Your eBook sample works about the same way your eBook's Web page does.

1) Don't limit yourself to putting excerpts from your eBook.

Talk to your potential customers. Tell them why they should buy your eBook. Its a reflex to think of your sample book as just that - a piece of your book that potential customers will look at to evaluate if the content is of interest to them. It is that, but it can be much more! Remember - for some of your customers, this is the only opportunity you have to talk to them. Your sample eBook must present the content and actually sell the book.

2) Keep the sample vague enough to intrigue yet concise enough to be valuable - don't go into too much details.

The details are what your customers will pay for. Whet their appetite with juicy chunks of text... but leave the real meat within the eBook. This helps in getting your potential clients to really want to read the eBook... and to read it right now!

3) Your eBook sample should talk only to your potential clients.

A very common mistake is to try to make your eBook feel like its "everything for everyone". This (very) rarely is the case. Try to focus your efforts into convincing the kind of people that have a need for you eBook. You're usually better off investing your energy where its wanted than trying to convince people who are most likely not reading your sample in the first place.

4) Keep it short. Organize your content well.

People take the time to read everything. And this has never been more true than on the Internet. People don't usually read. They "scan". That is, they let their eyes glide over the text and pick up what jumps at them. This is why its important to organize your content appropriately. Split your text into small paragraphs. Put some nice colored titles, put subtle emphasis on the words that really express the meaning of your work.

5) Always invite your reader towards action. And not only in your closing.

Let people know how to buy the eBook. Don't assume that they will see the big "Buy Now" button or that they will go to your Website. Get them to buy the eBook. If they do not plan to buy right now, get them to subscribe to your mailing list, get them to download your other samples, get them to email you. The more feedback you get from your readers the better.

These tips also apply when building Web pages. Remember : when selling online, your Web page and your sample eBook are your salespersons. They are the link between your client and the product you are selling. They represent you. They are the ones that ultimately will sell your products.