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Is writing a book really worth it?

Is writing a book really worth it

Is writing a book really worth it?

When new clients are considering writing a book, one of their top questions is ‘How do I know it’s going to be worth it?’

After all, writing a book is a big investment of time and it can require an investment of money. As well as the time you spend writing, editing and promoting your book, if your book is self-published, you’ll need help with design and layout, printing, distribution and marketing.

If you’re self-employed or an entrepreneur, you’re probably tempted to think about a book’s return on investment purely in monetary terms. How much did the book cost and how much am I likely to make from sales? 

But if you’re asking whether your book will ‘make money’ from sales alone, you’re asking the wrong question. The real ROI on a book doesn’t come from the sales figures – it comes from building your brand and authority. And the impact of that can be significant.

Here are several ways a book can boost your brand and authority:

  1. Become known as an expert.

    Some clients come to me with a complete body of work they are ready to organise into a book. It could be a programme, a course, a series of blogs or podcasts, or a methodology that forms the basis of their work. A book is a great way to capture this intellectual property and build your authority as a go-to expert in this area. And who doesn’t want to work with the expert?

  2. Start a conversation

    While you’re working on your book, you can share insights and snippets on social media. By leading the conversation as you go, you can ensure your audience is primed and ready for the book’s release. You can build your authority, your reputation, and a waiting pool of buyers as you write.

  3. Teach more people.

    If you’re working 1:1 or in small group programmes, there’s only so many people you can help. A book allows you to share your knowledge and teach your concepts to hundreds or even thousands of readers, so you can grow your impact quickly. The more people that know about your ideas, the more you are recognised as a knowledgeable voice and the more sought after your services become.

  4. Warm up your ideal clients.

    We’re conditioned to think a book is only a success if it hits certain metrics, like bestseller lists, six-figure advances, or X-thousand book sales. What if you measured success not by arbitrary sales numbers, but by how many ideal clients you can impact?

    Say you sell only 500 copies of your book, but 80 percent of those buyers are your ideal clients. You now have 400 ideal clients who have read your book, understand your methodology, have felt its impact and are now primed and ready to work with you, and (because you’ve set up your book marketing funnel well) they are also on your mailing list. So what do you think is likely to happen next time you launch a new offer?

    I’ve kept these book sales figures deliberately modest, but if you sell 1000 books, 1500 books or 5000 books, you can see how the numbers accelerate. Suddenly, you’ve got too many clients waiting for 1:1 work and you need to launch a group programme.  And that’s where a book can be especially helpful….

  5. Inspiring a new programme.

    While some clients arrive with a programme they want to turn into a book, other clients come to me with an idea they are still fleshing out. They know they’re onto something, but they can’t quite grab hold of it yet.

    The act of writing the book, designing a structure, mapping out the flow of the reader’s journey and making sure it has an internal logic, gives their ideas shape and form. What was once a vague idea, becomes a robust, repeatable methodology or process.

    Books like this may inspire you to develop a new coaching programme or online course or become the foundation for an entire business. Tara Mohr’s book Playing Big has not only spawned a coaching programme but a coach certification programme too. Susan Cain’s Quiet has followed a similar path.

  6. Expand your reach.

    The release of your book gives you a great opportunity to expand your reach. The promotional activities you carry out (think workshops, webinars, free challenges and podcast or media interviews) will put your ideas in front of hundreds or even thousands more people than you could reach through 1:1 or group work. As you talk about your book you are not only encouraging book sales, you’re promoting your wider work to new audiences and growing your email database.

  7. Expand your network and your opportunities

    Every promotional opportunity is a chance to expand your network. When you deliver value to podcast hosts, you create important new connections and friendships, and you’ll spark fresh ideas in the minds of listeners. You never know what opportunities (think speaking gigs, further podcast interviews, partnerships) might follow from the right person hearing a single podcast interview.

  8. Becoming part of the conversation

    Once your ideas are out there in a book, they start to take on a life of their own. The more you talk about your books on podcasts, workshops and social media and the more you involve readers in your promotional activities (with free workshops, challenges and hashtags, for example), the more your ideas spread. As people start to talk about and tweet about your work and your ideas, your authority and reach grow.

  9. Your reputation grows.

    As word of your book starts to spread, you become known as a leading voice or thought leader on your topic. Your book may even sit alongside the books of other experts in the bookshop and in Amazon suggestions. This further opens the door to possible speaking opportunities or collaborations.

  10. A book keeps on giving.

    My client Nat Tolhopf launched her first book, Allergic to Perfect in 2020, yet two years later, she receives appreciative emails every week, from new readers who are picking it up for the first time. After seeing all the time and energy that went into creating her manuscript, it is such a joy to see the ongoing ripple effect of her ideas spreading through the book.

Now, you’ll have noticed that none of these are passive outcomes. All 10 of these possibilities require you to reach out to others, share your ideas, talk about your book, and offer great value to engage with your audience. Drive people to your website and generally show up for your audience to see.

If you want to boost your brand and your impact, a book can be a valuable tool in your repertoire. It will help you expand your reach, impact more people, and play a part in the conversation. It opens doors to potential collaborations and opportunities to share your ideas.

Will your book deliver enough ROI on sales alone? I can’t tell you the answer to that. Can it boost your brand and your impact? Absolutely.

If you’d like to learn more about how your book can deliver value for your brand, click here to create your 1-page Book Plan. It’s free.

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