When you are getting started on the Internet with information products, it is typical to want to write an eBook on your niche topic. The problem is that you can’t be sure the eBook will sell until you have spent valuable time marketing. For this reason it makes a lot of sense to write a short report before you write the eBook. This will tell you if it will be worth your time and effort to take the report and turn it into a much longer piece of writing.
Short reports are typically anywhere from about 7 to 15 pages long. This gives you enough space to present your specific topic to your prospects. This type of writing can also be completed much more quickly than an eBook. The result is a short report that will be ready to market in days instead of weeks. This will allow you to determine very quickly if there is a market of hungry buyers in your niche who would be interested in a more detailed presentation of information in this area.
I like to give away my short reports, but you may decide to sell yours instead. My thinking is that I would prefer for more people to have my report in their hands. I also encourage people to give away my short report in any way they choose. This means that they can use it as a bonus for one of their own products, or simply give it away to their list. Either way, my information will reach more people and my list will grow. This is because I include my contact information on each page of the report. I ask people to sign up when they receive it in order to receive even more information on that topic.
Short reports work well in any niche you can think of. The idea is to choose a specific topic and give as much information as possible. If you receive a favorable response to your report, you will know that an eBook will be a worthwhile use of your time.
I also include some affiliate links in my short reports. This brings me residual income for many months to come. The idea of building your list and earning some income, before you have ever sold anything, should be attractive to you. I also repurpose my content almost immediately, giving me more formats in which to distribute my information.
Heather Bestel says
Hi Connie
Heather from Scotland here!
I’ve had lots of good feedback from my e-book/short report that I give in return for email addresses. This is how I’ve built my list. I’ve learnt a lot from you about this area and I need to go back and see where I can put in more links to my products and how I can repurpose the content. I also think I need to overhaul my opt in page and have a good look at the copy. I’ll do that and report back
Here’s a link to my report:
http://www.heatherbestel.com/2009/10/more-me-time-priceless/
Many thanks
Heather x
Todd Temaat says
I have a report on using Local Search to Win Your Local Market that I’m about to release. Actually getting the opt-in and auto-responder ready now.
But I had to go back and edit it because I liked the tip about having contact info on every page…so obvious, but I completely overlooked it! Thanks again, Connie!
I’ll report back with a link to the opt-in page after it’s done today…
Gwen Tanner says
Thanks for the tips Connie. I will need to create a short report. I currently have a “quick course” that gives a number of tips, but I would like something that is a little more structured for my next topic. I’m not sure if it will go over well as an ebook so creating a short report first is good advice.
Gwen
Karen Wilson Wehrle says
Excellent advice, Connie! As always, you deliver gems that send me scrambling for my notebook and keep me busy for days! You’re keeping me out of mischief, that’s for sure.