Ebooks provide a totally different platform for content creators which is a good alternative to conventional websites and blogs.
Many organizations today have used blogs as a powerful tool to help them garner more visits and hits on their sites while keeping a constant engagement with their customers.
When to use ebooks?
With Ebooks, brand owners have a different approach to marketing and communications because it changes the way content is created and conveyed.
Ebooks are essentially publications that can run across a wide range of topics that are related to your brand or business. This type of platform would be very useful if you have content that:
- Involve proprietary content which is developed by your own organization.
- Involve original research and work that only your organization has. This can be used as a strong bargaining chip in exchange for email subscriptions from your customers.
- Has very long content. It could range from a few chapters to several volumes long.
Maximizing the power of e-books
Unlike many other types of content, ebooks might not be feasible for all types of marketing campaigns.
It is one tool that can only be used if your company has credibility in providing the type of information that your customers are looking for.
Ebooks will give your organization a lot of mileage especially when you have subscribers because you know for a fact that they are receptive to your brand.
You can create content that is useful and relatable for your customers using ebooks, often customized to the target audience of your organization.
That which makes ebooks so effective is that they can be produced and developed for any purpose that would benefit your organization.
Among them includes:
- You can always create a win-win situation for your customers (and potential ones). They provide their contact information which you can use for lead generation and you can in return offer them certain types of valuable information.
- You can become a reliable source of knowledge for your customers and contacts. This will make you their reference point whenever they need certain information that they need.
- You can spread awareness faster and easier as ebooks are digital media which can be transferred without much fuss.
Ultimately, an ebook should have 2 very important traits.
- Accessibility – Readers and viewers must be able to access the book as and when they need. The best method here is to create all your content in PDF format as it is the de facto file type these days. Any other formats would require the reader to download a specific reader-app which would then turn them away.
- Quality – Many marketers often forget that the quality of content in their ebooks are very significant. The lines between providing quality content and gathering contact information are so blurred, marketers tend to compromise between the 2, where the quality of content will consequentially suffer.
Another issue that must always be taken into consideration is the format. Your ebook should not be too large in size. They should be easily attached and email so that you customers would be able to download without any problems. They must be in the size that fits the smartphone or tab so that they can open and read the ebook whenever they want to.
Using ebooks in your sales funnel
If you use a sales funnel, the ebook could play an important role in channeling leads for conversion later. Ebooks can ideally be used in 2 main parts of your sales funnel. The first is at the start of the funnel because it is where you can establish connections with your potential customers. This is the most common stage where the ebook would come into play very effectively.
Basically, ebooks can be used to generate leads and contacts. A lot of digital marketers use ebooks as a way to entice customers and viewers to send in their contact information in exchange for a free ebook.
Here, you will be able to know who are the customers who are actually interested in your products and services (and company). If the customer is not interested in what you have to offer, they will not go through the trouble of putting in their personal particulars. The second part of the funnel that ebooks can be effectively used is after conversion where you keep your customers close to work on future purchases.
This is the stage where you want to keep your customers engaged and to maintain an open communication line with you. After they have purchased products from you, ebooks can be used as an incentive for them.
Brand owners often publish how-to manuals, instruction guides, demonstration of products and other related information in ebooks. This can be downloaded by the customers who paid for the products but would want more information about how to use the products or innovative ideas.
