Building a Business from Your Book

Expanding your reach through publishing allows you to build a business you love. You have a message to share and there is someone out there, just waiting to hear it. Publishing opens so many doors. I was told once that life will never be the same, and it’s so true. It gives you instant credibility and status. A published book is often called the business card of today.

There are so many opportunities when you publish. You become an expert in many people’s eyes and they are interested in what you have to say. Whatever your book is about, your knowledge, story or message is worth sharing.

So how do you begin to use your book as a marketing vehicle? Public speaking is a great way to start. Public speaking also helps further build your credibility and public platform. There are a wide range of venues for talking about your book, helping you generate extra exposure, meet more people and get the word out. This often leads to paid speaking events as well.

What if you are shy and feel nervous about public speaking? Studies show that public speaking is one of the most common fears, so you are not alone. Public speaking gets you in front of people and allows you to practice your skills. Practice is the best way to build your self-confidence and increase your comfort level. No one says you have to start big! Do what’s comfortable for you.

You can begin with a speaking at a book club. Your initial audience may be a handful of people at a local coffee shop or someone’s home. There are book clubs everywhere. Let people know you have published and are available to come to their book club. Most, if not all, members of the group will buy your book, and you have the opportunity to practice sharing your message.

Permission from your publisher is not an issue if you are speaking about your book. If you plan to offer handouts or materials taken from the content of your book, make sure you have the right to do so. If you are not self-published, check the contract language to see what your rights are. Sometimes publishers own the rights to your entire manuscript or there may be a percentage you maintain the rights to reproduce. Contracts vary and can be negotiated before signing. If you have questions, you may want to contact the publisher as well.

You can also repurpose your book into other products and services. People like to consume information in different ways, so be thinking about how you can repurpose and reinvent your content. In your business, everything should be connected. There should be a common thread that weaves all your products and services together.

How do people find you or your book? Do they know you’re out there and that you can help them? That you’re just waiting to help them solve their problem?

Revenue generated from book sales varies and is dependent on many factors. The revenue and business opportunities that come from becoming a published author are truly the golden eggs. Publishing a book provides instant credibility, builds expert status, and grows your business platform by leaps and bounds.

Many people say they will write a book someday, but only a small percentage actually follow through. Self-publishing through the Amazon platform has made it even easier to get your book and your message out into the world. The truth is the writing and publishing processes still can be overwhelming for people, so most don’t do it. Becoming a published author helps you stand out from the crowd and adds a tremendous amount of credibility.

If you are a coach, consultant or practitioner, you have lots of great content to share. It’s what you do, what you live and breathe. There are probably common questions you are frequently asked. Perhaps you have a blog, newsletter or handouts you have already created. You can repurpose all of this into a quality book that helps build your business.

You know the needs, wants and the pain of your clients. If you want to leverage the power of being a published author to build your business, treat your readers as your potential clients. Speak directly to them in your book.

It’s been said that an average author writes the book they want, and then works at marketing it. A best-selling author discovers what their audience/ideal reader wants and needs, and then writes the book to meet that want or need. Spending some time thinking about who your reader is before you start writing will influence how you share your message and the impact it will have on your business.

It’s time to release the author in you!