You’ve been wanting to get your ebook published for what… years? It’s time to break through procrastination and make it happen now.
If you’re like most coaches, you’re swimming in good ideas. But it’s the not knowing how to do a thing that keeps you from taking action. Let me walk you through the simple steps to getting your ebook on the market.
Here’s what you’ll need:
1. Topic
Make sure your ebook topic solves a specific problem for your niche market. Make sure it’s relevant to your ideal coaching prospects, the current times and your skillset. Remember, you’re building credibility as well as revenue with your ebook.
2. Time
Dedicate focused time each week until you’ve successfully launched your ebook. There are three phases: writing & editing, formatting, creating a sales & marketing process.
3. Support
You can do much of this yourself, but should you? It might be better to have a VA do the formatting and a web designer set up the online systems for you. Focus your energy on creating value and a compelling offer. And set up an accountability partnership with your mentor coach or a peer coach to stay on track.
From Your Mind to Your Market in 9 Steps
1. If you’re doing this by yourself, it’s easiest to use Word (or your word processing software) to write and format your ebook. Ruthlessly edit out fluff and formality. Use spellcheck and proof it thoroughly. Include a:
- Colorful cover with a snappy outcome-based title.
- Bio page with your photo and links to your blog, website, ezine etc.
- Copyright page and a table of contents.
You might also want to add a “More Resources for You” page at the end that gives short descriptions and links to specific services you offer.
2. When your ebook is complete, go to “print” in Word, but instead of printing, create an Adobe pdf. The latest versions of Word include an “Acrobat” tab with a “Create PDF” button. Test the links in your pdf, and add security settings to prevent easy copying.
3. Write an online sales page for your ebook. Use stories and pain points to engage people in your offer. Here’s an example sales page for my ebook, The Life Coach’s Guide:
http://thelifecoachsguide.com
4. If you haven’t already signed up with Aweber or another email campaign service, do that now. I recommend Aweber for its customer service, affordability, robustness, and deliverabililty of emails. You can use this system for your ezines and blog as well.
5. In Aweber, follow the tutorial to create a special list for this ebook so that you can capture leads when they purchase it. You’ll want to stay in touch with these folks.
6. If you don’t already take credit cards and have a shopping cart, set that up now. I recommend you use Practice Pay Solutions and their shopping cart system (One Shopping Cart), whose clientele is largely coaches. They understand you and your type of business. Your webmaster can hook up your shopping cart, Aweber list and everything you need to collect leads and charge for the ebook.
7. Have your webmaster design and code your sales page online. I’d recommend that you create a single web page with the unique domain name for the title of the ebook.
Also, have your webmaster put an eye-catching announcement on the home page of your website and/or blog for the ebook that leads to the sales page.
8. Write 3 – 7 followup messages (autoresponders) that go out to purchasers after they buy the ebook and post them on Aweber for this list:
- The first autoresponder provides the download link in case they missed the opportunity to download it before.
- The remaining autoresponders develop a deeper relationship with your buyer, point out some of the action steps from your ebook, and later on, invite them to the next step — your coaching, a relevant workshop or something else.
9. Create a marketing campaign to attract people to your sales page and sell the ebook.
- Use your ezine and blog to announce the product — write special articles that tease the concepts in the ebook.
- Put up articles in relevant publications or online directories, include your sales page address.
- Give a free teleseminar about some aspect of the ebook, run a special sale to get people to purchase it during the call.
- On a limited basis, give away a 20 minute consult as a special gift with the purchase. Call it something that relates to the take-away of the ebook.
- Create a time incentive by setting a starting price for your initial campaign and then raising the price of the ebook.
Run your campaign several times a year. Look for other ways to market your ebook through joint ventures, affiliate programs and special sales.
Biz Planning Tip: Budget for the webmaster and VA time you will need. Know how many ebooks you need to sell to cover that cost. If you’re setting up your email campaign service or shopping cart for the first time, these will add monthly expenses — but they will also help you grow your overall business.
High Touch Marketing Tip: Call every person that purchases your ebook and thank them. They will be impressed with the personal touch and you’ll have an opportunity to make a connection that could result in a new client and a loyal fan.
