Sunday, November 29, 2009

Business Expansion with Ebooks

Businesses of all sizes are expanding with ebooks. An ebook is a paperless book in digital format that you can download to your computer, handheld or other reader device. It can be read by using a software program like Adobe (for .pdf formats) or Microsoft Word.

Here are several ways to expand your own business operations with ebooks.

Marketing – An ebook offers an inexpensive means of producing full-color marketing materials complete with graphics and audio components. Find good software or hire someone to help create your ebooks. Grab a digital camera and start snapping shots of your products, people using your products and services, your workers, etc. Then show off your shots, your products and describe your services with awesome power-packed presentations; web pages with interactive links for sound, visual presentations, communications (emails or forum posts) and more.

Education – When your products or services need explained, educate your prospects and clients with ebooks. Have sample or short versions available for trial offers or free downloads. Then include full-fledged detailed editions with product / service purchases. Educate with visual, sound and interactive point-and-click methods. Invite questions and feedback from recipients for improvements on future product and service development.

Communications – How many times do you get an email you with a question - the same question over and over gain it seems – that requires a book-length answer? Maybe questions like, “How do you create a basic website?” or “How can you market on a tight budget?” inspire lengthy replies. Well, now you can write one long reply, turn it into an ebook and send it out – over and over again and free up more time for other things. AND include your own marketing information inside so that readers can look you up on the Internet, pass your information along and give others the opportunity to find you, too.

New Product – Use surveys and take polls for new product creation. Include a link to a web page with a questionnaire and free download for recipients upon completion.

Sales Reps – Arm your sales representatives with professional, top-notch full-color media / product / service information kits presented via your ebooks to share with local newspaper, radio, television and other media reps, visitors and potential clients at trade shows and other events. Set up an introductory page in your ebook, then an index where people can click and quickly find your History, Mission Statement, product and service descriptions and images, Contact information, Testimonials, etc. Then copy the ebooks to disks and CDs to distribute at events. This gives people the opportunity to learn much more about you when they have more time afterwards.

So grab your cyber-pencil or keypad and start writing! Ebooks can definitely enlarge your operations.
Legitimate Business Opportunities Online

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Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Do You Use a E-Book Compiler For Your Online Business

Rating eBook Compilers


Now that you've finished writing your eBook and have a
basic understanding of what an eBook compiler does,
you may be feeling overwhelmed by the number of
compilers on the market. To help you make your
decision, I have tested and reviewed the best-rated
eBook compilers currently available.

* E-ditor

This software has a demo version that you can download
to try out before purchasing. You can't actually use
the demo to create an eBook, but you can run the
software and test it out thoroughly to see if it does
what you need it to do for your particular eBook.

This eBook compiler is one of the easiest to use. The
software has a very user-friendly help menu that
provides instructions for and explanations of every
field on every screen. The program also includes video
tutorials demonstrating every step of this compiler
with clear explanations of all fields that need to be
filled out. There are 7 screens that you use to choose
your eBook options.

This compiler requires your files to be in HTML
format. You follow simple directions, and the compiler
loads your files. If you decide to edit your eBook
after it has been compiled, make any changes in your
original files and click on "Compile you eBook" and
your changes will appear in your compiled eBook.

E-editor allows for some customization of your eBook.
You can create a special page that appears when the
eBook is opened; create customized icons that appear
on the desktop after downloading; use your own logo on
the task bar of your eBook; customize the task bar's
buttons, where the task bar appears in your eBook, and
choose the task bar's colors. Additionally, you can
choose to have the eBook open to the last page read,
which many of your buyers will appreciate.

An excellent and unique feature of E-ditor is the
capability to choose a standard Microsoft window or to
create your own design for a window to personalize
your eBook. The program provides some sample window
designs, but you can use any .bmp (bit map skin)
graphic you have stored on your hard drive.

E-ditor is a good choice if you are new at producing
eBooks because it is easy to use and allows you to
customize the appearance of your eBook.

* Desktop Author

This compiler does not require a browser, nor do you
have to download software or plug-ins. The program
converts exe. files into pages that look like a
standard book. You can create and produce eBook pages
scaled to fit on your computer screen without any
scrolling. Additional features include WYSIWGY (what
you see is what you get) page editing and creation,
the ability to manipulate internal images, cut and
paste functions, hotlinks to pages, email, website, or
other files. It is an excellent compiler to use for a
marketing tools, such as creating brochures and
manuals in addition to eBooks.

* EBook Edit Pro

This compiler provides a demo version, which allows
you to test out its features. The software uses a
Wizard that leads you step-by-step through the set-up
and creation of your eBook. Customization includes
text editing that appears on the pop-up starting
message window; the ability to allow or prevent
resizing of your book and the mouse-click pop-up menu;
enabling or disabling the navigation bar and choosing
the buttons you want to appear; and customizing the
eBook's desktop icon and the logo that appears on the
navigation bar.

Ebook Edit Pro is loaded with excellent features that
allow you to create multi-media Ebooks, and includes a
Wizard that is customized for beginners and for
advanced users. The software uses HTML files,
downloading them from the directory where they are
saved. Edit and resave your files in the original
software used to create those files, and then with a
single click you can re-compile your Ebook.

Features include customization of icons, toolbars, and
the "about box." This compiler has a particularly
useful feature called the Rebrander feature. This
permits you to enter customized code into your Ebook
pages and distribute the Rebrander software to your
affiliates or distributors. They can then customize
the links included in the Ebook, but they can not
alter any link or information that you have not
entered a customized code for.

The software includes "e Brand-It" software that allows
custom fields for your customer's name, affiliate ID
or URL. This feature is a powerful marketing tool
because affiliates are much happier giving away your
E book from their own site when they can customize it.

* E book Compiler

This compiler offers a demo version that allows you to
compile 10 files. If you don't include graphics, you
can create a 10 page E book that allows printing and
copying of the E book. The catch is that you can't sell
any E book you create in the demo version.

The purchased software is user-friendly with
easy-to-follow help files that not only guide you
through the steps of compiling your E book, but also
explains what an E book compiler does. The software
provides detailed instructions on how to create source
files from Microsoft Word 2000 and 1997, PowerPoint
2000 and 1997, and HTML documents. It contains less
detailed instructions for creating source files from
other programs.

This compiler allows for password protection of your
entire E book or for selected pages. Additionally, you
can set a time limit on your Ebook. When the runs out,
the customer no longer has access unless they pay for
it. In other words, it allows you to create a demo
version of your E book for marketing purposes.

You can set a single password or multiple passwords.
Using multiple passwords assigns each user their own
specific password. Online help files guide you through
setting up your passwords. You can also create a Sales
and Thank-you page for selling a password protected
E book. This is a good choice for the novice,
particularly since it includes basic features for
password protection and distribution.


This is an easy to use compiler that provides
excellent features. This software can support HTML,
J PEG, GIF, and all active plug-ins. Features includes
password protection, branding, internet linking, icon
customization, assigning unique serial numbers, splash
screen, file compression, and start-up messages. It
also provides free lifetime upgrades. Additionally, it
includes a preprocessed, re-brander, active script,
and detailed instructions for using HTML, Power Point,
and Microsoft Word files.

There are several other excellent E book compilers on
the market that are worth looking into.

E book Generator features splash screens, password
protection, branding, icon customization, and
compression control. Additionally, it includes virus
prevention that alerts the user to any modifications
made to your Ebook and offers usage statistics so you
can track your Ebook's use. With all these advanced
features, this is an excellent compiler for the
beginner because it is exceptionally easy to run.

E book Creator is another excellent compiler,
supporting HTML, JPEG, GIF, and PNG graphics, and
JavaScript, VB script, and Java applets. It also
supports all Internet Explorer plug-ins. Standard
features include unique serial numbers, direct linking
to a form or a page on your website, disabled right
clicking, and search functions. The software allows
for expiration after a set number of days or usages,
which allows you to create demo versions. You can
create up to 1000 different passwords; every time the
E book is downloaded, a unique password is required to
access protected pages. The software provides
user-friendly menus and buttons that allow the
beginner to the advanced user to easily create their
E book.

Obviously, there are some excellent compilers out
there. So figure out EVERYTHING you need in terms of
features, and then compare prices and options. Do take
advantage of demo versions if they are offered before
purchasing. And then, have fun creating your E book!

Legitimate Home Business Opportunities

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How To Price Your Online E-book

You've written and compiled an ebook. Now you have to
decide how much to charge for it. Finding the right
price is essential to the success of your product. If
you charge too little, people will think it's of
little value, and they won't purchase it, or even it
they do buy your book, you will have to sell thousands
of copies to get to the point where you can begin to
see a profit. If you price it too high when compared
with your competition, you will find yourself steadily
lowering the price, which will cause you all kinds of
new problems in the future. For example, if you sell
your ebook at first for $39.99, and later reduce it to
$24.95, don't you think the people who bought it for
$39.99 are going to be upset?

Choosing the right price for your ebook is one of the
most critical parts of the marketing process. The
first rule of pricing ebooks is to never under price.
Determine the highest price your audience can afford,
and then if you find your book isn't selling, you can
always reduce the price. Before you take that step,
make sure you are promoting your book like crazy on
the Internet and on websites. The price should be
aimed at bringing in profits, but you should never
forget that price is one of the factors that people
use in judging the value of your ebook ? before they
buy it. So always start with the highest price, and
then launch a mega-marketing campaign.

Pricing an ebook is particularly difficult because
ebooks are a fairly new commodity. Since they are
digital, the value of an ebook is as confusing as the
understanding of what digital actually is to the
average layperson. This means that we must look at
ebooks in a different light in order to determine
their actual worth in this brave, new cyber world.

Let's look at the difference between a book in print
and an ebook. A printed book is an object you can hold
in your hand, store on your bookshelf, even hand down
to the next generation. It is priced on factors such
as paper stock, design and production costs, and
marketing.

But the fact that unites ebooks and print books is
that they are composed of ideas. It is the ideas in
these books that have the ability to change, or
possibly transform, people's lives.

What do you think an idea is worth when evaluated
against the cost of paper and ink?

It is the IDEAS that are valuable! That is how you
determine the cost of your ebook.

What should I charge for my ideas?

There are all different formulas and methods for
determining the correct price for your ebook. Let's
begin with honing in on your ultimate goals.

Decide if your goal is to get wide distribution and
maximum exposure. This goal is aimed at drawing
customers to your business or service, or to
establishing the credibility of your reputation. If
this is your main goal, you should aim to keep your
price on the low side. Some authors have even priced
their ebooks at a profit loss to draw a high number of
new customers. The key is to find a price that
maximizes your profits and the number of books you
sell.

This is an excellent pricing strategy if you are
looking to acquire long-term customers. Long-term
customers are extremely likely to buy from you again
and again ? as long as the first ebook they buy is of
exceptional quality and beneficial to the customer.

However, if your book contains valuable and more
importantly NEW information, references, or techniques
then you should aim to price it on the high end.

After you figure out your goal, you must figure out
what your audience's need is for your ebook. For
example, does your book solve a particular problem? If
it does, and solves it in a way that hasn't been
written about in one hundred other ebooks, you will be
able to achieve high sales at a high price. If your
book solves a problem or answers questions in a new
and unique way, you should price your book as high as
you can go. You will achieve larger profits this way,
but bring in fewer customers. Just make sure the
question or problem that your book solves is one that
is important and relevant to the majority of your
market audience. If your ideas are not common
knowledge, or you are presenting a brand new
technique, you will be able to sell books at a high
price. Just be prepared for your competition to
undercut you on price as soon as they hear about your
book.

Keep in mind that the above pricing strategy is
temporary. Eventually, you will cease to sell books at
this high price. So figure out in advance how long you
plan to offer your ebook at this high price, and when
that time is up, change your pricing strategy.

If you want to see large profits over customer draw,
aim for an audience that is looking for easy solutions
to their problems at a low price. If your book is
aimed at solving one particular problem rather than
general advice, then you can charge more. Start at the
highest price the market will bear to bring in the
largest profits, and plan to discount the book a
number of times throughout the year.

Marketing Strategies

The key that unlocks the sales potential of your ebook
is to find a single sentence that becomes your selling
handle. This sentence states what question or problem
your book answers and the benefits your ebook can
provide. Then be sure to use that sentence in every
piece of sales and promotional material, and every
time anyone asks you about your ebook.

Besides promoting your books assiduously online, there
are several other strategies that can help you sell
more books.

One is to give something away for free with your book,
such as a valuable bonus item. Or bundle several
ebooks under one price, which lowers the price for
each ebook if they were sold separately.

An effective technique for figuring out a price is to
send out a survey to your current customers. If these
customers have already bought an ebook from you, ask
for their opinion in terms of price. Do this by
creating a sales page for the new book, but don't
include a price on that page. Instead, add a number of
links to survey questions that ask pointed questions
to aid you in assigning a price to your ebook.

Another strategy is to test out prices by creating a
number of duplicate sales pages with different prices
on each page. Make sure your sales copy is exactly the
same on every page, and includes your selling-handle
sentence. Then figure out for each page the conversion
ratio between visitors to your site and sales of your
book. This will tell you what your optimum price is.

Ultimately, if you've written a book that solves a
problem or presents a new technique, your book will
bring in both traffic and profits. So be sure to write
that selling-handle sentence that sums up what problem
your book solves and what the benefits of your book
will be to the customers who purchase it. And then
watch your market come to you!

Legitimate Home Business Opportunities

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