Writing a book builds your personal brand and brings significant professional advantages — and it doesn’t have to be as hard as you might think.
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We’re living in the ever-growing digital information world. Billions of consumers log onto the internet and social media daily to access business, learning and connection-building opportunities. An entire world of knowledge is in the palm of our hands if we own a smartphone; information is easier to obtain than ever before.
Content keeps consumers in touch, and over the years, the means of content distribution have steadily transformed: YouTube has become the new TV, podcasts have become the new radio and written content is indexed for all to consume for generations to come.
A book is an excellent source of content, and it’s underutilized. A book can educate consumers about one topic or several. In addition, a book is a legacy form of content and offers an opportunity to create compounding value.
When you think about writing a book, it might seem overwhelming. However, I invite you to put that feeling aside for the moment because writing and publishing a book is much more manageable in the digital-information age.
Today, you can hire a ghostwriter to put your thoughts onto paper. Or you can use talk-to-text programs to tell your story out loud — avoiding some of the labor required. You can also take existing content and repurpose that content into a book. There are many cost-effective and time-friendly ways to create a book.
Whether you’re a professional or a lifetime entrepreneur, building a personal brand has tremendous benefits. The more you intentionally invest energy in your brand, the greater return you’ll experience in revenue and impact growth. An audience of tuned-in consumers gives leaders leverage that leads to growth.
Here are three fundamental reasons why every leader should consider writing and publishing at least one book.
1. A book helps demonstrate your knowledge and expertise
A blog post can be a few hundred words. A podcast episode is a certain length. A newsletter post or article has a word limit that consumers expect you to adhere to if you want their attention.
When consumers pick up a book, they expect to invest time and energy into a longer-form piece of content. They’re willing to make that investment. Since the consumer is committed to whatever you want to talk about in a book, it’s a significant opportunity to prove your knowledge and expertise.
Leaders can create a book and demonstrate deep knowledge about what they do. A career leader can think of this as creating a manual or blueprint for what he or she believes and how he or she leads. An entrepreneur can showcase his or her expertise on the topic(s) related to his or her business.
Related: How to Write a Book (and Actually Finish It) in 5 Steps
2. A book helps build a consumer base, and that gives you options
Since a book can provide extended value to consumers, that value helps bring more consumers to your brand.
In marketing, too many leaders try to go for a sale without having first added value. A book allows you to add value first, which is an approach that helps your brand stand out. It’s refreshing to experience value first. Building an audience of people who follow you and want to know more because of the value you’ve provided through a book creates options for leaders. With an audience, you can monetize the attention or leverage that attention for increased profits.
What you know has value, and consumers, employees and connections could benefit from your experience. Putting your wisdom into a book helps you build a loyal group of consumers that want to know more and are willing to invest in being part of your brand.
Related: 5 Proven Tips for Effectively Marketing Your First Book
3. A book creates a legacy that forever adds value
Your goal, as a high-performing leader, is to create freedom and build a legacy. Writing and publishing a book develops an asset that will outlive you and your work.
Add value and help people understand the topics you’re an expert on; create awareness of a better way and show the path to success through your book. Your knowledge and expertise can build a legacy that impacts generations to come.
Related: Consider This Before Self-Publishing Your Book
Use today’s tools, software and access to information to write and publish a book demonstrating your expertise. Writing and publishing a book is an excellent content-marketing strategy and an incredible way to build your brand.