6 Key Questions To Ask Before Becoming A PLR Vendor

​If you have been learning about online marketing for more than five minutes you have no doubt heard of the term ‘PLR’ from those in the industry. 

And you no doubt have received PLR (private label rights) content from internet vendors. Venders who say that their PLR is the best out there and available for you to use as you wish, of course within the limits of the license. You can place your name on the product and in so doing you can legally call it your own. It’s akin to having a ghost writer, in fact if you haven’t written the piece yourself you have called on a ghost writer to write it for you. 

While PLR is extremely useful and can live up to all the publicity surrounding it you need to learn to leverage it wisely. However you must be cautious as the market is filled with PLR content that’s less than stellar.

There are two reasons for this..

1. Anyone can become a PLR vendor due to the low entry barriers.
2. Many get into the PLR business just for the money. Unfortunately for several of these vendors it’s not about quality, it’s about getting stuff out there so people will buy regardless of quality. Sad but true. 

Now, just because people write PLR doesn’t make them experts. But if they authored books, delivered effective writing workshops, developed successful training programs and training manuals they may have the background for writing PLR material. 

But this article is not about those people. 

It is about you and your plans to become a PLR vendor and how you go about doing it so that you can become one of the best.

And one way to do that is to ensure your name is synonymous with quality - instead of languishing in the murky waters of mediocrity where sub-standard PLR vendors swim.

It all starts with you asking yourself six simple questions. 

1. Do you know what quality looks like?

Many beginners start a PLR business thinking that they will make a lot of money. That’s understandable….heck they may even be enthusiastic about it. 

But if you join them and only do it for the money you still need more than passion. You will need to deliver quality products to your clients.

What you have to be careful about is churning out cookie cutter content by simply taking a PLR product and turning it around without much thought. The PLR that you are copying and pasting may not have the quality necessary to allow you to be successful. And, unfortunately, that will hinder your progress in this business. 

You may start out aggressively but soon buyers will begin avoiding you. You will not gain the traction you need for repeat business.

Superior quality requires thought and some old fashion learning.

One of the more common difficulties that many PLR sellers face is that they outsource their content to poor writers just so that they can reduce their costs and increase their profit margins. 

Often unprofessional writers who you hire in those instances are happy they got you as a customer. Regrettably, they put together a bunch of random sentences and think they just wrote a masterpiece.

What you need to watch out for are those who just take content from other sources and deliver it as their own work. That is not professional. The least you can do to avoid this is to identify the sources for your information. That does two things. It shows that you care about what you write and gives credit where credit is due.

It is best to take some time to make the PLR your own and ensure that you have quality content that others can use and exploit.

Ah but you think, that is easy for you to say I’m not a good writer so what do I do? And that brings us to the next question.

2. Who will write the content? You or someone else?

There are two things you need to remember. If you are going to do the writing, be good at what you do and don’t misjudge your skills.

We all can write, but not everyone can write well. In order to make it in the PLR business you need to write well and you need to write fast. So speed is important too.

If you are finding it takes you three or more days to draft an article then that may mean you are too slow and it may be better to hire someone else. If you dislike writing, especially topics that you are not familiar with, then avoid them or hire a writer. If you dislike research, which is important for you to become comfortable with the content, then hire a writer.

Now, if you are going to hire a writer make sure you hire a competent one. You can expect to pay more for someone who knows what they are doing. Therefore budget for it and make sure you receive a return on your investment.

The easiest way to write about any subject is to know and understand that subject, either through acquired knowledge or by experience. When you know and understand the subject words flow. If you don’t then it becomes extremely difficult to write about it and your copy will be cumbersome. 

The primary reason for hiring a competent writer relates to your reputation. If you are going to put your name as the author then you must make sure it is of high quality. Consider that you are paying someone to enhance your reputation as a PLR seller and in the end you will gain customers who appreciate the value you offer. 

One other thing to remember if you are investing in obtaining written content, you will need to pay attention to your marketing strategy. This is the only way you will make a profit and this leads to question number 3.

3. Do you have a marketing strategy?

First, you need a marketing plan and this a skill all of its own. Many people consider selling the same as marketing but you need to know there is a real difference between the two. Selling is about closing the deal. Marketing is about teaching your potential customers about your product. So do you have a marketing plan? Or are you just winging it?

Often beginners spend a lot of time building a sales page and think that is all there is to marketing and they throw it out there hoping other people will grab it. Unfortunately, unless you are incredibly lucky you won’t make many sales. 

Map out your marketing plan and include measurable goals, the steps you will take to achieve your goals and identify how you will know when you are successful. After completing a marketing plan move on to your sales page and develop a sales funnel. Then develop an email marketing plan and create emails according to your product. So, it isn’t just create and publish. There are several moving parts to this business.

That does not mean, however, that you should not start. By all means start. Create a few PLR launches and get those under your belt. Build your foundation and keep building. Once you have experience begin planning for your own PLR store to get more passive sales. Keep going and generate more traffic to get even more sales.

4. Are you interested in writing about a specific niche or something broader?

There are PLR sellers that only create content for a specific niche. For example, self-help, health, and making money online. 

They choose their niche and go deep. 

Others take a much broader approach. 

You are reading this article in the Fontanie Magazine and no doubt you will notice that the articles cover a wide range of topics but within that range there is specificity. Topics covered are in the areas of business, work and life with the intention of giving people the tools to become the best that they can be. It is in the self-help niche. My articles are based on my experience as a business owner, consultant, coach and trainer. Other writers who contribute to the magazine have followed the same path as I have in my career. That way there is a focus to the ezine.

Now what about the two approaches. Well there are pros and cons to each.

If you are interested in niche selling then your PLR buyers will be more likely to be within your niche’s target market. In time and as you get to know your customers you will be able to create content that your customers want and need.

The key here is that you get to know your customers and they get to know you. Your conversations with them will increase and so will your sales. It is easier to write about repeat topics than it is to research new niches all the time. 

If you decide to take the broader approach you will have greater flexibility to take on current trends and create content in emerging markets. That is a good thing as you will be responding to demands in different niches and as a result generate new income. 

Just be clear about which way you want to go and stick with it. In time you will see your income grow. 

5. How good are you at building relationships?

If you want to increase your PLR sales then you will need to build relationships with other vendors. This takes some time but you can speed up the process by polishing up your social skills. 

When you are a beginner in this business you know few people in the PLR world. You need to seek them out and connect with them, show them what you are up to, and ask them if they would help you. Initially you are becoming a farmer and planting seeds. Your harvest will come later. 

Often times this means purchasing PLR from expert vendors. Learn how they are promoting their products and build a relationship with them. Don’t just wait until you have a product launch and then expect your vendors to support you. It doesn’t work that way. Establish a relationship first and then invite them into your world of PLR.

And don’t fret if you at first are ignored or rejected. We all go through the rejection cycle. But if you prepare well enough in advance you can call upon other vendors and product developers to give you a hands up. When they see you are a serious PLR developer or vendor many will be happy to mentor you as well as promote your products.

6. How much time should you take?

I alluded to this question in question 2 above. The easy answer to this question is it depends on the PLR you are creating. For instance, this article is a complete rewrite of a PLR article. The original was approximately1400 words this one is 2300 words. Some people would consider using this article as a short report on key questions for PLR preparation…now there is an idea for your next PLR.

Because I am interested in quality (you be the judge of that) and not just copying and pasting the original article, this article took a day and a half to prepare, re-write, edit, search for an image on Pixabay.com  and place in the FontanieMagazine. 

A PLR like the one here took about 60 hours. And that one is based on a previous book I wrote which required editing, separating content, developing a new sales page, videos, images, hashtags, keywords, and deciding on bonuses which was easy because I pulled up other eBooks I wrote and are available for sale in the  FM Storefront. 

Others take me anywhere from two full weeks to a month or more, depending on content, research, writing, developing a sales page, finding images, video creation, editing, marketing and promoting, deciding whether it goes to Warrior Plus, JVZoo, or the FM Storefront. If it goes to the FM Storefront there is less time involved than if I use the other two resources. 

So it depends on what you are writing. A short PLR article will take less time than a long one. A lengthy PLR book will take longer to write than a short Report. A Resource Document doesn’t take too much time if you are completing your research for your book or article. After all it is just a compilation of references you used when writing your material. If you decide on creating videos that will take more time.

Finally, it also depends where you are on the learning curve. If you don’t know how to prepare eBook covers or use Warrior Plus for instance you need to factor in your learning time. But always remember you are learning new skills that you can use for a lifetime. 
 
So set your goals for your PLR, map out your action plan - all the steps you will take to complete it - and make decisions about how you are going to market and sell it. 


In conclusion, go for it but be patient, develop your skills, and create high quality content consistently. 

There is a saying ‘it’s a simple business but it isn’t easy’ You will find that it is not only the skills you need but also about working on yourself. And that is where patience, determination and grit comes in. Gradually you will build a following who look to you as the expert and who will then recommend you to others. That is when your PLR business will grow and prosper.

Thank you for reading and continue becoming the best version of yourself.

Richard. 

---