Book writing coaches have helped many authors succeed in writing their book, as well as providing them with priceless assistance and information on how to attract publicity, receive maximum exposure, build a brand, and develop a following. Authors turn to coaches for assistance because while they might be good at what they do, they know they don’t have the experience, knowledge, network or tools required to break through the publishing industry and receive their intended results.
What do coaches offer? All coaches are different. They have different backgrounds, degrees of experience, networks and contacts, personalities, styles, and business and marketing skills. You want to find the coach who will benefit you and your book the most.
How do you select a coach? Some suggest that you find a coach who is strong in areas where you are weak, creating an even balance across the board. For instance, if you want to write a book but just can’t get started or tend to procrastinate, the coach you select should be extremely organized, persuasive, and able to keep you on task and on schedule. On the other hand, if you are an excellent writer who has no trouble meeting deadlines, but you don’t have a clue how to market your book and attract publicity, a coach with a strong background in successful book marketing and PR would be an excellent choice.
There are several areas of expertise, though, that you should always consider when you’re searching for the best book writing coach for you and your project.
Here are the top five:
1) Experience
Does your coach have experience? How many years has he or she been coaching authors? How many books can they include in that experience? Go one step further and ascertain just how many authors and books in your particular genre that coach has contributed to—then you’ll get a good feel for the background and experience the coach can bring to you and your book and if he or she will be a good fit.
2) Client Satisfaction
Client satisfaction is a huge factor in selecting a book writing coach. Ask potential coaches for references who you can call or email to learn about their experience working with the coach. Testimonials are great, too, so don’t overlook them. Unhappy clients usually are not willing to provide a coach with a testimonial—at least not one they would want to share. So, if the coach has an impressive number of positive testimonials, you can be reasonably assured that their past services to authors like yourself resulted in a good experience, a good book, and good results.
3) Business and Marketing Know-How
Writing a book is a cost-center. Period. Therefore, you want, and need, to partner with someone who can help you use your book as a client attraction and lead generation tool. How marketing savvy is the coach? Is he or she experienced in using public relations, Internet marketing, social networking, webinars, and videos to attract publicity? Has the coach been successful in attracting attention from the media, including television, radio, trade magazines, and newspapers? Each of these components will increase your exposure and help you generate sales, increase your client base, and leads. Writing a book is a business, and a coach who is on top of the business and marketing end of publishing will be vital to your success.
4) Style
Do you want your book writing and publicity endeavors to be fun? Do you want it be painless and easy? Do you want to get it done fast? Do you want it to be a learning process, where you’ll gain boatloads of information about the process? Your coach’s style should match yours.
For example, if you want to have a blast writing your book, consulting and working one-on-one with a coach, then you definitely will want a coach who is fun. Personality will really matter here. After all, if your personality clashes with your coach, you might end up having a major breakdown in communication. If you want to have fun, find a coach who is fun to work with. If you want to get your book done quickly, find a coach who is a no-nonsense, get-it-done leader who will keep your nose to the grindstone. If you want to learn all you can along the way, find a coach who is patient and doesn’t mind explaining the next step, what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and how you’re going to accomplish it.
5) Results
The bottom line for every author and his or her book is results, and if you’re utilizing a book writing coach, you want one who gets results. Has the coach helped other authors take their book to Amazon.com bestseller status? Can your coach help you get lucrative celebrity endorsements? Does your book writing coach have a vast network? How many people do they know and can they tap into to increase your marketing and publicity efforts? Do they have an inside track to the media? Have they helped other authors increase their bottom line, exposure, client base, profit margin, and sales? Has the coach been successful in booking speaking engagement, guest television and radio appearances, and interviews. Writing your book is just a small piece of the pie—you want a coach who has a proven track record of success in all areas. There’s a lot of effort that goes into writing and successfully marketing a book—be confident that the coach you choose will turn your efforts into real, measurable results.
As you can see, there are a lot of things to consider when selecting a book writing coach. Do your homework, interview potential coaches, and select the one who will provide you with the results you really want. When you do, you just might find that a good coach is the difference between a good book and a bestselling book.