The Top 7 Mistakes eBook Authors Make
BY JIM EDWARDS & DAVID GARFINKEL
eBooks are the hottest thing going on
the Web right now!
Authors with the entrepreneurial
instinct are making anywhere from a few hundred to tens of thousands of
dollars per month - that's right, per month - by selling eBooks
online.
Why are some authors doing so much
better than others? We've discovered seven key mistakes that most eBook
authors make (and in doing so, hold themselves back from major success):
1. They don't write to a specific, target
audience.
The biggest mistake most eBook authors
make is they don't clearly define, identify and visualize who they are
selling their eBook to. On the Web, to be successful, you must write to
a specific group of people who have specific interests. Make sure that
you know exactly who is going to buy your eBook, and where you can find
them online.
2. They don't automate as many of their business
activities as possible.
Selling eBooks, though it is highly
profitable, is not a business where you make hundreds of dollars per
sale.
Automate everything you can - credit
card processing, eBook delivery, as much technical support as possible.
If you can't automate a function, delegate it to someone else.
3. They don't have a compelling title for their
eBook.
Use words that convey the benefit of
what's in the eBook, as well as words your audience is familiar with.
A bad title for an eBook: "Online
Marketing for Newbies." A good title for the same eBook: "97 Ways to
Promote Your Website - No Experience Required."
4. They try to cover too much ground.
Many eBook authors convey a lot of
information but don't cover anything in-depth. As a result, they never
fully explain anything in enough detail to provide any useful value to
their readers. This is a very bad mistake to make, especially when it
comes to how-to eBooks, which happen to be the best type to write.
5. They are not proactive in their marketing.
It would be nice if marketing for your
eBook simply happened on its own - but it doesn't. You have to do it
yourself. After you've promoted your eBook to the people on your own
mailing list (if you have one), then you have to contact other Website
owners and persuade them to be your affiliates. You should do this
continually.
6. They don't differentiate their eBook from its
competitors.
When you choose your topic, even if
there are a hundred other eBooks out there on same general subject,
choose an angle for yours that will make it easy for yours to be
distinguished from the others.
For example, right now job-hunting
eBooks are very popular. There are dozens that are big sellers. "Secrets
of Breaking Into Pharmaceutical Sales" has a very specific title that
sets it apart from the competition, and is aimed at a clearly identified
target audience. Incidentally, it's selling very well itself.
7. They write eBooks that nobody will pay for.
Many eBook authors write about
information that either people can get for free, or that people are not
actually interested in enough to pay for the information.
Before you invest weeks or months into
the writing of your eBook, invest a little time investigating whether
other eBooks in the same subject area are selling on the Web.
So, there you have it - the seven big
mistakes to avoid. Remember, the opportunities are plentiful - and huge
- right now for anyone who wants to become a best-selling eBook author.
Simply use common sense, follow our advice, and let your literary career
flourish!
Copyright © 2002 Jim Edwards and David
Garfinkel
Jim Edwards and David Garfinkel are co-authors of
eBook Secrets Exposed: How to Make Massive Amounts of Money in
Record Time With Your Own eBook (whether you wrote it or not!)," the
authoritative guide to publishing and marketing eBooks on the Web.
Guerrilla Marketing author Jay Conrad Levinson says, "If there ever
was a 'must-read' for this century, it's this book." For more
information
click
here.
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