Getting started in info publishing is a pretty straight forward process. You need:
- A niche
- Home office with computer
- A business plan
- Business operation software
- Marketing strategy
Let’s take a look at each of these items a little more closely.
Niche
Your niche is your specialized topic. It’s important to choose a niche because it’ll be easier to be competitive. It’ll be easier to be profitable. For example, there are many books on home organization. However, there may not be a book on how to organize your garage for maximum efficiency. Or garage organization for single women. That’s even more specialized.
Choosing a niche may be the most important step you take. You’ll want to make sure you’re choosing a topic that you’re passionate about. What’s your passion? Make a list. Choose ten to fifteen topics you love. The more enthusiasm you have for your topic the easier it’ll be to make money. Now research demand. How many people are looking for your information? Finally, you’ll want to see how much competition there is. Keyword research tools can help you find a profitable niche.
Home Office
It’s nice if you can have a quiet and organized place to work. It’ll help you get and stay productive. However, if you don’t have room for a home office you at least need a computer. Your computer will be ground zero for your business operations so make sure it supports you r needs and consider investing in a backup system.
Business Operation Software
In adding to software to create your information product, like Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF maker you’ll want to consider:
- Auto-responder
- Shopping cart software
- Website analytics
- Bookkeeping software
Business Plan
Once you have a niche it’s also time to begin planning your business. What type of information products are you going to publish? There are a number of products you can create. The most common is the ebook. You can also create:
- Home study courses
- Workbooks
- Online courses
- Video series.
- Informative interview series (recorded and delivered via audio download)
- Workshops and seminars (recorded and delivered via audio or video download)
- Reports
- Checklists, templates, blueprints, mind maps and other smaller downloads.
You can also decide to create one book on one niche topic or a series of products on one niche topic. Your business plan is where you set out your vision and goals for your business. Research your competition. Document your target audience. Plan how you’re going to market and sell to them.
Sales and Marketing Strategy
Your sales and marketing strategy will be part of your business plan. However, they’re important enough to isolate as an independent step in the business creation process. You’ll want to take a look at various marketing strategies and tools. For example, do you want a website or blog? What’s your domain name going to be? What tactics will you use to promote your information product?
You’ve chosen a niche. You’ve set up your home office and created a comprehensive business plan. It’s time to get busy creating that product that’s going to line your pockets with money.