Japan IT Week 2024 Brochure by 47Billion (English)
I made $100,000 from one idea
1. Learn How One
Solopreneur Made
Over $100,000 from
One Idea during One
of the Worst
Economies Ever
Simple Steps Anyone Can Use To Launch an
Idea for Making Lots of Money!
from
Kathleen Gage
3. Warning! If you are looking for a get rich quick scheme and overnight success,
this report is not for you. If however, you want information that can literally turn
your business around, then read the entire report. To gain the greatest benefit –
READ THE ENTIRE REPORT!
I have a reputation for being an ideas person. As far back as I can remember, I’ve had
ideas - lots of them. I built my business by implementing concepts and taking risks. A
primary focus when I work with my clients is to help them develop and implement their
visions for their businesses.
Although I enjoy a very comfortable lifestyle because of the success of my business, it
was not always this way. There was a time when I struggled to pay my bills and hold
down a minimum wage job, primarily because I had fear about my ideas. I rarely did
anything with my ideas other than think about them. I avoided anything that might
involve risk or failure. Interestingly, the more I feared failure, the more I experienced it.
Somewhere along the line I developed a belief that success was for other people but
not for me. I also developed a belief that successful people were somehow luckier than
most.
Everything changed when I began reading about and studying successful people. I was
driven to find out what made them tick. I was determined to find out why they got all the
lucky breaks.
I was in for a huge awakening. I discovered that success has very little to do with luck.
In reality it has to do with belief, vision, effort, and action.
Bottom line…successful people are willing to do what others are not. This was an
incredible eye opener. A primary difference between those who achieve what they
desire and those who don’t is that when an achiever gets an inspiration, they explore it
rather than discount it. They are also willing to take risks others are not.
It has been said, "With risk comes reward." Armed with this knowledge, I became willing
to step out of my comfort zone and explore my ideas. Not that everything changed all at
once – it was a process, and it took time. Little by little, step by step, my Street Smarts
Marketing concept came to fruition, and my life turned around.
Since those earlier years, I have successfully worked through my old beliefs. As a result
I have experienced incredible rewards. I went from a super underachiever to someone
who works with a global market, has several books published and more in the works,
has been a contributing author for dozens of books and information products, loves
what she does, and has a very successful business.
All this has come from changing my beliefs and actions, along with having a willingness
to act upon ideas. What I find amazing is that while others are often struggling, my
business keeps growing.
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4. I don’t tell you this to impress you, but to impress upon you how important it is to check
your beliefs and be willing to act upon your vision. The fact is, the majority of people do
nothing with their ideas and then wonder why they are not achieving what they want in
life.
That’s how this report came to be. On a relaxed Sunday morning while working in my
garden, I was thinking about the number of folks I had met over the years who
complained about their businesses being slow or that they just couldn’t find the right
opportunities. Some of these people are the very same folks who told me how lucky I
was to always seem to be in the right place at the right time.
I smile as I think about how “lucky” I have actually been. For example, take the idea I
will be sharing with you in this report – the concept that has generated well over
$100,000 in revenue.
SIDENOTE: This report was first written in 2005. Not only have I added some valuable
new information since the first edition, but the revenue from my Street Smarts Marketing
idea is now many times $100,000; it is multiple six figures.
After thinking about my idea for a while, I shared it with some close friends. The primary
question many asked was, “How do you know it will work?” I didn’t. But I knew that if I
didn’t explore the idea, there was no doubt that it wouldn’t work. Period. End of story.
The next question was, “Won’t that be a lot of work?” Without a doubt there would be
work and effort involved. But I was willing to work to make my vision a reality.
Amazingly, there were those who said, “Unless there’s a guarantee, I wouldn’t be willing
to do something like that. It’s too much of a risk!” These sentiments were exactly like my
limiting beliefs of many years ago – the very beliefs that allowed me to master failure.
There's no shortage of people who want something for nothing; or they want absolute
guarantees. They want success, money, and position without putting any effort into it.
Rarely – if ever – is this the way things work. Success takes risk and effort. Ask any
successful person if they had to work for what they have, and they will tell you, “Yes!”
When I first thought of my idea, I was pretty sure I would make money from it, but little
did I realize how much it would be. The best part of all is that years later it continues to
generate revenue for me and for others. Not only have I made money, but many of my
colleagues have, too. They were able to take the essence of the concept and apply it to
their companies. One person told me that if it hadn’t been for my idea and how they
were able to apply it to their own business, they would not have generated the kind of
revenue they have over the last eighteen months. They said that my solution literally
saved their business.
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5. One client utilized the essence of my formula for his San Jose, California-based
mortgage company, and experienced incredible gains from it. Not only did he generate
a substantial amount of new business, but existing clients appreciated what he did, and
he hired three people who were so impressed with what he had done that they wanted
to be a part of his leading-edge organization. (You know revenue had to be up if he
hired three more people!)
On the flip side, some have taken the initial part of the concept, used it, and then quit
before they fully capitalized on the opportunities that lay ahead. They used only part of
the formula. They fall into the category of people who want instant success or absolute
guarantees without any risk or effort. When they didn’t instantly make massive amounts
of money, their response was that the idea didn’t work. The reality is that their belief
system and their lack of ongoing action blocked their success. They weren’t willing to
take the idea as far as they could.
It's important to understand that my idea has nothing to do with getting rich quick. It's a
system – one that will make you money if you put effort into it.
The concept came to me during one of the worst economic downturns ever. The
downturn happened suddenly and in a way no one would have guessed. The economy
was doing great. Business was booming for lots of people. My primary source of
revenue was from speaking and training. Everything was humming along with no end in
sight. That is, until 9/11.
As with many businesses, 9/11 changed virtually everything I knew to be true overnight.
The year following 9/11 was a tough one for me and almost everyone I knew. In my
industry, securing speaking and training engagements was nearly impossible. I watched
business after business fold. Not only were businesses in my industry folding, but
business everywhere was negatively impacted. Clients who had paid me thousands of
dollars for my services prior to 9/11 were cutting budgets. Conferences were being
cancelled, and travel was down.
Feeling some panic, I knew that if I didn’t become very creative and flexible I would be
closing my business forever. I scaled back on nonessential expenditures. I cut back
where necessary and did what I could to generate revenue. I was making just enough to
keep my doors open. I was able to pay my bills, but it was a tough grind.
I was not going to let this situation get the better of me. Over the years I have learned
that there will be times when things are very difficult and it seems that there is no
solution to a problem. But it is often in our darkest hours that the best ideas come to us.
In some cases it takes only a bit of discomfort to motivate us to try things differently.
Other times it requires a lot of discomfort in order to do things differently.
I resolved that no matter what, I would keep my business going. I got very creative, and
was able to pay my bills and once again add to my nest egg.
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6. Others took notice. They wanted to find out what I was doing to keep things going while
they continued to struggle. They wanted to know if what I was doing would work as well
for them as it did for me. I was confident that my strategies for doing business could
work in countless industries and businesses.
The more I shared my strategies and solutions with others, the more new ideas came to
me. With all the inspiration that was coming to me, it seemed a floodgate of ideas had
opened. I was getting really excited about what lay ahead. Knowing that in every
problem is the seed of something great, I set about to see where the greatness lay
hidden.
The number of people who took an interest in what I was doing grew day by day; more
and more people wanted to know what to do to grow their businesses. People I had
freely offered recommendations to were referring others to me.
This is when my very special idea came to me. Realizing almost everyone was on a
limited budget and that I could give away only so much free information, I knew that if I
packaged my information in a cost effective way, it would be my saving grace. With
nearly twenty-five years of marketing experience under my belt, and lots of people
craving valuable information, I intuitively knew I would be able to generate additional
revenue while providing a valuable service. The only problem was that I wasn’t quite
sure how to begin, other than knowing that if you want to figure out how to do
something, you should find people who have already succeeded at doing it and model
them. That’s exactly what I did.
During this time, there were a handful of people who were doing incredibly well in spite
of the downfall most others were experiencing. Willing to learn from the best, three
colleagues and I flew from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles to attend a weekend success
seminar hosted by one of the biggest names in the real estate foreclosure industry. A
thousand people were in attendance, all interested in making money in real estate.
Although none of us were in real estate, what we wanted to learn was the experts’
strategy for selling their products and services. We knew that if we could figure out the
essence of what these experts were doing, we could probably make it work in any
business or industry. We simply needed to learn how to package our products and
services into cost-effective information products – products we could sell very cost-
effectively to accommodate the many entrepreneurs who would benefit from them.
People sat for hours on end through that complimentary presentation on how to make
money by buying foreclosed properties. The speakers introduced packages of
information we could purchase, most selling for thousands of dollars. At the end of each
presentation, folks were literally running to the back of the room to buy whatever
product was presented. We watched as hundreds of thousands of dollars (possibly
millions) were being spent. And this was during an economic downturn!
In essence, the presentations allowed attendees to get a taste of what these experts
were offering, and the products being sold went deeper into specific solutions for the
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7. real estate market. It was brilliant. Throughout the weekend, light bulb after light bulb lit
up in my mind as the simplicity of what we saw became apparent. I was excited to get
started and introduce a useful informational product to the market.
After my Los Angeles experience, I was more convinced than ever that if I could
effectively package my knowledge, I could generate enough revenue to keep my
business going. I knew there was a market for the knowledge I wanted to share. But I
didn't have any capital, and I didn’t know exactly how I would create my first full-fledged
information product. I had no idea how long it would take, how much content I would
need to include, or when I could introduce it to market. Yet I knew I had to make it
happen. It was either that or watch my business flounder.
One of the experts from the Los Angeles event presented an information product about
how to sell from the platform. The price tag was $1,500. Knowing that it would cut my
learning curve substantially, I bit the bullet and invested in the program. Even though I
had years of experience selling from the platform with a national seminar company,
nothing compared to the knowledge I gained from this investment. Not only did I get my
investment back many times over within the first few months, but I continue to this day
to use those strategies to generate untold revenue.
A Word of Caution
Before I share with you the step-by-step process for development and implementation
of this concept, I caution you against looking for differences between my business and
yours. What I am going to share can apply to virtually any business in any industry. I
have used the strategy with dentists, mortgage professionals, real estate professionals,
massage therapists, restaurant owners, consultants, home-based businesspeople, and
even Feng Shui practitioners.
SIDENOTE: Since this report was first written, I have successfully implemented the
strategy in my online business. I have taught it to countless others around the globe,
demonstrating how they can successfully use the strategy both online and offline.
The idea I developed, implemented, and made some great money from was to package
my knowledge into a multimedia program so that others could literally take my
knowledge back to the office with them. Simply put, I created my first product and
introduced it to my market by way of free mini-seminars. From the very first event I
hosted, I knew I had hit a home run.
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8. The process is simple:
1. Gain clarity on your expertise and passion.
2. Analyze your market.
3. Develop a plan that includes a timeline for creation and implementation.
4. Determine which vendors you need to work with.
5. Create an information product based on your passion and expertise.
6. Focus on keeping costs down and profit margins high.
7. Set a date for your free event.
8. Put effort into marketing and promotion of your event.
9. Develop your presentation and your product offering.
10. Plan and be prepared for backend opportunities.
11. Follow up.
12. Rinse and repeat.
The following are the specific details for each step:
1. Gain clarity on your expertise and passion.
When you do what you love, what you do is more enjoyable. When I began my business
in the early 90s, I offered a wide range of consulting and speaking services based on a
variety of topics. Although this worked, and I made a decent living, I found there were
some services and topics I wasn’t very passionate about. It seemed the more general
my offerings were, the less I enjoyed what I did. I discovered that when I focus on what I
am truly passionate about – the services that really bring me joy to share with others –
the more I want to put forth the time and energy into my business. When I wasn't
focused on services I was passionate about, I found myself extremely drained at day's
end.
After careful examination of my market, my business, and my passion, I eliminated the
services I felt I had to offer and only offered the ones I love and have the most expertise
with. When you have a skill that you are passionate about and love, and that others
don't know much about, it is a perfect scenario for packaging your information into a
solid revenue stream.
From as far back as I can remember I have loved marketing and promotions, which are
often a struggle for others. Many entrepreneurs cringe at the thought of marketing,
primarily due to not knowing how to do it effectively. They go into business with no
knowledge whatsoever about how to efficiently and cost-effectively market their
businesses, and they waste untold amounts of money trying various strategies. I knew
that given the right kinds of tools, virtually any business can not only survive, but thrive.
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9. With the turn of events after 9/11, I became more committed and passionate than ever
to teach people how to position their products, services, and companies in the most
cost-effective, high-return way possible. Knowing that people were still deeply impacted
by the downturn of the economy, I developed a program that would allow virtually
anyone to market a business on a shoestring budget. I was confident that if I could
show people how to stretch their marketing budgets and create marketing dollars where
none currently existed, not only would the program sell, but I would be doing something
valuable for my customers.
This is when my first Street Smarts Marketing program was created. What started out
as a one-product offering has turned into multiple information products and services.
Little did I know how much my business would grow as a result of pursuing this one
idea. The same can be true for you. However, you must be willing to put effort into
packaging your information.
It starts with a few simple considerations. First, what are you passionate about? What
gets you excited enough to get out of bed each day and put your feet on the floor?
Based on your answers, what is your vision for a product or service you could develop
and sell? What need does it fulfill for your potential customers? What need does it fulfill
for you?
2. Analyze the market.
One of the first considerations in the development of any product or service is to know
who your market is and whether they have a need for what you offer. This takes
research. You need to follow market trends, survey your market, notice what your
competitors are doing, and stay on top of the latest information. After a close analysis of
market trends, I KNEW other small business owners would be an excellent market and
that they were in dire need of great marketing systems and strategies.
The greatest challenge my target market had post 9/11 was marketing their businesses
with little outlay of cash. Based on this information, I was able to more accurately
develop something that fit their needs, wants, and budgets.
Think about who your market is. What is their greatest challenge? What keeps them
awake at night? Do you have solid data to justify your product or service? Will people
pay for your product or service? Is there enough of a profit margin to make it
worthwhile?
3. Develop a plan that includes a timeline for creation and implementation.
The next step was to create a plan that included all aspects of rolling out my new
product. I spent a fair amount of time in the planning stage to ensure that I had covered
all the bases. To ensure greater success, you must develop a plan. Many entrepreneurs
fly by the seat of their pants rather than putting time aside to plan what they will take to
market.
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10. Your plan needs to include the goals of the project, deliverables, target dates, costs,
resources needed, milestones, risks involved, and projected revenue. A huge part of
your project plan is your budget. You also need to know what the risks are, what can go
wrong, and what you will do about it if that happens. Your plan should include who will
do what, what vendors you will use, and what your primary role is.
Keep in mind that no matter how well-planned your project, you will need to make
adjustments along the way. Don't be so attached to your plan that if change is indicated
you refuse to make it!
4. Determine which vendors you need to work with.
Your particular project and preferences determine what vendors you work with. Several
of the vendors I worked with have home-based businesses. Although working with large
companies can have advantages, the advantages of working with home-based
businesses are their flexibility and their ability to make quick decisions.
In spite of finding creative ways to keep costs down, I still had a sizable financial
investment in the development of the product, including CD duplication, printing,
recording studio time, and packaging, to name a few. Even though I was taking a risk
and had no guarantee that this product would work, I knew that if I didn’t follow through I
would forever wonder where my idea could have taken my business.
SIDENOTE: Since this report was first written, the costs of taking a product to market
are much less. Barrier to entry is minimal compared to what it was.
Most solopreneurs and small business owners will have to work with vendors, and there
will be cost involved. As you think about who you will work with, consider all the pros
and cons of who you choose. Lower cost does not always mean a better deal. On the
other hand, higher cost does not necessarily mean better quality. Check out the people
and companies before you make a final decision. And by all means, get everything in
writing. It will save confusion and frustration later on.
5. Create the information product based on your passion and expertise.
Next came the development of the product. I started by outlining what I wanted to
include in the program based on my research. I wanted to make sure there was enough
substance to justify the investment my clients would be making.
For the first Street Smarts Marketing program, I included a nearly 200-page
resource/learning guide, three CDs, and one day of live training. I didn't have all this
figured out right away; the vision unfolded once I had a general idea and began
development.
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11. There are a number of products you can take to market. What you create will be based
on your research, timeframes, budget, and skill set. Information products include books,
CDs, MP3s, white papers, reports, teleseminars, webinars, podcasts, and multimedia
programs, to name just a few.
To really make this work at the level I wanted, the look and feel of the final product had
to be top notch. If I was asking customers to invest their time and money, I couldn’t cut
corners on the look and feel. I wanted a professional-looking product, not something
that looked like it was created and packaged in a basement office somewhere. Since
packaging was critical to the success of the product, I hired professionals to help me put
it together.
The finished product looked great. It is something I am proud to have my name on.
There has been more than one occasion when I walked into the office of a client who
had purchased my program to see it proudly displayed on their bookshelf. That tells me
I hit the mark on packaging. Many customers told me there were times when they were
working on a marketing project and were able to pull my product off their shelf, refer to a
particular section, and find just the right answer for their particular situation. Chances
are that if it hadn’t looked good enough to be a part of their resource library, it would
have been stored away somewhere and not used as an ongoing resource, proving the
old adage, “out of sight, out of mind.” My goal is to always be present, even in my
absence.
Another consideration for the success of anything you sell is pricing. How often has a
price been set without the proper determination of what the profit margin will be? Not
only do you have to figure your initial costs, you also have to figure how much your time
is worth. You also have to know what the market will bear. Price your product or service
too high, and people won’t buy it. Price it too low, and the perception may be that what
you are offering isn’t worth the trouble of buying it.
After researching what information products were selling for and doing some further
market research, I set my price at $299. This included the nearly 200-page learning
guide, three CDs, and the full day of training on the marketing mindset.
6. Focus on keeping costs down and profit margins high.
Once I made the commitment to follow through on my idea, the process seemed to take
on a life of its own. It seemed all the resources I needed began to show up just when I
needed them! Here are a few examples:
I was able to work out an arrangement with a design company through which I
offered training services in return for design work for my product. This cut costs a
great deal.
I found a printer who would do a low run on the written material for a very good
price.
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12. I utilized the services of a home-based recording studio that offered me the
option of paying on a 30-day net basis.
CD duplication was done by a gentleman who also had a home-based business.
His cost for a low run was very competitive, and he came highly recommended
by several people I knew.
If money is a limitation, think of people you know who may be able to do some type of
trade work. It is only a matter of letting your imagination soar. Keep in mind that in order
to create a successful exchange, the trade needs to be a win/win deal for both of you.
You have to have as much to offer your partner as they have to offer you. Nothing sours
a relationship more than one party feeling like they got the short end of the deal.
7. Set a date for your free event.
Knowing how important it is to have a timeframe for projects, I picked a date for rolling
out my product. I had to give myself enough time to do it right, but not schedule the
event so far in the future that I wouldn't take immediate action.
The key to successfully implementing an idea is to do so when the demand is high. With
the economy the way it was, the number of people who wanted to market a product or
service, and the lack of really solid, cost-effective information available, I knew the
timing was perfect for rolling out my product by way of a live event.
Then I needed to secure a venue. Once this was done, I was able to begin promotions.
When you introduce your product or service to the market, you absolutely must address
the prevailing attitude among buyers of the “try before you buy” mentality, which begs
the question, “How am I going to introduce my product to the market and get a high
return on time and money invested?”
Based on my Los Angeles experience, I was confident that offering a free workshop
was the way to go. By offering a free presentation, potential clients could hear about
and experience some of the material before investing any of their hard-earned money.
Regardless of what you do or what your industry is, this process can work for you.
Here are some examples:
A cosmetic dentist I consulted with offered small, informal open houses at his
office to talk with potential patients about options available in cosmetic dentistry.
A real estate company had a complimentary BBQ and invited members of the
local community.
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13. A mortgage planner offered a free seminar to existing agents and potential
clients. She offered fantastic information about how to provide great customer
service to homeowners.
An artist provides a free home-decorating newsletter that keeps her name in front
of her market.
A furniture store provided a one-hour, free interior design consultation for anyone
who was interested.
All of these people gave something up front before ever asking for the sale. They were
a resource before they were a vendor.
SIDENOTE: The above examples are brick-and-mortar businesses. However, the
model outlined in this report can work equally well for Internet-based solopreneurs.
Think about what you offer. What kind of an event can you host? What could you do
that would allow people to feel comfortable about their buying decisions?
8. Put effort into marketing and promotion of your event.
You can have the greatest product or service, but if no one knows about it, they can't
buy it. It can look good, be priced right, and solve a problem, but again, if people don't
know about it….well, it just won't sell. Promoting what you do is essential. Many people
think promoting is no more than paying for an advertisement. But simple advertising has
minimal impact compared to other ways you can get the word out.
In order to succeed in promoting anything, good systems are essential. My promotions
system included word of mouth, my email distribution list, other people who helped me
promote the event, press releases, an announcement on my website, and flyers
distributed in the local market. I also used a technique called viral marketing. In viral
marketing, people post notices on their websites and in their online newsletters (e-
zines), and send messages out via their email distribution lists.
SIDENOTE: In the last few years, social media marketing has become an integral
aspect of any good marketing campaign. The best part of social media marketing is that
others quickly spread the word for you if they know you, like you, and trust you.
Much of my success was, and is, the direct result of how much other people help me
get the word out. I partner with many people in this way. If you can find people who will
help you market your product or service to their markets, you can have a greater reach
and keep costs down. However, you must make sure it is mutually beneficial for all
concerned.
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14. 9. Develop your presentation and your product offering.
If you are going to be successful at introducing your new product by way of a live event,
you absolutely must have a stellar presentation developed. I ask virtually every client I
work with to explore the possibilities of how they can introduce what they are doing in
the most non-threatening, cost-effective way possible. Often a free seminar or workshop
is incredibly effective. By offering an information workshop before you try to sell
something, you are creating value. You become a resource for that potential client
before you become a vendor.
In addition to live events in your local market, you can use the same strategy with
preview teleseminars and webinars. Often I hear people say that they either can’t
present to others or they are too fearful to do so. The reality is that presenting is like
anything else. With proper preparation and practice, it becomes easier and easier.
Additionally, you will be leaving untold amounts of money in people’s pockets and out of
your bank account if you don’t take advantage of learning how to develop stellar
presentations and sell from the platform.
Hosting an information seminar can work for virtually any industry. As mentioned before,
I have seen this tool successfully used in the real estate, financial planning, healthcare,
and massage therapy industries, to name just a few. Depending on the industry, you
may want to keep your groups small, say six to ten attendees per session. The cosmetic
dentist I mentioned above hosts information seminars for four to eight people. This is a
cost-effective way for him to educate potential clients about general and cosmetic
dentistry while they are getting to know him in a non-traditional way. As a result of his
public sessions, he has been invited to other companies to present his information to
their staffs. Sometimes the groups are up to fifty or sixty people. This is an incredibly
valuable way for him to build great doctor/client relationships without using traditional
methods to get his name in front of patients.
I knew that by offering a complimentary session I would attract folks who didn’t know
me, gain free publicity by sending out press releases, and be able to create an
incredible amount of value for people regardless of their buying decisions. It was also a
great opportunity for potential clients to experience my in-house training presentation
style.
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15. Three primary parts to a presentation:
Introduction
Body (main message)
Close
Introduction
One of the most important parts of your presentation is your introduction. It should
accomplish the following:
Set the tone of your entire presentation
Set the context or framework for what you are offering
Answer these four questions:
o Who are you?
o What do you do?
o Why are you here?
o How is what you are saying relevant?
Establish your confidence, competence, and credibility
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16. Introduction
Your
introduction
establishes your
confidence competence credibility
I’m comfortable as I know my stuff! I know this is
the identified expert relevant
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17. Body
A solid body of information is essential in setting the stage for influencing a buying
decision.
The body of the
speech should
inform educate entertain
The close has already begun while you are in the body of your presentation, through
stories, case studies, references to books you have authored, other presentations you
have done, and anything else that gets audience members thinking they want more of
what you have to offer.
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18. Close
Crafting a powerful close takes practice and belief. Important elements in the close are:
A clear overview of what you are selling
Testimonials from satisfied customers
A clear call to action
Confidence in what you are offering
Mini-closes throughout a stellar presentation
An order form or sales webpage
Your profit center
– the close
begins in the smooth belief in what
introduction transitions you are selling
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19. There were countless people who advised me to charge for the initial seminar.
Amazingly, these were not people I sought out for their counsel, especially since they
were struggling in their own businesses. Every indicator I had was that by offering a
sample, my sales would be brisk. I knew that if I created enough value during the initial
session, there would be plenty of people who would be interested in purchasing my
products and services.
It is the same with you. If you can create value before you ask for a sale, you will gain
credibility in your customer’s mind.
What kind of seminar or workshop could you offer to your current and potential clients?
What is of interest to them? If you don’t know, ask them.
10. Plan and be prepared for backend opportunities.
A huge part of the success of this process is knowing that your live presentation is just
the beginning of the revenue stream. It is the culmination of what you do prior to, during,
and after the live event that determines your level of success.
On the day of the rollout, I had 125 people in my free information seminar. I sold twenty-
five programs at the $299 price (that’s $7,475!). The added value for these folks was
that they were invited to the bonus one-day program during which they would gain
firsthand knowledge about the marketing mindset and marketing a business on a limited
budget.
Although I was pretty confident that I would generate a tidy profit from product sales, I
was quite certain the greatest benefit would be from spin-off products and backend
business. Little did I realize just how much backend business would come my way! Over
the years it has been worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. One sale led to another,
then another, then another.
Again, this strategy can work in virtually any industry. One dentist who used this
strategy sold over $29,000 worth of dentistry services from one information seminar he
hosted! If it worked for him, and it works for me, it can work for you.
A client of mine who is an artist sold over $1,000 in workshop seats when she made a
presentation at a local art association.
11. Follow up.
It’s incredible how many people fall down on the job when it comes to follow-up. They
put great amounts of time, money, and effort into generating leads, and then do nothing
with them. Or they make one sale, and leave it at that. If someone has purchased from
you once, they are more likely to purchase from you again than a stranger is; that is, if
you do your job right. So follow up – it’s crucial to your success.
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20. I would not have gotten any further business from my information seminars had I not
done a great job to begin with. However, no matter how great a job I did, if I hadn’t
followed up when requested, I would have left lots of money on the table.
One woman at my first one-day training liked the course so much that she asked me to
call her to see about working one-on-one with her company. Without hesitation I made
the call. That one call turned into an additional $10,000 worth of business within a
couple of weeks. From there, she referred me to one of her clients. That contract was
worth more than $10,000 – a lot more. And that contract led me to other customers. All
told, that one client who bought my one-day program generated over $160,000 in
revenue, directly and through referral business. However, had I not followed through by
picking up the phone, I never would have realized that fabulous revenue.
It’s incredible how many people throw opportunity away because they don’t follow up on
a lead. This is one of the most detrimental things you can do to your business. Be
willing not only to follow up, but to keep in touch.
SIDENOTE: Over the years, that one idea has generated hundreds of thousands of
dollars through various revenue streams.
12. Rinse and repeat.
When you find the winning formula, you want to make sure you fully optimize all
opportunities. After your initial product offering and presentation, determine what
worked great, what didn't work well, and what you can offer next. Seek out other
opportunities that come as a result of your market position.
Out of my original Street Smarts Marketing vision have come numerous speaking and
training engagements, books, information products, teleseminars, and webinars. In
addition I have entered into joint venture agreements with others who are just as clear
about the power and profit of taking an idea from thought to completion.
You see, once you have a model that works, you can duplicate it over and over again. If
the original idea hits a point at which it no longer works, you will be able to apply the
same process to another product or service.
Human nature is such that we often look at what another person is doing and list all the
reasons it won’t work for us. Rather than searching for reasons why something won't
work, shift to, "If they can do it, so can I."
If you say, “Someday I will take action on my idea,” the truth is that someday will never
happen. You have to be willing to commit to a delivery date for whatever product or
service you are planning to roll out. Otherwise you will be one among the masses who
only talk about their ideas and about how lucky others are. Wouldn’t you rather be one
of the lucky ones they are talking about?
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21. I know this process will work for anyone who is willing to take what I have outlined in
this report and apply it to their own product or situation. The process I have described
has been used by many of my clients to create great revenue. These clients include
speakers, authors, coaches, consultants, solopreneurs, dentists, mortgage planners,
real estate brokers, retail store owners, and more.
Virtually anyone can bring benefit to their business by developing information products
and offering complimentary seminars and workshops. This is one of the most effective
ways to build relationships with folks who may want to do business with you.
I invite you to look at all the areas in your business and find where this process would
work for you.
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22. Kathleen Gage, The Street Smarts Marketer, is an internationally
recognized Internet marketing advisor who works with consciously
aware speakers, authors, coaches, and consultants who are ready to
turn their knowledge into money-making products and services. She
does this by teaching them eProduct development, Internet marketing,
multimedia program development, self-publishing skills, teleseminar
development, and how to develop mentoring courses that they can
offer their clients.
Over the nearly two decades she has owned and operated her
business, Kathleen has worked with thousands of men and women
around the globe.
As a bestselling success author, Kathleen Gage is a highly sought-after expert. In addition to
her Internet marketing business, Kathleen has been a keynote presenter for conferences and
conventions for nearly twenty years.
Over the last twenty-five years, Kathleen has received numerous business awards, including the
1995-1996 and 1999-2000 National Speakers Association Utah Chapter Speaker of the Year,
1999-2000 Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce Business Women's Forum Achievement Award for
business innovation, The Leadership and Communications 2000 Award for Toastmasters
International, and the Giant Step Award for 2004 from the Utah Department of Workforce
Services for business innovation and success.
Kathleen has contributed marketing, promotions, and sales articles to hundreds of online and
offline business publications. She has hundreds of teleseminars, interviews, books, and
eProducts to her credit.
She is the author of 101 Ways to Get Your Foot in the Door; Message of Hope: Inspirational
Thoughts for Uncertain Times; Workplace Miracles: Inspiring Stories and Thoughts of
Possibility; and her bestselling book, The Law of Achievement. She is also the author of her
signature series, Street Smarts Marketing and Promotion. Her contributions can be found in
dozens of books and information products as a contributing author and expert.
Kathleen Gage is known for her unique and creative approach to helping others understand the
power of beliefs, thoughts, and actions that promote the marketing mindset and create a
successful life.
kathleen@kathleengage.com (email)
www.kathleengage.com (web)
www.themarketingmindset.com (blog)
http://www.facebook.com/InternetMarketingLifeStyleBusiness (Facebook Pro Page)
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