
A premium is an item given away to attract, retain, or reward customers. It may also be provided as an incentive to purchase a particular product. Can companies use your book as a premium? Yes, and you can earn substantial revenue that way. Can you use your book as a premium for your own business? Yes. When your book is a "freemium" it can generate a valuable source of revenue for your other services, such as speaking or consulting, and your other titles. Here are the Top Ten Factors to Consider When Using Your Book As A Freemium.
- Your book has to have value in itself to recipients, meaning its content should be useful to them.
- The form should portray value -- a high-priced hardcover book will have greater perceived value than a low-priced ebook.
- If your competitors are also using their books as freemiums, the full weight of differentiation falls on your content and packaging to create an expectation of greater value.
- The benefit you receive for giving your book away should exceed its cost.
- Use a freemium to enter a new market in which you do not have a recognized position.
- Use your freemium to generate recurring revenue, perhaps through a consulting contract or a subscription service.
- Allow others to give your book away if they reach the target market in which you are interested.
- For maximum value, your freemium should attract new users rather than reward existing clients or customers.
- Give it away freely without the expectation of a quid pro quo.
- Use your book as a freemium to attract business (before the sale) or as a "thank you" after the sale.
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- Marketing

Brian Jud is an author, book-marketing consultant, seminar leader, television host and president of Premium Book Company, which sells books to non-bookstore buyers on a non-returnable, commission-only basis and conducts on-site training for publishers' sales forces.
Brian is the author of "How to Make Real Money Selling Books (Without Worrying About Returns)," a do-it-yourself guide to selling books to non-bookstore buyers in large quantities, with no returns. He has written many articles about book publishing and marketing, is the author of the eight e-booklets with "Proven Tips for Publishing Success," and creator of the series of "Book Marketing Wizards." He is also the editor of the bi-weekly newsletter, "Book Marketing Matters."
Brian is the host of the television series "The Book Authority" and has aired over 650 shows. In addition, he is the author, narrator and producer of the media-training video program "You're On The Air."
Reach Brian at BrianJud@BookMarketing.com or visit his website at www.PremiumBookCompany.com