When you’re busy running your business, an e-book might seem like one of those projects that offers value but takes too long to write. Even though e-books are a helpful way to keep existing and potential customers engaged with your brand, how will you ever find the time? The key is to start simply: Start with 10.
What? 10 e-books? No. 10 points you want your customer to know. That’s the basis for your e-book.
Let’s say you’re a small company that uses sustainable packaging. That packaging is important to the way you do business. You want your customers to know about it, to understand it better, to realize when they do business with you, they are engaging with sustainable practices.
An e-book is a great way to let your customers know about your sustainable packaging and how they benefit from it. Start your e-book with 10: Make a list of 10 things you want your customers to know about your sustainable packaging.
Keep it simple and customer-focused. Your list might include a description of your packaging, what makes it sustainable, why you chose this packaging, where and how it’s sourced, why it’s a better alternative, how it benefits your customers, how it promotes sustainable living, the best way to dispose of the packaging, etc.
Whatever those 10 things are that you want your customers to know about your sustainable packaging, that’s what goes on your list. That list of 10 becomes the basic building blocks of your customer-focused e-book.
Next, zero in on each of the 10 items, one at a time, adding content based on the steps below. You can repeat these steps for each item on your list. Do them one item at a time and focus the steps on that particular item.
Step 1. Describe the main point
Start with just one item on your list of 10. What is the main point you want your customers to know for that one item? For example, let’s say your list of 10 items includes wanting your customers to know how to properly dispose of your packaging. Your main point could look something like this: To help this packaging continue its journey of sustainability, you’ll want to recycle it in the simplest and best way. That’s one way to describe that main point of that one item on your list.
Step 2. Share a brief explanation
Imagine you are sitting across from your customer. You’ve told them the main point of that item: it’s important to properly dispose of (recycle) your packaging. Now, how can you explain it to them briefly, using simple, conversational language? Here’s the best way to dispose of our packaging so it continues its recycling journey. Step 1, step 2, step 3 …
Step 3. Give a few examples
Give a few examples to help the customer understand that main point:
If your recycling center offers xyz, here’s how you would recycle the packaging.
It helps if you remove certain parts and dispose of them in a certain way, and here’s why.
Here’s an example of how you are helping the environment by recycling this packaging.
Step 4. Anticipate and answer customer questions
What questions do you think your customer might have about that item? Go ahead and answer those questions. You probably already know what the most common questions are because you’ve already been asked.
If not, put yourself in the shoes of someone receiving your packaging for the first time and not sure how to dispose of it properly. What questions would they have and how would you answer them?
You can literally include a Q&A for each item if you want to. The information might be repetitive of your earlier description or explanation, but some customers respond well to a literal Q&A format. If you don’t want to include a Q&A, you can just be sure your explanations and examples include answers to common questions.
Step 5. End with the main takeaway
For that particular item on your list, what is the main takeaway you want your customer to take with them? In the example of package disposal/recycling, you may want them to take away the idea that recycling the packaging is a simple process. Or you may want them to take away encouragement that their simple step of package recycling is helping the environment. Whatever your main takeaway is for your customer, wrap up the item with that.
As you repeat these steps with each of the 10 items on your list, you are building your e-book content. Not only is that 10-item list an organized, reader-focused way to build your e-book. It’s also a simple way to work on the e-book one item and one step at a time. That makes it easy to fit into a busy schedule like yours.
Go ahead and try it out. This week, write your list of 10. Then start taking each item through each step as you have time.
Not only will you end up with an engaging, reader-focused e-book. You’ll also spend valuable time focusing thoughts on your current and future customers. And you’ll have bonus material to convert to shorter blog posts and social media. All that by starting with 10.
Janet Eriksson 