Having good looking graphics on your websites, e-books, and other digital products can go a long way in terms of branding yourself and your online business. It helps to establish credibility, professionalism, and trust – three key factors in converting visitors into buyers.
But what if you’re not a graphic designer and don’t have the budget to hire one or buy an expensive graphic design program?
That’s the challenge one Internet Money Club member had last week. “Do you have some tips on how to add an attractive cover to my e-book?” she asked. “I want to learn how to do it before purchasing software or getting professional help.”
There are several ways to get professional results quickly, easily, and inexpensively. Here are the three that I use most often…
- First, you can go with a text-only design.
That’s right. You can achieve a really nice effect without using any graphics at all. By working with different fonts and font sizes for the text, as well as different colors, you can get a nice look. Be sure to keep it consistent and utilize “white space” for a clean, professional look (think newspapers).
- Second, if you’re looking to incorporate graphics into your design, you can use graphics that are royalty free.
Keep in mind that “royalty free” doesn’t mean “free.” Usually, you pay a small one-time fee up front for the graphic, and then you can use it as much as you like. You’ll find high-quality photos and images at a site like istockphoto.com.
- Third, you can hire a freelance graphic artist relatively inexpensively.
I’ve been able to find professionals to create entire packages for me, including website headers, e-book covers, banners, and “buy now” buttons for under $100. Look for freelancers on sites like Elance.com and Guru.com.
One important caveat…
I frequently talk with aspiring Internet entrepreneurs who have great ideas and great content to share with the world. In many cases, it’s the small things that hold them back from taking action – such as not having the perfect title for their product or not having the best looking graphics for their site.
It doesn’t matter how good or bad your websites, graphics, and e-book covers look if nobody ever sees them. The idea is not to get it perfect, but to just get it going.
Ready, Fire, Aim! Launch your website, start generating traffic, and start making sales. You can clean it up later.
[Ed. Note: High-level "secrets" to success on the Internet aren't necessarily complicated. While you can't get personal mentorship from Internet Money Club Director Brian Edmondson until the IMC Class of 2009 opens up, you can still get help to take your Internet business to the next level. ETR's team of experts has laid out a step-by-step program for creating a money-making business online. Get the details here.]
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