Ebooks. Some people love them, some hate them. For the beginning affiliate marketer, ebooks can mean a shortcut on the learning curve to success.

I visit many internet marketing forums and affiliate marketing. It never fails, someone will ask questions about the book and soon several members of the forum  will jump and say the person asking the question: “You do not need that book, all you need to know in the forums and the internet.

What is likely to be right, but the person or position statement like that never stopped to realize that maybe the person who asks questions, do not want to spend days, months and weeks to fill stupid message in the forum only to be removed nuggest more wealth. On the other hand, the person placing this response may already know about it and hope the person who asks questions will lose heart and quit.

The  Other Type Of Forum Poster

This kind of person really gets under my skin sometimes. This is the kind of guy who goes into a forum and ask “Has anyone read XYZ eBook by ABC Guru?”. “If so, can you tell me what’s in it or what’s it about?”

A majority of the time, these people want the information in the ebook but either

• does not have the money to purchase the ebook, or
• has the money but doesn’t want to spend it

In any case, they should not be cruising the forums looking for someone to give them free information. If you can not afford $ 20, $ 40 or even $ 100 dollar book, you’re probably in the wrong thing.

I know you are afraid to “get used”. If so, just ask quietly, people will tell you what they think about the book. But be prepared, there are a lot of debris that say about the book regardless of how good they are. Some of these people bought the book as information and want to discourage anyone from buying it. Others can not accept the idea, “Guru” book sales, and prevents any of the purchase, even if he / she never read it.

Just a few weeks ago was a guy selling $ 10 book on one of the forums. The book was about how he did a couple thousand dollars a month with one of their websites. Many people, including me, bought the book and liked it. In fact, it sells more than a bad review. There was this forum member who kept baiting by the site open on the forum. Post after post he wanted to know everything about the site authors. There was really no need to know the site authors because of the huge amount of positive feedback received books on the forums. Fortunately, the author never reveal his website. (You should never disclose your website to anyone if your interested Abu their reverse engineering and copying your success!)

You will piss away some money in this, or any, business. It just happens. I’ve bought advertising for my brick & mortar stores that did not pay, I’ve bought tools that did not work as advertised, bought software that was useless….it happens!

If you’re so afraid of losing $10 or $20, then this isn’t the business for you. This is also true if you find yourself saying “but I can’t aford to lose $20.” It’s better you get a good paying job, save up your money and try the Internet business later on.

The Value of an eBook

Ebooks are valuable in that they put a load of information at your figertips. Unless you have unlimitless free time to spend hundreds of hours searching and compiling information, an ebook on the topic you’re interested in is a very good value. How much of a value? How much is your time worth?

I’ve bought scores of ebooks ranging up to $50. Several up to $100 and 1 at $200. I’ve never bought an ebook and thought that it wasn’t worth the asking price. I have learned something valuable from every one. Some of the sorriest ebooks I have are the free ones (that’s why they’re free )

Ebooks are also valuable in teaching you new techniques and strategies.  It’s not to say you’ll never learn new techniques on your own, but again, how much is your time worth?

I typcially print out the ebook and read through it. I mark it up as I go through. Highlight this paragraph, make notes on this sentence, etc. I then can come back to a certain tactic should I need to.

Sure, there are poorly written ebooks out there. There are certainly some people running around selling rehashed info and touting it as a new discovery. But if you’ll due your research, you’ll soon know if it’s a good buy or not. Bad ebooks and bad Authors are singled out quickly in the Internet Marketing and Affiliate Marketing fields. Just keep you eyes peeled in any of the forums.

If you are just starting to start your online business, plan to spend money on books that interest you. They will save you much more than they cost. Think of them as investments. And after you download them, use them! Most people buy these books, they are loved and never fulfilled any of the tactics mentioned in the book. Now that is a waste of money!

Good Luck in your Internet Business. Now go forth and make money!

Don

P.S. Just for the record, I’ve never published an ebook and I’m not selling any ebooks, although I do plan to in the future. In fact, I have many ideas written down for ebooks. (I keep spiral bound notebooks and write down ideas, tactics and plans as they come to me, you should do this also!) Trust me, you’ll be the first ones to know when I write an ebook!