10 Reasons to Create Information Products

10 Reasons to Create Information Products
What You Need to Know Before You Begin
By Anastasia Pryanikova


If you are a coach, consultant or other entrepreneur, sooner or later you will start thinking about creating information products. You may feel excited and a bit scared at the same time. The little critic in your head may whisper that you don't have much to say, or that you don't know how to do it, or you are not comfortable with technology, or internet marketing, or whatever the current magnet for your fear is. You are not alone here.

After all, you may not have had a chance to study adult learning theory, instructional design or curriculum development, so you are not exactly sure how to go about designing your first e-course. And that's OK because the good thing is that we all can learn and enlist help of specialists when needed.

To have an impact, learning needs to be personal, so go ahead and ask the question "What's in it for me?" Becoming clear on your personal motivation for creating an information product is a good place to start because your motivation will influence many aspects of your project.

So, why do people create information products? Here are some common reasons and questions to consider as you plan your project:

Reason 1: Creating passive income streams. Once you've created a product, and it sells, you receive a continuous stream of revenue from it without putting extra time into the product itself. When you coach, for example, you sell your time, and you better be there for your coaching session. An information product, on the other hand, can sell even when you are taking a vacation on a remote island.

Questions to ponder:
:::: What do you need to learn about marketing and sales to ensure that your information product sells?
:::: How are you going to research your market to determine its needs and the demand for your product?



Reason 2: Building credibility. It's no secret that there is already a lot of information out there. People often feel information overload. So, how does it help you? Aren't you just creating more information? Not if your information product solves a problem for people in a systemic, easy-to follow way. People don't have time for research, and the job of an expert - you - is to wash the information sand for a few golden nuggets. You then make a jewelry piece out of the gold that you client can actually use. The credibility comes from being able to repackage information into valuable solutions for your clients.

Questions to ponder:
:::: How do you want others to see you?
:::: What are your own development points to bridge the gap between now and where you want to be?
:::: What should you be learning now?
:::: Who are established experts in your field?
:::: How can teaming up with others enhance your own authority?


Reason 3: Establishing affiliate programs and other joint ventures. Information products offer a way to harness the power of your internet connections and relationships. They are tangible, which means that they can be sold, gifted, won as a prize in a variety of contexts by different internet entities. In a way, you can speak from multiple podiums at the same time and extend the reach of your message through your information products.

Questions to ponder:
:::: What partnerships would you like to develop?
:::: What criteria will you use to filter potential business relationships?
:::: What products and services are complimentary to yours and can strengthen your position in your niche market but don't compete with your offerings?


Reason 4: Putting a part of your business on auto-pilot. Isn't it nice to be able to step away from your business and be assured that it is still running smoothly? When you put systems in place to build your list, have a consistent method of communicating with your prospects, market and sell your products, you can have more time to spend with your family and friends, pursue hobbies and whatever else your heart desires.

Questions to ponder:
:::: What systems can you implement in your business to make everything run consistently and automatically?
:::: What can you outsource so that you could work from your strengths?


Reason 5: Offering lower-priced alternatives to individual consulting or coaching. It's beneficial to have several information products that range from low-priced to high-priced because they give your prospects more options. People can choose to sample your work with a no-cost or low-cost product, and if they feel confident in your services, they may eventually upgrade to higher-priced options.

Questions to ponder:
:::: What no-cost or low-cost options can you offer to your clients and prospects?
:::: What are your high-priced offerings?


Reason 6: Expanding your list of clients. People vary in their learning styles and preferences for learning solutions. A client with a dominant linguistic intelligence may enjoy an e-book, while somebody with a strong musical intelligence will prefer a set of CDs or mp3 downloads. Once again, the more options you have, the more people you will be able to attract and accommodate.

Questions to ponder:
:::: Who is your ideal client?
:::: What do they want from your services and products?
:::: How can you make your offering more attractive to your ideal client niche?


Reason 7: Laying the foundation for the future growth of your expert services. The ideas you develop for one information product can be reused, improved, and repackaged for other information products. It is a process of continuous improvement and growth for you and your clients who are able to stay with you and continue to benefit from your growing expertise.

Questions to ponder:
:::: How can you repackage what you have already created?
:::: How can you use your clients' feedback to improve and diversify your products?


Reason 8: Growing professionally and building your own expertise. Creating information products is also an opportunity for you to grow professionally as a coach or consultant. You need to do your research, keep current with your niche trends, develop clarity and precision in your own thinking and communicating, all of which will keep you focused and engaged.

Questions to ponder:
:::: What do you want to learn next?
:::: What systems and tools do you have in place to stay current on important information?
:::: What do you do to grow professionally?
:::: How can you apply what you are learning to your work on information products?


Reason 9: Expressing yourself creatively. In order to design quality information product that engage your clients and have the potential of transforming their lives, you need to let your own creativity flourish. You want to present the same idea in different ways and engage multiple intelligences in order to accommodate the needs of various learners. You want to make it fun and memorable so that people keep referring back to your product and tell others about it. Get inspired!

:::: What can you do to feed your creativity?
:::: How can you capture your creative ideas without judging them?
:::: Who would you like to invite for a creative brainstorming?


Reason 10: Sharing your knowledge and skills for impact. You have an important message to communicate, a unique way to help people, a valuable perspective or experience to share with others. Your information products can reach lots of people all over the world, magnifying your impact.

Questions to ponder:
:::: What is your key message and how is it reflected in the products you are creating?
:::: Who is your target audience?
:::: What are the best ways to reach your audience?


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Anastasia Pryanikova, M.A., J.D. is a coach, author, learning & transformation catalyst. She is the founder and principal of E-Studio, LLC, a company devoted to empowering professionals to shorten their learning curve and to bridge the gap between information and transformation. If you liked this article, you'll love Anastasia's interactive and dynamic coaching programs that will empower your mind through awareness, reflection, insights, accelerated learning, and consistent action.

You can learn more and get free tips on how to boost your potential at http://www.selfhelpbookmuse.com

Anastasia also publishes Lawsagna blog, which offers "alternating layers of thoughts, tips, tricks, and other ingredients to live and learn well in law and beyond."

Please visit it at http://www.lawsagna.com