Whilst selling eBooks is a very inviting idea due to the small start up costs and the overall simple selling process, the bad news is many other eBay sellers have now discovered this market and realised its potential.
With hundreds of eBook sellers operating on eBay offering many similar products it can be easy for your listings to get lost in the crowd. Which is why it’s absolutely imperative to make your listings stand out from the competition. A lot of it comes down to being creative and being original about how you market your eBooks.
Here are several methods that will generally attract more attention from potential customers. Some of these ideas might sound quite basic, but try putting your own personal twist on them and see if you can boost your sales. Remember to include a counter on your listings so you can keep track of how many views your listing is generating.
• Visually Stand Out
Search through eBay for one of the eBooks you are selling. You’ll no doubt find dozens of the same eBooks all with the same graphics and eBook covers to promote them. If you follow the crowd and simply use the basic graphics that were supplied with the eBook then you are merely relying on luck that you will be the one who makes the sale.
However promoting the eBook in a new and more interesting way can really separate you from all the other sellers of that particular eBook. If possible try to create your own eBook cover for each eBook you sell. This sounds like it might be a lot of work, however with many software programs now available it couldn’t be any easier. Using an old and tired eBook cover gives out the completely wrong message to potential customers. If the cover is poorly designed then what’s the say the rest of the book isn’t of the same standard.
• Review Your Sales Copy
Not only are the majority of sellers are using the same graphics and eBook covers, but if you open a few listings you’ll notice that much of the sales copy and product description is completely the same as the next. Whilst this is absolute poor marketing on their part, it’s a great opportunity for you to be different.
Sure, it takes a little extra work to re-write product descriptions but it will definitely pay off in the long run. Creating a unique looking auction will really set you apart in a market that’s full of carbon copies.
Also pay attention to your auction title. You have around 55 characters at your disposal, so use them wisely. Again, it’s ok to see what other sellers are doing however don’t rely too heavily on their tactics if you want to be seen as different. If might sound basic, but make sure you fill your title with words that potential customers will actually search for.
• Offer Your Customers Something Extra
Another great way to generate additional interest and sales is to offer something a little extra in your auctions. With physical items you’ll notice many sellers use the technique of offering discounted postage if they buy more items. Well, why not apply this to eBooks. Of course postage is free already with eBooks, however this doesn’t stop you from providing a discount if they buy more than one item from you.
If you have a series of eBooks all related to the same subject, think about offering these in some sort of bulk package. Instead of offering customers a single eBook at a time, why not bundle a few eBooks together, this way you can promote your auction as a complete package.
It’s all about being a little creative and analysing what the competition isn’t doing. Try some of these techniques and I’ll sure you will find your auction views rocket, as well as your sales.
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