Writing E-books and selling them is very much about identifying your target audience’s needs and then answering them. To achieve this you will need to ask a number of questions. This process is called an 'Audience Needs Analysis'. In this article we explore how to identify your audience’s needs and how you can fulfill them.
Writing E-books and selling them is very much about identifying your target audience’s needs and then answering them. To achieve this you will need to ask a number of questions. This process is called an 'Audience Needs Analysis'.
An 'Audience Needs Analysis' helps you to identify specifically what it is your audience wants to know. The speed of life today means that your audience simply does not have the time to read superfluous text that has no bearing on their needs or wants. So an'Audience Needs Analysis' will help you to keep your audience’s needs in focus while you are writing.
You can begin your 'Audience Needs Analysis' by putting yourself into your audience’s shoes. This will give you a new perspective on the topic on which you are planning to write. Ask yourself the following questions:
1. Who is my audience – what is their age group, are they fellow professionals or hobbyists?
2. What does my audience know about the topic I am planning to write about?
3. What does my audience need or want to know about the topic?
4. What questions will my audience want answered?
5. After reading the e-book, what is the best possible outcome for my audience?
6. What is the best possible outcome for me as the author of the e-book?
Once you have answered the above questions you will be able to formulate a set of aims, objectives and possible outcomes. Some readers might be under the impression that an aim and an objective are one in the same. They are not.
An aim is what you intend to do, whereas an objective is the purpose behind what you intend to do. For example:
Aim: The aim of this article is to help readers to identify and answer their audience’s needs.
Objective: After reading this article, the reader will be able to identify their audience’s needs, and, as a result, will be able to produce better quality e-books that will meet the demands of their audience.
Possible outcomes: A better informed readership who will continue to read my posts or articles, and, perhaps, even make referrals.
Of course, you can have more than one aim, objective or possible outcome. But you should note: The more aims, objectives and possible outcomes you have, the more complex your writing project becomes. Remember, the idea is to keep your audience’s needs in focus, not drown them in a complex set of overarching goals.
Having established your aims, objectives, and possible outcomes, you should start thinking about a writing frame that will help you to synthesize what you have learnt about your audience. An anagram that I have found useful for answering an audience’s needs is BOMBER B. Note: You can use BOMBER B for presentations and as well as writing projects.
B – Bang! Get your audience’s attention by telling them something interesting or by asking a question related to their needs
O – Opening: Outline the basic structure of your e-book and tell your audience how they will benefit from reading it
M – Message: List four or five points that your e-book will cover – no more than five as too much information will overwhelm your reader.
B - Bridge: Connect the points to your audience’s needs - show/demonstrate how your audience will benefit from understanding these points
E – Examples: Give examples or state facts in relation to the points your e-book is making
R – Recap: Summarize the information you have imparted in your e-book
B – Bang! Finish with impact by linking back to your opening statement or question – tell your audience how your e-book has clarified the statement or answered the question.
BOMBER B is a simple but effective tool for synthesizing and packaging what you have learnt from your 'Audience Needs Analysis'. Both the 'Audience Needs Analysis' and BOMBER B will keep your writing tight and focused. Why not give them a try when you write your next E-book?
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