  |
Using eBooks To Promote Your Business
The first thing you should note that an ebook can be either a full-length book (such as the one we've just published) or a significantly-shorter electronic brochure.If it's a complete book, you can sell it and generate large (or small) sums of money, depending upon how well it's produced and promoted.But if it's a brochure? Ah, then the would-be marketer can really go to work. But, let's be honest -- it has to be about something other than JUST YOU.What do we mean? Well, let's look at the real-world equivalent - the sort of brochure which might be found in, for example, travel agencies.Which is likely to move faster off the rack -- "101 Places To See And Things To Do in Tucson" (sponsored by you), or "All About The YourName Motel"?That's right - by providing a benefit to potential visitors, you'll have a far more useful brochure (whether in printed or ebook format), and something which other websites will be willing to give away from their sites.Because that's the real beauty of the eBook/brochure - if it's interesting, and provides a tangible benefit, others will be happy to give it away to their customers.The eBook Production Process So you've decided to prepare an eBook/brochure. Where do you start?The first step is to decide on the eBook format. There are a number of software packages around, but in our mind there's no substitute for Adobe Acrobat. The reader software is freely and widely distributed, and the resulting .pdf files can be read on both PCs and Macs.Adobe Acrobat isn't cheap, we have to admit. And we doubt that you'll be able to buy it as cheaply as we did - we bought it for (ahem!) $24.99 from a discount store.So, for the budget challenged, what do we suggest? Try your local classifieds or even eBay. Sometimes, people selling off their computer equipment will also be selling off the surplus software. Just make certain you're buying Adobe Acrobat, though - the creation program - and not the free Acrobat Reader!OK, let's assume that, one way or another, you've got the software. The good news is that Adobe Acrobat acts as just another printer driver for most Windows or Mac programs. So you'll be able to create your content in a program such as Microsoft Word, and then just "print" to the Acrobat format.A note here about creating your content: if you're going to create a document which will provide lots of benefits to your target market, then you're going to have to invest quite a lot of time and effort in the words you write. We don't want to cross the line between editorial and commercial interests, but we just have to note that there's a highly effective Seven Step course on Creating Killer Ad Copy, by copywriting legend Russ Phelps, inside our new World's Top Marketers ebook. (End of free plug!)Your ebooklet content should, predominantly, be objective information about a topic that's relevant to your target market. You can carry your own sponsorship branding throughout the ebook, and even include a page or two of "advertising". And don't forget, at the end, to invite the reader to "sign up for our free newsletter" and to "visit our website for more information". By the way, do make sure there is MORE information on your website, not just the same stuff rehashed!
Judging An eBook By Its Cover One of the odd quirks about ebooks is that they're much more popular if you display a cover! Strange, eh?But, according to Top Marketer Michael Campbell, 300% sales increases have been achieved when you offer an ebook and use a cover graphic that looks like a book!http://hop.clickbank.net/?rg5082/vdavidsonSo - create your content, print it to Acrobat, get a cover
image, your eBook is ready. Now what?Marketing Your eBook Stop a minute. Print out that eBook. Hold it in your hand. You're an author. And a publisher. Congratulations.Now it's time to become a marketer.Let's assume you've written an eBook entitled "Ten Extreme Tips for Abseiling Success" (for title inspiration, check out Carl Galletti's wonderful collection of Headline and Title ideas, in our aforementioned eBook).Fantastic Idea! And, of course, it ties in with your business - Abseiling In The Rockies - but it also provides useful stuff for anyone interested in Abseiling.Next step: search on your favorite search engine for ABseiling sites. We started with Yahoo.com, because they carry a human-chosen collection of sites - 20 when we carried out this exercise, including:
Your next step is visit all these web sites, check them out as suitable "partners", identify email addresses for the webmaster or site editor, and then write them a polite, personally addressed email like this:
Dear Tasmanian Climbing Instructors Association
I visited your website and was really impressed by the
range of information you offer. I thought your section
on Beginner Weekends was especially helpful.
I have recently completed a new eBook on Abseiling,
"Ten Extreme Tips for Abseiling Success", and would
be delighted if you would like to offer it as a free
download to your visitors.
I haven't included it with this email, because of
concerns about viruses, but please review it for
yourself at http://www.mysite.com/abseil.pdf
As you'll see, the eBook offers some more helpful
advice on abseiling, and I think it would work
really well with your website.
Sincerely
Your Name
Repeat as directed for the first 20 sites, then go to another Search Engine and repeat the process. (Google.com lists about 40,300 sites, so you have plenty of scope).What will you achieve, at the end of the process? A small, medium or large (depending on your stamina) collection of sites, all targeted at your market and all carrying your brochure. Beats advertising any day.Doing Something With The Leads Hey, it's working! The eBook is driving people to your site. They're signing up for your newsletter. What do you do now?First, don't try to crunch them for a sale all at once. Build a relationship with them. Make your newsletter content about "Abseiling Tips", not just about "Abseiling At Your Resort".Sure, use your company's products to illustrate a point - but you don't have to beat them over the head with the commercialism. Because, once they get to trust you, these readers will invest in their relationship. The sale may not happen today, or tomorrow, but it will happen.Some will just be tire-kickers. But how do you differentiate between those who are non-spenders, and those who'll invest the dollars to sample your wares?Answer: you can't. So treat them all as prospective customers, and provide the same friendly, helpful advice as you would to a client who's just paid out a grand for your premium, de luxe, top of the line experience!What Next?A contributor in a certain marketing eBook writes about Backend Selling - making money by selling more products to your existing customers.Even if (continuing with our Abseiling Example) you're focussed on being a destination, are there other products and services you could offer through the internet, without losing your focus?Then consider marketing such services to your steadily expanding customer database, through the newsletter.And, if this is a viable alternative, then make sure that your "real" customers (ie those who actually visit the abseiling attraction) get added to your email database. Perhaps you could offer to email your "Extreme Tips" eBook to them?Once a customer, always a customer -- but only if you have a means of continuing the relationship remotely.
MICHAEL CARNEY is the Creator and Editor of the Hot New eBook available from http://www.WorldsTopMarketers.com
|
 |
 |
|
|
Click Here to Email Bob Smith
