«Growing your business by self-publishing a book»

Adriaan Brits
Best Techie

Image: Nafis Abman, Pexels.

Presentación

Es una práctica habitual en las organizaciones de todo tipo crear y publicar libros relacionados con su actividad, que es al tipo de libro al que se refiere el autor en el texto a continuación. Desde este punto de vista, se trata de libros técnicos: los libros blancos, los observatorios, las insights.

Otra forma de publicación es la edición de libros por compromiso con la difusión cultural o artística, deportiva, humanitaria, etc.

El libro técnico de empresa u otra organización se dirige a un público profesional (empresarial, técnico, laboral...), lo que es compatible con una expresión adecuada para que el contenido sea comprendido por el público, con la excepción, en principio, de los datos más especializados. Su extensión habitualmente está comprendida entre la decena y el centenar de páginas, aunque este rasgo no es distintivo: cada organización elige cómo realizar sus libros. Otros tipos de libros corporativos son las memorias anuales y los perfiles, que tienen una trayectoria más amplia.

El libro técnico es un buen escaparate de una empresa, por las propiedades que el autor describe.

«A successful business idea always deserves to be shared. Self-publishing is a cost-effective way to get your innovative ideas out there and your book can be used as a tool to help grow your business.

»What can an entrepreneur achieve by publishing a book?

»Every accomplishment in business deserves visibility and the entrepreneur who has created the service or product wants it to be known for its credibility and he wants everyone to trust his business and product. It is imperative that all these sentiments are felt by customers, employees and potential employees and business associates.

»How can a book help grow your business?

»Besides the traditional marketing channels, to which we can also add social media, a book about your business is a dynamic marketing tool, or another avenue for getting positive exposure for your business. This is what you and your business gain by self-publishing.

»Great exposure. Any new book on the market will receive attention from producers and editors who are likely to mention it and want an interview with you. This exposure allows you to reach a broader audience than the usual marketing strategies.

»Authors are often asked to speak at business and other events; this could be an added source of revenue for you, plus the exposure and ability to interact with other attendees opens up more opportunities.

»Books that include current events into their topics are particularly effective because they are often featured on current events programs and can reach a completely new target audience.

»It lends authority and credibility. There is always a huge audience interested in success stories. People dream of gaining the same confidence and abilities that shot you to the top. You can be assured that your expertise will be well appreciated by those that want to try match your success.

»Staying ahead of the competition. Writing a book is an outward-bound approach to marketing that gives you a competitive edge. This is one of the best ways to grab the attention of your competitors and audiences. Your perceived value increases instantly when compared to that of your competitors.

»Growing your client base. Initially, your readers will be from your existing client base, but as your book reaches wider audiences so you will find that others will start taking an interest in more than just your writing. Once people read about you their interest will be sparked in your product or service and your client base will expand.

»You can also hand out signed copies of your books to potential clients and this may be a worthwhile investment, even more effective than a business card.

»Attract talented employees. Since you will now be considered an authority in your field, people will see you as a role model and this is one of the best tools for recruiting talented employees.

»Lead generation. You can put social media to good use here and promote your book on all social media channels. This is one of the greatest ways to ensure lead generation for your business. You can host Twitter chats, and promote your book on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn too. Book giveaways are a super way to spark an interest.

»What should the self-published book be about?

»Since a book is meant to be a good representation of you, it should be able to take the place of a genuinely complimentary introduction from a business associate.

»Therefore, you could write about any part of your business. Base the book on how you created your business model and which steps were imperative to its fruition or write on the technological aspects of it. People are also interested in reading about how to overcome challenges and what you learnt from your journey toward success.

»Important tips for self-publishing

»Make your content unique and make sure that you get feedback from trusted friends. Initially, get all your ideas down so that you don’t forget them. Worry about the grammar and spelling later. Once you have completed your draft, have it proofread before choosing where to self-publish it.

»Should you self-publish a hardcover, paperback or ebook?

»You could consider publishing your book in as many formats as you can so that you can reach as wide an audience as possible. Self-publishing is as easy as joining Mindstir Media which is an award-winning book and ebook publisher.

»Lastly

»Once you have self-published, the first three months are crucial for getting everyone talking about it. Call in the heavy artillery and use it aggressively initially, and a bit less so over time, but keep at it and you will see that your book is one of the best marketing strategies that you ever used».

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