Author Archive

I “wrote” the previous post titled, “Sell Quality and the Price Won’t Matter” to demonstrate a powerful method for using Public Domain content the right way…one of many “right” ways! You see, I didn’t write the article…I re-wrote it. It’s an excerpt from chapter one of a book I downloaded from Google Books that was published in 1922. I copied the text right out of Google using their “Plain text” feature and then pasted it into Microsoft Word. I went through the text and highlighted the “power points” of the chapter and compiled them into a new Word document and then started re-writing the new paragraphs into a cohesive article. You can see the original chapter with the sentences I used (bolded and in red) HERE. The whole process took me about half an hour, if that.

I wanted to present this quick Case Study to make the point that this strategy can be used in many forms and ways to create new, hybrid articles, blog posts and products. And YES, even by YOU! So what are you waiting for?! Get to it!

PS: I want to add that I could just as easily taken those SAME highlighted sentences and created PowerPoint slides with them and then taught a webinar or created a Camtasia video with them. THEN I would have a video, audio, transcription, etc. of fresh content I taught, all based on that original chapter from the book. And, BTW, this was JUST Chapter one…grin!

There are many people selling online today, especially those just starting their own business, who are convinced that the reason they cannot get more business is because their price is too high. They think that if they just cut their prices a little more than their competition, they would get a lot more business. But would they?

Truly successful companies and individuals recognize that their long-term game plan cannot be built around having the lowest price, but rather, having highest quality merchandise and charging prices corresponding with that quality.

When you look at sellers who try to establish their reputation on price, the fact becomes clear that the combined sales of these price pirates are but a fraction of the sales generated by the businesses focused on quality…and that includes selling e-books! The old axiom is true: “You get what you pay for!”

Cheap things are made for people who cannot pay more; for people who must get along the best they can with something almost as good. Unfortunately, when the expected service is not delivered, the customer is aggravated and upset. He or she never forgets the person who sold them that crappy product. On the flip side, the customer who buys a quality product soon forgets that he or she paid more for it, and remembers only the satisfaction it gives them. Quality is the strongest testimony you could ever have.

Quality means repeat orders. It creates relationships that stay with you year in and year out. It means that you will be able to hold what you have and add to it. In short, quality products means enduring success, and not success built upon the quick sands of here-today-and-gone-tomorrow customers.

Here is something else to consider, if your business were to follow a plan of meeting every price cut that you see others offer, there would be no figure for your customer to use as a basis of price comparison. In other words, selling would simmer down into a seesaw proposition. You have the lowest price today on this product, and your competitor has it tomorrow.

Permanent success can be built only on a quality foundation. A cut in price–if out of line with the general market trend–will undo a reputation for quality quicker than any other one thing. It breeds suspicion. Buyers think: “If his stuff were as good as he says it is he wouldn’t have to cut the price.” And their reasoning is logical.

So you see that quality is synonymous with satisfied customers, and we all know that the product which gives the most satisfaction, in the long run, is the easiest to sell. If you sell a product that is better than what your competitor is selling, you can be sure that the world will find it out about it and want it. Word-of-mouth spreads quickly…especially in this day and age of social media. This is why I emphasize over and over again that you should NEVER publish or re-use Public Domain content as-is. Not that the content is necessarily bad…but it is more an issue of YOUR quality. The quality of product that defines YOU as a great person or business to buy from. When people start wanting the products you are selling, the measure of your success depends only on your ability to embrace even greater opportunities as they are presented to you.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I am an idea guy (among other things). My intense curiosity is constantly wondering (and wandering) about the “next” thing. Everywhere I look, I find myself wondering, “I wonder if there is an easy way to create that using Public Domain content?” That’s usually how the curiosity begins…including this time with what I’m sharing in this post.

Lately I’ve been doing a lot of research on new technologies that allow us to create even more custom products from Public Domain content, which previously would have been impossible or cost prohibitive. I admire companies who push the envelope with technology and then bring their successes to the rest of us. The latest companies I’ve discovered are like that…they take impossible or difficult product creation options and make them easy.

As I share my latest discoveries here, you will notice a theme. And the research paid off with new options for me (and you) to create entirely new types of products and businesses from Public Domain content. What was I researching? Wall coverings and signs!

Perhaps it’s because I’m currently remodeling my house, but I’ve been drawn to alternative ways of decorating walls, rather than just the boring paint styles…and apparently, others are curious as well. There is a definite interest out there in specialty wall coverings. The good news is that I found several companies who can help you create those wall coverings from your own images and designs (think Public Domain). You can then sell YOUR wallpaper, decals, signs, etc. to customers, on Ebay, to contractors…you get the picture (pun intended…grin).

Totally Custom Wallpaper: Offers options for custom Murals, Wallpaper, Borders, Canvas and Peel-n-Stick Decals. Their site also offers an interactive designer template that walks you through the design process, step-by-step.

Murals Your Way: Offers custom Murals in a straight-forward “choose your size, upload your image” kind of fashion. Simply upload your custom image and you’re off and running! They also provide hundreds of existing designs as well.

Java Signs: Offers options for custom Vinyl Lettering, Signs (more on this in a minute), Banners and Decals (wall decals among other things). Their site also offers easy-to-use design tools that make the creation process super simple.

Speedy Signs: Also offers options for custom Vinyl Lettering, Signs, Banners, Decals and Displays. They also offer easy-to-use design tools for creating your own custom designs.

One of the things I love about these options is that we now have a lot of flexibility in product design and offering for an entirely new market…home owners and builders. Remodeling is huge right now with the economy the way it is. More and more people are opting to remodel rather than buy or build. The sites above provide options for you, the product creator, to tap into this market in a very real way!

I also wanted to highlight another product offered on the Java Signs site…custom aluminum signs. Now when you think about metal signs, you probably think real estate or some other type of signage. I don’t…I think custom décor. If you’ve been to any store that sells unique gift ideas, you have likely seen reproductions of old Coke signs or John Deere tractor signs. That’s the direction I’m thinking in. Java Signs provides you with the opportunity to create your own line of metal signs…and Public Domain content is PERFECT for it. Use your imagination!

The LAST new product I want to highlight in this post has nothing to do with walls or signs…it has to do with your feet! Zazzle has finally introduced a brand-new line of men’s sneakers, both low-top and high-top, that you can completely customize with your own designs. I’ve been waiting for this for a LONG time and can’t wait to start designing my OWN sneaker line. You should too!!

Over the past month or so, I’ve received numerous emails and comments from people struggling to get started online or trying to figure out how to take their business to the next level. That may even include you. Have you found yourself
wondering…

• How do I get started?

• What tools do I really need?

• What are the best ways to accept payments?

• I don’t have a lot of working capital, now what?

• Are there any quality free or low-cost tools I can use?

• What is a good business mindset to have?

• What do I do next?

• How do I increase my effectiveness?

• What steps are actually wasting my time?

• How do I do [fill in the blank]?

If you have asked one of those questions (or something similar) you need to check this out. I just completed a series of videos that can provide you with much-needed answers. You can check them out here:

Core Business Strategies

Stories of shapeshifting exist in every culture and take on many forms of transformation…from Zeus in Greek Mythology to the recent Twilight series where members of the Quileute tribe shapeshift into wolves. Even in our childhood stories we see the Beast transform into a Prince in “Beauty and the Beast”…and let’s not forget the infamous Frog looking for that special kiss. But what do these “myths” of shapeshifting have to do with Public Domain content? Plenty!

Content from the Public Domain…whether it exists in the form of a book, a magazine, a photograph or something else…was already established, proven if you will, in that form. The books were already published and read by thousands or tens of thousands of people…the same with magazines. But because that book or magazine is now in the Public Domain, we can legally use its content for anything we choose without any type of royalty or legal recourse. And there are a LOT of ways that we can adapt, or shapeshift, that content.

As an example, take a look at the text found HERE. It’s an article I scanned from a 1950’s Popular Photography magazine in the Public Domain. It’s a great article, and certainly relevant still today. Now, in its original form, it was a magazine article.  How can we shapeshift that content into new forms? Here are some thoughts…

1. A Blog Post
2. An Article on Article Sites
3. Break-up for an Autoresponder Series
4. A Free Report
5. Record an Audio Version for a Podcast
6. Turn into a Powerpoint Slide Video
7. Read Live on a Video Camera
8. Discuss on BlogTalkRadio
9. Include in an E-Zine
10. Use as a Chapter of an E-Book or Print book
11. Create a Squidoo Lens from It
12. Re-Publish in a New Print Magazine

And so, as you can see from the dozen samples above, it’s pretty easy to shapeshift just about ANY text content from the Public Domain into a new form…whether free or as a money-making product. The same is true for images. Take the image of Sitting Bull shown below, for instance. On the left is the original image from the Public Domain. On the right is a new image I created in Photoshop from the original.

Now, with this new image (or even with the old one quite honestly), I could shapeshift it into…

1. A T-Shirt Design
2. A Poster
3. A Skateboard Design
4. A Blanket or Tapestry
5. A Mousepad
6. A Coffee Mug
7. Any of the Other Products on CafePress or Zazzle
8. A Postage Stamp Design
9. An Illustration for an Article
10. A Fine Art Canvas Framed Print

I think you get the picture (no pun intended). And the best part is that I can create nearly endless variations of new art based on that one original photograph from the Public Domain. Shapeshifting at its best!

So, hopefully, this post has inspired you to consider doing a little shapeshifting of your own. The possibilities are are waiting for your own innovation and creativity. And like it says in my blog header graphic:

Proven Content + Creative Innovation = Successful, NEW Products!

Learn MORE about how to “shapeshift” Public Domain Content HERE:

Public Domain Explained

Easy Money Picture Project

I am ALWAYS on the lookout for new product creation ideas, and recently I found a use for Public Domain images that, quite honestly wasn’t even sure was possible for the average person. Boy was I wrong! The site I found is certainly one to check out…and it’s one that I plan to do some serious experimenting with.

The site is called Spoonflower (http://www.spoonflower.com) and it allows you to create your own fabric. Now before you begin thinking that I’m going to tell you all to get into the custom dress-making business (yes, I can actually sew rather well…Mom was a career seamstress), hear me out for a little bit. The idea of using Public Domain images to create your own fabric isn’t cool because of the fancy material you can make to sew your own clothes…oh no… this strategy is cool because of ALL the things you can make with fabric…like furniture and wall coverings, purses and bags, dolls and stuffed animals (using vintage patterns of dolls as the image for your fabric), pillows, camera and cell phone cases…the list goes on and on. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of products you can create from custom fabric apart from clothing! As a matter of fact, I just shared one with my daughter related to her Native American regalia! Below is an example someone created on the site using Public Domain images as a pattern.

So if you find yourself thinking, “Hey…I could do this, and this…,” write those thoughts down and then take action! And if you get any great ideas, share them in the comments below! Let’s see how creative you REALLY are!

As information publishers, It is very tempting to ONLY consider books or magazine articles for out products, blogs, articles, etc. Of course, I’ve been preaching for years about the power of Public Domain images for creating products, and quite honestly, every one of you should have your own Zazzle.com or CafePress.com store to sell “original” creations based on Public Domain content. Here is one of mine: Generation 7. There are a LOT of other products you can create using images and photos…but that isn’t what THIS post is about. It’s about something else…characters from the Public Domain.

I always keep a pulse on what others are doing with Public Domain content and “Moon Girl” caught my attention. It’s a new iPhone app comic being written by Tony Trov and John Zito. Here is the cool part…”Moon Girl” is a little known character from the 40’s and is the Public Domain, enabling Trov and Zito to revive her as a character. What a great idea and a perfect example of using Public Domain content in new, innovative ways. Now, thanks to an artist known as “The Rahzzah” Moon girls looks a bit different these days…but again, that’s the beauty of the Public Domain…you can do whatever you want with it! You can purchase the Moon Girl app HERE or in the iTunes App Store…AND you can read a preview HERE.

Below are examples of the “old” and “new” Moon Girl are below. You might also notice that the delivery method is QUITE different as well!

In my e-book, Easy Money Picture Project, I wrote about the importance of Public Domain characters to product creation and shared a growing list of characters known to be in the Public Domain. I created an excerpt PDF which you can download and enjoy HERE. As you would imagine, EMPP has a LOT of great strategies for using Public Domain images to create products hidden in its 200+ pages. I guess that’s why customers LOVE it!

So let me ask you…what ideas can YOU come up with based on characters from the Public Domain? Review the list and share your thoughts in the comments. Thanks!

BTW…Hollywood has figured this one out! With “Sherlock Holmes” out (a character from the Public Domain) and a new “Alice in Wonderland” coming out…not to mention, “Treasure Island” and “The Three Muskateers,” the Public Domain is proving to be a goldmine for Hollywood…why not for you as well?

In my last post, I invited people to share what was holding them back from succeeding online. I asked, “What Are You Waiting For?” and then offered to reply to every comment that was posted…which I did. As the comments rolled in, however, I began to notice a trend that was unexpected but exciting. Some of those posting were sharing their success strategies! Not some theory-based, generic “ideas” but strategies they are using to actually make money from Public Domain content! Now I say this is unexpected, not because I’m surprised they’re succeeding, but because I’m excited about their generosity for wanting to help others make it too! That’s been my commitment as well. And so, with THIS post, I’d like to offer a new challenge…

I would LOVE to hear about your successes with using Public Domain content in your business. It doesn’t have to be a story of making millions…perhaps you’ve only made a sale or two so far. But I would enjoy hearing about what you are doing with Public Domain content (and I think others would two). As you comment and share, I will offer my own thoughts on how you might be able to ramp up what you’re already doing to see even greater success! And…I encourage others to do the same! Why not work together so we can ALL achieve greater success in our businesses?! Now, obviously, I don’t expect you to share proprietary secrets or even exact niches unless you choose to. This isn’t about giving others the opportunity to rip us off. It’s the core strategies that work universally…in any niche…and those are what I want to hear about.

So let me ask you…

What core strategies are creating success for YOU?

Share your comments below! Oh and, BTW…if you would prefer to respond with a video answer, create your video, upload it to YouTube, and share the link with your comments! Can’t wait to hear from you!

Creating products using the proven content of the Public Domain makes it SO easy to begin selling information products online (or offline for that matter). What amazes me, however, is how FEW people actually take the leap. They get excited about the prospect of creating their own products, find great Public Domain content, even begin working on “their” project…and that’s where it stops. And of course, you can’t make money from a “product” that sits on your hard drive. SO, I want to know why…what is it that holds YOU back? What is it that YOU are waiting for? Is it the delivery process? The product creation process? The sales letter? I want to hear what’s holding you back…because…as I always say in my e-mails, I am “committed to your ongoing success!”

So share your comments below and I will answer each one!

I have to say that I LOVE what I do. Being able to have what my good friend, Pat O’Bryan, refers to as a Portable Empire is nothing short of incredible. I can literally “work” from anywhere…and HAVE…from some pretty cool places. From a little cabin out in the middle of nowhere or sitting on a lounge chair in Palm Springs, to a private island off the coast of Florida or on-board a cruise ship in the middle of the Carribean…it’s a real privilege to no longer have to work a J.O.B.

One of the keys to truly running your business from anywhere is having the right tools to do so. And while it may take you a while to put together your “team” (it did me), you can actually get started rather cheaply. Now admittedly, I am a bit of a tech junkie, so what I carry with me may be a bit of overkill, but I do like the idea of being prepared to create literally ANY kind of media project I need at anytime, any where. And OF COURSE…my commitment is to help YOU achieve your dream business as well.

Below is a photo of my backpack. This pretty much goes with me everywhere I travel and it contains EVERYTHING I need to run my business and create new products. Well…what you see plus my Blackberry Storm…and an HP Mini…and a raft of software.

Now I am obviously a photographer as well…and so it’s likely that you may not want to carry so many cameras and lenses, but what you see above has helped me create a business I’m proud of…one that I love and enjoy. And so, as you can see above, your tools of the trade should include (at the very least) a laptop with media-related software,  a video camera of some type and a phone. With just those three key items, you can create just about any type of information product just about anywhere. The broadband modem certainly extends your flexibility for high-speed internet quite a bit as does some sort of portable drive.

As for software, you really need a word processor (like Microsoft Word or Open Office), presentation software (like PowerPoint or Keynote), an image editor (like Photoshop or Paint.net), a web design program (like Dreamweaver or Kompozer) and a screencasting program (like Camtasia or Screenflow). There are other programs as well that can come in handy, like video editing software, audio software and file converters. The GREAT news is that you can find free or open source programs in every one of these categories. For me personally, here is what I use:

• Photoshop
• Dreamweaver
• Camtasia
• Screenflow
• Microsoft Office
• Vegas Movie Studio
• Sony Sound Forge
• QuarkXPress
• Super Converter/Encoder
• Acrobat Professional
• Adobe Illustrator
• Artisteer
• And a raft of other programs.

Please know that the point of this post is not to brag…heavens no…rather, it’s to encourage you to TAKE ACTION. You can DO this just as I am. In the coming weeks, I am going to be going MORE in-depth in sharing how you can get started, or move to the next level. Honestly, without the right tools, you’re going to be handicapped. Soooo…this is the beginning of helping point you in the right direction…the direction toward your OWN “Portable Empire.”