From wooden blocks which were curved and linked to print pages as a way of coming up with books to book printing and finally ebooks, books have come a long way due to time and advancement in technology.
What is an ebook?
An electronic book or ebook is a portion of the content found online that goes into detail about a specific subject and is digitally limited. It is a sure way of acquiring an audience if crafted with your audience in mind for it introduces your brand to your readers and also shows them why your brand is worth investing in.
One of the most efficient forms of new marketing is ebooks, which do not require any registration. Ebooks help to resolve problems; provided they are done well for the buyers to appreciate the content, distinguishing the writer as somebody worth going into business with.
People tend to forward ebooks to their friends and colleagues through email and social media due to their remarkably perceived value hence leading to sales.
Significance of an ebook to any small business(why would you want to create an ebook in the first place?)
One should already encompass a lucid picture of their ultimate customer or client if he or she has an already set up business. More often than not, the person you would want to read your book will be your ideal client so you should ensure that you have a firm understanding of who the person is in terms of gender, location, age, behaviors, and attitudes.
One would need to be very clear on his or her specific objectives before even commencing on the ebook itself. You need to ask yourself a few questions given the different ways an ebook can add value to your business such as:
What is the purpose of writing the book?
What will be its function as far as your content and marketing environment is concerned?
What are you hoping to achieve?
Which specific services or products do you want your ebook to concentrate on?
It is of paramount importance to be objective as far as your reasons for writing the ebook are concerned for this will help you to be motivated all through the writing process and ensure that the ebook meets the aforementioned objectives.
Look deep into the problems of your target audience and what they are trying to resolve and avoid skipping any step as it is vital if you want to come up with an ebook that people want to read.
Things you need to know before writing an ebook for your small business
If you are not sure of the kind of audience you are hoping to connect to, you need to do proper research to know your target market so you can come up with content suited to their needs.
For every piece of your ebook to be relevant to the needs and interests of your target audience, it’s important to gather ample information. It will be challenging if you come up with an ebook that contains information that does not match the needs of your targeted audience and you will not meet your objectives.
Social media is a very useful tool that can be used to learn more about your target audience. Look for hashtags that are both relevant and industry-related and formulate phrases as well as questions different types of users might have.
So, how can an ebook help your small business?
Providing an extra source of income
The first and most important in most cases, the ebook can provide you with an additional stream of revenue. However, the first book might not earn you a lot of money right away. You will be required to do a lot of promotion and marketing. Even though an ebook might not be an instant moneymaker, with persistence and clear objectives you will surely succeed.
Improvement of lead generations
Whether it's an ebook, template, or any other resource, any lead magnet will come in handy in helping your brand to improve its lead generations. If you offer your users valuable information for free, you will grab their attention making it easier to grow your email list. This shows that you want to educate your audience by introducing them to new things so that they can succeed in their endeavors. Ebooks are a critical part of a thriving inbound marketing strategy because lead generation is amid the top three marketing goals in businesses.
Improving your businesses credibility
An ebook offers support to your business by boosting credibility. By coming with an ebook on your area of expertise only shows that you are proficient in a particular field. This can also be an avenue of other opportunities such as public speaking gigs helping you acquire new clients. You can also offer your existing clients extra services if you would decide to print a physical copy.
Enhancing the loyalty of your brand
You need to gain loyal readers if you intend to profit from your ebook. Once you have your readers' attention, it is easy to turn them into paying clients. However, for you to attain that you need to make sure you are offering valuable information, to begin with. Quality content gives confidence to your target audience hence enabling them to decide whether or not to be loyal to your brand.
Building your brand as well as stabling your proficiency
In whatever field of business, you might be in, you have a particular set of skills that someone out there will find useful. Your reader will trust your competency as well as your credibility if you can clearly communicate that information in an ebook. Your reader will also be more likely to purchase your product, subscribe to your services, or recommend it to your friend.
Summary
It is of vital importance to develop buyer personas when trying to find out more about your target audience to get the necessary information about your readers. These are client profiles that will assist you to come up with an ebook that gathers email addresses and builds up a loyal following.