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Business leaders are pursuing book authorship in ever-increasing numbers.
Sure, a TED Talk attracts respect and attention, as do nominations to the Thinkers50 or an invitation to Davos, but the existence of a physical book has a permanence that CEOs, entrepreneurs, business owners, founders, and subject matter experts value.
There are a number of reasons why leaders invest in becoming authors. The most common among my clients are:
Competitive advantage
Being able to point to a published book as evidence of their expertise is one way business pros differentiate themselves and/or their companies from their colleagues. A book helps them stand out. It also helps demonstrate their commitment to knowledge sharing and teaching.
The most successful business books contain a mix of insights, advice, and case studies or anecdotes from the author’s personal experience. Readers today want stories, not just recommendation after recommendation.
New business opportunity creation
Some clients are eager to join the national speaking circuit, while others are looking ahead to their next act and want to position themselves for future teaching or consulting engagements. Having a book to their name qualifies them for speaking gigs and publicity opportunities that non-authors do not. Many speakers bureaus, for example, require their clients have a published book to their name.
A recent study of business book results reported that although 64 percent of books were profitable, “Speaking, consulting, and workshops generated much more income than book sales and royalties.”
Thought leadership
Writing and publishing a full-length book on a business topic helps establish authors as visionaries and thought leaders – experts who are sparking new conversations and discussions on relevant topics. Packing their expertise in a book generates credibility and authority that they can then leverage to earn increased visibility.
Young man with beard on face in casual clothes reading book while sitting at table with cup of hot drink
The Author ROI study found that more than 90 percent of authors experienced a boost to their personal brand by publishing a book, and “Most authors accomplished their goals,” which included “sharing their knowledge, elevating important topics, and boosting their reputations.”
Legacy building
For some clients, a book offers a format in which they can share their stories, explain their business philosophy or leadership principles, or advocate for a particular cause or idea. A book is a permanent record of their leadership efforts and for many founders and CEOs, a way to give back by sharing what they know in written form.
Interestingly, many CEOs and business leaders tend to write books at inflection points in their careers, such as after reaching a significant milestone or wrapping up a major initiative. They use a book to solidify their credibility and vault them toward even bigger and better opportunities.
Smart authors then leverage and repurpose their books to further extend their message and reputation. They may pursue podcast interviews on their book’s topic, for example, pitch keynote topics that draw on major points in their book, package consulting offers to implement the advice in the book, and/or develop courses or training programs to help readers take action.
If your competition is in the process of writing a book or has recently published one, order a copy to learn what they have to say and how they’re positioning themselves in the marketplace.
You may discover that their interests have diverged from your own and that you could collaborate on projects rather than going head-to-head as competitors, or you may pick up insights and observations you can apply in your own organization.
You might even consider reaching out directly to congratulate them on their accomplishment – publishing a book is a major achievement – and ask what they would do differently if they were starting over. That way, you can save yourself time and money and increase the odds that your book will be even more successful.