Judging an E-Book By Its Cover

By Jennifer Tribe

People do judge a book by its cover, especially in the
online world. Potential customers have no other way of
judging your ebook before buying it except by appearance.
They can't pick it up and handle it. They can't taste it or
smell it. They can't hear it. They can only see it.

The more you can give them to see, and the better those
components look, the more you establish credibility in the
minds of buyers.

Don't take my word for it.

Listen to the folks at Consumer Reports WebWatch who noted
that "looking good is often interpreted as being good." One
of their recent studies revealed that almost half of web
surfers judge credibility by the design of a thing. In fact,
design far outranked all 17 of the other credibility
measures, including information usefulness and accuracy.

A cover is the single biggest visual cue for an ebook.
Thankfully, creating professional and attractive 2D and 3D
ebook covers is not hard to do. You have three main
options.

Do-It-Yourself Software

The leading product in this category is, arguably, eCover
Generator. It's a downloadable software program that
automatically creates various covers from the text and
images you specify. The software comes with a library of 44
stock images but you can also import your own images to
avoid looking like everyone else who uses the software. With
just a one-time charge of $97 to buy the software, the
advantage is that you can save big bucks if you have a lot
covers to create.

Hire a Cover Design Service

There are a number of graphic designers who specialize in
ebook covers and offer their services online. Generally
speaking, these services are cost-effective and offer fast
turnaround times. Ebook-Designer.com, for example, will
create a professional-looking custom cover for just $65.
Other reputable suppliers include KillerCovers.com and
AbsoluteCovers.com.

Work with Your Existing Designer

Although you may find in the end that it's faster and easier
to order from one of the specialists, it's worth asking your
own designer what they can do for you. If you'll be creating
a number of covers, they may be willing to negotiate a
volume rate. The advantage of working with your own designer
is that they will have an historical sense of your brand and
existing materials that can help ensure consistency.

With these inexpensive options at your disposal, there's no
reason not to have a professional looking cover for your
ebook. After all, looks sell books! Make sure you're sending
the right visual cues.


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Copyright 2005 Juiced Consulting

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