My regular readers already know how frustrated I get with publishers sitting on mountains of content and have no idea what to do with it.

Successful entrepreneurs know how to repurpose their content, repackage it and sell it again and again.

One of the best ways to achieve that goal is to build an information kit packed with content in a variety of formats - binders, workbooks, CDs, DVDs, spreadsheet and quick-start guides just to name a few of the elements. They are toolkits designed to teach users how to become an expert in a subject area.

I just finished a toolkit for one client called The 90-Day Launch System: How to Crank Up Your Business and Simplify Your Life. It's a 3-binder set that also includes an executive summary and a pull-out marketing guide. I'm also working with another client in which we're building a toolkit for divorced men who want to get back into the dating game.

And after spending the last 20 years turning ideas into manuals, reports, courses, how-to books and other publications, I've come to learn that there are 7 secrets to building a kit.

I've had to learn many of these secrets the hard way. There's no course you can take in college to prepare you to build a kit. There's no school for kit building. And that's fortunate because you can the kits can sell for $795 to $3,995, depending on the value of the content.

Experience has taught me that these 7 secrets are the ingredients of every successful kit, manual or how-to book. Put them to work for you and you'll soon tap into a very profitable revenue stream.

Enough warm-up, let's get right to it.

Secret #1: Begin with the user in mind

This is the biggest mistake I see publishers make over and over again. They begin with the idea in mind. They think they have a great idea for a new product. And if they're lucky, their product may sell. Most often, they fail. Why? Because they didn't think first about how someone would use the product in his or her life.

This is important: Customers are NOT looking to buy something from you! They are looking for solutions to their problems. They are looking for something to make their lives simpler, easier, less costly or less painful. Your kit, therefore, should solve a problem. What are your prospects wrestling with most? What's keeping them up at nights?

Begin by first understanding what your prospects need. Then, create a system that meets their needs.

Secret #2: Never forget, content is king

Your kit must contain valuable content prospects can't find anywhere else. It's best if you have a breakthrough idea, concept or a breakthrough system of doing things that makes your kit unique. You obviously feel you have the expertise to share your ideas or else you wouldn't be reading this right now. Ask yourself these questions:

1. What challenges do my ideas solve?
2. How does my system make things easier, faster or less costly for my prospects?
3. What is the one thing I can offer that no one else can?

Don't stress too much about trying to come up with a breakthrough idea that changes the world. You don't have to reach that high. You only need to provide a solution for your specific prospects. That's why I always recommend that you narrow your niche as much as possible.

For example, if your niche is real estate investment, can you narrow that further to investments in single family homes or multi-family homes or foreclosures or rehabs? Can your narrow it to amateur investors or experienced investors? Can you narrow it to investment levels ... areas of the country, state or city? The key is to find a niche in your market. Unveil your breakthrough to that niche and deliver valuable content that speaks directly to those who could benefit most.

Secret #3: Make it as easy as 1-2-3

If content is king, then education is queen. Remember, your job is to teach. You are the expert who has learned from experience things that until now hasn't been discussed in very many books. So you must provide step-by-step guidance for your readers so they can take your knowledge and apply it on their own - without you!

Usually, you can break your system down into 3, 4 or 5 steps. Make it as easy as Step 1, Step 2, Step 3 ... What are the steps in your system? From those broad steps, you can break each down into smaller steps. This process will help you outline the process your want your users to follow as they put to work your expertise.

Your goal is to create a system that you can sell over and over again. You don't want your readers calling your or emailing you to find out what you mean on page 56. They should be able to take the information you've given them and use it. (You may create consulting programs based on the guidance in your kit, but that's a separate discussion.) The point is that your kit should be able to stand on its own.

Walk your users through the process. Explain every step. Don't take anything for granted. A user should be able to pick it up and begin to follow along with ease.

Secret #4: Include a workout

Like a good teaching tool, you want your users to practice applying the guidance you give them. That's why you want to include plenty or workout tools, such as worksheets, fill-in-the blank questions and exercises for users to do on their own.

If you have a kit on how to build a strategic plan for chiropractors, your users should come away from your kit with a strategic plan in their hands. Include worksheets in each step of the process. Break it down step-by-step. For a strategic plan, for instance, you would probably include an analysis of your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT), a competitive analysis and marketing analysis specifically designed for chiropractors. For each step, you would include worksheets and exercises so your users can apply your knowledge to their particular needs.

You've probably noticed that in many how-to books you buy from a bookstore, they also include questions. But how many times have you actually taken the time to answer those questions? You're more likely to answer the questions if a workbook is included. The same principle applies to a kit, except your workbook is a valuable, integrated part of the content you're providing.

Secret #5: Show and tell

Your kit isn't meant to be read like a novel or any other book. It's a reference tool that will be used again and again. Some sections will be skipped over. Some will be referred to in particular situations or when specific challenges come up. So make it easy for your users to find the information they're looking for so they can apply it.

At first, your kit will appear overwhelming. Most kits are packaged in a binder with 200-400 pages of information, which can appear intimidating, especially to users who are not yet experts on the topic. And there's nothing more intimidating that a lot of text. The secret here is to make your content inviting and easy to follow. Break up the text with boxes of tips, warnings and action items. Include illustrations, diagrams, graphics and sidebars. Everybody learns differently so you'll want to use images and graphics to highlight your core concepts. Use boxes to summarize your best tips or warnings for users to reinforce your ideas.

If you have a valuable tip that you want to reinforce, remind your readers about it in a box so you can be sure your readers won't miss it. Draw attention to it. If you an organizational chart you recommend, show it in a graphic. If you have a good anecdote or example that you want to draw attention to, pull it out and put it in a sidebar, which is a small box that is separate from the rest of the text.

Take a look at any of the "Dummies" books. They are terrific examples of how a good how-to manual should be laid out. There are plenty of icons reinforcing key points, tips, illustrations and graphics reinforcing the key points. You want to include those same elements in your kit.

Secret #6: Bring it to life

Don't turn your how-to manual into a lecture. Bring it to life with examples and anecdotes. The best business books, such as Jim Collins' book, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap ... and Others Don't, all include examples of real people who have applied the principles that are discussed in the books. The text is more than just theory. It's living proof of how it exists. In one recent kit I built, The 90-Day Launch System: How to Crank Up Your Business and Simplify Your Life by Jon Goldman, we weaved in a story of how the solutions discussed in the system helped a fictional entrepreneur solve some of his toughest challenges.

Share your experiences. Share the experiences of others. In many other kits I've created, I collect interviews with people who have applied the principles discussed in the manuals. Their stories help illustrate the ideas in the manual in a way that only they can describe. As a result, the anecdotes and stories are often very powerful examples of overcoming challenges and putting into practice solutions that you may only be able to talk about in theory.

Secret #7: Give them a toolkit filled with tools

Your toolkit is learning tool. And like any good toolkit it comes with more than just one tool

Several hundred pages of text in a binder is just one tool. So you also want to include CDs and DVDs. Take your worksheets and put them on a CD for users to have on their computer so as they fill them out they can download them to their files and use them again and again. Record your interviews and put them on DVD. Everyone learns differently. Some prefer to read. Some prefer to learn by listening. And others learn by watching. If you have interviews on video include them on DVD. If you have a video of yourself giving a presentation on a topic, include it on DVD.

Look for opportunities to turn your advice into a checklist. For instance, the last exercise in this book includes a checklist of the elements commonly found in kits for you to have as a reference tool. What checklists can you create based on the guidance in your kit?

Add a quick-start guide or executive summary. Some of the best examples of quick-start guides are found on computer software. They software makers understand how difficult it can be to begin to use a new program so they will often include a short guide to help get users started. You want to do the same thing for users. They're going to be intimidated, so help get them started with a short guide.

Are there reference tools you can create for users? For instance, if you have a 4-step process for taking orders, turn that into a one-page laminated sheet users can post on their wall for quick reference. If this is something, staff employees should also have include multiple copies for the user to distribute. You want your users to USE the information you're giving them so include as many tools as possible for them to learn and apply your expertise.

For more about Kit Building and how to make more money from your content go to my website: http://www.thetoolkitbuilder.com

Until next week,

Dennis