How To Conduct eBook Market Research On a Limited Budget

You have a great eBook idea that you think will take the world by storm. Before you even put pen to paper (or fingers to keypad), ask yourself this question: have I conducted market research?


I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I am fairly certain that your idea isn't new and there is probably an eBook out there already with a similar topic. It doesn't make sense to just sit down and write your book without first conducting market research: WHO will read your book and does your book topic have marketing potential? 


Here are ten FREE market research resources I suggest using: 


1. Use search engines - search for keywords that pertain to your topic and look at page rank popularity based on the topic and/or book title.

2. Check out your competition - What eBooks are selling? Is your genre/topic far too popular? Not popular enough?

3. Take advantage of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Industry Digital Publishing Forumwhen researching target markets and their demographics.

4. Who's following who on social media? Connect with fellow eBook writers on social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. How many followers do they have? Is their topic a big seller? What strategies do they use or don't use on their social media?

5. Read industry-specific articles. It's important to stay on top of late-breaking news in the publishing industry, and eBooks are a HOT topic right now. Check out http://www.teleread.com/

6. Join forums and discussion groups, and find out what eBook readers want and don't want. LinkedIn has eBook and digital publishing groups so don't forget to check them out.

7. Don't forget to check out Kindle and eBook sales stats. What books and genres sell? What are the most popular (and most sold) eBooks on Amazon, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Sony?

8. Conduct a poll or survey on your social media networks, website or blog. Go directly to the source, and ask your followers/fans what topics interest them.

9. Don't forget international markets. If you want to target people outside of your country, make sure your book topic appeals to an international demographic. Do you speak another language? Could you translate your book into another language? Check out customs and cultures. Not all eBook topics are a good fit for an international audience.

10. Don't limit yourself to just online resources. Visit local bookstores and check out what's selling. What's popular today could be a passing fancy by next month. Stay on top of the latest trends and fads. Vampires may be yesterday's news by the holidays - you never know!

Before you start writing, research first. The topic you choose may not be the best eBook topic, and why waste your valuable time writing an eBook that doesn't have marketing or sales potential? If you want to write an eBook to further promote yourself and give it away as a freebie, that's an excellent way to draw attention to your brand and bring in new clientele. Just remember to research your topic first!

Word of Mouth Marketing Pays Big For Small Businesses

Word of mouth marketing...what would we do without it? Especially in these tough times as small businesses close their doors, word of mouth marketing pays big for business owners who compete daily for new customers just to stay ahead.

I live in a small town in the foothills of northern California. We have a few "box" stores here, but I try to support my local businesses as much as I can. Word of mouth marketing goes a long way in a small town and it pays (especially if I am your customer!)

My laptop took a nose dive last weekend, and I ended up buying a new laptop with upgraded 2011 technology. I could have easily bought the laptop online or at a box store, but based on 'word of mouth' from my mom (she bought the same laptop from a local computer store) I took my laptop into their store for a repair. First, they didn't charge me an arm and a leg just to look at my computer, and they figured out it was a failing hard drive. There was no hard pressure sales to upgrade my laptop (another plus in their favor), but they were running a sale this month on the exact laptop I wanted to purchase - great timing!

This local store gets an A plus - they understand the importance of word of mouth marketing and they practice what they preach. And my mom's "word" goes a long way since she used to teach college computer classes and has been around computers for a long time. As a result of my mom telling me about her great customer experience with this local computer store, I turned into a new customer who bought a laptop from them. That sale was based strictly on word of mouth marketing. Sure, I know about the store since I've had other family members take their computers there, but my purchasing decision was based on the positive experience my mom had with the store.

I'm not putting down box stores, but I've had less than favorable experiences with the larger corporate chains. If anything, these bigger chains could take a page or two from smaller businesses who know how to effectively market via word of mouth.

As a business owner myself, I am really busy so It's nice to know I can go to a local store if I run into any problems with my laptop. Not to mention, they threw in a discount card for their store.

As a result of my positive experience, I plan to write favorable online reviews about this local computer store to help spread the word. As important as social media marketing is for your small business, don't forget about your customers and word of mouth marketing. Look at your reviews online and remember to thank your customers for favorable reviews (and thank them in person too!) Word of mouth marketing could pay big for you in the near future.

I've been fortunate to receive referrals from past clients and landed new clients in the process. 

What has been your experiences with word of mouth marketing? Did word of mouth help land you new customers? Sales?