April 30, 2007

Info Product Creation with PLR Content

Creating an info product with private label rights (PLR) content isn't difficult, in fact it is one of the easiest and fastest ways to get a quality product to sell online.

Start by narrowing down your topic. Instead of “dogs” or “cats”, pick “dog training” or “cat breeds”. The more narrowly defined your topic is, the better chance you have of finding relevant PLR content.

Next, search Google for “your topic PLR”, and go through the listings. Avoid any sites that don't provide samples, and never buy anything you can find listed at hundreds of other websites – chances are it was simply a resellers pack, and is of poor quality.

Go through each PLR website that meets your needs (if there is more than one), and find all the articles that are tailored to your exact topic. Go for length and quality – and buy articles, not finished reports.

Choose a number of articles each on a different topic. Find as many as you can fit into your budget, and purchase them. Then start the fun part!

Edit each article until it suits the tone and style of your writing. Compile all the articles together, and turn each article into its own chapter. Edit for continuity and flow, and then publish!

There are several advantages to creating content this way, the number one being how incredibly easy it is to create unique products. No matter how many other people bought THAT PLR product, nobody will purchase the same ones as you and compile them the same way. The second advantage is cost – it is far cheaper to use PLR products to create your content than it is to hire a freelancer for the same project.

Within just a few hours, and less than $100, you can have a full report completed on the topic of your choice – and your customers will love you for it!

Permalink • Print • 30 Comments

Alternative Methods of Outsourcing

Outsourcing is a great way to increase your productivity. But sites like eLance and Rentacoder aren't the only options, and you don't always have to pay to have your projects completed. There are other options.

Try bartering with a freelancer for something you need with something you have. If you have a skill such as copywriting, graphic design, or web design, or have a product, offer it in exchange for the service you need – you'll be amazed at the results.

Partner with a freelancer for certain projects. Offer them a “commission” on the sale of the product they create for you in exchange for their services. While this works best with people you already have a relationship with, it does in some cases work with novice freelancers looking for experience and samples – this way it works in both of your interests.

You can also try outsourcing locally. There could be a goldmine of writers, programmers and web designers in your own city or town. Although most of them won't be familiar with internet marketing, a simple education about what an ebook is or what a sales letter should look like would be a good investment – you get a local freelancer you can call on for regular projects, you can contact them easily, and payment is a snap – just drop it off!

Outsourcing brokers are also a way to get freelancers to do work for you, although not always the best. Brokers are basically middlemen – they bid on your project, and then “farm it out” to freelancers who can get the job done. Provided they choose a good freelancer, this can be an excellent way to find the right person for the right job. Just make sure you do your homework – some brokers don't care about quality, and they'll hire anyone to get your project finished.

You can also hire actual employees to do work for you on a full or part time basis. No need for an office, they can be located anywhere within your country – cross-border employee relationships are VERY difficult to create. This will give you someone who is always available to do work for you, because they are your employee – if you are one of their only sources of income, they are ready for your call at a moment's notice.

So you see, outsourcing doesn't HAVE to be about the internet – there are other ways to get the job done.

Permalink • Print

April 14, 2007

Another 5 Copywriting Tips

There are more things to get wrong in copy than there are to get right. Don't fall victim to the bad mistakes – follow these five tips to keep your marketing message on target.

KISS – Keep it short and simple. Avoid paragraphs of more than 2-3 sentences, and avoid sentences of more than 2 or 3 lines. A large block of text will look difficult to read, and your visitors will avoid it. Keep your copy open and airy – keep it short and simple.

Use the right testimonials in the right places. Don't just cram your copy full of them, you'll look unprofessional. Don't use testimonials that SOUND like testimonials. Try to capture honest compliments from your customers, and ask if you can use what they already said – with a link back to their website of course.

Make sure you ask for the sale – this is something taught in basic sales training to offline sales professionals, but for some reason its missed in most online manuals. If you don't ask the customer to buy, how are they going to know what to do? Tell them – buy now. Point to the link. Tell them to click. Its as simple as that.

Don't even bother with any sales copy if your offer isn't up to par. Make sure that your price and value match up properly, and that what you're offering is something the market desires. Don't just throw anything out there and see if it “sticks” - plan your offer carefully. Otherwise, it is guaranteed to fail.

Finally don't offer your price before your benefits. Although this is common with $7 sales, they are actually leaving money on the table by doing this. First, you'll catch the attention of the “price scanners” (people who look at the bottom for the price before reading the copy) by putting the price at the bottom – they are the ones who care most about price anyway. The rest will be so thrilled with everything you have to offer, they will have a maximum price in their mind of what they will pay. If you beat that price – you're in. If you say “$97” in the first third of your copy, people are going to expect a lot – or expect they can't afford it.

The bottom line is, good copy isn't hard – but it isn't easy, either. You have to have the right mix of buying signals in the right order for that sale to be made. But with a little help from these tips, you're a lot closer to that sale than most.

Permalink • Print