works elsewhere.

It was mutually beneficial because at the end of the interview, I asked the "guru" where our listeners could go to learn more. The web address he gave was an affiliate re-direct that I owned, so he got more clicks, and I back ended my already 9.95 product.

Hope this helps!

BM
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How to create a salable audiobook and ebook from an interview with an expert?

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