Three Parts of an Information Product
By Jeanette Cates | January 10, 2006
The key part of this article is having a really great autoresponder service for followup. Without reservation, I always recommend The Shopping System
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Not only do you get autoresponders, but you can also broadcast to your lists – so you can send newsletters easily. Then when you’re ready to grow, you can add more services. Just some of the reasons I highly recommend the The Shopping System
This week’s article covers the Three Parts of an Information Product. I’ve put a particular emphasis on the methods for delivering your product so it decreases refunds and increases customer loyalty. You’ll find
– how to keep them excited while they’re waiting for the physical product to arrive – a technique to build customer loyalty – how to decide on the mix between physical and digital deliveryYou can read the entire article below.
If you like, feel free to share it with a friend. And if you have a comment you’d like to share with me, just add a comment to the blog. You’ll see the link – just click on it and add your comments!
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Three Parts of an InfoProduct
by Jeanette S Cates, PhD
Internet Strategist for Small Business
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When we see the finished product, we rarely think about the parts that go into it. We just look at the box and say “great product.” But in the case of an information product, there are three distinctive parts: content, packaging and delivery. Let’s look at each separately.
Content
The content or the information is the core of the product. Without the content there is no product. Without unique content, it’s just another rehash.
Your expertise is what makes your content unique. When you learn to express your expertise, you’re sharing your content.
Content is the message and the actual information the buyer purchases.
Packaging
We often think of packaging as the box the product comes in. But especially with digital products, there isn’t necessarily a physical package.
Instead, we think of the way the content is put into a usable format as the packaging. It may be in an ebook, an MP3 audio, an audio CD, a screen-cam movie, or a downloadable video. Increasingly, you see products that include a combination of packaging formats.
Packaging is a decision you make before you offer the product for sale. Delivery is what happens after the sale.
Delivery
Once the content is packaged we have several choices. We can deliver it as 100% digital content. We can send it in a physcial package. Or we can use a combination.
Timing is a factor when considering the best delivery combination. For example, with consumers’ emphasis on instant gratification, they often want something immediately after the purchase. So even if you’re shipping a physical product, consider offering the first parts of it as a digital download – to keep them happy until their physical product arrives.
If shipping a physical product takes a week or so, offer an additional download of information in the interim. This “surprise” email is a welcome stop-gap while they are waiting for the full product.
Then there is the matter of consumption. Research tells us that many people purchase a product – but don’t really use it. Instead it becomes shelfware. This hurts the consumer who purchased the product, by not having them use the product and get the results promised. And it also may diminish the chance that they will purchase from you again, since they did not see the results of their first purchase.
To help prevent this happening with your products, consider delivering some of the content over time. For example,
1 – provide a follow-up email sequence that draws attention to various features of the information product.
2 – send unannounced bonus gifts that reinforce the important aspects of the product.
3 – send offline postcards to stay in touch and emphasize other points in the product.
When you consider the packaging and delivery of information products, you realize the content continues – beyond the initial creation of the product. Consider all the parts!
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Dr. Jeanette Cates, The Technology Tamer, works with independent professionals who are ready to turn their knowledge and their websites into gold. She is the author of more than 30 information products and the creator of the InfoProducts QuickStart
(c) 2005 Permission is granted to reprint this article in print or on your web site so long as the paragraph above is included.
Topics: Info Products |
October 8th, 2007 at 5:20 am
i’ve been very confuse as where to start on this online stuff. i’ve spent close to 1000 since 2005 for info from google adsense to bloggs and all that other stuff. im just loaded with info thats confusing and i was wondering if you can coach me and help me step by step in the process of this online money making stuff.i told myself no longer will i purchase another product or info someone claims to have the best of and the money winning ideas,until i start profiting from my investment. but now im clueless and just need real honest guidance and coaching from someone who,s just out for my pockets..your info’s are very informative and i would like to join your affiliate program but i just dont know how or where to start. to much info ,to much thinking and my brain is clogg…Please Help..
December 27th, 2007 at 7:32 am
Your comment echoes what so many other people have told me. I truly sympathesize.
Since you don’t have a website yet and you’re interested in doing affiliate marketing, I would recommend OnlineSuccessBasics.com as the best starting point.
This is a course that is designed for the absolute beginner – and it teaches you how to set up a blog, how to enroll in affiliate programs, how to write blog entries promoting affiliate products – in short, how to start making money online.
Good luck in your online endeavors. I know that with persistence and the right tools, you can do it!
Jeanette