By Valentine J. Brkich, MARQUEE Editor
I’ve been to a ton of trade shows and conferences over the years. And every single time, I come home and I plop a stack of business cards on my desk from people I barely remember. They sit on my desk for a few days—maybe even a couple weeks—until I finally toss them in the “circular file.”
Sound familiar?
But what if you had something better than a business card…something more substantial and more memorable? Like your own business book.
Not only is a book way more impressive than a flimsy piece of cardboard, but it also establishes you as a subject-matter expert and gives people a reason to follow up.
But what if you’re not a writer? Relax…writing a book isn’t as hard as you might think. Especially today, where AI tools can help – and the keyword is help – you create an outline and AI can even get you started on a workable first draft.
Here are a few good tips to help you get started:
1. Have a Clear Purpose and a Target Audience
The first thing you have to do, before writing a single word, is decide who the book is for and what specific problem you are solving. For example, I tend to write a lot about Bigfoot (don’t judge me). So, I’m writing to people who may not believe in the Big Hairy Fella (i.e., almost everyone I know), and I’m trying to get them to come to their senses. The struggle is real, believe me.
Next, what’s your main topic(s)? For example, the main topic of my book, Bigfoot 101: An Introduction to the Legend of Sasquatch, was transcendental meditation and how it can help you improve your mental health and reduce stress. Just kidding! It was about everything you ever wanted to know about Bigfoot. (I bet you didn’t even know you wanted to know about Bigfoot. Believe me, you do.)
Your book may be about your personal experience of building your business. Maybe it’s to help your clients learn something like financial or physical wellness. Once you figure that out, then you have to determine how it all ties back to your business. Don’t try to be the answer to everything. Focus on one core message that will attract potential customers. (Ex: “Bigfoot is real, and you’re wrong if you think he’s not.” Okay, maybe not the best example, but you catch my drift.)
If you’re not an entrepreneur or a professional, you can still use your book as a calling card to get opportunities like speaking gigs. I’ve spoken about all of my books for different types of groups like Rotary clubs, Lions clubs, elementary schools, colleges, and social clubs. And, remember, I write about Sasquatch! So don’t tell me you can’t find someone who’s interested in what you have to say.
2. Write Like You Talk
One of the biggest compliments I get about my writing is that people say it’s very conversational. It sounds like I’m talking directly to them, which makes the book more readable. It’s one of the reasons I’ve been able to sell so many books (mostly to family members) throughout my career.
If you can talk, you can write. The problem is, everyone thinks they have to make their writing sound smart or that it has to be grammatically correct. Believe me, no one wants to read something that sounds academic (except maybe academics).
So, how do you do this? Keep it simple. Write in short sentences, and use normal, everyday language. Just pretend like you’re having a conversation with a friend over coffee. One good way to get started is to use your computer or phone’s dictation software. Then, after you have a first draft, you can go back in and clean up the copy.
3. Don’t Sell, Tell Stories
One of my more popular books, Achieving Mediocrity: Surefire Tips for a Lackluster Life, is a collection of stories of all the dumb decisions and mistakes I’ve made during my life and how you – the reader – can be mediocre too, if you just follow my example. It’s sort of a tongue-in-cheek, self-help book. I haven’t sold that many copies, but that just proves I know what I’m talking about!
Don’t just tell your readers that you’re the answer to their problems–show them! How do you do that? By sharing stories from your life – stories of successes, personal struggles, and other little anecdotes that demonstrate how you’ve overcome obstacles and helped others solve their problems. Doing so helps you build an emotional connection with your readers and establish trust. And when they trust you, they’ll keep coming back to you again and again.
Next Steps….
Still not confident that you can do this? Well, there’s one more thing you can do – hire a ghostwriter. A good ghostwriter can help guide you in your writing process and even touch up your manuscript to make it sound more professional. I’ve ghostwritten over a dozen books in my life (none of which had to do with so-called “mythical” beasts), and in doing so, I’ve helped a lot of people achieve their dream of becoming a published author. Best of all, you get all the credit!
Once you’ve completed your manuscript, all you have to do is find someone to edit it (not your spouse or your mom), hire a designer to do the cover and layout, and then upload it to Amazon, where it can be available for purchase in just a few days!
Still don’t think you can write your business book? No problem. MARQUEE’s talented writers have years of experience helping professionals write books that showcase their expertise and help them grow their business. We can even help with the cover design and layout!
Now that you have read through this article – and by the way, thank you for reading to the end, hopefully I have inspired you to forget those boring old business cards and give them something they’ll remember you by – your very own book!