Have you lost sight of where you're going and how to get there? One of the simplest ways of creating a successful information business is to follow these simple eight steps to success.

I've even created a simple acronym so you can remember the steps.

The word is "LEAPFROG"

Let's take a look at what that stands for and then I'll give you a fuller description and explain why each is important.

Learn about what you're going to write about
Explore your field completely
Attract information about your subject
Publish your material
Find your customers
Results are what it's all about
Orders are the important step
Gold is when you unleash your backend

OK, let's get down to the details.

1. Learning is about finding what you love. And then really learn all about your subject. Your subject should be something that you are interested in, not something you think will make you money. Many of us fall into the idea that what interests us is not interesting to others. That's usually not true. In fact, do a search on the Internet to see if there are discussion groups, news groups, or ezines about your subject.

2. Exploring you subject to find what people are looking for. This means you'll be answering the questions of people who are interested in your field. Years ago a friend was doing wedding videos. She decided to create an information video on how to have the perfect wedding. But when she did a market survey she found that people were more interested in how to not have the "wedding from hell!" So she changed her focus and made a very successful video that sold in the thousands.

3. Attract the material that you need to fill out your publication. None of us have all the information about any subject. But you can find others who can help add to your knowledge. Plus when you commit yourself to action you'll find the universe will start sending you all the help you need, in people, articles, books, Internet websites, etc.

4. Publish your material. And here's a very successful tip. Always end your title with "Volume 1" even if you never expect to do another volume. Because if your market likes your first volume they will hound you for your second, third, and more volumes. My multimillionaire information-publishing friend, Ken Roberts, says he loves it when his customers plead for a product.

5. Find your customers. If you've done your research in paragraph 1 above, you'll know where your audience hangs out. To help you build your business you can offer your material at some of the publisher houses on the Internet. You can also get others to sell your work via endorsements, affiliate programs, opt-in list mailings, search engines, pay-per-click search engines. There are a wealth of ways for locating your potential customers and converting them into customers.

6. Results is when you convince a person that your material is a must have. And to do that you must provide the answers to a problem you customer has. Not something that someday they might have. You have to answer the problems your customers have right now. How do you know what problems your potential customers have? Ask!

7. Orders are what count. If you aren't getting orders then you aren't solving your customer's problems. Or they just don't understand how your product will benefit them. You need to explain your product's features and show how they benefit your customer. How they solve immediate problems and make your customer's life better.

8. Gold is not from your first sale. It's from the future sales you make from satisfied customers. How do you make additional sales? From your backend products. They can be more products you've created; they can be products others have done. The main thing is that once you have a satisfied customer, you're losing the gold if you don't follow-up with another product.

That's it. If you follow these eight simple steps you will have your own successful information publishing business.