If you’ve spent time online, you’ve likely seen it at one time or another – websites that offer a free eBook in exchange for nothing more than your email address.
If you have ever looked into using eBooks for small business marketing, then you have most likely heard that eBooks are a great form of content for business marketing.
However, if you’re new to the content marketing scene, then it may be somewhat confusing…
The Benefits of Using eBooks for Small Business Marketing
For anyone who is looking to build their business online, eBooks offer a wide array of tangible benefits.
- Lead Generation – This is the one you are probably most familiar with, offering a free eBook in exchange for an email address. This allows you to build your email list and potentially generate new leads.
- Thought-Leadership – Obviously, one of the hardest tasks to accomplish is establishing yourself as a leader in your industry. By publishing and sharing an eBook, you can position yourself as an authority in your niche.
- Share Your Business With Customers – One of the biggest problems with growing your business may simply be that your potential customers do not understand what you’re offering. With an eBook that thoroughly explains your products or services, and their benefits, you can help your clientele understand what you offer.
- Build Your Brand – Whether you are selling products, services, your business or yourself, building your personal brand is an essential part of positioning yourself as someone that consumers can trust and look to.
- Offer Expertise – Whatever your area of specialty may be, an eBook can help you share your valuable expertise with your target audience, which further builds trust and establishes you as an authority in your niche.
Using PDF eBooks for List Building & Lead Generation
The simplest type of eBook comes in a PDF format, and can be created using your average Microsoft Word or other writing program. These are great for small business marketing because other than the writing part, they can be put together relatively easily.
Simply use whatever email program that you prefer (AWeber, MailChimp, etc.) to create a popup or sign up form to capture emails and have it redirect to a hidden page or post on your website.
This allows you to easily build and grow your emailing list and generate leads without having to sit and send out each copy of your eBook individually.
For those who are already on your email list, simply send out a special newsletter advertising the free eBook download.
Publishing on Amazon Kindle for Authority & Profit
For the more experienced business marketers, you may want to consider publishing on Amazon Kindle for eReaders. This option offers the chance to establish your authority, share valuable information and still make a profit.
That is not to mention, Amazon also offers a free preview of the first few pages. This allows you to insert links to your site that users can follow even if they cannot afford to purchase the eBook.
Although there is a bit more work involved in publishing via Amazon, it offers plenty of benefits that make it worth the while.
The most important ingredient for this type of eBook publishing would be creating plenty of hype before actually releasing the eBook.
Regardless of what type of eBook you choose to publish and promote, there are numerous benefits that can be had by the savvy startup or small business.
The best choice is simply to decide which method is best for your business and hire an ebook writer today.
