Discussion Forum > Making money out of AF?
Well the easiest way to make a few dollars on any idea these days it to write and iphone application. Hire someone to write the official Autofocus application for the iphone; that does AF streamlined and nothing else. Charge $1.99 for it and everyone that visits this website and has an iphone will probably buy it because it's basically throw away pocket change. From your side that pocket change can add up quickly.
Then add a "You like autofocus, please pay me $10" link on the website. Have it goto a fixed rate transaction on Paypal. I think you might be surprised how many people click it. Don't make it a variable amount, just a small fixed amount that takes the thought process out of it.
Then add a "You like autofocus, please pay me $10" link on the website. Have it goto a fixed rate transaction on Paypal. I think you might be surprised how many people click it. Don't make it a variable amount, just a small fixed amount that takes the thought process out of it.
August 4, 2009 at 2:18 |
ratz
ratz
Autofocus the musical. So many possibilities.
Gerry
Gerry
August 4, 2009 at 16:01 |
Gerry
Gerry
I think the short video Mark did for AF1 was good, but maybe a slightly longer and in-depth video (15-20 minutes?) going over the RAF instructions with different people as examples and perhaps little asides on "why this works" would be good to sell. Just a couple of bucks to download or whatever and/or on DVD. It would keep the instructions free, but still make money for the system and give all of us that are so grateful a way to donate and get something in return.
August 4, 2009 at 18:17 |
Jim (Atlanta)
Jim (Atlanta)
>> write and iphone application
I'd be the first in line. However an app that syncs to a website is key. The iPhone keyboard is too cumbersome for text heavy apps, Hence why TaskPaper, Omnifocus, and The Hit LIst are so popular.
I'd be the first in line. However an app that syncs to a website is key. The iPhone keyboard is too cumbersome for text heavy apps, Hence why TaskPaper, Omnifocus, and The Hit LIst are so popular.
August 5, 2009 at 5:38 |
Avrum
Avrum
Just my two cents to add up to all the ideas already available in this thread:
Some basics first:
1. You started AutoFocus as some kind of Open Source product (although it isn’t software).
2. You’re retired, so time is value in another way than it is when you’re willing to work 80 hours a week. Which doesn’t mean you don’t want to work 80 hours a week, but what does change the way you’re working in a sense that you want to be able to ‘leaf’ work whenever you want, for any giving period of time.
3. People are getting used to information that’s free on the internet and most of the time don’t realise this information has some value
4. The web is full with data, it’s the challenge to convert it to useful information
5. We humans like to be part of a group and are willing to share with other group members
6. People are lazy
7. If there’s ‘nothing in it for me’ people will leave groups really easy on the internet
Linking the above to my experiences with Open Source Software and Online Communities and the Information Society we’re living in these days I want to add some thoughts to the discussion:
1:
Open Source comes in many ways. After ten years of working with Open Source software I find that the most successful software is al organised the same way. There’s always a team of core developers. These developers protect the core code and do make final decisions about what’s getting into core and what isn’t. Other people are always free to program their own modules to add to the software, but there is no guarantee for the users these modules will be available in any new version. Guarantees are only given about core. For stability reasons often there’s some association that holds the trademark.
I feel Mark is like the core developer, Revised AutoFocus is like the core code and on this forum lots of people are talking about some extra modules added to core. Sometimes a module is this good, Mark will add it to core.
2:
Getting a trademark, setting up some kind of association would be a good idea maybe.
Opportunities are endless, but Mark isn’t looking for tons of work. Developing software for example for the iPhone can be done, but costs lots of time to develop and to maintain. Within the Open Source world there should be people within the community who are willing to give their time in exchange for some free publicity (like a link to their website in a colophon or something) or something.
For Mark himself I think doing what he’s good at is the best way to go. So, yes, write stuff down in an e-book and yes give interviews and publish them as audio-books or podcasts.
3:
Newspapers are suffering, the same goes for the Music Industry or the Movies. Everything on the internet is free or seems to be free or is easier to get for free than to pay for it.
4:
More and more I get the feeling that surviving comes in two ways: make it easier to get something for money than to get it for free (think about iTunes. Lot’s of people do switch from downloading music with torrent clients etc. because it’s way more easy to find a song on iTunes and put it on your iPod these days) or add value to it (again like iTunes and Genius: when you buy a song on iTunes, iTunes will tell you what other songs you would probably like. Apple can give me this information, because they know what other people are buying and will convert all this data into some smart way, to add value for the customer).
5:
People want to be part of a team. You can give them an extra feeling of being part of the team if the team has it’s own characterization. So do ask the community to come up with a unique AutoFocus Logo and yes, do publish this logo on pens, notebooks etc.
We only want to team up with people we do have some kind of connection with. This makes each community interesting for advertisement. We are a target group for publishers like Moleskine, so I suppose they’re willing to pay for only advertisement, audio ads at the start of a podcast etc.
6:
People are lazy. So converting all the data from the community to some useful information is what people are willing to pay for. Look for example to the books Chris Anderson is publishing (www.longtail.com). Free as an e-book or audio book, paying for the paper edition (don’t forget to read the book ‘Free’ or/ and ‘The Long tail’). Although Anderson is giving his books for free, you can imaging that the e-book or audio-book would be something people are willing to pay for.
Again, people are lazy. There’s tons of information at these forums. If you’ve read it all, you can extract the interesting parts of it and convert data into useful information. People are lazy, so converting text into audio or video is always a great way to communicate. I think about the little video interview on AutoFocus 1. That’s a little video people do want to pay for. Do a summary for free on youtube, make a extended edition for a few dollars.
People are lazy. So a donation button will work for the first few days and will trigger early adaptors to give you some money, but it’s easy to overlook. You add value to threads on the forum, but a small donation button in a signature or something at the bottom of bigger contributions from yourself to pay a little any easy way (paypal or something).
7:
Keep listening to the community. Although people can arrange their own groups at yahoogroups, linkedIn etc., people can host their own wiki’s etc., it’s important that the same people keep coming to your website, so find ways to work together with all these interesting initiatives. Maybe the initiator of the wiki for example is willing to convert it to your own domain to make it part of the growing “AutoFocus web”. Same goes for the question ages ago about some kind of RSS feed or something for the forum messages (again: people are lazy). Maybe there is someone in the community willing to give you some coding hours for free to add it to your site.
Well, I can keep on going for hours. We could do an IRC session or maybe even Skype/ audio chat with some people to brainstorm some more?
Some basics first:
1. You started AutoFocus as some kind of Open Source product (although it isn’t software).
2. You’re retired, so time is value in another way than it is when you’re willing to work 80 hours a week. Which doesn’t mean you don’t want to work 80 hours a week, but what does change the way you’re working in a sense that you want to be able to ‘leaf’ work whenever you want, for any giving period of time.
3. People are getting used to information that’s free on the internet and most of the time don’t realise this information has some value
4. The web is full with data, it’s the challenge to convert it to useful information
5. We humans like to be part of a group and are willing to share with other group members
6. People are lazy
7. If there’s ‘nothing in it for me’ people will leave groups really easy on the internet
Linking the above to my experiences with Open Source Software and Online Communities and the Information Society we’re living in these days I want to add some thoughts to the discussion:
1:
Open Source comes in many ways. After ten years of working with Open Source software I find that the most successful software is al organised the same way. There’s always a team of core developers. These developers protect the core code and do make final decisions about what’s getting into core and what isn’t. Other people are always free to program their own modules to add to the software, but there is no guarantee for the users these modules will be available in any new version. Guarantees are only given about core. For stability reasons often there’s some association that holds the trademark.
I feel Mark is like the core developer, Revised AutoFocus is like the core code and on this forum lots of people are talking about some extra modules added to core. Sometimes a module is this good, Mark will add it to core.
2:
Getting a trademark, setting up some kind of association would be a good idea maybe.
Opportunities are endless, but Mark isn’t looking for tons of work. Developing software for example for the iPhone can be done, but costs lots of time to develop and to maintain. Within the Open Source world there should be people within the community who are willing to give their time in exchange for some free publicity (like a link to their website in a colophon or something) or something.
For Mark himself I think doing what he’s good at is the best way to go. So, yes, write stuff down in an e-book and yes give interviews and publish them as audio-books or podcasts.
3:
Newspapers are suffering, the same goes for the Music Industry or the Movies. Everything on the internet is free or seems to be free or is easier to get for free than to pay for it.
4:
More and more I get the feeling that surviving comes in two ways: make it easier to get something for money than to get it for free (think about iTunes. Lot’s of people do switch from downloading music with torrent clients etc. because it’s way more easy to find a song on iTunes and put it on your iPod these days) or add value to it (again like iTunes and Genius: when you buy a song on iTunes, iTunes will tell you what other songs you would probably like. Apple can give me this information, because they know what other people are buying and will convert all this data into some smart way, to add value for the customer).
5:
People want to be part of a team. You can give them an extra feeling of being part of the team if the team has it’s own characterization. So do ask the community to come up with a unique AutoFocus Logo and yes, do publish this logo on pens, notebooks etc.
We only want to team up with people we do have some kind of connection with. This makes each community interesting for advertisement. We are a target group for publishers like Moleskine, so I suppose they’re willing to pay for only advertisement, audio ads at the start of a podcast etc.
6:
People are lazy. So converting all the data from the community to some useful information is what people are willing to pay for. Look for example to the books Chris Anderson is publishing (www.longtail.com). Free as an e-book or audio book, paying for the paper edition (don’t forget to read the book ‘Free’ or/ and ‘The Long tail’). Although Anderson is giving his books for free, you can imaging that the e-book or audio-book would be something people are willing to pay for.
Again, people are lazy. There’s tons of information at these forums. If you’ve read it all, you can extract the interesting parts of it and convert data into useful information. People are lazy, so converting text into audio or video is always a great way to communicate. I think about the little video interview on AutoFocus 1. That’s a little video people do want to pay for. Do a summary for free on youtube, make a extended edition for a few dollars.
People are lazy. So a donation button will work for the first few days and will trigger early adaptors to give you some money, but it’s easy to overlook. You add value to threads on the forum, but a small donation button in a signature or something at the bottom of bigger contributions from yourself to pay a little any easy way (paypal or something).
7:
Keep listening to the community. Although people can arrange their own groups at yahoogroups, linkedIn etc., people can host their own wiki’s etc., it’s important that the same people keep coming to your website, so find ways to work together with all these interesting initiatives. Maybe the initiator of the wiki for example is willing to convert it to your own domain to make it part of the growing “AutoFocus web”. Same goes for the question ages ago about some kind of RSS feed or something for the forum messages (again: people are lazy). Maybe there is someone in the community willing to give you some coding hours for free to add it to your site.
Well, I can keep on going for hours. We could do an IRC session or maybe even Skype/ audio chat with some people to brainstorm some more?
August 5, 2009 at 12:48 |
Evelyne
Evelyne
I have been hunting for an academic (September to July, day to a page) diary, notebook with ruled and blank pages, and 'To Do' List book (for my AF1, it works great for me and being a creature of habit I see no reason to change to RAF).
All I ask is that they're somewhat aesthetically pleasing, A5 and light enough so they're easy to carry, and in the same format so they sit in a neat stack on my desk/shelf/work bag.
Would you believe that after numerous Saturdays scouring the likes of WHSmith, Paperchase, even that obscenely overpriced Aladdin's Den of stationery you never knew you needed, Smythson, I'm still emptyhanded?
Please get yourself on the phone to Letts Mark, and ensure we have what we need in time for January 1st!
[Those of you suggesting Filofaxes - the sizes don't work for me, I've tried. The A5 is too big and heavy, and the standard can't cope with a day-to-page diary format if you want other paper in there. AAAAARRRRGGGGHHHH]
All I ask is that they're somewhat aesthetically pleasing, A5 and light enough so they're easy to carry, and in the same format so they sit in a neat stack on my desk/shelf/work bag.
Would you believe that after numerous Saturdays scouring the likes of WHSmith, Paperchase, even that obscenely overpriced Aladdin's Den of stationery you never knew you needed, Smythson, I'm still emptyhanded?
Please get yourself on the phone to Letts Mark, and ensure we have what we need in time for January 1st!
[Those of you suggesting Filofaxes - the sizes don't work for me, I've tried. The A5 is too big and heavy, and the standard can't cope with a day-to-page diary format if you want other paper in there. AAAAARRRRGGGGHHHH]
August 5, 2009 at 15:23 |
little b
little b
Little B,
You didn't mention price: you could splash out on an X47. (Their daily diary inserts each cover 2 months. http://www.x47.com/en/produkte/mabook/produkt.html
You didn't mention price: you could splash out on an X47. (Their daily diary inserts each cover 2 months. http://www.x47.com/en/produkte/mabook/produkt.html
August 27, 2009 at 7:19 |
Will
Will
David Allen is selling a poster of the GTD process for $49. It comes with a 35-minute DVD explaining the poster.
https://secure.davidco.com/store/catalog/GTD-Workflow-Map-with-Coaching-DVD-NEW-p-16554.php
Maybe Mark could take one of the AF flowcharts and pretty it up, and then add a 10-minute video to show how it works. And charge less. More effective method, simpler flowchart, simpler to explain, and lower cost. Hard to beat that!
https://secure.davidco.com/store/catalog/GTD-Workflow-Map-with-Coaching-DVD-NEW-p-16554.php
Maybe Mark could take one of the AF flowcharts and pretty it up, and then add a 10-minute video to show how it works. And charge less. More effective method, simpler flowchart, simpler to explain, and lower cost. Hard to beat that!
October 8, 2009 at 19:42 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
I might have mentioned it before: Even if I get the complete explanation of the system for free, I would buy "The Book" that would explain everything in detail, discuss all conceivable special cases and problems and possible solutions etc. - and I guess a lot of people would do so. You base your life upon a task management system! Compared to that, 20€ or the like for such a book is nothing. Especially if it's written by the creator of said system.
This way, the free publication of the system would work as publicity for the book and enhance its sales, not diminish them.
This happened to me with GTD. When I was studying GTD, I found everything I'd needed to know about how GTD works for free online somewhere on websites, written by GTD enthusiasts. At first I thought, "he he, no need to spend money on this guy's book", but the more I got serious, the less I felt so, and when I came across the book "Getting Things Done", I bought it without hesitation. There's nothing like the original voice, and I didn't regret it.
And just scanning the discussions here in this forum will deliver more material than a book can hold.
So, in short, my 2 cents: The best way will be to write "The Autofocus Book".
This way, the free publication of the system would work as publicity for the book and enhance its sales, not diminish them.
This happened to me with GTD. When I was studying GTD, I found everything I'd needed to know about how GTD works for free online somewhere on websites, written by GTD enthusiasts. At first I thought, "he he, no need to spend money on this guy's book", but the more I got serious, the less I felt so, and when I came across the book "Getting Things Done", I bought it without hesitation. There's nothing like the original voice, and I didn't regret it.
And just scanning the discussions here in this forum will deliver more material than a book can hold.
So, in short, my 2 cents: The best way will be to write "The Autofocus Book".
October 9, 2009 at 10:06 |
AndreasE
AndreasE
I second Andreas point.
October 9, 2009 at 11:00 |
Pascal
Pascal
I also agree, but I would add that if Mark should choose to write another book, that he get a better publisher who would promote the book in the United States. After easily being able to buy "Get Everything Done..." here in the US via Amazon, I was surprised that I had to wait six weeks for my copy of "Do It Tomorrow" to arrive from the UK. Indeed, the lack of publicity and availability of that book here, a huge market for self-help and time-management books, is absolutely scandalous. I would hate to see the same neglect for an Autofocus book.
October 9, 2009 at 16:06 |
Gorham
Gorham
I would buy " The AF book" without hesitation.
October 10, 2009 at 18:27 |
Silvia
Silvia
I would buy the book even if it wouldn't provide more information that can be found here.
Not only as a sign of appreciation (which I certainly feel), but to incentive the growth of the system.
Not only as a sign of appreciation (which I certainly feel), but to incentive the growth of the system.
October 13, 2009 at 12:35 |
Walter
Walter
Mhh... I suspect that my previous post is full of grammatical problems.
I'm a little sleepy and my English isn't very functional right now. Apologies :-)
I'm a little sleepy and my English isn't very functional right now. Apologies :-)
October 13, 2009 at 12:38 |
Walter
Walter
Hi,
Mark have you found a way to earn money ?
Cheap and easy way it to put a "paypal" button on the website and ask for some $ for your tea. ( No big cash but easy way to get some).
B.R
Henrik
Mark have you found a way to earn money ?
Cheap and easy way it to put a "paypal" button on the website and ask for some $ for your tea. ( No big cash but easy way to get some).
B.R
Henrik
October 26, 2009 at 5:54 |
Henrik Ekenberg
Henrik Ekenberg
Is it time for a Superfocus T-shirt?
(cf. the Autofocus T-Shirt http://seraphim37.googlepages.com/autofocusTshirt2.jpg )
(cf. the Autofocus T-Shirt http://seraphim37.googlepages.com/autofocusTshirt2.jpg )
February 25, 2011 at 5:22 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
In that case, Mark should register www.superfocus.me asap. It is still available. ($9/y at Godaddy.com). I'm actually quite serious. Seems like a pretty good domain name, even with the .me extension since you can regard superfocus as a verb.
"SuperFocus yourself with the all-new task management paradigm by Mark Forster at www.superfocus.me!"
T-shirt with:
"TO DO LIST
walk dogs
get groceries
clean damn dishes
dreaded tax returns
...start procrastinating
www.superfocus.me"
I'd probably buy one :P.
"SuperFocus yourself with the all-new task management paradigm by Mark Forster at www.superfocus.me!"
T-shirt with:
"TO DO LIST
walk dogs
get groceries
clean damn dishes
dreaded tax returns
...start procrastinating
www.superfocus.me"
I'd probably buy one :P.
February 25, 2011 at 10:58 |
Tijl Kindt
Tijl Kindt
A ton of good suggestions here.
I would just like to add: If you are thinking of something like a book, you might want to investigate rockethub or indieagogo, both of which provide a ransom model for creative tasks, so that people can pay you in advance for the book, while its still in production. I would definitely contribute to such a project.
Like a lot of people here, I would love a software solution for implementing SF v3. I am actually planning on writing one myself, in initially for the BlackBerry (since I am getting one in a couple of days), but I will probably expand it to web and desktop, and possibly iPhone and Android. If Mark (or anybody else for that matter) would like to give some suggestions for that project, feel free to email me on plosiguant [at] gmail [dot] com (I already have a ton of ideas, currently trying to figure out what to put into version 1). If Mark wants to, I would be very happy to split any of the profits with him.
I would also be interested in some sort of Autofocus seminar, as well as some sort of coaching training.
As for the branded stationery, I would happily buy some if I ever saw it in a shop, but I am pretty unlikely to order it.
In other words, I think all the ideas given here are good!
I would just like to add: If you are thinking of something like a book, you might want to investigate rockethub or indieagogo, both of which provide a ransom model for creative tasks, so that people can pay you in advance for the book, while its still in production. I would definitely contribute to such a project.
Like a lot of people here, I would love a software solution for implementing SF v3. I am actually planning on writing one myself, in initially for the BlackBerry (since I am getting one in a couple of days), but I will probably expand it to web and desktop, and possibly iPhone and Android. If Mark (or anybody else for that matter) would like to give some suggestions for that project, feel free to email me on plosiguant [at] gmail [dot] com (I already have a ton of ideas, currently trying to figure out what to put into version 1). If Mark wants to, I would be very happy to split any of the profits with him.
I would also be interested in some sort of Autofocus seminar, as well as some sort of coaching training.
As for the branded stationery, I would happily buy some if I ever saw it in a shop, but I am pretty unlikely to order it.
In other words, I think all the ideas given here are good!
February 25, 2011 at 12:05 |
Nenad Ristic
Nenad Ristic
Mark - you just need to get on Oprah as a time management guru, then you can get a TV show of your own and make tons of money!
February 25, 2011 at 17:45 |
Alison Reeves
Alison Reeves
How randomly I come across this post...
Mark - on reading your Dreams book & later your passion for experimenting.. wondering if you would be interested to train others/ coach the coaches in your Various methodologies and techniques and tools... Of course, in your own style...
There are quite a many unwarranted courses on the internet, which claim more than they are worth...
On the contrary, you might want to start an Productivity/ Time management video courses..
There would be an upfront investment of resources, but otherwise it would truly be a passive or at least light touch way of earning...
Importantly I believe it may carry your legacy forward...
Mark - on reading your Dreams book & later your passion for experimenting.. wondering if you would be interested to train others/ coach the coaches in your Various methodologies and techniques and tools... Of course, in your own style...
There are quite a many unwarranted courses on the internet, which claim more than they are worth...
On the contrary, you might want to start an Productivity/ Time management video courses..
There would be an upfront investment of resources, but otherwise it would truly be a passive or at least light touch way of earning...
Importantly I believe it may carry your legacy forward...
April 16, 2020 at 19:39 |
Sathya
Sathya
And there are hundreds of different magazines that would like an article like this. Articles could easily be fine-tuned for the particular audience, probably with very little effort.
FWIW, YMMV, and all the usual disclaimers.