It seems like everyone is doing it. If you look at the most popular non-fiction books of the last few years, many of them were written by entrepreneurs. Some of them, such as Zillow Talk: The New Rules of Real Estate, written by Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff and his chief economist, Stan Humphries, dive deeper into the author’s industry and how to thrive in it. Others, such as Do the KIND Thing: Think Boundlessly, Work Purposefully, Live Passionately, written by KIND Healthy Snacks CEO Daniel Lubetzky, explore entrepreneurship more generally, and seek to communicate the author’s personal and professional story.
Just like having a website is an absolute must for gaining visibility, having a book is becoming a must for demonstrating your credibility and expertise…
Regardless of the main focus of the book, the point is that entrepreneurs are publishing books at a very quick pace, and it’s becoming almost a job requirement. Just like having a website is an absolute must for gaining visibility, having a book is becoming a must for demonstrating your credibility and expertise, and for reaching your audience on a deeper level.
An Opportunity to Connect
With the boom of the internet, and especially with the rise in popularity of social media, there are more ways to connect than ever. Nearly every company has some sort of web presence these days, and for most companies, that takes the form of at least a website, plus one or two social media accounts. If you want to reach out to a company online, it’s probably not difficult to do.
The problem with the digital age is that our attention is divided. When you’re doing an internet search, how many other tasks are you working on? How many tabs do you have open? Are you looking at a website, while also talking on Skype, and looking at Facebook on your phone? I’m guilty as charged. When I go to a company’s website, I go there with a specific purpose, and then I leave as soon as I’ve found what I was looking for. I’m also usually trying to do three or four other things at the same time.
Apparently, I’m not alone. A recent Nielsen survey estimated that people spend less than a minute on average at each website they visit. Less than a minute!Your website is an excellent introduction for prospective customers, but you need something more in order for them to truly connect to you and your company.
Why People Are Drawn to Books
For millennia, stories have been humans’ primary form of entertainment and communication. Consider about how many stories you tell each day, without even thinking about it. If you actually counted, the number would probably surprise you.
Stories come in all forms: articles, television shows, movies, conversations with friends and family, and of course, books. Books are a special form of storytelling because they are essentially a one-way conversation. With a book, you have your reader’s attention for extended periods of time, and that is a unique opportunity that no other form of media can offer you.
People want to spend time with company leaders who interest and inspire them. People want insight into what shaped them into the entrepreneurs they’ve become, and they want to hear the “behind the scenes” stories of the businesses. Since most of us don’t usually have the opportunity to sit down with inspiring business owners to interview them, a book is the next best thing. I know that when I read an autobiography or memoir, I feel like the author is in the room with me, sharing their wisdom and experience. I feel personally connected, and I’m more likely to become a customer.
The Real Impact of a Book
When business owners publish books, the results are tangible. I recently sat down with one of the business owners whose book Maven had the privilege of publishing, and he told me about how his book has changed his interactions with some of his clients. One client who he’d been working with for a long time read his book, and actually increased their contract with his company. They saw his passion for his business and for small businesses in general, and they realized what a valuable partner he is.
Publishing a book can be a game-changer for your business, and that’s why so many entrepreneurs are doing it now. Plus, with the changes in the publishing industry over the last several years, being published is no longer the pipe dream it once was. There has never been a more exciting time for business owners to become published authors, and it’s something you should start considering, even if you’ve never thought about it before.
If you’re still not sure, look up some of the entrepreneurs who have inspired you. If they have a book, give it a read and see how it affects you. Realize that you have the opportunity to make that same impact on someone else, and that it could completely change the way current and prospective clients view you and your business.
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