Over the years I have heard so many people say to me that they do not have the time to write a book and that they cannot afford the cost of publishing it. My response is always, quite simply, you cannot afford not to write your book.
It is at tough times like these when people begin to scrutinise their purchases and looking for the best value for money that is around. In a market which is already competitive, shrinking demand means fewer pounds flowing around. Those deals that do happen tend to go to the highly visible, stand-out people. And one major key to being seen as exceptional company and stand out from the rest is by writing a book.
Business leaders and executives need to be able to share experiences and knowledge and more importantly be able to share their wisdom and views on key issues within the market if they are to rise above their competition.
Think about some of the more prominent commercial business people that you are aware of and why do these people come to your mind? Perhaps it is their reputation, their credibility, recommendation etc.
But whatever the reason it is probably because they have spread the word about their knowledge further around to reach more people and of course, these are the first ones that are going to spring to your mind.
When you think about who it is you know of, you are most likely thinking of celebrities; the Dragons from the Den, Anita Roddick, Richard Branson… the list is endless.
But there is no reason why your business cannot get the same reputable success as these people because it simply boils down to how you tell people about what you know and how many people you are reaching.
The secret to successful thought leadership has always been in Reach, Engagement, Authority and Longevity and the best way you can achieve this is by writing your book.
I have urged key business people for a long time to get their books written. Some people try to rely on blogging, articles, web and video content and live speaking, but a good quality, full-length book in print trumps all of those. A published book is the most powerful tool to build credibility and raise your profile.
Companies have a reputation, and so do the key executives at those companies. They can be invisible, or they can choose to be highly visible thought leaders. I hope you choose to be visible. If you do, your business will thrive and like the celebrities, you will be up there on the A-list.
