Write an ebook to give away in your business they say. It will be easy they say…Building a database of leads is one of THE MOST important things you can do for your business because then you have a list of people who are your target market you can build a relationship with and ultimately convert into customers.
To have someone give you their email address these days though you need to provide something that is valuable to them and an ebook is a perfect gift. But what if you aren’t Jackie Collins? How do you write your first ebook?
1. Choose an interesting topic
The first step is to choose a topic to write a free ebook about. You might choose to write about a case study or provide a list of how to steps to show potential customers how to use your best selling product.
Don’t be afraid to share your knowledge. You could write the top ten tips on how to do what you do. Most people will read what you have to say, try to do it themselves and then decide hiring a professional (you) is a much better idea anyway.
Think of the top seven frequently asked questions from your customers and write the answers on those. Voila, you’ll have your ebook.
If you don’t have physical products and you are in the self-help industry you could choose someone famous within your industry and elaborate on their top ten quotations or tips. This showcases your expertise.
Collaboration is also another good idea. You can collaborate with others in your industry to write a free ebook together and then share it.
2. Map out your ebook
Once you have chosen your topic then you need to map out the structure of the ebook. We recommend using www.canva.com/graphs/ OR www.coggle.it as it’s easy to use.
Start with chapter headings first and then map out each chapter by starting with a bullet point for each major point. Then you’ll be ready to just fill in the rest by expanding on the points.
3. Schedule time to write
If you have thought through your topic and laid out a plan then the writing process should come easily. Having said that, not everyone enjoys writing.
If that’s you then schedule a specific time (preferably without interruptions) and allocate that time to writing. I used to write at 4 am, I now write at 11 pm. Basically, while everyone else is asleep.
It also helps to picture yourself talking to a customer and write the same way you would talk to them.
Better still, use your phone to record what you would say and then find someone who can type fast and accurately to transcribe it for you. There’s always a way!
4. Get someone else to edit
Regardless of how good you might think you are as a writer, even the most seasoned writers don’t edit their work and have someone else read it as a proofreader. We recommend you do both too.
Another great thing to do, as the last test, is read your ebook out loud and hear yourself say what you have written. It’s amazing how different it can sound to what you thought you had written.
5. Publish it as soon as possible
Don’t wait until it’s absolutely perfect. It never will be! And that’s ok. Just get it published.
The first step of the publishing process is to create a nice cover that is clear, easy to read and maybe has a relevant picture on it. If you aren’t a graphic designer in your spare time (Oh how I wish I was) then I recommend using www.canva.com It even has some ebook templates you can use.
Remember to make your ebook appealing to your target market with an easy to read font and relevant colours too. Don’t try and cram too much onto the cover. Then save it as a pdf so that you can use it through different marketing mediums.
6. Promote, promote, promote
Now you have completed almost all the steps on how to write your first ebook. But, unless you actually promote your ebook, then it will have been a waste of time.
Put a capture form on your website either as a sidebar or even one of those annoying pop-ups (that actually do work!) You can also promote it through social media – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Plus, you could even run advertisements to a page on your website explaining how valuable your ebook is in return for the visitor’s email address. After all, that’s why you wrote it isn’t it? To help more people and grow your database.
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