A business book has a simple and powerful value proposition: to help you sell more of your valuable mentoring, training or speaking programs. Here’s the scenario. You sell a two-day leadership training program for veterinary practices for $10,000 a program. Each year, you sell 10 programs and make $100,000 a year.
You self-publish 200 copies of a book about leadership in veterinary practices. You get 50 new leads from giving away and selling your books. As a result, you get an extra 10 training gigs a year. You just made an extra $100,000 a year and doubled your income.
Best-seller status might hinder you
People ask me all the time about how to get best-seller status on Amazon or elsewhere. If you write a bestseller, that is fabulous. But it won’t make a difference to the self-publishing value proposition above. And it might hinder it.
Leadership for veterinary practices is a niche. It’s unlikely to hit bestseller status (but you never know). However, it is likely to win you a lot more business in your chosen market because vets will know you understand their unique issues, and they will share the news with others vets. Before you know it, you will have another 10 gigs.
All you need to do to promote your book
Here are a few simple ways promote your book.
- Sell your book on your website, and mention it in your LinkedIn profile.
- Blog extracts from your book regularly and post them on LinkedIn.
- Give your book to influencers and decision makers.
- Give your book to prospective clients.
- Use your book to help get you speaking gigs at industry events where your clients will be.
That is it. Keep your intention simple and clear – to win another 10 or more gigs in your existing market with your existing program.
Anything else is icing on the cake
If your book becomes a bestseller, you might find yourself getting all sorts of free publicity. Great! But you need time to convert that into paying gigs. Media outlets don’t pay you (or at least the good ones don’t). Your first loyalty is to your clients (who are also your readers). Make sure all the opportunities you accept have a clear benefit for clients, and ultimately contribute to your bottom line.
It’s that easy. Don’t overcomplicate your book promotion program. Be assured that your book will win you more work even if you don’t become world famous. You need to be known and trusted by your target market. Write a book for them, and they will love and pay you for it.
PS: Want more? You may like: What your book should be about if you want to be a speaker?