One mental block seems to plague even the most determined writers at times.
I never gave in to this fear but know many people considering the self-publishing route surrender to the fear.
What is it?
“I cannot write an eBook on this topic because someone wrote an eBook about it already.”
Donna Merrill has noted this limiting idea a few times over the years. She is spot on.
Guess what?
There are approximately 6 million Kindle eBooks on Amazon. I estimate 50% to 60%, partially, cover topics authors already covered. Most of my ebooks overlap a bit on each other. Plus many cover a topic someone already covered via eBook. Guess what? People buy my eBooks based on my loyal, loving tribe, more than anything else. I may solve a specific problem. But what if 200 other self-published authors solve the problem through a similar eBook? What makes me stand out? My tribe does. People trust me more than the 200 other self-published authors, buy my eBook and I help someone while generating a sale.
Never Write Lone Wolf
The only bloggers who fear competition never built a loyal, loving friend network of bloggers and readers which multiplies into a tribe. The only reason you fear someone covered a specific topic already is because you have no faith and clarity that anybody would buy your eBook over someone else’s eBook. If you generously and genuinely help bloggers and readers for free, you make friends, gain followers and in time, your loyal blogging tribe grows. At that point, the fear dissolves because you know your readers trust you and will buy your stuff because they buy into you before buying your stuff.
You make a huge mistake if you blog and write solo, never building a tribe, because you lose the one factor that allows customers to pick your eBook over other similar eBooks. But if you build a tribe that loves you, trusts you and promotes you, their tireless efforts, generous purchases and promoting to like-minded people boosts your eBook sales, even if 20 other authors covered the topic already.
Readers and Customers Buy into You Before Buying Your Stuff
I just saw an eBook on page 1 of Google. The title looked interesting. But I had no idea who the author was. 2 seconds later, I closed the tab. But if a dear friend wrote and self-published an eBook, I would retweet it to my followers. I would expand their reach, helping to position them to boost sales. I bought into the person and their knowledge and then, I add my seal of approval, either buying the eBook myself or promoting the eBook for my followers to buy.
When I scan the reviews for my eBook:
How I Published 10 eBooks in 4 Months and How You Can too
I look at the positive reviews. Virtually all positive reviews – which boost my sales – come from loving, loyal readers of mine. Why? They bought into me years ago. Now, they buy my stuff. Guess what? I cannot imagine how many self-published authors covered a topic about how to be a prolific author? Thousands? But my tribe chooses me because they trust me, through my generous support, above all else. This is how it works. This is how to inspire people to buy your eBook over hundreds or thousands of eBooks with similar titles.
Build your tribe by being generous. Overcome this common self-publishing fear. Loyal readers become buying customers, because they buy into you before buying anything.
Hi Ryan
Such an important message here.
Bloggers have to know what every successful entrepreneur, like you, has learned (sometimes the hard way):
“People buy people” not products or services.
If you don’t build the trust of people, you will find it very very difficult to convert visitors into buyers.
And I’m not just talking about trust from prospects, but trust from your peers.
As you say, you must let go of your own self-interest and give credit to others too, freely and honestly.
Great article, Ryan (and thanks for the mention).
-Donna