Fear can be a stifling thing, and I can think of some occasions in my life where I let it get the best of me.
This business is one example.
Before I published my two ebooks, WP Starter Guide and Niche Website Success, I would often get comments and emails from followers who wondered why I didn’t sell my own ebook on affiliate marketing or website creation.
Well, there were a few reasons…
The first was I am not the most organized person, and when you write a book, organization is a must.
Every time I would begin to write, I’d get frustrated with the direction and table the project for a later date.
The second reason was I had so much free information out here, I had trouble deciding what to include and what to leave out.
The third and biggest reason I put it off was the fear of not being able to please everyone.
Let me explain…
A couple of years ago, I published a YouTube video asking my subscribers what kind of product/ebook I should create. While most responses were helpful, positive and encouraging, I let one comment get into my head.
This was the response…
Ouch! This comment really rattled me. Not because I doubted the value I could offer in a book, but I did worry that more people would think the same way shokiplex thought and I feared failure.
Now, I should also mention this was the only negative comment posted. So isn’t it funny how we can get 1,000 positive comments, but we let that one negative response screw with our heads? Crazy how that works, huh?
So this comment greatly added to my indecision over whether or not to write an ebook. I tried to act as if it didn’t bother me, but it really did and I let it plant more seeds of doubt into my head.
I look back on this and realize how silly it was to worry about such a thing, but I did.
A Voice of Reason
Months later, I was discussing this with a close friend of mine and she said to me…
Lisa, you have so much information out here and it’s scattered all over the place. Even though I’ve read your sites and watch your YouTube channel on occasion, I honestly wouldn’t know where to start. I need a more organized guide. I would buy your book simply because it has everything in one place.
That’s when a light bulb went on and I reminded myself that different people value different things.
Everyday I spent quite a bit of time answering emails from people who needed a step by step guide like my friend. All signs pointed to the fact that this was a big audience, yet I was still concerning myself with who wouldn’t need or want my book.
Know Your Audience
I’ve heard people say they would never write an ebook because they wouldn’t have anything to write that’s different from what’s already on their site.
I can understand that concern because you should always strive to put out something of great value.
But here’s the deal…
You will have certain visitors who are like hunters and gatherers. They follow every single thing you put out and absorb your information like a sponge.
So if you’re writing a book that targets beginners or sums up major lessons on your website, these people are not going to be in your book’s target audience.
When I first started writing Niche Website Success I kept saying to myself as I was writing …But I’ve already talked about that on my site.
Then the next day I’d have several emails from someone asking those same basic questions I’ve already covered or they’d be looking for more getting-started advice — even after visiting my site.
This was another reminder of how people place value on different things. So while the hunters and gatherers may pass on Niche Website Success, beginners who prefer to learn via an organized guide may value it more.
So that brings me to the other issue. I kept forgetting who my core audience was.
For example, this blog gets visits from some intermediate-level bloggers/website owners who may not need Niche Website Success, but my core audience is still made up of beginners who need help getting started, and that’s the audience I zeroed in on when writing.
Deciding What to Publish
As I already mentioned, sometimes it’s difficult to write a book when you already have oodles of content already online. That was what I struggled with and why it took me so long to publish something.
But remember, most people won’t read your entire site and you can always go into greater detail in your book. Even though my ebooks cover many of the same topics on my websites, I expand on them to add more value.
Or you may be considering re-publishing existing articles or your entire site into an organized ebook. That’s fine too. Just make sure that you disclose this on the sales page so your potential customers have the right expectations when they order.
No doubt many people would love to have all your content assembled nicely into one, concise resource — especially if your site is a traditional blog, which tends to have articles sorted by date and/or category.
Darren Rowse used this strategy with his 31 Days to Build a Better Blog series. He took his published, free email course and assembled it into an ebook!
Even though many people had already taken the free course, they bought the book because they valued the packaging of information.
So are there people out here who would never buy re-packaged information that’s already out here for free? Sure there are and I’m sure Darren knows that.
But guess what? Those people aren’t his target audience anyway. He knew there was value in the packaging and many people would appreciate that.
Market Saturation
Are you worried about similar products already on the market?
Remember, you are a unique individual. No one has your exact same experience, voice, and presentation. Many of your loyal followers will buy simply because they like the way YOU present the information.
That’s the advantage of selling a book after you’ve established an audience. You’ll have people who appreciate your angle and approach so they will be more than willing to buy even though they are aware of similar products on the market.
Plus, you can use emails, blog comments and other social media feedback/conversations to help inspire content and make it even more unique.
So don’t sell yourself short. There’s value in your own unique presentation.
Earning Potential
The other reason you should think about having your own product is it creates another layer of income diversity for your business. There’s nothing like having an income stream where you control the profit margin.
Not to mention, you can have your own affiliate program so other people can promote your product — which will create another layer of income. And if you publish a digital good, both Clickbank and eJunkie have instant affiliate programs for your product.
My critic above mentioned how I could make more by cutting deals with companies I’m affiliated with instead of creating a product. (I often wonder how he came to that ridiculous conclusion.)
Well I say…. why not do both? As a business person you should always look for multiple ways to diversify and pad your income. Relying on a single monetization source is limiting and risky.
What Fear Cost Me
The monthly earnings for the sales of my two ebooks have now surpassed what I used to earn per month at my old 9 to 5 job. They’ve also allowed me to monetize my YouTube videos much better so I’m not just earning from the Partner program anymore.
How crazy is it that I was leaving money on the table just because I was worried about critics?
Here I am always talking about how you shouldn’t fear failure and rejection, yet I was doing that very thing myself. In fact, that’s why I talk about fear of rejection so much on YouTube. I can relate.
I won’t be making that same mistake with my hair site and I’m already on the 3rd chapter. 🙂
The Take Home
So if you’ve been talking yourself out of writing an ebook, I hope this post gave you something to think about.
First of all, having your own product creates much more stability for your business and it’s a great way to monetize a niche that may not have as many affiliate programs or relevant ads for CPC networks (AdBrite, AdSense, etc.)
Just keep the following items in mind…
- Know your core audience and deliver what they will value
- Use emails, blog comments, social media conversations, etc. for content inspiration
- Be clear about what is in your book and who it’s for (publish a Table of Contents)
- There’s value in re-packaging info if it’s organized and useful
- Want to add more value to a re-packaged product? Include new information, a workbook or video
- Do your best and know that you will never please all the people all the time
- Your concept may not be 100% unique, but YOU are and so is your delivery. Your followers will value YOUR approach.
How to Create an eBook (Video)
My last video on creating a PDF/ebook is a bit outdated now (using Word 2003), so I created a new one with the latest version of Microsoft Word.
You’ll learn how to create a clickable table of contents with ease and how to secure it for free. No Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Acrobat Professional needed to create or secure the book. Enjoy!
Email subscribers can watch the video here.
I agree with you, Lisa. Fear can cause you to miss a lot of opportunities. Sometimes talking to a friend or someone who knows you very well can help infuse trust in you to accomplish goals you didn’t think were achievable. We truly do not know what we are capable of until we take the risk.
Ebook creation is a good marketing strategy, is true, not easy to implement, but with a good content creator your life could be more easy and more productive, nice article, im learning so much of it, thanks for the information
I think I am so overwhelmed by the first two reasons, I never get to the third one. 😉
Hi Lisa. WOW! What a website and what a post. A nice introduction for me to your site. Alex Whalley of Build Rank Profit suggested that I should visit your web site and he asked me to say “hi” to you. I’m glad he spoke so enthusiastically about you and now I know why. I’ve been building my first site and having your experience to help now will be a big help. I’m looking forward to your WordPress tips and your future blog posts.Thanks again and have a good day! You’ve made mine :)!
Hey Laurie, thanks for stopping by! I’ll have to send Alex a big thanks! 🙂
You have made my day and deleted all fears I had about creating an e-book. THANK YOU LISA! You’re so inspirational.
P.S. I always enjoy your videos.
I would do just what you did !
I wrote an ebook earlier this year and I sold one copy on the first day. Then I forgot about it and did the independent contractor thing. Three months later I got a royalty payment. Granted, it was not even $100 but the idea that I could essentially write a decent e-book, set it, forget it and still make money hit me. I wrote another one that’s inline with my niche of Social Media and thanks to a recent spate of over 50 comments on a Facebook article I wrote, I’m planning my next one. E-books are great! Congratulations on ignoring that one comment and going for it!
Great, story D!
Lisa, Thanks again for a great video and your help. A year ago I bought into SBI thanks to you and I am now earning money with my site. Sill small but something. I think of it as interest in the bank each day it grows along with my traffic. I am just now starting my first e-book. Thanks for all you do.
Awesome, Karen! That’s great to hear. All the best to you.
I have two fears stopping me from even thinking about doing an ebook for my audience. Relevancy and time. I just don’t know how useful an ebook would be for my audience, over and above the standard documentation that I produce when I do business with a client. I get the feeling an ebook on post boxes might be overkill, especially given so much information is already available on not just my site but competitors too. It would also take a while to produce – I know this because the site took so long!
A lot of successful blogging and business already give the family jewels away too, and so you sometimes have to hold something back for a paying client, to give them that sense of being looked after.
It’s great that you didn’t let one negative comment bog you down! I think the success you’ve got with your eBook is a lesson for others that it’s important to listen to your own heart rather than feeling down or indecisive by other people’s opinion. Nice post.
In my experience, the biggest obstacle people need to get over when it comes to creating a product is to break the product creation into small parts. This will help you identify possible pitfalls and also enhance the quality of your product.
Plus, make sure to always ask yourself, would I buy this product? If the answer is Yes, you are ready to publish it, otherwise improve it until you get a honest “yes”!
Lisa, I love the point about the value some will get from a ‘repackage’ of information. I’d have said you needed something totally new and unique as well. Thank you!
How about a post on tips for price point setting? 🙂
Great article Lisa, and one for the masses. I think we all have fear of one thing or another, but for the most part I don’t let fear stop me from doing anything I really want to do. Now, reevaluate it to see if it’s something I really want to do absolutely, but never stop me otherwise.
Just gotta do it folks!
Very Useful Tips. Thank you Lisa. Give us more stuff like this and if you can for WordPress.
Fear is self defeating, but Caution is well advised especially when your income depends on your decisions, there’s a big difference between being brave and foolhardy, if you have an excellent ebook idea you should go for it, my biggest gripe is kindle editions that offer little more than well written blog posts
The good thing about this experience was that it pushed you to do something great! Even though fear caught you for a moment there, you overcame it and did something productive instead. Well done Lisa, thank you for posting this online. I enjoyed reading it. Great article!
well Lisa,
at least you’re honest with the Internet audience about to set. Fear can also be a good thing, as it’ll motivate you to step outside of your comfort zone and accomplish things you never thought you could’ve. At least you putting your ideas and creativity into action; something a lot of people are scared of doing. Keep up the good work and being an Internet marketing leader 🙂
Bless you for sharing your experience so honestly. Anyone who says they have never feared that what they have to offer might not be well-received is probably lying. 🙂 The fears that would keep someone like you from writing an e-book are the same fears that would keep another person from opening up a brick-and-mortar shop or restaurant. One way to ensure defeat is never to try. Another excellent article!
Thanks Elena!
Thanks for this Tips, Fear has its own pain that it usually inflicts on all who fall to it.
Thanks for sharing this at least it will help us avoid some would have been loses in the future.
Lisa
fear is good and bad, but its all on perception/attitude. I like your new ebook and also all the previous ones you wrote. They all re packed with value
ITS REALLY TRUE FEAR DO LIMIT YOU !!BUT WHEN WE DEAL WITH IT ,IT IS A VICTORY!!
One thing that really stuck out for me here was when you said you kept forgetting who your target audience was.
EXACTLY.
I venture to say that most small biz owners do this from time to time — or a lot of the time — and WE really begin to screw with our own heads.
I mean we can get so caught up with trying to produce the numbers, or competing for “top” rankings. (In SEO, sure, but I’m referring more to being “top” or “most popular” status-wise in the public eye.) Or we’re trying to impress the wrong people.
i.e., I think that we all want to impress our peers. That super affiliate dude was clearly not your target audience. In fact, it sounded like he believed he was on the same level as you. YES, we all want to “please” our colleagues so that they view us as equal, endorse our stuff, simply find us awesome… but what’s that all about? They’re not paying us; clientele is, and that is who we must help and serve.
I can relate to this in more ways than are comfortable. 😉
Ciao, bella.
Well said, Harmony! Great to see you here. 🙂
awesome Lisa.
I have been contemplating creating an ebook. this article has helped me to make the decision to go for it!!
thanks…Paul Butler
Lisa, you go, girl!
I’ve seen so many of your videos, I find it hard to believe that you let ANYTHING stop you. But, there you go – you’re human. 🙂
Just think, within two years, you’ll have your own publishing empire…Videos, eBooks, forums, Oi!
Best wishes for your continued success.
Cheers,
Mitch
Thanks, Mitch. And that’s exactly why I wanted to write this. I think it’s important for people to know that I am human and have the same fears many have. Thanks for stopping by!
Great post that resonated with me! That’s because I’ve basically spent years hesitating to create a product around my passion. I was worried about the responsibility involved, especially considering it has to do with finances and I worry about possibly hurting anyone’s financial situation.
But finally after a lot of internal debate and some friends giving me a nice shove (these people had already used the work themselves) I decided to go for it.
I am pleased to say that not only does it bring a nice little income stream but WAY more importantly I love getting great feedback from people. Knowing that I’ve helped someone who was previously struggling is a fantastic feeling. It definitely pushes me to keep going and creating in my field.
Go for it Garrett!
Don’t know if ebooks are going to be for me, but I do enjoy reading them. You have given me many more things to thing about. Knowledge is power, and you are a very powerful lady. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to your next adventure
Damn it.
Why didn’t you start publishing your ebook ealier, so that people won’t wait so long for such a great product 😉
This was a great read! I’ve also let fear stop me from publishing info. products, albeit in a different way. I’m afraid of people posting my ebook on one of those online sharing sites, but I have to keep telling myself that the type of people who would try to get it for free wouldn’t purchase it anyway. S
till, I’m trying to take some extra measures to reduce the chances of this happening. Any tips?
Hi Kim
What I do is put text at the end of the book that says “If this book was sold or given to you by any site other than xxxxx then please report it here.” That way you set it up so some honest people may decide to report it. It may also deter people from trying to re-sell it or give it away.
That reminds me of the earlier days when I joined one of the internet marketing forums, seeking help. Most of the replies that I got were discouraging, but there were one or two that stood out from the rest and gave me encouragement and positive feedback.
The possibility of ending up meeting someone who will ruin our entire day is high these days. But staying focused on our end goals will help us overcome all these obstacles.
Dr.Spencer Jones
Lisa,
Talk about hitting it on the head. I feel like I’m your brother from another mother. Lol You’ve described exactly what I’ve been struggling with for years. It’s nice to know another successful blogger shares the same fears but more importantly how you conquered them.
I already had a product idea in mind but always felt that everyone else has covered the topic so what value can I add. But like you said our voice is really what our visitors have come to appreciate. So that is the value add.
Again thanks for writing this article. A lot of times you know something and tons of other people have told you the same thing. But then someone else expresses it in a way that really resonates. And that’s what happened today.
I love that you only write when you can provide real value. Keep up the good work!
Eddy
Hey Eddy!
Long time no see. 🙂 I knew this would strike a chord with people and that’s why I was so anxious to write it. I am really glad it resonated with you and I hope it helps motivate you to the next level. Thanks so much for stopping by to share that.
You’re welcome! I always read your stuff Lisa! You’re one of the few blogs I actually follow. I just like lurking in the background like a quiet stalker. LOL
=)
Very inspirational story Lisa! Although fear stops us from doing things we know we must do, the reason behind it is usually to try and protect us. I think sometimes our natural response to the world is not wired up for the time frame we live in, and we must consciously do things in spite of how we feel. As long as we know that it’s something that needs to be done in order to progress. Thanks for sharing this.
That is unfortunate if got to you like that, but I believe some people want you to fail.
I am glad you did not listen.
I think a lot of people realize that money is easier to come by than time, so if you offer them all the information they need in one neat little package, they will happily pay a few dollars to save themselves the time it would take to find all that information on their own.
And I just realized that my comment is basically a repackaging of your post…
Ha ha, that’s OK Daniel. It’s still appreciated.
I hang around a lot of IM forums, and one comment that I see A LOT is “never buy an Internet marketing course, you can get all that info on the web for free.”
I always want to reply and explain what you have in this post, but since I usually have my own course in my signature, I’m afraid people will think I’m only saying that for my own monetary reasons.
But it’s so true! There’s no way most newbies can assimilate, organize, and begin to act on all the free info out there – the vast majority of them need step-by-step help, from what I’ve seen.
Great post!
Thanks Laura. Couldn’t agree more.
What a coincidence to see this post! I’ve been editing a blog entry that has over-run by a few thousand words and wondered if it is eBook material rather than blog material.
Alas I do not have the traffic to justify eBooks, but maybe it could be “an idea for the third album” as bands often say. (lol)
What a great start to my day! Your comments re: fear were precisely what I need to hear, not just about creating an e-book but about my blog in general. Particularly the notion that info. is already out there, that no one will visit my site or value my words hit me right between the eyes. I am just getting started in this whole endeavor & need to hear your words of encouragement. Then as I read through the post you surprised me even more by inserting that terrific video! Your writing & videos are clear and easy to follow, Lisa. Thanks SO much from a newbie who is still finding her way & who has been mired in the technical difficulties of starting a blog. Wow!
Nice post lisa..i just plan to write an e-book, but still stuck with the topic.
My average site visitor 100/day now. Is this a good time to offer ebook?
thank’s
HELLO Lisa, as always you give great information. As I mentioned in an earlier email since I added websites and etc. to my testimonies, my book sales has doubled. I have a question about affiliate programs. I am not sure about how they work and would love some info or direction.
Thank you!
Hi Vivian, I have a video that will help you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42A20L6K-4E
Great post! Fear of not “selling” could cause you from selling.
Hi Lisa,
I can totally relate to ALL of this! I think my biggest road block was lack of time. And then the fear of having someone yelling – “Hey, you posted that on your blog, already!” – but I’ve learned that most people don’t have the time to dig through my old blog posts. I’m glad people are willing to pay a premium to get everything in one convenient place – and I’m glad I finally figured that out, too!
I can see how one negative comment can get stuck, but I’m so glad you pushed beyond it.
Yep, Kiesha I had those same fears! Thanks for coming by to share. 🙂
I can’t believe that you posted this today. We are just getting ready to create an ebook for our blog this week. I will not be the one writing it, but I am the giving all the information of what needs to be covered and how.
I am hoping it will be done in a week or two. How long did your take to write? Did you write your current ones from scratch? Or did you use posts from your blog here?
I could read your mind, Gary. 🙂 It was all from scratch and it took me about a month or so and I worked on it almost daily.
Lisa, to put it quite simply…You are an inspiration! You are one out of the tons of bloggers and affiliate marketers that does one thing which is “keeping it real”. I started a health and fitness blog in july. As I type this, the blog has 77 unique articles from guest bloggers (I have a handful of personally written articles) but my goal is to grow the site into a reliable information hub as well as making good money from it. I am working on my traffic (one major concern) and have learnt so much from your insightful and absolutely helpful videos and articles. Someday soon I’ll be like you 🙂 and may be better. Personally when I spot negative energy, I don’t let it manifest but immediately put up a defence mechanism for my mindset. It’s challenging enough to achieve one’s dreams, the last thing you want is TROLLS!
Wow, thanks Franklin. As someone said, I’m not sure he was trolling. He was just one of those people believes affiliates should not create their own products. He literally thought no one would buy just because HE doesn’t like buying books from affiliates, I guess.
But that was his opinion and a lot of people probably feel that way. And as I said, they just won’t be my customers. Moving on. Anywho, glad I didn’t listen (at least not for too long) lol
I don’t think the negative commenter was a troll. He probably thought he was being helpful. If you guys notice, it’s easy to give comments than receive them.
Great post. Thank you again for sharing your experiences and knowledge.
Don’t feed the troll, and don’t allow them in you mind! shokiplex was just a hater, doing his job “hating”.
People will always try to tear down other people’s dream “especially online”.
I know that now. Where were you back then, Clarence? LOL
Very inspirational post Lisa. I have several ebooks out there but haven’t interconnected with Clickbank yet.
I’ve just been thinking that it will take a lot of work to set it all up correctly… pathetic excuse.
I already learned how to set them up on CB. I just have to stop procrastinating and do it.
Get to it, Jordy! LOL
Hi Lisa, I agree with you that fear can stop you from going forward it’s something that I face myself. I get it as being overwhelmed with too much information and then I don’t know what to do next. Your book sound like a good idea, Lisa. I plan to check it out.
The eBook creations could be an important factor about bring visits to your website and better your business, this could be expensive, but with this tips we didn´t have to expend much money and we see the impact in uor businees, vey nice information
Hey Sunil!
I have thought about tinkering with PPC but haven’t gotten into it yet.
I primarily promote them on my sites, YouTube descriptions (an annotations), forum ads, email list and my website. So the sales are coming from all over.
For my WordPress book, I have an email list for WordPress tips and I promote the book in the signature of all the emails.
great diversified approach. love the targeted wordpress email list
So why don’t you test PPC and give us some expert advices 🙂 I am really interested in this topic/
This discussion is very interesting; in my opinion, PPC is more risky than PPA: you can get lots of clicks, but no sale.
that is simply incredible Lisa. a big congratulations to you!
one big reason I am a fan of ebooks is that they are as close to passive income as you can get.
moreover, one can leverage this method of monetization w/o having a blog/website given the platforms for distribution we have today.
it’s always good to have an existing following. however, for those who want to “prove out” the concept quickly this is one route they can take.
I do have few questions:
1) are you doing anything to proactively market these ebooks or are they simply embedded in various places on your website and blog and buyers simply happen to click on the links/images?
2) where do you see most of your sales coming from? i.e. your website vs blog vs clickbank vs youtube video clicks?
again, incredible numbers. congratulations!