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[Tansau]

Yeah, we've kinda strayed from the original topic. Sorry!

RE: Apps, yes, the best ones include both video content and notes in text format. You can make changes and updates to the App and push the changes out through the App Store. In most cases, all of the content is self-contained, but may have links to a website. This is done so that people can access the content even if they do not have an Internet connection.

There are some apps that come with basic content, and then you can buy additional content from within the app itself. Draculino has a BJJ app like that, and I've seen a parkour app that does this, too.

And it doesn't have to just be video. There's an innovative app called iBJJ by Paxmow that uses flip-book style photos instead of video. You swipe to move between the photos to see the action, or hit a play button to see it animated. On any photo, you can bring up a text overlay that gives all the details about that phase of the technique. Very lightweight, informative and detail-oriented.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ibjj/id337474144?mt=8

[Hock]

"Doesn't sound like it's really worth producing a book or a DVD at this point."

I am pretty infamous around the world because I wrote a knife book in 1995. That book gave me the start of a seminar career. (that book is for sale now by people for $1,000. Insane.)

Making a DVD or a book? It will depend completely on the subject of the book, or the DVD and then having some strokes of luck with it. I will continue to make them, if the subject matter is right. 

It goes back to my old favorite line..."that which differientiates." What is it that differentiates you or your idea from someone else?  If you just do yet another Thai, or Krav or whatever film, you are in a long line of ducks. But, it might still sell some, you know?

Cast the hook onto the waters. It would be important to note that I am an old-hand and quite jaundiced and should not be too, too discouraging.

Hock
(Just don't release your book in PDF!)
   

[Hock]

On the apps.
That is interesting.

The app is $3.99. One time $3.99? Or $3.99 a month?
You get all that for four bucks?
Wonder how many of those pays your house payment for a month? For a year?

There must be golf apps too huh?  Nothing like selling something a lot ore people want to see.

Hock

[sarguy]

I dunno if all of Hock's stuff would translate to an app or not, but I do like seeing Be Bad Now available on Kindle. I personally don't own one, but my wife does and she loves it. Amazon makes it really easy to buy Kindle books on a whim. I have absolutely no data to support this claim, but I suspect that there are a ton of books that are bought on impulse riding about on people's Kindles, each of which hopefully helped support the author.

Any more thoughts about releasing things to Kindle? Maybe a re-release of some of your old stuff? I had a used copy of "Punches" on my Amazon wishlist, but I think someone beat me to it.

[Benjamin Liu]

I'm not sure how typical I am for a consumer of info products.  Since I buy products for different things I'm interested in, I have more categories of things to buy, and in each category there are different companies to choose from.  Then there are things like regular expenses like gas and bills, so what there is to spend depends on how much is left after expenses.  A problem with this is that there could be a very good product that I'd otherwise buy but either can't afford info products that month or I already bought some other course.  If this is typical of an info product consumer, the key would be to figure out how they'd choose a martial arts product over say a marketing product, and then in the martial arts products how to choose your product over other peoples' products, and how they'd buy them now instead of later.

I have a long list of books and DVDs to buy, and some have been on the list for years and for some reason I never bought them.  Others I buy soon after they come out.  The "First Contact" DVDs were one of those, mostly because the topic is something most people leave out of their trainings and products and that was the type of thing I was looking for before Lauric made them. 

[Kelly Knight]

So, here's my brief conclusion - there isn't much (if any) profit in producing a video or book at this time unless:

• You have a "captured audience", i.e. student base...and/or...
• You have a library of work(s) to offer the consumer

A unique product, viewpoint or take on a recognized subject does not equate to profit, as it might have in the past. Unless you are a widely known public figure, of course. Then, maybe.

As I have mentioned, I do produce videos specifically targeted at my student base. I sell maybe one DVD for every 15-20 tshirts. There is clearly a much higher profit margin in apparel sales for me and not much impetus to produce more videos.

Better to concentrate my energies in other directions. Would you disagree, Hock?

Kelly Knight

[Hock]

It really, really, really depends on your idea.
I know that, that doesn't help much, but a good idea can break all the rules.

Hock

 

[Kelly Knight]

Point taken. How many Tae-Bo-esque programs are there? Still, I would think that the MA marketing world is not so widespread.

A good idea is a good idea, even if it's been done over and over and over.

Food for thought, thanks!

Kelly Knight

[Hock]

Almost everything has been before.
The bible story. Shakespeare....ah...Thai bo (how did that wind up in the same line?)

Look at all the cop/murder shows! How many times can you tell that tale of a dead guy on the floor?? Yet, there are different things involved, that make it different. In books, it is the writing, on TV its Mark Harmon instead of Columbo.

That which differentiates...then you add tablespoon of "lucky break."

It can be tricky to tell in the beginning if things will work or not. You can only make a guess on past history and the cost-involved factor. Knowing past history is important though. Knowing the battlefield. Knowing where the Land mines are.

Hock