Please enjoy this guest
post from my colleague, Susan Rogers. We’re fellow participants in a
course all about how to be an effective author’s assistant. I’m proud
to host her here today!
How to Turn Your Book into Profits
Ebooks
are a revolutionary way to publish your book without incurring the
costs of print production. All you need is a relevant and targeted
subject and some inexpensive software, and you can transform your
manuscript into a book.
The problem, in terms of actually seeing any profits from your ebook,
is that the market is overwhelmed with ebooks, and many of them are not
worth the time it takes to download them. Just because the ability
exists to easily produce an ebook, doesn’t make it good writing.
Make sure your book does not simply rehash old material. You will
injure your credibility as an author by claiming to offer valuable new
insights and disappoint your audience with material they’ve read a
zillion times before. So spend enough time writing and revising your
book to make sure it’s of the highest quality and presents the most
current information. A good book will eventually sell itself; false
claims about your book will make it extremely difficult to sell any
future books you may write.
Assuming you have determined that you do indeed have a quality
product that answers some question or need of your target audience with
NEW information, how do you know how much to charge for it? Rule number
1: Set a price for your book equal to its value. An underpriced book
will only give the impression that your book isn’t worth very much.
To figure out a fair price, estimate how much time you put into
creating it and how difficult it was to transform the necessary
information into understandable and engaging writing. Figure out how
much your time and effort is worth, and then price it accordingly. The
goal is for you to be adequately compensated for your talent, your time,
and your effort.
Once you’ve figured out a price that is high enough to convey the
value of the book, but not so high as to be out of the reach of your
target audience’s mean budget, then it’s time to offer it for sale on
your website.
There are multitudes of books about self-promotion that will guide
you in your efforts. Choose a plan that is both creative and
professional. Learn how to write a catchy yet informative press release,
and learn how to write powerful sales copy. This is an essential part
of your marketing plan. You absolutely need excellent sales copy to sell
your book. Make sure the copy includes all the reasons your target
audience needs your book, and the benefits they will derive from buying
it.
Be sure to use graphics in your sales copy as they convey the amount
of valuable information the book contains, and your careful attention to
detail.
Finally, when you set up your download link, make sure to simplify
the process. It’s a good idea to offer a few bonuses that make your book
even more enticing to purchase, but make sure the bonuses are valuable
and of high quality. Also, don’t offer too many bonuses. Too much free
stuff offered diminishes your credibility.
So in conclusion, make sure your book is a quality product. Make sure
it is relevant and current. Develop an effective marketing plan that
includes excellent sales copy and a well written press release. Then
offer your book for sale, and wait for your audience to discover you!
Ebooks
are a revolutionary way to publish your book without incurring the
costs of print production. All you need is a relevant and targeted
subject and some inexpensive software, and you can transform your
manuscript into a book.
