For those of us that have been writing copy and headlines since
back in the day when broken pencils and a dog-eared Roget's Thesaurus
were the only indicators of our private adoration of words, the E-book
is nothing short of a miracle.
Who could have imagined a day when we could write a compelling product exposé, a vibrant corporate communications feature, and a dynamic branding piece for instant consumption?
The E-Book is a giant leap for marketing-kind and a critical tool for advertisers, sellers and promoters of modern goods and services. In this age of information, the E-book makes facts and figures appetizing. With catchy titles and tantalizing covers, it makes marketing-speak palatable. With charts, graphs and a fully stocked bibliography, E-books provide relevant and thought-provoking commentary on things that matter to the consumer, the buyer, and/or the target audience.
Here are few more reasons why well-crafted, skillfully researched, and professionally designed E-books should be a key part of any marketing strategy:
Immediate Gratification: We have clearly evolved into an impulse society. Here in "the age of instant," consumers have come to expect fast information. We no longer have the luxury of waiting to print and mail something as a "friendly follow-up." The follow-up must be now and an E-book can be sent in seconds via email and then viewed, downloaded and printed out upon receipt. There is no better time than now and no better information than what's top-of-mind and trending.
Versatile: Dropping an E-book into a prospect's inbox is really just the beginning. E-books are multi-use and multipurpose and can be featured in a variety of digital locales. E-Book links can be teased on websites, embedded into landing pages, featured in social media, showcased in a press release, and dropped into a QR code. They can be texted, posted, shared and tweeted with a variety of headlines, covers and enticements. They are the quintessential, no commitment, easy-engagement Call-to-Action. They not only cross-devices but also cross countless marketing channels.
Story Marketing Vehicle: One of the most powerful features of an E-book is its ability to tell a compelling marketing story. Storytelling is one of the oldest and most dynamic gifts of humankind. Placing facts, figures and data into a themed communication piece not only creates greater engagement, but far greater audience retention. Storytelling, after all, is how countless generations before us preserved history and tradition. Modern studies confirm that information presented in a story format is far more likely to be retained. Simply put, great brands tell great stories, and E-books are an ideal format to flex the power of narrative.
Cross Generational: E-Books have also managed to do what few marketing programs and platforms can... appeal to Millennials and Baby Boomers alike. For the most part, Millennials crave newsworthy and trending content that can be read on a phone, tablet or notebook. Boomers, on the other hand, often relish the option of printing information out in hard copy so they can sit down and review it the old fashion way. The E-book's flexible configuration accommodates both preferences so when properly written and designed, it is a cross-demographic solution.
Evergreen Content: With careful planning and strategic writing, an E-book can also provide critical evergreen content for SEO purposes. That's the modern way of saying findable, searchable copy that never really goes out of date. Because of its perennial nature, evergreen content can attract readers for a longer period of time. So an ever-relevant E-book could be the answer to maintaining user engagement and building brand awareness over the long haul. Forget the hardcover versus softcover debate, building a sustainable E-book library or even a Free E-book store could perhaps be the most powerful marketing tool for products and brands looking to get noticed and found... over and over again.
So marketers seeking out the next automation or curation tool may want to take pause. As you sift through the maddening metrics of algorithms, re-targeting, tracking, tag management, predictive analytics, data exchanges, A/B testing, real-time decisioning, CRM, CMS, and SEO... you may just find that a well written and highly engaging E-book detailing the overriding merits of your product, service, or brand could possibly be the best thing you can do for your business this year.
Who could have imagined a day when we could write a compelling product exposé, a vibrant corporate communications feature, and a dynamic branding piece for instant consumption?
The E-Book is a giant leap for marketing-kind and a critical tool for advertisers, sellers and promoters of modern goods and services. In this age of information, the E-book makes facts and figures appetizing. With catchy titles and tantalizing covers, it makes marketing-speak palatable. With charts, graphs and a fully stocked bibliography, E-books provide relevant and thought-provoking commentary on things that matter to the consumer, the buyer, and/or the target audience.
Here are few more reasons why well-crafted, skillfully researched, and professionally designed E-books should be a key part of any marketing strategy:
Immediate Gratification: We have clearly evolved into an impulse society. Here in "the age of instant," consumers have come to expect fast information. We no longer have the luxury of waiting to print and mail something as a "friendly follow-up." The follow-up must be now and an E-book can be sent in seconds via email and then viewed, downloaded and printed out upon receipt. There is no better time than now and no better information than what's top-of-mind and trending.
Versatile: Dropping an E-book into a prospect's inbox is really just the beginning. E-books are multi-use and multipurpose and can be featured in a variety of digital locales. E-Book links can be teased on websites, embedded into landing pages, featured in social media, showcased in a press release, and dropped into a QR code. They can be texted, posted, shared and tweeted with a variety of headlines, covers and enticements. They are the quintessential, no commitment, easy-engagement Call-to-Action. They not only cross-devices but also cross countless marketing channels.
Story Marketing Vehicle: One of the most powerful features of an E-book is its ability to tell a compelling marketing story. Storytelling is one of the oldest and most dynamic gifts of humankind. Placing facts, figures and data into a themed communication piece not only creates greater engagement, but far greater audience retention. Storytelling, after all, is how countless generations before us preserved history and tradition. Modern studies confirm that information presented in a story format is far more likely to be retained. Simply put, great brands tell great stories, and E-books are an ideal format to flex the power of narrative.
Cross Generational: E-Books have also managed to do what few marketing programs and platforms can... appeal to Millennials and Baby Boomers alike. For the most part, Millennials crave newsworthy and trending content that can be read on a phone, tablet or notebook. Boomers, on the other hand, often relish the option of printing information out in hard copy so they can sit down and review it the old fashion way. The E-book's flexible configuration accommodates both preferences so when properly written and designed, it is a cross-demographic solution.
Evergreen Content: With careful planning and strategic writing, an E-book can also provide critical evergreen content for SEO purposes. That's the modern way of saying findable, searchable copy that never really goes out of date. Because of its perennial nature, evergreen content can attract readers for a longer period of time. So an ever-relevant E-book could be the answer to maintaining user engagement and building brand awareness over the long haul. Forget the hardcover versus softcover debate, building a sustainable E-book library or even a Free E-book store could perhaps be the most powerful marketing tool for products and brands looking to get noticed and found... over and over again.
So marketers seeking out the next automation or curation tool may want to take pause. As you sift through the maddening metrics of algorithms, re-targeting, tracking, tag management, predictive analytics, data exchanges, A/B testing, real-time decisioning, CRM, CMS, and SEO... you may just find that a well written and highly engaging E-book detailing the overriding merits of your product, service, or brand could possibly be the best thing you can do for your business this year.
