By Julie Chance

Have you ever watched a documentary about climbing Mount Everest? If so, you will undoubtedly remember one specific segment of journey where climbers cross a chasm, one carefully placed step after another, using aluminum ladders strung end to end. For me, just thought of it is enough to cause an anxiety attack!

There is a similar chasm between your product or service and your potential customers, even if it is only in potential customers’ mind. And for them, thought of crossing that chasm is enough to cause a severe case of anxiety.

Picture a group of your potential customers, standing at edge of a chasm on Mount Everest and you and your product or service standing on other side. It is your job and role of your marketing efforts to help potential clients cross that chasm one step at a time. At this stage, your immediate objective is not to get them to purchase. It is simply to get them to take that first step out onto ladder, followed by one more step, and than another until they reach ultimate decision to purchase.

It is as ludicrous to expect a potential customer to reach a purchase decision in one step as it would be to expect a Mount Everest adventurer to cross a chasm in one step. So how can you begin to move your potential customers across purchase chasm?

•Step One - Awareness and Knowledge: Before someone can purchase a product or service they must be aware of it. They must also have knowledge about what problems product or service will solve for them. They must be able to picture in their minds benefit they will receive from using product or service, and that picture must be enticing enough to motivate them to take that first step.

At this phase, your objective is to make potential customers aware of your product or service, generally through mass media type activities, advertising, direct mail, articles, public speaking, etc. and then to get them to take first step by requesting additional information. You might offer a brochure, free report, newsletter subscription or other informational item in exchange for contact information. The key is to offer something that:

* Is of value to your potential client, * Provides him or her with additional knowledge about your product or service and how it will solve his or her problems * Poses a very low level of risk or obligation on part of prospective customer.

It's not true that everything that has been said has already been written. Since that unfortunate axiom came into use, whole universe has changed. Technology has changed, ideas have changed, and mindsets of entire nations have changed.

The fact is that this is perfect time to write an ebook. What publishing industry needs are people who can tap into world as it is today - innovative thinkers who can make leap into new millennium and figure out how to solve old problems in a new way. Ebooks are a new and powerful tool for original thinkers with fresh ideas to disseminate information to millions of people who are struggling to figure out how to do a plethora of different things.

Let's say you already have a brilliant idea, and knowledge to back it up that will enable you to write an exceptional ebook. You may be sitting at your computer staring at a blank screen wondering, "Why? Why should I go through all trouble of writing my ebook when it's so impossible to get anything published these days?

Well, let me assure you that publishing an ebook is entirely different than publishing a book in print. Let's look at specifics of how print and cyber publishing industry differ, and many reasons why you should take plunge and get your fingers tapping across those keyboards!

Submitting a print book to conventional publishing houses or to agents is similar to wearing a hair shirt 24/7. No matter how good your book actually is, or how many critique services and mentor writers have told you that "you've got what it takes," your submitted manuscript keeps coming back to you as if it is a boomerang instead of a valuable mine of information.

Perhaps, in desperation, you've checked out self-publishing and found out just how expensive a venture it can be. Most "vanity presses" require minimal print runs of at least 500 copies, and even that amount will cost you thousands of dollars. Some presses' minimal run starts at 1,000 to 2,000 copies. And that's just for printing and binding. Add in distribution, shipping, and promotional costs and - well, you do math. Even if you wanted to go this route, you may not have that kind of money to risk.

Let's say you already have an Internet business with a quality website and a quality product. An ebook is one of most powerful ways to promote your business while educating people with knowledge you already possess as a business owner of a specific product or service.

For example, let's say that you've spent last twenty-five years growing and training bonsai trees, and now you're ready to share your knowledge and experience. An ebook is perfect way to reach largest audience of bonsai enthusiasts.