Report Writing 101: How to Write a Report in 7 Easy Steps

If you want to create your own content to build your online business, writing a report is a great place to start. Whether you decide to offer it for free or for a price, a report is a powerful tool to leverage into a larger subscriber list and potential future sales. The even better news is that report writing doesn’t have to be a daunting task. I’m a journalist, so obviously I love this kind of stuff, but you don’t need any special background to do it. It’s easier to write than a whole e-book, and can be accomplished by following a few simple steps.

1. Choose a report topic

If you’re already an expert in your niche, it’s pretty easy to pick a topic that people will want to learn and that you’d enjoy teaching them. The bonus to this scenario is you’ll have built-in credibility.

If that’s not the case for you, do some research in a niche-related forum or social networking site to identify a problem that people are seeking a solution for.  It might be harder work since you don’t have experience with the topic, but you’re guaranteed a built-in audience.

If you’re an affiliate marketer, brainstorm report topics by thinking slightly outside the box. Your report can relate to the same general topic as something you already promote (or would like to), and lead readers to buy that product.

2. Choose an upsell product

If you’re an expert or an affiliate, this step might be already done; otherwise you need a product that your report will upsell to (i.e., an additional or more expensive product that your customer may want to purchase). Even if your report’s main purpose is to build your email opt-in list, it’s always good to lead into something else, which gives you the potential to sell a bigger-ticket item.

If you’re writing about your expertise, you could promote your own e-book, seminar, phone coaching, or any other product or service you sell on the same topic. Otherwise, go to ClickBank, Commission Junction, PayDotCom, or a similar affiliate marketing service provider and search the marketplace for a product that makes sense. Check the stats and sales pages to see if the product performs well and is professionally displayed. Then email the product owner to ask for a review copy, or consider purchasing it so you can be sure you’re endorsing a quality product.

3. Choose a topic focus

The best way to focus your report topic is to start by laying out your table of contents. This gives you a skeleton to work with, keeps you on track, and helps your writing flow. Write down questions that people would ask about the topic, and then change them into chapter headings. Don’t try to answer everything about the topic and don’t duplicate what’s in your recommended product, but do give your readers good value. Not only will they appreciate the report, but they’ll be more likely to look at your recommended product if the report really delivers.

4. Research the topic

If you’re wondering why the research didn’t come first, it’s because researching before focusing your topic will waste time and collect too much unnecessary information. Working through your outline, you can now go to Google and research just the answers to the questions that formed the basis of each chapter, or just some outside opinions and information to support what you already know, if you’re an expert.

Focus on credible-looking, professional sources (such as well-known newspapers, magazines, blogs, government agencies, and corporations) instead of amateur-looking websites for your sources.

5. Write the report

Take the information that you’ve gathered for each chapter and rewrite it completely in your own words. It’s fine to quote a sentence here or there, and give credit to the source, but never plagiarize what somebody else has written. Once it’s written, read it over to fix any awkward or repetitive wording, and do a final check of your spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

6. Transition to your upsell

Lead into the product or service you’ve chosen to promote by writing a short paragraph at the end of your report, or inserting an eye-catching headline, perhaps one that asks a question that the reader might still have. Make it clear that you hope people have learned something valuable from the report, and that you’ve got something that can help them improve their efforts or results even more. Then insert a link to the product, and be sure to use a redirect off your own site if it’s an affiliate link (for example, it might be http://yoursite.com/solution).

7. Enhance your report format

Make your report even more professional-looking with some nice formatting. Start with a title page, which can be as simple as the report title in a large colored font, or go the extra mile with a custom graphic cover.

Make your chapter headings bold, in a different color if you like, and start them each at the top of a new page. Sub-headings, section breaks, and graphics will make your report more interesting and easier to read, too. You can find pictures to use for free by going to Flickr.com’s Creative Commons page of free stock images for commercial use and searching for related photos that require “attribution,” meaning you have the right to use them if you give credit to the photographer.

Turn your document into a PDF, and voila — you have your very own value-driven report with professional impact.

Summary

You can use your report as a giveaway incentive for people to sign up to your list, and deliver it automatically once they confirm their email address; or you can sell it for a low price point, like the popular $7, which gives you revenue on both the front and back end.

Now that you know how to write a report, as well as how to monetize it, it’s time to get to work!