by Dan J. Fry
c.2003-2004
All Rights Reserved
Visual appeal is the first step toward making a sale online. People have a great ability to scan a web page quickly before reading anything about a site. Its important to capitalize on this aspect by providing a great visual stimulus. e-Book cover art has come a long way in the past 5 years. High density graphics can really make your product stand out, labeling it with a high degree of professionalism and credibility.
Throughout the course of my research into the best design tools I have uncovered that the saying “you get what you pay for” holds all too true with cover design. Here is a review of my results. It is broken down into two categories: (1)software, and; (2) design services.
Software/Templates
If you perform a search on Google of e-book covers there really is only a few software products that dominate the first few pages of results.
(1) eCover Generator by Armand Morin The cost, $97, is about the price of some personally designed single covers. It is the first major player is eCover software. You can create 2d and 3d book and software boxes, and recent upgrades enable you to create cd and spiral notebook covers as well. No other software needed to use eCover Generator. Armand is giving away 6 other e-books with purchase. Very professional looking samples created with this software. Windows 95/98/2000/ME/XP compatible. http://www.ecovergenerator.com
(2) eBook Cover Central This is actually a mix between templates and design service, not software. They will design your cover starting at $39.95. This is not a bad price considering some charge upwards of $100. You also receive three different images sizes of your design. Template packages start at $9.95 for 25 pre-made templates. You only need to insert your text and any other pictures that you wish to have on the cover. For $49.95 you can purchase a lifetime Gallery membership, entitling you to over 540 images and templates. http://www.ebookcovercentral.com
(3) Cover Software Pro This software, priced at $97, is actually a plugin for Adobe Photoshop. So, you need to have it (~$200) in order to use the software to create your cover. It also comes with a 40 minute instructional video on using the software to design not only covers but entire web sites. The samples displayed at the site look quite nice. Apart from having to purchase Photoshop, this appears to be a good deal. http://www.coversoftware.com
(4) Online Web Creations offering free covers without text. All images are fixed. There is a link through their site to a utility for adding text. Fairly limited but it is free. These are not the highest quality images, but I suppose you get what you pay for! http://www.onlinewebcreations.com/ebooks.html
Design Services
There are more companies offering services to design and produce a one time cover than there are software products. I cannot tell one from the other. All appear to produce quality products. I also am not sure what they use as graphical software, but I imagine it is something along the lines of Adobe Photoshop, 3D Studio, Micrographix, or something similar.
(1) Killer Covers e-Book covers designed specifically for your product at $117. They also design software boxes and e-zine covers. I recommend taking a look at the samples. Very professional results. http://www.killercovers.com
(2) eBook Cover Art This is not software but a service. $99 for a professionally designed e-book cover. Nice graphics but the site is rather unconvincing. http://www.ebook-cover-art.com
(3) Dynamite Covers Professionally designed covers starting at $99.95. This company is owned by Simon Grabowski, CEO of GetResponse autoresponder, Implix Corp. After processing your payment online you are taken to a form which will let you choose your style and provide more personal information such as title, your name, business/product topic, etc. The guarantee a cover in 5 days or less from the date of order. Booklets, newsletters, web-based membership cards, CD and video boxes, and tapes are all available. Your finished cover is sent to you as an optimized graphic by either e-mail or over the web. http://www.dynamitecovers.com
(4) Perfect Covers Covers designed on an individual basis, starting at $87. You can choose from e-book, report, or e-zine cover, software box, report cover, membership card. In 3d you can request multiple sizes. For a flat 2d image you receive the graphic in three different sizes. You can receive add-ons such as a matching web site header for an additional cost. http://www.perfectcovers.com
(5) Max Covers e-Book covers and e-book mini-site graphics all in a single package for $149.99. The package includes a 3d image of your cover in three different sizes, matching mini-site header, matching order button, a 2d cover image, a matching footer image, and a matching background image for your site. Site owned by and design work by Max Rylski. Two years experience in site and graphic design. He offers a 72 hour turnaround time on the first draft of your cover. One very nice bonus is that he includes the cover design Photoshop files along with the fonts used just in case you need to modify anything at a later date. http://www.maxcovers.com
(6) Absolute Covers Will design e-book, cd, e-zine and magazine covers as well as covers for reports and such. You must contact them for a free quote. Offers anywhere from 48 hour to 5 days for a finished product. You don’t have to pay until you are satisfied with your product. Quite unheard of in this business. You will also get a banner image, order button, a basic web site template, a 2d image of your cover, and a matching icon. http://www.absolutecovers.com/5/index.php
Unless you knew about the contents of a book prior to purchasing it, would you buy a book with a torn, faded, or even blank cover? I am betting you will say no. I know the title would need to be very compelling to convince me to purchase. This is why it’s important to have a professional design for your info product cover. On the inside its content that matters. But to stimulate a sense of credibility, you need to ‘tickle’ the visual appeal.
About the Author:
Dan J. Fry is an independent researcher and owner of e-Kinetic.com, a site devoted to providing resources for small budget home businesses. He has a PhD in Physics and is married with two daughters and two cats. Subscribe to his free E-Zine on home business resources at mailto:e-kinetic@GetResponse.com or by visiting his Business Infopreneur Resources and Tips site.
Reprinted from Zongoo.com Daily Press & Consumer Information
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