Jeez! Internet marketing Ebooks are everywhere. “Secrets Revealed” and “Something-or-another Magic”. “10,000,000 Killer Ideas” and “Instant Money Without Working For It”. And, of course, the latest-and-greatest of all…
“How to Crank Out a New Ebook Every 30 Seconds!”
Is this what we call “the ebook craze”? A better name might be the “Make-a-Quick-Buck Ebook Frenzy!”
Now, don’t get me wrong. I like ebooks. I like them a lot. I love being able to place an order, click download, and be seeing what I bought light up 480,000 pixels in blazing color on my computer screen within a matter of minutes.
But, I also want those kilobytes of data to deliver real substance. “Meaty” stuff that I can sink my teeth into and learn from. Original ideas that dispatch a psycho-electric charge to my brain and makes that little light in my head glow bright and warm.
Sadly, it’s been a long while since an ebook has delivered much more to my hard drive than the current you’d get from a nearly dead AAA battery.
And is it any wonder? Some authors (and a few of them very respected Internet marketers) are cranking out one ebook after another. It seems the onslaught to cash in on the ebook craze is creating an unending proliferation of poorly done ebooks.
So, how can you weed out the good ebooks from the bad? How can you know which ones will deliver value for your hard earned dollar BEFORE you make the investment?
Here’s a few “rules of thumb” that I think will serve you well as you consider your next marketing ebook purchase:
#1 – A QUALITY PRODUCT WILL SELL ON IT’S OWN MERITS
I can’t remember how many ebook sales sites I’ve visited where half to two-thirds of the sales copy was directed at all the “valuable(?) bonuses” I’d get with my purchase. This kind of site screams “LOW QUALITY!” to me.
I’ve always felt that true quality can stand on it’s own. A product that delivers honest value needs no help from freebies and will sell completely on it’s own merit.
#2 – A HIGH AFFILIATE COMMISSION CAN SIGNAL INFLATED PRICES
Check to see if there is an affiliate program for the ebook. If so, look at the commission structure. While not always true, a commission pay out of greater than 25-35% could mean you’re paying an inflated price to make up for the commission.
With commission structures you must exercise your own good judgement. Just remember that those who make their living by selling other’s products through affiliate programs consider a 25-35% commission a fair return.
#3 – IS THERE A FREE TRIAL DOWNLOAD?
Look for a free trial download of one or two chapters from the ebook. This is a very good sign of the author’s confidence in the product and your opportunity to get a glimpse of what you’ll be getting with the full “paid-for” version.
Always use this option if available. You can tell a lot about the ebook and the quality of the content by reading a single chapter. A free trial download generally comes with a table-of-contents, too. Here you’ll get an idea if the ebook is going to deliver MORE or LESS than what you expect for the price.
#4 – WATCH FOR THOSE “USE-IT-FOR-A-FULL-YEAR” GUARANTEES
Contrary to what you might believe, a LONG guarantee period usually signals lower quality.
Think about it. Do you remember what you purchased a year ago? This type of guarantee can lull you out of a sense of urgency to evaluate your purchase. The author is likely hoping you will “download-it-and-forget-it”.
I have much more confidence in my ebook purchases when there is a simple 30 day “no questions asked” money back guarantee. It signals to me that the author is confident that I will be a satisfied customer.
#5 – “YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR” DOESN’T ALWAYS APPLY
Ebooks literally cost next to nothing to produce and deliver. Therefore, the prices of digital products are determined strictly from perceived value. And perceived value is directly related to good (or bad) sales copy.
Do a little research on the author. Many times you will find that the content of the author’s newest ebook is no more than a collection of articles posted for FREE at his web site only re-written in a little more detail.
Think twice before you shell out $97.00 plus for an ebook. With the current ebook craze you RARELY get what you pay for.
#6 – ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS DEMAND VALUE
Is there a “no questions asked” money back guarantee? If there is, and you DON’T find a value that meets or exceeds the price you paid, USE IT!
Unfortunately, this “make-a-quick-buck” craze gives a black-eye to the quality-conscious ebook publishers and their affiliate programs. By demanding quality we may eventually see an end to the current tide of low value ebooks.
Darrell Finkeldei publishes “The Start Advisor” newsletter.
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