There’s a popular statistic floating around that says eight out of ten people in the world want to write a book, however, only one in ten actually do. Why is that? Writing a book is hard work. It takes time and energy. It requires planning, research, and commitment to writing, publishing, and marketing. It’s just too much for most people.
Writing a book can be a labor of love, or an ego boost. Fiction writers have stories they’re compelled to tell in order to excite and delight their readers. Other authors write to leave a legacy that will live on after they’re gone. Still others want to share their thoughts and perspective with the world.
There is a segment of the population, though, who absolutely should write a book. They are business coaches, consultants, freelancers, business owners/entrepreneurs, and executive job seekers.
Writing a book automatically positions them head and shoulders above their competition.
Think about that. You can visibly set yourself apart from competition by becoming a published author! Take inventory of your top three competitors. How many of them have written a book? When you’re going head to head to win new business, which one of you will be more impressive? Of course it’s the person who wrote the book on your area of expertise. A book positions you as an expert in your topic and raises your position to one of teacher as opposed to seller.
There are many benefits to taking on the project of writing and publishing a book. Next, I’ll share just one compelling reason each of these experts should consider writing a book this year.
Freelancers’ should write a book for Credibility
Freelancers, in particular, face heavy competition in the marketplace. In many cases, you’re a one-person company and you run the risk of other freelancers low balling bids in order to get business. This leads to a general lowering of rates such that you may have a hard time making the kind of revenue needed to sustain your business. When you can say you wrote the book in your area of expertise, you demonstrate your skill in a very tangible way and can more easily justify charging higher fees
Business Coaches should write a book for Thought Leadership
Business owners and professionals hire coaches to help them break through stumbling blocks or achieve goals and objectives. They have become jaded and skeptical of coaches who promise to help them take their business or career to the next level yet don’t produce results.
A business coach who has documented their unique process in a book can use that book as part of their marketing efforts with a new prospect. It will build trust and confidence in your prospect and demonstrate your thought leadership.
Consultants should write a book for Focus
As with business coaches, having a book is an opportunity to share your process and what you do to help clients succeed. Even more, it can help your prospect and you identify where you can best help them immediately.
Your large portfolio of services may be overwhelming to a potential client. Writing a book on one problem that you solve will give you the opportunity to talk about one specific solution. Starting with that one problem can help you get a quick win, increase the client’s confidence in your abilities, and lead to more work
Business owners/Entrepreneurs should write a book for Publicity
A book serves as the ultimate business card to attract new business. If you go to a chamber of commerce event and pass out a book rather than a business card, you will be remembered. Having a book makes you a celebrity and gets you free publicity in the form of book reviews.
It will open doors to speaking engagements at industry conferences, local groups, on television, and radio. How much do you spend on lead generation today? When you self-publish, you can print a book for five dollars or less. You have the potential to turn that five dollar investment into hundreds or thousands of dollars in new business.
Executive job seekers should write a book for Authority
Corporate downsizing has become the new reality. Consequently, there are lots of talented executives in the job market. Some are taking time to figure out what they want to do next, whether that’s starting a business, buying a franchise or choosing early retirement. Others are seeking a comparable corporate position to the one they left but perhaps in a different industry.
Writing a book can help you launch that new business or secure a new corporate position. When done correctly, writing a book makes you an authority in your book’s topic.
It helps to fill the gap in your resume. Prospective employers will ask what you’ve been doing since you left your last company. It’s much more impressive to respond with a discussion of your new book than with the typical volunteer work answer.
Even the process of writing a book can help you figure out what you want to do next. Taking inventory of your skills, discovering or re-discovering your passion will give you the ability to structure your resume to attract your ideal position.
Now that you’re convinced you need to write a book, how do you do it? I’ve found that one of the biggest reasons experts don’t write books is they think it will take too much time and be too difficult.
I advocate writing a book that solves a specific problem. It will narrow your focus and give you the ability to produce a shorter but meaningful book that will be easy to consume while providing excellent value to your readers.
Of course it does take planning and implementation and I’d love to help you with that!
