Marketing Yourself: How To Write A Book

It’s been 14 years since I wrote my first book, and I’ve been anxious to write another one ever since. While we live in the digital era, you may be surprised that books continue to draw much attention and sales – especially business books.

Approximately 80.64 million business and economics category print books were sold in 2021 representing 25% of adult non-fiction print sales which were over 322.56 million in total. 2021 showed 10% rise from over 73.31 million for the business and economics category when compared to the previous FY.

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Why To Write a Book

You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the attention you get when the title author is added to your professional biography. I was invited to speak, and consult, and clients came to me instead of me hunting them down. I believe much of this was due to the validation that a published book brings… companies trust that you’re an expert who has thoroughly thought out the premise of the products or services they need to invest in.

Books continue to play a vital role in business for several reasons:

• Knowledge and Expertise Sharing: Books are a comprehensive medium for sharing knowledge, expertise, and best practices. They allow professionals to learn from the experiences and insights of others in their field.
• Credibility and Authority: Writing a book can establish an individual as an expert in their field. This credibility can open doors to new business opportunities, speaking engagements, and consulting roles.
• Marketing and Branding: A book can be a powerful marketing tool. It helps build a brand and gives a business a tangible product showcasing its values, philosophy, and expertise.
• Networking and Relationships: Writing and promoting a book can lead to new connections and strengthen existing relationships within an industry.
• Longevity of Content: Unlike digital content, which can become outdated quickly, books often have a longer shelf life. The concepts and strategies discussed in books can remain relevant and accessible for years.
• Personal Development: Writing a book requires research, reflection, and synthesis of ideas, which can be a significant personal and professional development exercise.
• Revenue Stream: For some, a book can become an additional source of income, either directly through sales or indirectly by leading to other profitable opportunities like speaking or consulting.
• Legacy Building: Books can be part of an individual’s or a company’s legacy, leaving a lasting impact and contributing to their long-term reputation.

Writing a book was one of the most challenging projects I’d ever embarked on. The discipline it required to organize my thoughts, cohesively document them, and complete a book was an incredible challenge. I’m proud of what I achieved and in awe of my colleagues who turn around and write books every year or so.

How To Write A Book

Writing a non-fiction book for business involves several key steps, each requiring careful planning and execution:

1. Identify Your Niche and Audience: Determine your book’s specific topic and target audience. This could include leadership, entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, or industry. Understanding your audience’s needs, challenges, and interests is crucial.
2. Research and Gather Information: Conduct thorough research on your topic. This may involve reading other books, academic papers, interviewing experts, or drawing on personal experiences and case studies. Ensure your information is accurate, relevant, and up-to-date.
3. Create an Outline: Develop a detailed outline to organize your content logically. This should include the main chapters, subtopics, and key points you want to cover. An outline helps structure the book coherently and ensures that you cover all necessary areas. For my book, I found a fishbone or Ishikawa Diagram helpful:

4. Write with Clarity and Purpose: Start writing, focusing on clear and concise language. Remember, your goal is to inform, educate, and engage your readers. Use real-world examples, stories, and case studies to illustrate your points and make the content relatable.
5. Add Value Through Unique Insights: Offer unique perspectives or solutions that aren’t readily available elsewhere. This could be through novel research, unique methodologies, or innovative strategies that you have developed.
6. Revise and Edit: Editing is crucial for clarity, flow, and coherence. Consider hiring a professional editor to ensure high-quality content. They can help with grammar, structure, and ensuring the tone is appropriate for your audience.
7. Design and Formatting: Pay attention to the layout and design of your book. This includes choosing a readable font, formatting paragraphs and headings, and incorporating charts, graphs, or images.
8. Publishing: Decide whether to pursue traditional publishing or self-publishing. Traditional publishing might offer more support in editing, design, and distribution, while self-publishing gives you more control and often a higher percentage of the profits.
9. Marketing and Promotion: Develop a marketing plan to promote your book. This could involve social media marketing, book launch events, speaking engagements, and contacting influencers and media in your field.
10. Solicit Feedback and Reviews: Encourage readers to leave reviews and feedback. This provides valuable insights for future editions and helps build credibility and attract new readers.

How To Write Each Chapter

The structure of a chapter in a business book typically follows a clear and logical format to convey information and engage the reader effectively. While the specific structure can vary depending on the subject and the author’s style, a standard chapter layout often includes the following elements:

1. Chapter Title: A compelling and descriptive title that indicates the chapter’s focus and entices the reader to delve into the content.
2. Introduction or Opening: A brief introduction that sets the stage for the chapter, outlining what the reader will learn and why it’s important. This section often includes a hook to grab the reader’s attention.
3. Main Body:
   • Subheadings: Break the chapter into smaller, manageable sections with descriptive subheadings. This helps organize the content and makes it easier for readers to follow.
   • Core Concepts and Theories: Present the key ideas, concepts, and theories relevant to the chapter’s topic.
   • Examples and Case Studies: Include real-world examples, case studies, or anecdotes to illustrate the points made. This helps in making the content relatable and practical.
   • Data and Research Findings: If applicable, incorporate relevant data, statistics, and research findings to support your arguments and give credibility to your work.
4. Practical Application: Offer insights into how the reader can apply the concepts or strategies discussed in the chapter to real-world business scenarios. This section is critical as it provides actionable advice.
5. Summary: Conclude the chapter with a summary summarizing the key points covered. This reinforces the learning and ensures that the main messages are clear.
6. Reflection Questions or Exercises: Some authors include questions or exercises at the end of the chapter to encourage reflection, self-assessment, or application of the concepts.
7. Further Reading or References: Include additional resources, books, or articles for readers who want to explore the topic more deeply.
8. Transition to the Next Chapter: A brief mention of what is coming in the next chapter can maintain reader interest and provide a smooth transition.

This structure ensures that each chapter is informative, well-organized, and engaging, helping readers to not only understand but also apply the concepts in their professional lives.

Every step of writing a book involves significant effort, and the process can be as enlightening as it is challenging. Remember, a successful business book not only shares knowledge but inspires and motivates its readers to apply that knowledge professionally.