Where Can Your Book Fit Into Your Business?

In my last newsletter, I gave some direction on what topic you could tackle in your book. This time, I want to help you see the big picture—one that is quite possibly bigger than anything you've considered before today.

But first, tomorrow I'm a guest on the Get Published Summit and you can get your free ticket here. I talk about the 3 things authors can do to complete their book, overcome writer's block, and more.

Before I dive into today's topic, please know publishing a book is an incredible feat. I mean, it's a big deal. It's wonderful and amazing and challenging and fun. If you do it well, it can work hard for you for years and years to come. But I hear so often, almost every single day (including holidays and Sundays), that someone published a book and it's not doing anything for them (or their business), it's not making them any money, and they probably will never do another book (while leaving the book they did publish to sadly sit unloved on a shelf somewhere).

Insert heart-broken emoji here.

Your book can fit into your business by being a lead generator. Books you sell or give away establish you as an authority and can bring ideal clients straight to your door. By being an author, you stand head and shoulders above anyone else in your profession that doesn't have one.

If you've written a book and don't expect much from it (or have and its performance is disappointing), you probably heard, "Just publish a book and instantly fame and fortune will find you while you sip lattes in the South of France." (If this has happened to you, you probably also have a G700 and I'd love to join you. Email me anytime at [email protected].)

Chances are this is not you, thus why you are reading this. You might also have heard, "You don't make money from a book, only as a result of a book." Both of those are wrong! So let me help you by providing food for thought about what I've done in my business with just one of my books: follow the breadcrumbs. I did it by chance, I want you to do it by choice.

Allow me to tell you a little story.

Once upon a time, Amazon invited me to New York City to answer questions at a media breakfast about the KDP platform (see photo, above). You can read about the breakfast in this article Entrepreneur.com article, as well as this article on Medium by Kevin Kruse (originally published in Forbes--has been turned into a cool video).

The purpose of the breakfast was to educate and inform everyone about the KDP (Kindle Digital Publishing) platform, and how simple it is to self-publish. I suggested a book on the topic of the importance of writing a book, and my Amazon contact loved the idea. Here's what happened next (and over the next few years):

• The book. You Must Write a Book was written and published in time for the breakfast (October 2016). This established me as an expert in self-publishing. The book did very well right out of the gate and is still selling and I also use it for lead generation (see below). Note: Your book will establish you as an expert in your field. But wait! There's more...
• The companion. A request by two readers on the same day gave me an idea, and I published the companion workbook, I Must Write MY Book six months later (March 2017). Note: Your book will do better if you provide a process for others to follow (think The Miracle Morning's Life SAVERS or Go for No's "How many no's" idea)—and when you do, I highly recommend you publish a companion product, such as a workbook, planner, or action guide—and simultaneous to the book's publication if possible.
• The course. The emails I received from readers of the book and workbook were awesome, and those emails contained questions I didn't—and couldn't—answer in the book. I decided to create a course so I could help more people, more thoroughly. Publishing Ph.D. was born, and I first taught it in September 2018. Note: You can launch a course before or after the launch of your book, it is a fantastic way to help more people and is also a terrific income stream.
• The mastermind. Graduates of the Course continued to stay in touch, ask great questions, and request more of my time. A well-timed suggestion led to the forming of the Empire Builders Mastermind, now in it's fourth year, provides coaching, mentorship, and guidance to the members, and it's great for those who want to turn their book into multiple and large income streams. Note: While a mastermind might not be at the top of your list, I share this to plant a seed so you'll think about what you might do (a membership? group? class? cohort? live weekend events? seminars? keynote speaking?)
• Custom publishing. A select number of my clients don't want to learn the publishing process, and they do want to be authors and receive the benefits. I have a done-for-you service for those who have more time than money. Note: This service includes every aspect of the writing, publishing, launching, and marketing process. If you provide a done-for-you service, your book can provide entrée to those clients in an efficient manner.

These five products were all born from one thing: my book. Now, to you: your book can just be a book. But it can be so much more! I most often see books that aren't used effectively or even repurposed, and they certainly could be—into income streams for the author and modalities others would love. It's not surprising that not everyone reads—but lots of people take courses, attend conferences, and join masterminds, right? Okay—so think of your book as a product in your product line and ask yourself:

How can my book help me earn more in my business?

Then, begin to picture it in other forms, perhaps in the same way or ways I've done above. It's very possible that your book can become an entirely new arm of your business. Or, it's possible you can use it to generate more of the business you already do.

For example: if you're a mortgage broker, your book can provide an education for first-time buyers, military members, or self-employed folks. All while positioning you as an expert, generate new loans, be turned into courses, etc., etc., etc. The possibilities are truly endless. (There's a book series in there for someone...)

The idea is to be intentional ahead of publication. What are ways you can monetize your knowledge and expertise, and get that out into the world?

While you're still in the process of working on your book, or even in the first couple of years after publication, you can pull back and strategically find other ways to use the contents of your book to generate new business or launch new income streams. It might take a year or even five years, but your book can become so much more for you and your business. I hope it does!

If you'd like to chat about how I can help you bring your book idea into the world, grab a discovery call slot on my calendar. It's completely free, and takes 15 minutes or less. Chances are, if I can't help, I know someone who can. I look forward to speaking with you.

To Your Success! Honorée Corder | [email protected] | HonoreeCorder.com

Book Spotlight:

I keep track of tons of projects all while generating new ideas. There's one book that became my foundation about five years ago, and it's written by my co-author of The Miracle Morning for Writers, Steve Scott. His book, Master Evernote: The Unofficial Guide to Organizing Your Life with Evernote was a game-changer for me. It takes about an hour to read and a few hours to put all of the suggestions in place.

If you want to be more organized than you ever thought possible, and even be able to pull up an email from 2013 in less than 30 seconds, all while capturing notes from meetings, endless ideas, and more, this is the book for you. Enjoy!

P.S. Want to go back and review the previous emails in this series? Click here to view my newsletter feed!

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