MarcusYong
RE:
How can a "Viral ebook" be truly Viral and Profitable?
I understand that content is the most important factor in a viral
ebook.
But lets say you have 10 ebooks with similarly great contents, but
you can only distribute/promote 5 of them. Which one would you choose?
Or more accurately - what do you look for in a truly profitable viral
ebook?
I notice in 90% of the "viral ebooks" that the authors let
you customize them but only on pre-selected products and affiliate
programs.
I personally find them "unattractive" to promote because
sometimes the pre-selected products contradict with my own products
or with those I'm already promoting. A number of occasions I simply
don't like the pre-selected products or affiliate programs. These
factors made me a "hesitant carrier". Sometimes I'll rather
not promote them. (Often I found that I've to PAY to help promote
other people's product/affiliate programs - which is ridiculous).
I'm now creating a few of my own viral packs so any ideas on making
a truly Viral ebook would be great... Thanks!
williec
This
article I wrote and posted in the article section actually addresses
the issue of being able to promote the products that YOU want to promote
with an affiliate product.
I think it 's a good solution.
Willie
Viral Marketing That Works Long-term
Copyright 2004 by Willie Crawford
The concept of a viral marketing tool is a beautiful thing!
You create a product, an ebook, some software, a cute
game, or maybe a screensaver. People love it so much
that they pass it around. Everybody who gets their hands
on this incredible product, wants to share it with everyone
that they know.
Internet marketers love viral tools. You can compile a
collection of your articles, or even those of others, write
a salespage that points out its tremendous value, and others
will go crazy giving it away. Each time someone gives it away,
they pass around your url, and drive traffic AND sales to
your site.
But has that really been your experience with viral marketing
tools? Does business keep growing and growing and growing
as the pace of people sharing your product builds to an
incredible frenzy?
The truth is that for most products created to generate viral
traffic/sales, things really never take off. The creator of the viral
tool had a great idea but why did it fizzle? Why was the virus
cured before it became a marketing epidemic?
In a word... incentive. In order for a product to really go viral
and keep growing, there must be some incentive for EVERY
person who passes it on. This doesn't has to be a monetary
incentive, but the person does have to be rewarded for sharing
that ebook, software, game, screensaver, etc.
The incentive... the reward for passing on a viral product could
be the joy of knowing how much the recipient is going to
enjoy and benefit from using the product. That is why some of
the most famous viral marketing tools were passed on.
But let's focus on viral tools specifically for the internet marketing
crowd for just a minute. Since we study marketing and know
how easily things can go viral over the internet, we are convinced
of the tremendous value of a great viral product. That could be
something as simple as a collection of articles on search
engines. If it contains enough really good articles, this ebook
WILL take off.
However, after the initial growth spurt, the incentive for
passing the viral product on seems to fade. The viral tool very
quickly loses its excitement. The reason that it very quickly loses
its excitement IS because the incentive for passsing it on has
a lower perceived value to those who pass it on after it's been
around for a while.
The secret to keeping a viral marketing tool growing and going
is to make it just as rewarding... just as exciting, for those who
discover it months from now as it is for those exposed to it
when it's first produced.
One way to do this is to intergrate some way to personalize the
item... make it brandable. By allowing a person to change links
within the product to his own affiliate links, you build in tremendous
incentive to pass this item on to as many people as possible
because of the potential "backend" sales.
However, after it's been passed along AND re-branded by several
"generations," some of the backend products may even begin
to
appear less exciting. That's because the 3rd or 4th generation
virus spreaders probably want to promote something that their
audience will view as fresh or exciting. What they need and want
is a way to add a fresh, NEW layer to an existing viral product.
By being able to add a fresh, new layer to an existing product,
they can take that existing viral product... with proven value, and
make it EXCITING again. It will be exciting to the potential new
spreaders because it will allow them to promote a backend product
that THEY are excited about. They is not forced to promote the
backend products that were exciting to the original creator of the
viral tool a YEAR ago.
If it were possible to add a new layer to an existing product, you
would also overcome another drawback to some viral marketing
tools. In order to brand and take advantage of some tools, you
are forced to join affiliate programs for products that you really
have no interest in. If you could add your own layer, on top of the
existing product, you could promote those product that YOU
have an interest in.
"ALLRIGHT" you scream! That does sound like a great idea
but
why tell me about something that's a great idea that's not possible.
I'm telling you about it because it IS possible. There is a brand
new product out that I've been using a lot this week to rebrand
some of the older viral products that I have reprint rights to. It
let's
me add my own fresh layer on top of the existing product. The
product is called Zip Brander.
Zip Brander allows you to take any existing downloadable file
and wrap it in your own layer. That layer is presented to the
person downloading the file BEFORE they get to the basic
product. This is even better than branding links within the
product because they see your message before they dive into the
product.
Your message is the first thing that they see before they unzip
the product to get to the viral product they were first sold on.
Since your message is the first thing that they see, it's also the
first thing that they react to.
You've just overcomes another problem with viral products. You
pass them on because you sometimes hope that people will
use them and come across your embedded message. However,
since people are so easily distracted, they often never get to
your message... your embedded link, before they go off to do
something else...
...But if your message is the first thing they see, it doesn't matter
so much if they are distracted after a short time by the kids, the
barking dog, or the phone. Your viral messge has reached them...
and hopefully at least spread to their subconscious minds.
I absolutely love Zip Brander! Before people pass on your viral
product, they can add THEIR own viral layer... and this new viral
layer they add can benefit you. You see, they can join Zip Brander's
affiliate program, add their affiliate link to the TOP layer, and
then
pass it on.
When others get a copy of Zip Brander, to use in adding their layer,
before passing the product on you earn a commission. You also
earn a commission when their customers get a copy of Zip Brander
- the affiliate program is 2-tier.
This is the most powerful innovation I've seen since the conception
of viral marketing tools.. Start rebranding your files - get a copy
now
at: http://www.profitautomation.com/app/adtrack.asp?AdID=73717
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Willie Crawford has been teaching others how to build an on-line
business since late 1996. Frequently featured in radio, magazine
and newspaper articles and interviews, Willie teaches his client
about innovative new marketing technologies long before most
others discover them. Zip Brander is just one such tool. It' at:
http://www.profitautomation.com/app/adtrack.asp?AdID=73717
====================================================
MarcusYong
Thanks
Willie! As usual, a very insightful input from you.
Marcus