8 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
8 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

e-books: How Much Content Should You Include?

by TravisVOX
7 replies
Thus far my internet marketing and online based businesses have centered around community and content driven sites with advertising/affiliate models. I am now looking to dive into starting a more cohesive informational product line in a few areas I see opportunity.

I would like to start with an e-book and then segue into more advanced options including audio, video etc. My question for the forum is when starting an e-book, what is the best school of thought:

1. Touch upon all the various techniques within the niche to give the reader enough to get started

or

2. Purposefully leave out some various techniques with the pure intention of up selling them down the road.

or

3. Something else...

I recall reading at one point the purpose of the initial product of a line is to get the prospect started and then the upsells exist to help them achieve the desired results quicker. What are everyone's thoughts on this?
#content #ebooks #include
  • Profile picture of the author Kierkegaard
    It depends if your ebook is a promotional thing to be given away for free (in return for opting into a mailing list for example) or if it is a substantial and useful book you intend to sell for serious money.

    If you were to write a guide to autoresponders, for example, you could do a chapter on each of the major players, covering how each one works and how to get the best out of them. Then you could do a chapter comparing each against the other, saying which you prefer and why. Your affiliate code would be included in each chapter for each autoresponder. You could upsell products on list-building and internet marketing in general.

    Personally, the ebooks I write for myself and my clients are between 12,000 and 30,000 words. The books are designed to comprehensively cover the subject.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3567865].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Matt Poc
    Well, if you write an e-book, it should be 30-100 pages, but it the length of the content totally doesn't matter. It is ALL ABOUT THE VALUE!

    Some 10 pages reports are more valuable than 200 books!

    Super tip if you decide to write - use voice recogniton software, so you will "write" your e-book much faster.

    However, believe me it is way much easier to create videos or audios instead of writing. It may look hard, but if you try it - it becomes easy peasy lemon squeezy and much faster, because you don't have to edit them, you don't have to care about spellin and so on.

    I would recommend you just simply interview several people and you will create your product in 1 day, instead of 2 weeks!

    Cheers,
    Matt Poc
    Signature
    Add me on Facebook
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3567930].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author mizesean
    Frankly, if you are going to sell the ebook - load as much into it as possible. The upsells will be in coaching - because people generally don't do the work you teach them in an ebook. So they need coaching. But don't "hold back" info just so you can sell it to them in another product.
    Signature
    Have you thought about starting a group coaching program, but don't know how?

    If so, Watch This YouTube Video: Group Coaching Program
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3569485].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author TBInternetMarketing
    My philosophy with this kind of thing is simple. Try to over-deliver on quality and content. If the reader sits with their mouth wide open in total amazement at the quality of your e-book he will recommend it to others. Have you ever bought an e-book that you felt fell short on quality? I have, and it sucked. In-fact I think I asked for a refund.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3569499].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author TravisVOX
      Sorry for not responding sooner... real job got in the way today!

      Great feedback... I like the just over-deliver stuff. That's the right move. Thinking about holding back for the sake of up-sells seems silly.

      Thanks!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3571614].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author packerfan
        The only right answer is as much as possible. Don't fall in the trap of thinking you need to hold back content because you can sell more later. There will always be ways for you to sell your future products. The easiest of which is a customer base that knows you over deliver...
        Signature

        Nothing to see here

        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3571627].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author drmani
    Originally Posted by TravisVOX View Post

    I am now looking to dive into starting a more cohesive informational product line in a few areas I see opportunity.

    I would like to start with an e-book and then segue into more advanced options including audio, video etc. My question for the forum is when starting an e-book, what is the best school of thought:
    From years of selling infoproducts online, I can say this.

    It boils down to DELIGHTING your readers/viewers.

    It's about winning "mind share" and building trust.

    Once your reader/viewer/buyer/customer/subscriber KNOWS
    that:

    a. you deliver great value
    b. you know what you're talking about

    they'll ASK you to sell them more stuff related to what
    you did, or what they want to learn/know.

    And the nice thing is they'll TELL you what to create
    next.

    Because you're the "expert", you'll never run out of
    things to write/talk about - and even when you come close
    to that point, you'll find another angle or perspective
    to show, share and teach from.

    That's why success as an infopreneur stems from delivering
    great value in an area you are knowledgeable at - not only
    the first time, but ALL the time!

    Hope this helps.

    All success
    Dr.Mani
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3571675].message }}

Trending Topics