Are people interested in ebooks? And if so, what are the best
ways to sell them?

The following statistics reported by the Open eBook Forum, a
non-profit organization for the electronic book publishing
industry, definitely show an interest in ebooks. Note the Forum
boasts members like Microsoft Corporation, Adobe Systems,
McGraw-Hill, Random House, Simon & Schuster and other top
companies.


GROWTH IN CUSTOMER BASE*

· Random House, Inc.'s eBook revenues doubled year-over-year in
  2001 and during the latest quarter ending in March, revenues 
  were the highest since the company began selling eBooks in 
  1998.

· HarperCollins' eBook imprint, PerfectBound, has sold more
  eBooks in the first five months of 2002 than in all of 2001.

· Average monthly downloads of Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader have
  increased by approximately 70% from 2001 to 2002.

· Simon & Schuster has seen double-digit growth in eBook sales
  from the first half of 2001 to the first half of 2002.

· Over 5 million copies of Microsoft Reader have been distributed
  for use on desktop, notebook and Pocket PC systems.

· Palm Digital Media reports that nearly 180,000 eBooks were sold
  in 2001, a more than 40% increase from 2000.

· In 2002, McGraw-Hill Professional eBook sales are up 55% over
  the same period last year.


Some tips on the best ways to sell ebooks? Ebooks are among the
top selling products at OhioHelp.net, an Ohio-based company that
specializes in helping businesses worldwide with marketing,
public relations and freelance writing services. Here is what
works best for them.


TOP TIPS FROM OHIOHELP.NET

I. ANNOUNCE YOUR EBOOKS

Let everyone know that you sell ebooks. Announce the news in a
press release, add links in your email signature file, add
special links on your websites. Include information about them in
your company ezines or newsletters (print and virtual),mail out
postcards announcements and bookmarks featuring your bookstore
link, include them in your PPC (pay-per-click) campaigns and
classifieds. Add them to your phone script, your direct mail 
packages, your sales letters, your voicemail recording, the 
Thank-You page that appears or is emailed after shopping cart 
purchases. Discuss them on forums, write about them in emails 
and postal letters to clients, friends and associates. Don’t 
stop communicating about them.


II. BECOME INVOLVED

Use the ebooks yourself and put their information to use. Add 
specials with them; place some contents in autoresponders for 
sampling: http://movingaheadcommunications.com/ohiohelp/bplan . 
Contact the author for a brief interview for your company 
newsletter. And update your ebooks regularly or simply join 
a wholesale company like the one here 
http://presssuccess.com/wholesale$ where at least two new 
ebooks come out monthly for you to add to your store 
automatically. If your ebooks just sit and collect
cyber-dust, so will your sales.


III. CYBER – TOUR

Conduct cyber-tours one-on-one with your clients. Get on the
phone and have them click on the business section and browse
along with you while you point out selections of interest.
Personalize their experience and invite them to bookmark the site
and return to download some ebooks in your “Freebies” section,
good to have especially for those who may not know much about
ebooks and would benefit from trying some first.

So add ebooks to your product and service lines from a
progressive company like OhioHelp.net does from here:
http://presssuccess.com/wholesale$ . Then both your clients 
and you will have the opportunity to learn more, keep up with 
the latest information and enhance sales.

To learn more top tips and receive them on a regular basis at 
no charge in your email, sign up at http://ohiohelp.net today 
or email mailto:diana@ohiohelp.net . Enjoy no-cost ebooks from 
the “Freebies” section of their bookstore at:
http://www.presssuccess.com/bookstore


* From eBooks by the Numbers: Open eBook Forum Compiles Industry
  Growth Stats, openanebook.org, New York, NY, July 22, 2002.