11th July 2008
Elizabeth Mcgee

Because the internet is the primary tool people use to find information, offering an information product and promoting it online is truly an ideal way to build wealth. So think about this, if you have precisely the information someone needs, they will buy it.

Now, you may be thinking that writing reports takes time, research and energy and that's true, but we're not talking about creating a 300 page book, this is about creating a small but comprehensive 10-20 page report, and the truth is ...it makes money like nothing else!

The reason it works so well is because you are giving people information they are interested in. People are always in need of how to do things themselves, how to resolve problems, how to find more time, how to save more money or how to feel better. If you can resolve these issues and others like it, you are in business.

Small reports can also be used as valuable marketing tools. They can be given away as a free add-on bonus, product promotions or as an incentive for a newsletter or ezine sign-up.

If you're beginning to see the potential that small reports can give you with regard to profiting online, then keep reading for some essential tips on how you can get started.

1. Find a Topic

Think about problems people encounter every day. How-to or do-it-yourself books are very popular. For example, things like how to sell your own home, how to get into the stock market safely, how to buy a computer, etc. Create a small report that addresses a problem and then provide a realistic solution on how to resolve it. Don't let your lack of experience or knowledge become a deterrent, you can always have your document written for you. Remember this is something you will do once and sell forever, the cost of having it written for you will pay for itself many times.

2. Get Ideas on What to Write

Once you have a topic, you need to come up with ideas on what to write about. It helps to talk to others for ideas. This can be friends, relatives or business partners. Simply ask people what they would be most interested in knowing about regarding your specific topic. In addition to getting ideas from others include your own personal knowledge or personal experiences that might contribute to your information. For additional information pick up a book or two on the topic, collect ideas, visit topic related forums or set up an interview with an expert.

3. Get Organized

You won't get far if you are not organized. Getting organized means outlining the focus of your report and what the message is that you want to deliver. Next, create and order the categories you will be covering. Determine what research you will be doing and conduct it in an orderly fashion.

4. Create an Outline

Don't be so eager to begin writing that you don't organize your thoughts. Begin by jotting down ideas and then organize them into a logical flow. Don't think about writing perfectly at this point. Simply jot down ideas. As you begin to write your report you will easily be able to create a paragraph or two for each idea.

5. Have a Unique Approach

Don't worry about competition; many writers are in very competitive markets. What sets them apart is their unique approach or their angle? For example, how can you present your information in your own unique way? Perhaps you offer cheaper or faster solutions or perhaps you offer more personalized service. Stress your benefits and give your audience a reason to buy from you. They need to feel that you are their best source for whatever it is they are looking for.

6. Provide Quality Information

Create a report that delivers quality. Your report may have a cost value but it should also have a worth value and it should be worth more than it costs. More simply put, always deliver value first. Don't fill a report with information that can be found anywhere or is common knowledge. Deliver information that a reader can use. Personal tips, secrets or handy and unusual ways to do things are what benefits the reader. If you provide information that a reader can get anywhere or offer secrets that are not really secrets, your credibility will be tarnished and your refunds will be more than your sales.

7. Spread the Word

Once you have created your report it's time to spread the word. Here are several great ways to promote your report. They are all fairly easy to implement and are designed to generate lots of traffic for your report.

- Your Ezine

If you publish an ezine, promote your report to your subscriber list on a periodic basis.

- Forums

Include a link to your report in your signature file on your favorite forums, and then every time you make a post it will include the link to your free report.

- Your Website and/or Blog

Display your free report on each page of your website or blog. You can also create a free report that you can use to encourage people to sign up for newsletter, ezine or opt-in list. If you have a blog, make occasional posts promoting your free report.

- Your eBay Auctions

Use a free report as an incentive to get visitors to bid on your eBay auctions.

- Articles

If you write articles, include a text link in your byline that directs your readers to your report. This is an excellent way to bring free traffic to your site and get your report in front of thousands of readers.

- Your Email Signature File

Whoever you send emails to, personal or business include a P.S. that contains a link to your report.

- Your Social Networking pages

Create profiles on your favorite social networking pages that include a link to your report.

- Get Others to Help You Promote

Create an affiliate program for your report and offer a percentage for each sale. This is a perfect way to encourage others to promote your report and increase sales tenfold.

Don't underestimate the income and marketing potential of creating small reports. But the best part is, you do the work once and reap the benefits forever.