Information products are digital, audio and video based products, typically delivered electronically via download. Tens of thousands of people make their living online selling “virtual” products in industries as diverse as eldercare, test preparation, scrapbooking, and pet care. If there’s a group of avid people online and you can identify their needs, you can create a product to meet those needs.
Selling information products is a natural extension of blogging. You’re already building your audience and creating information for them, so sometimes creating a product is just a matter of pulling together information you’ve already written or recorded and repackaging it. Here are some of the most common information products:
- Consolidate blog posts on a certain topic into an eBook. For instance, Darren Rowse’s 31 Days to Building a Better Blog (http://www.problogger.net/31-days-to-building-a-better-blog/). This information was originally shared as a series of blog posts, and Darren repackaged them as a for-sale product.
- Record a webinar or teleclass. Hold a free call on your topic of choice, record the event, and then sell it as a digital download with a call guide or FAQ sheet.
- Record an interview with an expert. Take advantage of someone else’s expertise by interviewing them, recording the conversation, and then marketing the resulting audio to your readers. Bonus: If your interviewee has a rabid fan base of their own, you may be able to capture some of their market’s ears – and wallets!
- Record screencasts. Are you a Photoshop whiz or video editing expert? Record yourself showing your stuff with Camtasia or Jing and sell the tutorials in a batch or individually. How-to sells!
When selling your information products online, you have a variety of delivery options, including:
- Clickbank.com
- E-Junkie.com
- Directly through Paypal or another payment processor
Each of these has their advantages and drawbacks, so you may have to do a little bit of research to figure out which is best for you. If you’re new to information marketing, start small – don’t feel like you have to offer all the bells and whistles before you’re making the money to back it up!
