How to use eBooks for Lead Generation

Every business is searching for methods to drive up their lead generation strategies. Some even send their executives to seminars and conferences. Others use affiliate marketing as a tool to broadcast their products and gain more leads, yet some companies aim to offer value to their customers by providing free eBooks. These smart companies understand that clients appreciate businesses that connect to them by meeting them halfway. Companies should offer something that’s of value to win customers.

eBooks are one of the most powerful lead generation strategies that every business should be utilizing to catch more leads online. eBooks are now largely used as lead magnets. They help attract potential customers and persuade them to register for a mailing list. Marketers consider eBooks as extremely effective lead generation resources.

What are eBooks?

They’re basically an electronic version of a book. They can be read on a handheld device, laptop, or computer. eBooks are digital pieces of content that provide information about certain topics.

How Do eBooks Generate Leads?

Companies should recognize that the greatest source of information about a certain product or service is a product expert. Experts can outline the real-life experiences of clients and how their concerns are addressed. This is where eBooks come into the picture.

• Think of going to a store; you sometimes see product stands that offer samples to try, huge discounts, and bundled products. These are marketing tactics intended to persuade customers by giving them immediate benefit or experience. A sample taste, a lowered price, or a direct use for a little cost can be one way of getting their trust. By offering products at a little to no cost, these brands convey that they have valuable goods to offer and that they are willing and confident to prove it. Whether you’re selling products or services, you can use the same strategy by supplying eBooks as samples.
• In their content strategy, smart businesses often incorporate testimonials from pleased customers as proof of their competence in the industry. Integrating your customers’ testimonials into an eBook will let you control the content you share.

How Do eBooks Help Your Business?

• Not only can businesses control the information shared in their eBooks, but they can also define the tone. People are overwhelmed with online advertisements these days, and the traditional lead generation resources seem to be delivering less ROI — customers resist hard selling, especially when they feel it’s too prowling. eBooks offer perceptive marketing that essentially allows clients to find you, instead of you finding them.
• They’re inexpensive to produce. Hire a cover designer and a writer and then publish your lead-generating eBook. Your eBooks don’t need to have hundreds of pages. As a matter of fact, an eBook ranging from 25-50 pages is already enough. Lengthy eBooks usually become less effective. Think about this– in a year, how many reports does your business produce? It surely isn’t hard to create a 25-page eBook of success stories, practical tips, and information about your products.

What Are Other Advantages of eBooks?

1. Variety: Instead of providing a static product, businesses can add links to audios, videos, or images to increase visual appeal. Several eBook publishers even allow businesses to update their eBooks’ content with new data/information.
2. Convenience: eBooks provide the best method for an instant call-to-action. Checklists, coupons, and recipes can promptly draw prospects with just a click to redeem an offer. And where do those clicks lead them? To your blog, website, or Facebook page.
3. Quantifiable measurements: eBooks with links allow companies to track their success, making it easier to identify the ROI of their marketing strategy.

eBooks as Brand Image Enhancers

Certainly, investing your time, effort, and money in making an eBook won’t be worthwhile if people can’t connect useful content with your brand. To adequately ensure that the potential clients are inspired to look into your company, you have to maximize the eBook’s power to enhance your brand’s image.

1. Display a professional image: Make sure that the writing, editing, and format are publication-ready. The way your eBook is portrayed will determine how prospects will perceive your brand.
2. Complement your existing brand: If your product and company logos are already recognized and trusted, incorporate them on your eBook’s cover. If your logos are not yet recognized by your target audience, make sure to use professional images/logos that represent the impression you want your brand to evoke.
3. Implement with precision: When producing a publication-ready eBook, consider media conversion. Consider what size or shape your content would need to maintain its appeal on the page. You want your content to be grasped as clearly in an accurate format on different eBook readers and devices.

How to produce eBooks quickly and efficiently?

• Existing Content: eBooks don’t have to be written from scratch. A lot of eBooks are actually based on re-purposed content such as email newsletters, blog posts, e-zines, and sales presentations. To start creating your eBook, just gather all your old blog posts about specific topics, and add an introduction. Make sure to include a call-to-action to direct your prospects to your blog, website, or Facebook page.
• Images: If you’re already using images in your blog posts, then you can use them as graphical elements in your eBook. Nevertheless, you can easily find loads of free or paid stock images from stock photo sites. You can make a simple eBook using Microsoft Word or an eBook creation software like Beacon.

In conclusion, an eBook is a powerful content marketing strategy and lead generation tool. Since eBooks are typically published as PDF files, they are a very convenient tool that helps in targeting a specific audience. With high-quality content, your eBook will definitely draw more clients to your brand.