Question

Topic: E-Marketing

Help: Online Campaign - 1st Cured Of Nut Allergy

Posted by Anonymous on 5/10/2010 at 12:47 PM ET 250 Points
First, please let me introduce myself if I may to give some background behind my question. For 35 years I had to fight everyday to stay alive. I struggled from day to day with a condition known as ‘Anaphylaxis’, the most acute and potentially fatal form of allergic reaction. Any contact with peanuts, shellfish, penicillin, or bee stings could kill me. Even though there is no known ‘medical’ cure to date, in 2006 I proved that this condition is curable.

This achievement has positioned me as a world first and also emphasizes my calling. This is to share a lifetime of experience to educate/support sufferers and all those affected by this condition. In hope, that my contribution will improve and save lives in areas where help is really needed.

Since discovering allergy freedom, I have devoted all my time to my calling. Up until now I have been purposely quiet to the public. This was to gain accreditation as a practitioner in the field, write a draft of my book, planning, and write a training program to educate those affected on how to help deal with the condition in everyday life.

I have estimated 4 months to launch (to avail of a potential media opportunity). I am a professional web/print designer and have worked on the branding, etc, however other expertise is now required such as a ghostwriter, editor, printer, web development, etc. to bring the final stages to fruition. A financial planner has indicated that it will require approximately $150,000 to fund these services.

I have shocking photos of myself in the middle of an acute allergic reaction (Anaphylaxis) where my face swelled up so much my eyes were swollen shut.

I have an existing database of 5000+ people who have indicated their willingness to purchase the book as soon as it is published. This database has been developed without any active marketing or aggressive SEO - through word of mouth only.

I would like to have an online and/or viral campaign to help raise $50,000 quickly to get started and launch this year (eg; $10 registration or offer something), also to grow the database in time for launch. Of which all monies raised now would go directly towards final development.

Best described - pay a small price now for something? (not sure what that something is) and get a discount off the book/training later. ‘Contribute now to help the allergy community later’.

Currently the allergy community is approx. 60 million worldwide. The majority of sufferers are children/teens. Their parents are looking for answers (Target).

I am looking for ideas/suggestions on how you would approach this?

The name I've registered
'Reaction HQ'
Health Intelligence for Acute Allergy

Much appreciated in advance
Michelle


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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 5/10/2010 at 1:00 PM Member
    Michelle - Congrats on curing yourself. However, have you been able to prove (via a statistically significant double-blind study) that your cure works on others (and safely)? If not, you're unfortunately just one of many people having the latest claim for a cure of some disease or another.

    If you have 5000+ people interested in your book, then ask them to purchase the book pre-production. Let's say you expect to sell the book for $30. Offer to allow them to pre-order it for $15. If you want to add any extras to your offer, feel free. But there's no contribution you're asking for - it's a pre-order.
  • Posted by Inbox_Interactive on 5/10/2010 at 1:00 PM Member
    Michelle,

    There is an awful lot to discuss here. My most important advice is, DO NOT RUSH INTO ANYTHING, as you may have only one chance to maximize your fortune here.

    I'm not sure what your financial planner knows about health publishing, but you don't necessarily "need" $150,000 to start this. Can you spend this much? Sure. You could spend a million if you wanted to. But I think you can get this going for a lot less than that.

    What's your business plan for revenue? Just to sell books? I would rather see you develop something that generates recurring revenue. If you can become a health guru, you can make a lot of money for yourself while helping other.

    There are many publishers that make fortunes in the health and wellness industry. Have you thought about linking up with one of them? They have email databases with hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of people. They also have all of the technology and marketing infrastructure in place.

    There are many paths to go here. I am not a fan of asking these 5,000 people for $10. It sounds like you don't have much to offer in the way of an exchange of value for that $10, and you could be foregoing a $99 sale (or more) down the road.

    You may also want to link up with someone who understands what you can't and can't say as far as "cures" go. In the US at least, you can't say that you "cure" any allergy unless you have gone through a very rigorous and costly process. Don't get yourself regulated out of business before you even get started.

    You already know one thing, though, and that is that there are million of parents out there who will do whatever it takes to help their children with food allergies.

    Good luck!
  • Posted by Inbox_Interactive on 5/10/2010 at 1:12 PM Member
    Karen, you're right that many kids outgrow their food allergies, but many do not, including the OP.

    Plus, I can tell you as the father of a child with (only moderate) food allergies, it's something you worry about all the time. You worry about treats brough in from school, the snacks that other parents will offer, you carry Epi-Pens and Benadryl, and you have to have a long chat with every babysitter before you go anywhere.

    Where my radar goes off here is that I don't know that I'd ever trust *any* cure enough to let my son eat any of the things that he's currently allergic to. It's not the kind of test you want to fail -- and the liability for the person dispensing this advice? I'm not sure you can really just waiver it away...someone will always get sued when a child is hurt, you can count on that!

    I would like to learn more about this, though, both as a parent and as a health marketer. (OK, that's a lie, I'm not a health marketer -- that'd be my wife, Kim MacPherson.)
  • Posted on 5/10/2010 at 1:47 PM Author
    Hi and thanks for your response so quickly.

    Thanks for pointing that out use of 'cure' to me. I will be careful of its use in the future.

    Regarding legals I went through 12 months of medical testing on everything before I finally received a medical cert which states I am no longer anaphylactic. My claim was investigated by the medical board and the documents are further evidence to back it up. all good! and thanks for your advice.

    Re: my plan. The book is a small part of the overall plan and a tool to tell my story. It tells of the condition from an insider's perspective, the path I personally took, and the transition into a totally new way of living. I am rare to have experienced multiple perspectives of it. It is a memoir where readers can learn from my experience/memoirs. It does not specifically outline how to steps like what a non-fiction self help book would do. This approach is intentional for legal reasons until I gain credibility in the area.

    The main focus of the business is offering training on how to deal with the condition on a day to day basis rather than how to overcome it. Mastering how to deal with and understand the condition from many aspects is the 1st step towards finding a solution. This will be delivered online, classroom, teleconference, etc.

    Currently training falls short beyond first aid in an emergency. I aim to offer education on a multitude of other areas of the condition that are not currently on offer.

    In addition I am an NLP Practitioner/Development Psyhologist and can offer audio books/cds for anxiety, etc. Hence the $150,000 AUD.

    Do people purchase pre-production? I didn't know they did that. Thank you for your suggestion. I will explore this.

    Hope that gives a clearer picture of my direction and thank you both for your responses.


  • Posted by mgoodman on 5/10/2010 at 1:50 PM Moderator
    Your story is engaging and will have your target audience eating out of your hand ... if you can pass legal muster.

    Is the market mostly in North America, or is it pretty much global? If it's largely in North America, then you probably need an attorney to keep you out of trouble with your marketing effort. And you probably want a US-based publisher for the book.

    Depending on how much ghost-writing you'll need, and the editing, printing, web development chores, I'm inclined to agree that the $150,000 estimate is on the high side ... though you don't want to skimp on this because you only get one chance to launch the book and the marketing campaign for your business.

    But don't forget about the whole marketing plan for the book and for your business AFTER the book launch. Books have a way of becoming old news within a few months of launch, and certainly within a year or two.

    You will want some experienced book marketing advice (book marketing is very different from traditional B2B or B2C marketing), and perhaps some experienced business and marketing planning talent on your team as well.

    Most important, though, is your own willingness to promote the book constantly. The key to success of any book title is the author's ability to create interest and reach the target audience. Even the best publicist is worthless without an author who is media savvy and willing to operate with high energy for a prolonged period of time.

    Good luck. Let me know if I can be of some assistance.
  • Posted on 5/10/2010 at 2:22 PM Author
    Hi Inbox_Interactive

    I can see that you understand the worry all too well. To reassure you the training is not about a 'cure'. More so on how to deal with constant worry (as to not impact on health), psychosocial issues, issues associated with particular age groups, etc. The program is designed to improve the 'quality of life' by minimising the impact of the condition where it can. Focus is on what you can do in a safe way rather than having to avoid absolutely everything for fear of another reaction. Personally of which I experienced an average of 3 - 4 near fatal reactions per year. Hope that makes more sense and thank you for sharing your own personal experience.
  • Posted by Inbox_Interactive on 5/10/2010 at 3:46 PM Member
    I think it all comes down to what the strategy is here. If you have a product -- ONE product -- then you're probably right to use all of the other sites and channels to market it.

    If you have a BUSINESS, though -- something with many products and, most importantly, a subscription-type revenue model (news, education, treatments, etc.), then I would work to become the destination.
  • Posted on 5/11/2010 at 9:15 AM Author
    Apologies for the delay in my response as I currently reside in Sydney, Australia and in a different time zone than the northern hemisphere.

    Acute Allergy is a global issue especially in Australia, New Zealand, USA, UK, and Europe as the most affected.

    I am originally from Ireland, and have worked in the US, Canada, Germany, and Australia over the years. It is uncanny that my life path has taken me to the places that are most affected gaining an understanding of different countries from an Anaphylactic's perspective living/working there.

    Note that the printed book is only one aspect of how I intend to share my experience to reach a global demand. The $150,000 stated in my question is in Australian dollars of which also includes online training development and marketing, as well as printing/publishing the book.
  • Posted by mgoodman on 5/11/2010 at 11:06 AM Moderator
    1. Time zones have to do with longitude, not latitude. Northern and Southern hemispheres can be in the same time zone. It's the seasons that are opposite when you go from Northern to Southern hemisphere. :)

    2. As long as your initial budget figure doesn't include your travel expenses to promote the book/business, you're probably still OK. Once you start generating revenue, you can always expand your thinking (and your budget).

    3. The project is potentially a big one, not only because it's global, but also because the topic is such an emotionally charged one. Every parent with a kid who has a peanut allergy (or any number of other allergies) will be drawn like a magnet to your story. What this means to you is that you need to set your marketing strategy and develop a plan that anticipates and takes maximum [business] advantage of this. You probably won't get a second chance to do it right. ("The boy who cried wolf ...")

    And that means this isn't a good situation for do-it-yourself marketing. You would do well to find professional marketing help right now, even if it eats into your publishing budget.

    4. As for the book, I have a small publishing company in the US and many good contacts with writers, editors, pre-press prep folks, printers, etc. who can help you. If you want to contact me offline, I'll be glad to share them with you. (Use the email address in my profile.)

    I would suggest, though, that you have a rough marketing plan in place BEFORE you finish the book and go to press. It's amazing how many small things you can do in/with the book once you understand the big-picture marketing vision and strategy.
  • Posted on 5/11/2010 at 11:20 AM Author
    Hi mgoodman

    I just sent an email to you through your profile.

    ------------------------

    Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. They have been really invaluable. Now I have to figure out how to award the points ;-)

    That's my next question...where do I find info on the site to show me how to do this?

    I am really grateful for your help
    Michelle
  • Posted by mgoodman on 5/11/2010 at 11:45 AM Moderator
    Quoting from the Know-How Exchange Quick-Start Guide:

    "When you have received several helpful answers, it's time to close your question. Notice the checkboxes labeled Accept This Response under each answer. Select one or more responses that helped you the most. The members who wrote them will split the award points. Also, be sure to post a note thanking the contributors."

  • Posted on 5/12/2010 at 1:57 AM Author
    Building Buzz is great however may be premature. Is it better to build the momentum closer to launch when and when there is a team in place.

    At the end of the day these expert services and bringing others on board to complete the project is cornerstone to moving forward. (book, interactive website, and training delivery). Of which is going to cost money.

    My database is just sitting there. May be I can use it?

    Any ideas on what the 'something' on offer could be. Collectively there is a greater chance of raising the capital this way as well as building buzz/growing the database.

    I am a web developer/designer by profession and can easily set up the online technical side such as a forum, members area, online video, social media site, etc.

    Maybe something viral?
    Not sure of the concept/campaign approach and what to sell for a minimal price to raise the funds (membership?, ebook?)

    Any Ideas?








  • Posted by Inbox_Interactive on 5/12/2010 at 9:00 AM Accepted
    Forgive me if you've already addressed this, but what is your goal here? To sell the book and only the book? Or to build a long-term business with recurring revenue from multiple, and in some cases, subscription-based products?
  • Posted on 5/12/2010 at 6:29 PM Author
    Hi inbox_interactive

    Apologies if there was some confusion - the goal is to 'build a long-term business with recurring revenue from multiple, and in some cases, subscription-based products'

    The main focus of the business is on education and training delivered through online/classroom courses, interactive tools, etc. The book is only part of the 'big picture' and a vehicle to share my own personal experience.
  • Posted by mgoodman on 5/13/2010 at 6:00 PM Accepted
    Because this is such an emotionally charged issue, and people with the problem will immediately understand and crave the benefit, you can probably invite advance membership at a hefty price (US$250? $500?), and limit participation to just 1000 people.

    What they get for their money: An ebook now, an autographed copy of the hardcopy book when it's published (2-3 weeks before it's available in bookstores), a year's membership in the "Inner Circle," starting when the book is launched, and a [monthly] newsletter starting now, keeping them up to date on what you're doing, how the book is coming, what your speaking schedule will be, etc. Limited to the first 1000 people who commit. Maybe even call them the "Advisory Board." (A private-viewing of your 10-minute video sharing an overview of what's coming?)

    Maybe even have a couple different levels of participation, with escalating benefits.

    The key will be great copy to invite your list, make sure they understand what you're all about, and get them excited about being "first in" on the new freedom available to them soon.
  • Posted on 5/13/2010 at 6:34 PM Author
    Hi mgoodman

    That's a great idea and very possible. I will start putting it all together. I am excited!

    Hi ALL
    Thank you all for your contribution. It's been really great! Especially when my experience has the potential to help so many.

    I am very grateful of you taking the time to share your expertise with a project that I hold so dear to my heart.
    Much Appreciated!
    Michelle
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