Product Idea – Default Ebook Layouts

...after about a month, not only do I have a product page that's pulling in a moderate amount of interest, I also have some market research that tells me there's a real interest in this kind of product (211 downloads with little real promotion). So what if I put together a number of other default ebook formats using colour, graphics, different sizes etc. and then offered that package for sale? How much could I charge for that? Maybe I won't do it at all, or maybe I won't do it for several months, I have a lot of other ideas in motion. So, if you want to go do it before me, there's the idea, go right ahead. I wouldn't expect a cut of the money, but a link to this internet business blog would be nice. ;-) [more...]

I’ve just recently had a very nice comment from Jason Anderson about my free default ebook layout:-

Oh, forgot to mention, I’m using your ebook format to write the user’s manual. That was a nice video tutorial and a well written user guide. Glad you put that together, it really opened my eyes to the power of Open Office.

Open Office used to be the “poor man’s” system. Now it’s really robust and I use it more than MS Word.

Well thanks Jason! I’ve gone and used it as a testimonial on the home page for the default ebook layout – remember my post a few days ago about the power of social proof?

I’ve just checked and there have been 211 downloads of the layout so far in the short time it’s been up, and I’ve had I think about 4 or 5 comments about it, so I know it’s hit a spot with people. I created it because I needed it myself, so I spent a few hours a while back fiddling with Open Office Writer until I got it to work just the way I wanted it to.

Now if you think about this, I created it to fulfill my own need, but when I did my “7 Products In 7 Days” exercise (detailed elsewhere on this blog), I had the bright idea of using it as one of my products.

So I did a video to show how it worked, and created a short document to go with it. Including setting up the web page, autoresponders etc, it probably took me about 5 hours to set it all up, not including all the time I spent fiddling with the format in the first place earlier last year.

But now, after about a month, not only do I have a product page that’s pulling in a moderate amount of interest, I also have some market research that tells me there’s a real interest in this kind of product (211 downloads with little real promotion).

So what if I put together a number of other default ebook formats using colour, graphics, different sizes etc. and then offered that package for sale? How much could I charge for that?

Maybe I won’t do it at all, or maybe I won’t do it for several months, I have a lot of other ideas in motion. So, if you want to go do it before me, there’s the idea, go right ahead. I wouldn’t expect a cut of the money, but a link to this internet business blog would be nice. 😉

It’s still free at the moment, so go grab the default ebook layout before I start charging!

-Frank Haywood.

Posted by Frank Haywood

11 comments

coach Kwang

Sir1 this was a great day for me. WHY?
been tyring to get a ebook publish with this or that software, nor work just right.
for one reason or not.
you templet is just what was needed..and free to boot……
Think’s very mush……Think your blog without all the adds is way cool…..

Vince Andrews

Hi, Frank

Well! what can i say.
This is a great piece of kit for anyone that wishes to write an ebook. I cannot believe that someone did not do this before. The concept is so simple, but fantastically beneficial for something that many of us spend so much time having to readjust when writing ebooks. I cannot believe that you have chosen to give us this lovely to use piece of layout program. It just goes to show what a really good guy you are.

Thank you so much…

Vince

Hey Frank

Great Post, loving the information you
share with us!

Sally 🙂

Hi Frank
Personally I,m a MS Word user and have been since purchasing a PC way back. I’d heard about Open Office and had never taken the time to take a look. Since i’m in the process of publishing several ebooks I’ll take a close look, as I want to get it right first time without having to reformat the text to get the links correct.
Well done. I’m looking forward to more valuable hints and ideas like this.
Cheers
Bob

John Garner

I saw your Default Ebook Layout product and thought “Surely I can do this myself.” After I’d spent a couple of hours wrestling with it I decided I may as well give in and use yours! I’m still playing with it to create the look I want for my ebooks but it’s saved me a huge amount of time.

A simple idea, well executed – isn’t that what product creation is all about?

Well done Frank and thanks.

Hi Frank,
Just had a failed campaign because I created my tye-in ebook using an expensive ebook compiler. Yes, you guessed, I tried to give away an exe.file based ebook. Six people took up my offer, everybody else is scared of Viruses or their computer will not even let them download it.
I was convinced I had the method right and already use Open Office but was daunted by changing the whole 20 pages from HTML into a PDF.
When I checked my emails and saw your the template you were offering, I was stunned. And an already configured table of contents. You are a live saver mate. I will of course send you a copy when it is finished AND it will contain a link to your pages.
All the best
Gareth

Robert Eilers

Hey Frank,

I wish I had known how to do this when I wrote my first ebook. I’m salavating just thinking of the possibilities of what you have shown me. This is going to be so easy to create professional looking ebooks I won’t know what to do with my extra time. Yea I do, write more ebooks!

Thanks,

Robert Eilers

[…] making a blog post about my default ebook layout, the number of downloads has risen dramatically from 211 to 494.  […]

Mr. Haywood hello. May I call you Frank? My name is Phil Estabrook. You don’t know me (yet) but I have been following your work for several months now. I am new to all this internet marketing and product creation stuff. The reason that I am writing is to clarify a few things if I can. I know that you are very busy but I am hoping that you have a little time to answer this. I am interested in using your default ebook layout idea and ‘beefing’ it up as you suggested. However, when I started going through your copy/text in the open source document it stated (under the rights section) that I could not edit the document or pass it on as my own. I thought that this is what your are offering. I thought that we could take this and make it our own. Was this text something that you put on the example to show an ebook writer wording that they should place in an ebook or does this apply to using your template? I would like to change some of the wording and add some graphics to give it a more interesting look. I would of course give you credit for the idea and a link to your product creation blog or any other link that you suggest. I will also redo the videos and add several (approx 5) template designs. I will send you a copy of the completed product if it is OK to make these changes. You also stated that if it was good enough that you would promote it to your list. That would be a tremendous benefit as I don’t have a list of my own at this time (trying to work on that one).
Thank you for your time
Respectfully
Phil Estabrook

Frank Haywood

Hi Phil,

I’ll try to answer your questions and maybe make things a little clearer for anyone else who may have the same thoughts.

You may not sell the package as it stands and call it your own is the point.

If you take the ebook layout and create an ebook with it, then it’s yours. A mention / credit to me and a link to http://www.frankhaywood.com would be very nice, but I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.

My niche is software, business tools and information products for online businesses. If your ebook fits that bill then I will *consider* it for a promotion, but no promises.

If you’re using this package as a jumping point for a much larger package of ebook layouts as I’ve suggested, then I would require a credit / mention.

Again, I would *consider* it for a promotion, but no promises, as I may be doing my own bundle now that I can see the demand. 🙂

I hope that makes sense.

-Frank Haywood

Bryan Foster

I find this quite fascinating ie the number of versions we are using as ebook templates from the long flow method to the normal book layout with all the official details.

I personally like the traditional format as I believe people enjoy what they know from a book which is just translated into an electronic version, with some adjustments.

Bryan Foster