Write an Ebook That Sells Itself (and Builds Your Email List) Pt. 4

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If you are reading this post, I can safely assume that you are interested in creating an ebook as you first information product. Or perhaps you sell premium coaching or consulting and you want to introduce an entry level product that will lead people down the sales funnel as they become interested in become one-on-one coaching. Yes, we are talking ebooks.

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In the first part of this series, I talked about why you should create an ebook and why it makes a great entry level product (so people can sample your stuff and are ready to buy your higher priced offerings.) I also talked about the eight big reasons which stop people from writing an ebook – even when this is something they really want to do.

In the second part of this series, I talked about how to make sure you pick an idea that will be a sure-fire winner. I explained how to do your research and survey your audience to ascertain their interest in your idea.

In the third part of this series, I discussed the 5 steps that will take your ebook from idea to the final product.

If you haven’t read these posts, go check them out now!

In this final installment, I will tell you how to sell your ebook as well as build your email list at the same time.

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If you think that selling your ebook means writing your ebook and putting up a ‘buy now’ button on your website and that’s it – then you are in for a shock. A lot of work goes into getting your ebook sold.

Remember all the time you spent researching your ebook idea and your competitors to access market demand, then getting the approval of your list and finally the number of hours it actually took to create this product and have it ready?

Well, don’t waste all of that effort. Sure, you probably need to invest a lot of time promoting your ebook, but this is the fun part. This is the money-making part. This is the creating-a sales funnel part. Yes, it is tons of work but it is also fun work which will lead to loads of cash (hopefully) and tons of new email subscribers. Now, don’t wait to begin this process until at the end. Meaning, you don’t have to finish your ebook before you start the ‘pre-launch’ process.

You will be launching your ebook in three phases.

In the first phase, you are getting prepared to launch your ebook. I’ll call this the getting ready phase.In phase number two, you will start warming your list and getting people interested in what’s to come. You will give early access to your email subscribers or special bonus to them as a way of saying thank you. You will also aim to get guest posts published on the leading blogs in your industry.In the last phase of this process, phase three, you will open the cart and continue with your ebook promotion.

So let’s take a look at how you would go about implementing this process.

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There are certain elements of your ebook launch process that needs to be done in advance of your sale period.

#1 You need a sales page.

#2 You need reviews and testimonials.

#1 You need a killer sales page

Yes, you do. A poorly written sales page will destroy your sales. But don’t stress.

If your offer is unbeatable, what you are selling is of top quality and being offered at the right price, you don’t need to be the salesman of the century. The product will sell itself. Just be clear about your ebook and at what price (the offer), what the benefits are and who this is for.

Remember, people are used to your content. Go ahead and write the sales page that only you would write. That is not to say that don’t include all the parts that make for an effective, highly converting sales page, but try not to copy someone else’s formula. Even if you end up hiring somebody to do the job for you, tell them explicitly what you want.

You want to ‘speak’ and appeal to the right person. You don’t want to focus on their pain too much. You want to highlight the key benefits of your product. You want to make an unbeatable offer. That’s all you need to create your sales page that works.No red text, yellow highlighting required.

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So once you get over the initial resistance to writing your sales page, the rest becomes fairly simple. But before you even put a single word down on paper, you’ve got to list the answers to the following questions.

Who is your target audience?What problem are you solving?What do they struggle with?What do they want?What is your product? (ebook)How do you describe yourself (coach, consultant, therapist, speaker.)?What results would they get as a result of using your product or service?What would prevent them from buying it? (Objections such as too expensive, looks time consuming, will it work for me?)

Once you have all the answers to these questions, you can start writing a very basic, first draft of your sales page.

Let’s begin.

You need a headline for your sales page.

This headline needs to communicate the main benefit of what you are offering, and to whom. (It doesn’t have to scream, be sleazy or hypey in any way.) You can also pair it up with a sub-heading and supercharge your messaging.

The headlines differ vastly across industries so the best thing for you would be to do some research (you are probably already familiar with similar products or even competing products). Check their sales page and take notes. Your headline doesn’t have to be perfect. Often times, it the hardest element on your sales page and it is okay to get help.

In the first section, start with what they want.

Talk about the problems they are facing. Paint a picture of what it’s like to not have all the answers but don’t make it so overwhelming that it becomes hard for them to read any further. Now tell them you have a solution. Tell them what is possible.

Give them details about your ebook. What do they actually get when they buy?

Next, go into the details of your product benefits.

What will they get out it? How will their lives improve? What results will they get?

Now it is time to handle their objections.

Start by saying something like, ‘Now, you might be thinking ….’. Be straight with them and address their concerns head on.

Reinforce what you promise them with testimonials.

Show them the proof that what you say is true and your ebook have brought success and results for people just like them (testimonials). You can keep adding these elements slowly.

Back it up with a rock solid guarantee.

Reassure them that if for some reason, they are not 100% satisfied with their purchase, you will happily refund their money in 30 days, no questions asked; or state your terms clearly.

Give them one last benefit and tell them what you want them to do. Be confident.

Click here to purchase. Buy now. Download instantly – let them know what will happen after they purchase. Will they get an instant download?

Give them a deadline, if there is one.

Will your price go up? Will the bonuses go away? Let them know clearly.

That’s all!

That’s all you need to create you first sales page. It doesn’t have to be a scroller. As long as you answer all these questions, you have an effective sales page selling your ebook.

Remember, there are many nuances when it comes to creating a brilliant sales page. Copywriters charge thousands of dollars for this service. So I am not saying it is easy – but there is no need to make it complicated.

#2 You need reviews and testimonials for your ebook

Everybody wants to see great reviews and testimonials for the ebook. Here are my fail-proof tips to get killer review – and testimonials.

You would love to get your ebook reviewed by the top influencers in your industry but unless you have a relationship going on, don’t waste your breath. You need to connect with them way before this process begins.

In fact, if you are reading this post with an intent to write an ebook, or if you are writing one, start creating relationships with these people now. Be genuine and helpful. Help them first before you ask for a favor.

Instead, start by asking your peers. Sure, they don’t carry as much clout but 2-3 very good reviews can do wonders for your ebook sales.Contact people well in advance. (This is why this falls in the Getting Ready phase). Don’t send them the ebook and expect their review the next day. Ask them first than give them a minimum of two weeks. Even longer if they are super busy.Tell them who else is reviewing your book to motivate them to say yes.Offer a chapter and ask for feedback on that chapter if they are too busy to read the whole book.Give them a deadline so you don’t have to harass them in the future. Make sure you leave plenty of wiggle room in case they are late. Follow up one week before deadline to see if they need help with anything.You can also give them prompts on what type of feedback you are looking for. Create a feedback request form based on your ebook content and send it their way to make things easier for them.Delight them with a testimonial or a review for one of their own products if you can, before they give feedback. This will motivate them to finish things on time.Schedule twice as many reviews so you don’t end up disappointed with the number that actually turns up.

Now you might be thinking, how could you possibly get testimonials for your ebook before it is even out? Surely someone must implement what you are teaching, get some results and only then they’d report back.

Here is how to get testimonials and user reviews before your ebook is officially out:

Select 2-3 go-getter, action-taking type people from your email list. Select the people who have been leaving comments on your blog and generally engage with your content. Give them a particular section from your ebook and ask them to implement what you teach and report their results in exchange for a discount on the ebook (or give the whole ebook if you feel like doing so. It is totally worth it as there testimonial will lead to even more sales.You don’t need many testimonials. People are not expecting any at this moment. Having a few will pleasantly surprise them.

Got the sales page, your reviews and user reviews?

Now you can start working on phase two of your launch process.

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In the pre-launch phase, you want to get as many people excited about your upcoming book as you possibly can. You have got to work on two different set of audiences here:

One, people are you already on your list.Two, people who are not on your list yet, they may or may not have heard of you.

Let’s have a look at how you can accomplish that. Usually people would tell to expect anything from 1-5% conversions. Meaning, if you have 500 people on your list, you can expect 25 sales. What? That’s no good. But don’t start stressing just yet. There are couple of ways to make sure you get loads of sales at the time of the launch:

You grow your list, of course.You increase conversions from your list.

You should do both, but let’s look the second scenario first.

Warming your email list

So far you have been talking to your list about their problems, topics they want you to tackle, surveying them and what not, they know something is coming. Now it is time to do a whole sequence of pre-launch content.

You should never, ever announce any product without publishing some pre-launch content unless you have a super duper relationship with your list. Even then, some content is beneficial. You see, the better your relationship with your list, the better are your sales going to be. If you put in work to solidify your relationship with people on your list, you can increase your numbers dramatically.

Let’s say you have 500 people on your list. All things being equal, you can expect 25 sales. But what about connecting with more people on your list so that you double that number? Now you have 50 sales. How about if the people on your list loved you to pieces. You will convert 20%. That’s a whopping 100 sales.

You see what I am saying here? When you invest in your relationship with your subscribers, it pays off. But the higher the price point, the more you have to work at it. If you were to sell an online course or launch a brand new coaching program, you might want to warm your audience for an extended period – especially if you haven’t been in regular touch for a while.

For an entry level, low risk product, you don’t have to make a big fuss. You don’t necessarily want to want a big splash. However you do want some excitement. Here are some things you can do to start creating some buzz about your upcoming ebook:

Plan a series of super relevant content related to your ebook topic. This will get the attention of all those people who are interested in the idea and also of those who didn’t think this ebook would be relevant to them. This will also clearly let people know who it’s not for. You will see unsubscribes but that’s okay.Start publishing your content three – four weeks ahead of launch date. Any longer, and people will start getting bored.Remember all the topics that didn’t make it into your ebook? They make great pre-launch content. You can also go and repurpose some of your older content if you don’t have time to create more.Follow your usual publishing frequency. Email at least once or twice a week.Start off with your best piece of content. You have to get their attention here. If your first piece fails to get any traction, you have to work extra hard on pieces that are to follow.Try to from a logical sequence in your content pieces. It doesn’t have to form a step by step but it would be helpful to you if the second piece naturally follows the first one. This way your audience is looking forward to what is next to come. Also, if somebody comes across your final piece in social media, they would want to check out the first there blog posts.Do an internal launch where you offer a significant early bird discount or a special bonus to your list and open the cart for your subscribers only. Don’t make it any longer than 2-3 days or people will put it off and forget all about it. You are doing this to reward early action takers (and to give yourself some piece of mind that yes, your ebook is selling.)Run your sale in the middle of the week and try to get testimonials from your list that you can use for promotion. Make sure you take the sales page off or people will not trust you again.Lead them through the pre-launch content and announce your ebook to your list only and when it will be available for sale.

When you publish your pre-launch content in the form of blog posts, you get two benefits:

You deepen your relationship with your list (the intended purpose).Your content gets shared on social media bringing you new subscribers which grows your list at the same time (the second advantage).

However, you should also be doing other things to grow your email list. Since you have been creating the ebook, hopefully you have been doing all the right things to grow it. Leaving comments on other blogs, guest posting, sharing and forming relationships on social media, maybe even paid traffic via Facebook advertising.

Here is a list of things you should be specifically doing during the pre-launch and launch phases:

Try to get as many guest posts published as you can in these 3 week period (2 weeks of pre-launch and one week of actual launch with special price).If you were connecting with influencers while you were writing the ebook, perhaps you can reach out to them and see if they would share your content.Hold a webinar.Reach out to people and see if they would interview you.Have a contest on social media where you will give away a few copies of your ebook.Run ads on Facebook to get people on your list.Continue to do all of the above well into the launch mode till your cart is closed.

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Remember all the hard work that you have been putting in for the past 3 months or so? Now it is time to reap rewards. It is finally time to open your cart and see the sales start rolling in.

Here is what you need to be doing in this phase:

Announce to the world that your ebook is on sale and open cart.Make sure to edit any early bird sale details (that you offered to your list earlier) before you publish the sales page.Double check the checkout and payment process beforehand. Ask two people to test it for you.Start publishing (and sharing) your launch content.If you normally email your list every week or every other week, you have to increase the frequency to create momentum. It is totally fine to email these folks two-three times a week. This way you need at least four pieces of content.At the end of each piece, remind them to buy your ebook and give them the link.For the launch period, you want the maximum number of sales. To encourage people to buy now rather than later, sell it at the special launch price which will go up as your ebook goes into your store for example $10 off the full price of $49. This discount shouldn’t be less than what you offered your own list.You can do two sets of pricing. You can offer just the ebook for $39 and the ebook plus 45 minute coaching at $129. Let everybody know that the special price and the coaching offer will go away and the ebook goes into store at the full price – maybe $49.Send two emails on the last date of launch. One in the morning and one final ‘few hours remain’ one.Make sure you are adding all the buyers to a customer’s email list so that you can continue to follow up and upsell other services later on.Launching any product is a nerve wracking, overwhelming, exhausting process. The more you are prepared for it (reviewers ready, sales page ready, sales process checked, guest posts and social media updates scheduled), the more relaxed you will be. Still, this is going to be no park in the walk. Create time in your schedule accordingly. Don’t say to anything else during the launch week.Be ready for unexpected results and things that go wrong. Especially if this your first launch, treat it as a learning process. Cut yourself some slack.If you don’t get as many sales as expected, rejoice anyway. Look at how much you have accomplished. You have created a high quality ebook, you have developed so many new relationships, possibly some even with the influencers. You got yourself published on the leading blogs. Best of all, you grew your email list like nobody’s business.Lastly, increase the price to its full ticket price and move it to your store. You will see sales continue to trickle in.Give yourself a big pat on the back and put your feet up. You have done it.

Phew.

Writing an ebook is a daunting process, and now you can why. It is extremely rewarding at the same time. If you do everything to the best of your ability, get help when you need it and keep moving on, you are going to come out a winner.

So, will you finally start your ebook?

Write an Ebook That Sells Itself (and Builds Your Email List) Pt. 3

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AppId is over the quota
Interested in creating an ebook for you first information product? Maybe you sell premium coaching or consulting and you want to introduce an entry level product that will lead people down the sales funnel as they become interested in become one-on-one coaching. Yes, we are talking ebooks.

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In the first part of this series, I talked about why you should create an ebook and why it makes a great entry level product (so people can sample your stuff and are ready to buy your higher priced offerings). I also talked about the eight big reasons which stop people from writing an ebook – even when this is something they really want to do.

In the second part of this series, I talked about how to make sure you pick an idea that will be a sure-fire winner. I explained how to do your research and survey your audience to ascertain their interest in your idea.

If you haven’t read these posts, go check them out now!

Just to give you an idea of what to expect this is what we will be covering in this four part series:

Part 1: Why write an ebook and how to bust beliefs that are holding you back,Part 2: Choosing a fail proof idea that will work every time and get your audience thinking about it,Part 3: How to write that ebook already and get it ready for the world,Part 4: How to sell that ebook and build your email list.

So, you have done your market research and polled your audience. You have a winning idea, congratulations! You just saved yourself tons of misery and heartache down the line. And now you can’t wait to begin. Who wouldn’t? When you know your audience is eagerly waiting for you to write and launch this ebook?

How exciting is that?

You are absolutely ready to dive into the writing process. Just to remind you at this stage, you would be working on three distinct tasks.

Writing: You are working on your ebook (this post)List Warming: You are sharing related content on your blog (See part two)List Building: You are writing guest posts on the leading blogs to create add more people to your list (see part two and part four – coming soon).

In order to plan and write your ebook, and to reduce overwhelm and prevent self-doubt, I am going to break the planning process in 4 simple steps.

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You know what your ideal customer looks like and you have you winning idea. Now it is time to create a roadmap or an outline for your ebook.

At this time, I want to talk about two critical elements that go into the success of an ebook. Even though there is a market demand and people said that they were interested in your idea, a poorly executed ebook will mean more requests for refunds or negative word of mouth. Ouch. You don’t want to be in that place.

Know what to teach.

You don’t want to be teaching theory or imparting knowledge. People are not going to pay for that. You need to teach skills. Teach people how to get results. You want to give them actionable steps that they can implement and see the results.

Now, you can’t and won’t guarantee that everybody will see the same results, but assuming that they do the work, they should be able to report a wide range of results. People don’t want education – they want training. Don’t give too much theory, concepts or abstract knowledge. Focus on strategy, tactics and tips – the sequence – the step by step.

Identify one specific problem – pick the right problem.

Teach people how to solve it. You also don’t want to give away the kitchen sink. Nobody wants a kitchen sink. Decide on your learning objectives – what do you want your buyers to learn and implement?

Don’t try to cover everything under the topic or try to make it too comprehensive. From a prospective customer’s point of view, it looks huge and overwhelming. They might even be concerned that you will skim over what they need you to cover. Buyers want answers to specific problems. Give them that.

This actually makes your job of writing an ebook that much easier because now all you have to do is stick to the process of solving that problem and exclude everything else. For example, as an Occupational therapist you might teach a set of exercises that will help somebody’s special needs child improve their grasp of the pencil and write better. A dog trainer might teach a set of tricks to stop customer’s puppy from biting.

You want to move people from point A to point B. You may include some background or theory, but if you are not giving concrete steps, people will not be happy customers. Less is more, always remember that.

Now you understand what goes into your ebook, let’s move on to the outline creation phase.

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At this stage, most people will tell you to start brainstorming ideas for your ebook. And you can certainly do that, but know that there is more than one way of accomplishing this task.

#1 Linear method

I want you to imagine that you are sitting with a client and they have asked you a question on how to solve a specific problem.

For example, they might have asked you advice on how to choose a piece of fine art for their lounge room. This will cost them a lot of money, so they don’t want to make a mistake or look silly in front of the gallery owner. Now you have 60 minutes to teach them everything you can on how to make a right choice.

What would they need to know first? Do you need to bring them up to speed on art appreciation and what to do before beginning this art collection process? Teach them the why. 

What do they need to know next? List all the information you need to tell them, don’t rush. Teach them the what.

So how can they make use of all this information? How can they implement this? Teach them the how.

List everything they need to know in sequential order to achieve the result they want.List it in the order of how you would teach your client.

If you haven’t done this before, no worries, lay out the whole process as best as you can (you are the expert, right? Even if you haven’t worked with one-on-one clients yet) and then organize the material from start to finish.

#2 Brainstorming

You could also brainstorm your ideas if you are having trouble with the linear idea generation method explained above. Especially if you are more of a right brain person. You can use fancy mind mapping tools or you can just use plan old notebooks to start jotting all your ideas.

Make sure to go back to your survey responses. What did people say? What are the main problems? What are their issues that are preventing them from solving these problems? You want to make a list of all the responses. Categorize them so you can keep track of everything.

Now start organizing all this information. Again, think of the problem you are solving. Arrange all the information in sequential order. Keep working until you have a working outline for your ebook. This is crucial to reduce overwhelm and stay on track.

As you are outlining your book (a task that seemed totally daunting before), also have a look at the outlines of your competitors. I am not suggesting that you go and buy all the books but have a lot at their table of contents and see how they organized the information. Don’t try to steal their content either.

Think about these two questions:

How can you do it a bit differently?

Have you got a different take on the problem?

Is your solution different to what is out there?

What points did they miss?

What examples, case studies, checklists they should have included?

Should they have presented it in a step by step method?

Can you make it easier to understand?

Is your solution better?

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Once you have a working outline for your ebook, you need to start creating content for your ebook. You can do this by creating one chapter at a time. Here are some ways to make it easier for you.

# Create a structure

Remember, you have a distinct advantage here. Since you are solving a specific problem for people, you most likely have advice which will take people on a path. There is a step 1 which needs to be done before they can do step 2 and so on.

Since you have a sequential order of things to cover, you don’t have to drive yourself crazy by thinking about what to put in chapter 1 and what should go in chapter 2. Create a structure – a framework in which people can learn. Always be thinking about what is it that people must know to get ahead. You have a clear process and your structure will reflect that.

# Write the introduction

Most people tend to get stuck on writing the introduction section of the ebook. You can skip this entirely and write it after you have done the bulk of the writing or whenever you feel ready. This is totally fine. If you want to start, here are some good points to cover in your introduction.

Something you wish you learned in the beginning of your own journeyThings you find yourself saying repeatedly to your clientsThings that your clients just don’t getMost common beginner mistakesMindset or beliefs that keep them from success

You want to empathize with your reader. You want to show them you understand what it’s like to be in their shoes (as you were there once). You never want them to be at fault or assign blame. Start the training on a positive note.

# Write fast

I want you to write as quickly as you can. Imagine speaking to a client or customer and write that down, or record it and have it transcribed. This also helps you stay true to your voice. You want to let your personality shine in your writing. You want people to see that this work is not ghost-written.

If you are typing I want you to turn off the spell check. You don’t want anything to distract you and slow you down. Remember, this is the creation phase, not the editing one.

# Stay accountable

It’s a very good idea to stick to a schedule and get the first draft done as quickly as you can. Allocate some time each day to work on your ebook or work in chunks – so two hours, three times a week. Pick a schedule that suits you.

Be mindful of how long this ebook needs to be. If you have some idea of how much you are going to price it for, that will also guide its word count. For a $17 ebook, you don’t need hundred pages (if your information is super useful). For a $99 ebook you might need to 100+ pages and then some.

Set goals and reward yourself for achieving them. How about writing 1000 words today and you get to order takeaway? How about writing 1500 words and treat yourself to a bubble bath? Whatever works, do that.

Another great way of staying accountable is to send one chapter to someone every week. Perhaps to a business coach or someone in a mastermind group. This helps you stay accountable.

Set a deadline. Have you got a launch date? Work your way backwards and always allow more time – it always takes more than what you planned.

# What to keep

Remember what I talked about earlier, you need enough information that will hold your customer by the hand and help them solve their problems and get results – and no more.

Here are more great reasons to go narrow.

It will help you organize your materials and make it easy to write.It helps you to sell the course because it be easy to focus on the benefits and differentiate it from other products.It will help prospects see if the course is right for them, or not.It will help buyers understand, master and implement the materials.It will help buyers get results.It will generate great word of mouth.

Since you are working with your outline, you should know exactly what to cover but even if you find yourself going off on a tangent or you end up writing more than necessary because you are in the flow, keep going.

All the material that won’t make it into the ebook is gold. Don’t throw it out. Scrapped topics are great material for being published as posts or guest posts.

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It is common for people to spend way more time on this part. If you find yourself in this position, know that you are not alone. Here are some tips to make this process as easy and pain-free as possible.

# Edit your work before you hire a proof reader

Gather your draft and start editing. This is where the fun begins.

Read aloud to catch crazy sentences

Read the text aloud to yourself. You will discover many inconsistencies in your writing that you will not be able to catch otherwise. Rewrite some more by simply saying out loud what you are really trying to say.

Read your draft to see if it sounds like you. Can your voice be heard? Will your readers feel like as if they are having a conversation with you? If not, rewrite to let your personality shine through. Write conversationally.

Imagine your reader when you are reading it again. Is your language appropriate? Have you confused or patronized them, appeared sexist? Have you said anything that might not sit well with your audience?

Your tone is your attitude towards the topic, reader and yourself. It is impossible to write without a tone – it is apparent in the selection of your words. Keep it upbeat and positive.

If your tone allows it, use contractions to lighten your text. Instead of saying You were not even listening, say you weren’t even listening to me. Replace I will come with I’ll come and so on.

Use short paragraphs. Each paragraph should be a series of sentences exploring one main idea. Every sentence should relate to that main point. New thought? Start another one. Your paragraphs should connect with each other in a logical, seamless flow.

Have you varied the length of your sentences? Give your reader’s mind and eye a rest by doing that. Split long sentences into two to make them reader friendly.

The only thing that your writing needs is that it is honest and specific. You don’t have to use fancy, clever or literary language. Instead of using cliches, aim to write to inspire your reader.

Use exclamation marks sparingly

Use strong, vivid words to communicate that instead.

You have probably written thousands of words. Revise and cut everything that you can without affecting the meaning and the message in your piece. If you won’t notice it’s gone, remove it. Eliminate repetitious information.

Finally, proofread.

Make any last minute corrections.

Step away from your ebook for at least one week. It’s also handy to change the font, size or colour when you do. The text will feel fresh, like you are reading it for the first time. Many people still rush through this stage and inevitably end up with typos and other mistakes in their writing. Be thorough, use a spell-check.

You know you are done, when you have done the best you can. Relax, and be proud. At this stage, if you feel confident, ask at least three people to read word to word and point any typos or mistakes. Don’t give them the whole book. Give a few chapters to each person. Otherwise, hire a proof-reader or copyeditor to do the job for you.

# Add more value

You can add massive value to your ebook by adding checklists, worksheets, templates and links to various resources throughout. Remember, not everyone does it, and if your topic allows it, this can be a great differentiating factor for you.

# Finalize the title

Don’t get stuck on this step. Keep a running list of possible titles for your ebook. What is already available? The main thing to keep in mind is to choose a benefit driven name. Keep it simple. Be clear, rather than creative.

Finally, it is time to get it ready for the world.

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Here are my best tips to keep in mind at the final stage of your ebook.

Include common pages such as title page, copyright page, table of contents, introduction, conclusion, what’s next, etc.Remember, people will be reading these on their computer screens, tablets or even smart phones. Make it screen friendly. Insert lots of white space. Use headings, sub-headings, bullets, lists and images (where appropriate). Use text formatting such as bold, italics or text boxes to highlight important information.Use images if you have to. Use screenshots if you are explaining something that would require it.The easiest way to format an instructional ebook is to convert it into a PDF. People don’t need special software to read it and most people are familiar with it.You can use MS Word to convert it to PDF or use special software that will do this for you. Google your options.For a content rich, problem focused ebook, you don’t need uber fancy formatting. It can be very simple and classy. Make sure it has a professional layout and effectively captures your brand.You also need a professional cover for your ebook. However, the good news is that because you are not competing with other ebooks on Amazon, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars or hire a creative agency to create a spectacular work of art. Often all you need is a clean looking design with your ebook title.If you are not confident with this process, hire someone to design an ebook cover and format it for you. If you are tight on budget, ask around for help or barter your services for some graphic design help.

So there you have it. This is the complete process of writing an ebook from start to finish. At this stage, you deserve a huge round of congratulations. You have a final product in your hands – or in your hard drive.

Now stay tuned for the final instalment in this series which is all about marketing and selling your ebook. This is where all of your hard work is going to pay off in terms of building your email list, sales and hot leads for higher priced offerings.

Don’t miss it.

Write an Ebook That Sells Itself (and Builds Your Email List) Pt. 2

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

We are talking ebooks. Not the one that you publish on Kindle for $2.99 but what you sell on your own site at $29, $47 or even $99. Possibly your first information product. If you are interested in writing an ebook as your first tier product, you are in the right place.

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In the first part of this series, I talked about why you should create an ebook and why it makes a great entry level product (so people can sample your stuff and are ready to buy your higher priced offerings.)

I also talked about the eight big reasons which stop people from writing an ebook – even when this is something they really want to do. If you haven’t read the first post, go check it out now. Hopefully, you have put your mind at ease so now you are ready to begin.

Just to give you an idea of what to expect this is what we will be covering in this four part series:

Part 1: Why write an ebook and how to bust beliefs that are holding you back,Part 2: Choosing a fail proof idea that will work every time and get your audience thinking about it,Part 3: How to write that ebook already and get it ready for the world,Part 4: How to sell that ebook and build your email list.

I ended the last post cautioning you not to jump right into tor ebook creation.

There is nothing worse than creating a product nobody wants to buy. You must, must be sure that your idea will work beforehand. You don’t want to touch this project unless you are absolutely sure that there is a market for your idea.

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In this part, I am going to teach you how to know for sure that your ebook will sell before you even write a single word.

I am thinking you fall into one of following categories:

I have no idea. What should I write about? What would people pay me for?I have too many ideas. Which one should I go with?I have an idea but it is not proven. How do I know this ebook will sell before I invest tons of time and effort into it?I have an idea and I am already halfway through the first draft.

If you identify with any of those, know that you are not alone. I want you to stop obsessing about your ebook idea – right now! Let me tell you why.

Most people think the first step in writing an ebook is coming up with a fantastic idea. They couldn’t be more wrong. The first step is knowing who you want to write the ebook for. Who are the people that will be buying your ebook. And the only way to determine is to take a deep dive into market research. But before we learn how to do this effectively, let’s look at the recipe for a winning idea so you are motivated to research in the first place.

Your winning ebook idea combines three elements.

There is a demand for your idea.You solve a specific problem.You are motivated to help solve this problem.

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If you choose an idea that solves a specific problem and you are passionate about it but people are either not aware that this problem exists or if they are, they are not motivated to solve it, you will end up creating an ebook that nobody will buy.

Example: You realize that there are tons of people who are camera shy. You think if you write an ebook on how to gain inner confidence so that they are no longer afraid to make videos, it can be a big seller. It might be that people who don’t want to make public appearances will simply not consider your ebook because they are not driven to make videos in the first place. I am not saying you won’t find any buyers, I am just saying you want to choose an idea for which demand exists already.

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If you choose something that there is a market demand for, and you are passionate to solve it, but it is a very big, all-encompassing issue, an ebook might not be the perfect format to tackle this in. You might be better off creating an online course or partner with someone else to create a more detailed solution for it.

You want to be writing an ebook on a topic that provides people with a specific result. Something that moves them from point A to point B.

Example: You want to help women find fulfilling careers who had to leave their jobs in order to stay with their kids. This is a huge problem which you are not likely to solve in an ebook.

People want to learn how to draw. It is very hard to create an ebook on this topic. You are better off teaching it in a video based course.

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If you tackle an idea where there are people willing to pay for because it solves a specific need, but you have no interest or passion in the topic, you WILL fizzle out. Ebooks take time and you have to jump in with your eyes wide open. Even if you somehow manage to complete this project, apart from the sales from this product, you won’t be able to move people in your sales funnel because the subject most likely doesn’t match with your other higher priced offerings.

Example: You see that people are always complaining about low engagement on their Facebook page. You are right in thinking that there is demand for this topic. However, you hired a social media expert to manage your own Facebook account, and even though you know some insider tips that work for you, you might not be the best person to write this ebook. It could be that you are simply not interested in teaching that topic or this topic lies outside your area of expertise. It would not be a wise move to consider it. Especially if you are a health coach operating in an entirely different industry and looking for more one-on-one clients.

Choose something that combines passion and profit. Profit includes market demand and specificity of the nature of the problem you intend to solve.

Here’s how you do it.

Why competition is a good thing.

Many people are put off by the thought of competition. They come up with a winning idea and then see so many people already selling similar products. They think there is no need for them to write an ebook and talk themselves out of it. Big mistake!

Let me tell you something: Competition is actually a very good thing. Competition tells you that people are already buying products similar to yours and that there is a healthy market for it.

Believe it or not, you don’t want to enter a market where nobody sells something like what you are planning to sell. Think of it as a big red flag. You are not the first one to come up with an ebook idea on your topic, it could be that people have thought of similar ideas before but they just didn’t work so you can’t find these products anymore.

Now I am not saying you have to replicate what’s available. That is the surefire way of putting yourself out of business (same logic applies to your other products and services). You will first establish that there is a market demand and then put your own spin you’re your ebook which I’ll talk about in the third part of this series where I’ll teach you how to write and position your ebook.

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Does the thought of analysing your market raise a feeling of dread in you? Would you rather clean your house and re-organize all your drawers and wardrobe than research your market?

Worry not, gone are the days where you had to do in-depth market research and testing to see whether your product has some merit. These days, with a little help from Google, you can figure out (in less than an hour) what is already available.

Search on Clickbank.com. Clickbank is a place where people list their information products in the hopes of finding affiliate partners and buyers. You need to click on the marketplace tab and search for the keywords your ideal customer might be looking for. If you don’t find anything, it may mean that products do exist but in this format. Move on to the next step.Google it. Simply search for your keywords (topic + ebook) on Google (for example golfing ebooks, or cover letters ebooks or self-esteem ebooks). Pay attention to the ads that come up. This means people are selling their wares and there is demand for your topic. Even if you find products in other formats, this indicates that people are looking for help in your topic.Make use of your industry knowledge. When you have spent some amount of time learning about an industry, honing your skills and becoming an expert, you have access to insider knowledge that nobody has. What do you see people complaining about? Do you see a gap in the market that you can fill?Tap your network. Ask people about problems they face that you can help them with. What are they struggling with and can’t seem to find the exact solution? (The solution might already be there but it might not appeal to them.)Ask buyers. Ask your customers. Ask them what they want to learn from you. You’d be surprised at the answers.

Record all your data. What sort of products are available? At what price points? Which seem to be successful? (Look at customer testimonials and buyer reviews.) Which products are available that are not ebooks but online programs, videos, tutorials, live workshops, coaching and so on. Even though you find that there are no ebooks but other training formats indicate that there might be demand for your ebook.

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Now, you have an idea of what sort of ebooks or related products exist in the market. The question then becomes, what problem do you want to solve? There are two things to keep in mind while you are toying with all the ideas you have got.

Choose the right problem.

You need a problem where people are actively looking for solutions to solve it. Lack of competition is a bad thing. Make sure your idea has some competition.

Choose the right niche.

You also want to target a group of people that is big enough (not so niche that you have problems attracting buyers) but not so big that you become a small fish in a big pond.

For example, you might want to write an ebook on how to network and your ideal audience are people who are introverted, shy or people with social anxiety. That’s a significantly large market. Compare it to people who people who might start stuttering when it comes to introduce themselves to a stranger – that would be a tiny subset of a niche.

The three niches in the world are health & fitness, money & business and personal development & relationships. Every day, people are looking to solve problems such as ..

How to lose 5 kg before your wedding. (Health & fitness)How to get rid of adult acne. (Health & fitness)How to pay your student loan. (Money & business)How to nail your dream job interview. (Money & business)How to find your ideal life partner.  (Personal development & relationships)

And so on …

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While there is stiff competition in these areas, tackling any topic in these topics (with a new angle or fresh perspective) gives you hug chances of success.

However, if you are outside these niches, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t succeed. It just means you have to be extra diligent of picking your idea. 

Make a list of all the possible ideas you are interested in writing about and have expertise in the subject matter.

Start with what you want to teach. Cross out all ideas that might have a mind numbing effect on you. Keep the ones that are less than exciting as you might be able to make them exciting, so hang on to those.

Secondly, think about which ideas solve a specific problem. Cross out all ideas that are too broad, tackle issues that are much bigger than you (poverty, education, gender inequality, etc) and are theoretical in nature. You are looking for ideas that are practical and solve a specific problem and give people a specific result.

Think about a problem that will lead people through your sales funnel. Think about filling a need for which the next step naturally becomes to work with you or enrol into a 6–week online program, for example. You don’t want to choose something that is totally different to rest of your offerings.

Choose 2-3 ideas. Don’t worry about how you are going to differentiate your ebook from others. We will talk about that in the next post. Now there is one more thing left before you can pick your winning idea!

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You need to gauge your list interest. You will be selling your ebook on your website and it is vital that your list in on board with your idea. If your own audience is not even interested in your product, it will be very hard to convert cold traffic.

So, I am going to assume that you already have a blog or have some access to an audience (maybe you belong to a few groups or online forums). In order to choose your final idea, you need to ask your audience. You can easily do this in a form of a survey. But be a bit careful of what you ask in the survey.

You can do a general survey where you ask your audience about specific problems they face related to your topic. You can use GetResponse online surveys or surveymonkey.com to create a free survey and ask this in the form of an open ended question. Your respondents will stay anonymous and you will get some great insights.

Secondly, if you are feeling confident and generally happy about one idea, you can create a survey for that particular idea. Be sure to get feedback on these issues.

What are your top three areas in (your topic) that you are struggling with?Have you bought any training to solve it? What sort of training?What stopped you from solving your problem? How did the training fall short?If I were to create an ebook that (solves a particular problem), what do you want me to address in it?

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Don’t worry too much about asking your readers on the following:

How long the ebook needs to be (it will be long enough to solve the problem and get them the results they need)How much would they be willing to pay (you’d be surprised to know how much people pay for something that they truly want)Will they be interested in buying it? (sometimes interest doesn’t translate into sales)

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These are things you need to figure out as a small business owner and as an expert. It is not the job of your prospects to give you the answers to these questions.

By asking the right questions, you are trying to see whether or not your ebook addresses their concerns. If you do this right, you will have enough to know if there is genuine interest in your topic – or not.

By running a survey, you can finalize your idea.

Follow the next step and you will start to feel very good about it being a success.

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Great, you have got your idea finalized and have the backing of your list. This won’t include everybody but if you get 15-20% to respond to your surveys and hit reply to your emails, you have a good chance of converting many of them. If you have a large list, the numbers may be less.

Here you need to start doing two things:

Start outlining your ebook (explained in the next part of this series).Start publishing related content on your blog.

The purpose is to see how much interest you can generate for the content on your blog. You want to see many people responding positively to it, sharing it and engaging with it.

And you also don’t want people forgetting that you are working on this ebook. You want to keep them in the loop, make them feel like a big part of the creation process if you can.

Here are four solid ideas to create some pre-launch content that will keep you top of mind.

Take them behind the scenes of your ebook creation process. Talk about the exciting bits you are working on and also share your frustrations. This will humanize this process and earn your brownie points.Talk about client stories. If you have worked with people one-on-one, talk about something that worked for someone and the results they got. Remind your audience you can only work with so many people and this is your way of helping more people.Give them proof that you know what you are talking about. Talk about your own journey and how you have gotten results and now want to save your readers the huge learning curve and wasted hours.Teach content related to your ebook. Talk about topics that people should know in order to buy this ebook. Educate them on topics they might not already be familiar with so you convert even more people.

Your content can take any shape: you can post videos, infographics, podcasts or blog posts. Your business, your choice.

Their feedback on these posts will also help you shape your ebook. You could reiterate or pivot if you want. Nothing is set in stone at this stage.

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In this final step, as you start writing your ebook, you will actively begin taking steps to attract more people to your site and build your email list. The more people you have on your list, the more you will sell.

The most effective way I have found to be is guest posting.

Now, you have got to be strategic here.

You create basic personas for 2-3 types of persons who you can see buying your ebook.You target those places where these people hang out.You pitch some content that overlaps the host’s blog topic as well as topic for your ebook.

This way you are attracting all those people who are likely to buy your ebook.

You start guest posting a few weeks before you ebook is to come out and you will also try to schedule some posts at the time of the launch. I will talk more about that in the final post where I walk you through the process of creating buzz for your ebook launch period.

Now it is time to write that book and get it out there already.

Make sure to read the next post in this series to find out how.