Lots of people have made a million dollars and
then told you how they did it. But how many people tell you how they're going to make a million dollars and then show you? That's what I will to attempt to do.
My product will be an eBook that is tentatively scheduled to go on sale October 1, 2008. I don't know if you can make a million dollars selling an eBook, but I believe in aiming high. For the purposes of this experiment, we will also include any income from speaking fees, consulting fees, or other ancillary income that results from the sale and promotion of the eBook.
Let's explore some potential avenues for marketing the eBook:
Television Advertising and Promotion
I'm not an expert on
infomercials or
TV spots, so I'm not likely to go that route initially. If were going to run commercials, though, I would definitely explore the options offered through
Spotrunner and
Google TV Ads. I will, however, be pursuing guest appearances on TV talk shows, either directly or through a publicist.
Radio Advertising and Promotion
Radio advertising is not in my current plans, but
radio promotion will be one of the key components of my marketing plan. I have retained the services of the top morning radio show promoter in the country. In the past, I have gone the do-it-yourself route. It worked well, but I just don't have the time to handle of the scheduling and logistics myself. The cost for the radio promotion will be around $3,000.
Print Advertising
I'm considering running
display ads in industry-targeted magazines, but there are no plans for newspaper ads at this point. The display ads under consideration run $1,000-2,000 for 1/4 page slots, in addition to the design costs for the ads.
Press Releases
I do plan to send
press releases through either
PRNewswire or
Business Wire. My goal with press releases is to land articles in newspapers and magazines. A release sent over the "features wire" with PRNewswire costs $680 plus a $200 membership fee.
Search Engine Optimization
What kind of
search engine optimization trainer would I be if I didn't practice what I preach? I've done my
keyword research, built a
content rich site, and am pursuing
inbound links and reputable
directory listings. I have or will buy directory listings at Yahoo! ($299), Business.com ($199), and Best of the Web ($79). DMOZ remains elusive. A
blog is under consideration.
Pay-Per-Click Advertising
I'm definitely going to pursue
PPC advertising through Google AdWords and Yahoo Search Marketing. My early tests haven't shown great results for my niche, but I'll keep making refinements to hopefully hit on the winning formula. If I can produce a positive ROI, I'll spend an unlimited amount.
Viral Internet Marketing
I've got plans to write and produce some
funny videos that should have the potential to spread around the Net. I'm building up my social networks and using bookmarking tools like Del.icio.us. I will leverage my networks of friends and colleagues to help spread the word.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is pretty new to me, but I'm learning as much as I can. The idea behind affiliate marketing is to have others promote and sell your eBook for a percentage of the revenue. I like the idea a lot, and would appreciate any advice.
Email Marketing
Over the years I've amassed a pretty large
email list through my comedy performances and professional contacts. I'm currently using Constant Contact, and will send at least one good email to everyone. I don't plan to acquire any email lists, but I haven't ruled it out.
Direct Mail
Yep, I'll be using good old, fashioned
direct mail. I'm particularly a big fan of
postcard mailers, and use
PrintingForLess for all my printing needs. I've acquired mailing lists for potential targets and am considering how large of a mailing to send. I may do a small test mailing of 250-500 contacts, with the option of quickly sending out a larger mailing if the test is successful.
International Marketing
Why stop in the U.S.? I may use
elance.com to help find people who can promote the eBook overseas. In particular, I'll be seeking someone to help with SEO and viral marketing in the United Kingdom.
Publicist
If you know a good
publicist, I will definitely consider hiring them.
Other...
This eBook marketing plan is still under development, so what am I forgetting?
