How to Create a Bestselling Book Part 2

This week’s edition of how to create a bestseller focusses on your purpose for writing a book and how that can direct you to the best approach. Your purpose is one of the first fundamentals to consider.  A strong purpose assists in determining your target audience and your content.

1. Are you wanting to share a story to make a difference?

• Your target audience would be the group most likely to benefit from your message.
• Your message would then be answering the questions and addressing the concerns of that audience.

2. Are you writing in order to draw attention to and increase revenue in your business?

• Your book may be intended as a prospecting tool
  • A book can establish you as an expert in your field.
  • This can also answer several prospective client questions.
    • This can leave you freed up to focus on their winning their account.
    • This can also have you stand out from the crowd as few people leave a book versus a business card.
    • You may intend to give it to people along with a proposal or at the first meeting.

3. Are you wanting to establish credibility or become an authority in your field?

• Your book may be intended to go directly to your clients to build your credibility and your relationship.
  • In this case, you would want to answer your clients most asked questions.
    • This type of book can deepen your clients’ loyalty.
    • It may also save you time that can be spent taking even better care of them.
• Your book may also be intended to go to those who book speakers for events.
  • In this case, your desire would be to establish yourself as an authority on your subject matter.
    • Speaking engagements can allow you to sell your book to the organization for each of their members.
      • You can choose to work this as a presell, having them include it in the event gifts to attendees.
      • You may also set it up to sell your book at the end of the event after speaking.

You may be focused on several or even all of these! Your purpose for writing the book needs to direct your content as well as your promotion of the book launch.  Who will you add to your invite list for the book launch party and what will the invite say?  You may want to craft several invites for each audience. It may be necessary to get some assistance with all of these questions. Your purpose will help you determine what professional services you will need to employ.

Stay tuned next week for more on this Bestseller series!

We’ll be discussing how the amount of time you have to devote to your book project directly affects the types of professional services you’ll need to seek. The amount of time as well as your purpose play leading roles in choosing the best method of publishing. As we progress in the series we will discuss the pro’s an con’s of self versus traditional publishing as well as the purpose and benefits of outsourcing several of steps in publishing process of a book.