Eben Pagan explains how information has become the most valuable commodity in the 21st century and outlines the massive opportunity for entrepreneurs to build profitable businesses by packaging their expertise into information products. He reveals how to identify your valuable knowledge and position yourself as a 'modern guru' in specialized niches.
Your Big Opportunity To Help Others
Eben explains how information has become the 21st century's most valuable commodity, replacing physical goods as the primary source of economic value. He presents evidence from the $400 billion information industry and Peter Drucker's prediction about the death of traditional universities.
The concept of 'mass nicheification' has created demand for specialists who can solve very specific problems in emerging micro-niches. Eben uses internet marketing's evolution from generalist to specialist roles as evidence of this trend creating new opportunities.
Information products can command premium prices based on value rather than format, with successful examples ranging from $20 books to $24,000 coaching programs. The key is matching price to the value delivered rather than the delivery mechanism.
Eben provides a framework for discovering what knowledge you possess that others would pay to access. The focus is on what people already seek you out for and what problems you naturally solve that deliver relief to others.
“We've sold information products from $20 up to $24,000. This $24,000 program was a high end coaching program that we did. And we've sold many books for the $20 range. Information can be sold for what it's worth, which can make it very profitable.”
— Eben Pagan▶ 7:27
Information products can generate substantial revenue across a wide price range. Products can sell from $20 for books up to $24,000 for high-end coaching programs, with value determining price rather than format.
“Most information products and services can be created, marketed, and delivered from literally anywhere. This makes the information business a great business to be in long term.”
— Eben Pagan▶ 6:55
Information products offer exceptional business advantages: they can be created and delivered from anywhere, perform well during economic downturns, and tap into the growing $400 billion information industry as society values knowledge over physical possessions.
“What do you know how to do that others seek you out for? What do you know how to do or help others do that solves a problem or delivers relief?”
— Eben Pagan▶ 15:21
Focus on what others already seek you out for. Ask yourself what you know how to do that people come to you for help with, and what problems you can solve that deliver real relief or results to others.
“Trying to sell yourself instead of selling what your customer needs, what they want and need, this is the big mistake to avoid. So we want to avoid what I call me marketing.”
— Eben Pagan▶ 13:53
The biggest mistake is trying to sell yourself instead of focusing on your customer's needs. Avoid 'me marketing' and instead put the spotlight on the specific results and benefits your customers want to achieve.
“Modern gurus are becoming more and more successful and gaining more and more status in the world. And as I look around in my life, more and more and more, people are hiring coaches, consultants.”
— Eben Pagan▶ 12:36
The economy has undergone 'mass nicheification' where businesses need specialists for increasingly specific problems. This creates high-value opportunities for 'modern gurus' who master micro-niches rather than trying to be generalists.
“From books to video trainings, from podcasts to webinars, and from online classes to coaching programs, information products now, dress up as many different things.”
— Eben Pagan▶ 0:32
Information products include books, ebooks, video trainings, podcasts, webinars, online classes, coaching programs, CDs, DVDs, and any format that packages knowledge to help others achieve specific results.
A systematic approach to discovering what knowledge you possess that others would pay to learn
Identify what others seek you out for
Ask yourself what you know how to do that others already come to you for help with - this reveals your natural areas of expertise
Focus on problem-solving abilities
Determine what you know how to do or help others do that solves a problem or delivers relief from pain points
Look for natural talents
Notice areas where you excel easily while others struggle - like fixing computers quickly or solving relationship problems
Validate the need
Ensure your expertise addresses genuine problems that people are motivated to solve, not just interesting topics
Information has replaced physical goods as the most valuable commodity in the 21st century, creating unprecedented opportunities for knowledge workers to build profitable businesses
Peter Drucker predicted 'universities won't survive' and that distance learning would take over. The information industry is now worth $400 billion annually, with ebooks outselling physical books on Amazon.
Information products can be profitably sold across an enormous price range, from $20 books to $24,000 coaching programs, with value determining price rather than format
Eben's company has sold products from $20 books to $24,000 coaching programs. Jay Abraham's 'Stealth Marketing' book sold for $1,000 per copy and was worth more than the asking price.
The mass 'nicheification' of the economy has created demand for modern gurus who specialize in solving very specific, granular problems in emerging micro-niches
Internet marketing evolved from general marketing roles to requiring separate specialists for search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, content creation, and website architecture. Companies now need multiple specialists instead of generalists.
Information products offer unprecedented freedom and flexibility since they can be created, marketed, and delivered from anywhere with basic technology
Eben traveled across the country and delivered training using only a laptop, microphone, recording device, and telephone, creating a sellable product while traveling.
The biggest mistake when selling information is trying to sell yourself instead of focusing on the specific results and benefits your customer needs
Inexperienced professionals focus on ego and try to make themselves look attractive, while successful modern gurus focus on identifying and solving customer needs first.
To identify your valuable expertise, ask what you know how to do that others seek you out for and what problems you can solve that deliver real relief
Examples include people who are naturally good at fixing computers in 15-30 minutes when others struggle, or those who friends seek out for relationship and friendship problem-solving.
Information products perform well even during economic downturns, making them recession-resistant businesses with long-term viability
Eben's research shows information products, coaching, and advice continue growing during economic downturns, supported by the rise of devices that allow access to many books and online content.
Information has replaced physical goods as the most valuable commodity in the 21st century, creating unprecedented opportunities for knowledge workers to build profitable businesses
▶ 1:25Information products can be profitably sold across an enormous price range, from $20 books to $24,000 coaching programs, with value determining price rather than format
▶ 7:27The mass 'nicheification' of the economy has created demand for modern gurus who specialize in solving very specific, granular problems in emerging micro-niches
▶ 9:22Information products offer unprecedented freedom and flexibility since they can be created, marketed, and delivered from anywhere with basic technology
▶ 6:55The biggest mistake when selling information is trying to sell yourself instead of focusing on the specific results and benefits your customer needs
▶ 13:53To identify your valuable expertise, ask what you know how to do that others seek you out for and what problems you can solve that deliver real relief
▶ 15:21Information products perform well even during economic downturns, making them recession-resistant businesses with long-term viability
▶ 6:25Claim: “Universities and traditional classroom education are the primary path to valuable knowledge and career success”
Reframe: Distance learning through specialized information products will replace traditional universities as people want targeted knowledge on-demand
Claim: “Physical possessions and manufacturing represent the most valuable economic opportunities”
Reframe: Information and knowledge work have become more valuable than physical possessions as society shifts to valuing expertise over material goods
Claim: “You need to be a generalist to succeed in business and marketing”
Reframe: Specialization in micro-niches creates more opportunity as businesses need experts for increasingly granular, specific problems
“Information is now the most valuable commodity in the twenty first century.”
“Universities won't survive. The future is outside the traditional campus, outside the traditional classroom. Distance learning is coming on fast.”
“Modern gurus succeed by offering results and solutions. It's critical that you offer your customer what they want to buy.”
“Stop thinking you're selling yourself. Stop thinking that you're trying to make yourself look more attractive and interesting.”
“We humans value knowledge more and more and physical possessions less and less as time goes on.”
Coaching Strategies
Business Frameworks
Common Mistakes
The first course you buy often determines your trajectory - investing in proven frameworks from established experts provides foundational knowledge that remains valuable for decades
Reviewer spent hundreds of hours studying Eben's programs over 10+ years, with the Guru Home Study Course being his first high-ticket purchase that he still references today
Combining proven marketing frameworks with AI creates exponentially more powerful results than using either approach alone
Reviewer states that even today he finds himself going back to Eben's old material because the frameworks work so well, especially when combined with AI tools
Don't just create a product or service - create an entire category and position yourself as the originator to attract premium partnerships and clients
Eben created the 'dating advice' category instead of just a dating product, which allowed him to present his company as 'the leader in dating advice' when doing deals with bigger companies and financial experts
A customer avatar is a personification of what all your prospects have in common - name this person and describe them so you can create intelligent dialogue about serving their needs
Eben created 'Erwin' as his customer avatar for Double Your Dating, representing millions of men with overlapping challenges in dating, focusing only on the 100 qualities they all share
