10 Reasons Why Your Company Should Publish a Book

Author: Stephanie Chandler

1. Attract Media Attention
If you want a magnetic way to generate media coverage, a book can serve as a launch pad for radio, television and print interviews and feature stories. Authors are ideal sources for stories, making it easier than ever to get story placement.

2. Establish Authority in Your Field
There is a reason the word “authority” begins with “author.” Publishing a book is one of the most effective ways to establish your company as a leader in your industry.

3. Build Brand Awareness
An interesting, well-written book gets shared through word of mouth, media outlets and online buzz, which leads to tremendous exposure for the brand behind the book. Examples include “The Spirit to Serve Marriott’s Way” by J.W. Marriott, “Direct from Dell” by Michael Dell, and “Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion and Purpose” by Tony Hsieh—CEO of Zappos.

4. Gain a Competitive Advantage
Imagine you were going to hire a personal trainer. Trainer A explains her program, while trainer B explains her program and then hands you a copy of her book. Who would you be more likely to hire? To stand out against the competition, replace boring sales brochures and instead distribute copies of your book to prospects and clients.

5. Spice Up Trade Shows and Events

When you attend a trade show, you expect to leave with a logo-covered tote bag filled with pens, mugs and squishy balls. Instead of giving away items that end up in a landfill, consider distributing books. Attendees will return home with something to read on the plane, not to mention the memorable impact a book has over standard promotional products.

6. Build a Unique Online Strategy

Ebooks are rich in value, yet cost just pennies to distribute. To build a robust mailing list, give away ebooks in exchange for sign-ups. Or, provide incentive for social media followers to receive an ebook when they “Like” your page or forward a tweet across Twitter. You can also distribute ebooks as a way of promoting the printed version of the book, building buzz with online readers. The possibilities for promoting with ebooks are virtually endless.

7. Launch an Engaging Campaign

A book can be at the heart of an entire campaign that generates interest before the book is even written. For example, several years ago 3M Corporation posted a call for submissions to gather the most creative uses for Post-it notes. The results were featured in a fun book: “Post-it Ideas that Stick! 222 Ingenious, Creative, Practical and Simply Preposterous Ways of Using Post-it Notes.” General Mills also recently sponsored a contest for new authors called “Spoonfuls of Stories,” which encouraged submissions of children’s stories. The winner (which has not yet been announced) will receive a cash prize along with publication of a book featuring the story. Campaigns like these can gain plenty of attention before, during and after publication, especially with social media and other content marketing strategies.

8. Generate Buzz Online

As the shift from traditional media turns our attention online, blogs and social media outlets have more influence than ever before. A good book can generate lots of attention online when it lands in the right hands. Send copies to bloggers and social media influencers and watch the magic unfold.

9. Tell Your Story Before Someone Else Tells it for You

There are many unauthorized books written about companies, which means it’s important to beat them to the punch. For example, “Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time” by CEO Howard Schultz explained the journey from Schultz’s perspective. Without the book to set the tone for how Starbucks achieved its growth, someone else could have written the book first and painted a less flattering picture of the company.

10. Teach Readers How to Use Your Products and Services

It is one thing to provide users with an instruction manual, but it’s another to teach them the practical uses for your products and services. For example, a software company could compile case studies of how clients successfully use their products or write a how-to book that provides in-depth ways to use the products. The point is to empower readers by teaching them how to get the most value in an interesting and engaging way.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/10-reasons-why-your-company-should-publish-a-book-3818610.html

About the Author

Stephanie Chandler is an author of several books including LEAP! 101 Ways to Grow Your Business, and From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur: Make Money with Books, eBooks and Information Products. Stephanie is also founder and CEO of http://AuthorityPublishing.com, which specializes in custom publishing for non-fiction books. A frequent speaker at business events and on the radio, she has been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, BusinessWeek, Inc.com, Wired magazine and many other media outlets.

News You Can Use: Working with a Book Shepherd

Guest Post by Gail Kearns, owner of To Press & Beyond

There are advantages to using a book shepherd (so dubbed by the original self-publishing guru Dan Poynter)—one of which is that it can save you money in the long run. A good book shepherd will help you navigate the publishing process, avoiding the many pitfalls, and increase your chances for publishing success.

Here Are 6 Tips for Working with Your Book Shepherd

1.    When you work with a book shepherd you are going into business, and the shepherd is your CEO, overseeing all the different departments of your publishing company. It’s like hiring at least eight different people: editor, researcher, designer, art director, production manager, administrative assistant, business manager, and public relations officer.

2.    Keep an open mind as you go into the project, just in case there is a really good idea you have missed. Generally the authors we work with are very good at something else . . . we are very good at getting books ‘to press and beyond.’ For example:  If the author is a nephrologist, there is no way she or he would let a book shepherd perform a kidney transplant!

3.    Book shepherds know the book business, and if they don’t know something they know where to go for reliable information.  Recognize that professionals worth their salt do know their business. This is especially true in the edit and design phases. Content and copyeditors, art directors, and professional book designers simply make you and your book look better.

4.    Deadlines are important for a variety of reasons. Be as prepared as you can be and try to keep the deadlines outlined by your book shepherd. Deadlines can involve getting your social media up and running to getting advance reading copies of your book out to long lead publications and opinion makers in your field. “Timing Makes Champions” is a favorite motto at To Press & Beyond.

5.    Articulate your book goals. Book shepherds work much better when they understand your aims and goals.  It could be having your expertise in print as a speaker for back of the room sales, your philosophy or message to share with the world via new media, a memoir or children’s book for your family, or a book to support your workshops and seminars. With your goals in mind, book shepherds can best guide you.

6.    Whether you have a publisher, a distributor, a book shepherd or publicist, as an author, you still have to believe in and promote your book yourself. Perpetual promotion is the name of the game. Very few books will sell themselves.

Here’s to your publishing success!

Gail Kearns is owner of To Press & Beyond, a full-service book shepherding agency. Visit the website at www.topressandbeyond.com

For a half-hour gratis consultation about your book project, e-mail her at info@topressandbeyond.com.

What do you want to know? What topics should we explore together? How can we help you along your publishing journey? Everyone here at 1106 Design wants to help. Post your comment here or email us at office@1106design.com