Everyone has something they want the world to know. A tips 
booklet is a great way to do that, creating author status and 
a marketing tool for yourself in the process.

You may have considered writing a book.  Many people entertain 
that possibility. Fewer have actually followed through once 
realizing how much time and money that takes. It could be more 
than it’s worth right now. Instead, a tips booklet can be the 
ideal way to go, ultimately leading you to writing that book, or 
not. Here are some questions to get your tips (and cash!) 
flowing. You can mine your own field of gold by looking at any 
notes you’ve created along the way, or jotting down things now as 
they come to mind. 

1. What is the single most compelling subject from your 
   experience or knowledge that you want the world to know about? 
   If there are several topics, consider which one you are most 
   passionate about. 

2. Can you identify the single most outstanding thing you want 
   people to know? Think about whether it is a new skill, 
   perspective, attitude, or expansion of general knowledge.

3. Why do you want to write a booklet? It may be an altruistic 
   gesture to spread the word about something. It might be a 
   marketing tool for a business or book you have or want to 
   have. The booklet can be a profit center for you. Maybe you 
   would you like it to be both a marketing tool and a profit 
   center.

4. How would you divide your subject into segments? Look at the 
   possibility of those segments becoming additional booklets to 
   develop into a series, or as mini-chapters of one booklet.

5. What are you often surprised by that people do not know about 
   your subject area? There could be something that seems so 
   'common sense' to you, while being highly helpful or 
   enlightening to others.

6. Does your information need to be presented sequentially or 
   can it be random? Notice if specific entries stand-alone or if 
   they need whatever came before to cause the entry to make 
   sense to the reader. 

7. What do you want people to do and not to do, be or not be as 
   a result of your booklet? Think about how this information 
   will benefit the reader.

8. Who besides the reader can benefit from this material? There 
   may be manufacturers, suppliers, or distributors whose 
   business activities can profit by distributing your contents. 
   Those will be large-quantity buyers of your booklet.

9. Is there jargon or language that is peculiar to your topic? 
   Consider how you will monitor and treat that in your content.

10. What surprised you most when you learned about your topic? 
   That is probably useful to pass along to your readers in some 
   way.

11. Which resources are needed to implement any of your 
   suggestions? Look for the easiest ways to accomplish what 
   you are recommending to your reader. 

12. What is it that people need to know about you? Tell what 
   gives you the credential to write about this topic. 

13. What other products and/or services would also make sense to 
   develop to assist the reader in this topic? Decide whether it 
   is important for those to be products and services of your 
   own, of someone else's, or both. 

14. How would short anecdotes be useful in supporting your 
   materials? The anecdotes could get in the way or enhance your 
   content. 

15. Do your tips need visual support with graphics to allow them 
   to be more fully understood? Clip art could be adequate or you 
   might decide to use original art.


Are you ready to get started? Or were you already making notes as 
you were reading this article? Take as little or as much time as 
you’d like in creating your first tips booklets. You’ll be amazed 
by the results. Everyone has something they want the world to 
know about. What’s the starting place for you? 

© 2004, Paulette Ensign

Paulette Ensign has personally sold almost a million copies in 
four languages of a tips booklet called "110 Ideas for Organizing 
Your Business Life," all without spending a penny on advertising. 
She has had clients match and surpass her results, worldwide.

She has learned her business by doing it, never having taken a 
formal business course in her life. Her San Diego, California -
based company, Tips Products International, offers a range of 
products and services to support your success regardless of 
your budget of time or money. Phone 858-481-0890 
email  mailto:paulette@tipsbooklets.com  
or visit http://www.tipsbooklets.com