Serve Your Business with a Book

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know the ways a book can help your business. To offer a quick recap, think credibility/authority, visibility, growth, and money. (You can read a full post about this HERE) A book will bring you credibility in your particular subject area, so think about what that area is. What are you known for? What do want to be known for? Then think about who your audience is (remember: It’s not everybody!) and how you’ll get in front of them. Word-of-mouth will be a huge asset with regard to book sales, but you need a bigger-picture plan, too.

A Visibility Plan

You need a visibility plan. (Tweet) It’s the “how” of getting in front of your audience (existing and future). Think of your brand as a big puzzle. The various pieces include social media channels, podcasts, blogs, collaborations, and more. Each of these pieces works in a different way — and reaches different people. (Sure there’s some overlap, but you never know who those few new people are going to be.) Having a new book to pitch all of these outlets (in a non-sleazy sales-y way) can be a game-changer for your book sales. Being able to say and write “Author of” can benefit your business in many ways, and increased visibility is certainly one of them.

Being able to say and write "Author of" can benefit your business in may ways. (Tweet)

Business Growth via a Book

Once you have written and published your book, the credibility and visibility it creates offer a platform for writing your second book. Think of the possibilities: One book can lead to another book, which can lead to a discounted/bundle price on your website. Speaking engagements, which often involve back-of-the-room sales opportunities. A live workshop or a signature course based on your book. I’m sure you can think of other ideas, too. Your first book is a building block to growth via visibility and credibility.  

Your first book is a building block to growth via visibility and credibility (Tweet)

Service, Please

So how, exactly, does a book serve your business? As a tool — a catalyst — that enables these results (credibility, growth, visibility) to happen. What makes a book unique is that it’s an evergreen product that benefits from continued marketing efforts in a way that doesn’t necessarily happen with courses and other products. Amazon is a wonderful search engine — and it’s a place where people go to make a purchase. (Tweet) (That’s not always the case on Facebook, or your website, or…you get the idea.) I won’t call having your book on Amazon free marketing, but it certainly isn’t hurting your cause. After my book launched last fall, my marketing plan slowed but did not stop. I try to do at least one book marketing task each day (doesn’t always happen, if I’m being totally transparent) and then one bigger marketing push each quarter. The beauty (and curse) of marketing is that we can do as much or as little as we want.

The more we do, the more fruitful the results will be. Here’s an example: Last week I spoke at the American Copy Editors Society annual conference. I had to submit a bio, of course, for the conference program, in which I included my book title. To my surprise and delight, the morning of one of my sessions, the Society tweeted out, “Be sure to stop by merch table after @JodiBrandon’s session to pick up a copy of her book.” They were showing their audience that their presenter is credible (as a published author), and I had several people approach me to congratulate me on my latest book. Win-win!

Your visibility plan will drive your efforts, so be sure to have a solid plan in place well before your book launches. What’s your top visibility goal? Let me know in the comments!