It Doesn't Have To Take Forever To Create A Product

50 replies
As most of you know by now, I'm kind of semi retired. At least I don't do a
heck of a lot of work these days. As a matter of fact, I just got back home
after being out with my daughter. Got her pizza and some games for her PC.
Well, attempted to get some games but that kind of turned into a bust. Don't
ask.

Anyway, spent 2 hours this morning working on my one product for the
month of June. Got the main PDF done in those 2 hours.

That's it...2 hours.

The rest of it shouldn't take more than another 2 or 3 hours tops and then
my work for the month of June is over.

A whole month to record songs, play games and spoil my daughter.

Point is, it doesn't have to take forever to create a product.

1. Come up with an idea.
2. Make an outline for what is needed for it.
3. Take it one chapter, piece, or whatever at a time.
4. Stay focused. Don't let yourself be distracted by stupid sh*t.
5. Treat the process seriously, like a job if you have to.

All of the above can be summarized as discipline. Once you have a process
in place, you'll be surprised how quickly it will go.

There is no excuse for somebody to take months putzing around with
a product and still not have it out the door...none.

It all comes down to how badly you want it.
#create #forever #product
  • Profile picture of the author Darth Executor
    I like this post. Except the part about spoiling your daughter. Please don't, generations are getting more and more narcissistic and it's because their parents spoil them too much.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by Darth Executor View Post

      I like this post. Except the part about spoiling your daughter. Please don't, generations are getting more and more narcissistic and it's because their parents spoil them too much.
      Let's see, my daughter is a former valadictorian, straight A student at
      college and hasn't caused me a day of grief in 20 years.

      I think I'll raise her the way I want, thank you.
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      • Profile picture of the author rcm3rd
        Thanks Steve.

        WOW

        I'm going to have to raise the bar on how
        long it takes to create a product .

        After reading this I'm pretty much a slow poke!


        Thanks again!

        Ray
        Signature

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  • Profile picture of the author Andy Fletcher
    I agree with you completely. I find I even do better work this way. If I work on something too long I over analyse and plan out grand schemes that'll never happen. When I sit down and really go for it with a defined task I achieve so much more ... and I actually finish!
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  • That's so true mate, it really is.

    The actual product creation phase, if you sit down and just bloody get on with it doesn't take long at all. But, it in my opinion anyway, it is the planning beforehand that takes the time.

    Stuff like:

    What to make it about the first place...?

    How to market that...?

    Would anyone actually pay for the information...?

    To really sit down and wack out a product in a day, you need to have exact answers to all of these things. As well as the knowledge to create that product in the first place. Which can take weeks, months or even years to accumulate.

    But yeah, I totally agree, it doesn't take forever, and many marketers shouldn't put it off for so long. Even if you're a beginner, if you take the time to plan it, you can create a really solid product in a short amount of time.

    George
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  • Profile picture of the author elaine drennan
    Steven,

    DO spoil your daughter! Not with things - but with lots of time & attention...

    Elaine
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    Make Your Own Products

    FREE eBook & Newsletter - SKILL-BUILDER - the little skills which make A BIG difference to your income...
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  • Profile picture of the author jjbalagosa
    Hey Steve, love your posts!

    Do you set a time limit for yourself when creating a product? Or do you just work on it until you feel it's ready to launch?
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by jjbalagosa View Post

      Hey Steve, love your posts!

      Do you set a time limit for yourself when creating a product? Or do you just work on it until you feel it's ready to launch?
      I set no time limits. I start working and stop when I'm done.

      I'm very methodical about the way I go about product creation, almost like
      a robot. It took me a while to get to that point. It mostly comes from
      confidence in knowing what you're doing.

      And yes, as somebody pointed out, you really have to know your subject
      well, know that people want it, to go through the process this fast. Otherwise,
      even if it's just 2 hours work, it could be 2 hours wasted.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alex Sol
    Great post, Steven.
    Mu first product took me months to create - when it should have taken a day or two... Only because I didn't have a good outline so I'd always forget what I wanted to write about...

    These days I try to do audio/video courses if possible, this is even faster than typing an e-book

    Alex
    Signature
    Alex Sol, Full time online marketer since 2007
    The Extra Paycheck Blog | Extra Paycheck Podcast
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Mayo
    Hi Steven,

    I agree with most of what you've said although I don't totally agree with this part,
    Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

    There is no excuse for somebody to take months putzing around with
    a product and still not have it out the door...none.

    It all comes down to how badly you want it.
    Some projects require active research and data gathering.

    I have a project that I started working on back in February of this year
    and it is not yet completed and I've worked on it every day since.

    I'm not procrastinating just refining the data and ensuring the Product is
    Top Notch. It will be complete in a few days just as I scheduled it to be.

    Yes I have also been working on other projects at the same time. They
    are all moving in the right direction towards completion.

    So, there are excuses(I call them reasons)for a product not to go out the
    door on a whim.

    Have a Great Day!
    Michael
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by Michael Mayo View Post

      Hi Steven,

      I agree with most of what you've said although I don't totally agree with this part,

      Some projects require active research and data gathering.

      I have a project that I started working on back in February of this year
      and it is not yet completed and I've worked on it every day since.

      I'm not procrastinating just refining the data and ensuring the Product is
      Top Notch. It will be complete in a few days just as I scheduled it to be.

      Yes I have also been working on other projects at the same time. They
      are all moving in the right direction towards completion.

      So, there are excuses(I call them reasons)for a product not to go out the
      door on a whim.

      Have a Great Day!
      Michael

      Michael, it all depends on how "perfect" you want your product to be. I
      could go through just about every little thing I have ever created and say,
      "This could be better, that could be better, this could be more fully
      explained" and so on. Had I done that, I doubt I would have ever gotten
      anything done...ever.

      Sure, you don't want to put out crap, but at what point do you say, "It's
      good enough" and get it out the door?

      I guess that's a question each one of us has to answer for himself.
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      • Profile picture of the author Michael Mayo
        Lol... I started to remove the Top Notch statement from my post but then
        figured it would give you something to chew on! :p

        What I should have said was Top Notch prior to the planed launch day.

        I learned a long time ago you have to let go of your projects and allow
        them to take on a life of their own. If you don't you will never finish
        anything and remain in a state of "I can make it better, I'll just add one
        more thing"...lol

        Now I call them Updates!

        Have a Great Day!
        Michael

        Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

        Michael, it all depends on how "perfect" you want your product to be. I
        could go through just about every little thing I have ever created and say,
        "This could be better, that could be better, this could be more fully
        explained" and so on. Had I done that, I doubt I would have ever gotten
        anything done...ever.

        Sure, you don't want to put out crap, but at what point do you say, "It's
        good enough" and get it out the door?

        I guess that's a question each one of us has to answer for himself.
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        • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
          Originally Posted by Michael Mayo View Post

          Lol... I started to remove the Top Notch statement from my post but then
          figured it would give you something to chew on! :p

          What I should have said was Top Notch prior to the planed launch day.

          I learned a long time ago you have to let go of your projects and allow
          them to take on a life of their own. If you don't you will never finish
          anything and remain in a state of "I can make it better, I'll just add one
          more thing"...lol

          Now I call them Updates!

          Have a Great Day!
          Michael

          It's okay Michael. You actually made a good a point. The last thing you
          want to do is put out junk. It's a sure fire way to kill your reputation
          before it even starts.

          About 40 products later, at least that's one thing I don't have to worry
          about as long as I keep putting out products that are of quality.
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  • Profile picture of the author Desmond Ong
    Man....I'm kinda ADD.

    So every single time I created a product, I would worry about it all day and edit here and there non-stop!

    Haha. That is why right now I focused on helping people to promote their products instead of me creating it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Fernando Veloso
    Wish i have more discipline as you Steve!

    Working on it every single day so i can seize my day properly.

    P.S. - love your posts, don't retire from WF
    Signature
    People make good money selling to the rich. But the rich got rich selling to the masses.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sagar Mehta
    Steven,

    Good on you to post this. I've had my fair share of incomplete products that are waiting to get that last bit of attention which will make them complete and ready to sell.

    Sometimes, I'm surprised at how we can move on from one thing to another and not realize that we're leaving that last thing unfinished, thinking we will do it a little later. As we all know, the "little later" doesn't seem to come forever.

    And this doesn't apply just to products. It applies to articles, blogs, salesletter, even complete websites. I figure if I could develop a habit of completing the task at hand NOW without leaving it to the future, I can get much much more done in a day. Working towards that goal at the moment...

    Regards,
    Sagar
    Signature
    Need AWESOME Customer Support For Your Product / Service / Upcoming Launches? > Click Here <
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by Sagar Mehta View Post

      Steven,

      Good on you to post this. I've had my fair share of incomplete products that are waiting to get that last bit of attention which will make them complete and ready to sell.

      Sometimes, I'm surprised at how we can move on from one thing to another and not realize that we're leaving that last thing unfinished, thinking we will do it a little later. As we all know, the "little later" doesn't seem to come forever.

      And this doesn't apply just to products. It applies to articles, blogs, salesletter, even complete websites. I figure if I could develop a habit of completing the task at hand NOW without leaving it to the future, I can get much much more done in a day. Working towards that goal at the moment...

      Regards,
      Sagar

      Sagar, it is so good to see you here. I thought you disappeared off the
      planet. Been a long time.

      Yes, it's very hard to go back to something once you've put it aside.
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      • Profile picture of the author Jeremy Gatica
        I agree it doesn't have to take long, it is sometimes to easy to take even a plr product to make it your own. Sometimes even a simple idea can bring in extra money that can be used to help fund a larger product.

        So Steven with that being said I am going to take this as a challenge and work on an idea i had in my head and see what happens.

        Jeremy
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  • Profile picture of the author gotteeth
    I couldn't agree more. The one item you mentioned that helped me when I created my first product was using an outline. I knew it was necessary but i didn't realize HOW necessary.

    Cheers!
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  • Profile picture of the author JoMo
    Girls who play PC games are frikkin awesome!

    Sorry I just had to say that.
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    • Profile picture of the author jjbalagosa
      Originally Posted by JoMo View Post

      Girls who play PC games are frikkin awesome!

      Sorry I just had to say that.
      Amen to that! Now if someone would just release a WSO to help me convince my wife to be awesome life would be perfect!:p
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  • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
    Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

    As most of you know by now, I'm kind of semi retired. At least I don't do a
    heck of a lot of work these days. As a matter of fact, I just got back home
    after being out with my daughter. Got her pizza and some games for her PC.
    Well, attempted to get some games but that kind of turned into a bust. Don't
    ask.

    Anyway, spent 2 hours this morning working on my one product for the
    month of June. Got the main PDF done in those 2 hours.

    That's it...2 hours.

    The rest of it shouldn't take more than another 2 or 3 hours tops and then
    my work for the month of June is over.

    A whole month to record songs, play games and spoil my daughter.

    Point is, it doesn't have to take forever to create a product.

    1. Come up with an idea.
    2. Make an outline for what is needed for it.
    3. Take it one chapter, piece, or whatever at a time.
    4. Stay focused. Don't let yourself be distracted by stupid sh*t.
    5. Treat the process seriously, like a job if you have to.

    All of the above can be summarized as discipline. Once you have a process
    in place, you'll be surprised how quickly it will go.

    There is no excuse for somebody to take months putzing around with
    a product and still not have it out the door...none.

    It all comes down to how badly you want it.
    It's funny to see you posting this - because I remember trying to tell you it should be like that and you resisting
    Signature

    nothing to see here.

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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by Andyhenry View Post

      It's funny to see you posting this - because I remember trying to tell you it should be like that and you resisting
      Which goes to prove Andy, there is hope for everybody.

      Even stubborn folk like me.
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  • Well, in my opinion 30-page PDF ebooks dont cut it anymore. This is not 2005. Now a days you want to offer videos, transcripts, backend products, even some type of canned script, etc. PDFs is not something I'd market now a days. And it takes more than 2 days, or 2 weeks, to put a good product together.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by Anonymous Affiliate View Post

      Well, in my opinion 30-page PDF ebooks dont cut it anymore. This is not 2005. Now a days you want to offer videos, transcripts, backend products, even some type of canned script, etc. PDFs is not something I'd market now a days. And it takes more than 2 days, or 2 weeks, to put a good product together.
      I have a product that I release each month that would blow your theory
      totally out of the water. It's less than 30 pages and I have people begging
      me for copies.

      Depends on what it is you're selling.

      More is not always better.
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      • Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

        I have a product that I release each month that would blow your theory
        totally out of the water. It's less than 30 pages and I have people begging
        me for copies.

        Depends on what it is you're selling.

        More is not always better.
        /shrug, I dont agree. Every product I have produced has meant tons of work on my end, from conceptualization, creation, promotion, affiliate contacting, setting up the platform, customer support, back-end monetization, etc. Every single product has had me working my butt off for long days until it was ready to my desired level of quality.

        IM, like any other business, is hard work if you want to make it big.
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        • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
          Originally Posted by Anonymous Affiliate View Post

          /shrug, I dont agree. Every product I have produced has meant tons of work on my end, from conceptualization, creation, promotion, affiliate contacting, setting up the platform, customer support, back-end monetization, etc. Every single product has had me working my butt off for long days until it was ready to my desired level of quality.

          IM, like any other business, is hard work if you want to make it big.
          I completely disagree......

          I've made thousands of dollars in this very forum from products that took me an hour (all-in) to create.

          I even shared how I did it here in the forum - http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...utes-work.html


          You're new to the forum so perhaps you haven't had time to see how quick and easy it really can be.

          Offering value does have some correlation to quality and professional packaging but the main value with information products is the content itself and people are very happy to pay for things that obviously help them in some way.

          Andy
          Signature

          nothing to see here.

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          • Originally Posted by Andyhenry View Post

            I completely disagree......

            I've made thousands of dollars in this very forum from products that took me an hour (all-in) to create.

            I even shared how I did it here in the forum - http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...utes-work.html


            You're new to the forum so perhaps you haven't had time to see how quick and easy it really can be.

            Offering value does have some correlation to quality and professional packaging but the main value with information products is the content itself and people are very happy to pay for things that obviously help them in some way.

            Andy
            Hello Andy,

            We just exchanged few lines over the "Make money as an IMer while traveling" thread. I appreciate your feedback there

            I am new to the forum but not new to IM (I make 6 figures net per year off my websites).

            I dont know if I am doing thing wrongs or what, but every project I launch it takes me hundreds of man hours from start to end. That being said, my projects are "top notch". For example, I always record a bunch of tutorial videos for my products. I dont do the single PDF thing. Everything comes with videos, transcriptions, DVDs, etc. Also, I ask my designer to send me different designs for each website I launch, so I split test heavily color-selection, site layout, etc.

            At least for me, there's no such a thing as overnight product creation. I work my butt off for every single product I launch. Is that good or bad? I have no idea, but it's just the way my IM business is done.
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            • Profile picture of the author jasondinner
              Originally Posted by Anonymous Affiliate View Post

              Hello Andy,

              We just exchanged few lines over the "Make money as an IMer while traveling" thread. I appreciate your feedback there

              I am new to the forum but not new to IM (I make 6 figures net per year off my websites).

              I dont know if I am doing thing wrongs or what, but every project I launch it takes me hundreds of man hours from start to end. That being said, my projects are "top notch". For example, I always record a bunch of tutorial videos for my products. I dont do the single PDF thing. Everything comes with videos, transcriptions, DVDs, etc. Also, I ask my designer to send me different designs for each website I launch, so I split test heavily color-selection, site layout, etc.

              At least for me, there's no such a thing as overnight product creation. I work my butt off for every single product I launch. Is that good or bad? I have no idea, but it's just the way my IM business is done.
              It is neither good nor bad. (did I say that correctly? LOL)

              Everyone has their own style of product creation.

              It doesn't make one product type better than the other.

              They all serve their purpose in very specific ways.

              I fall into the same category as Kevin Riley.

              I have products that took months.

              I have products that took a weekend or even a few hours.

              I also have a product I'm launching in the next 30-60 days
              which I should have launched back in 2007!!

              I even wrote a free report for the site back in April of 2007 to
              get the ball rolling. (SAD, I KNOW)

              But in any event, everyone needs to work at their own pace,
              yet at the same time try to keep a sense of urgency.

              And having some sort of outline or plan and all that other fun
              stuff that comes along with creating and launching a product
              always can help too.

              Signature

              "Human thoughts have the tendency to transform themselves into their physical equivalent." Earl Nightingale

              Super Affiliates Hang Out Here

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  • Profile picture of the author kayelex
    Thanks for the post Steven. For me, the outline is the main piece of the puzzle. Once that is in place, I can bang out a product in nothing flat.
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  • Profile picture of the author virtuallywork
    So, Coming Up With A Product~

    Thinking just outside "my box"--As a Newbie...the best product to come up with is a merchant's that is really hot and in demand--and advertise it with your own affiliate links...

    However, some people want their own product to advertise about. I had one. And realize the sense of achievement and income it brought to me.

    I just learned about it using the web, planned it up on paper within a few days and posted it to the market who wanted it. It woked...

    So, I agree--it does not take forever to present a new product-- especially if you have done research on competitors' products..you take the best features while creating your product and incorporate them into your own creation--and then when you have achieved success at either duplicating the best features of your competitor or out-doing those features, you create a twist..a surprise...something unfamiliar but cool.
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  • Profile picture of the author Li Weng
    Good post and 2 hours to produce one product is very impressive
    even if it is a 30-page pdf report. I guess because you do it so
    often that it becomes second nature to you.
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    - Insert backlink here -

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  • Profile picture of the author MichaelHiles
    Voice recognition straight into Word 2007 helps a lot. ;-D
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  • Profile picture of the author ajbarnes777
    Thanks for this thread. It really gave me a kick in the butt to get my first product finished!
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  • Profile picture of the author activetrader
    It's great if you are able to put together a product in two hours as long as you don't compromize on the quality.

    It took me months to create my first product (a lot of that time was procrastination). The product is something I am very proud of. Then I created another one overnight (including the website, thank you page, pitch page, etc.) It's not bad but it could be better. My very last product was created in a rush. It's wasn't horrible but as I started getting tons of sales I was embarrassed of the quality. People rarely returned but I felt bad, so I made a new one (it took some time) but now I am able to sleep at night knowing that people are getting what they paid for. I gets lots of e-mails thanking me for writing it. It got me incouraged to make it even better, so the last edition I am about to put on the site is top notch.
    Signature

    Me

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    • Profile picture of the author Kevin Riley
      Well, I hit both ends of the spectrum. I have put out a full IM Recipe in an afternoon (No 2 hours as I am typing challenged). But, I'm now bringing out a new product that took 2 years to develop and the last month to create.
      Signature
      Kevin Riley, long-time Warrior living in Osaka, Japan

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      • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
        Originally Posted by Kevin Riley View Post

        Well, I hit both ends of the spectrum. I have put out a full IM Recipe in an afternoon (No 2 hours as I am typing challenged). But, I'm now bringing out a new product that took 2 years to develop and the last month to create.
        Good point actually - I have one that's been in the works for about 3 years now - I keep having programmers let me down so it's never got finished (yet) and I have another software tool that took 3 years to get done fully.
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        nothing to see here.

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        • Profile picture of the author Kevin Riley
          Originally Posted by Andyhenry View Post

          Good point actually - I have one that's been in the works for about 3 years now - I keep having programmers let me down so it's never got finished (yet) and I have another software tool that took 3 years to get done fully.
          Yep. It's a case by case thing. Depends upon the scope of the project. However, I agree with the basic premise behind Wags' post: One just has to get off one's duff and do it.
          Signature
          Kevin Riley, long-time Warrior living in Osaka, Japan

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          • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
            Originally Posted by Kevin Riley View Post

            Yep. It's a case by case thing. Depends upon the scope of the project. However, I agree with the basic premise behind Wags' post: One just has to get off one's duff and do it.
            Exactly. One of my products (1700 pages) took me 6 months to create. But
            that was simply because there is only so fast I can type. I knew upon
            starting it what I wanted to do and did it. Had I not, or had I just putzed
            along at it, I probably would be still working on it today (3 years later)

            Naturally, if you're going to put something together like John Reese's
            Traffic Secrets, you're not going to do it overnight.

            But a 30 or even 50 page PDF should not take very long. It certainly
            shouldn't take years or even months unless the amount of research
            needed to create it is absolutely mind boggling.

            Bottom line...get off your can and just do it and you'll cut the amount of
            time it takes (regardless of the amount of content) considerably.
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        • Profile picture of the author Steven Fullman
          Originally Posted by Andyhenry View Post

          Good point actually - I have one that's been in the works for about 3 years now - I keep having programmers let me down so it's never got finished (yet) and I have another software tool that took 3 years to get done fully.
          Hi Andy -- hopefully the one I've put your partner in contact with will be a perfect match for you

          He's a seriously good programmer, and a really nice guy.

          Cheers,
          Steve
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          Not promoting right now

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  • Profile picture of the author yommys01
    Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

    4. Stay focused. Don't let yourself be distracted by stupid sh*t.
    Spot on, the above is my greatest enemy but ever since I started writing my daily goals on paper I have seen increase in production and revenue.
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  • Profile picture of the author AgencyScripts
    My thoughts...

    Not all product creation should be about getting it done in an hour. You hear it alot from people saying "I made $23,456 last year selling a product that took me 2 hours to make."

    Sure, they did it. Sure, they only took 2 hours.

    But what you may over look is... The INFORMATION they can spit out in 2 hours in an interview could be killer stuff if they know it well. (really well)

    So if you wanna do the "Overnight Product Creation" thing. Just make sure the information you can type, or record in a few hours is killer stuff. Period.

    ...or else... do the damn research to make a good product! haha

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    • Profile picture of the author Josh Bartlett
      Originally Posted by Dylan Jones View Post

      Not all product creation should be about getting it done in an hour. You hear it alot from people saying "I made $23,456 last year selling a product that took me 2 hours to make."

      Sure, they did it. Sure, they only took 2 hours.

      So if you wanna do the "Overnight Product Creation" thing. Just make sure the information you can type, or record in a few hours is killer stuff. Period.
      Exactly Dylan. I agree. Quality is the most important thing.

      I have spent two hours consulting with a client and come up with advice and points which went on to make them about $21,000 and save them $8,000 in costs. Thats a pretty valuable two hours they spent with me and they were happy to pay whatever I was charging for my time. (Quite a bit)

      Saying that, I have also spent weeks on writing business plans, advice and giving consultation to clients who got maybe slightly less back in return. (Still a good result though)

      The point is, it really depends on the person, product and marketplace. Extra time spent doesnt equal a great product, BUT getting something done in an hour doesnt neccessarily mean smart product creation.

      I am 100% sure this doesnt apply to the poster of this thread. I am sure his products are high quality. I imagine hes got his work schedule and practise down to a tee and it suits him and his style, that plus his knowledge allows him to put out something truely worthwhile. Surely his work schedule is the reason we all work for ourself, quality of life?

      The main point I think to take from this is exactly what the thread was entitiled.. "It Doesn't HAVE to take forever to create a product"

      That doesnt mean it should be quick either, simply that it doesnt have to take an age to get something valuable created.

      It is a great example that sometimes, preperation, information overload and worrying about tweeking and fine tuning something can simply be great ways to not get the job done and launch it.

      I posted somewhere else that I now use the mantra "Concept to Cash" to measure exactly how long it takes me to get from an original idea to a released product.

      If I keep this strictly in mind, it usually ensures I am focused on getting results quicker than if I allowed myself time to second guess every point.
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      • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
        Let me say something for those who have expressed fear in creating their
        first product.

        When I made my first product, I was petrified. I had no idea if it was going
        to sell or anything, in spite of all the research I did to determine if there
        was a market.

        I almost didn't release it.

        But I did.

        Today...I create products almost on autopilot and have absolutely no fear
        whatsoever.

        Trust me, along the way, you WILL gain a lot of confidence and will be
        cranking out products like they're second nature.

        Remember, the worst thing that can happen with your first product is
        that it doesn't sell.

        Once you understand that, you'll get over your fears.

        At least I did.
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    • Profile picture of the author FasthostsCom
      Originally Posted by Dylan Jones View Post

      My thoughts...

      Not all product creation should be about getting it done in an hour. You hear it alot from people saying "I made $23,456 last year selling a product that took me 2 hours to make."

      Sure, they did it. Sure, they only took 2 hours.

      But what you may over look is... The INFORMATION they can spit out in 2 hours in an interview could be killer stuff if they know it well. (really well)

      So if you wanna do the "Overnight Product Creation" thing. Just make sure the information you can type, or record in a few hours is killer stuff. Period.

      ...or else... do the damn research to make a good product! haha

      LMAO! How profound Dylan! Make a killer product in 2 hours or less by getting your photos from istock! What are you still doing here? ROFL!!!

      Steve, you're right. It's all about time management. Treat the time in front of the computer like a job. I set a time goal of 2 to 4 hours of work before I sit down. No opening other tabs, no checking email, no phone calls. Anymore than 4 hours is wasted without a long break.

      I heard a recent recording where the author said most projects take too long because people can't make decisions. He went on to say not to take more than 60 seconds to make a decision. He called it pondering. Don't ponder in front of the computer. Ponder on the way to the gym, ponder in the shower, etc. But whatever you do, don't ponder in front of the computer.

      I've created a product in 4 hours that continually makes me money, so it can be done despite what Dylan says.
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  • Profile picture of the author GuruGazette
    When I settle down and focus I can crank stuff out pretty fast too. I created an outline yesterday for example, then sat down and spit out over 10,000 words of a draft so far in 4 hours this morning. I probably have another 3000-5000 words to finish then I'll go back and clean it up, put in screen shots, links, resources, etc.

    Usually I can go from idea through draft, final, sales letter, purchase and delivery setup in about 2 days for ebooks and reports of 30-50 pages.

    If I'm doing several hundred pages for a print book project though, that takes 1-2 months. There's much more research involved, plus fact checking, creating indexes, getting the layout right, proofing, and so on there though.

    Software takes a few days to a few weeks depending on various factors.

    The hardest part for me is usually getting started Once I get through that point there's usually no stopping me
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  • Profile picture of the author Fox30
    I agree 100%. Great advice. You just have to put your mind to it and focus on your goal.
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  • Profile picture of the author Graham Maddison
    I have just launched my very first product ebook which was 2.5 months in the making.

    I am obviously a newbie at product creation and as a result although I personally like the product, I am not confident it will sell.

    My plan of action is to give it away as a freebie for a limited period in June and hopefully build my list and get some testimonials after which, I will start to sell it.

    lack of confidence I guess, but at least now having launched it for the world to see I will soon know if I have gotten my format right.

    If it is right, I expect my next product to be done within half the time as the product layout is pretty much what held me back (asside from research)

    So I guess as you gain more experience as to what does and doesn't work, your product creation will speed up.....I Hope lol.
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  • Profile picture of the author Brad Spencer
    Steven,

    I really like your point of view in this article. I also like the point raised somewhere in this thread that things can take longer.

    That is a contradiction and I will explain.

    The biggest problem with product creation is that people draw it out thinking it takes forever. It doesn't have to. I created a nice product within a week and when I actually worked on it after laying it out it materialized very quickly.

    However, I can also see why some things would take a while as well. I've never created a 500 dollar product (working on it )...but I imagine that cranking it out in a week would mean it leaves a lot of holes and wouldn't sell well...

    The point raised about balance here is key, in my opinion.

    Cheers,

    Brad Spencer
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  • Profile picture of the author chrisnkay
    I personally would love getting into creating products. I get really into what I am doing, but honestly I guess that I am just scared that I would not be able to do it. Thanks for the insight! Maybe someday I will take the plunge!
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    • Profile picture of the author jasondinner
      Originally Posted by chrisnkay View Post

      I personally would love getting into creating products. I get really into what I am doing, but honestly I guess that I am just scared that I would not be able to do it. Thanks for the insight! Maybe someday I will take the plunge!
      Fear of the unknown - one of the biggest obstacles in the way of success.

      Then of course there's fear of success and fear of failure.

      Can't forget about those.

      Only reason you haven't yet is a self image issue more than anything else.

      Yeah, "SOME DAY" you'll take the plunge.

      Some Day = NEVER

      Why not make "some day" TODAY and take a chance on yourself.
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  • Profile picture of the author Iamkassi
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    • Profile picture of the author josh123
      Couldn't agree more; I don't create info products because I do affiliate marketing exclusively, but I know for a fact that it's not as difficult as many claim. Even if you don't want to do it yourself, just outsource it and you can have it done within a day or two easily. Anyway, thanks for the inspiratoinal post.
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  • Profile picture of the author maxdog
    It would be great if you guys could list your tools or sources like programmers etc.

    A check list would be cool !!

    PM me please with more
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  • Profile picture of the author Josh Bartlett
    Great advice Steven!

    I remember when I launched my first product, I was petrified also.. It felt like if it didn't sell it would be literally the end of the world.

    I remember one day I was making myself a coffee in the kitchen (I still remember the moment to this day) and was probably doing ANYTHING to avoid actually launching my product, and something hit me..

    If the product doesnt sell, assuming its good, it doesnt mean the product is wrong, it means the offer is wrong! (Assuming I had confirmed there was a market)

    Then I realised, "Hey, I can always alter, reword, edit the offer!" That moment was like a personal revelation for me. It isnt an all or nothing process.

    As you say, worst case it doesnt sell. You move on and "fail better" next time

    You can always edit the product or offer itself and although its such glaringly obvious points, I remember the moment that they hit me, my whole mindset changed.

    If it doesnt sell, so what? Revise the offer, add value, repackage it up and retry until it does. (Assuming of course id done some sort of reseach to confirm there was any kind of market for my product first, and of course I had)

    I have to admit, I still have that nervous fear whenever I release anything however. I have high expactations for myself so I haven't quite reached the point where you are and can say I have no fear whatsoever..

    I have certainly learnt to not let it stop me these days though
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    • Profile picture of the author effigy
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      • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
        Originally Posted by effigy View Post

        How do we really get good ideas for creating our products even if we're not experts in any field? Thanks for the suggestioins!
        The way to choose what will sell is not related to what you already know about - it's related to where you can spot an opportunity to bring a need and a product together.

        You don't have to be an expert in anything - there are plenty of experts around.

        Andy
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        nothing to see here.

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  • Profile picture of the author Gambbit
    Hi Steven,

    Good post.

    I've been involved in Product creation for a good amount of time, both online and offline. In my opinion, a Product should take that much amount of time that it justifies the price people pay for it. That's not to imply that a 30 page eBook should take 3 months, but a full course consisting of videos, transcripts, audios, worksheets etc 'may' take that much amount of time. In the offline world, 5-6 months sounds pretty reasonable.

    Then, it depends on the person in question too.

    Thanks
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  • Profile picture of the author blalock61
    Good post. In my case, I am finding that the creation of a product is not the problem, but the problem I am having is in the marketing of the products I have created. Trying to find affiliates and/or joint venture partners to work with. People only want to work with people who have a list, but if you are new to a niche and new to product creation, you don't have a list in that niche.

    The only real success in my search for affiliates and JV partners is 1.) had 7 affiliates sign up through my program at Ejunkie and 2.) writing articles for other people's sites in my niche and having them posted. Any help or advice in this area would be appreciated? Thanks.
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