How to use e-books to convert more clients

If you’re an avid reader, or interested in the wealth of knowledge that's available, then you’ve probably noticed a serious shift from print to digital resources. Ebooks have taken over the literary world, adding an element of accessibility and ease as a contrast to carrying a large number of books. The popularity of ebooks is excellent news for writers, but how can this tool be applied to marketers? Utilizing ebooks can actually offer you a way to convert more clients.

The number of content marketers exploring the world of ebooks is rapidly growing. As the world turns more and more attention to their mobile devices, ebooks have become an essential way to reach and convert customers. So, how can you make ebooks help you to meet goals, get leads and win sales? We’ve got all the important information regarding how to work with this platform, so read on to reveal our ebook secrets.

Here’s how to use ebooks to convert more clients!

What's an ebook?

To make things as clear and straightforward as possible, an ebook is a long-form piece of content which details or offers extensive information on a topic. Essentially, it’s a text that has been converted to a digital resource and can be viewed from a device as such including a laptop, desktop computer, iPad, mobile phone or tablet. Ebooks are structured like traditional books but are generally accompanied by a visual element which may include graphs or tables, graphics, lists and so forth. The design and layout of your ebook are quite important, as your content will be in competition with the limited attention span of people. Let’s take a look at how the formatting can help your readers absorb and remember your content.

Choosing the format for your ebook

If the ebook you create isn’t formatted in an inviting or user-friendly way, chances are that people will not read it. This is why it’s important to consider how your information can be presented so that it's visually stimulating. The PDF format is the most widely used when it comes to ebook creation. Although this is a good place to start for some, if you’re largely trying to attract consumers through their mobile devices, we’d suggest considering another format.

PDFs don’t look great on phones, and this could mean a poor user experience including difficulty when scrolling content, zooming in on images or the inability to search within the PDF. Obviously, if you’re hoping to convert clients, this may cause difficulty. 

Make sure to create your ebook in a format that works on various platforms and with various e-readers. HTML5 works well for certain publications, especially if you’re looking to convert via mobile or desktop devices. Regardless of the format you choose, be sure that the layout is creative and unique alongside offering valuable information. Do ample research as well as AB testing when it comes to choosing the right format for your business needs.

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How can an ebook be effective for lead generation?

Now, this may not be initially clear but ebooks are able to provide a subtle marketing technique that allows consumers to come to you before you reach out to them. If you use this resource correctly, an ebook is extremely effective at generating leads. Consumers will seek out an ebook when looking for the answer to a question or a solution in relation to a subject.

Therefore, the only way to really engage potential clients and customers is to create an ebook with specific, detailed information that contains these direct solutions or answers. In exchange for the ebook, you should request the consumer offer an email address and basic contact information, as this is the necessary hook for the lead processing information.

Above all, your ebook needs to be valuable to the reader, and thus should be as in-depth and educational as possible. Take time to craft it; as the more informative it is, the easier it will be to build trust with your consumers. Once trust is built, the easier sales will be.

An excellent way to build a profile of readers, and essentially convert leads faster, is by gating content What this means is that a form will pop up alongside or with your ebook, asking for the consumers' information. Of course, a consumer will only be interested in offering it up if the content you’re providing is worth it. As mentioned, you’re looking for at least a name and email address, but gaining any other info will be valuable, including their place of business, a phone number, the industry for which they work, their income and so forth.

More information about content gating

In our last section, we mentioned this term; but what does it mean exactly? Gating content means creating specific landing pages with a form where clients can offer up their personal information. If you have a website, there are many tools online to create specific, branded landing pages with lead capture forms. Find a tool that is compatible with many different websites, such as Unbounce. Also, perform some AB testing to see what works best with your target market.

If your budget doesn’t allow you to explore these tools, put your energy towards creating a better looking and accessible ebook. We should also mention that there are also plenty of free landing page creation options. Take your time and shop around for the option that best suits your needs and budget.

If you don’t have a business website to begin with, you can still create a landing page to collect consumer emails. Free options may have limited features, but they can get the job done when it comes to gathering basic information as well as converting clients.

Following up!

Following up with potential customers is crucial to the conversion process. As you’ve likely gathered a collection of email addresses, this is what you’ll use to reach consumers. Start by sending a follow-up email to check in regarding how they enjoyed your ebook, if they have any feedback or if you're able to assist them with more information.

Consider sending similar content regarding the subject of your ebooks, such as blog posts or videos you’ve created. Remember not to overwhelm potential customers if you don’t hear from them right away, but do experiment with other channels such as connecting on social media. Trust takes time to build, so try not to force it.

Of course, do not forget to promote your ebook and take efforts to market so that you’re able to reach your target audience. Do bear in mind that you won’t have clients rolling in overnight, as all marketing takes ample perseverance. Again, if your content is valuable, it will get noticed. The most important takeaway of our article is put in a valiant effort when it comes to creating your ebook. If everything goes to plan, the clients should follow!