Why Every Consultant Needs to Write a Book

 

If you are like most consultants, you’ve thought about writing a book. You know intuitively that it will be valuable to your brand and your consulting career. Here are reasons why as a consultant, you should definitely write a book:

1. Your book is a marketing tool. A book can generate new business, close a pending deal, and remind previous clients that you are still available. Consider all the ways you can use your book to market your consulting. You can give it to contacts who will spread the word about you, your book, and your skills. You can send it to potential clients. You can send a copy to people you would like to meet or with whom you’d like to network or partner. A book can be a powerful tool to help open doors that may not have been within your reach in the past or close a deal that’s been hanging open for a while.
2. Your book helps you establish your expertise. You are probably already an expert in what you consult about, but a published book adds legitimacy to your career. When people see that you have a published book on bookshelves, they naturally assume that you are a top-notch authority—more brilliant than before you wrote your book. And actually you will be. When you write a book, you are forced to think more clearly and more deeply about your area of expertise. The content that readers can hold between the two covers in their hands boosts your credibility.
3. Your book can help you build your reputation and your brand. If you write a book about your consulting practice, it sets you apart from the rest. If given a choice of someone you would hire to solve your most pressing problem, whom would you choose? A published author or an unknown entity? Yep! Most people would choose the author. By writing about your models or the principles upon which your consulting practice is based, you help your clients and potential clients understand what you represent, what you value, and how you will be valuable to them. A book demonstrates the philosophy, skills, and tools you incorporate into your work better than any discussion can.
4. Your book can increase your name recognition. You will be viewed as a thought leader, and people will recognize your name and the name of your book. It raises both your profile and respect for your company. This can help when submitting proposals to speak at conferences or to keynote for corporate or association events. Your book generates attention, raises your visibility, and gives you multiple excuses for media coverage. A book can position you as the expert in your field.
5. Your book can help you make money. Don’t be fooled into thinking you will get rich from book sales. Almost no one does. However, your published book gives you and your consulting practice the legitimacy to increase your rates and an entrée to attract more work with less marketing investment. A book can help potential clients find you. When people look for experts, they often search for “who wrote the book on…?” Having a book helps people find you with their search. That’s one of the reasons selecting a title is extremely important. Remember, you will make more money through the business it generates than the sales it produces.

Culled from Business Writers Exchange