The 5 Most Common Misunderstandings About E-books
| Category: E-books | Date: 2001-10-31 |
E-books are everywhere these days. Some come free and some have to be paid for.
I don't have a problem with free E-books. If they're good and offer me valuable information, I keep them for reference.
If they're crap, I delete them with a simple mouse click.
It's easy; click and go :-) No problem at all.
However, there are a few misunderstandings about E-books, that keeps web publishers, web masters and marketers from using their proven marketing power, and here are the 5 most common...
* Mistake 1:
'There are too many free E-books, they don't work anymore.'
Wrong. Free E-books CAN work very well... But only if the content in it helps people solve a problem, or offer some good advice. Free E-books should offer valuable info, not blatant advertising for a product or service.
If your E-book is a glorified sales letter, you can forget about succeeding on line.
The art is to create an E-book that you would like to pay for yourself. Of course, you don't have to create an E-book, and give away all your information for free.
Not at all.
Just be sure to include some tips or advice that will offer a solution to a certain problem.
This way, people will find you an honest person, or even an expert, and if you "soft sell" your service the right way, not just by putting links in it all over the pages, you will get requests for more help.
Read this as: extra clicks to your web site, or E-zine sign ups :-)
* Mistake 2:
'E-books don't sell.'
Wrong again. E-books sell very well. I know several people who sell ten thousands of copies.
How they do this?
They use the "viral marketing" strategy, and let others share in their profit by setting up an affiliate program that offers an attractive commission on every sale the affiliate produces.
It's also important to promote your E-book, once it's done.
There are many ways to do this.
- You can add a link to your E-book in your sig file when you participate in a forum, or send out an email.
-You can buy advertising space in an newsletter or E-zine that covers your target audience.
-You can offer your E-book to an expert in return for a free review, or maybe a recommendation, etc.
The possibilities for an E-Publisher are almost unlimited!
* Mistake 3:
'I can't create an E-book, I have no money to buy some expensive E-book creation software.'
Yes, wrong again :-) There are a lot of FREE E-book creation tools and services around, and here is a list of some of them that work very well:
- Create .pdf files on line
This isn't a program you have to download. Click on the link below and a new window will pop up where you can enter text which will be converted into .pdf format. Once the text has been converted it will be sent to you via email.
Click: http://www.sanface.com/createpdf.html" Target="_BLANK">http://www.sanface.com/createpdf.htmlhttp://www.sanface.com/createpdf.html">http://www.sanface.com/createpdf.html>
- Gymnast
Gymnast converts text files to Adobe Acrobat PDF format without the need for any additional Adobe software.
Click: http://www.oakworth.demon.co.uk/gymnast.htm" Target="_BLANK">http://www.oakworth.demon.co.uk/gymnast.htmhttp://www.oakworth.demon.co.uk/gymnast.htm">http://www.oakworth.demon.co.uk/gymnast.htm>
- KeeBook
Keebook combines texts, images, HTML pages, animation, sounds and videos in a rich media environment, which can be accessed using any standard web browser.
Click: http://www.keeboo.com/enu/index.asp" Target="_BLANK">http://www.keeboo.com/enu/index.asphttp://www.keeboo.com/enu/index.asp">http://www.keeboo.com/enu/index.asp>
- E-books Made Easy
This service lets you create a FREE .exe or .pdf formatted E-book. Note; your book will contain an ad, but if you want to have an ad free E-book, it's only 10$.
Click: http://www.ebooks-made-easy.com" Target="_BLANK">http://www.ebooks-made-easy.comhttp://www.ebooks-made-easy.com">http://www.ebooks-made-easy.com>
- HTMLDoc
THis program generates indexed HTML, Adobe PostScript, and PDF files from HTML files that you create using your favorite HTML editor.
Click: http://www.easysw.com/htmldoc" Target="_BLANK">http://www.easysw.com/htmldochttp://www.easysw.com/htmldoc">http://www.easysw.com/htmldoc>
- PDF-o-Matic
This is a simple PHP script that uses HTMLDOC to convert the web page of your choice.
Click: http://www.easysw.com/htmldoc/pdf-o-matic.php" Target="_BLANK">http://www.easysw.com/htmldoc/pdf-o-matic.phphttp://www.easysw.com/htmldoc/pdf-o-matic.php">http://www.easysw.com/htmldoc/pdf-o-matic.php>
* Mistake 4:
'I can't create an E-book, because I am not a writer.'
Oh, come on, are you kidding?
Everyone with a passion about a subject he or she likes and knows about can write. You don't have to be a Nobel Price winner to put words on paper.
On the contrary!
If you write just like you speak, and use enough white space between your paragraphs, you'll keep the reader interested.
Remember, it's not about HOW you write, it's about WHAT you have to say or offer.
People love to read clear lines, with lots of white space, and they don't want to wade trough an English dictionary to find out where you're talking about.
Keep it simple. Or even better, keep it stupid simple :-)
* Mistake 5:
'I have nothing to write about.'
Oh yes, you do. Just stop being lazy :-)
It's true. You can write about everything, as long as you have a passion for your subject. You can even write without doing much study work, by using newsgroups and discussion lists.
Just ask other people what they do to succeed or build their business, and wait for the answers.
Warining: don't copy and paste their posts. This is not allowed and unethical. Just write in your own style about how their tips and ideas can help others.
Believe me, in no time you'll have a chapter or even an entire book to share with the world.
Keep these tips in mind while you're creating your E-book, and you'll soon notice you're not shouting out loud in the desert.
Happy promoting!
About the Author
Dirk Dupon publishes the "SmartPromotion Newsletter", offering Smart Tips, Tools, Tricks and Techniques for Web Site and E-zine Promotion. Subscribe now and get a DEMO of Dirk's "Web Site and E-zine Promotion Made Easy!" E-Book. Send an email to:
smartpromotion-subscribe@topica.com
Or visit the web site smart-web-promotion.com
:To contact see details below.
webmaster@smart-web-promotion.com
http://www.smart-web-promotion.com
I don't have a problem with free E-books. If they're good and offer me valuable information, I keep them for reference.
If they're crap, I delete them with a simple mouse click.
It's easy; click and go :-) No problem at all.
However, there are a few misunderstandings about E-books, that keeps web publishers, web masters and marketers from using their proven marketing power, and here are the 5 most common...
* Mistake 1:
'There are too many free E-books, they don't work anymore.'
Wrong. Free E-books CAN work very well... But only if the content in it helps people solve a problem, or offer some good advice. Free E-books should offer valuable info, not blatant advertising for a product or service.
If your E-book is a glorified sales letter, you can forget about succeeding on line.
The art is to create an E-book that you would like to pay for yourself. Of course, you don't have to create an E-book, and give away all your information for free.
Not at all.
Just be sure to include some tips or advice that will offer a solution to a certain problem.
This way, people will find you an honest person, or even an expert, and if you "soft sell" your service the right way, not just by putting links in it all over the pages, you will get requests for more help.
Read this as: extra clicks to your web site, or E-zine sign ups :-)
* Mistake 2:
'E-books don't sell.'
Wrong again. E-books sell very well. I know several people who sell ten thousands of copies.
How they do this?
They use the "viral marketing" strategy, and let others share in their profit by setting up an affiliate program that offers an attractive commission on every sale the affiliate produces.
It's also important to promote your E-book, once it's done.
There are many ways to do this.
- You can add a link to your E-book in your sig file when you participate in a forum, or send out an email.
-You can buy advertising space in an newsletter or E-zine that covers your target audience.
-You can offer your E-book to an expert in return for a free review, or maybe a recommendation, etc.
The possibilities for an E-Publisher are almost unlimited!
* Mistake 3:
'I can't create an E-book, I have no money to buy some expensive E-book creation software.'
Yes, wrong again :-) There are a lot of FREE E-book creation tools and services around, and here is a list of some of them that work very well:
- Create .pdf files on line
This isn't a program you have to download. Click on the link below and a new window will pop up where you can enter text which will be converted into .pdf format. Once the text has been converted it will be sent to you via email.
Click: http://www.sanface.com/createpdf.html" Target="_BLANK">http://www.sanface.com/createpdf.htmlhttp://www.sanface.com/createpdf.html">http://www.sanface.com/createpdf.html>
- Gymnast
Gymnast converts text files to Adobe Acrobat PDF format without the need for any additional Adobe software.
Click: http://www.oakworth.demon.co.uk/gymnast.htm" Target="_BLANK">http://www.oakworth.demon.co.uk/gymnast.htmhttp://www.oakworth.demon.co.uk/gymnast.htm">http://www.oakworth.demon.co.uk/gymnast.htm>
- KeeBook
Keebook combines texts, images, HTML pages, animation, sounds and videos in a rich media environment, which can be accessed using any standard web browser.
Click: http://www.keeboo.com/enu/index.asp" Target="_BLANK">http://www.keeboo.com/enu/index.asphttp://www.keeboo.com/enu/index.asp">http://www.keeboo.com/enu/index.asp>
- E-books Made Easy
This service lets you create a FREE .exe or .pdf formatted E-book. Note; your book will contain an ad, but if you want to have an ad free E-book, it's only 10$.
Click: http://www.ebooks-made-easy.com" Target="_BLANK">http://www.ebooks-made-easy.comhttp://www.ebooks-made-easy.com">http://www.ebooks-made-easy.com>
- HTMLDoc
THis program generates indexed HTML, Adobe PostScript, and PDF files from HTML files that you create using your favorite HTML editor.
Click: http://www.easysw.com/htmldoc" Target="_BLANK">http://www.easysw.com/htmldochttp://www.easysw.com/htmldoc">http://www.easysw.com/htmldoc>
- PDF-o-Matic
This is a simple PHP script that uses HTMLDOC to convert the web page of your choice.
Click: http://www.easysw.com/htmldoc/pdf-o-matic.php" Target="_BLANK">http://www.easysw.com/htmldoc/pdf-o-matic.phphttp://www.easysw.com/htmldoc/pdf-o-matic.php">http://www.easysw.com/htmldoc/pdf-o-matic.php>
* Mistake 4:
'I can't create an E-book, because I am not a writer.'
Oh, come on, are you kidding?
Everyone with a passion about a subject he or she likes and knows about can write. You don't have to be a Nobel Price winner to put words on paper.
On the contrary!
If you write just like you speak, and use enough white space between your paragraphs, you'll keep the reader interested.
Remember, it's not about HOW you write, it's about WHAT you have to say or offer.
People love to read clear lines, with lots of white space, and they don't want to wade trough an English dictionary to find out where you're talking about.
Keep it simple. Or even better, keep it stupid simple :-)
* Mistake 5:
'I have nothing to write about.'
Oh yes, you do. Just stop being lazy :-)
It's true. You can write about everything, as long as you have a passion for your subject. You can even write without doing much study work, by using newsgroups and discussion lists.
Just ask other people what they do to succeed or build their business, and wait for the answers.
Warining: don't copy and paste their posts. This is not allowed and unethical. Just write in your own style about how their tips and ideas can help others.
Believe me, in no time you'll have a chapter or even an entire book to share with the world.
Keep these tips in mind while you're creating your E-book, and you'll soon notice you're not shouting out loud in the desert.
Happy promoting!
About the Author
Dirk Dupon publishes the "SmartPromotion Newsletter", offering Smart Tips, Tools, Tricks and Techniques for Web Site and E-zine Promotion. Subscribe now and get a DEMO of Dirk's "Web Site and E-zine Promotion Made Easy!" E-Book. Send an email to:
smartpromotion-subscribe@topica.com
Or visit the web site smart-web-promotion.com
:To contact see details below.
webmaster@smart-web-promotion.com
http://www.smart-web-promotion.com
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