Achieving #1 Amazon Bestseller status is a big accomplishment. When Lynn Bromley decided to launch her own author’s website hub with both a hardcopy and an eBook it definitely opened possibilities.
I was introduced to Lynn by a common friend of ours. I had never worked with an author before and was eager to explore this new niche and learn more about authors in general.
Lynn had both the hardcopy and the digital version (Kindle) of her book available on Amazon. So how did she approach her author’s website project or more importantly, why did she decide to offer both versions of her book?
Having a book published may definitely look more prestigious. If you were to publish your first book tomorrow and had the option to choose between a hardcopy or an ebook, which one would you pick?
I believe most of us would choose the hardcopy. I can only imagine how good it must feel to have your first book published and hold a physical copy in your hands! Yes, what a great picture!
Lynn decided to use a very creative way for authors who offer their books on their own author’s website which is something that can NOT be done on Amazon. She offered an option for people to purchase her book with a signed and personalized message.
How cool is that?
It’s very special and makes for a great gift option.
In addition to getting a ‘special’ copy of her book, there are benefits of having a digital eBook available.
#1 - Offer the book and use the the ebook as an upsell
There are two ways we can create an upsell, either as what we call an ‘order bump’ or as an upsell on a subsequent page once someone has made a purchase.
In the case of an eBook, it works really well as an order bump. The principle is simple, the eBook is offered on the checkout page of the hardcopy book and can be added to the order by simply checking a checkbox. That’s it!
And that’s what Lynn chose to do. She created a funnel for the book and at the checkout the eBook is offered at a discounted price. This is a great advantage for the buyer who doesn’t have to wait to receive the book to start reading it. Definitely a win-win.
#2 - Offer the eBook and upsell the book or an entirely different product
This is an easy solution as some people will prefer to purchase the digital eBook to get instant access and start reading it right away. However, we can definitely add steps to that funnel (aka the customer’s buying experience) and still offer the book or even another product, such as an enrollment into a community membership for example.
#3 - Avoid international shipping cost and reach a much bigger audience with the eBook
International shipping can sometimes be expensive in relation to the cost of a book. Having a digital version of the book available on the author’s website gives the flexibility to serve a much bigger audience by avoiding possible costly international shipping fees as well as shipping delays. Another big win-win.
#4 - Use the eBook as a bonus for other types of products and/or offers
As we’re building more ways to serve our audience, we are obviously creating new offers. Ebooks make great bonuses when they’re aligned with a specific offer. They add value to our offers, they’re easy to provide and simple to download.
#5 - The ebook can be used as a giveaway / lead magnet
Even though an eBook might be available for purchase on the author’s website, it is always possible when necessary to use it for promotional purposes. They are perfect for giveaways or as a temporary free lead magnet for a specific opportunity such as an online summit or a guest speaking event. That’s another big advantage for having full control of our content and definitely for authors to have their own author’s website.
Lynn has created a simple and beautiful author’s website with two products - her book AND the eBook version. A big congratulations, this is just the beginning.
Quick question: which other advantages or benefits do you see for having both a hardcopy as well as a digital copy? Let me know in the comments.
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From my personal experience, three versions of the book are vital. Paperback, ebook as a Kindle, and a PDF downloadable of the exact file the paperback was taken from.
At first I offered the Kindle at 99 cents only for one day to boost the bestseller ranking on Amazon. Preparing the list to grab the book in just the right time in a nurturing way is good practice.
The PDF became a great bonus for classes associated with the book content. Using the exact PDF the book was printed from on-demand gives the receiver the benefit of referring to page numbers.
I’ve also used the PDF as a free giveaway when I meet someone in person.
Thank you for the suggestion Donna. Definitely a plus to be able to search the PDF. Quick question, what did you use for on-demand?