100+ Profitable Business Models
Almost any business model can be built around a single piece of information. An eBook, a report, a newsletter, a recorded seminar—each can become the foundation for dozens of distinct revenue streams. The key is understanding the full range of options available and selecting the combination that fits your audience, your expertise, and your lifestyle goals. This guide presents over 100 proven business models organized into clear categories, each representing a different way to package, sell, license, or leverage information products.
eBook and Report Publishing Models
1. Author a publication. Write your own publication on any topic. Research demand first to ensure an audience with money exists. Sell it yourself and keep all profits, or work through distributors and share revenue.
2. Co-author a publication. Partner with another author. Sell separately or jointly and split the profits.
3. Compile a publication. Invite other authors and experts to contribute content in exchange for free publicity or other incentives. Contact the experts you want and ask them to donate material.
4. Start an affiliate program. Allow others to sell your publication for a percentage of profits. This can grow to thousands of promoters with minimal work and no upfront cost.
5. Sell reprint rights. Let others sell the publication and keep 100% of the profits. Include ads for your other products to create backend sales.
6. Sell master reprint rights. Allow others to sell both the publication and the reprint rights to the publication.
7. Give away the publication. Let people distribute it freely to prospects, customers, and subscribers. Include ads for your other products. This spreads your advertising widely at no cost.
8. Give away a branded copy. Allow others to give away the publication with their own ads inside. This gives them extra incentive to distribute it.
9. Sell a branded copy. Charge others for the ability to place their ads in the publication they then give away.
10. MLM or multi-tier affiliate program. Allow affiliates to earn commissions not only on their own sales but also on sales made by people they recruit.
11. Publication of the month. Release a new publication monthly for a recurring fee. This creates residual income. Add an affiliate program so others earn a percentage of your recurring revenue.
12. Publication of the month with reprint rights. Release a new publication with reprint or master reprint rights monthly for a recurring fee. Affiliates can earn from your residual income, and people can make 100% profit selling the publications themselves.
13. Divide your publication into pieces. Sell chapters as articles, mini-reports, or special reports. Sometimes selling parts generates more revenue than selling the whole.
14. Publication for royalties. Write an exclusive publication for a major publisher or marketer who handles promotion. You receive a percentage of profits with minimal distribution work.
15. Customized publication. Instead of guessing what people will buy, let them decide. Charge clients to send you five to ten questions they want answered, then compile the answers into a publication. You can charge a premium price.
16. Collectible publication. Offer limited copies of different versions—autographed editions, numbered volumes, serial-numbered copies.
17. Turn other formats into a publication. Get permission from a publisher to transcribe audio or video into a print or electronic publication. Pay an upfront fee or royalties.
18. Turn your publication into a free seminar speech. Deliver live speeches related to your publication. Offer the speech for free in exchange for promoting your publication or business.
19. Turn your publication into offline audio. Create an audiobook or CD. Some people prefer listening to reading.
20. Turn your publication into offline video. Create a videotape or DVD. Some people prefer watching and listening to reading.
21. Update an older publication. Find an outdated publication and update it with current information. Get permission from the publisher and pay an upfront fee or royalties.
22. Turn your publication into a home study course. Add lessons and exercises. Issue a certificate of completion after students submit finished work.
23. Turn your publication into an eClass. Divide the content into lessons and assignments sent via email once or twice weekly. Grade the lessons and return them. Run the class for weeks, then offer it again or create an advanced version.
24. Turn your publication into a sample. Use an excerpt as a free report or article to tempt people into buying the complete publication. These samples can go viral and spread widely.
25. Turn your publication into software. Convert the information into a helpful tool. A book about sales letters becomes sales letter template software.
26. Turn your publication into a paid seminar speech. Deliver live paid speeches related to your publication while also promoting your products.
27. Turn your publication into consulting or coaching. Offer consulting or coaching on the topic. People pay well for live help—in person, over the phone, or via email.
28. Turn your publication into a live workshop or class. Teach groups of people. Charge less than consulting because you can serve more clients simultaneously.
29. Turn your publication into online audio. Create downloadable audio files people can listen to while browsing, checking email, or working.
30. Turn your publication into online video. Create downloadable video files for convenient viewing.
31. Give away on trial and charge later. Offer the publication on a 30- to 60-day trial. Charge only if they decide to keep it. Collect credit card information before delivery.
32. Give away and charge for updates. Distribute the publication free and sell monthly updates. If people value the content, they will pay for ongoing updates.
33. Give away and charge for extras. Offer the publication free and sell premium versions—leather covers, special paper, autographed editions, hard covers, or uncut chapters.
34. Unedited, uncut, uncensored publication. Sell the raw version as research material. Market it as "My Lost and Forgotten Notes on [Topic]—Unedited and Uncut."
35. Others give away, you charge for bulk. Let others distribute your publication freely, then sell bulk quantities to businesses that want copies for employees at a discounted per-unit price.
36. Trade for traffic. Offer the publication free to anyone who links to or advertises your website. This is highly persuasive because they receive a product you normally sell, at no cost.
37. Catalog publication. Allow multiple businesses to place ads in your catalog in exchange for them distributing the catalog to their audiences. Place your own ad prominently at the front.
38. Package with other products. Partner with non-competing businesses to create bundled deals. Split profits or let each seller keep 100% of their own sales.
39. Trade reprint rights. Exchange reprint rights with another publisher. Both gain a new product to sell as an upsell, backend, bonus, or standalone item.
40. Turn into a free live webinar or webcast. Present a topic from your publication via webcast. Advertise your publication and other products during or at the end.
41. Turn into a paid live webinar or webcast. Charge for attendance and advertise products at the end.
42. Turn into a free teleclass or seminar. Present via teleclass. Advertise your publication during or at the end.
43. Turn into a paid teleclass or seminar. Charge for attendance and advertise products.
44. Turn into a free chat room class or seminar. Present via chat room. Advertise your publication during or at the end.
45. Turn into a paid chat room class or seminar. Charge for attendance and advertise products.
46. Give away part as an eCourse. Divide content into a free autoresponder course and advertise the full publication within it. Repeated exposure over time persuades purchase.
47. Turn into a paid eCourse. Divide content into an autoresponder course and sell the rights to it. Buyers use it to follow up with their own audiences while promoting their own products.
48. Give away reprint rights. Give away the rights to your publication to incentivize distribution. Make money on the backend through ads for your other products or affiliate programs.
49. Give away and charge for advertising. Give the publication away after charging others to place ads in it. Then allow others to distribute it freely.
Email Newsletter Models
50. Free newsletter for selling products. Publish a free email newsletter promoting your products, affiliate products, or MLM programs. Mix in quality content related to your niche.
51. Free newsletter for selling advertising space. Publish a free newsletter and sell advertisements to other businesses. Include quality content related to the theme.
52. Paid subscription newsletter. Charge monthly or yearly for a newsletter with highly targeted, original content.
53. Free newsletter plus premium version. Publish a free newsletter and a separate paid version with more valuable content.
54. Free newsletter, charge for original content. Free subscribers receive reprint and edited content; paid subscribers receive 100% original content.
55. Free newsletter, charge for ad-free version. Free subscribers receive ads; paid subscribers receive an ad-free edition.
56. Free newsletter, charge for online community. Free subscribers receive the newsletter; paid subscribers access a message board, chat room, or email discussion list.
57. Free newsletter, charge for archives. Charge a one-time fee for access to back issues. Content must be fully original.
58. Free newsletter, charge per article. Give subscribers a taste of each article; charge for the full version.
59. Free newsletter, charge for reprint rights. Publish original content and charge a subscription fee for others to reprint each issue as their own. They change titles, contact information, and affiliate links.
60. Free newsletter, charge for print edition. Publish a free email newsletter and charge for a print subscription with additional or original content.
Website Models
61. Free website to promote products. Publish a free website promoting your products, affiliate products, or MLM programs. Include quality content related to your niche.
62. Free website to sell advertising. Publish a free website and sell advertisements to other businesses. Include quality content.
63. Paid subscription website. Charge monthly or yearly for password-protected content. Requires highly targeted, original material.
64. Interview subscription website. Conduct and publish expert interviews related to your target audience. Contact experts and offer free publicity and backend opportunities in exchange.
65. Product discount subscription website. Offer discounted products from other businesses to members. Contact business owners and offer free publicity in exchange for providing discounts.
66. Sample products subscription website. Offer product samples from other businesses to members. Contact owners and offer free publicity in exchange.
67. Profiles subscription website. Publish personal or professional profiles of people or entities relevant to your audience. Contact subjects and offer free publicity.
68. Product review subscription website. Review other businesses' products with honest assessments. Contact businesses for free review copies in exchange for publicity.
69. Success stories subscription website. Publish success stories of people relevant to your audience. Contact subjects and offer free publicity and possible product promotion in exchange.
70. Product monthly subscription website. Offer a new product to members every month. Create or purchase products relevant to your audience.
71. Online community subscription website. Offer message boards, chat rooms, or webcam chat. Invite experts to interact with members in exchange for free publicity.
72. Resource directory subscription website. Offer a regularly updated directory of resources—website links, free items, eBooks, ezines—for your target audience.
73. Step-by-step plans subscription website. Ask experts to provide step-by-step plans on topics relevant to your audience. Offer free publicity in exchange.
74. Original content subscription website. Write and provide fully original content. General content typically fails; find a specific niche.
75. Brainstorm session subscription website. Record brainstorm sessions with experts and offer them to members monthly. Sell archived sessions as a backend product.
76. Live seminar subscription website. Offer transcripts, audio, and video of recent live seminars each month. Contact owners for permission in exchange for free publicity.
77. Best-of subscription website. Offer the best of a category—best ezine articles, best forum posts, best eBooks. Contact owners for permission in exchange for free publicity.
78. Archived subscription website. Archive and sell other people's information. Contact owners for permission in exchange for free publicity.
79. Barter subscription website. Create a platform where people trade products and services—advertising, links, expertise, information.
80. Traffic exchange subscription website. Allow members to join free in exchange for displaying your advertisement on their website. Offer premium content to paid subscribers.
81. Tests and experiments subscription website. Conduct tests and experiments and release results monthly—advertising results, marketing experiments, product tests.
82. Internet radio subscription website. Run an ongoing internet radio station with talk or music. Invite guests, read content, and include commercials.
83. Templates subscription website. Offer templates that make tasks easier—sales letter templates, website templates, ezine templates.
84. Case studies subscription website. Publish case studies demonstrating how-to information. Interview subjects in exchange for free publicity.
85. Donation subscription website. Ask people to contribute tips and strategies. Offer free publicity or prizes for the best submissions. This content can also become an eBook.
86. Summary subscription website. Write summaries of information products so people can evaluate before purchasing—similar to Reader's Digest.
87. Software subscription website. Offer downloadable software or updates on an ongoing basis.
88. Conversation subscription website. Offer closed-door conversation recordings revealing tips and strategies from recruited experts.
89. Survey subscription website. Publish results of surveys, polls, and market research. Offer general results free and detailed findings to paid subscribers.
90. Diary subscription website. Publish a diary or action log showing how you complete tasks related to your audience's interests. Invite others to contribute for free publicity.
91. Mall subscription website. Host an online mall charging rent for stores and shops that benefit from cross-promotion with other members.
92. Finder subscription website. Search for information and tools that others have difficulty locating. Post findings within the site or send via email.
93. Club, association, or fan club subscription website. Provide information, tools, and an online community related to your target audience.
94. Calendar of events subscription website. Offer an updated list of events—seminars, concerts, meetings, sporting events—relevant to your audience.
95. Joint venture directory subscription website. Allow members to view and submit joint venture offers. Include message boards, JV products, and a member directory.
96. Info and news alerts subscription website. Send up-to-the-minute news relevant to your target audience. Works particularly well for niche topics.
97. Safelist subscription website. Create a community where members can send email ads to other members who have opted in to receive them.
98. Rental subscription website. Rent physical services, online services, or digital products on a subscription basis. Software access terminates when membership ends.
99. Teleseminar subscription website. Offer recordings of teleseminars with new content added monthly. Provide access to live sessions as well.
100. Webinar subscription website. Offer recordings of webinars with new content added monthly. Provide access to live sessions.
Live Event Models
101. Whiteboard subscription website. Offer recordings of whiteboard lessons or demonstrations with new content added monthly.
102. Host a live teleseminar. Invite speakers and experts to present. Offer them a percentage of profits for promoting the event. Record and sell the audio or video afterward.
103. Host a live seminar. Invite experts to speak. Speakers often seek to sell their products, which may serve as sufficient compensation. Record for later use with permission.
104. Host a live workshop or coaching session. Invite coaches and experts to provide one-on-one, how-to help. Charge higher fees for the more intimate format. Video recording is best but requires significant investment.
105. Host a live brainstorm or mastermind event. Invite recognized experts to participate in brainstorming and idea sharing. Ensure all participants are qualified and able to contribute actively. Archive with approval from all contributors.
