I was allowing my mind to wander creatively a few moments ago and I started dwelling on this thought.

No matter what you’re selling, your business is only as good as your marketing.

Ain’t that the truth?

(I don’t claim credit for that idea, by the way. I just don’t remember who I heard it from and exactly how they put it.)

I mean, you can have the cure for cancer and if you don’t tell anybody about it, it’s no help to them is it? Ok, no fair - with a revolutionary product or service like a cure for cancer word of mouth would kick in and then the media would be banging on your door.

Thing is if your product is not revolutionary like that, you’ll need to be a leetle bit more agressive in getting the word out, but that’s just the way it is.

Have a great product for sure, but everyone has a great product don’t they?

Your product has more features? Ok. But I’m sure there are a lot of people who will be happy with my product that has less features just because I was able to get to them and tell them about it in appealing way - and convince them why having less features is better.

:-)

Suppose instead of starting with a great product, you are the mercenary type and just need to make some money.

This is how it boils down… (I’ve had it drummed into my head so much recently, I’m actually beginning to do it!)

Find a market that you know is spending money on stuff.

Sell them the stuff. Better stuff than what the competitors have if possible.

Anyone can get a product or access to a product. My favourites? Check out Clickbank for information products you can sell and Cognigen for telecom products and services.

Spend the bulk of the energy you put into your business just getting those products out there in front of their market. Now, learning to sell once you’re tapping into that market? That’s a whole ‘nother story.

KISS

I just observed another example of a technique I first observed being done by Matt Bacak.

This is what Matt did. He released a hard copy book to the public - The Ultimate Lead Generation Plan - You can pick it up from Amazon.

That book has a companion website, http://theultimateleadgenerationplan.com/ at which Matt offers $52,127.00 in bonuses for signing up at the website.

Can you imagine that? $52,127.00 in bonuses? For a book that costs less than $20? Can you say - massive lead generation?

The truth is, while a lot of the bonuses are of little value to me, there are some very good ones that I took advantage of. (Like Jim Edwards’ The Lazy Man’s Guide To Online Business) Some of the bonuses come with a little price - your email address, but that’s no biggie - I’m sure the unsubscribe links will work if you don’t find value in being on a given list.

Something else that this promotion brought to the fore was the ease with which you may be able to create a product.

Matt’s book (and companion CD) have actually been around for a while - in the form of an MP3. I just can’t remember where I picked up the MP3 but I know I had it for a while.

So this new product is that MP3 converted to CD audio, plus it was transcribed and edited into a physical book. Doesn’t diminish the value - just smart.

It really got me thinking. I have done a few speeches myself and have the audio - think I’ll dig them out and see what I can develop.

But I started this post out by saying that I just say another example of this technique… I haven’t bought this book yet, but I think I will, after all - more than $13,500 in bonuses is a pretty sweet deal.

;-)

Should I have said that? Well it sort of highlights the question, does it matter if people buy the book first because of the books inherent value or, rather, buy it because of the bribes?

Anyway, It’s a Joe Vitale promotion - Check out the Life’s Missing Manual bribe as well as Joe’s blog where he talks about the promotion.

By the way… I haven’t read the book yet, so it’s not an endorsement. My ideas of spirituality are different. But that’s not the point. Study the marketing.