The Bill Myers Product Development Letter 102 West War Eagle Drawer 1289 Huntsville, AR 72740 Phone: 501-559-2688 Fax: 501-738-1878 E-mail: bmyers@bmyers.com Date:     April, 1998 From:     Huntsville, Arkansas Subject:  The Chicken Hilton "We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements in life, when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about" Charles Kingsley Dear Friend      I was living in a tent at the time. A big blue one from Sears.      It had seemed such a reasonable thing to do. Sell the house, quit the job, and move into a tent.      See, I was working full time at a job I couldn’t stand, in a place I didn’t want to be. It was a factory, where huge forty-ton presses stamped cold steel bars into open-ended wrenches. It was a dirty, noisy, and extremely dangerous place to work. And everybody who worked there would have rather been somewhere else. Anywhere.      But we couldn’t leave. The pay was too good. And we all had bills to pay - house payments, utility bills, car payments, credit card bills, and all the rest. So we were stuck. Probably . . . . . . for the rest of our lives.      A lot of the people who worked there used drugs to escape the reality of the work place. Others were into alcohol. But most just let the roar of the stamping presses and the boredom of the job numb them into acceptance, that this was their lot in life.      Me? I was a dreamer. My dream was to live in a cabin deep in the woods somewhere. To live off the land. To be self-sufficient so I would never be forced to work in a factory again.      But it was just a dream . . . until one Saturday morning after a really rough work week, a real estate agent knocked on my door and told me she had people in her car who were desperate to buy a house . . . perhaps my house. I quickly agreed to show them around, and in less than an hour, they had agreed to buy the house at my price. With just one little condition . . . I had to move out of the house within 15 days so the new owners could move in.      And that’s when I decided that it was a good time to move into a tent.      I had never really lived in a tent before, but I had been camping once or twice, so I figured living in a tent wouldn’t be all that bad. I had already found a small piece of land up in the mountains I could buy for a song. There was no house on the property, but I figured I could put up a tent and that would be like living in a very, very, small house - only different!!! And that’s how it came to pass that I spent six months living in a tent!      Living in a tent in a wilderness area for an extended period of time, without electricity, without running water, without flush toilets, without showers, without TV, without telephones, and without a whole lot of other things we take for granted, is not as much fun as you might think.      Especially, if you still have a full time job (as I did).      Having a job meant that after a night in a sleeping bag in a tent, I had to get up before sunrise, drive six miles to the nearest stream, bathe and shave in icy water, put on clean clothes, and go to work. (OK. Sometimes I cheated. On cold or rainy days, I’d stop at a gas station on the way to work and shower there.)      After all day on the job, when every one else was going home to comfortable air-conditioned homes with real furniture and running water, I went to my tent and ate cold beans out of a tin.      What made it even more interesting was I could afford much more. When I sold my house (right before moving into the tent), I had made a good profit. And living in the tent really cut my expenses. I didn’t have a house payment. Or phone, or electric, or water, or cable bills. And I still had a job.      So I felt rich. I had no bills, little debt, and money in the bank. The only downside was . . . I was living in a tent!      It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. But, what started out as an adventure quickly turned into an ordeal. Life without electricity, running water, and especially without flush toilets is just not fun.      Still, living in a tent under those conditions did have a good side.      It proved to me that no matter how bad things get, you can survive. Even in a tent. (Most of the people on this planet live in worse conditions. And they survive.)      This experience also revealed a truth about goals and dreams. When I first moved into that tent, my biggest goal was to quit my job and live in a tent. Only after getting close to achieving both, did I realize how misdirected I had been.      See, I really didn’t want to live in a tent at all. All I wanted was to be able to live a good life and not be a slave to a job. But at the time, I knew of no alternative. I didn’t know you could make a living any other way except with a job. At the time, I thought we all had basically two options . . . Either work at a job we hate, or live in poverty!      Of course, I now know better. But back then, I’d never been exposed to the possibilities.      But then, a funny thing happened.      It was a sunny Saturday afternoon. I was sitting outside my tent reading the latest Stephen King novel (when you live in a tent you read a lot). Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement right at the edge of the tent. And I’m thinking, ‘This shouldn’t be happening. It’s just me and the tent, and there shouldn’t be anything moving up here on this mountain’.      Anyway, I put my book down, and took a closer look. And discovered the largest rattlesnake I’d ever seen climbing into my tent and settling in my sleeping bag. And that was enough for me. I loaded up everything I had (except the tent and sleeping bag), and headed back into the real world (and I haven’t slept in a tent since).      I started thinking about all this last week when I found a musty old box in my barn. The box was filled with a cache of books with titles like ‘Living off the Land’ and ‘Self Sufficiency’ and ‘Shelter’ and ‘Survival’ and ‘Forty acres and Happiness’.      And packed in along with these books was a picture of me . . . living in the tent.      Added up, there were probably over seven hundred dollars worth of books and magazines in the box. All representing the same thing . . . My attempt to get a little bit closer to my dream of living in a cabin in the woods.      When I was working in that factory, I spent most of my spare time researching my dream. And buying products that I thought would help me get closer to it. (Does this sound like something you’ve done?)      Most of those products I bought, and still buy today (books, magazines, newsletters and reports), were created and offered by small companies like yours and mine. The creators of these products had taken information about their hobbies and lifestyles and turned them into products other people wanted. They had discovered that the secret to their own success was to create . . . Products that helped other people get closer to their dreams!      Think about that for a moment.      Most successful information products sell dreams. It may be the dream of losing weight. Or making money. Or living longer. Or having a better relationship. Or being better at some sport. Or any other of the thousands of things that people dream about these days.      But whatever the dream, there are people spending money (lots of it), on products that are perceived to somehow get them closer to that dream.      For example, some people dream of living on a boat or sailing the seas. And while it is unlikely that most of these people will actually ever set foot on an ocean going boat, it is very likely (almost predictable) that they will buy books, videos, newsletters, and guides about living on a boat, and sailing the open seas, because doing so . . . Brings them closer to their dream!      Look at your own buying habits. Aren’t many of the products you buy done so because you feel they will somehow get you closer to your dreams? Whether you dream about self sufficiency, travel, houses, or money, aren’t the products you buy (or want to buy) a reflection of those dreams?      It’s only natural. Reaching your dreams . . . and creating products      We call it the ‘Chicken Hilton’.      It’s the small chicken house we have been building in our back yard for more than a month.      Our dream (short term), was to have our own chicken house which could provide us with fresh eggs every morning. To reach that dream, we starting buying all the magazines, books, videos, and chicken house information we could find (there’s not much of it). And we immersed ourselves in this information to come up with the ultimate plan for a small backyard chicken house.      And then we hired an old-time chicken farmer to help us build it (and correct some of our over-engineering).      The result is really turning into something to behold.      Our new chicken house has automatic waterers, automatic feeders, cozy little nesting boxes, roost poles placed so chickens will have a view of the river, an east facing window (so the rooster can see sunrise), and an automatic door that opens onto an extra large free-range area where the chickens can play and cavort in the great outdoors.      The only thing that’s missing is . . . . The chickens!      So far, we’ve spent close to a thousand dollars building this thing, and almost 50 hours researching every aspect of it. I’ve bought every book about chickens I can find, bought all the back issues of the back to the land magazines (searching for chicken articles), and even hired local farmers to help me build and plan this thing to get it just right.      And finally it is done. All I need to do is add chickens. I plan to add eight hens this week, and in theory they should produce about three dozen eggs a week. If all works out as planned, my $1000 investment in my chicken house, will pay off big time - about $150 in eggs a year. What gives?      So, what’s this have to do with Product Development? Think about it. Every company that had a chicken book on the market got my business. As did many companies that sold chicken house equipment, chicken wire, chicken feed, and eventually even chickens.      And that’s just this month’s aspect of my dream. Last month it was a greenhouse. Next month it will be a solar well pump. The month after, who knows, but it will be probably related to my dream.      If you were to add up all the money I’ve invested in my dream of living in a cabin in the woods since way back when I lived in a tent, you’d see that I have spent close to a million dollars on this dream (this includes all the farms I’ve bought and sold, the tractors, the trucks, the tools, all the other miscellaneous stuff.)      And I’m still buying today. And will be next month. And probably for the rest of my life.      All to fulfill a dream. Not unusual      This pattern of buying products related to a dream is not at all unusual. In fact, for most consumers it is the norm. The big corporations know this, and use ‘dream fulfillment’ in their product design and marketing.      Because it works. Turning the pursuit of your own dreams into products      Regardless of your own personal dream, it’s probably shared by thousands, maybe millions of other people. All anxious to find and buy products that can get them closer to that dream.      This creates a great opportunity for those of us who actually choose to pursue our dreams. The experiences we gain along the way, the roadblocks we overcome, the resources we learn, all are the basis for products that others pursuing the same dream may want to purchase.      In effect, the lifestyle you live (if you are pursuing your dream), can be your product.      Now this doesn’t mean you have to actually reach your dream, before you can create a product about it. In most cases, that simply can’t be done. Reaching a dream is usually a long journey, involving the overcoming of many problems and obstacles.      But it is those obstacles, both small and large, that present the opportunity for you to create a product. (Just look at all the products I’ve successfully created and marketed . . . Most are a direct result of the obstacles I encountered as an information publisher, and how I resolved them.) An example of success      In the February issue of this newsletter, I briefly mentioned a product I described as a ‘Survival Seed Garden in a Can’. It’s basically a carefully selected collection of non-hybrid garden seeds placed in a vacuum sealed can. A simple product.      In any case, the product was mentioned in Gary North’s newsletter, and as a direct result, generated close to 2000 sales . . . totaling over $300,000!      The reason this product did so well with a single mention in that newsletter, is most of the people reading Dr. North’s newsletter share a common focus . . . that of survival during hard times. And the ‘survival garden in a can’ product was something readers perceived as a product that would get them . . . Closer to that dream (of survival during hard times)!      To understand this a little better, you need to know that the focus of Dr. North’s newsletter for the past year has been the coming Year 2000 computer crisis. His subscribers have read, month after month, after month, of the growing problem, and many are starting to believe they need to prepare.      So, when these readers (over 20,000), read about a product that sounded like it would get them closer to their dream, they were primed to act. And many did (by placing an order for it). A lesson to be learned . . .      The above is an example of almost perfect marketing. There was no promotion costs involved to generate $300,000 in sales in just a few weeks.      The reason this worked so well, is that the product was mentioned in an editorial nature in a publication where the readers were focused on just one subject, and had been primed to act. The product was a perfect match for the target audience.      In most cases, these ‘perfect matches’ rarely happen, and usually only by accident. The product is found by the newsletter or magazine editor, and given a great review. And many sales are the result.      But, as a product developer and marketer, you usually can’t afford to wait for these rare accidents that can generate $300,000 in sales to happen. So, you have to use a little strategy to make it happen on your own.      Here’s how . . . Perfect Marketing      The ideal situation for any marketer is to have a product for which there is a ‘starving crowd’ waiting with money in hand, desperate to buy your product. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case.      Usually you have to spend large sums of money trying to find people who might be remotely interested in your product, and then once you find these people, you have to provide them lots of reasons to buy (usually in a sales letter or brochure), and still, many don’t buy your product . . . mostly because it is not within their prime focus.      To eliminate these problems entirely, and have the kind of success the ‘survival garden in a can’ experienced, do this . . . Step One Find a group of people who have money to spend and who have recently spent some of it on a product they wanted. (It’s very important to find people who have money and are already spending it on things they want. You certainly don’t want to try to market to people who either don’t have money, or aren’t spending it.) The best way to find this group is to look for subscribers to a special interest newsletter or magazine. Read back issues of the publication to see what it is the readers are being ‘primed’ to want and to see examples of the kind of products they are buying. Step Two Look at examples of products those readers are buying right now. Check out the price ranges, the methods of payment, the nature of the product (book, video, seeds in a can, etc.). Be sure to keep tabs on the exact nature of the product the newsletter editor is mentioning or recommending (because you want to be one of those products). Don’t be tempted to try to sell something the readers are not buying (or the editor is not recommending). If the editor never recommends a book or video, then don’t offer that kind of product. Step Three Using the information you gained in step one and two, look for or create a product that would be exactly what the readers of the publication would want. The ideal product would be an ‘instant solution’ to an aspect of a dream desire, would have at least a $100 profit per item, and would be unique enough to attract editorial attention. (See suggestions further on in this issue). Step Four Write a personal letter, including information about your product, along with a complete sample of the product (an absolute must), a photo of the product, and ordering information, and send it to the newsletter editor. Your goal is to get either a mention or an endorsement from the publication editor in the next edition of the publication. Just four steps . . .      Yes, this is an over simplification, but you get the idea. Find out what people want to spend money on and offer it to them. In some rare cases, you may already have the product your targeted audience wants. But usually, you won’t so you will have to either create it or find it.      Most people won’t follow these steps. Instead of first identifying a specific market and determining what it is they want to buy, they will find a product and then spend time and money trying to find a market. Usually with little success. The perfect products for the right market      So, what are the perfect products?      Well, it mostly depends on the audience you want to reach. But in my mind, the perfect product has these characteristics . . . Profit margin of at least $100 per unit - means you break even with just a few sales Easy to ship - if you can’t ship it, you can’t sell it Unique enough that it attracts editorial attention - you want the editor to say, ‘My readers will certainly be interested in this’ Not readily available from other sources - you don’t want customers finding the same product in Wal-Mart or all over the internet Part of the Dream - customers say, ‘this is what I’ve been looking for, and need to order right away’ High quality, easy to use, Out of the Box satisfaction - you want customers to really value the product and want to keep it. This reduces returns and increases repeat sales.      If you can find a product with these characteristics, you have a potential winner. Product Ideas      As I mentioned earlier, the best products are those that help overcome obstacles that people encounter when trying to reach their dreams. These obstacles will vary from dream to dream, but for those pursuing the dream, the obstacles and resulting products are very apparent.      Here are some product ideas . . . - How-to-books, writer’s workshops, software tools, writer’s agents newsletters, editing services, book promotion services, book publishing I want to travel - ’How to make a living as a travel writer’ book, travel workshops, travel clubs Personal Dream Potential Products I want to be a writer I want to retire - Books on where to retire, how to retire with money, how to retire healthy, newsletters, videos, workshops, associations I want to have money - Business opportunities, investment advice, lottery guides, treasure guides, workshops, seminars, consulting (I wouldn’t do any of these) I want to make a living by (fill in the blanks) - Start up guide for a specific type of business - i.e. bed & breakfast, antique store, pottery shop, greenhouse business, pet store, travel agency, bakery, printing business, copy shop, coffee shop, bar, health club, day care center, etc., etc., etc. (Many opportunities here) I want to be an artist (musician, painter, sculptor, potter) - training workshops, tools of the trade, how to videos, artist’s agent, art gallery, band promoter I want to become self sufficient - every aspect of self sufficiency can be a potential book or video, and many of the products in the above categories will cross over into this one. I want to be a pro golfer (fisher, guide, ball player) - books, videos, gadgets, workshops, consulting, camps, shirts, caps, logos, sports agent I want to lose weight, gain muscles, have firmer thighs, bigger/smaller breasts, more hair - books, videos, workshops, equipment, salves, ointments, herbs (I’d be very careful when it comes to giving people anything they put in or on their body) Product sources      Some people love to create new products. Others wouldn’t know where to start. If you are the kind of person that wants to create your own product, you probably should concentrate on books, videos, software, training workshops and seminars. These are the easiest to do, and have a pretty good record of success. Start by creating products that solve specific obstacles for people in your target market.      If you don’t want to create your own products, yet want something you can quickly offer your target market, try finding commercial/industrial grade products that fulfill the needs and wants of your potential customers.      Contact manufacturers (either visit trade shows, showrooms or order their catalogs), and look for solutions to the obstacles that people in your target market want to overcome. Industrial/commercial products (not offered at retail), are usually of superior quality, and are designed for extreme use conditions. This can make ideal products - especially when promoted through newsletter editors.      Keep in mind that you want to net at least $100 per order from these products, and that you want them unique enough to attract editorial attention. (Remember the pocket gold and diamond testers I offered ? That’s the kind of product you are looking for. Something that is interesting has a high perceived value, not readily available from other sources.)      Once you locate a product like this, either order one or get the manufacturer to send you a sample. If the sample fits your needs, send it with a cover letter to the newsletter editor, and see if you get the free editorial promotion you need. If you do, you are in business. (If you get 350 orders, and make a $100 profit per order, you can net $35,000. If you are able to generate the 2,000 orders like the ‘seeds in a can’ project . . . you could end up with over $200,000 in profits!)      One final point . . . Keep in mind that the specific product you choose should be dictated by the customer demands in the market you choose. If you are in tune with that market (because you share the same dreams of the customers in that market), you definitely have an advantage when it comes to product selection and promotion (because you most likely will already be reading the newsletters and publications in that market). Tents into profits      You don’t have to live in a tent to escape the rat race. But, since there are a lot of people who are considering leaving the big cities for life in rural areas, you could probably turn this desire into a series of profitable projects.      Dr. North recently announced he was holding a one day workshop on the subject of the best rural areas to relocate to. He planned on having 200 people attend.      As of yesterday, he had signed up 350 people, and had 150 on his waiting list. Most had paid $100 to reserve their seats. And even though I am not associated with this workshop, I have been contacted by a number of people wanting to buy the videos from it . . . (I don’t think it is being video taped).      According to a recent FutureScopes Trend Study (find at http://www.activmedia.com/press/winlose.html), 74% of internet users indicated they have a real desire (dream) to move to rural areas. (Does this give you any product ideas? Maybe your own workshop?) Update . . .      I had promised to cover our video production efforts in this month’s newsletter, but because Sonya and I both had the 30 day flu last month, we weren’t in a position to complete the videos. I’m all better now, and hope to finish up the videos this week.      InfoBoss, our latest software product is starting to generate orders. And it looks like the upgrade, InfoBoss Pro, will be coming out in a few weeks. This next version will be able to automatically create a Win/Win95 software product that can display 25 file types (including most word processor, graphic, sound, video, spreadsheet and database formats). For details, visit http://www.bmyers.com/infoboss. Upcoming      In coming months, I plan to go into more detail on where to find products that people want to buy right now, and how to get others to promote those products for you at no cost. I’ll share with you sources for industrial commercial products that might be ideal for your market, and provide an excellent source for military surplus products which might be in real demand later on this year.      I also plan to start including more examples of cover letters, press releases, and display ads you can use to get maximum exposure for your products, at minimum costs.      I think we are going to see some real opportunities over the next 18 months, and we are going to be seeing a lot more success stories like the ‘survival garden seeds in a can’ product.      It really is an exciting time to be in this business.      Until next month, Stay Healthy, Bill Myers P.S. Be sure to check out the additional information in the online ‘Product Developer’s Notes’. You can find it in the subscribers only area of our web site at http://www.bmyers.com