Writing an Ebook for Your Business

Originally published December 20, 2021

You don’t need to be a professional author to start writing an eBook. Businesses of all kinds use eBooks as a form of lead generation or gated content to provide valuable information that can turn prospects into paying customers.

At People First Content, we’ve helped authors from various industries turn their ideas into tangible eBooks they can give away or sell to their audience.

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Benefits of Writing an Ebook

Still not sure if writing an eBook is worth your time or money? Consider these benefits.

Brand (and name) recognition

Publishing an eBook under your name gives you an instant boost of credibility in your industry. This can be incredibly helpful for small business owners. It shows that you’re committed to putting in the time to provide valuable content. If you’re trying to land speaking engagements, having a book (or two) under your belt can separate you from the competition.

Add to your marketing funnel

A lot of businesses use eBooks as a form of lead generation by giving them away to people who subscribe to their email lists. These freebies can bring in new customers and help your existing ones trust you even more. Putting out a free eBook is a good marketing strategy for online business owners who may focus on digital marketing.

Earn extra revenue

I’m putting this one last for good reason. While you might be able to make some money off your business eBook, that shouldn’t be your main objective.

Considering the costs of writing, publishing, and marketing your business eBook, you’ll be lucky to break even just on the revenue from your book alone.

The real profit will come from the new clients you attract because of your eBook content.

That being said, once you get several eBooks under your belt and have a following on Amazon or another publishing platform, you can start seeing cash roll in from book sales. You’ll need to be prepared to put in the work, though. Becoming an eBook writer is no simple task, but it can certainly be a worthwhile one.

Guide to Writing an Ebook

OK, now that you’re convinced writing an eBook is a good idea for your business, let’s talk about how to go about doing it. Follow these seven steps, and you’ll be able to add “author” to your list of accomplishments!

Step 1: Figure out your audience

As with other types of content writing, determining your audience before you start writing is critical. For example, do you want to target new customers? Existing ones? Clients in a specific niche?

There’s no limit to the number of business eBooks you can write and publish, so don’t be afraid to speak to a niche audience here.

Remember that the goal is for your readers to walk away feeling like they’ve gained something of value, which usually doesn’t happen with generic content.

Step 2: Figure out your topic

Once you’ve decided who you’re writing for, it’s time to solidify what topic will be helpful to them. For lead generation eBooks, think of a topic that will lead a reader to reach out to your sales team. Here are a few generic eBook ideas that you can customize based on your industry and audience:

• Top X Things You Didn’t Know about ____

• X Ways to Improve Your _____

• An Introduction to Learning _____

You want the eBook topic to be relevant and interesting for your reader. If you have an active social media following, you can ask what your audience wants to learn more about.

You can also ask your customers or do some research to see what type of content your competitors are putting out there.

Step 3: Get organized

At People First Content, we like working from outlines. Putting together an outline before you start writing can ensure you stay organized and that your thoughts are put together in a way that makes sense. Of course, this can always change as you go, but it’s a good place to start.

Step 4: Start writing

Once you have an outline in place, it’s time to start writing! Everyone has their own writing process. Mine is to put words down on paper and go back to edit them later. If you’re feeling stuck, try doing a brain dump. Put everything down that is in your head about the topic, knowing that you can go back and organize it later.

Think of each chapter as a blog post, and write as if you’re simply writing a more extended version of what you’re already used to putting on your website. Add research where necessary, and make sure to cite your sources.

Writing eBooks can be a daunting and time-consuming process. Another option here is to hire a ghostwriter (like us). We’ll work with you to make sure your business idea comes across in an interesting and insightful way to your audience.

Step 5: Edit and publish

It’s always a good idea to have at least one other person read your work before publishing it. We do that here, even though we’re a team of professional writers! Low-quality writing will discourage a reader from choosing your services or buying your product. So always check your work for mistakes and revise for a successful eBook.

Step 6: Design

Your eBook design can be as simple or elaborate as you want. Our design team can work with you to figure out the best design for your eBook! Make sure you incorporate a call to action (CTA) that directs readers to your website or landing page once they’re done reading your eBook.

Step 7: Publish and distribute

EPUB files are best for self-publishing on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. If you’re publishing your eBook on your website or using it as lead generation, though, you might be OK to use a PDF format.

Once your business eBook is published, it’s time to let the world know about it! Spread the word through your email list and social media to get as many people as possible to read your eBook.

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Business Ebook Ideas

Ebooks are powerful tools for lead generation. Here are a few ways you can use them for content marketing to promote your brand.

Add new research

If you have access to first-party research and insights, you can use that to create brand-new research during your eBook creation. This method is excellent for link-building because your source will be the one that everyone else cites when they write about the topic.

Case studies

Give your clients a branded boost by showcasing them in an eBook-length case study. This is an excellent way for potential customers to get an inside look at what it’s like to work with your business.

Go in-depth on a blog post topic

Take a look at the existing content you already have on your website. You likely have at least one post that could use a closer look. Use your data to determine which blog posts got the most traction to help you decide what topic(s) your readers want to learn more about.

How Long Should an Ebook Be?

There’s no limit to how long or short your eBook can be. In general, though, I advise clients that eBooks for lead generation should be at least 1,000 words. That comes to around four pages, based on the industry standard of 250 words per page. It’s long enough for people to feel like it was worth their effort to download, but not so long that they get bored.

However, longer eBooks can also be beneficial, especially if you’re dealing with technical topics or speaking to an audience that’s happy to read 10 or more pages. I recommend going as long as 5,000 words (or 20 pages) for freebies if you have something valuable to say to your audience.

Ebooks can be longer than 20 pages, of course. If you’re planning to sell your eBook, though, then it should be at least 50 pages or 12,500 words.

Again, it’s all about value. How would you feel if you paid $9.99 for an eBook only to find out it was only 25 pages? You’d probably feel a little short-changed and would be hesitant to trust the author in the future.

Let’s Write Your Ebook!

At People First Content, we love taking authors through the process of turning their eBook ideas into valuable content that their readers will enjoy. We can help your business with every aspect of eBook writing, including ghostwriting unique content that incorporates your expertise. Schedule a consultation today and let us help you create a great eBook!

Do you want more traffic?

Why not check out PFC’s guide to becoming a click magnet?

This no-sweat guide to content creation for small businesses and solopreneurs will help you develop a strategy that works toward your goals without overwhelming you.

It's full of actionable tips to help busy business owners go from a blank slate to a top-ranking website.

Learn how to:

• Create an unbeatable content strategy in five simple steps

• Generate compelling topics that attract organic traffic and keep your existing customers coming back for more

• Write content people actually want to read

All in less time than it would take to watch a movie.

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