I get asked often to give people an idea of my day as an information publisher – especially wondering when and how often do I write?
Well, get ready for the glamorous life of an information product producer…
One caveat before I begin. I am outlining a schedule as of right now, my schedule does change depending at what phase of my business i am in. For example, I am not always working on a new product – I try to release 3-4 new products each year, while others are in maintenance mode.
So, at times there is no writing going on (although that is rare these days), other times there is minimal while still other times I am working against a self-imposed deadline (or real deadline when I’m contributing to a group project) when writing takes up more of my day.
Finally, let me point out to you that wherever I can, I try and mix up infoproduct formats to deliver information via audio, teleconference, or video as these methods make for much faster product development and often are viewed as higher value by customers.
So, my day typically starts at 6:00AM – an whole hour before my two kids get up in the morning.
6:00 AM: Blurry eyed and definitely not looking my best I stagger into one of my two offices, connect to the internet and immediately get to work writing a blog posting for each of 5 blogs that I currently use to communicate and drive traffic within different niche markets I operate in. I come up with ideas by searching news, research, a dozen or so other authority blogs in my space, article directories, reflecting on my own thoughts or experiences, etc… Within 30-minutes I typically have entries in each of the 5 blogs. Note that each week I chooose one blog and write a more in-depth post or article that I pay special attention to for viral marketing purposes. The other 20-30 minutes I use to go through email from the night – I love to see orders that have come in over the last 8-hours and to update forum posts from coaching customers inside InfoMarketerszone
7AM: Breakfast time – I’m the breakfast guy in our house, the critical path to our kids getting off to school on time – what a responsibility, but I love it! During breakfast I scan the newspapers and often get new product ideas or writing ideas from stories or editorials in the paper.
8AM Back up to the office to get about 40-minutes of writing in before the kids get off to school.
9AM Between 9AM and 11AM I get at minimum 1-hour of writing in. If I’m working on a brand new project, I am outlining. If I am working against an outline, then I am answering questions – it’s really quite simple and highly effective. The complete technique is presented in The Ultimate Information Entrepreneur’s Success Package – a definitive writing and marketing guide for self-publishers.
11:30AM Exercise and lunch. My exercise routine is pretty straight forward, 3-times a week I do a hard 45-minute workout of cardio and weights, the other days I just do cardio or go for a walk or jog taking a break from the weights. Then it’s lunch time. I try, where I can, to network over lunch, meet clients other publishers or marketers, hold a brainstorm lunch session, etc… This keeps my mind sharp, my motivation up and allows me to take advantage of the two-minds are greater than one reality.
1PM I spend most of my afternoons on customer service, marketing and strategy. Marketing involves jv’s, updating websites and marketing campaigns, Web2.0 involvement, press releases, interviews. On occasion I also fit -personal 1:1 coaching into my afternoons as well.
5PM Time with my kids before dinner and then after – I am proud to have always been home for dinner and available for my kids each evening for the last 8-years – not many fathers can live out such a dream.
89PM Back to writing – I fit another 1-hour in the evening – again following the outlining basics of answering questions. Also – I typically shoot either marketing or infoproduct videos and audios in the evening when the house is quiet – the kids are sleeping and I can really concentrate on my work in my home studio.
10PM One final check on email and I enjoy 1-hour of meditation or relaxation before heading off to bed.
There you have it – a mixed day of customer support, highly productive writing and product development and marketing. Now, if you can spend a total of 1-hour each day, great dedicate at least half to writing, the other half to marketing – just be CONSISTENT.
I hope this was helpful – care to share your typical day?
Jeff
