When it comes to standing out online, few things beat the authority-building of a published book. We’ll explain why a book is the best business card and why you should consider writing one.
Simply put, when you write a book about a topic, you immediately stand out.
Imagine you just met someone at a party. They are passionate about growing indoor plants and talk your ear off about them.
Then, they subtly mention that they wrote a book on growing indoor plants.
Wouldn’t you immediately assume they’re an expert on this since they wrote a book on it? And even though you’re not a botanist yourself, the fact they wrote a book makes you suddenly more interested in what they have to say.
That’s the power of a book. That’s why there is the old saying of, “They wrote the book on it!“
Not only will a book establish your authority, but it’s a great way to carve out your expertise in an industry. It’s also a great way to create a memorable impression.
We’ll go over the best reasons you should write a book and how it can improve your reputation as an expert.
Table of Contents
Objection 1: Won’t writing a book take a long time?
When it comes to writing books, most people imagine months or years of typing away at a computer.
Although it’s possible for a book to take a long time, you don’t always have to stretch it out for that long.
If you want to write a book in a short amount of time, consider writing a book under 100 pages. That way, you can knock it out in a shorter amount of time than a book that is over 300+ pages.
If you have the personal self-discipline to sit down regularly and write, you will get it done.
For those that need the extra accountability, there are a ton of writing retreats, groups, and courses that can help guide you on your journey to writing a book.
- You might be able to find a local writing group where you simply meet with fellow writers to all keep yourself accountable.
- There are courses in everything from helping you create an outline, to writing, to getting your manuscript in front of publishers with a book proposal.
- There are writing conferences where you can meet and network with other writers and publishers.
- Here at Self-Publishing School, we offer courses, community, and coaching to help you self publish on your own. We now offer done-for-you book production services as well. To find out more and talk to a publishing strategist on our team, click here.
One other option for getting your book written is hiring a ghostwriter. You can talk with them, go through all of your thoughts, and help guide them to write your book. Although you’ll need to pay the writer, it can save you hours of time from having to write it all out yourself.*
*In these arrangements, the biggest challenge is usually trying to maintain the voice of the writer and the integrity of the thoughts, aka the ghostwriter doesn’t take you, the expert, out of the manuscript. For this reason, we would only recommend a ghostwriter in specific cases, for specific people.
But as you can tell from the bulleted lists above, there are plenty of options at your disposal to help you get your book written and done, quickly.
Objection 2: But I have hundreds of business cards I hand out everywhere I go. Isn’t that enough?
These days, no, it’s not enough.
If you hand someone a small business card with all of your information on it, they’re likely to put it away and forget about it immediately.
However, if you hand someone a book, they might take it home with them and actually read it.
On top of that, they might even love your book and recommend it to people in their immediate circle or share it on social media.
It’s memorable and will stand out far above just a regular business card.
With a card, they just know your name and contact info. With a book, they can get to know your values, how you think, what you’re passionate about, and ultimately, find ways in which they relate to you.
A book can become your new business card.
Why a book is the best business card, AKA the benefits
Let’s check out the main benefits that come from using a book as a business card.
1- A book demonstrates credibility
When you write a book, it shows your authority on a subject and is the best way to demonstrate your knowledge.
Books take quite a bit of effort, focus, and commitment. Doing so shows the world that you took the time to put all of your thoughts in one place, took the time to edit that work, and publish it for the world to read.
When you put in that effort, it’s one of the best things you can do for your reputation and career.
For example, if you were debating hiring two different acting coaches, but you learn that one of them wrote a book on acting techniques, wouldn’t they seem more credible?
Yes, they would. Which is exactly why you should write one.
2- A book attracts attention
Not only can a book demonstrate your credibility, it can also be an incredible way to attract people to your work.
Depending on where you choose to share and publish your book, people might stumble upon it and become interested in your work.
That might mean you can be invited on podcasts, speak at conferences, land more clients, or anything else you might want to do with your career.
If you have your book on Google, Amazon, and other publishing sites, you also have the chance of showing up in search results.
When people search for books in your industry, they can stumble across your book which can lead them to more of your work online. It automatically establishes your authority and demonstrates that you know what you’re talking about.
It can also become a great resource for people in your industry to reference in their own work.
3- A book puts your expertise in one spot
There’s a reason almost every celebrity and successful person has a book published: it’s a summary of their expertise and experiences.
Writing a book is no small task and being able to put all of your thoughts, memories, failures, memories, or other ideas, into one central home is a great place to summarize your knowledge.
Having a book is even better than handing someone a resume because it’s a much better summary of your expertise.
Whether you are trying to get a job, get more press, or summarize your knowledge in one central place, a book is a great way to make that happen.
4- A book can turn into its own business
While this article has mostly been focused on using a book as a business card, you should also know the possibilities of having that book grow your own business.
Private practice dentists, chiropractors, and other health care professionals have been able to grow their practices through their book. They’ve landed more press, more speaking engagements, and book sales as a result. More importantly, they’ve helped improve the health and well-being of more people.
A book leads to book sales, which leads to more clients, which leads to more health and well-being of more people. You can see why it makes sense to have a book with your name on it.
Perhaps, by now, you’re convinced that writing a book would be better than handing out an old fashioned business card.
So what’s next?
Should you self publish or get a traditional publisher?
There are a lot of pros and cons on both sides of the equation, publishing on your own or going with a traditional publisher.
While we have articles on how to self publish and more in-depth publishing guides, there are a few things you’ll need to know.
Self-publishing: The pros and cons
- Pros: In 100% control of your book (updates, revisions, adding reader magnets, etc)
- Pros: You’re in control of where your book is available to buy, the price, and promos
- Pros: You can dictate the marketing plan and allocate budgets as you see fit
- Pros: With our programs, you keep 100% of the royalties
- Cons: You don’t often have the marketing reach a traditional publisher has
- Cons: It’s harder to get your book in stores
Traditional publishing: The pros and cons
- Pros: Demonstrates authority by having a publishing company back your book
- Pros: The publisher takes care of your editing, marketing, etc
- Pros: Better distribution channels
- Cons: You have less control over the final published version
- Cons: You make less in royalties, as other entities get a piece of the pie
- Cons: You might need a lawyer or professional to look over your contract since they can be complicated
Next steps
If you’re ready to start writing your book, check out this free resource below and get started today. The best time to self-publish a book was twenty years ago. The second best time is today.