2014 Info Predictions

Everyone loves predictions, so let’s give you 7 big ones.

After all, from football games to New Year’s psychics, we love hearing  “what’s going to happen”.

(By the way, you should put predictions into your business as well. If you release a “2014 Trends in ____” report to your readers, it will give you greater credibility and authority. It might even get passed around and help you build your list.)

Many a sales letter success has been based on predictions, too, such as Porter Stansberry’s “End of America” promotion.

Take a few minutes and think, how can I leverage the love of predictions in my business? Bedros Keuilian does a great job with his annual fitness marketing industry trends predictions.

I’ve done it with my recent 2014 Fitness Trends article. You can do it too.

Here are my 7 info marketing predictions. I don’t guarantee all of them, but one thing I know for sure is that while 2013 was amazing, 2014 is going to be even better for Internet Independence readers.

I am honored to know you and have you as a reader and member of the family. So Happy New Year and hold on tight for an amazing record-breaking year where I predict the following will happen…

Prediction #1 – Return of the 7-Figure Launch

Aside from BioTrust, there were no massive launches this year in the fitness industry, but that’s all about to change with the return of Xtreme Fat Loss Diet. This time there’s a new team behind it, Shaun Hadsall, Ryan Colby, and Dan Long.

With Joel Marion as their coach and all of the top affiliates behind it, I see this crossing the 7-figure mark for gross sales…and then being turned into a VSL that you’ll see everywhere in 2014. Congrats to Shaun, Ryan, and Dan for taking the lead for 2014 MVP’s. Can Vinny, Dr. Charles, Rowley, and Flavia keep up?

Prediction #2 – Little Guys Figure Out Paid Traffic

After the “Internet Millionaire’s” rant was released in the October issue of FIM, a lot of the little guys in our family have started stepping up and testing paid traffic. Rick Kaselj is getting better every week.

We are doing the same at Early To Rise where we are doggedly determined to make Home Workout Revolution work on paid media. We have our good days and bad.

But mark my words, a lot of the little guys will be overcoming the intimidation of paid traffic in 2014 to have some big breakthroughs.

We might not spend millions per month like Geary and BioTrust, but look out…Gladwell was prescient with his David vs. Goliath book released this year. The little guys have everything they need to do to win giant battles!

Prediction #3 – Price & Upsell Erosion Continues

Now for some bad news. In the fitness info space we’ve seen a massive erosion of both front-end price (from $67 down to $27 for launches) and in upsell conversion rate.

While I agree that both can be improved by better copy (many folks are getting a little lazy and little sloppy), there seems to be a general downward pressure on prices in all information product industries.

I’m not sure where we’ll end up selling the majority of our products this year, but I encourage you to take some time to step back and identify opportunities to sell higher priced bundles (i.e. take a look at my $397 Lifetime offer), membership packages and other recurring revenue options (like Hypertrophy Max and Isabel’s soon-to-be-released BeyondDiet monthly program).

We can’t all start massively successful supplement businesses, but there is a lot to learn from the BioTrust premium price model…and it all starts with improving our copy and persuasion skills.

Prediction #4 – StorySellers will Make Money & Prosper

The best copy in the business continues to come from Joel Marion, Jon Benson, and Shaun Hadsall. If you want to write copy, study what they do. Look at how they weave facts into stories that stir emotion and get the reader ready to take action.

As Seth Godin said all the way back in 2004, “The need for an authentic story as the number of sources increases.”

These days there are so many people trying to sell products that only the best stories will stand out. If you want to make money you must learn how to turn stories into selling. You should study master story tellers, like Bill Bonner, Porter Stansberry, and Mark Ford. These guys remain at the top of the copy game.

Prediction #5 – Paleo & Vegan & Fasting Will Be Diet Category Leaders

My biggest business regret was not coming out with a nutrition product much earlier in my career. This is where the greatest financial opportunity lies in the health industry.

Look at this data from the MSN showing Bing’s most searched health & wellness phrases…Paleo, Vegan, Weight Watchers, and the 5:2 fasting program dominate. We’ll see that continue in 2014. Use this data to set yourself up for success!

(If you’re NOT in the fitness or health industry, look up the hottest phrases in your industry for hot topic ideas.)

The rise of the cookbook is here…

…all hail Diana Keuilian and her Real Healthy Recipes!

Great work, Di!

Prediction #6 – You Must Love Your Customers Like Family

You must love your customers like family and invite them to special events and give them more exclusive access into your life than ever.

You must build a world that is painful for them to disconnect from if they leave. These days there is so much clutter that you must do everything you can to build deeper relationships and to stand out. But you must treat every single customer like family because these days it is very easy for one unhappy customer to stain your reputation as they all have a greater voice thanks to Facebook and Youtube.

Treat them with love, as I know you do, and you won’t have any issues. By the way, here’s…The SECRET to Getting Your Clients Hooked on YOU For Life

I learned a valuable lesson about getting my clients to take action. They love it when…YOU do a Transformation with them!

In my latest TT contest, I was sharing my diet every day, AND I was also doing a Financial Transformation and posting great content on this aspect of my life. It led to the most engaged contest I’ve had since the very first one we did.

People want to see that you are human, that you are trying to improve, and they always love learning great information that will make their life better. The next time you run a Transformation in your business, JOIN your members! It doesn’t matter what you improve, they just want to see you working.

Prediction #7 – Generous & Persistent Leapfroggers Will Rule the World

Look at what young Nick Pineualt accomplished this year. He leapfrogged his way to the top by taking action, networking, and bringing his big idea and passion to a partnership with the big dawg Go-Givers (Shaun Hadsall & Ryan Colby). All of my Publishing Partners did the same.

Leapfrogging will become the ONLY way to get to the top. You must take Massive Action. You must be persistent. Success never changes. It requires you to have grit and to add value, to be generous, to have an abundance mindset, to give first without worrying about receiving in return. I know you know this, but it will be even more true in 2014 than ever before.

Leapfrog your way to the top through big ideas and massive networking.

Time to change the world. Let’s go!

Craig Ballantyne

If you believe in what you are selling, then you have an obligation to push hard EVERY day to sell your product and change people’s lives.