It looks like you’ve done a good job of getting other people and me to post our content here and help build your blog.

Looking at some of the other “comments,” they’re veritable articles.

Only two reasons to do that come to mind.

#1 – Super-inexpensive advertising on a high-ranking site.

#2 – Link backs for the search engines.

Maybe I’ll just have to write an article about this and post it now to my site…

Very interesting, Ken.

Regards,
Bal

Testimonials provide an opportunity to convey real world benefits at a very human level. I often leave in some typos and certain strong personal styles of writing.

Product reviews provide supporting evidence for claims made in the sale letter. I am influenced not only by the content of a review but also by how well it is written and how cogently it hangs together. A good review by an impressive writer is doubly strong.

Feedback demolishes buyer scepticism about the authenticity of the supplier and their likely hood to deliver both in terms of the physical product and the claimed benefits. Repetitious feedback about quick delivery or customer support fills me with confidence to complete the order form.

My experience is that key word density and variation in these types of free contribution are close to perfect and need little or no change.

Another twist on this is what I do with PR LEADS. I get my content from another source and resell the content, but also add value by training people how to respond to reporters. It is a win-win-win — for me, my clients and the creator of the content.

I’m looking forward to seeing you this May at my second System Summit. Thaks for sending me the CDs. Very worthwhile info on those!

Dan Janal
Founder
PR LEADS
http://www.prleads.com

Also having one solid partner seems to help. Yahoo, Google, FlickR, and many other Internet and business success stories are rooted in a partnership. Even Microsoft and Apple started as partnerships. (I am not saying partnerships are easy by the way.)

Dick Benson operated several of the biggest paid subscriber newsletters in the world (one had over 800,000 paid subscribers) with just his daughter and
a fleet of trusted vendors.

If you haven’t already, get and read his book:

http://www.realmarketingbooks.com

About your second question, clearly the growth of information on the Internet is CREATING opportunities. I don’t see the need for sharp info-guides ever being totally filled.

More about the “free content -free advertising” model.

It all boils down to this:

Throw a party and then charge for admission.

eBay is a “party” of people buying and selling. Sellers are charged admission.

Google is a party of people who are searching the Net. Advertisers are charged admission.

Same deal with Yahoo though, so far, Google has done a better job of making advertisers welcome via their AdSense and AdWords programs.

MySpace? FlickR? Same deal.

The other similarity is that sites like these PULL.

Yes, advertising helps to build an audience, but the central dynamic is that they ATTRACT prospects and customers by offering something of ONGOING value.

Note the word “ongoing.”

Your goal is to become the central meeting place for the people in your marketplace.

It’s not unlike being the sponsor of an annual conference.

Once created, it’s a very lucrative and steady position to be in.

1) How can I harness the power of free contant and free adverising as a one-person business. I have no desire to expand in ways that require hiring employees.

2) Will there ever be a Law of Diminishilng Returns regarding information on the Internet? Or will the growth of new info keep spurring the growth of new ways to access it better so users don’t become overwhelmed or discouraged.

Even though you’re talking about FREE content, it’s “right on the money” Ken.

Indirectly, this is how I see people using the Publicity and PR they get for free marketing material production. For example:

1) Post transcripts of conference calls (or parts of them) on your blog.

2) Turn those well-designed, professionally written magazine articles about you or your company into direct mailers offline

3) Edit radio interview recordings into Free Audio Marketing Samples, like we suggest at http://www.InternetRadioSecrets.com.

4) Turn video from a live event that someone else films into part of your Internet Infomercial on your site or create product.

Super brain stimulation, Ken. Thanks!

Fantastic observation.

The beautiful aspects of allowing or enabling others to build your content and product list for you are many.

Not only is it easier but it can happen so much faster and on such a greater scale than if you attempt to do it yourself.

Furthermore, the material produced by others and for others is what they are looking for, not what YOU might think they are looking for.

I’m looking forward to the seeing you and the great line-up in Chicago this May. I’ll be there with my IM bells on.

Sam