Many people begin blogging without any clear purpose to their site.
When we first realise the possibilities of writing our thoughts and tips and having them read…that alone is seductive enough to make us take the jump and start our blogs.
However, as time goes on, it becomes apparent that the blogs without a sales purpose in mind, or a specific product, are less likely to generate revenue than those who sit alongside, and support, a service or product of some sort.
Online advertising alone does not (usually) make us millionaires!
The way to enhance your blog proposition is to develop a useful, cost-effective and in-demand product which draws people to your site, and then gets them coming back again, and again.
E-books, membership courses and other products are all helpful when it comes to supporting your blog, and your services, as they demonstrate your knowledge of your niche subject.
How I chose the right product for my blog business
As a blog development and blog maintenance business, I knew I needed something really helpful when it came to developing a ‘killer’ product.
The Research is KEY
I sat down and thought about what I had learned from my industry since I began my business. I then asked my visitors and customers for their thoughts and input.
This market analysis is the first stage in establishing whether a new product can be of use.
My research showed that:
- People were becoming frustrated at the lack of ‘help’ available to them when it came to getting their blogs set up and making an income
- Much of the advice available to new starters was discouragingly technical, which put people off
- Many people were worried about signing up for things which sounded like scams, such as ‘how to get rich quick’ ideas
- The internet can be a bewildering place when it comes to sourcing high-quality, low-cost products to help with blog optimization.
- People wanted to know the steps (and in which order) to take to make an income on-line
Armed with this knowledge of my potential market, I developed the Income Blogging Guide Membership course.
When developing a product for the first time to sell, it’s important to understand what it is people really need, rather than what you think they need.
I have made that mistake in the past. I spent a huge amount of time creating a product that I thought people wanted. I did no research. I asked no one for input. I was naive and arrogant. I knew it would sell. IT DIDN’T!
Taking the research for the Blogging Membership course, I identified the following areas in which people most needed help:
- How to set up and customize your blog so it is attractive for both humans and search engines
- How to get traffic and build a loyal readership
- How to monetize your blog to make money for you
- How to create simple products to sell
- How to write sales pages that make people want to buy your product
- How to reduce your working hours and get some freedom back via outsourcing
…all in simple to follow steps.
Plus provide the best hands-on support I could possibly offer. Support was by far the biggest concern. Having access to me, the product creator was crucial. Hence the adding of weekly live teleconference and forums was a must.
The FEAR Held Me Back
But I wasn’t going to add this support, at first. The membership was originally going to be weekly step-by-step lessons only. But the research made me realized the support side was crucial and I thought I would have to put the project on hold.
Why?
Although I know many of the tips…technique…tricks…whatever you want to call them about blogging, I’m not really a technical coder or wizard. I thought what if someone asks me some technical question that I cannot answer. I’d look a fool.
The fear stopped me in my tracks.
The PARTNERSHIP
And that’s where Joel Williams (aka the blog tech guy) came in. Joel and I met on a forum a while ago and we had helped each other. I was explaining my concern and we agreed on a partnership.
Not only did Joel bring with him the technical skills (he is technical mentor to some of the world’s most famous bloggers) but, of course, his experience of blogging as well.
So now we had two heads creating the membership course. Having someone on your side that is a partner is a great way to make things happen. We would set each other deadlines and that really focussed us.
By carefully listening to people who contacted me for help, doing the research and, luckily finding the right person to fill the ‘gaps’, Joel and I developed a product that was not only helpful, but cost-effective for people.
So far, the course has been met with a great reception. The feedback we receive is awesome and the satisfaction we get from helping people is so rewarding.
If you’d like to see what the course covers in more detail, check out this link:
I
am very happy to provide a testimonial for Andrew Rondeau. All the parts of
the process of working with Andrew were a pleasure. He clarified what I was
wanting and he delivered it without fuss. He was courteous and prompt in all
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who wants work done on their blog.
I've spent insane amounts of money in the past with former webmasters until I discovered Andrew Rondeau.
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Without Andrew, I wouldn't even have a blog -- I would still just be sitting here, staring at my computer, feeling confused and helpless. With Andrew, I no longer fear confusion and it's impossible to feel helpless. He exerts any and all necessary efforts to resolve any problem or perplexity -- quickly, kindly, intelligently, up to and including IM exchanges in real time via skype. I would urge anyone at any level of expertise (or not) to make the most of his extraordinary talent.
Having worked with Andrew on and off over the last year, I have found him to be very patient, helpful and easy to work with. He is also very knowledgeable, supportive and a true expert.
Andrew is the real deal and he knows his stuff! His customer service is superb and he gets your work done FAST! You won't need to wait around for endless weeks to see results. Most importantly he works on the site as if it's his own, thus you are assured that you will get the best quality service. I now give Andrew all of my new and old sites to work on. Trust me; you cannot go wrong with this gentleman!
I
approached Andrew in February 2010, because I needed to enhance the way I communicated
my business. 
Andrew is highly knowledgeable about blogs and very customer service focused. I knew nothing about blogs and Andrew was very kind, patient, pleasant to work with, receptive and responsive. Work was delivered in timely manner and if I need anything done for blog again I would use Andrew. If you are looking for quality work, excellent customer service and someone that really gets YOU and your needs, I recommend Andrew!.
The best blog builder, and the best blog maintenance, I've ever met is Andrew Rondeau. This fellow is an authentic professional in every sense of the word. He's lightning fast, knowledgeable, competent, a skilled listener. He goes the extra mile. He's able to share his passion for his work and products without being pushy. He as other great internet skills, too, but his most impressive attribute is mastery of website building.
I happened to stumble upon Andrew's website (WeBuildYourBlog.com) while searching for blogging services that would help me start my very own blog. I was a total newbie when it came to the blogging world. Fast forward 3 months and not only do I have my own awesome blog, but friends and family are actually asking me how to start their own blog and I am able to set their blogs up for them! In only 3 months under Andrew's guidance I went from total newbie to being sought after. Thanks Andrew!
I was introduced to Andrew by a dear friend Corinne Edwards and Andrew as transformed by blog in ways that have reaped results. My membership has gone up and my blog always looks clean and easy to read. Whenever I send Andrew a request to check out - it's ALWAYS prompt and easy to understand. In my humble opinion he is the BEST when it comes to knowledge of the blogging world.
Thank you Andrew for your patience in getting my website and on-line courses on-line and selling. You were fantastic in learning the delivery platform software that I had chosen and you were across the complexities quickly. Your detailed approach in setting guidelines and deliverables bought my focus back to where it should be and got the job done. Thank you for all your efforts it was a pleasure.
Andrew is an asset to our ongoing website and social media needs. He responds quickly, accurately, and cost effectively. Andrew plays a consultative role in many aspects to our online needs.
The
end result is a fantastic site that is attracting a lot more attention
and visitors than my old one.
Andrew
has extensive knowledge about internet marketing, SEO and building web
sites/blogs. His course explained everything in an easy to understand
way and I now have a web site that is generating me new clients and
producing income from internet product sales.
Andrew
at WeBuildYourBlog.com is the most responsive and flexible person
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was impressed with the excellent service. 
Andrew Rondeau is the genius behind http://www.webuildyourblog.com.
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is highly knowledgeable about blogs, and you can get your blog up and running
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my blog and he is patient and good natured and a wonderful teacher. 
I have been online since 1996 and in that time I have been involved in the development of almost 400 web sites for my clients. I have worked with a wide variety of vendors and I have to tell you that Andrew @ We Build Your Blog has far exceeded my expectations. In addition to his vast knowledge and expertise, he is a genuinely great guy, who always goes the extra mile. I highly recommend him, in fact I only recommend him now for web development.
Andrew was kind enough to offer up his own time as part of an initiative to make the world a better place, and I was one of the beneficiaries of that effort. He spent an hour with me working on improving my bounce rate; he suggested several helpful strategies. Most importantly, he helped me with some key processes to help speed up my site, which had bogged down considerably with overuse of graphics. Andrew helped me get set up with Rackspace, which helped so much. From a load time of almost 30 seconds, the site sped up to about a 6 second load. Thanks so much, Andrew!
Hi, Andrew Rondeau here and this blog, my blog, will not lie to you. I will give it to you straight.This blog is about blogging, the Internet and sharing my experiences and advice on
Developing my own product is next on my list of things to do and this post definitely helped me see how I need to get organized if I want the product to be a success. Thanks!
.-= Tiffany @ Online Passive Income´s last blog ..5 Hot Niches that Won’t be Going Away Anytime Soon =-.
Twitter: andrewrondeau
Tiffany,
What product will you be creating?
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ Blogging Guide´s last blog ..blogging guide =-.
Andrew, you are smart to find a partner with skills and knowledge that complement yours. That’s synergy.
As you know, I’m interested in the course and may do it this summer in conjunction with a few other folks you’re acquainted with.
.-= John Soares´s last blog ..Creating an Information Product in 30 Minutes a Day =-.
Twitter: happymakernowco
John, Andrew and Joels course is wonderful. I was really struggling with my site until I stumbled onto these two guys. Just thought I would give you my opinion.
Thanks for listening.
Debbie
.-= Debbie @ Happy Maker´s last blog ..A change is as good as a rest, when it comes to being Happy! =-.
Twitter: andrewrondeau
Debbie,
Thanks for those kind words.
Joel and I love having you as one of the members. You are a great friend and person to know.
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ Blogging Guide´s last blog ..How To Sell Your Product Online =-.
Twitter: andrewrondeau
John,
Smart? Who knows!
Relationship builder – I like to think so. Relationships are key to making it on-line.
Looking forward to having you on-board.
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ Blogging Guide´s last blog ..Blogging: Who’s Made It Work? =-.
One of the most common occurences is newcomers wanting a plan, a guide that takes them step by step and tells them exactly what to do. In my experience, there are SO many people offering this now days but very little offer EVERYTHING. People will have questions, a LOT of questions so I’m pleased to see that your service will not just be an e-book and a pat on the back, so to speak.
Kudos.
.-= Josiah @ iPhone 4G Accessories´s last blog ..iMovie Exclusive to iPhone 4 for Now =-.
Twitter: andrewrondeau
Thanks, Josiah.
That’s exactly what the research told us and exactly what is happening – lots of questions!
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ Blogging Guide´s last blog ..Do you like unsolicited feedback? =-.
Hi Andrew very nice input. Before make a strategy for selling products online we have do market research. I see that there are some niche which are going boom on the internet like weight loss, travel & tourism, real estate. I suggest bloggers that rather writing article or marketing on blogging, SEO, they may try for other niche, which have less competition.
Twitter: andrewrondeau
Chandan
I think it really depends upon where their passion is. Don’t let the competition put you off.
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ Blogging Guide´s last blog ..You CAN Do It =-.
Great article and has certainly got me thinking about my own blog. I have been happily writing and posting without much thought as to how I could make at least a small profit from it.
I am not sure what a site like mine could offer in the form of an e-book or e-course but your article has sure got me thinking about it.
Thanks
Tom
.-= Tom Evans´s last blog ..Kedar Joshi’s Quotes about England =-.
Twitter: andrewrondeau
Tom,
Great you are thinking about it.
Why do people come to your site, in the first place?
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ Blogging Guide´s last blog ..You CAN Do It =-.
You did well. Differing skill sets is the holy grail of partnerships. Each one brings their own, manages their own with limited squabble, and you can still bounce ideas off each other.
.-= Dennis Edell @ Direct Sales Marketing´s last blog ..6 Blogs – 6 Blog Themes. All the Same or All Different? It’s a Branding Issue… =-.
Twitter: andrewrondeau
Bringing different skills to the table is key. Joel was a great find!
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ Blogging Guide´s last blog ..You CAN Do It =-.
Selling products online is a very intensive and challenging process, not for everyone, but if you can do the proper research as you wrote about and really create a hot, in demand product then the profits can be unlimited.
.-= JR ´s last blog ..Try the Best Content Spinner for $7 =-.
Twitter: andrewrondeau
JR,
You have to test the price as well. Sometimes it’s too low and you don’t sell as people think the product is rubbish.
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ Blogging Guide´s last blog ..WordPress 3.0: Do NOT Upgrade =-.
Very true, I would have a hard time with that one, as I would probably make any product I created too low in price, since at heart I am a cheapskate
.-= JR´s last blog ..Google Mayday Update, Caffeine and Tanked SERP Ranks =-.
Twitter: andrewrondeau
JR,
A little while ago, I launched a small product at $2.99 and hardly sold any.
I upped the price to $9.99 and sold loads more!
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ Blogging Guide´s last blog ..Can I Help You With Your Blogging? =-.
That is so interesting, I would have preferred the lower price
, but I can see people thinking cheap price, cheap product.
.-= JR ´s last blog ..Google Mayday Update, Caffeine and Tanked SERP Ranks =-.
Twitter: andrewrondeau
I wasn’t expecting that though. I thought the same as you – customers would prefer the lower price.
We should all test a lot more.
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ Blogging Guide´s last blog ..What is the SILO Website Structure? =-.
Thanks for that Andrew, it’s a bit of an artform to sell products online whether it’s simple stuff or information products or even services. What people think they want and what they are actually prepared to pay for can sometimes be wildly different
.-= Jorgen Sundberg´s last blog ..How Chris Brogan Stays Productive with Egg Timers =-.
Twitter: andrewrondeau
Jorgen,
Yes – very true. And one of the reasons why I never ask in a survey how much would you be willing to spend on such a product.
What they say would be wildly different to what they would really spend.
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ Blogging Guide´s last blog ..WordPress 3.0: Do NOT Upgrade =-.
[...] How To Sell Your Product Online – WeBuildYourBlog Many people begin blogging without any clear purpose to their site. When we [...]
This is something which is very important for your online survival.Learning insights of Internet marketing will be of great help.But I still can’t decide whether it is the write time to join.
.-= Patrick@Reverse Phone Lookup´s last blog ..How to Trace Mobile Phone number in USA Canada and Caribbean Islands =-.
Twitter: andrewrondeau
Patrick,
Right time to join and start making products?
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ Blogging Guide´s last blog ..Is Your BLOG Having Low Opt-in rates? =-.
There is many ways you can used to sell your product online, in as much as you have a good website/blog and knowledge on a certain subject that you’d like to share, you can still make money with pure content and affiliate programs.
[...] presents How To Sell Your Product Online posted at We Build Your Blog, saying, “How I chose the right product for my blog [...]
[...] How To Sell Your Product Online | Blogging Guide – How to make a blog and a blog income [...]
I just started my mailing list today! I am one step closer to selling a product online. I just need a product now…
Adam Clarke recently posted..My Guest Post From Mr CommentLuv Himself, Andy Bailey!
Twitter: andrewrondeau
Adam,
You may want to check out our product:
“Create Your Own Best-Selling Product In Under 7 Days”
http://blogsolutionsltd.com/create-your-own-best-selling-product-in-under-7-days/
Andrew
Andrew recently posted..How To Build Your Own On-line Business
Twitter: CathyDavies
Hi Andrew,
You two are an amazing team! One of you always answers my questions in the forum which you would never find on any other course.
I will start developing my product to teach people how to find freedom from their allergies tomorrow! My 10th post will be live by then……takes a deep sigh of relief!
The technical stuff doesn’t come easy to me but your course and your support is helping me overcome each hurdle.
I find having the step by step lessons really gives me focus.
Thank you so much!
Cathy x
Twitter: andrewrondeau
Thanks, Cathy.
We, both appreciate that feedback.
Good luck with your product creation!
Andrew
Andrew recently posted..Smartphone Apps for Bloggers
Every person gain a bundle of knowledge with your article because you describe really effective ways to sell products online. Awesome journalism! The column covers it all without any propaganda and sheds light on the subject without an underlying agenda. This is mandatory reading for anyone trying to educate themselves on this topic. Santa Claus Letters
When we consider Blogging as business then we will surely come up with some products. Otherwise in long run, just writing tips and posts will not help us any more.
Swamykant recently posted..100 Best Free Blogger Templates for 2012
I made my own products about karaoke tutorials yet I find it very difficult to market it. I’m thankful this post reveal why I felt it difficult because I’m lack of know-how to market. I’m studying about marketing but the tutorials I made was offered for free now from my site.
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Twitter: andrewrondeau
Mark,
Creating the products can be the easy part. The marketing is when the real hard work starts!
Andrew
Andrew recently posted..How To Make A Blog: Everything You Need To Know