What are e-books? Are they affordable? What is the ROI on thought leadership e-books? E-books are books you download, either through Kindle or as a PDF. They're affordable to buy and, as you'll see, affordable to have ghostwritten for you. Their ROI is varied and significant.
For some of you, an e-book will represent a fraction of your marketing spend. For others, it will be a significant but worthwhile investment. Either way, whether your business is B2B or B2C, a short e-book
- establishes credibility,
- generates leads,
- and maintains client loyalty.
But only if done well!
E-books Are the Perfect Evergreen Content
E-books are the ultimate form of evergreen content. They're a marketing tool that doesn't dull with time or fade with trends.
The benefits stack up quickly. Depending on your goals:
- You can sell them, often earning back your spend.
- You can send them to clients only, supplying them exclusive value.
- You can offer them for free as a download to generate leads and email sign-ups.
You can cycle through 1-3 and create a blog series or podcast from the content later. There are other benefits too. For example, you can be invited onto other podcasts and be cited by other leaders. Your book puts your foot in the door at other companies and creates dialogue with other thought leaders. The upshots are legion.
What Will Your E-book Be About?
Obviously, that's up to you. The content will be driven by your business model, story, and values—what makes you, you. What makes you stand out from the competition? That's what goes in the book.
Consider a few scenarios:
- You're the new, three-person consulting firm on the block and need to simultaneously prove your expertise and establish your fresh, unique approach.
- You're a large software company that does managing a little differently. You want to show how your managing style informs the excellence of your products.
- You're a well-established, multi-generational law firm. You want to share your storied history with an audience to build trust.
Content will also change depending on your business model. The difference between a B2B and B2C-focused e-book is captured well by Abbi Tanton for Demand Science:
"In B2B marketing, [e-books] are designed to deliver in-depth information, address complex challenges, and build thought leadership over longer sales cycles. These assets are crafted to engage multiple stakeholders, focusing on problem-solving and ROI-driven insights that resonate with decision-makers. In contrast, B2C [e-books] typically emphasize storytelling, brand affinity, and entertainment, aiming for quicker engagement and more impulsive purchases."
As you probably guessed, then, what your e-book will be about will be as varied as the number of business visions and mission statements.
How Much Does an E-book Cost?
Subject to availability, I offer three packages for thought leaders. Naturally, I'm open to adapting to your needs.