Business owners often entertain several marketing ideas and strategies to increase competitive advantage and online exposure. Questions arise like, Should I start a podcast? Write press releases? Host weekly webinars? Or, perhaps write a book? I find many of my clients write and publish a book as a way to build a brand, attract clients and, thereby, increase revenue.
Case in point, one of my clients wrote 3 books in The Book Funnel program. He’s a tech guy who owns a media company that produces niche dating websites. Since his business is built on a membership model, ie. his members pay monthly fees to be a member on these sites, his #1 priority is to drive traffic to his various sites because, once they become a member, it becomes a continuous and scalable source of revenue. His marketing strategy includes blogging, adwords, releasing press alerts, publicity stunts and publishing books to get booked on TV. This multi-dimensional marketing strategy works – and his books were the impetus that got him booked on TV news shows such as 20/20, Good Morning America, and on the cover of The New York Times.
Here are some additional reasons why he and business owners like him should write a book:
- A book increases the credibility of your business and sets it apart from the competition. My clients gets booked on more TV and news programs vs. his competitors.
- A non-fiction book provides new opportunities for publicity, such as speaking engagements, reviews by professional publications, newspapers, and magazines, and television and radio guest spots. Each of these attracts new clients to your book and your business. My clients online traffic 10-fold when he launched his first book and publicity campaign.
- A book gives you an opportunity to convert readers who are interested in your products or services to clients. By providing value and a takeaway (an invitation to subscribe to emails, newsletters, or to receive discounts or free information products), your book can become a powerful marketing tool. My client attributes the book to increasing the membership numbers on this websites.
- Because writing a book makes you an authority, it makes your expertise more valuable in the business world. Journalists often seek the input of experts when writing articles, and those who author a book are often the first choice to interview. Media exposure attracts clients, period. My client was a cover story on the New York Times.
- Book reviews and endorsements are free advertisements for your business. Amazon reviews and book sales have kept them in the top 50 on Amazon in their niche category.
- By authoring a book, you have an opportunity to create partnerships, affiliations, and sponsorships with businesses and organizations who are likely to use your products or services. In this way, you are able to add their list of clients and subscribers to your email notifications. My client was featured on a MTV reality TV show, and is currently in production for their own reality TV show.
- A book provides you with an opportunity to expand your business and become a trainer, coach, or consultant. My client is not really interested in this benefit, as his business is based on product rather than time, but I know many of you who are looking for the opportunity to coach, facilitate and teach. Writing a book gives you the advantage over others who do not have a book.
Those are just some of the benefits you’ll gain from writing a book. Basically, it’s all about giving your expertise and ideas maximum exposure and setting you up to monetize in a scalable way.
What are some other reasons to write a book?