I’ve been looking forward to the release of this book since I was at his Expert’s Academy last September and he said he was going to take 4 weeks off to write his next bestselling book. He did, the book is out, and it going to be FABULOUS, I already know it!! I know it because all of his book are fabulous and this one is of particular interest to me since it’s all about High Performance!

For the past few years Brendon has been running this amazing academy called High Performance Academy to teach the public how to perform at our peak levels. Interested?? Me too!

Simon Leung, me and Brendon Burchard

I actually met Brendon, oh, five or six years ago I want to say at an event I was running in Denver. We got to hang out all weekend and I can tell you this for sure… Brendon is one of the most genuine, authentic, energetic, successful (not just financially) people I’ve ever met. I knew back then he was going to be a superstar and have been a dedicated follower of his work ever since.

So now, his new book is out and he’s giving away free copies. Click Here for the promo page to get your copy of The Charge

After I signed up for my free copy, there was a $197 promotion which I said “no thanks” to. I wanted more free stuff first! I knew it would be there since I am used to how he rolls out his academy events.

Beyond that page was a link to 3 incredible VIDEOS all about “6 High Performance Secrets of Multi-Millionaires.” It’s all about how to move on from feeling sluggish and always behind to feeling energized, empowered and ALIVE! How could anyone say no to learning that?!? So, I signed up and watched those videos. Amazing. As usual.

I AM FIRED UP and you know what it did? It gave me validation. It gave me energy. It gave me a focused plan. I have a big stack of work on my desk and I literally could not send another email or do another task on my list without writing this article. Why? Because it is NOT FAIR of me to just keep Brendon’s wisdom to myself and not share it.

You know how they say “word of mouth is the most powerful form of marketing”? That’s true and I genuinely believe that you will get some huge takeaways from watching these videos that I watched.

Click Here for the page where you can watch his free video content

Book? Check. Videos? Check. Well now I’m on Brendon’s list and what do I hear about today? That tomorrow he’s officially letting people register for his next High Performance Academy. I have been waiting months for this!

All I got was this link… Click Here

Right now it just says registration will open tomorrow but I know by the time most of you read this it will be open. I think he’s doing a live webinar which you won’t want to miss. Now, here’s what I remember from the last time he did an event launch for Expert’s Academy (which I’m going to this Fall!)… A bunch of you registered and I can’t wait to see you guys this Fall!! But… some of you heard about it too late or waited too long and registration is only open for a few days so the opportunity to get in was GONE. I pulled some strings for one client, but in general, you have to act fast with Brendon IF you have interest.

Only a few of you will be at a place in your life where you’re ready to explode with personal and professional growth to the point where you’re sick of waiting for “the right time” and just want to friggin go out there and MAKE IT HAPPEN! I’m soooo that person right now… omg. Most of you will not be at that place, and that is OK. In that case, it’s a great idea to sign up and get all the free content you can from Brendon and implement it on your own and your own pace. You can always unsubscribe from an email, so no harm no foul.

For me though, I’m taking the bull by the horns. If you’re going to the webinar let me know and we can chit chat during it via Facebook and email. If you end up going to High Performance Academy, let me know and maybe I’ll see you there.

For now, I mainly just wanted to tell you about it because I know that in a flash Brendon offers free content, and in a flash it’s GONE forever… pretty smart marketing guy.

Cheers on your journey to High Performance! 

How are you supposed to stand out? What can you possibly sell?

Even if you are still in the stage of dreaming what it would be like to have your own website, it’s important to actively think about what you can create that is of value to others. Each person has a unique view on life and their particular set of issues to overcome. So, yes, you too can create a product or series of products to sell online and feel good about it.

A list of product ideas:

1. Create an eBook and sell on Amazon, add to Google Books and submit to directories.
2. Record a webinar series, then package as a DVD set. Sell a downloadable version and a physical DVD Set version.
3. Offer coaching or consulting services in the forms of one-on-one calls, in-person meetings, weekly calls, monthly live group phone conferences, etc.
4. Make designs and graphics to sell at places such as GraphicLeftovers.com and iStockPhoto.com.
5. Run a monthly teleseminar training series for 6 weeks or 6 months for your focused elite followers.
6. Write a white paper on a system you developed to overcome a problem that your market faces.
7. Become a reseller or affiliate of almost any product or service of your choosing. From online shopping cart softwares to watches to baby clothes, most products online will give you 25-75% + commissions for selling their product/service. Check out sites like ClickBank.com and Commission Junction.
8. Start a paid newsletter and have users pay monthly or yearly to get training, tips and resources.
9. Sell email coaching and allow users to consult with you over email for a pre-determined amount of time. Even better, create a 52 week autoresponder email program where each week you sent training via email (but it’s all automated so you set it up once and let the program run on auto-pilot!)
10. If you have a pre-existing blog, find your top 25 posts and turn them into a hardcover book and an eBook. You could create this type of book for each 40 blog posts you write. Keep ‘em comin’.
11. Create a series of “how-to” videos. Use software like Camtasia for screen recordings, or a camcorder or webcam would be great for all other video. You could create four 15-minute videos, package them and bam! you have a product.
12. Internet Marketers aaaalways have a wealth of ideas and little time to pull them all off. Network to find these guys and ask if they have any projects you can complete for half the profit.
13. Home Study Courses are great! This could involve a video series with companion PDF guides and some sort of add-on support module.
14. Create and customize apparel, t-shirts, postcards, banners and more with sites like Zazzle.com.

There are TONS of creative ways you can take your knowledge and expertise, package it and offer it to others. Once you build an email list online you can sell to your following time and time again.

I personally like to keep a Brainstorming Journal lying around. It is consumed with my ideas and as I get time, I try to chip away at the projects on those sheets that are filled with potential. Give it a try! Creating online products is a really fun project and can bring income steadily if you have the right plan.

HOWEVER… it is NOT just about making money people!! The reason to make product is to ADD VALUE into the lives of others. If you focus on the value, the income will flow.

Being an entrepreneur is very challenging and can get overwhelming quick. You must manage your existing projects well so you can increase retention and build a committed following, but then you must also have a strong focus on product creation and expansion (not to mention just maintaining the work you’ve produced so far).

So how to you manage the overwhelm you feel when you’re getting so many good ideas and you know you don’t have time to execute them all?

Below I’m going to offer you a few things I do that you are welcome to try:

Write it down.

Obvious? Maybe, but it really works! I have an ideas folder I keep close by which is full of good ideas (if I do say so myself). Entrepreneurs by nature are creative so expect those ideas to keep flooding in.

By writing all of your ideas down, you let the paper take the weight of the idea. You don’t have to stress about if you will remember, or how to execute this idea, or when because you know the idea is written down in a safe place and will be happy to see you when you return to it – whether in a few days or a few years. Write it ALL down even if it’s a tiny idea.

You wouldn’t believe how many ideas of mine seem to be bundled into a recent big idea I had. It is all relevant and writing down your ideas can serve your greatly in the future.

Create an Outline.

When I get an idea for a product or service, the next thing I do is create an outline for it. For example, one of my ideas is to create a DIY Guest Blogging Package where a business owner could have everything they need to setup a well-oiled machine of guest bloggers on their site to increase traffic dramatically and gain lots more subscribers. There are tons of benefits to this program and it’s a hot topic for 2012 and beyond.

Well, shoot, there’s TONS of ways I could produce this product – enter overwhelm. Before I think about all the success I’ll have, and ways to market, and the income it could generate, I stop. I know that the product is really all about the content I deliver so I create an outline of everything the product would need to be SUPER valuable for business owners who buy it. I am totally the type that wants to give away the farm to people who put their trust in me – I’ll give you everything I know and how I do it so you have the best shot at success.

The outline for this DIY Guest Blogging Package included things like: Promotion page content (what needs to be said on the ‘write for us’ page on your website), what the exact process is when someone wants to be a guest blogger (they need to send in a sample article with their bio and photo, I review to make sure they follow any guidelines I’ve given, etc.), in this product I need to create 5 emails templates that the customer can use (a rejection letter, approval letter, general inquiry response letter, etc)… Point being, I write down everything I can think of that would need to be included to make this product a success.

Honestly, it is at this point that I decide if I am going to pursue this idea aggressively, or when I get around to it, or never. I look at my material and evaluate if there is a gap in the marketplace, if this would be valuable to someone, if this would really work for people, etc. Getting the details of my idea on paper in this way reduces the overwhelm for sure!

Make a plan.

Obvious? Of course. But do you do it? gotcha. If I have an idea that I just can’t stop thinking about and one that I really want to pursue… I have my outline and I know it’s a ‘must’ to create… then it’s time to make a plan to make it happen.

Now, this is where the overwhelm really starts to come flooding in because now you actually need to execute. The fun creation part is generally behind you and now you actually have to carve out time, while managing your other projects, and make sure that you don’t NOT do this product idea like so many others that have since collected dust.

The truth is that YOU have a gift; YOU have a message. It is a complete waste of your talents if you don’t do something with it.

So you make a plan by taking your outline and breaking it up into 5 parts, or whatever. You make a commitment to yourself to do one part each week for the next five weeks. Caution: Look at your list and decide what you think you could pull off, then trim that list down by 30% and that is actually what you’ll be able to pull off.

A primary reason people can’t follow-through with their ideas is that they put way too much pressure on themselves upfront, they can’t deliver because they don’t plan for the unexpected, then they put it off once (“I’ll get to that next week”) and then you don’t come back to it, then you feel like a loser so you need time to recover, then before you know it, another 2-3 months rolls by until you feel the pressure that you need to create a product and motivate yourself to get serious about this next new idea. (Ew, too much accountability there?) I’ve been here, that’s how I know this is true.

Make It Happen.

So you have your outline, you have your plan on how many weeks it’ll take to get it done, hopefully you’ve exercised caution to not put too much pressure on yourself and you’re ready to really make it happen this time. Now, you just need to make it happen.

There are a few ways that I “make it happen” which work really well for me. First, I tell someone I really look up to about the idea and plan. I know that if I tell someone I really respect that it will create accountability for me. I want to be known for someone who makes things happen and gives tons of value to others – I would not risk taking that away just because I found eighteen excuses of why I couldn’t follow-through.

Next, I dive right in. I don’t waste time (because I know that if I delay on anything for too long, the idea will be lost and the product won’t be completed). I make damn sure I get that first week of to-do’s done, no matter what. That gives me momentum and confidence to go into week two of my plan. No matter what, I get it done… no matter what!

All we need is a little momentum and confidence. A big part of the overwhelm again is putting too much pressure on ourselves to “make it perfect” or “add more to the plate.” Once you have made the outline, made the plan, you just DO. Sure, you can add little creative twists here and there… but you do not deviate from the plan!

Entrepreneurs are creative minds – we can easily think for 350 cool ways to execute on something. Trust yourself and your original plan. You can always build more products as a spin-off of this one and try out one of your fancy ideas then. For now, stick to the plan and execute it. Every week you put this off is another week the world does not get your value, and another week you are not building your business, and another week you’re not making the income you need to sustain the message. This is bigger than you – make it happen.

The best path to success as an entrepreneur is to keep creating. I don’t mean create a dozen half-finished products. Create one product 100%, launch it, then immediately dive in and start creating your next product. Period – there is no other plan.

To manage this around your existing work load you just need a little discipline, a little accountability and you need to be organized. Don’t try to do too much at once. I’d much rather see you take 4 months to create a product then try to do it in 2 weeks, burn out, and never finish it. YOU put the pressure on you, so knock it off!

If you are serious, join me and make the pledge today. All you need to do is share this image on Facebook or Pinterest and in the description tell people what you want to create. Then go out and make it happen.

Simply right click this image and click "Save As" to download to your computer and then share on social networks. Tag me in your post so I can give you a virtual high-five!

If you thought this post was helpful, please help me share it with others on Google+, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

I appreciate your support! Even more, I’d like you to commit to making a product today and tell me what it will be in the Facebook comments box below. I’ll be your accountability cause I’d love to see your product when it’s finished!

However, your email list is STILL your #1 online asset! You can market to those people again and again, they will stay loyal to you (assuming you have good email practices) and they will buy from you down the road. The key is to offer a free incentive that showcases your expertise and value, that people WANT.

Do NOT make a free report in an hour or two and throw it up there as a Microsoft Word doc that is not formatted, and then expect that to boost your credibility and sales. Yuk! This is a critical part of the public’s first impression of you. You want to spend the time to come up with a great idea, produce it the best you can, get it professionally formatted and designed – in short, spend the time to do it RIGHT.

Below I have a lot of really great keys to a successful free introductory product incentive that you can offer on your website in exchange for people to signup for your mailing list. Note to Self: You may way to print this puppy out. 

Do the brainstorming work:

• What are the top 3 problems your audience faces? (depression, weight gain, bankruptcy, etc.) In a free gift, people want an answer to their biggest problem in a formula or process that they can start today. Examples can be, “3 Steps to Triple Your Energy Levels,” or “5 Ways to Dump Depression and Gain Gusto,” etc.
• People will want to instantly download your free gift (not have it sent to them a week later) so I suggest the format you consider to be video, text (like an eBook) or audio. There are reasons behind which format to choose and why. To give you a taste:
• Video is great for giving off energy that transfers to the listener. It creates a longer lasting impact, can go viral, plus they can watch it again and again. Video is ideal for emotional topics. If you are a personal or life coach for example, this is for sure the format to select.
• Text is great for writing out a technical process so someone can pint out the document, paste on their mirror, or just review easily. It’s probably the easiest format to share. You MUST get your eBook or workbook professionally formatted and designed to make a visual impact which is necessary for getting readers engaged and excited to share with others. (If your topic is not technical or in a process, I do not suggest creating an eBook – I would suggest you to create video, period.) For example, my free product incentive right now is a 23-page eBook titled, “Share My Message! 7 Key Steps to Social Media Integration.” I show lots of examples of how to brand your social networks and I explain how to do it ALL! So I for sure had to choose an eBook format so my readers could print it out, refer back to it again and again, etc.
• Audio is “ok,” but video is for sure a preferred format by the majority. Audio is good for meditations and technical personal development/motivational/how-to content. Audio can be uploaded to an iPod so people can listen in the car, while working out or taking a bath, etc.

More Key Tips:

• By now we’ve identified the top 3 problems our audience face and we’ve selected a format for the product.  Next I would start working on an outline of what you’re going to discuss. Another KEY to this process is that people will want to download something they can start TODAY. No one wants to go to a website in search of a problem they are facing, get all jazzed about a free product, sign-up and realize that the author is telling them how to ‘repair their credit in 6 months.’ That subscriber needs a solution NOW. So let’s give it to them. If it’s a topic that gets them on the road to success TODAY then people will signup for it.
• The higher the monetary value of the bonus, the more people will want it. So if you have an eBook and a video as a package deal, more web visitors will download it. If you give away an event ticket or teleseminar call series – since a higher value – more will download (Note: These two ideas are more if you have an opportunity to give a bonus away during a book launch or product launch).
• As you create your product, always be thinking, “How can I make this so good that it goes viral?” I want people to share my eBook with as many people as possible! I don’t even care if they signup for it! If I produce a high-quality product that is of great value to others, I know they’ll come back to me anyway. They will come and check out my website, signup for my mailing list to get more great training, hire me for website development or social media branding, etc. I’d love nothing more than people to think my product is so good they send an email out to 100 people saying “Here, thought this could be a useful resource for you.” Goosebumps! Since we’re on the topic, a great read is, “6 Ways to Make Your Video Go Viral.”
• Always, always, always, always, always, always(!) end with a “call to action” by suggesting to the reader or viewer what to do next. Offer a discount on becoming a member, invite them to join a free teleseminar call, ask them to follow you on social networks, etc. Tell people what you want them to do with this material or next in general.

So what do you think, some good tips in here? Did it get you to evaluate your online marketing efforts and make a decision to step up your game? I bet it did and that rocks!

If you thought this article was helpful, I would love to hear your feedback and help me share it on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. If you are interested in writing for InsightfulDevelopment.com, click here to learn about out Guest Writing program.

If you do not have a YouTube account, then first, I need to urge you to get on this wagon by setting up an account and taking the video plunge today.

If you do have a YouTube account, you must, must get it branded, otherwise you are literally wasting the opportunity. Every single time someone views your video, they should be staring at your website URL, photo, logo, tagline – or testimonials, a service list – anything that will drive people back to your website to learn more about what your message is.

See below for my YouTube background and examples of a recent YouTube channel backgrounds we designed: (click to zoom)

What does the new Timeline look like?

What is the greatest addition for Facebook pages?
The Facebook Cover is by far the greatest because we now have an 815px X 310px header that sits at the top of our page which we can use to further our brand messaging!

Get Your Facebook Page Timeline Cover Header Designed »

Important! There are some critical points of information to note about the Timeline for Pages. Some include:

• Facebook no longer allows you to set a default landing tab for your business page.
• Your Facebook Cover can not be a space to promote any call to action (including your URL or free product offer – don’t worry, our covers will still promote you and your brand in a very effective way).
• Between milestone images, your apps bar and offer ads, businesses will have much more freedom to effectively promote their products and services (yay!). See the resources links below to read up on these additions.

I encourage you to take a half hour and fully read up on the do’s and dont’s for this exciting new change. If you’d like to get a head start and get my help in setting up your new Facebook Timeline for your company page you can view our social branding packages or contact me for support.

Resources to Read:

• The Complete Guide to Setting Up the New Facebook Page Design
• Interactive Course on Facebook Timleline for Pages
• Facebook Timeline Complete Guide

• Do you feel clueless about social media? Questions come up such as, “What do I say on Facebook?”, “Is this really as important as people say?”, “Which social networks are the best to be on and why?”
• Are you curious how to maximize social media interaction on your website so more web visitors share and like your content?
• Have you considered the powers of branding your social networks to drive all that traffic back to your website?

Don’t worry, most online business owners share this frustration and confusion. Today my goal is to help you build a sturdy bridge so a steady stream of people flows between your website and social media touch-points. The goal is to maximize ease for people to join your social networks from your website AND to find your website while visiting your social networks.

HOT OFF THE PRESS, I’d like to invite you to download my new eBook, “Share My Message! 7 Key Steps to Social Media Integration”
FOR FREE!

This 23-page eBook has two parts. The first talks all about what you need to do on your website to get more likes and shares for your content. Learn the resources and tools I use in my business! Also how to gain a much bigger following on your social networks – all without visitors leaving your website.

The second part of “Share My Message!” is all about social media branding. Learn how to brand your Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts so you drive ALL that social networking traffic back to your website (where you can next get them to opt-in to your mailing list and buy products or services from you).

What People Are Saying:

Thank you SO MUCH for all your AMAZING, HELPFUL INFORMATION! I am a new website owner and I am LOST when it comes to the social media angle–even with a personal coach. There is such a MASSIVE amount of information, decisions to make, TIME involved–at least 300 hours so far for me!  I will DEFINITELY be checking with you for more ideas on how you may be able to assist me! Thank you, again, for all the free information you have already provided to me!
Lisa

Amber– I had a chance to read your ebook. It’s fabulous…really. I read it from my perspective which is someone who really wants to learn the best ways to maximize my online presence using my website and other social media tools. This book is chock full of juicy nuggets that are immediately useable for integrating social media, and you explain it so well (a talent for this topic). Really liked the look and feel of the book…worked really well with the subject matter.
Great job for someone who continues to be blazing along and making a difference for people.
Take care,
Terry

Register in the right sidebar!

To download your copy today,please fill out the short form in the right sidebar, blue box. This registration will also allow you to join my emailing list – but don’t worry, you can unsubscribe at any time.

After registering, you will immediately get an email with a link to download “Share My Message!”

You’ll want to take action now so you don’t feel continue to feel behind. It’s time to take action in your business and make success happen.

This isn’t one of those resources that you should read when you get around to it. A lot of very valuable information has been shared and it is truly my pleasure.

I would love to hear your feedback on this eGuide by filling out the Facebook comment box below. Also, please feel open to share this guide with anyone whom you think can benefit.

Thank you for your support and interest!

Brendon Burchard is right when he says people are uncomfortable talking about making money – especially off their message. They WANT to do it and NEED to do it, but they’re uncomfortable talking about it. I am too, but it’s natural and necessary. We need to put income in our pockets to sustain the message.

One way to “make money more quickly” online is with promotional partners. This can be an affiliate who registers to *sell your product for a commission*. A promotional partner can also be someone you joint venture with where you combine forces to sell a product or service – anyone that has an audience, that aligns with your message, that can help promote you. Collaboration is KEY and there are a few things you need to be educated about to make the most out of gaining these promo partners.

I’m laying out these insights below under the assumption that you are to do one of two things:

1. You have a product you want others to sell and once it’s ready, you’ll ask people to support you. (affiliate)
2. You have an IDEA for a product and you are going to invite someone to partner with you to make it a success. (jv partner, joint venture partner)

Insight #1 about Promotional Partners: Make the Product (or Idea) Count

You can’t just create a product in day then expect people with big email lists to want to promote it. I know that I will only ever tell my audience about something that I truly believe in and know would make a positive impact. Spend the time to make the product the best you can – insane value and professionally packaged. If you want to collaborate and build a product with a partner instead, then do your research and flush out your ideas first, THEN approach your desired jv partner. Show your promotional partners how badly you want this, and how much you deserve their help.

Insight #2 about Promotional Partners: Your Message must Align with Theirs

If my whole business is about generating income off of Google AdWords and you are offering meditation CDs, we are not in alignment with each other’s messages. You could approach me because I have a loyal and big email list to promote to, but I still wouldn’t promote you because your CDs don’t align with my message. It’s important to connect with industry leaders that can relate to what you are promoting. It must align naturally with their products and services and message.

Insight #3 about Promotional Partners: How to Ask?

This is the biggest question I get and the answer is mostly, “Just Ask!” … but there’s a touch more to it. First, know this will be a numbers game like anything else. You can’t target one person to help and if they say no, you give up. Make a list of 50 people that might align with your message and product (idea). Then do your due diligence and see the way they speak to their audience – what are their key points – how do they ask for the order with their audience (soft, hard, etc.). Then use that information to your benefit and create a strategy around it. Email the potential promo partner and follow this type of sequence:

• Compliment them and let them know why you are excited about what they’re doing
• Explain that the more you read and researched them, the more you felt in alignment with their message
• Briefly explain who you are and what your message is
• Unveil your product or product idea
• Ask for the order in a way that is mutually beneficial: “I think that if we work together we can get our message out there in a bigger way and help more people. Can we setup a time to discuss my ideas?”

The whole email should NOT be long. You’ll have to work on refining your message so it’s short, concise and to the point (not in a pitchy way but in a super genuine, want-to-help-the-world way).

Insight #4 about Promotional Partners: How Much Is Too Much?

We are all extremely busy. When you look at the people you target, expect them to be 2-5 times busier than you. They have been building their empire, they have dozens of products, tons of people contacting them all the time. They will not be excited to do MORE work just because you need help and have a nice message. You want to make it as EASY as possible for them to help you. For example, one key to success for an Amazon Bestseller Book Campaign is to write ALL marketing materials for the promotional partners so they just have to copy/paste on the book launch date. We write multiple emails, dozens of Facebook posts and Twitter tweets, etc. We want to make it super easy for people to share our message and then our chances for success increase!

Promotional partners IS the way to do business this year. I’m telling you… Promo partners and guest blogging (more to come later) should be a constant priority for you. Above Facebook – above it all. This is the way to MUCH faster results.

Your Challenge:

Start today by doing 1-hour of research online. Open an excel spreadsheet and start keeping a record of interesting websites that could be potential avenues for you. Look at how often the website owner is blogging, how active are they on social networks, are they consistently building their business, do they have great testimonials, etc. Just keep making record of all the websites that are in alignment with you and look to be doing things right. Then the next time you can carve out an hour (ahem, make this a priority) you’ll go back into each site and study the website owner even more to carve out their message and see what their interests are. You’ll basically just keep building your case until you’re ready to take action and ask for the order.

Today is the day though… it’s time to take action!

If you thought this article was helpful, I would love to hear your feedback and help me share it on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. If you are interested in writing for InsightfulDevelopment.com, click here to learn about out Guest Writing program.

I’ll let the quality and beauty speak for itself:

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JOIN US in Tucson this upcoming weekend at Lambert and LaCanada! (view details)

* FREE product giveaway
* Donations to Charity based on sales
* Meet the artist, Sharon Ludwig

Outside of Tucson? Contact Sharon to place your Valentine’s Day gift order today.

Dates: February 4th & 5th
Times: 9am – 4pm
Location: 10325 La Canada, Oro Valley, AZ

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Help us get the word out about these awesome products by clicking the share buttons and the top of bottom of this post! Thank you SO much in advance for your support!

But at the end of the day, the week, the month… does your value and expertise get transformed into a product your audience can buy? Are you consistently adding new products to continue having a stream of income to turn a profit in your business?

The nerve-wracking thing about the online world is that there are SO MANY DISTRACTIONS. You know you need to be on Facebook so you go spend a lot of time on Facebook (maybe too much? wink). You are getting pulled in every which direction with flashing lights and signs “pay attention to this!” .. “download and learn about this cool new widget you must have” .. “one time only to learn about x, y, z to fuel your business!”

There’s just so many distractions. But, at the end of the day you need to turn a profit. You must – otherwise this isn’t much of a “business” for you, right?

So my advice is to FOCUS on developing product and generating traffic back to your website. Today’s topic is on product development and a few key tips to make the idea turn into a reality.

Step 1 to Create a Product: Brainstorm.

Shut off the computer, take out a piece of paper and brainstorm your product idea until you are out of juice. I’ll do this a few times usually. If I have a product idea to create a home study course on how to maximize social media, I need to strongly consider all moving parts, all talking points, all visual aids, all examples, etc. I don’t make it a perfect process. I allow my mind to jump from idea to idea so that I just get it all out in a barnstorming frenzy!

Step 2 to Create a Product: Create the Outline.

Next, block out time for creating a product outline. You would block out time for a call with a potential client, right? So WHY NOT block out an hour to develop a product that could be worth more than ten or twenty clients? We must realize what our “money making” to-do’s are and make time for them. I would take out a clean piece of paper (or you can do this on your computer as long as you don’t take a detour to email or Facebook during this time – busted!). Then take out your brainstorming notes and rewrite them, separating your thoughts into categories. Then take your categories and organize them into a natural flow (A to Z) of this topic.

For example, if I was creating the home study course on how to maximize social media, I would start my outline with a category of “What is Social Media?” then a natural transition would be “Getting Started with Social Media and Account Setup” >> “How to Strategically Post Content and Gain Followers” >> “Turning Social Hour into a Marketing Channel” >> “Advanced Learning Tips for Advanced Users” (or something like that).

Once you have your main categories that is the foundation for your outline! Write quick points to cover beneath each category and now your outline is much more complete. This gives you the CONFIDENCE to keep going and finish the product.

Step 3 to Create a Product: Momentum is Key.

I know many, many entrepreneurs who have dozens of “half finished” products laying around. The excitement and incentive was strong in the beginning of the creative process, but half-way through it started to seem like a lot of work, or the business owner was running out of time. Putting it off one day turned into one week which turned into never. Think of product development like working out. You can’t just start, stop and expect to get the motivation back “next week”. You gotta keep going if you want to hit your goal!

I would suggest blocking of a realistic amount of time a few times a week. How about 1-hour, 3 times a week. If you can do more, great! But I think half the reason people don’t achieve their goals is because they set these crazy goals which creates a ton of pressure. People say I’m going to get this product done in 1 week! Even if it was one month that’s better than never finalizing the product because you got burnt out and quit. Take your time and get it done right. Create “block time” to keep the momentum up and get that sucker done!

Step 4 to Create a Product: Make it Professional.

Nothing is worse than when someone hypes up a product and it looks like the creator made it in Microsoft Word in 30 minutes. People want real value so they can make better progress, faster. The best thing you can do to make even more of a profit and to provide a better product for your audience is to get your product professionally formatted and designed. For example, if you create an eBook, you can add a neat font, headings, a cover page that is beautifully designed and more. When someone buys your product and sees that you took this one extra step, they will be more likely to share it with their friends (which you want!) and come back as a repeat customer.

Make this year all about “getting stuff done” and making a profit. You have a message to get out to the world. That message was given only to you through your experiences so that you can help others. We all learn in different ways and there are people in the world RIGHT NOW that are standing by waiting for your message and product. It’s true. So all you gotta do is take action and get ‘er done!

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