shipping – Nicole Munoz Consulting

Writing and publishing an ebook can give your business the boost you’re looking for. In fact an ebook can help you accomplish several important business building goals in one swoop. If you’re not sure what an ebook is, it’s simply a downloadable version of a book that you read on a computer, an ebook reader like Kindle or other mobile device.

Here are a few benefits of creating a successful ebook…

Credibility

Publication is one of the main avenues you can take to improve or establish your credibility. It doesn’t matter what industry or business you’re in, when you write a book people tend to automatically assume you’re an expert. Even if they don’t read your book, often the simple fact that you’re published will help you establish yourself as an expert on your topic.

This is important as a business building tactic because we buy from people we perceive as experts or authority figures in their industry. We turn to them to solve our problems, ask advice and to gain new skills and knowledge.

Awareness and Exposure

Writing a book broadens your reach. It spreads awareness of you and your business virally as people talk to each other about your book. Additionally, as you begin marketing and promoting your book you will subsequently also be marketing and promoting your business.

They say it takes three exposures to a business, product or service to create awareness. Your book and relevant marketing messages help your exposures quickly add up. This means you’ll have more prospects who think of you when they have a need.

Your book can also help increase your search engine optimization which increases your website traffic, and the awareness and exposure we just mentioned. You’ll receive incoming links to your website from book reviews, blog posts, and affiliate marketers if you’re selling your book and of course through content and other book marketing tactics.

You can also use your book as an opt-in offer so you can build your email list. And of course we’re only talking about how your book can help market your business. You can also use your book as a product or bonus product to generate more sales.

Whether you’re selling it for a profit, giving it away to build a list, or using it as a strategic marketing tool, the better your book the more effective and successful it will be. It should also be noted that ebooks are growing by leaps and bounds. Digital publishing has become mainstream and most people don’t think twice about downloading a book online. Bookstores now offer digital books and there are specific reading devices that cater to ebook readers.

You don’t need to worry about paying for print publishing and you don’t have to worry about shipping. Distribution is as simple as a download page and maybe an autoresponder. It’s an incredibly cost effective means to communicate, provide value, and to market your business.

If you have extra items lying around the house, one great place to sell it is Amazon.com. You can sell any item that’s listed by Amazon on Amazon’s website. In other words, if you have a blender that Amazon sells, you can list your used blender on their site.

If Amazon doesn’t sell the item, you’re better off listing on eBay. On the other hand, if Amazon does have the item, you’re often better off on Amazon. For example, say you have a used book. While people seldom search for books on eBay, millions of people search for books on Amazon every week.

For items that are popular on Amazon, list your item on Amazon. All other items and especially items that aren’t listed on Amazon should be sold elsewhere.

How Much Does it Cost?

There are two different plans you can opt for: the Individual plan or the Professional plan.

With the individual plan, you pay $0.99 per item plus other fees. With the Professional plan, you don’t have to pay the $0.99 fee but you pay $39.99 a month to subscribe. In other words, if you plan on selling more than 40 items a month, it makes sense to become a professional seller. If not, then stick with the individual plan.

Apart from the per item fee, you have the Amazon referral fee and the variable closing fee. Each of these fees vary from item to item.

For example, with books the referral fee is 15% and the closing fee is $1.35. If you’re an individual seller and you sell a $10 book, you’re looking at:

$10 Base Price
– 15% ($1.50) for referral fee
– $1.35 for closing fee
– $0.99 per item fee

So your total take home amount will be $6.16.

Accountability Systems

Amazon has a seller review system that enables buyers to rate sellers on a scale of one to five. If people who buy from you are satisfied, you’ll have a high rating. If not, you’ll have a low rating. Before buying, people can see how previous buyers rated you.

Ratings are based on the aggregate of your previous 12 months. They’re expressed in percentage form – In other words, if nine out of ten of your customers are satisfied, you’ll have a 90% positive rating.

Here’s how to get started as a seller on Amazon.

Step 1: Click on “Sell on Amazon”

Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page. Click on “Sell on Amazon” in the footer.

Step 2: Select Your Plan.

Select which plan you want to use to start selling. For the purposes of this guide, we’ll use the individual plan.

Step 3: Enter Your Search

Enter your search for the item you want to sell. You can search by ISBN, UPC, ASIN or just by title or keyword.

Step 4: Select the Item

Amazon will list all the items that matched your description. Select the specific item you want to sell.

Step 5: Verify Your Product Matches

Amazon will ask you to make sure that your product is exactly the one you selected. Make sure the edition is correct and that you’re not selling a similar product, but the exact product listed.

Step 6: Describe Condition

What condition is your product in? Make sure you describe any physical flaws in detail.

Step 7: Price Your Book

Amazon will let you know what other sellers are pricing their books for. You can either price yours above this and let your book sit for a while before selling; or you can undercut the competition and get your book sold as quickly as possible.

Step 8: Quantity

How many of these items are you looking to sell? Only sell multiple items in the same listing if they’re in the same condition. Otherwise, create a separate listing for each item of a different condition.

Step 9: Shipping Charges

Choose which shipping option(s) you want to accept. Amazon will charge enough to cover your shipping costs. Amazon pays for the shipping for you; all you need to do is print out the shipping label from Amazon once you receive your order.

Step 10: Sign In

Log into your Amazon account to continue the selling process.

Step 11: Choose a Display Name

Select a display name that you want buyers to see. This allows you to protect your real name while still building a personal brand on Amazon.

Step 12: Choose a Credit Card Number

Amazon needs to verify the credit card that you have on file. They’ll do that by charging and refunding $4.

Step 13: Phone Verification

To verify that you own the phone number that you say you own, Amazon will call you and ask that you enter a PIN number that’s displayed on your screen. Make sure you have your phone handy before placing the call.

Once you’ve verified your account with your credit card and your phone, Amazon will create your account.

Step 14: Confirm Your Sale

Confirm all the details about the item that you want to sell. If everything looks good, click “Submit Your Listing.”

Step 15: Complete!

Once you submit the listing, you’ll see the following screen:

Your item is now up for sale. When someone places an order, Amazon will notify you and give you access to the shipping labels you’ll need to ship your item.

Tips for Selling Success on Amazon

Protect your rating. Much like selling on eBay or any other platform, your rating is crucial to your long term success. Aim for a 100% positive rating at all times.
Ship immediately whenever you get an order. The faster you can get your buyers their item, the more likely they are to leave you with a positive rating.
Include a quick note in the package. It could be a printed note or a handwritten note, depending on how much effort you want to put into it. This personal touch just helps add a bit of connection to you and your customer’s relationship.

That’s how to sell on Amazon! If you have items like books, magazines or CDs, selling on Amazon is usually a better bet than selling on eBay.