The “2011 Internet Business Ideas Book” – a Collaborative Effort of 12 Bloggers

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Are you looking for more ways to generate income online? Do you know someone who either wants or needs to make their living with a home-based Internet business? These were among the questions Ian and Amy Anderson presented to 107 bloggers from all over the world.

As I read their email (received exactly 3 days before Thanksgiving), I was presented with an opportunity. Would I be interested in collaborating with other bloggers to write a book called the “2011 Internet Business Ideas Book.”. The book would be available in both print as well as digital and they were seeking contributors internationally. There were very strict criteria for submissions and the deadline seemed daunting. Of course, after giving it serious thought, I said yes.

So what is this new book and why am I telling you? Well, I’m telling you for two reasons.

Reason #1 for Wanting to Know about the Launch of the “2011 Internet Business Ideas Book”

As a blogger and/or website owner, you may have already written your own eBook, be in the process of contributing to one or planning to write one. Either way, you may find it interesting to get a little insight on how a collaborative effort involving 12 contributors from 7 different countries ended up as a book for starting a home-based Internet business.

Of course, I have no idea how much work Ian and Amy Anderson (the book creators and editors) personally put into this effort. I can only tell you that I was first approached on November 22nd and given a deadline of November 27th to submit my contributions. (This was Thanksgiving week!) I was also given a template to follow, instructions to produce no fewer than 5 submissions and given no guarantee that my work would even be accepted. (That should have weeded out a lot of the potential contributors right there!)

Instead of being discouraged, I was challenged. I saw structure, a plan and an opportunity. I had confidence in the concept. The collaboration was organized. The target market was clearly defined and most importantly, it was filling a need. Especially in an economy like the one that we’re facing today, people need marketable ideas that they can turn into lucrative Internet businesses. I wanted in!

Reason #2 for Wanting to Know about the Launch of the “2011 Internet Business Ideas Book”

It’s a good book. (No, I’m not saying this because 3 of the 38 ideas are mine.) The challenge was to come up with ideas to launch an online business. These had to be creative ideas that could be implemented. They needed to have the potential of earning an income through the Internet.

Along with each idea, we were expected to explain how to get started, suggest domain names, give ideas to market the business and suggest pricing. Since the contributors represent different countries and different areas of expertise, the ideas range from reviewing pro-sport equipment to creating a mobile application for Android and iPhones.

What do I want you to do?

Hopefully, by sharing a little information about my experience (collaborating on an eBook), I’ve motivated at least one person to pursue creating their own masterpiece. It doesn’t have to be an effort of this magnitude. It can be a simple eBook completely written by you or it could be a collaboration of a group of like minded people. The important thing is (as Nike’s slogan says) – “Just do it!”.

CHECK OUT a SAMPLE of the BOOK

Order now and save $7 on the instant digital download ($27.99).

As always, I’d love to hear your experiences. Have your written an eBook? Did you write it alone or with others? Do you have plans to collaborate?

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Author: Sherryl Perry

Welcome! If you're looking for help building an Internet presence that fits your needs and works for you, you're in the right place. I blog common sense articles about WordPress, social media and SEO. My goal is to help small business owners and entrepreneurs understand their core business. Together, we can develop and implement business strategies that make sense to you.

52 thoughts on “The “2011 Internet Business Ideas Book” – a Collaborative Effort of 12 Bloggers”

  2. Sherryl,
    You can be so proud of yourself being able to be one of them!
    I think your ideas that you’ve learned here in blogging and how to establish good foundation for businesses online will one of the great assets of this Book!

  3. That’s AWESOME! So can you tell us a little more about the book? Are the ideas in the book more like tips that everyone can use or are they niches that other bloggers have seen and someone just needs to take the market? Congrats on your 3 ideas being accepted!

    1. Each idea is original. We were asked to rate our ideas on a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being the hardest. For example, “Pro-Sport Equipment Reviewer” is a level one business idea and “Mobile Fix Estimator App” is a level 9. (There’s only one level 1 and 1 level 9 in the book.) Most ideas fall somewhat in the middle.

      In addition to a detailed description of the idea, we also had to submit: an explanation of how to start the business, sample domain name suggestions, how to market your business and estimates of what we thought you could reasonably charge.

      The book contains 38 ideas and is 133-pages. The challenge was to submit ideas that we thought would work and that someone could succeed in but were not something that we could personally commit resources to.

      Did you get a chance to see a sample of the book? http://bit.ly/hFMgVc. If you have any more questions, just let me know. Thanks for asking!
      Sherryl Perry recently posted..What’s Your Best Customer Service StoryMy Profile

  4. Hey, I was able to comment. No ban! 🙂

    I know this is going to give Rob tons of ideas. I would love to do a book someday, but more around the lines of an illustrated story or an analogy for the benefit of design. But to find the time is the real challenge, right? Thanks for the insight and congrats. “Just do it”, is right!
    Dennis Salvatier recently posted..Whats The Best Gift of AllMy Profile

  5. As Rob commented, I’m one of his collaborators on a new e-book, my first venture. Although it must have been stressful for you, Sherryl, having a very tight deadline is the only way that most writers finally get off the stick and start writing. Creative people seem to thrive under pressure. So, I learned a lot from you experience. Thanks for sharing.

    1. Good luck Jeannette. I’m sure it will be a great e-book. I’m hoping to contribute to another soon. (I’m just somewhat overwhelmed right now.) It will be interesting to hear how your group comes together.

  6. Sherryl
    Congrats on the publication. I read the sample download. Excellent material and I went ahead and bought the book for my brother for Christmas. I’m sure he’ll be very happy since he’s always talking about building a successful internet business and working from home. I’ll let you know how he gets on! Thanks again.

    1. Good luck Rob! I look forward to reading it. Structure was certainly the key for me. It was very challenging to meet the deadline but from the very beginning, the goals were clearly defined. There wasn’t any need to go back and forth. Once I committed to collaborate, it was just a matter of finding the time to execute it. I’m hoping at some point to get involved in another group effort. It was a great experience!

  8. Excellent idea Sherryl! We should do another one about a different subject!! Keep me in mind if you are approached for a similiar project. Am all for it.

    Wish you a Merry Christmas & A FANTASTIC New Year!!
    Catarina

    1. Catarina, I’ll let you know if I hear of another project. You and I write about such different topics! Let me know if you can think of something that we could both blog about. 🙂

      You have a wonderful Christmas and New Year too! – Julius Caesar and the White House? This I’ve got to read! 🙂

  9. What a generous way to contribute to the online community, Sherryl. Your expertise is surely a worthy addition to this project. Looking forward to reading the book for new inspiration and to sharing the word with others!

    1. Thanks Kate. It really is quite a collaboration of ideas. Sales have been slow but January and February are known to be the time when people are searching for ways to make money. If someone is seriously looking for ideas to start a legitimate business on the Internet, they should be able to find something here. Even if they don’t want to start a business that is outlined here, I don’t see how someone could read this without their creative juices running.

  10. Congratulations on being one of the co-authors. Keep it up! I have never created an eBook but I have thought about it but I have no idea what I would do it about. If you would like you can do a guest blog about this book on my blog to help promote it some more.

    1. Thanks for the offer to guest post Joshua. I promised Julia that I’d guest post about it for her first. I confess, I still have not made/found the time to guest post anywhere yet. I think the only reason that I managed to find the time to contribute to this eBook is that it was such a structured project. There were deadlines to meet and detailed instructions on exactly what needed to be included in each submission. I have to admit, I do my best work under pressure! 🙂

  11. This is awesome Sherryl – congratulations! Like Keyuri – I am not at all surprised that you were asked to participate with your wealth of knowledge and outstanding delivery. Not only did you tell about your participation in this project, you have given your readers ideas on what THEY can do to, You are a gem! I wonder if that “guest blog” post Julia asked for can be a one-size fits all 🙂
    Julie Weishaar recently posted..If a Picture Speaks a Thousand Words- How Many Words Do You Think a Video SpeaksMy Profile

    1. Thanks Julie. I wanted to write a post about the project without blatantly promoting the book. It was an amazingly well executed project. To bring 12 people from 7 countries together with one person and execute it in the assigned time frame impressed me. I would on a project with Ian and Amy again. As for guest blogging for Julia, that’s a great opportunity too. I totally enjoy Julia’s blog.

  12. Hi Sherryl, congratulations on your participation in the 2011 Internet Ideas ebook! Pulling together something meaningful and winning a spot was no small feat. 🙂

    I’ve got a few things on the plate that I’d love to put into a brand new eBook. Hopefully, it will come together soon. While I haven’t written anything lately, last year I gathered up some of the resources my clients asked me about and compiled them — along with a few anecdotes — into a free PDF called Top Secret Personal Swipe File – Resources for Online Business Owners. I’d like to revamp it for the coming year.

    Again, congrats and I look forward to seeing your next eBook!
    Vernessa Taylor recently posted..How To Add Images To Your WordPress CommentsMy Profile

    1. Vernessa, I just checked out your free eBook. It’s chock full of info that would be especially great for someone who is just getting started either with an online business or blogging. I use many of those resources myself. I’m passing on your link!

  13. First, I want to congratulate you for the contribution you have on the book. Next, I think this is wonderful most especially to those who want to know what’s next for 2011. Many people including me is into online business or online marketing, this will certainly help me. Thanks.

    1. Thanks Mike. I think that people like you and I get our own ideas by reading books and articles like this. Something someone else says will trigger our own creative juices going. I certainly would never have come up with some of the ideas in the book but at least one idea (about a virtual assistant business) that I submitted was submitted by someone else. (Her submission was accepted and I actually liked her idea better than mine.)

  14. Hi Sherryl
    Congratulations on being asked to contribute to what sounds like a fantastic resource.
    I’ll take a look at the sample.

    My guess is that you have rattled a few cages, mine included, and lots of us will be thinking again about that eBook we were going to produce. LOL

    Have a great Christmas and a fantastic New Year.
    Keith
    Keith Davis recently posted..Look for the Shining EyesMy Profile

    1. Thanks Keith. To be honest, if I hadn’t been offered this opportunity, I still wouldn’t have published anything yet myself. It’s so difficult to find the time these days.

      You have a wonderful Christmas and fantastic New Year too!

  15. I just checked the sample, and it does look like a great eBook Sherryl!
    I think I might order a digital copy for myself!

    1. There are certainly lots of different ideas in the book. It will definitely get you thinking even if you don’t launch a business exactly like one of the 38 in the book. Good luck!

  16. Sounds like a great project. It should be a great hit as an e-book. Is it a downloadable format or one for the readers? I would love for you to write a guest post about the book? E-mail me if you are interested.

    Julia M Lindsey
    Our Little Books

    1. According to Ian & Amy Anderson (the editors), the digital version is down-loadable as a PDF file and you can also add it to your mobile device for viewing on the go.

  17. Not surprised that 3 of your submissions were chosen. You are a wealth of information. Congrats. I’ve “tweeted and liked” to spread the word!

  18. Wow, this looks like a great book that I’d sure love to get my hands on! I’m basically obsessed with “keeping up with the times” so I love learning about how future technology could change online marketing and blogging.

    1. There are some really simple ideas in the book and some really creative ones too covering all different skill levels. I like the fact that 10% of the profits are being used to purchase new computers for inner-city grade schools.

  19. Hi Sherryl

    What a brilliant idea. I am in the process of gathering some articles and plan to write more so that I can provide a helpful resource on all things lavender; my chosen niche.

    It will be sold as an e-book, once I eventually get it together and finish it! Thanks for sharing your collaborative book with us Sherryl. Much appreciated.

    Patricia Perth Australia

  20. Yay Sherryl – 3 of the ideas are yours! I wish your Ebook fantastic success. 🙂 I’m interested in learning about the various ways you choose to market it in the future and the results you get. Also, please keep us posted if your Ebook particpation boosts your analytics.

    1. I’ll keep you posted Catherine. I have a few ideas for marketing this but the timing is not ideal for me as I’m working with a client on deadlines. Unfortunately marketing this is taking a bit of a backseat. You know me, I’ll track everything! 🙂

  21. Hi Tia. I think the best thing to do is to keep building relationships with other bloggers. Keep commenting on blogs (like here), and participate on a few social networks like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. By forming relationships, I’m sure you’ll find other like minded bloggers who would be very happy to work with you on an eBook. I recently was approached by someone who was looking for a previously published article for an eBook she’s compiling. Nothing easier than that to participate in.

    1. Really? I already have twitter and I think I must really Join Facebook and LinkedIn. It would really perfect to meet different people online. Anyway, thank you for giving me another idea and tip on how to start.

  22. Congratulations for making it among all the others that were also given the challenge. It truly is a great book full of important ideas from reliable people.

  23. Sherryl – Congratulations with meeting the challenge and getting 3 of your ideas published in this book. Your collaboration on this ebook has definitely inspired me to collaborate with someone on my own ebook.

    To answer your question, I have never written my own ebook yet because I have to admit I’m a bit intimidated by it. I am starting to have more free times on my hand these days so I am planning to start writing my own ebook by myself very soon.

    I checked out the sample of the book and it looks like a good read from what I’ve seen so far. I look forward to reading the ideas you have contributed to the book.

    1. Thanks John. This is the first time I’ve published an article in an eBook myself. I was always waiting to find that elusive “free time”. I needed the structure and deadlines of this challenge to get me started. Now, I’ve already submitted an article to another blogger who is compiling a free eBook. Fortunately for me, she wanted published articles. So, that was very easy. Good luck!

    1. We’re hoping that lots of people will start an Internet business with one of the ideas in this book. If someone is seriously interested in making money on the Internet reading this book should at the very least get their creative juices running.

  25. Hey Sherryl, congratz on this – its a very exciting event indeed and one which you should be very proud of! I presume that its based on profit share, so for any sales made then profits are shared to contributors as well as the production team.

    I have one eBook I wrote myself (although I hired a lady to “glue” it together) which is on the subject of SEO. Its doing reasonably well these days so I’ve decided its time to take that to the next level and “doodle” it up with more juicy graphics and a video series too. Its very rewarding to see sales of anything which you’ve been involved in the creation process – not necessarily due to the income (although that helps 😉 ) but just being recognized for your hard work and efforts!

    Well done Sherryl!

    Regards
    Joseph

  26. I think this is beautiful! That is how I would like to contribute and be known as well…..the economy is falling apart….I’d like to be a solution! 🙂

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