Publishing Vacuums in Niche Industry Perhaps you have observed a unique need or product that has not been provided as I had those few short years ago.
Maybe like me, you notice that there is a lack of information, study programs, or guidance within a particular area.
You might even have the answer inside of you that will help people get to where they need to be or reach some sort of professional or personal goal.
That all depends on whether or not you meet an important step; to become recognized as an expert so that people will come to you for that answer.
As I had discovered in my profession, there is a system in place; meet the pre-requisites, register, take and pass the certification exam.
However, the void was huge in the confidence building for potential candidates and marketing to those candidates.
Some professional organizations have tremendous programs to help others become certified, but this certification was new and virtually just getting off the ground.
I had finally found a way to "fit in" and help.
Getting Started
Forcing a product where a need doesn't exist or trying to fill a gap where you don't have expertise will make your task terribly daunting.
Filling the vacuum with products that people want and will pay for should be a natural occurrence.
The product should be easily recognizable and create a eureka moment when your target audience finds it.
I Want You to Get the Desired Response When people find you or your product, they should rave.
Comments, recommendations and praise will probably contain some of the following phrases: "I was wondering when this would be available.
" "I'm surprised I hadn't heard about it earlier.
" "I can't wait to get mine.
" "Why doesn't ________ (enter name of professional organization or influencer ) endorse this product?" "Why have we not heard about this before?" These responses are real and have not been coerced, just a natural response of the discovery of long awaited products.
I'll show you how to purposefully create and market your product for your audience to discover.
I Want You to Become a Grateful Teacher As you work to discover how to meet the need, prepare to become a teacher.
This could mean anything from teaching night school, seminars, guest speaking, writing articles and other areas to gain influence and earn respect as an expert.
As you work on your plan, write your book and begin marketing.
Discover the needs your potential audience might have.
Primarily you will need to answer the question about yourself that others might ask; "Who is ______ and why should we listen to them?" As you rise in popularity as an adviser, expert, consultant or however you view your position, people will question your motivation, motives, knowledge base and expertise.
Be prepared answer these questions with confidence.
For example, as I began to sell more books, some people in the profession began to take notice of what I was doing.
Industry leaders asked whether or not my products were endorsed by the professional organization.
Others asked about my experience and what gave me the authority to write the books I write.
Be prepared to welcome those questions with enthusiasm.
Your positive and welcoming attitude creates opportunities to sell your product.
When people ask questions, it's only because they need good answers before entrusting or allowing you to be their advisor.
Be thankful for these objections, because many more people will pass you by without even asking.
They may just assume that you either are or are not qualified and not be willing to emotionally commit to your product.
Being fortunate enough to answer the questions, will allow a chance to defend your position.
You will also be able to speak to the benefits of your potential customer giving permission for you to share your experience and your product.
Additionally, when they buy into your teachings, they will recommend you to their colleagues.
Always look for ways to make allies during the most strenuous of situations.
There are too many professionals who become easily insulted when their credentials are called into question.
Don't become one of those.
I know of one occasion where a client asked a professional organization representative why they should be certified.
The representative became indignant and flustered that someone would ask such a question.
They moved on without even encouraging the client to become certified.
Their pride had overcome their mission; to get people professionally certified.
As a teacher, you should establish credibility and be able to defend that credibility with the emotional ties to your clients.
Then you clients will allow you to take them on the journey.
I Want You to Market at the Right Place and Time Traditional marketing may or may not work when operating in a niche environment.
Because of the limited audience, marketing efforts should be targeted and intense.
Your market may or may not have open lines of communication, you may not be able to define your audience demographically, you may not have easy access to a combined or complete mailing list and you may not be able to blast advertisement to the precise people who need to see it.
Professional organizations may be too small for large marketing organizations to be able to spend time and money to reach, and may be too expensive for the return on investment.
They are used to dealing with broader topics and having mailings lists that can be used for different applications.
In that case, don't employ these marketing organizations; you may have more fun creating your own marketing opportunities.
For example, they may have a list to reach a certain demographic.
That demographic is willing to buy cars, books, music, televisions and etc.
However, finding a specific customer base that wants to learn how to protect sensitive products, study the secrets of snails, or the fine art of making egg jewelry is going to be extremely difficult.
Your expensive marketing campaign may reach 100,000, 500,000 or 500,000,000 depending on how much you invest, but are you sure they are going to reach the 3000 decision makers in your niche market? If you do get a purchase response, does your demographic audience have the purchasing power to allow you to recapture your expense? Probably not and you've just invested time and money on hope; not a good business strategy.
I'll show you how to target your search and get your message to those who need it.
I Want You to Write Your Book Books are an excellent and inexpensive way to reach your target.
Whether or not you want a career as a writer, or you want to launch your products through writing, your book will launch you.
Readers regard authors as experts.
Anytime an author writes, is quoted, or publishes, people tend to lend credibility.
The pen is mighty and powerful in launching careers and products.
Your book could be about you, your product or solely your message.
Whatever the subject matter, the book should highlight your expertise in an area, your message and any related products.
Why write a book? Some of the following purposes may help you find the answer:
I wrote my book ISP Certification-The Industrial Security Professional Exam Manual because I had passed a test that many others feared to take.
Our field has well over 10,000 eligible professionals, but only a few hundred were certified at the time.
I wanted to demonstrate to others that though they may already have the required experience and know how, I could lead them to the hurdle the confidence obstacle.
I wanted to take the mystery out of how to study for and take the examination and instill confidence that moved professionals to certify.
What's your message? Do you have a burning desire to instill confidence? Do you want something changed and are able to articulate the path to change? Can you help someone improve their professional standing? If so, you may be ready to write and publish The Book on (your subject here).
Later we'll show you exactly how to do that.
I Want You to Create Spinoff Products Your book doesn't have to be the only product.
In fact, a book may be the door to more business.
Follow-on books, products, training programs, speaking engagement, consulting and other opportunities may abound from your book.
These products may already exist before the book.
In that case, your book may open up your market.
Spinoff products should be a natural flow or progression.
They should develop out of a relationship between you, your product, marketing and your audience.
The flow doesn't necessarily have to be in that order, but the relationship should be easy enough for you and the customer both to ask, "What's next?" When you develop products, you and the customers may experience yet another eureka moment.
The good thing about this relationship is that unless your product crosses other niche boundaries, you may not need to do any additional marketing.
Your book marketing will help you sell your spinoff products.
As you market your books, include the catalog of other products or at least the internet location of your store.
Your product store or listings could mention "from the author of _____.
" Hopefully as you continue to read this book, you'll be thinking of this symbiotic marketing strategy and not only find ideas for books, but also for some of the likely spinoff products that may result from your book.
In fact, if your products existed before your book, they may provide anecdotes or other success stories of how you or your products have helped people in the industry.
Maybe like me, you notice that there is a lack of information, study programs, or guidance within a particular area.
You might even have the answer inside of you that will help people get to where they need to be or reach some sort of professional or personal goal.
That all depends on whether or not you meet an important step; to become recognized as an expert so that people will come to you for that answer.
As I had discovered in my profession, there is a system in place; meet the pre-requisites, register, take and pass the certification exam.
However, the void was huge in the confidence building for potential candidates and marketing to those candidates.
Some professional organizations have tremendous programs to help others become certified, but this certification was new and virtually just getting off the ground.
I had finally found a way to "fit in" and help.
Getting Started
- Begin by asking yourself the following questions:
- What is lacking?
- How can I help?
- Will others be able to understand the plan?
- Will others be willing to pay for this knowledge?
- Is there anything that I can offer for free to help build credibility (become "go to" person)?
- What are some concrete ways that I can get my message out (this book will help you find those ways)?
Forcing a product where a need doesn't exist or trying to fill a gap where you don't have expertise will make your task terribly daunting.
Filling the vacuum with products that people want and will pay for should be a natural occurrence.
The product should be easily recognizable and create a eureka moment when your target audience finds it.
I Want You to Get the Desired Response When people find you or your product, they should rave.
Comments, recommendations and praise will probably contain some of the following phrases: "I was wondering when this would be available.
" "I'm surprised I hadn't heard about it earlier.
" "I can't wait to get mine.
" "Why doesn't ________ (enter name of professional organization or influencer ) endorse this product?" "Why have we not heard about this before?" These responses are real and have not been coerced, just a natural response of the discovery of long awaited products.
I'll show you how to purposefully create and market your product for your audience to discover.
I Want You to Become a Grateful Teacher As you work to discover how to meet the need, prepare to become a teacher.
This could mean anything from teaching night school, seminars, guest speaking, writing articles and other areas to gain influence and earn respect as an expert.
As you work on your plan, write your book and begin marketing.
Discover the needs your potential audience might have.
Primarily you will need to answer the question about yourself that others might ask; "Who is ______ and why should we listen to them?" As you rise in popularity as an adviser, expert, consultant or however you view your position, people will question your motivation, motives, knowledge base and expertise.
Be prepared answer these questions with confidence.
For example, as I began to sell more books, some people in the profession began to take notice of what I was doing.
Industry leaders asked whether or not my products were endorsed by the professional organization.
Others asked about my experience and what gave me the authority to write the books I write.
Be prepared to welcome those questions with enthusiasm.
Your positive and welcoming attitude creates opportunities to sell your product.
When people ask questions, it's only because they need good answers before entrusting or allowing you to be their advisor.
Be thankful for these objections, because many more people will pass you by without even asking.
They may just assume that you either are or are not qualified and not be willing to emotionally commit to your product.
Being fortunate enough to answer the questions, will allow a chance to defend your position.
You will also be able to speak to the benefits of your potential customer giving permission for you to share your experience and your product.
Additionally, when they buy into your teachings, they will recommend you to their colleagues.
Always look for ways to make allies during the most strenuous of situations.
There are too many professionals who become easily insulted when their credentials are called into question.
Don't become one of those.
I know of one occasion where a client asked a professional organization representative why they should be certified.
The representative became indignant and flustered that someone would ask such a question.
They moved on without even encouraging the client to become certified.
Their pride had overcome their mission; to get people professionally certified.
As a teacher, you should establish credibility and be able to defend that credibility with the emotional ties to your clients.
Then you clients will allow you to take them on the journey.
I Want You to Market at the Right Place and Time Traditional marketing may or may not work when operating in a niche environment.
Because of the limited audience, marketing efforts should be targeted and intense.
Your market may or may not have open lines of communication, you may not be able to define your audience demographically, you may not have easy access to a combined or complete mailing list and you may not be able to blast advertisement to the precise people who need to see it.
Professional organizations may be too small for large marketing organizations to be able to spend time and money to reach, and may be too expensive for the return on investment.
They are used to dealing with broader topics and having mailings lists that can be used for different applications.
In that case, don't employ these marketing organizations; you may have more fun creating your own marketing opportunities.
For example, they may have a list to reach a certain demographic.
That demographic is willing to buy cars, books, music, televisions and etc.
However, finding a specific customer base that wants to learn how to protect sensitive products, study the secrets of snails, or the fine art of making egg jewelry is going to be extremely difficult.
Your expensive marketing campaign may reach 100,000, 500,000 or 500,000,000 depending on how much you invest, but are you sure they are going to reach the 3000 decision makers in your niche market? If you do get a purchase response, does your demographic audience have the purchasing power to allow you to recapture your expense? Probably not and you've just invested time and money on hope; not a good business strategy.
I'll show you how to target your search and get your message to those who need it.
I Want You to Write Your Book Books are an excellent and inexpensive way to reach your target.
Whether or not you want a career as a writer, or you want to launch your products through writing, your book will launch you.
Readers regard authors as experts.
Anytime an author writes, is quoted, or publishes, people tend to lend credibility.
The pen is mighty and powerful in launching careers and products.
Your book could be about you, your product or solely your message.
Whatever the subject matter, the book should highlight your expertise in an area, your message and any related products.
Why write a book? Some of the following purposes may help you find the answer:
- You have a message no one else has made known.
- You are an expert in a field where no books exist (highly possible in a niche).
- You know how to do something that you wish everyone else in the niche could do.
- You want to build instant credibility.
- You want to change an industry practice.
I wrote my book ISP Certification-The Industrial Security Professional Exam Manual because I had passed a test that many others feared to take.
Our field has well over 10,000 eligible professionals, but only a few hundred were certified at the time.
I wanted to demonstrate to others that though they may already have the required experience and know how, I could lead them to the hurdle the confidence obstacle.
I wanted to take the mystery out of how to study for and take the examination and instill confidence that moved professionals to certify.
What's your message? Do you have a burning desire to instill confidence? Do you want something changed and are able to articulate the path to change? Can you help someone improve their professional standing? If so, you may be ready to write and publish The Book on (your subject here).
Later we'll show you exactly how to do that.
I Want You to Create Spinoff Products Your book doesn't have to be the only product.
In fact, a book may be the door to more business.
Follow-on books, products, training programs, speaking engagement, consulting and other opportunities may abound from your book.
These products may already exist before the book.
In that case, your book may open up your market.
Spinoff products should be a natural flow or progression.
They should develop out of a relationship between you, your product, marketing and your audience.
The flow doesn't necessarily have to be in that order, but the relationship should be easy enough for you and the customer both to ask, "What's next?" When you develop products, you and the customers may experience yet another eureka moment.
The good thing about this relationship is that unless your product crosses other niche boundaries, you may not need to do any additional marketing.
Your book marketing will help you sell your spinoff products.
As you market your books, include the catalog of other products or at least the internet location of your store.
Your product store or listings could mention "from the author of _____.
" Hopefully as you continue to read this book, you'll be thinking of this symbiotic marketing strategy and not only find ideas for books, but also for some of the likely spinoff products that may result from your book.
In fact, if your products existed before your book, they may provide anecdotes or other success stories of how you or your products have helped people in the industry.
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