This is a product review on Groupon Profit Explosion, another product in our review series.

Groupon Profit Explosion strives to teach you how you can profit from the hugely popular, daily deal website, Groupon.com.

What our reviewer said:

• Main course in PDF (96 pages with font size such that I can easily read entire page at once on a 19″ monitor)
• List of clients matching suggested criteria
• 46 slide powerpoint presentation
• Sample coupon, both jpg and psd
• Sample work routine template in Excel format (in xlsx format; should have stuck to older xls format as it is more universal)

My first read through the main course left me scratching my head, wondering what the whole thing was about. But I was distracted by the poor grammar, so I read it a 2nd time and the light came on.

To really get something out of this course, a person needs to be willing to leave their comfort zone and speak to small business owners. In some cases this will require getting past “gate keepers”. Many of us will not do that, so the course could be a disappointment for many.

The provided materials are quite good, except for the English. The course creator should have spent a bit of money on a proof reader. Even the powerpoint slides suffer from poor English. Fix the English and it saves me a lot of trouble.

To me, no new concepts. Just recycled concepts applied to the buzz that Groupon has helped create. What this course boils down to is, “the money is in the list”. The course just provides another angle on getting offliners to create their own list, with a twist that you, while helping the offliner, share the list.

7 out of 10

Have you used this product? …What’s YOUR feedback?

This is a product review on Kindle Treasure Chest, another product in our review series.

Kindle Treasure Chest strives to make Kindle book creation as easy as possible for you, especially with regard to making an eye-catching, professional-looking cover for your eBook.

What our reviewer said:

Kindle Treasure Chest is a decent guide to getting into the Kindle business. It walks you through the basic steps of opening a Kindle account, to getting ideas for your books, to hiring outsourcing help and how to get them to do it right for you.

It also includes information on creating a cover for your book, along with templates to help make it easier.

The 1st OTO goes into more detail about Kindle publishing and gives you a breakdown of book ideas to help you get started. It gives you more information on formatting and helps you keep your books organized.

The 2nd OTO includes basic templates and a checklist on creating Kindle books.

All in all it is a decent product on Kindle publishing. I would say for anybody wanting to get into Kindle publishing, get the main product and the 1st OTO and you will way ahead of the game.

Click here to learn more about Kindle Treasure Chest.

Have you used this product? …What’s YOUR feedback?

This is a product review on Big Content Search, another product in our review series.

Big Content Search is a website that provides users with a searchable database of over 100,000 PLR articles.

What our first reviewer said:

Big Content Search

- convenient searching (including AND and OR searches)
- lots of variety
- lots of topics
- decent sized articles (number of words)
- some basic training that is decent
- easy downloading and/or cart system

I searched for, and found, articles about 10 topics that I consider myself to be knowledgeable on. The article titles were good, and were not overly simplistic. Most of the 10 topics had good representation in terms of # of articles.

The one downside is that about 1/2 the articles came from people who do not have a good knowledge of English grammar and proper sentence structure. The quality was not pathetic, but it was definitely not up to my standards. I would have to rework most of the articles.

Example:

“I can remember vividly a photography named Michael Zagaris who is the team photographer of the San Francisco 49ers. He said that he was just captivated by the use of black and white photography. The way the light and the shading are so much more evident.”

That said, we are told we should never use PLR as is. We should always rewrite it or spin it (they have a built in spinner!) so the main negative may not be that BIG a deal.

There is also a forum but though it is about 9 months old, not many have used it. Communities are always great for me.

I’d give this an 8.

What our second reviewer said:

Big Content Search has a wide range of articles covering a broad range of topics. I put in some off-the-wall keywords, and it came back with articles.

Are these the best articles in the world? No. They are pretty good articles for blogs, and they are great for rewriting to get unique articles.

Click here to learn more about Big Content Search.

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This is a product review on IBook Insider, another product in our review series.

IBook Insider seeks to provide you with step-by-step training on how to get your books published to the iBook store.

What our reviewer had to say:

This was presented as a PDF and 9 videos. The information appears for the most part to be sound and will provide the reader with a good guide for publishing to the iBook Store via Lulu.com.

This is Version 2 of this guide, because in the first, Lulu was the only method she covered. In this version, Deborah has added some Smashwords information.

The Lulu information is covered in 15 pages and includes a lot of screenshots. The Smashwords information is covered in 3 pages and contains links to free videos on YouTube and to someone else’s training. The information she actually does provide is a brief overview and a formatting quick list.

Normally, I wouldn’t have a problem with that, because she says quite plainly that she hasn’t actually used the Smashwords method herself, but that she is just putting it in there as another option the reader might explore. My problem comes from the fact that she felt the need to make a version 2 to include information that is really incomplete and not based on her own experience. It seems a little deceptive. I really don’t think that was her intention, but to someone who doesn’t know her, it might appear that way.

There are 9 videos, and only videos 6-9 are covered in the PDF. I have a tough time with almost everybody’s videos, and Deborah’s were no different. I don’t like videos in general, unless they are extremely well done. Deborah talks very slow, rambles a lot and repeats herself often. I watched the videos at double speed. I know that’s partly just my own intolerance to video; other people may not have a problem with it.

I did find a couple of points where Deborah was incorrect. One was when she removed the numbers from the table of contents. She said that it has to be a manual process, which isn’t true at all. That, just like everything else in word, can be adjusted in the related settings.

The other point was about the size of the Kindle cover. She said that it should be 500 x 800. That is no longer true, but the change to the size requirement probably came after she wrote this course. The new minimum size is at least 1000 pixels on the longest side.

Overall Impression:

All in all, this was a pretty good guide. For me, it would have been nice to have everything in the PDF and just not watch the videos at all.

Click here to learn more about IBook Insider.

Have you used this product? …What’s YOUR feedback?

This is a product review on Product Creator Pro, another product in our review series.

Product Creator Pro allows you to quickly and easily create stunning books, newsletters, reports, and more. Product creation has never been easier.

What our first reviewer said:

If you are looking for a easy way to format either a book, newsletter, or report then this product is what you are looking for.

This is a step by step process that will help you create a professional looking product that you will be proud to put your name on.

What our second reviewer said:

Product Creator Pro is a product design platform. It claims to be a push-button simple way to create beautiful ebooks, reports and newsletters. You simply create your document in Word, then log into Product Creator Pro and let it do the rest.

1.    You choose a product type (eBook, Report, or Newsletter.)
2.    Then, you choose your cover.
3.    Personalize by uploading a cover image, a logo, and an author photo. This is also the step where you enter your title and subtitle. If you haven’t already set up your profile, you can do that here too, so your name gets pulled as the author.
4.    Choose your page template. This is the layout and style of the pages within your eBook.  You can also choose a single column or double column layout.
5.    This is where you upload your Word document.
6.    You will then be taken to an editor, where you can look over your document and do any editing that you need to do.
7.    The final step is where you preview and download your document.

Now, here are some thoughts about all of the above.

When uploading a cover image and author photo, it doesn’t give any guidance about what size to use, and you have no control in positioning them. They will be placed according to the sample shown, so you have to try to guess what size photo is going to fit and then just try again if it doesn’t work. Not every cover uses the same size pictures.

Whatever you set in the profile is the information that’s going to be on the cover. You aren’t allowed to save multiple profiles, although I’m told that will be available later at a higher price.  You can change the information each time you go through it if you want different information on different products.

It ONLY accepts .docx so you must use a newer version of Word to be able to upload your document. You are able to cut and paste though if you need to.

The preview is kind of hard to really check out. It would be nice to have a zoom feature, so you can really get a good look before you use a download credit on it. If you need to change something after the preview, you have the option of using the Back button to get to the part you want to change, or click Start Over to clear everything and start again. A Navigation bar would be great, so you could go right to the one thing you need to change.

You can’t force a page break if you don’t like the way things look. You also can’t use tables.

There are currently two options on pricing. You can go with a free version which allows 3 download credits per month and limited page templates, and has “created by Cover Creator Pro” on all of your downloads. Or you can choose the Premium version which costs $299 per year and gives you 20 downloads per month, no branding on your finished products, access to all of the page templates. It also provides some additional training. Image credits do not roll over from one month to the next. Each month you will start with the monthly allotment.

If you sign up for the free version and then upgrade from within your account, you are given some additional options for payment: $49 per month, $129 per quarter, $199 per six-months, or $299 per year.

Product Creator Pro is something I’ve been very excited about, and still am. The functionality is a little limited right at the moment, but I know the developers are working on adding new features. They’ve already added image support, which wasn’t available when I first started testing this.

Here is a list of things that it won’t do, but I’m told are coming:

• Multiple user profiles (additional cost)
• Zoom feature for the product preview.
• Kindle support.
• CreateSpace support (probably after Kindle)
• Navigation bar for the steps.
• Support for tables, page breaks, background colors, and non-standard fonts.

Honestly, although it seems like it might be best to wait until the features are added to upgrade to the premium version, I have a feeling that with added features, the price may go up. I don’t know this for sure, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

Once some of its limitations are addressed, this is going to be very powerful.

Click here to learn more about Product Creator Pro.

Have you used this product? …What’s YOUR feedback?

This is a product review on Kindle Secret Niches, Volume 1, another product in our review series.

Kindle Secret Niches, Volume 1 strives to teach you how to maximize your eBook profits by tapping profitable Kindle niches where the supply does not meet the demand.

What our first reviewer said:

This is a short report that will guide you through one general niche and the sub-niches that you can find in it.

She breaks the main niche down, explains it then goes into each sub-niche while explaining the sub-niche.

If you are wanting to get into Kindle publishing in an area that is not filled to the brim, then this report will help you.

The main niche and sub-niches she goes over could keep an aspiring author busy for years to come, while making a nice chunck of change.

There is a bonus that I’ve seen others sell that didn’t do as well covering the topic as she does.

What our second reviewer said:

Kindle Secret Niches, Vol. 1 is an interesting companion to Kickstart Kindle Promotion. I’m guessing that she is bundling these products. This product shares some popular but overlooked niches. These would be good areas for writers who have an interest in these niches.

I’m not sure if the two products would be good bundled together. The Kickstart product is for someone who has books already published on Kindle. If they were looking to expand their niches, this might be of benefit. It’s been my experience that most writers have more ideas than they could ever tackle in a lifetime, so they are not looking for more. The niche selection is more of a product of interest to newbies.

This would be a good low-priced entry level product leading into a funnel of support for writers all through the process. As an intro product, this has all sorts of possibilities.

Depending on the sales package, this would also be a good product  to promote as a follow-up to Rachel’s outsourcing course. Niche ideas are perfect for someone who has little personal interest in a niche and will outsource most of the writing.

Rachel might think about offering her outsourcing product as an upsell to this product. She could also promote this as a low-cost product for those who have already purchased the outsourcing product.

Click here to learn more about Kindle Secret Niches, Vol. 1.

Have you used this product? …What’s YOUR feedback?

This is a product review on Kickstart Kindle Promotion, another product in our review series.

Kickstart Kindle Promotion presents you with an easy-to-follow, 10-step plan to help you gain more exposure and increase the amount of sales you make with your Kindle book.

What our first reviewer said:

This is a short but good product on how to get your Kindle book out to the most people possible. It is not a report on how to write a Kindle book but one on getting traffic to your book.

Amy goes over several different methods that may not be known to the average Kindle author. I’ve read several products on Kindle and most of what she goes over has not been in them.

As a bonus, she includes a check list that will walk you through the process she outlines.

Overall this is a good product for the beginning and intermediate Kindle author.

What our second reviewer said:

This is the product that I wish I had written and have been planning to for quite awhile.

I really like the fact that it consists of written material and screenshots. She covers the ways to take advantage of Amazon’s fantastic publicity features. She also covers the most important social networking sites for authors.

The videos for this product are simply an overview and don’t really add value. I don’t see this as a problem since the target audience is writers who, in my experience, would much rather read than view videos.

Thanks for letting me review this.

Click here to learn more about Kickstart Kindle Promotion.

Have you used this product? …What’s YOUR feedback?

This is a product review on Kindle Commission Explosion, another product in our review series.

Kindle Commission Explosion strives to teach you all the ins and outs of how to write your Kindle eBook book, get it published, and most importantly, how to successfully market it.

What our reviewer said:

I love this product. It is well written (always important to me in a Kindle product). She is doing what she teaches, not just talking about it.

She covers social networking sites specifically for writers. Very few folks are covering these sites (good for me and my products).

Since she covers a wide range of topics, it may be too advanced for beginners. It’s hard for me to say, since I’m very familiar with the subject.

I give this my highest recommendation and think that Rachel would do well to promote it to her list. If I hadn’t seen it, I would really thank her for letting me know about this product.

What our second reviewer said:

As someone who is ready to write a Kindle book, this ebook was so informative and helpful. The ebook is well laid out. It starts at the beginning with picking a topic and goes all the way to marketing and making money with it.

She provides many helpful tips that I hadn’t thought of or seen in other ebooks. She also provides many resources. These resources are the same ones that she uses, so you know they are trustworthy.

While I didn’t go through all the videos, the PDF was in-depth enough for me. Since it covers so much information, it’s a resource I’ll have to read again and use when I’m ready to publish my first Kindle Book.

I’d recommend this ebook to anyone who is ready to start writing a Kindle book.

Click here to learn more about Kindle Commission Explosion.

Have you used this product? …What’s YOUR feedback?

This is a product review on List Building Pro, another product in our review series.

List Building Pro is good for newbies and veteran IM’ers alike. It strives to teach you a complete strategy with precise tools for how you can build your list fast.

What our reviewer said:

List Building Pro is another great product put out in conjunction with Mike Cowles and Niky Ray. Mike goes over some great ways to build a list and keep the people on it happy.

He shows how to come up with product ideas and the best way to deliver them.

This is an hour long webinar, but it is packed with some great information.

Click here to learn more about List Building Pro.

Have you used this product? …What’s YOUR feedback?

This is a product review on Kindle Answers, another product in our review series.

Kindle Answers is software that seeks to minimize the amount of research time it takes to write an eBook and help you with your post-publication promotion, so all you have to do is get the book written.

What our first reviewer said:

Kindle Answers is a great little piece of software that does exactly what it’s supposed to do. It will search Yahoo Answers for a specific keyword and give you a list of the questions (and answers) that have been posted there.

You can search for Open questions only, Closed questions only, or All. For research purposes, All is a good choice; once you have your book written on a given subject and want to promote it, you can search for Open questions, and provide an answer that will lead people to your book, or your website.

The interface is pretty simple to use, and the documentation is quite good. The problem I did have with the documentation is that it’s spread across several website pages. A PDF version would be great. I do like the fact that everything that is in the two video demos is also shown with screenshots and text. Well done!

This is called Kindle Answers, probably because of the Kindle mania going on right now, but this will work for any info product you’re thinking of producing.

The software is for PCs only, so if you’re a Mac user, you’re out of luck, unless you have parallels or something similar.

It seems from the WSO thread that the delivery system after purchase is a little confusing, but the product owners are staying on top of questions, so that’s good.

Pros:
Does What It’s Supposed To – It Simplifies Research
Easy to Use
Good Documentation
Good Customer Service

Cons:
Documentation is Scattered Over Several Web Pages
PC Only
Confusing After-Sale Process

What our second reviewer said:

It does run the reports as advertised. This is a great way to find and join conversations where you can demonstrate your expertise (and promote your books/products). This will help build relationships and build up a readership.

I don’t agree with the gray/black hat tactics mentioned in the documentation. It suggests using more than one account to answer your own questions or to provide social proof for the answers from your other account. This is opposed to the relationship building it takes to build up a readership of ardent fans who are eagerly awaiting your next book.

Used in the correct way, I think it’s a valuable product. I would recommend it.

Click here to learn more about Kindle Answers Software.

Have you used this product? …What’s YOUR feedback?