Do you know that writing a book can be a big boost to your business brand or personal brand? Yes, writing a book will increase your chances of advancing your business. As an author, your final aim will be the same as that of any author: sharing something of value with your readers. As the owner of a business, your objective is of course to enhance your business, improve the quality of your life as well as that of your readers. By writing a book, you can achieve both these goals. You now have become an expert in the eyes of your readers. That, my friend, is invaluable for your long term success and personal brand.
Let me show you how this works!
Your book should be able to prove to your readers and potential customers that your goal is to improve their quality of life through the information you provide. Eventually, the book should be able to convince them of that goal. So what is the proof of your success in convincing them? The proof is when they request for more information about your business and your product. And if in due course, they start buying more of your product, then you’ve succeeded enormously! In essence, you will have used your book to create a personal brand for yourself and your business.
The fierce competition in the marketplace also makes modern-day business problematic. In the past, another businessperson will require a large capital to start a business. In the present day, it’s a lot easier. Anyone can appropriate your design or your product, create a website and give you a run for your money. Competition too has gone global. Your competitor is not just your next-door neighbour. Maybe there’s a website that can deliver goods to as far as the Far East, Europe and even Timbuktu.
And here you are, spending a packet on your selling efforts – more advertisement, higher commission for your salespeople, rent for sales showroom, etc. You might even be tempted to lower your prices just to cut the competition. All these measures may give you a short-lived respite. Eventually though, your business will suffer from the mighty clout of globalization and e-commerce.
To counter all of the above, I’m proposing that you write a book. Here are the reasons to bolster my proposal:
Let me tell you, gone are the days when you, as a business owner, can stay behind the shadows. The idea of creating your brand and having the brand in the front line while you go incognito is antiquated and passé. Globalization and the dawn of social media have changed everything. Now, business owners need to be very prominent to gain the trust of customers. Spending millions to create your brand via promotion and advertising doesn’t even work as well as it used to any more. With the current distrust in corporations, customers are more cynical and discriminating. This makes such expenditure all for naught.
Your book won’t be considered as a mere brand of your business. Through your book, your customers will get to know you. They will also know what you have in mind, and learn from you. They’ll be appreciative of what you’re sharing with them. And believe me, this will lower their defences. Ultimately, they’ll be more receptive to your ideas and proposals.
The book can be a means to present the real you to your customers. It will show them that you’re a person who is dependable, intelligent and unique. You become the expert! The book will also help you differentiate from your competition. But it doesn’t stop there! It could be the first stage in crossing that risky chasm of price competition. Writing a book can make you become an expert and give you a strong personal brand so that your customers are willing to pay a premium for your products and services.
An example to demonstrate my point. There are many Feng-Shui masters around, but Joey Yap commands several times more for his services compared to most Feng-Shui masters out there. The reason? He has authored many books on the topic and is seen as the expert in the field. His personal brand is simply worth much more than other masters around!
So if you engage in one marketing activity this year, make it a point to write a book and become an expert in the eyes of your customers. This is the ultimate tool in personal branding!
