4. Packaging, Replication, Marketing And Distribution: You’ve heard the terms, but do you really understand what it all means? Perhaps not, and that’s because in most cases, it’s a specialized field and handled by other parties. Let’s break this down further:

Packaging – involves a graphic designer or graphic design team who will create the inserts, or box covers, for the product that will usually incorporate the title of the show with a shot of the trainer. The design is utilized in many iterations; website, DVD case, infomercial, etc.

Replication, Duplication & Authoring – you need to have something physical to sell. This is changing as online distribution opens up, but for now let’s say you need to have a DVD as your physical product. Making mass quantities is referred to as replicating (roughly 1,000+), or duplicating if you only need to make a small quantity. The DVD also needs to be authored: designing how the menu functions, where the logo appears, how special features are accessed, etc. There are lots of companies that do all of these services including printing the inserts (box covers) and many will do the design work as well.

Marketing & Distribution – in the case of a large company like Gaiam they go right into the large retail stores and markets; Beachbody is a direct response company and produces an infomercial, another huge production, to sell products directly to the public.

But what if you don’t have a huge company to back your product – fear not. Today there are more ways to market and distribute your own products then ever before. One of my favorites is Amazon. You can set up a merchant account and purchase a barcode for your product. It’s also easier then ever to create your own website and upload HD clips to YouTube and get worldwide exposure and sell your video to anyone around the globe.

TV, DVD’s, movies, radio and the Internet are all merging. You’ve probably got at least one friend already adopting a new device like AppleTV, GoogleTV, Boxee or RokuXDS. These are all new ways we’ll be viewing and sharing content in the coming years. This is an exciting time if you’re looking to get your product out there.

I hope this information has been helpful but of course it is just a start. If health and fitness is your calling, I encourage you to forge ahead and create a lifelong pursuit of helping people discover a better way of life through exercise and better nutrition.

Real wealth is in your health.

Wishing you great success,



Mason