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Should you write an ebook to help your business? It seems like everyone who's anyone is offering an ebook these days. So there has to be something to it. But do you know what makes it such an effective sales and marketing tool?
Not to worry, this list will tell you everything you need to know about ebooks.
#1 Establish Yourself as an Authority
People want to deal with brands they can trust. But how do you develop that credibility that smart consumers are looking for? By establishing yourself as an authority on your subject.
This is where an ebook can help. A well-written piece teaching or explaining an idea within your niche will show that you really know what you're talking about.
#2 Build Your List
Building an e-mail subscribers list can be one of the most important parts of your online marketing efforts. It gives you a pool of interested people who you can sell to and entice to your site repeatedly with just a simple e-mail. And the best part is, it won't be a cold sale - they already know who you are and what you're about.
The ebook is so important here because you can offer this info product for free as an incentive for subscribing to your e-mail list.
#3 Create Another Source of Income
But you don't have to give away your ebook for free. You could just as easily sell it if the content is something people deem worth paying for. In fact, people are more likely to buy an ebook than a seminar or similar info product.
It doesn't have to be paid vs. free, either. You can utilize both methods by having two separate info products. Perhaps the one you give away is shorter and more specific to a certain issue, while the paid product is larger and more comprehensive.
#4 Reuse Existing Content
If you've already spent time and money developing great content for your site, it'd be a real shame to let it go to waste. Why not take some of those blog posts, interviews, etc. and format them to be included as part of your ebook?
And once the ebook is live, you can constantly add to and update it since they're so easy to distribute. This isn't a print book where you have to talk to a publisher, produce the books, and send them via snail mail. Creating a new version of your ebook can be as easy as a few mouse clicks and voilà, it's a new product.
#5 Stay Relevant
Adding to that, an ebook survives longer than simple blog posts that you have to be constantly posting and updating just to stay relevant. Once your ebook is created, it can remain a part of your campaign for a very long time.
That means it will continue to work for you - bringing in sales both directly and indirectly - for as long as you want it to.
#6 Create a Buzz
Speaking of indirect sales, your ebook will help create a buzz around your brand. Maybe a prospective buyer is searching online for the solution to a problem and comes across your ebook. Or they could hear about it through word of mouth or a referral from another site.
If the content is good and addressing a real need, simply putting it out there will help bring exposure to your site or business.
What points have I missed? Please share in the comments!
Paula Speights is a self-proclaimed design geek and total Disney fangirl. By day she's a design whisperer & visual hype man that caters to entrepreneurs and small businesses. www.dizzlegraphics.com