It would be easy to pull out dozens of examples each day of everyday, normal people packaging their experience, knowledge and passion for a subject into their own book, ebook, workshop, course or other information product…we have chronicled many on this blog and review others inside InfoMarketer’sZone (which also includes a detailed system for putting together information products to sell online).

Each example teaches us more about the markets, topics, people behind these products and techniques they use to market their own books in today’s rapidly changing publishing world.

TODAY’S BOOK WRITING PROFILE

I love this story…a long-time teacher Diane Finkbeiner and her son, who now also teaches worked together on a book they titled “How To Break 10 Common Childhood Myths”, a 190-page book they have self-published available on Amazon in printed and electronic format that is largely based on the experience they have both gained in their professions.

Diane, having the wide experience of teaching from Grade 2 through Grade 8 (and many in between) began to put 2 and 2 together when she observed similarities in negative behaviors among the very young that persisted well into the pre-teen and teen years.  Further, she observed that the behaviors were largely based on assumptions (she calls them myths) that must first be altered if there is hope of altering their behavior. 

Interestingly, her son observed the exact same things when he started teaching, first acting as a substitute teacher for some extra money, then getting his teacher’s degree. 

Observations made years before became chapters in this fascinating book about parenting. 

WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

You know me, I’m all about learning and teaching how we can all be more successful with self-publishing and growing large and successful information marketing businesses — so here’swhat we can learn about today’s profile:

• Diane and her son Chad are no different than the hundreds and hundreds of thousands of teachers EXCEPT they saw the value in the experience and knowledge they had and saw how that could help others improve their (or their child’s) lives.  Over and over again “normal” people with seemingly average lives are turning their knowledge into amazing achievment through self-publishing books, ebooks, workshops or training programs
• They kept their information practical.  Diane and Chad did not write a theoretical book about parenting or teaching, they wrote practical tips parents and teachers can use to help change the behavior of their children in a positive, productive way.  Information that is practical is HIGHLY valuable and usable to readers – it will tyopcally outsell theoretical books by a large margin
• Self-publishing – need I say more?  Inside The Ultimate Information Entrepreenur’s Success Package we share the advantages of self-publishing (financial and otherwise), in today’s day and age you can control your content, package it as you like, use advanced promotion techniques and keep far more of the profit than in the past…any one of us can self-publish today inexpensively and quickly.  
• Carry on a legacy.  When you read about this family you get the sense that they have a proud history as educators, writing this book allows them to extend their legacy, touch more people and pass along their passion for decades to come
• Foundation for bigger things…it is quite clear with this family, there is an opportunity for workshops (they already do them), home study packages, seminars, even online membership sites are an option…your first information product can be your launchpad to much bigger things
• Collaborate – in this case it was a Mother and Son, in your case it may be a collaboration with a like-minded peer, your spouse, an expert that helps with credibility – the options are virtually limitless.  While there is always risk with collaboration, those risks can be managed and often the advantages outweigh the risks.  Remember, if your first product is your launchpad to bigger things, a collaboration can sometimes be the fastest way to make a big bang on your first time around. 

Most of all, you can do what Diane and Chad have done.  You can pull from your experience, knowledge and passion to put together your own book, ebook or information product and sell it offline and online…the only question is when will you release your own launchpad to the benefits information marketing can give you? 

Leave us a comment with your plans or your thoughts about this review – we love hearing from you.