Help on how to recognize a valuable "toll position"...
 

Not all toll positions are the same...

To recap, a "toll position" is something which stops anyone who wants a product from getting it, except through you.

Just like having to pass a "toll booth" on a toll road or bridge. If they want to use the road or bridge, they have to pay the toll! The toll position concept was developed by Harvey Brody, and a thorough explanation can be found in his original (and very hard to get) course...

In business, "toll positions" are often things such as patents, copyrights, trademarks, secret formulas, exclusive distribution rights, and so on...

However, not all toll positions are the same!

This is just logic.

Let's say you have the chance to acquire the rights to the book, "How to choose the best buggy whip for your horse and carriage." You have the chance to own the copyright!

Would that be a good "toll position" product to acquire?

Of course, the logical answer is probably __________ .

If you said "No" - that's probably right!

Maybe 150 years ago, that would have been a great product! But since then... The demand for knowhow about horse carriages and buggy whips has diminished considerably...! (Though there is probably a very, incredibly extremely tiny niche market... Mostly in Amish country...!)

Another point to keep in mind is... the same "toll position" product may not have the same "worth" for different people.

In part, it depends on your skills, including (but not limited to) your marketing skills.

First, you still need to "hone" your marketing skills. One of the reasons why you can sometimes get "toll position" products cheaply, or even for nothing, is because the toll position owner doesn't have those marketing skills. So he or she is not able to exploit the toll position to its maximum extent on his or her own.

However, for some toll positions, you may need other skills too. For example, if it's in a highly technical market, you'll need to understand the market and the needs of that market.

Use common sense in acquiring toll positions to assess their "value"... and keep improving your marketing skills...

That's what I do... :)

If you need a recap on how to acquire a toll position, be sure to read (or re-read) Ryan McGrath's excellent post, How to Acquire a Toll Position in 7 Easy Steps (Live Case Study) ...

Best wishes,

Dien