Opportunities With Software Manuals (Part 2 of 2)
Here’s the second of my two ideas on how to capitalize on the fact that software developers and programmers aren’t really very good at writing documentation and instructions for their “products.”
Part 1’s idea was pretty straightforward, something you can probably guess without thinking too hard, with a prospect pool limited to commercial software (that includes shareware, by the way). All bets are off with the idea in today’s post, boys and girls, with the prospect pool expanding to include anyone and everyone with a viable end user base… freeware products included!
THE IDEA: Write and self-publish 3rd party software how-to manuals.
That’s it. Find a decent software product with a nice-sized (or even better, growing) user base, write a better how-to manual for it, and sell it.
You don’t even need permission from the software publisher… but why go that route when it probably won’t be too difficult to get them to not only cooperate with you, but also help sell for you! But more on that later…
For now, think better mousetrap, as in better set of instructions for a fairly complicated but needed tool (software). Pick up a For Dummies book if you’re still not getting it — those of you who do get it, realize that you likely won’t even need to do anything even remotely close to the scope of a For Dummies book!
So I don’t take away all the fun, I’ll leave the details of the end product production and fulfillment up to you. Just kidding. Here are some quick and dirty notes on this:
- Either sell on-demand printed books/manuals/reports or ebooks. I personally would probably stick with PDF ebooks for smaller manuals, and do both POD and ebooks for larger pubs (really, who said we couldn’t do both?).
- For the downloadable PDF ebooks approach, I would use nothing more than the $7 Secrets software (which is what I use for my GolfIncome: eBay product) and Paypal.
- For the POD stuff, Lulu or CafePress will do the trick.
Well, that’s that. Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?
Here’s why you would want to be friendly with the sofware publisher: You’ll want him to tell all his customers and prospects about your 3rd party manual. You’ll want a link on his site. You’ll want a mention and link in his current electronic manual. You’ll want everything he can give you… his customers and prospects are your customers and prospects.
But why would the software publisher go through all that trouble without getting a piece of the pie? Exactly. So, give him a piece of the pie in the form of royalties on every product you sell…
…and now you can see why this plan will work with the freeware crowd — it’s a way for them to possibly make money on something they’re otherwise not making any money on, with no practical effort at all on their part… and they’re still not doing any selling! Customers can still get the software free as before; those who need the extra help now have your how-to as a support option; you and the sofware publisher make some money on any sales you make. Wins all around!
Although we can spend oodles of pages exploring the technicalities and possibilities of this idea, I’ll leave it (maybe just for now) to let it gestate and percolate in your wordpreneur psyche. Frankly, I don’t see why you can’t take what’s on this post and fly with it right now with no further assistance from anybody.
Have fun!
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6 Responses to “Opportunities With Software Manuals (Part 2 of 2)”
By Will Bontrager on Oct 5, 2007 | Reply
This could be a home run for some people, Eldon.
I remember technical bookstores in the 80’s had shelves and shelves of third-party how-to books for popular software. And they were not inexpensive.
Nevertheless, I bought some. The manuals that came with software those days consistently were rather cryptic, contained the facts but not a whole lot about how to get the most from of the software. (My purchase way back then of a really good book on how to use dBase-II is proving its worth even still, as many of its basics also apply to MySQL.)
As a software publisher, I would welcome well-written manuals on how to make use of our software, how to make it dance, ideas for taking it to extremes, exposing the little idiosyncrasies and ways to take advantage of them.
One that would be especially welcome is a manual on how to use what is probably the most versatile form handling software on the Internet, Master Form V4. http://willmaster.com/get/ebook/50_MFv4.zip
could be used as an outline of sorts, perhaps, or an inspiration for writing smaller documents on how to do one thing well with the software.
We would be happy to help promote well-written how-to docs, manuals, and books for using our software.
By Wordpreneur on Oct 5, 2007 | Reply
See everybody? I told you so.
William’s site, Willmaster.com, is an excellent starting point. You will have to know (or learn) a bit about Internet server-based software though… cgi and php.
By Michael Werner on Oct 5, 2007 | Reply
E-Man:
This is one of your best posts, ever. As you know, I started and built a multi-million dollar business doing just what you suggest — writing software manuals.
I especially like your tip about freeware manuals. No, actually, I’d say this: “Yum, yum.”
Example: Right now we’re looking at building some social networking tools into our products, and there are SEVERAL open source (free) applications that we’re considering.
But, guess what? The ones we like BEST are those that have a bunch of books written about them, and they ain’t cheap either — $50-100 a copy. But, that’s a small price to pay to help us get up the learning curve quickly.
So, all you wordpreneurs out that, the E-Man is right on target with this one.
Over and out,
Michael Werner
PS Ohh, and here’s a tip-o-my-own. After having just gone through the home upgrade to flat-screen high-def TVs . . . manomanashevitz, that’s an area that’s BEGGING for some decent instructional and how-to help.
By Michael Werner on Oct 5, 2007 | Reply
HELP WANTED.
Right now . . .
Forgot to mention . . . we’re looking for qualified freelance writers, right here, right now, to help us with some work on helping teachers integrate technology in their classrooms.
If you’re a teacher and you can write (ummmm, I’m amazed at how many teachers can’t write, but don’t get me started on that one), let us hear from you.
Thanks,
Michael Werner
By Wordpreneur on Oct 5, 2007 | Reply
Hi Michael
Actually, I thought you guys started with tutorials, not manuals, but I guess same difference.
OK, what’s the best way for teachers to contact you/get more info on the opp you mentioned? Through ISI? Also is this open to just teachers, or would you want to hear from general freelancers as well?
By Will Bontrager on Oct 17, 2007 | Reply
Just now noticed the product description page of one of my favorite Windows link checkers, Xenu’s Link Sleuth™, contains links to 6 (six) (one more than a hand full) third-party manuals and reports about the free product.
Somebody is already doing it, folks.
It’s a link, if nothing else. I read just yesterday how people are paying $5-$500 for links — price depending on subject and and rank. The point is, a link can be worth money, if only for the added oomph from search engine results.
In addition, consider that software authors buy or download software “to see how the other guy does it” are likely to see your link. And get your manual. And read it. And see your quality.
Instead of watching commercials, Tivo your favorite TV shows and use the saved time to write a manual. Our free Master Feedback is begging for a better manual. You write something good, maybe with screen shots illustrating how to make forms for the software, we’ll be jumping up and down happy to link to your web page where you sell or give away the manual, or make it available for download right on our site, if you prefer.
Contact me through the “Contact Us” link at the bottom of the Master Feedback product description page.
Another opportunity is our free Server Snooper service. An idea report might work well, here. How to use it, why to use it, what information can be found out.
There are lots of similar opportunities at our web sites. But I don’t want to be perceived as a link hog and list several dozen. Go to the above links and look around. Betcha you’ll find something you would like to write about.