PRODUCING "HOW TO" CD'S 

Minimum Start-Up: $2,500
Average Start-Up: $5,000
Revenue: $20,000
Profits: $12,000
One Person Business: YES

The CD is entitled: "This CD Can Make You Filthy Rich", and it's
about producing how-to CDs - a concept whose time has come. At
$15 each, plus $3 shipping & handling, the producer of this CD
will gross $18,000 selling 1,000 CDs.

The production cost is quite small. The audio program was
written by the producer who brought the script to a "Narration
House" where a professional announcer does the voice recording
using a professional studio.

NARRATION HOUSES

You can order radio commercials as well as other "voice" recorded
programs to be produced by so-called "narration houses".

This business is usually run by a professional announcer who owns
or has access to a professional recording studio.

Just send your script to a narration house and have them record
it for you. The amount you are charged depends on the length of
your material and the type of tape on which you want your "master
copy" recorded. A 30-minute material may cost you $450.

THE INTERVIEW FORMAT

Another popular format for a How-To CD is what we call the
"Interview" format.

This is where the author or producer of the CD is interviewed on
a subject in which he or she is an expert.

Since this format is prepared on a "question and answer" basis,
it is relatively easy to structure, allowing for a more logical
presentation of the ideas the author wants to cover.

With this format, the author can prepare 30 to 50 questions
which, together with the answers, can be edited down to a 30 to
40 minute program.

depending on where the interview is produced, this format may
cost less than a straight presentation where the bulk of the work
uses the voice of a professional narrator.

YOUR MARKET

In a "How-To" project, it is always recommended that you select
your topics based on your expertise or access to information.

From a marketing standpoint, it is equally beneficial for you to
be familiar with the market to whom you expect to market your
How-To CD.

If your topic is very selective, use direct mail to market your
CDs. If it is an extremely popular topic that can be promoted on
TV, use 60-second TV spots or print ads.