(The Walking The Talk series was created to show an ebook launch from idea to salesletter to marketing. Here’s Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.)

In my last post I did a few searches to gather up content ideas for my upcoming ebook No More Smelly House.

As you may recall, I decided to place my initial focus on the types of things landlords/property managers were doing to solve the problem.

My theory being that landlords have specific tricks-of-the-trade the average person doesn’t know about.

So while I conducted this search, I came across a Q&A column written by disaster cleanup expert. These folks are experts in cleaning up after all sorts of messes like fires, floods, mold, deaths, etc.

This gave me yet another avenue of exploration.

The after smells of fires, floods, and untimely deaths are pretty darn severe. You can’t just go in with some bleach and a bottle Febreeze.

I figured if I could find out the secrets of a disaster cleanup expert and couple that with some tactics culled from my property management search, No More Smelly House would be a pretty valid piece of information. It would contain powerful ideas not easily found online.

My initial course of action is to see what I can gather for free.

So here’s my search report…

#1 – Search phrase used: get rid of smell after a fire

Search engine: Google

I chose this one because it’s part of a disaster cleanup specialists job.

On the first page of results I came across a link from Stanford University.

It was for a question on a forum. A person was asking how to get rid of smoke smells from a historical textile.

Unfortunately, there was no reply. :-(

But the forum itself was devoted to textile conservation. Yet another group of people who had an interest in getting rid of smells. I would have never thought of this one on my own.

The forum had a search feature. I tried “odor” and “smell,” but there wasn’t anything terribly interesting.

I’ll keep the phrase “textile conservation” in my files though.

On the third page of results I found an IVillage forum.

One of the last posts in the thread came from a real estate salesperson who recommended an ozone machine, and raised a couple of other good points.

Also on the third page of results I found another potential search phrase, “smoke damage restoration.”

#2 – Search phrase used: biohazard cleanup

Search engine: Google

This search gave me mostly links to biohazard cleanup companies. Not a good search phrase.

#3 – Search phrase used: biohazard cleanup information

Seach engine: Google

On the second page of results I found an eBay link for a crime/trauma scene cleanup manual. The manual costs $149. But it might be good for further researching the topic.

On the third page of results there was a link for the Association of Specialists in Cleaning & Restoration.

I like association web sites because the information you find is usually very concentrated and on point.

Depending on your topic, you may even consider joining an appropriate association. I think of it as market research, and part of the cost of giving your readers great information.

This particular site contains PDF links to articles in their trade magazine. But at first glance, I didn’t see anything that really matched my needs.

They did however have a Technical Library Search containing their magazine archives spanning back 25 years.

I entered the term “odor” and found some fantastic specialized information.

You have to be a member to access the entire article. But you can buy copies of the magazine.

And even though I can’t check right now, I can always call the association to see if I can buy photocopies of the articles.

This is definitely a site I’ll be returning to.

On the sixth page I found a link for Cleaning & Maintenance Management Online.

This is a publication for cleaning professionals, and they did have a search feature.

I did my usual “odor” search, and came across another set of great ideas.

#4 – Search phrase used: biohazard odor control

Surprisingly I didn’t really find anything good until page seven of results where I saw a link for Cleaning Products from A to Z.

I was scanning through the product descriptions, when I came across Blue Heaven. The description stated it was a “malodor counteractant.”

That sounded like a technical trade term.

So I quickly opened another window, and did a search for…

# 5 – Search phrase I used: malodor counteractant

Search engine: Google

This search gave me a lot of targeted janitorial supplies.

It was a great phrase for giving me industrial cleaning supplies.

Perhaps I’ll offer a section in No More Smelly House that gives a review of these products.

Okay I’ll end here because as you can see, this search can go in lots of different directions beyond my original biohazard cleanup search.

The main point is that you have to keep your eyes open and be aware of new/unique phrases and sites that you run across.

AND… you have to go beyond the first 2-3 pages of search results.

It’s really not that hard, but it does require a keen eye.

And just look at how much detailed information I’ve collected by NOT using the typical search phrases.

Now you really begin to see how you can take something free and turn it into fee-based infoproduct.

Alexis Dawes

P.S.- Comments, questions and the such are always welcome.

Filed under: Bullet Point

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