Information Product Quality

Information products can take many shapes. From written documents, including e-books, ezines, user manuals and research reports, to audio/visual media, such as web casts, pod casts, mp3 downloads and webinars. So are some better than others? Well, the answer to that question depends on what the focus of the information product is.

If your information product is providing information for writers, a well-written e-book may make most sense. However, if you are providing information on effective public speaking methods, a pod cast or YouTube video is more appropriate.

No single information product is superior to other forms. But there are important factors to consider when deciding which type of information product to create for your specific target market:

1. What is your topic? As previously noted, if you are providing information on something obviously related to a particular type of information product (i.e. using YouTube, writing e-books, or developing webinars) then it would make most sense to utilize that particular form of information to also deliver your message. However, most information products won’t fit so nicely into one of these categories. In this case, you will have to take additional factors into consideration, like whom are you trying to reach? How long should your message be? Overall, you must decide what is the best way to not only provide valuable information, but do so in a way that makes people want to buy it.

2. Who is your audience? Your target market should always be the most important consideration when creating your information products. They are, after all, the means to an end, with that end being profit. If you know your target market is more likely to download a video than read an e-book, then by all means, create the video. You will have to rely on common sense coupled with intensive market research to ensure you are creating the right information product for whom you are trying to reach.

3. What are you most familiar with? Your information products will only be as successful in sales as they are in creation. In other words, if you aren’t comfortable with creating a video, don’t. If you aren’t confident in your writing ability, develop a webinar. But by all means, do not create an information product using a form of media that you aren’t familiar with. Your lack of expertise will be very apparent. On the flip side, if you create an information product using an outlet you are comfortable with, then your customers will notice that as well – and be more likely to take your advice.

Always be careful to diversify your information products, no matter how much you prefer one type over another. That doesn’t mean you should ignore your comfort zone, but only stay in your comfort zone for as long as it takes you to become familiar with something else. In order to stay ahead of the game, continue to educate yourself on the various options available to you because the sooner you do, the more opportunity you will have to reach additional customers and sell your products.