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You've spent countless hours getting your thoughts and ideas into a well-written book that the world can benefit from, and now what? Don't just get a congratulations phone call from your publisher and sit there waiting for something magical to happen.
Often times non-fiction, business authors have something to say that can bring tons of value to the reader. Chances are, that reader is going to want to take the knowledge you've delivered to them in your book, and apply it to their own business. However, what happens if they want more?
Have you ever sat down to talk about the topics of which your book is about, and someone says to you, "Wow. Thank you for all of that. You should write a book on this stuff!" Considering you wrote a book, I'm going to guess that's happened to you not just once, but many times.
So how does this relate to having a personal brand, and why should you even consider one?
Having a personal brand means you are the face of your business. You're not just selling a product or service, but you're also selling yourself. You're selling your work-ethic, you're selling your personality, accountability, and unique perspective on things. All of these things are what separate you from your competition. These are the things that make you more relatable to an audience vs. somebody else.
Creating a personal brand doesn't just help you stand out from the crowd, but it opens up doors to new, exciting opportunities. Maybe you've just left your corporate 9-5 job after 30 years, but you don't want to stop serving other individuals and businesses. If the thought of consulting or public speaking has ever crossed your mind and is of interest to you, having a personal brand is where you'll need to begin. Publishing a book is a great way to build rapport, credibility, and to get someone interested in your ideologies and thought processes on a particular topic. Use your book as a business development tool, by offering to send someone a free copy of your book in return for a review or interview on their podcast or blog. You can even negotiate speaking events by saying, "Don't pay me directly for this event, I'd rather you cover the cost of the book for each member in the audience." This has now placed you up on stage in front a large audience who might be in your business's target market, a solid number of copies of your book have been sold, and new opportunities for business development are right in front of you.
Continued success,
-Mike
Founder, Experience Digital Marketing, Inc.