There are about three times as many of you as last week, which I have to say is fantastic and quite unexpected. To tell you the truth, right now things feel a bit like the opening night of a high school play, one where the pimply actors are all running around muttering their lines under their breath and the paint on the set is still drying five minutes before the curtain goes up.

Remember how I said that I set this scary deadline of February 16^th? Yeah, well. I got the eBook done alright (ok I’m finishing the last chapter). That deadline catapulted me to the keyboard, let me tell you. But there are two little things that I neglected to factor into my timeline: a) the layout and b) the sales page. Yeah. Fail!

Here’s why it’s great.

I make the mistakes so you don’t have to!

Here is my pearl of wisdom for those of you contemplating your eBook trilogy on the Essential Secrets of Underwater Basket Weaving:

Write the sales or landing page for your eBook first.

Not the final, polished, whiz-bang one. Just a draft.  This serves several purposes:

• Gives you a list of criteria for the content of your eBook.
• Forces you to focus on the most compelling information you have to offer.
• Practically outlines the thing for you.
• Helps you get a jump on thinking about extra bells and whistles you can offer to enhance the experience of your eBook.

My question for you now is…

I am contemplating the best ways in which to support the buyers of my forthcoming eBook, Creating eBooks that Create Fans: The Sticky eBooks Kickstart Kit.

Most people find the task of writing a meaty eBook daunting. Like any daunting task, and even not so daunting ones, most of us won’t do a thing without some helpful nudges and a healthy dose of peer support.

So, which [free] bell or whistle do you think would be most helpful on the journey to eBook fame and fortune?

• An hour of one on one with me for outline development, brainstorming and/or moral support.
• A private forum in which to share eBook ups and downs, feedback and suggestions.
• A monthly Q&A call to check in and help us all generate ideas.
• Other [suggestions welcome]

And while we’re on the subject…

What is in your eBook pipeline? Are you considering bundling services or support for your readers?

Thank you and enjoy the show.

David Meerman Scott, marketing guru and author of World Wide Rave, believes strongly that you should give away your eBook for free, without requiring so much as an email address. Naomi Dunford of IttyBiz, marketing guru and co-author of How To Launch the S*** Out of Your eBook made $12,000+ in a day with the launch of a $37 eBook (hint: she tells you how to, too).

So what’s the answer?

The answer, as always, depends on who your market is and on who you are.

David wants to be recognized as a thought leader on viral marketing by C-level executives (CEOs, etc.). Naomi needed to pay her rent and had valuable, useful information to teach her loyal readers (ittybiz owners) in her irreverent way. David’s approach is a more global outreach, Naomi’s is laser-targeted.

David’s approach still leads to sales, albeit in an indirect way. By spreading his ideas far and wide he becomes a trusted expert on his niche, corporate marketing and PR.

Which approach makes the most sense for you and your goals? I’d love to know.

What are some reasons your eBook idea or outline is gathering digital dust on your hard drive?

• Lack of time: There is an entire industry for time management experts so I won’t address that here. But if you can’t pare down your busy schedule, that’s where the magic of outsourcing comes into play. That, or investin in Dave Navarro’s 30 Hours a Day program (for just a $10 donation).
• Lack of deadline: Setting a date for publication and working backwards is the best way I know to get writing done. It helps if you announce it to everyone in your network, or start posting teasers for the launch date on your blog. This not only builds excitement but will keep you on schedule!
• Lack of focus: Do you know what it’s about? Do you have a lot of competing ideas? The prescription for this is to find out what your target market is hungry for and let them tell you what your focus should be.

What other reasons (excuses) am I missing? Share yours in the comments below and I’m happy to help!

“[eBooks are] technically easy and when it works, your idea will spread far and wide. Even better, the act of writing your idea in a cogent, organized way will make the idea better.” Seth Godin

“Selling an ebook is a curiosity attractor: people will link to it and visit just because it’s there, and it’s new.” – Michael Martine, Remarkablogger

“So there are still plenty of opportunities to monetize with an ebook. But it has to be terrific.” – Sonia Simone, Copyblogger

“…I am a huge fan of ebooks as a way to show the world that you’re smart and worthy of doing business with.” – David Meerman Scott, Web Ink Now

“There’s money to be made in ebooks and unless you’re in internet marketing, the market is nowhere near saturated.” – Naomi Dunford, IttyBiz

That’s who.