Advice on Possible Product Release

Hello to you all ;D

I have been looking into affiliate marketing for some time and
am actively promoting at least 2 products right here at JV.

Whilst thinking about how to promote these and other ideas
i suddenly relaised i have a product which i could in theory sell
to the public.

I then thought, maybe not, as its quite specialised, but hey
isnt everything to a certain extent.
I then thought "ask the guys at jv, they will know if its a goer or
not" so here i am.

The Product would be for Steinbergs Pro Audio Production software
called "Cubase 4". I have been using this software for years and
have been giving away free videos on all aspects of the
program as well as other pro audio stuff, like mixing, mastering,
synthesis etc.

What i need to know is this, do you think i could sell this as a viable
product? I have litterally hours and hours (over 10 just to start with)
and i could easily write pdfs explaining the videos, other methods etc.

When searching for "Cubase Video Tutorials" through google there are
around 180,000 searches. There are probaly half a dozen pro made
video tutorials on the market, but none that specialise in "Dance Music"
production which is where the actual "create a complete Cubase track"
section of my videos would target.

At the moment, with hardly ant self promotion (just a few dance music forums)
i get about 100gb of traffic on my site in any month for the videos
already availiable.

So as you can see there is a market for it ( i think so anyway) so
guys, all you seasoned pros, do you think there is a market for it?

I constantly get great comments from the people who
download them, especially regarding the way the videos are made
(my humour etc).

thanks for any tips and advice.

regards

Mark

Hi Mark,

I use to record with Cubase before moving to Pro Tools.

I have purchased video tutorials in the past so
there definitely is a market for it.

According to Nichebot there is not a very high number
of daily searches for "Cubase Video Tutorials."

Where did you get your search criteria from?

Sometimes keyword tools can be inaccurate.

If it really is receiving that many searches I would
say go for it.

You may also want to consider creating an affiliate
program and try to get some of your competition to
become your JV partners if they have targeted email
lists.

You can create either a physical product or a digital
download.



Craig

Hi Mark, Craig,

I think that was meant to say 180,000 search engine results, not 180,000 searches.

It looks like it would be relatively easy to get ranked for that keyword.

I only glanced at the serps but I noticed there is no adwords ads appearing. Guess that would suggest no one else is selling similar tutorials. That normally means there's no market for it but not always.

I think getting access to some of your competitions lists is a great idea. You can build your own and may monetize that list at some point (if not in the beginning). It's definitely worth a shot as you already have videos created.

Dave

Mark

Sometimes you can have a very small market that is under the scope of most people that can be a CASH COW.

But the real question is how do you get to them?

One way is to partner with the software makers and let them push your product for a cut. Even if you have them 100% in exchange for the email you would still be able to backend them with more products and even more money.

Or you could make the same offer to other people who have video products like yours.


Thanks
Charles

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the reply`s, they are much appreciated. Just a few points i would like to discuss.

Craig

I was thinking of creating an affiliate program and you have intrigued me by
mentioning "try to get some of your competition to
become your JV partners if they have targeted email
lists"

Are you saying going straight to people like "http://www.askvideo.com/" (these would be in direct competition)
and and asking them to become partners? Sorry i dont quite understand this as surely they would definately refuse.

And sorry i meant to 180,000 search results although most of these are sites with video tutorials for cubase streaming on the site.

Dave

If you search for Cubase Video Tutorials there is 1 Adwords but thats for Berklee college so there is nothing there, your correct but its not just video tutorials for Cubase i would be doing.

The videos are primarily on Cubase, yes, BUT within those videos i show people how to use things like :

Soundcard set-up
Midi Controllers
Template Set-up
Basic/Intermediate/Advanced Drum Programming (using Native Instruments Battery)
Sice Chaining with Waves C1 Compressor

Programming Access Virus TI Synth

Using Other Multiple Vsts (Rob Papen Stuff, Native Instruments, UAD - to name a few)

I also do something that no-one else does, i create a complete track from start to finish.


I think Charles is right in saying there may be a cash cow in a very small market BUT i have to reach these people, i might contact Steinberg and see if they would be willing to push the Videos.

Charles

When you mention give them 100% for the list, do you mean i should actually ask Steinberg to give me their email list for customers and i will give them all the money made from the videos?

thanks for your help guys, its very much appreciated.

Mark

Sorry guys,

if you want a preview of the sort of stuff i do then they can be found here.

http://www.soundmagus.co.uk/video/index.html

I will "jazz" videos up with contents etc for the main product but for the time being
these are the ones that get downloaded at about 100gb per month.

thanks

Mark

Guys,

I just had another idea.

DO you think it would work to have a basket on the site (that site is changing btw)
and offer individual video downloads for say £1.50 but have the full dvd for £10, do u think more people would download them then?

Mark

I just had an idea for you Mark.........

You could take your training videos to people or institutions that actually use Cubase.

I am sure there are many, since they used to sell A LOT on eBay a year or two ago...(that's another place you can sell them for 4.97-9.97).

So..

Contact the institutions that you know/think use these products. You'll have to figure out a way to find them but you can strike a deal with them through negotiations which includes future updates for them and support etc.

Good idea in my opinion :D

Adeel

Hi Mark,

100gb sounds like a good few downloads. I just downloaded a 15mb file to have a look at the video and I think they look and sound great.

Your competition/partners are going to want to know what's in it for them. They shouldn't just refuse you. So think about how they will benefit from promoting your product, and how your product will compliment what they're already selling. If you approach your competition with the 'what's in it for me' mindset I think you will get a better result.

I think it's definitely worth contacting potential parnters/competitors as you already seem to be getting positive feedback from the market and people are actually downloading your tutorials. That should help when talking and convincing them to promote your product.

You might find yourself bursting with ideas, I already have some buzzing around my head but just make sure you do something about it with those ideas. Dip your toes and test the waters.

Hope that helps,

Dave

Hi,

I think Charles has a great idea.

I would look into that.

As far as the affiliate program...

If you create an affiliate program that
pays your affiliates 75% of all sales it is
a good incentive to promote your videos.

It goes on in the IM niche all the time.

You have quite a few good ideas to work with.

Why not try them all...

The key is to take action.

Make a list of things to do and then
check them off as you go.


Craig

Mark

You can use a 100% instant payout to your affiliates. They would just email there list about your product and use there affiliate link.

Then when someone buys the software would track which affiliate member gets credit and would pay them 100% instantly for the sale.

I'm doing this right now on one of my sites and it works like gang busters.

Think about this.

If your JV's or affiliates were to send 1 email for you and they make 100 sales @ $37 each plus upsells and they get there money right NOW!

Do you think they would send a 2nd email?

Do you think they would maybe add your product in to there autoresponder?

Do you think they would tell the online buddy's about this?

Most important do you think they would want to work with you again?

I'm using the butterfly script to do this but you can get the RAP script from Sid Hale and it will do the same. The key is you have to use paypal.

Thanks
Charles Kirkland

HI Guys,

Charles this sounds good to me, BUT what i dont really
understand is the point of it?

Why would you get someone to sell something for you and
give them 100 % of the sale?

This means i am getting no money, no list no benefit whatsoever
apart from people who may or may not work with me again in the future.

Please enlighten me as i am almost positive i am missing something here.

Thanks also to everyone else, your ideas have given me inspiration and
as off yesterday i have started crating more videos at a higher production
level than theo nes on my site.

many thanks

Mark

Hi Mark,

You would be building your list while giving away 100% commission. Charles didn't say it explicitly but I'm sure that's what he meant.

So you will build your list, build great relationships with your affiliates/jv's (who doesn't like 100% profits) and possibly make money on an upsell if you have one.

Dave

Mark

I did a trhead a few months ago about the 3 goals of a product launch.

Money, the list, branding.

Most people can not do all 3 untill they are very well known.

By giving away 100% of the profits you can get more people to promote for you. Plus if they get paid instantly that just adds to the fun.

This is one way to grow you list fast.

THE MONEY IS IN THE LIST NOT THE PRODUCT.

Thanks
Charles

I have to agree with Charles - your list is going to be one of your most important assets.

Over a year or so ago I launched a simple site and gave 100% (on a $97 sale) to JV partners
and it was paid instantly through paypal.

I actually got more partners than expected to promote and it really helped increase my list
size fast.

Before I launched though I made sure I had an upsell (so that I could generate some income)
and the site was a free-to-join with a OTO.

That way, all the visitors signing up were joining my list, whether they bought the OTO or not,
but the partners were happy because they were getting a good payout.

To add even more for the partners I also added a cash contest, so in a way partners had the chance
to make more than 100% ... i.e. the full sale price and also potential contest winnings.

This resulted in partners pushing a LOT harder.

Even though I didn't generate as much hard cash in that launch as I could have, I did build
my list quite significantly (and also using the BFM script, every one of those members became
an affiliate - meaning they could bring in even more members)

You just have to decide what you really want to achieve from the Launch - as Charles said ...
money, list, or branding?

Richard

HI Guys,

Thanks for your recent comments.

Well i am pretty certain, after recent releases, that without a list its extremely difficult to make any money
so getting a good list would be my main goal.

SO i guess its giving away 100% on the product which makes most sense to me, but i am also worried that the list i would build from this type of release would be too narrow/specific to make anything from in the
future (unless i sell more and more video tutorials - which i could).

Can someone explain what "OTO" is? And what is the BFM Script?

many thanks

Mark

Mark

A OTO is a One Time Offer

This is a example of a butterfly script in actions go to

http://www.webtoolsnow.com/index.php?

and sign up as a free member then checkout the oto's on the site. DON'T BUY ANY OF THEM.

But what you are not seeing is thier are 2 OTO and then 2 OTO downsells if you don't buy. You only see this is you buy the product.

Now after you join you are made into an affiliate instantly. Now the people who did and didn't buy all become affiliates can they can promote for me.

Plus check out the JV tools once you join. All the banners and emails are done for you, they even have your affiliate ID built right in.

The butterfly script can be set to be paid or free on the frontend. This site is free to join as the purpose was to test the OTO for a different project.

Thanks
Charles Kirkland