Basic Ebook Marketing

Copyright 2006 Marisa Giancarla

Today authors are presented with more publishing opportunities than have ever existed before. Of course there is still a lot of time and effort that need to be spent in producing a great book and making a living through writing. Rather, due to advances in information technology authors can now distribute their work much easier than they could as little as a decade ago.

One of the new ways of distributing their work is electronically through ebooks. Ebooks are gaining so much popularity that even big name authors have started using them to distribute their works. When Stephen King published one of his books electronically the demand was so great that the servers slowed down almost to a halt trying to handle the orders coming in.

Marketing Tips:

* Do not underestimate the power of the eBook

Ebooks are still looked on as unpopular by many who have not taken to learn about this industry. As an example, while the traditional book publishing industry is growing at the mere rate of 5% a year the digital publishing industry is growing at the rates of 30%-50%.

* To set up an ebook you don’t have to be a tech guru

Taking your ebook from the concept phase to the selling phase can’t be completed overnight but it is assuredly something that anyone can do regardless of your technological background. If you know how to use a word Processor then you can create and sell an ebook online. While some might want to set up a website of their own, this is not a requirement. Online storefronts such as MobiPocket, Amazon.com, or Lulu.com can be used to host your book and handle the sales process.

* Creating an ebook site is very cheap and you get to keep 100% of the profits

When you use a traditional publishing house you are lucky to get 10% of the profits from your book. With ebooks however, you get to keep 100% of the profits minus the fees for the site or storefront which are minimal.

* Comparison of traditional vs. ebook fees

Ebook – Free to create an unlimited number of copies of your book. You keep 100% of the profits and rights to your ebooks. Traditional – Approximately $1500 for 200 copies of a 200 page paperback. You get a 10-40% royalty, usually $2-$5 per book.

Using the examples above it is easy to see that for first time authors ebooks make a lot of sense. The risk associated with publishing an ebook is much lower than for traditional publishing. And as well you will be keeping virtually all your own profits.

The benefits of epublishing make it worth consideration. Ebooks may not be replacing traditional books any time soon, but they are gaining popularity at a rate that should make all authors stop and think about their options. Unlike many other home based businesses you aren’t limited to a region and don’t have to depend on a 3rd party supplier or shipping.

The beauty of ebooks is that you can publish and distribute them worldwide. Another advantage of ebooks is that you don’t have to keep 9-5 hours. Your ebooks will sell themselves even while you sleep. Once you have the initial setup completed there is very little daily upkeep to attend to.