Free Chapter or No?

by Kirk Ward

Posted: 14 years ago 9 replies

INTERNET MARKETING

I am selling a moderately long physical book (200+ pages) and wondering if it would be worthwhile to ...

(a) Keep the content as a big time secret and not let anyone see what is in it until they buy,
(b) Give away a free chapter of the book in PDF format, or
(c) Find some way to allow an online non-printable preview, like Google Books does.

What would you do?

And, does a script exist that I can use to accomplish (c)?

Cheers and felicitations,
Kirk

#chapter #free

jacktackett 14 years ago

Kirk,
if you sell through Amazon as one of your distribution channels then you can do this without much effort through their tools. Its part of their see inside function.

Personally I would make an excerpt available - maybe not an entire chapter but something with some good info in it to whet their appetite.

If you are selling this through your own system/shopping cart then maybe using some sort of opt in system - they give you a minimun of information and you email a pdf of the chapter. Or they give the information and you display the pdf in their browser - something along those lines.

Your autoresonder's optin script should be enough to handle the autodelivery if you decide that route.

Good to talk with you again - maybe someday I'll get back over Knoxville way and say hi!

best,
--Jack
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Anonymous Affiliate 14 years ago

Giving away a free chapter (your best chapter) is a GREAT way of engaging people into your product. If they like what they read, why wouldnt they be willing to buy the whole thing? I've been giving away free chapters of my products for years and it's always worked well.
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Alexa Smith Banned 14 years ago

Originally Posted by Kirk Ward

(b) Give away a free chapter of the book in PDF format,

I'm instinctively strongly in favour of this suggestion, and it's exactly what I'd want to do, myself.
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Loren Woirhaye 14 years ago

Book launch strategy for many books I've reviewed recently has
included a website with a blog and sample excerpts. The website
often has videos, interviews, plugs, and so forth. The book
usually promotes the website at first, because the website may
be somewhat invisible until (if) the author gets media time to
refer people to it, but then after awhile the website may get
some traction of it's own and it seems the website starts to
promote the book and the author's other projects.

"synchronized" is the best word I can think of for it off the top
of my head.
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Kirk Ward 14 years ago

Thanks to all.

It seems a free chapter or excerpt wins hands down. Exactly what is being requested by my customers. Using it as a list generator was something that actually slipped my mind.

Again, thanks!

PS - Jack, let's get in touch with Russell and do a meetup. It was fun.
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"We are not here to sell a parcel of boilers and vats, but the potentiality of growing rich beyond the dreams of avarice."

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russells 14 years ago

Kirk,

I'd give away a sample chapter in exchange for their email address.

Communictae and build trust with that list and Keep sending them back to your book sales page or cross-promote your other products.

Just my two cents
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- MichaelParsons 14 years ago
  
  In response to (C), putting up a NO-Print version, this can be done by entering text into Word or OOo, then making a PDF of it from the Word/OOo interface. Then, using a PRO version of Adobe Acrobat, or similar open-source program, you can set the security to disallow printing, and even copying (via ctrl-c) or whatever you wish. Use the password encryption option and make a very stong password with caps, numbers and ^#* symbols.
  
  Try searching for a 30-day trial version of Adobe Acrobat Pro 7.
  
  Best to you.
  
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seobro 14 years ago

FREE Chapter is part of my secret sauce. Remember to get them really excited before it ends and then hit them with a special offer that says THIS WEEK ONLY...

Marketing is a game. However, you have to know how to play to win.
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indchris 14 years ago

I've done this with some of my publications. Provide a section of a chapter that will be of use to your audience, or will influence their buying decision. Works well to boost sales and gain buyer confidence. Ensure the material is really good to have maximum impact. Cheers!
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