Update: all 10 review copies of the book have been spoken for, but there will be a pre-launch deal at a killer price for those of you who missed the free review copy offer. Add your comment below and I’ll make sure you are on the pre-launch announcement list. By the end of the day, I’ll have a proper signup form online for the pre-launch VIP list.
I’m up early this morning writing the sales letter for a new eBook that I created for you. It’s called “Deconstructing the iMOS,” and it will provide you with a bird’s eye view of the marketing system that successful Infopreneurs use to efficiently and profitably sell their products online. “iMOS” is an acronym for “Information Marketing Operating System” and it is part of few years of work that I have done to create a simple way for Infopreneurs to develop a clear understanding of the underlying system that supports the most profitable info marketing businesses.
This handbook is really about helping you beat the learning curve and develop a practical mastery of the iMOS. And to me, “mastery” means not only knowing what to do, but knowing why you are doing it. Knowing the “why” behind your marketing efforts is critically important to your long-term success, yet I don’t see many people providing this kind of information.
If you have tactical knowledge, you can follow a series of steps to get a very specific result, but if things change and the tactic no longer works, it is easy to get lost. Mastery, on the other hand, gives you flexibility because you know why the tactic works.
For instance, we just celebrated my Mother’s birthday with dinner last night. While we were there, she told me that she wanted to email me some pictures that my cousin had sent her on CD but she couldn’t figure out how to do it now that she has switched from using AOL to Comcast. You see, Mom is a ‘digital immigrant’ she only recently started using a computer and email. When she first started, she used AOL. We all helped her understand the basic steps she needed to go through to make it do the things she wants it to do. I personally showed her how to find and attach a file to an email within AOL. I’ve never used AOL, but I was able to teach her because I have a master’s knowledge of how to use email. So beyond a little poking around that I had to do to find the right links, etc, it was no problem for me to quickly determine how to attach a file to AOL email and send it.
The steps I gave her worked fine for a year or two, but then things changed, Mom wanted high-speed Internet and decided to get it through a deal that Comcast was offering. So she canceled AOL and moved to Comcast. I helped her with the move and got her new email client working and tried to show her the new ’steps’ she needed to go through to now make Outlook Express do what she wanted it to do, but it’s hard to cover everything in one sitting.
Because she only had tactical knowledge of AOL, this change was huge for her. She was disoriented and barely able to do the simple tasks that she could do without thinking before — the old steps didn’t work in the new environment. Of course, I’ll help her learn the new set of steps required to attach a file through Outlook Express and it won’t take her long to get back up to the same speed and efficiency she had before, but, without help, she would be stuck.
For some things, tactical knowledge is just fine. Ultimately, it isn’t practical or necessary for Mom to have the same level of mastery of email that I do. I use email all day every day (almost every day) and she uses it only occasionally. But if her livelyhood depended on being able to communicate quickly and easily through email, she would be in a world of hurt.
Likewise, if you now sell information products online, or plan to in the near future, there is nothing more important to your success than your marketing system — it’s what brings in the money. So, while you might be able to get by with a tactical understanding of bookkeeping or web hosting, marketing is one place where developing mastery is requirement if you want to go beyond a basic level of success. If you know the “why” and not just the “how” you will have the flexibility and framework you need to make good decisions and get the most out of your business.
Through my study of the science of marketing, personal observation of other businesses, working on my own projects, and creating and managing projects for my consulting clients, I’ve realized that there are some things that never change in direct marketing. Why people buy and the various ‘mind set’ stages they go through on their way to making a purchase, are constants - rules that apply in every direct selling situation, all the time. Additionally, some of the challenges faced by direct marketers are also constants. No matter what product one is selling, it happens within the constraints of these never-changing rules and challenges. In reality, all direct marketers, including Infopreneurs, operate within the same universal context. Understanding this context is what mastery is all about.
On the other hand, selling information through the Internet is a relatively new tactic in the world of direct marketing, and it offers new solutions to old challenges. Using the power of the Internet, smart marketers have developed processes and systems that are highly effective. And you might be surprised to know that, regardless of the product being sold or the niche in which it is sold, most people use the same basic system to power their online businesses — it’s what I call the iMOS.
I didn’t ‘invent’ the iMOS ; far from it. I am merely an interested observer, student and practitioner — and, in this case, a documenter and teacher.
My objective, with this Marketing Ace Handbook, is to help you clearly see the system that powers profitable Internet businesses, specifically businesses that sell information products. I want you to see all of the key components that help you capture the attention of qualified prospects and move them efficiently through the buying process. I want you to see how all of those components each have a job to do and how they work together to elegantly and effectively create new and repeat customers for your business. I want you to know the “why” as well as the “how” so that you can apply a masters mindset to the growth and optimization of your system.
The book is not quite ready for prime time yet — I have a bit of editing and refinement to do and I also have to build the iMOS that I’ll use to sell the book, but I do want to get some early feedback and testimonials. So I’ve decided to make 10 copies available for review at no charge.
If you want a review copy, please leave a comment below and I’ll email the PDF of the latest draft to you. These will be sent on a first-come-first-served basis, based on who leaves the first comments.
A couple of caveats. Please only request a copy if:
- You agree to read the entire book (53 pages)
- You agree to provide your feedback (good or bad) by commenting on this post by Tuesday of next week (10/23)
- You agree not to share the book with anyone else
- You agree to let me re-publish your comments in my promotional materials, including your name and website address.
Beyond those four caveats, if you are an Infopreneur or seeking to become one, I think you will get a lot out of this book. If you want to find out for yourself and tell me what you think of it, post a comment below requesting a free evaluation copy.
After the 10 free copies are gone, I’ll update this post and no more will be offered.
Thank you, and I’m looking forward to your feedback.
33 Comments
Count me in. Are you looking for editorial type comments? Or more along the lines of “what do you mean by this section?” kind of feedback? Or both?
Doug, I’d be happy to review your handbook — and get a leg up on the competition in the process!
Doug,
I would be pleased to take part in this.
Patrick Pretty
Doug, count me in, too! I’d be happy to review and comment on it.
Hi Doug,
Want another reviewer? I’m good to go.
Thanks,
RobToth.com
Doug,
I am interested in participating.
Richard
@Erin, I’m really just looking for your overall impression of the value of the book and what it might mean to your business. Anything you want to provide that might improve the book is, of course, welcome. I mainly want to get some great testimonials, but if you think it sucks, say that too!
@DonMorris “Leg up” is on it’s way
@PatrickPretty Right on brother, looking forward to your comments
@Suxanne Bird-Harris Thanks for jumping on so quickly
@RobToth I absolutely want another reviewer, thanks!
5 gone, 5 left. Wow that was fast!
You each will get your copies within the next 1/2 hour.
@Richard — A copy is on the way shortly
Count me in Doug. I have some free time this weekend and would be glad to read it and provide a review for you.
> Chris
Doug, I also have some free time this weekend and would be happy to send you feedback on your new ebook.
–Robin.
Doug,
Too good to miss I would say - so count me in please!
Regards
Jo
Hi,
I’d be happy to review the ebook. I’m looking forward to it.
Regards,
Mike
I’m a professional writer and editor (book publishing) and a fairly new Internet marketer. I would be happy to review your book.
@ChrisD, @Robin Free Time? What is this strange term you use, I’m not familiar with those words.
Copies on the way.
@JoBlythe You didn’t miss it, so you are in!
@MikeStreet A copy is on the wy
@KathleenGresham Uh, oh. A professional writer and editor sounds intimidating :-S A copy is on the way, be gentle! JK
OK, folks, that wraps up the free offer. Gone within 40 minutes of sending an email on a Saturday, hopefully that bodes well for a rockin’ launch.
For those of you who missed the free offer, please post a quick comment here if you want to be on the VIP Pre-launch list. I will be offering a limited quantity at a killer price to build momentum for the launch and you will be among the first to know.
Thanks everyone!
Besides putting this out to my list and posting it to the blog, I asked a few DMA contributors to take a look. Rob and Patrick beat me to the punch by responding here, but John Talyor caught up with me on email.
Here’s what he had to say:
Doug,
I read lots of Internet Marketing and other business books and more often than not they are full of rehashed material that I have read before.
On very few occasions I find a book that is written by an original thinker, someone who truly understands the difference between A properly structured business and a piecemeal business. Your book is one of those few book.
Your “Info Marketing Operating System” should be required reading for anyone who wants to build a real online business, a business based on sound principles, a business structured around proven and successful processes.
In fact your “Info Marketing Operating System” is one of those books that I wished I written myself! Great job.
John Taylor
http://AdTrackPro.com
Thanks John!
Thank you, Doug. The first thing I noted, with pleasure, was you really have given us 53 pages of information here; these aren’t the big-font, double-spaced pages of so many ebooks. As for the content, as you say, we may have seen these pieces before, but not in such a cohesive form. You are a fabulous teacher! You have detailed the “how” of the process in the clearest way I’ve yet read. But, even more importantly, to me anyway, is I finally have the “why”s. I realize now the worry that squeeze pages just annoy people away was based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the prospect pool composition.
I noticed these days I end up skimming rather than actually slowing down to grasp the concepts… namely because much of what I read is “skim worthy” at best.
But I ended up actually reading your book. The way you laid out the sales system (and I love systems talk!) is great. It comes across as a true business book rather than a “hey, look at me… I wrote an ebook” product.
There’s one thing about this read which I think is a bit deceptive… and that’s your label of: “Info Marketing Operating System”. The only reason it’s a bit misleading (or, more accurately, limiting) is the system applies to much more than just the information marketing business.
One of my favourite book series of all time is Michael Gerber’s “E-Myth” series because it talks of profitable systems development. And systems are what allow you to HAVE a business rather than BE WORKING IN A business.
Your book is right along those lines (a junior version!). So I certainly do recommend it to others … especially those who find themselves owning a job and not stuggling to break free from a pleateau they’ve hit with their profits.
Thanks for getting this out there for everyone.
P.S. Quick “personal preference” comment. Can you make your text a little bigger? Maybe I’m used to giant fonts with double spaced lines which publishers use to make their products look bigger … but your current 53 packed pages could use a bit more white space for easier reading from a computer monitor. Please and thank you.
Rob Toth
http://www.RobToth.com
@Erin, thank you so much for your comments. I think you really “got” the point of the book and that is the best compliment you could give me. To be sure, there is a lot more to the “how” than I cover in the book, but the resources for getting the steps for creating various components are readily available. Most importantly, if the book helped you understand the “why” then I’m a happy camper.
@Rob Toth, Gerber is one of my big influences if I could have a fraction of the impact he has had during my life, I’ll be quite happy. You are also quite right that the basic principles I discuss are general and can easily be applied outside the world of the Infopreneur, but it gets a bit challenging to speak in generalities all the time and my audience is Infopreneurs — the knowledge is portable though, for sure. Very good point about the font size and spacing, I’ll definitely make adjustments there.
Thanks!
“Doug Hudiburg elevates the industry with “Understanding the Info-Marketing Operating System.” You’ll learn sound, real-world methods of building your Internet Marketing business and converting prospects into lifetime customers.”
Patrick Pretty
Hi Doug,
I am a bit behind, but I will review if needed.
Thanks,
John
Patrick, thanks for your kind words sir!
@John, thanks for the offer, but I think I’ve got it covered at this point.
Doug
Doug. Thank you for the opportunity to review your new book.
The information was extremely well organized and easy to comprehend, especially for someone like myself who is new to the internet.
The Marketing Pathway System presents online promotion in an easy to follow step by step format while enabling the reader to better understand the overall internet marketing process.
Thanks again an excellent publication.
Richard
In terms of experience and knowledge I may be a greenhorn in marketing, but I may able to learn from reviewing that book. Please count me in.
@Richard, Thanks! “Easy to follow,” is what I was hoping for. You just never know if you are being clear and making it easy until you have someone who is not close to the project read it.
@Jorge All of the review copies have been spoken for, but I’ll make sure you get the announcement when I make pre-launch copies available. I’ll have a limited-time, low-cost offer right before the official launch.
Doug,
I apologise for being last minute but my first response seems to have been “lost in space”.
I was most impressed by your book - not all eBooks now are so packed full of information (most seem to be padded out using various methods). The layout is clear and concise, and makes you keep reading!
My normal practice (a bad one!) is to read and book and forget it - however, I have already gone back to yours to make notes along the way, and even printed it out, in full, for even easier reading.
Marketing Pathway System is certainly the Pathway to Marketing Success!
All the best (there is no need to wish you luck - I am sure this will be a great sucess)
Kind regards
Jo Blythe
Doug,
First, thank you for the opportunity to review your book. Here it is:
In a sea of “get rich right now” products, “Understanding the Info-Marketing Operating System” stands out for those who not only want to get rich, but who want to have a business built on a rock-solid foundation that will still be here tomorrow. This is the book to read FIRST if you’re looking to create a solid information marketing living online.
“Understanding the Info-Marketing Operating System” is also the book to read if you’re already earning a living online, because I’ll bet you dollars to donuts you’re leaving money on the table because you’re ignoring, or not serving as well as you could, 97% of your prospects. Yeah - 97%! Do this part right and your income will soar!
Purchase this book, implement its advice and build your information product empire the right way!
Jo and Suzanne, THANKS!
And to think, I wondered if posting this request to the blog was a good idea. I’m sure glad I did. It’s great to get feedback like this from new friends.
Guess what I’m doing now. I’m working on creating my own iMOS to get ready to launch this ebook.
As Rob said, it’s always hard work, but the more one does it, the easier it gets.
Doug
Doug,
After a complete systems crash knocking me offline for a week, I finally got my machine up and running again. Even though its late to send in my thoughts, I really would like to give them to you:
Your IMOS should become required reading for anyone that wants to get started with an online business. Why? Well, I can’t put it in better words than your own:
“There is a lot of great information available about how to accomplish specific tactical options that can have a huge impact on your business when applied correctly. What is sorely missing from the infopreneur landscape is a simple system that also shows you what is most important, when to do it, and why certain tactics will be effective for you.”
Congratulations Doug, you’ve certainly achieved your goal.
Regards,
Chris
I’d also like to add that your ebook does a great job at outlining the online sales funnel. You’ve done it in a clear and concise manner that everyone will be able to understand both the reason why and the results they can expect to get from it.
With all the hype out there about “how to make a million” etc.. you have managed to expose the truth without creating unrealistic expectations. If anyone follows your “Marketing Pathway” they will greatly increase their chances of success.
Hey Doug,
I found you on twitter and you just linked to a blog post and here I am. Your book has got some excellent reviews and now I’m very curious. If you’d notify me at pre launch I’d be grateful.
Happy twittering - Genie
Chris D,
Sorry for the delayed response, lots of travel, etc this week has put me off my schedule. Your comments about the book are generous and very much appreciated. Thanks!
Genie,
I love Twitter! Glad you found me there and I’ll make sure you are on the pre-launch list!
Please add me to the pre-launch list.
Thanks in advance.
Consider it done Walt!
I’m close to launch, but there are a few details to get right still. Wow. It never ceases to amaze me how much work it is to get something ready for launch!