4 Transform existing content into easy-to-consume, high-powered assets

Four Quick Routes to Cool Ebooks

Let’s face it: It seems like our attention spans aren’t what they once were. We’re oversaturated with information, and as the distractions continue to come at us from every angle, staying focused on one thing for more than 10 minutes is nearly impossible.

The question is, as marketers and campaign managers, how do we break through the noise and deliver compelling messages to an audience in a way that gets results? Ebooks can help.

Ebooks present content in a dynamic, interactive, contemporary way that is optimized for today’s mobile, on-the-go mindset. And, nearly every client we serve is using them to breathe new life into existing, stagnant and disconnected assets.

In this ebook, we’ll share: Four quick routes to cool ebooks you can use today When ebooks make sense, and when they don’t Best practices for ebook creation

Let’s get started...

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Event to Ebook: Summarize event highlights

White Paper to Ebook: Divide dense white papers

Multiple Case Studies to Ebook: Consolidate similar case studies

Survey Results to Ebook: Transform survey results

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Getting Started...Interested in producing an ebook, but unsure of where to start? Jumpstarting the process may be easier than you think. Here are four quick routes to ebooks that you can use today:

Key messages from a webinar presentation become major sections in the ebook, with on-slide content and speaker’s notes serving as

the basis for much of the messages within the piece.

The event you hosted six months ago was a resounding success. It delivered an innovative take on an intriguing, hot-button issue. And it helped to solidify you as an expert in the marketplace.

What if you could repackage the highlights into a complementary piece that serves as a:

• Way to turn live polling data into content that reinforces key points?

• New campaign asset that supports a multi-touch strategy?

• Reason for salespeople to reconnect with attendees and prospects?

To create this type of ebook:

Condense the on-slide content and speaker’s notes into concise, consumable messages

Add supplementary information, such as polling results, that will distinguish it from other deliverables

Embed additional content, such as live video

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Event to Ebook1

Key points are summarized in a quick, direct manner to show readers what they can expect to find when they

delve into the full white paper.

We all know the important role white papers play in the selling cycle. When you really want to influence a potential buyer, there’s no better way to argue your case than with a white paper. That said, a prospect may not always have the time or energy to read a dense, 20-page document from cover to cover.

What if you could highlight the paper’s key points in an ebook that:

• Acts as a teaser to the main white paper?

• Increases overall topic response rates?

• Reinforces your unique perspective and differentiation?

To create this type of ebook:

Turn key points into ebook “chapters” using concise, consumable messages

Add complementary information – such as analyst or industry research, assessment results and commentary from subject matter experts – that will distinguish the ebook from other assets

Embed supplementary assets, such as live video

Include links to the full white paper

White Paper to Ebook2

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Your customers are doing great things with your solutions – and you have a mountain of case studies to prove it. Yet, your salespeople are always asking for more. That’s because proof points and performance validation are top priorities for prospects in the buying process.

What if you could repackage case studies into a handy tool that provides:

• Finger-tip access to the testimonials most relevant to specific needs?

• Proof points that are arranged around such criteria as challenge solved, results gained or vertical market?

• Salespeople and campaign managers with another reason to connect and engage with prospects?

To create this type of ebook:

Let key topics, such as solution area, vertical niche and performance results, serve as inspiration for navigation

Create short, concise “challenge, solution, results” synopses that cover the basics of each story

Include links to the full content

Add complementary information, such as customer quotes

Case studies were selected based on customer outcomes and aligned with six corporate

message paths.

Multiple Case Studies to Ebook3

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Surveys are a popular strategy for campaign teams to solicit input from customers and prospects and turn the aggregate data into valuable insights. The trouble is, their use has reached an all-time, so you need to be sure you’re presenting survey results in a way that gets noticed.

What if you could package static survey results in a form that:

• Presents complex information so it’s easier to navigate and understand?

• Includes content that can be repurposed for social media or other uses?

• Gives salespeople a new way to engage with customers and prospects?

To create this type of ebook:

Let key question areas guide the design point and navigation

Leverage charts and graphs to support salient data points and themes

Provide links to an appendix and additional resource data

Add complementary information – such as commentary from analysts and subject matter experts – that will distinguish the ebook from other assets

Eye-catching charts and graphs, combined with quick, concise, hard-hitting analysis, help the facts and figures

of a comprehensive industry survey spring to life.

Survey Results to Ebook4

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The Dos and Don’ts of EbooksDo:

Think visually: The best ebooks let content and images work together to tell a story, so be sure the copy you develop is complemented by interesting, relevant visuals.

Modify content for easy consumption: Readability is key with ebooks, so the more direct and concise your copy is, the better chance it has of resonating with your audience. Put key points first and reinforce them with supplemental information and design.

Give your idea a chance: Just because you imagined the content and/or theme as a traditional white paper does not mean it couldn’t work as an ebook. Ebooks are a chance to and generate excitement around your IP – and allow you to provide alternate ways to present your thought leadership content.

Consider navigation: Readers don’t always start at page one and continue page by page. So, provide buttons and links that allow them to jump from topic to topic with ease.

Keep it short: The longer your ebook is, the less likely that it will be read, so try to keep the total number of pages – and the amount of words you put on each page – as short as possible. This is especially true if your ebook reads sequentially.

Leverage supplementary and complementary assets: By integrating additional tools into an ebook, such as URLs and third-party information, you can create a dynamic, multi-layered experience – without overwhelming the reader with copy.

Don’t:Don’t use design for design’s sake: Graphics need to make sense and be relevant, not just take up valuable real estate on the page.

Don’t dumb it down: Making content more digestible doesn’t mean making it less valuable. Content quality, no matter how short, is what determines whether or not the reader will ask for more.

Don’t label a traditional white paper or executive brief an ebook: Your audience most likely knows what to expect from an ebook, so don’t use traditional copy and design methods to create an asset and simply call it an ebook.

Don’t forget your audience: The style, design and content flow of your ebook should be appropriate for your target reader. Check personas and profiles before you start production.

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Optimize content for use in an ebook

Architect ebooks that leave readers asking for more

Identify supplementary and complementary information that will turn your ebook into a valued content asset

At Launch International, we’re experts at helping you:

For more information, visit www.launchinternational.com. To speak directly with an ebook expert, call 215-230-4340.

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