Waaaaaaay back in 1993 I created my first product to sell through direct mail. It was a Bible study “slide-rule” for teens. Most likely I will do a little video about that this month.

Here are some ideas to help you along the way:

1. Keep a notebook and pen around all the time. Inspiration can come from anything at any time.

2. Don’t edit your ideas for products. What seems crazy today may make a lot of sense tomorrow.

3. Begin your search for ideas with your hobbies. There is a good chance you could come up with at least ten good ideas for each hobby.

4. Consider your past employment. What did you do and what aspects of your experience could make good copy for an information product?

5. Look around your neighborhood. All sorts of ideas on landscaping, housing, fashion, and even mundane things like lawn ornaments may bubble to the top.

6. Consider your family’s hobbies and interests. There may be something there that could be used to develop a great product.

7. Read a newspaper. Current events could trigger an idea that is both timely and likely to attract attention.

8. Visit the library. Perusing through the shelves might yield something that would make a great product offering.

9. Find a niche. Look for something that is a little unique and will meet the needs of a consumer sector that is being overlooked.

10. Watch television (but not too much!). Those infomercials might give you some ideas.

11. Listen to the radio. Listener comments on the call-ins, as well as the audio advertising, might yield some great ideas for informational products.

12. Ask questions. If you have an idea of what type of product people would like to see, you may find a way to turn that want into a reality.

13. Do your research. Begin by looking at other information products currently online and what they are all about.

14. Browse the Internet. Find out what people are searching for most often and develop some product ideas that would meet their needs.

15. Do some keyword searches. This will help you when the time comes to develop your web copy to advertise your product, as well as help shape the product itself.

16. Find a product that sells well and figure out how to make a new one that does the same thing, only better.

17. Consider combining two good product ideas in order to create one great one.

18. Make sure each product on your list of potentials identifies a problem.

19. Also make sure each product idea on your list solves a problem.

20. Ask yourself if the problem and the solution are within your ability to manage successfully.

21. Take your now full notebook and extract five ideas that you are excited about.

22. Research those five ideas in more detail, especially in terms of salability.

23. Ask yourself the five basic questions related to all informational products: what, who, why, when, and how.

24. What is the product all about?

25. Who is likely to buy it?

26. Why would they buy it instead of another product?

27. When will the product be bought?

28. How can a customer buy the product with as little fuss as possible?

29. Consider the format for your product. Will it be in the form of an ebook, a video, or some combination of the two?

30. If an ebook, what type of file will you go with? Use a format, such as a pdf, that everyone can manage with equal ease.

31. If a video, also make sure the product is in a format that works with all major video software types.

32. If a combination of the two, make sure the video and the text of the ebook fit together seamlessly and do not contradict one another.

33. If you have trouble developing your own product from scratch, consider becoming an affiliate.

34. If possible, get the product private branded so you can sell it under your own company name.

35. Obtain master resell rights as part of your process for selling a previously developed product.

36. Combine two acquired products into one easy package, giving what is old a new look.

37. Find your markets. Use your social networking sites, browser searches, and simple word of mouth to figure out who would be interested in the product.

38. Use terms that people can understand with ease. Stay away from too many industry terms.

39. Explain the technical terms you do use in everyday English.

40. Look for informational products that have passed into the public domain. If you find something promising, rework it into your own product and design a new package.

41. For new products to add to your line, turn to your existing customers for suggestions.

42. Set up a page on your web site and ask for suggestions of what people would like to see in the way of a product.

43. Test-drive your informational product. Once it is complete, try it out for yourself, to make sure it does what it is supposed to do.

44. Have a friend test drive the product. Your friend might spot something that would refine the product and increase sales once it is released.

45. Set up a test group – possibly past customers, or just a few people who do not know you or your products. The feedback could prevent you from overlooking something important.

46. Make the product as user friendly as possible. This not only means a format that can opened with ease, but also a file that can be downloaded easily, even on a slow connection.

47. Create support products that will help point toward your main product.

48. Set the product aside for a few days, then take a second look. If everything is in order, then release it.

49. Keep it simple – the less complicated your product is, the more appealing it will be to more customers.

50. Get to market. Almost everyone sits on their product too long.

Success is NOT an Accident,
Paul