| Profiting from the
Power of E-book and Incentive Design
by Roger C. Parker
$32 Million Dollar Author*
Design
is as important as content, when preparing e-books and web
site incentives like White Papers, tip sheets, and special
reports.
Design adds value to your freely-distributed e-books and
incentives, and reduces returns and refunds from e-books you
sell.
Here are some of the reasons why:
1. Design pre-sells the importance of your message
Design adds value by “packaging” your words.
In the blink of an eye, design either enhances, or diminishes,
the value of your words.
Design reflects your care and your pride in your message.
It predisposes readers to respect your message, too.
Just as a gift packaged in a Tiffany’s box is seen
as more valuable than one that comes in a Wal*Mart bag, design
shows that you are proud of your message and took the time
to go First Class.
2. Design differentiates your message
Design sets your e-book or website incentive apart from
your competitor’s.
Design should reflect your image, the unique and consistent
way you handle layout, type, and color.
A consistent visual identity unites each of your publications
and creates an instantly identifiable “family resemblance”
that a “1+1=3” synergy between your online and
offline marketing.
3. Design ensures your words will be read
Your readers are in a hurry. They have more important
things to do than read your marketing materials.
In today’s time-starved environment, you have to persuade
your market to read your message. You have to make your message
as scannable, and as easy-to-read, as possible.
Design techniques, like white space at page borders, subheads
set in a contrasting typeface, and extra line spacing in the
body copy, helps your publication project an easy-to-read
image that increases the likelihood that readers will pay
attention to your message.
4. Design saves you time
Effective design is efficient design.
Efficient design takes advantages of software features like
templates, text styles, and keyboard shortcuts to make it
as easy as possible for you to format your publication.
The less time you have to spend formatting your words, the
more time you have available to proofread and fine-tune them,
increasing the power of your message.
Conclusion
Clearly, design is not a luxury! Rather, design is a necessity
if you want your words to receive the respect they deserve.
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