Guest post by Shel Horowitz, book shepherd and book marketing consultant/copywriter
Until you experience it, it’s hard to imagine the kind of career boost you can get when you have at least one book with your name on the cover. I’m not sure my own business would even exist as a viable enterprise without my various books. Not that the books are a primary revenue stream for me–but they open so many doors that it would be much harder to get through without those credentials.
* Books are the easiest way to certify your expertise. If you have a book out, you’re assumed to know what you’re talking about. You’re the expert–the one who wrote the book on the topic. This makes it not only easier to convince prospects to become clients, but also gets you noticed by reporters and by meeting planners who hire speakers.
* A book is the easiest doorway to media coverage, with all its benefits. Thanks to my books, readers of publications as diverse as the Christian Science Monitor, Entrepreneur, the Los Angeles Times, Reader’s Digest, Bottom Line, and Woman’s Day (among dozens of others) all know about me. And thanks to my books, I’ve also been featured on the home pages of msn.com, aol.com, and paypal.com, among others.
* Books give you something to display and sell at your website, your speaking engagements, trade fairs, and a gazillion other outlets. Something eye-catching, if you’ve got a good cover.
* When you have a book, you have pretty much automatic access to (and exposure on) high-traffic websites such as Amazon.com and Google.com–access that would cost you big dollars if you had to pay for it.
* The actual cost of a book to you is very low compared to its perceived value. This makes it an ideal gift to business associates whom you’d like to impress, as well as something to give away and get visibility when you attend Chamber or other business meetings (I usually donate a book and then when the executive director draws the business card of the lucky attender, I stand and wave, and then make contact with the winner and offer to sign and personalize the book).
* A book gives you an entry point to start relationships with movers and shakers in your industry: consultants, reviewers, e-zine or newsletter publishers, conference organizers, successful entrepreneurs… People who hire assistants to screen their email and correspondence will often be happy to receive a book as a gift, and may even lend an endorsement or order copies for friends; it sure beats hanging out at the front gate of their mansion until security comes to haul you away.
* Finally, a book provides several possibilities for adding directly to your bottom line.
About Shel Horowitz
Want to lower costs, boost profits, and have potential customers calling YOU? Multiple-award-winning author, marketing consultant/copywriter, and international speaker Shel Horowitz of GreenAndProfitable.com specializes in those types of win-win green and ethical strategies. Five of his eight books have won awards, sold rights to foreign publishers, and/or made at least one Amazon category bestseller list–most recently, Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green: Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and Your Planet (Wiley, 2010, an Amazon Environmental category bestseller at least 24 months).
Shel will help you with both big-picture strategic marketing, especially reaching green, socially conscious Cultural Creatives, and bringing green products/services to a mainstream nongreen audience. He also helps with specific tactics such as attention-getting, benefit-focused copy…joint ventures and strategic alliances…social media and traditional media publicity…publishing a book. Specialties: green/environmental/eco, authors, publishers, books.
As a thought-leader, he has been a pioneer in spreading the news that green and ethical business practices are not just the right thing to do, they’re also the profitable thing to do. He is the founder of the Business Ethics Pledge campaign, with signers in more than 30 countries.
Connect with him at http://shelhorowitz.com and grab a copy of Grassroots Marketing for Authors and Publishers for smart, shoestring budget ways to get the word out and sell more of your books.
Note from Michelle: When I started my online business, Shel was one of my very first clients. I worked as his virtual assistant for more than a decade, which formed my solid foundations in ethical business and marketing. After seeing behind the scenes, watching how he worked with clients and marketed his own business, I can tell you he’s one of the good guys in the online business world who’s got the knowledge, skills, and experience to deliver on his promises, and cares about his clients’ success. If you’re looking for someone to guide you through the media world or help you create and promote a book of your own, I’d recommend him 100%.
Your Turn!
Do you have your own book yet? Share a link to it in the comments!
Have you considered writing a book? What’s your topic and mission with the book, and what’s stopping you from getting it out there into the world?
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I do have a book :) It isn’t out yet, but it will be soon. You can read about it at http://lindaursin.net/publications/wondderful-weeds
Congrats, Linda!
I have a book out and I’m busy writing a whole set of guides. It’s a great way to help the people you want to help as well as make a bit of income from your ideas. There’s only so much you can do in a blog post.
You certainly can get more information into a book than in a blog post or two, Ana. :)
I have a book, and have thought about writing more. Agree with you. This is a great credibility-builder and it also is a great way to present your thoughts and processes around a topic.
It’s a great credibility builder. Do you have topics in mind for your second book, Steve?
My book is like my BIG business card and it definitely has given me credibility. There is a lot of work that goes into writing and publishing and it is all worth it! Here is my link to check out my book, Expect Success Be Unstoppable, a Woman’s Secret Recipe.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0944963137/sr=1-1/qid=1304551889/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1304551889&seller=&sr=1-1
Thanks for sharing this, Julie. :)
I never had the chance to have my own book before but two ebook instead. But I think the benefit is the same. Its a strong media to build viral marketing and authority at the same time.
eBooks are great, Okto – you might look at turning some of those into Kindle or printed versions with Amazon’s CreateSpace or similar. It’s a simple way to have your own print book, too.
Any suggestions on easy, affordable publishing?
Great post
I have written a book
The Titan available on amazon.com http://www.titanstory.com
I am no publishing in hard cover as well. Need it to be my super charged business card!!
Steve Werner
After reading this especially the comments, writing a book will be added to my to do list.
Thanks for sharing.