Have you thought of writing and publishing a book about your business?
That might seem like a strange suggestion. After all, you went into business to do what you’re an expert at, not to be an author. But there’s no reason why you can’t do both.
A book can be a great marketing tool, as well as bringing in a passive income. It can be a talking point in your conversations, or the centre of your display at expos or other events. And having a book published gives you extra credibility as an expert in your field.
It’s never been so easy to publish a book — but you still have to write and prepare the thing. And that can present some problems to overcome.
What Can You Write About?
Obviously, the exact topic for your book is going to depend entirely on what your business is. There’s no point trying to give you a list of subjects that’s supposed to apply equally to an accountant, a nutrition expert and an engineer.
On the other hand, there are ways of thinking about topics that could be useful for anyone. Perhaps the most common types of business book are:
- Give an overview of your sector — It might seem like child’s play to you, but people may well struggle to understand what your job actually entails, and more importantly why they need it. Explaining that clearly and engagingly will mean they’ll not only understand why they need you, but also that you’ll be the one they think of first.
- Offer valuable advice — Whether it’s managing their health or their accounts, give them facts to understand and programmes to follow. And don’t worry that you’re giving away your expertise free. If you do it correctly, it will show the reader clearly why they need you for the more complex aspects.
- Tell your story — Especially in the service sectors, people buy people. So what better way of showing who you are than to tell the story of how you got where you are. I’m not necessarily talking about a full autobiography (though that’s an option, if you want to share all) but the story of your journey as an entrepreneur.
- Be inspirational — This can cover all the above and more. Your book doesn’t necessarily have to focus primarily on marketing yourself. It can be designed to show the reader how they can follow their dream, just as you did, and offer advice on how to overcome the obstacles. And, of course, they’ll see you as a mentor and expert, which is great for your marketing, too.
How Can a Copywriter Help You?
If you’re confident about writing the book yourself, well and good, but that isn’t necessarily going to be the case. After all, you’re an expert at what you do, so you hire experts in other fields. There’s no reason why you should be a web developer, a graphic artist, a videographer — or a writer.
Just as with other skills, you might need an expert writer to ensure your book is crafted to a professional standard. This isn’t a matter of deceiving your readers. The expertise and the story are your own — you simply have collaborators.
A copywriter can help you with your book in various ways:
- The simplest is that you write it and the copywriter edits your rough version to create language that matches the ideas.
- You can give the copywriter notes, either written down or in audio-recorded form, which they can organise into a book.
- Depending on the subject, you may be able to give the copywriter an outline and extensive guidelines and leave them to research and write the book. This will obviously need very close checking before it’s published.
Whichever option you take, it’s vital to choose a copywriter who’s not only capable of familiarising themselves with your business and values, but can also write in your voice — but more polished.
What Other Resources Do You Need to Publish Your Book?
The most important aspect of a book is normally how it’s written, but your job of getting it out there is only half done when you have the text. If you’re lucky enough to have it picked up by a publishing house, much of the work will be done for you — though by no means all.
The reality, though, is that most small business owners will need to self-publish. This isn’t as difficult or expensive as it used to be, but it might mean hiring various professionals:
- Editor — Even if you’ve used a good copywriter, and certainly if you’ve written it yourself, you may still want to run the book past an editor to fine-tune the content. Think of an editor as like a sports coach — Jannik Sinner’s coach may not be as good a tennis player, but can see issues more objectively. Make sure you pick an editor who not only has a good reputation, but also has experience with the kind of book you’ve written.
- Graphic Designer — The most obvious role for a graphic designer will be to create the cover and any interior graphics, but it goes beyond that. The graphic designer is also needed to ensure elements like typeface and layout make you book look great. A book designed by an amateur is likely to look a mess.
- Printer — If you’re publishing your book as an eBook or using Amazon’s print-on-demand service, you won’t need this. However, if you want a stock of copies upfront, it may be more economical to hire a printer. Note that a print book will require an International Standard Book Number (ISBN). These are normally only sold in batches, which can be expensive, but a printer may have a batch and be willing to sell you a single number.
- Marketer — Most self-published authors fall down on not realising that a book is a commercial product and needs marketing. As a business owner, you’re already one step ahead of the crowd, and you may be able to handle the marketing yourself. On the other hand, you may wish to hire a specialist for this.
Good Luck With Your Book
Getting a book out there isn’t something to do in your tea-break, but it’s well worth doing — and well worth putting some effort and expense in to get it right.
If you want a bit of Word Wizardry in your book, you can book a free consultation to discuss how I can help you. And my extensive network includes experts who can help you with all the other aspects of getting your book published.
