| When creating an e-cover the what's the first thought | | | | mind when creating e-covers, graphic headers, or even |
| that comes to mind? How do I do it? What software | | | | the background. |
| do I need? How much will it cost? How quickly will I | | | | Look at your competition. How do you set yourself |
| have it complete? | | | | apart? Create the picture of your product or service |
| Most people will start searching for software to | | | | to completely identify with your niche market. |
| automatically create the cover. There are several | | | | That's why I believe the first step in creating good |
| "cookie-cutter" software packages available to create | | | | graphic design for e-covers should be the specifics of |
| e-covers for e-books, and software boxes. Most of | | | | your niche. Take some time to really determine every |
| these packages come with pre-designed templates. It's | | | | unique aspect of your niche market before you begin |
| very much a fill in the blank scenario and out pops the | | | | your graphic design. You want to appeal to their |
| cover. Give strong consideration to this one area. Do | | | | specific desires, fears, and needs. You'll want to |
| you really want a "cookie cutter" designed e-cover? | | | | carefully craft your unique selling points around those |
| Although the templates you may encounter are very | | | | unique desires, fears, and needs. Choose the color, the |
| impressive, you will be sharing your layout template | | | | tone, the size, the words, the fonts, and the overall |
| with 100's, maybe 1000's of other sites. The reason | | | | theme to match the profile of your niche market. You |
| why they are so cheap is because those "specific | | | | don't want your e-cover to simply look good. You |
| templates" are sold and re-sold as much as possible! | | | | want it to evoke the buying emotions of your niche |
| Just like the theme of your website, your e-cover | | | | prospects. |
| should complement and initiate the emotions of your | | | | While it's very simple and easy to get the software |
| niche market causing them to buy your product or | | | | and create a cookie cutter e- cover make sure it will |
| service. Some items for consideration when defining | | | | give you the return on your investment you want. |
| your niche market are: | | | | Sometimes the return on your investment may be |
| Lifestyle: conservative, exciting, trendy, economical | | | | much higher if you choose to have your e-covers and |
| Social class: lower, middle, upper | | | | other graphics for your site professionally designed. |
| Opinion: easily led or opinionated | | | | The investment to have your e-cover professionally |
| Activities and interests: sports, physical fitness, | | | | designed probably is not as expensive as you may |
| shopping, books | | | | believe. Often it's even cheaper than purchasing the |
| Attitudes and beliefs: environmentalist, security | | | | software and spending the time to do it yourself. The |
| conscious | | | | professionals spend each and every day |
| Age: children, teens, young, middle, elderly | | | | concentrating on the uniqueness of niche markets. |
| Gender: male, female | | | | They are quick and adept at knowing how to target |
| Education: high school, college, university | | | | the emotions of the niche using graphics to evoke the |
| Income: low, medium, high | | | | desired response. There's a big difference in "looks |
| Marital status: single, married, divorced | | | | professional" and "being professional." |
| Ethnic and/or religious background | | | | Remember, "A picture is worth a thousand words." |
| Family life cycle: newly married, married for 10 - 20 | | | | Take the time to make sure YOUR picture matches |
| years, with or without children. | | | | your market. And then --- Watch your profits soar! |
| Always keep the "eye candy" of your niche market in | | | | |