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Should it be an e-book or just a short report?

by gcaine
6 replies
I have some information that has a huge potential market.


The thing is I can supply the information in as little as three pages.


I can make it longer by creating a lot of related information, but the USP will be what's in the three pages.


I'm trying to decide what is the best way to go.


With a report I would most likely go with a $14.95 price and offer 75% to affiliates. That would only give them $11.21 a sale which isn't a great incentive unless they think they can sell a lot of them.


Also this would leave me with only a little over $3.00 a sale, which is fine if I can build a large enough affiliate base.


On the other hand if I turn it into something like 40 or 50 pages I have a short book that although the info is relevant, it isn't really what the customer bought it for in the first place.


I expect I'd get a lot fewer refund requests with the short report, but can I entice enough affiliates to make it profitable?


I can take some of the other info and turn them into reports (maybe) and if I do I already know how to write the code so that the affiliates hoplink would be inserted in any back end sales that I email to the customers from the first product.


I'm really not sure which way to go.


Sorry I can't tell you what the product is right now.
#ebook #report #short
  • Profile picture of the author BeyondThePen
    As a ghostwriter (specializing in books - print & web) I would never encourage my clients to pad a book.

    That will only serve to annoy the hell out of your readers and perhaps result in returns (if you offer a money-back guarantee).

    Write the info - use 3 pages if it only takes 3 pages. Then, if you want it to be longer so you feel like you're giving "more" and providing more value, then add some bonus material on something that complements the material.

    Otherwise, keep it short and to the point.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jill Carpenter
      Do the report, and bundle it with the "freebies" or bonuses that can help them implement what is in the report or some kind of supplemental if you think it can expand the audience.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dontrell Lyons
      Originally Posted by BeyondThePen View Post

      I would never encourage my clients to pad a book...
      Otherwise, keep it short and to the point.
      Yeah I wouldn't fill it up with content that won't even be useful. I hate when I'm looking for information on a certain topic and the author of the ebook is using all this filler to say one simple thing.

      It wastes peoples time and time is a precious thing these days!!

      This may sound crazy but I know a lot of Top marketers you who use this business model to make a lot of money.

      Sell the report for $14.95 and then offer your affiliates 100% commission, because you will be capturing their name and email to followup with them with affiliate offers and more products. Because we've all heard that the money is in the list!

      Well it's true!

      That gives your affiliates TONS of incentive to promote your product and build your opt-in list very quickly!
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    • Profile picture of the author Clyde Dennis
      Originally Posted by BeyondThePen View Post

      As a ghostwriter (specializing in books - print & web) I would never encourage my clients to pad a book.

      That will only serve to annoy the hell out of your readers and perhaps result in returns (if you offer a money-back guarantee).

      Write the info - use 3 pages if it only takes 3 pages. Then, if you want it to be longer so you feel like you're giving "more" and providing more value, then add some bonus material on something that complements the material.

      Otherwise, keep it short and to the point.
      Very sound counsel. If you pad it readers will see right through what you've done. The make it the length it 'needs' to be and add complimenting bonuses method is the way to go.
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  • Profile picture of the author Nick Doyle
    I would stretch it. Gives you more material which can be brushed up with good copywriting to make it very attractive for the reader. Otherwise, it will be good article content for SEO purposes.

    You can also rewrite the same content and do newsletters, ebooks & articles with just those 3 pages of material if you do it smart. Just dont fluff too much but use GOOD copywriting. Always works and keeps the prospects very interested and wanting more
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  • Profile picture of the author gcaine
    OK, thanks to all of you. It wouldn't really be padding as it is additional info on the subject, but I may take the extra info and make it a bonus.

    As for not looking for affiliates right away, it's a good point that it's easier to entice them if I have a track record.

    I need to think this over.
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