Your five best tips for selling knowledge...
September 12, 2014 2:17 AM Subscribe
I know a lot about a particular type of small business. I aim to capitalise on my experience by creating a website that offers free tips and a ebook for purchase by people who would like to enter this business. Some of my motivation is sharing what I've learned, but as my potential readers will also be my potential competition I want to make some money from it too.
Background
Me and the Hugbuddy have been running a successful farm-stay accommodation business in Australia for over five years. I now know A LOT about the operations, marketing and general how-to and economics of running such a business including the multiple aspects of online sales. I am also reasonably tech savvy. I do all our online marketing of course, and develop wordpress websites as a sideline.
I have been having conversations with our state and national tourism data warehouses about the rising number of newcomers to the business, and the percentage of those who lack business experience, marketing, sales and online payment know-how. I can definitely see a opening for an information package that could be sold to those considering the business or those entering the market within my state and national regions.
My ask
What are your five or (more or less) best tips for capitalising on my knowledge? Technical, composition, promotion... anything you got, give it to me.
Background
Me and the Hugbuddy have been running a successful farm-stay accommodation business in Australia for over five years. I now know A LOT about the operations, marketing and general how-to and economics of running such a business including the multiple aspects of online sales. I am also reasonably tech savvy. I do all our online marketing of course, and develop wordpress websites as a sideline.
I have been having conversations with our state and national tourism data warehouses about the rising number of newcomers to the business, and the percentage of those who lack business experience, marketing, sales and online payment know-how. I can definitely see a opening for an information package that could be sold to those considering the business or those entering the market within my state and national regions.
My ask
What are your five or (more or less) best tips for capitalising on my knowledge? Technical, composition, promotion... anything you got, give it to me.
Do you have a website or blog related to the industry? Creating one and posting regularly will help make sure you are noticeable when people search for information on the topic and will help establish you as an authority on the topic.
I like the idea of an information package, but "information package" sounds like something you might expect to get for free. Perhaps brand it as a "Start up kit" that contains information, copies of relevant forms, instructions, templates, etc useful for getting started?
posted by nalyd at 3:46 AM on September 12, 2014
I like the idea of an information package, but "information package" sounds like something you might expect to get for free. Perhaps brand it as a "Start up kit" that contains information, copies of relevant forms, instructions, templates, etc useful for getting started?
posted by nalyd at 3:46 AM on September 12, 2014
I think that other people have to see you as an authority figure in that area for this kind of thing to work. You know "visible in the community".
posted by Aranquis at 4:22 AM on September 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Aranquis at 4:22 AM on September 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: My one tip is to include templates in your ebook. (This has worked on me: The website gave free info on conducting a specific type of workshop session; the paid download included a PowerPoint template to customize and use to guide the workshop. Even though I thought I knew it all pretty well, a template to start with was a real time saver.)
So maybe you include Word templates for booking, receipts, flyers, ads, news releases... a marketing calendar... budgets... you get the idea. I think people would perceive that these tools have value vs free advice. Maybe sell a standard wordpress template and offer services for setup.
posted by evilmomlady at 4:27 AM on September 12, 2014
So maybe you include Word templates for booking, receipts, flyers, ads, news releases... a marketing calendar... budgets... you get the idea. I think people would perceive that these tools have value vs free advice. Maybe sell a standard wordpress template and offer services for setup.
posted by evilmomlady at 4:27 AM on September 12, 2014
Is there any chance you could make more money giving away the ebook for free while selling advertising in it?
posted by XMLicious at 5:31 AM on September 12, 2014
posted by XMLicious at 5:31 AM on September 12, 2014
Best answer: You could set up a website that has some useful information, but not a lot of detail. Then you could offer a paid publication and consulting work to supplement that. This way, you put yourself out there as an expert and provide some free resources, enough so that a beginner would get a lot out of it. But people pay for the really valuable expertise that it would take years to figure out on their own.
Lawyers do this all the time. They'll say, "Here are the five things you need to know about X," and give you a paragraph on each, enough so you get some basics. If you were extremely motivated and knowledgeable, you could take it from there on your own, but most people will need more help and advice. The article will say, "Your situation may be more complicated. You can contact Law Firm X for more advice. We offer the following related services: ..."
Also, you could teach a seminar, or try to partner with the data warehouses to get them to buy and distribute your materials.
posted by chickenmagazine at 5:54 AM on September 12, 2014
Lawyers do this all the time. They'll say, "Here are the five things you need to know about X," and give you a paragraph on each, enough so you get some basics. If you were extremely motivated and knowledgeable, you could take it from there on your own, but most people will need more help and advice. The article will say, "Your situation may be more complicated. You can contact Law Firm X for more advice. We offer the following related services: ..."
Also, you could teach a seminar, or try to partner with the data warehouses to get them to buy and distribute your materials.
posted by chickenmagazine at 5:54 AM on September 12, 2014
They are mostly related to the Programming/Software world, but some of the "consultant" search results from Hacker News might be applicable. The "Ask HN" discussions in particular.
posted by KMB at 5:56 AM on September 12, 2014
posted by KMB at 5:56 AM on September 12, 2014
Best answer: 1. Memorize the term "drip email marketing". Rather than dumping everything you know on a website, use a mailing list service (start with MailChimp if you have no preference) to set up a 5-part email mini-course on running accommodation businesses, that you will send to people when they sign up for your mailing list.
2. Have various different tiers for your products. E.g. a $X ebook, a $3X video course, a $10X online seminar or a $50X in-person consultation
3. Narrow down your niche as far as you can. "Accommodation business" is probably too broad, "Farm-stay accommodation business" might be perfect. You need your readers/customers to know that the stuff you're talking about is aimed laser-focus directly at people like them.
4. Writing copy for this kind of thing is hard; start getting practise, or getting better, if you're not good at it already.
5. If there's any way that you can get up on a stage in front of your potential customers (i.e. people who are starting up accommodation businesses), do it (maybe get the tourism organizations you mention to put on a workshop, and volunteer to talk?). Being on a stage and telling people what you know is an incredibly efficient way to position yourself as an authority on a subject.
posted by primer_dimer at 4:46 AM on September 15, 2014
2. Have various different tiers for your products. E.g. a $X ebook, a $3X video course, a $10X online seminar or a $50X in-person consultation
3. Narrow down your niche as far as you can. "Accommodation business" is probably too broad, "Farm-stay accommodation business" might be perfect. You need your readers/customers to know that the stuff you're talking about is aimed laser-focus directly at people like them.
4. Writing copy for this kind of thing is hard; start getting practise, or getting better, if you're not good at it already.
5. If there's any way that you can get up on a stage in front of your potential customers (i.e. people who are starting up accommodation businesses), do it (maybe get the tourism organizations you mention to put on a workshop, and volunteer to talk?). Being on a stage and telling people what you know is an incredibly efficient way to position yourself as an authority on a subject.
posted by primer_dimer at 4:46 AM on September 15, 2014
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My experience (not in your market) is that people who are completely new to a business usually think they know it all, so you might need some very cunning marketing to persuade them that using a purely information-based service will be cost effective for them.
posted by emilyw at 2:39 AM on September 12, 2014 [1 favorite]