Lately, it seems like every big-name entrepreneur has a book. In fact, lots of business owners, famous or not, are publishing books. As human beings, we naturally connect with stories, and we are much more likely to support businesses and organizations with whom we can relate. By publishing a book as a business owner, you draw in customers and give them an opportunity to get to know you and your business on a deeper level.
Any business owner can benefit from publishing a book, but many don’t do it (or even look into doing it) because they’re worried about how much time and effort it will take. People don’t know where to begin, and then quickly become intimidated once they see how much is involved even after the writing is complete.
We don’t want the publishing process to scare you off. We want you to be able to experience the unique marketing opportunities that come from having a book, and we know how to help you get there. If you know having a book could help your business, but you’ve hesitated to get started, this article is for you.
What Will Your Book Be About? Your Business!
One of the first steps to getting started on a book is figuring out what it will be about. People get stuck here, because they want to make sure they have the “perfect” idea. You already have the perfect idea: your business.
This is good news, because you already know your business. You know its history, and you know the struggles and successes it’s had along the way. You know your business’s mission and values, and you know what sets it apart from others in your industry.
Think about what you like to tell people when they ask you what you do for work. What aspect of your business is your favorite to talk about? When you only have a few minutes to describe it to someone, which parts do you choose to share? Do you change what you say depending on the person you’re speaking to?
Taking a moment to think about your business in this way will help you focus on core concepts and ideas, which is a great foundation for starting a book. Some people enjoy taking notes and writing outlines, but for those of you who don’t (or who simply don’t have time), just putting some thought into it is enough to get started.
Who Is Your Book For? Better Yet, WHAT Is Your Book For?
As a business owner, a book is a tremendous marketing tool. It can serve a variety of functions: positioning you as an expert in your field, connecting you with your customers, sharing your story with the world, and more. A well-crafted book can even accomplish several of these goals at the same time.
When getting started on your book, why is it important to think about your audience? Just like you probably change what you say about your business depending on whom you’re talking to, a book can be written differently, depending on whom it’s intended to reach. You might want to write your story one way if your goal is to educate clients about a complicated procedure your business is known for, whereas you might write it differently if your goal is to explain that same procedure to other professionals in your field.
While figuring out your audience is a necessary part of the process, don’t get stuck here. It’s easy to get caught up in wanting to reach exactly the “right” people, but it’s much more important to think about the overall goal for the book. What are you trying to accomplish? What would let you know that your book was a success? Do you hope to attract new clients? Do you hope your current clients will increase their budgets/contracts with you? Do you hope to gain some kind of professional recognition?
Before trying to narrow down your target audience for your book, think about what you hope to accomplish with it. Determining your goals for your book will automatically lead to finding your audience.
Get Some Help!
You can do any of these things on your own, but you don’t have to. That’s why Maven Publishing was founded. We know lots of business owners want to be published authors, but we also know they’re too busy running their businesses to do a bunch of research or sit down and write. We know how much is already on your plate, so we do the heavy lifting for you.
When you contact us, we’ll set up a phone consultation so you can tell us all about your business and your book idea. From there, we’ll set up a few more interviews so that we can hear you tell your story in your words. We specialize in taking your ideas and turning them into written words. We can take care of everything from helping you brainstorm, to writing a manuscript, to creating a book cover, and publishing your book on all the major channels. Throughout the process, we are as hands-on or as hands-off as you need us to be.
We’re passionate about helping business owners get their stories out there, and we’ve seen how a book can be beneficial to small businesses in myriad ways. Don’t let the daunting idea of “writing a book” stop you in your tracks. Let us help you so you can start reaping those benefits!
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