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A book is an excellent way of gaining authority and establishing yourself as an expert. Here are five tips for writing a book and building your brand while doing so.
- Build trust through authenticity
Brands with the highest level of authenticity are most trusted by consumers. Customers who trust a brand are more likely to purchase it because they are assured that its promises are true. This is what we call credibility.
Trust is built by being transparent, authentic, and caring. Your authenticity means not trying to sell anything to your customers. Instead, you’re telling them the story of how you came to build the product, service or solution. You lead with value. They’re hearing from you, not a salesperson. You are not pitching them; you educate them on how your product or service resolves their problem. This type of communication sets you apart from your competition.
- Embrace emotion and make it human
We all have many stories we’re hiding from the world. We don’t share them with others because we think they might judge us. But when it comes to book writing, it’s better to open up and be honest about who we are. When you share relevant stories, it will connect with your audience — the emotions help you get closer to others. When you can share your stories, you learn to accept yourself, gain confidence and appreciate yourself.
- Write about a story that your readers will want to follow
Popular books usually entertain, educate, or engage their readers. Even if you are writing about a problem, write in a way that makes readers feel excited about or interested in what you wrote. Make sure that you can give readers a reason to read more, and add a little humor to your writing if you can.
Another reason people want to read a story is to learn something new or inspiring. You probably have stories that may have helped you to build your character. This could be a lesson that you realize when you face adversity — write a book about it.
You may think that your readers won’t care to hear about your personal life. However, people are more interested in what is happening around them than you might think. For example, many people are interested in reading stories about people who overcame hardships, because those stories motivate them to overcome their own hardships.
- Learn how to analyze your business and create a story around its value proposition
The value proposition is a promise that your product or service provides something worth investing in. In a word, the benefits and value the customer gains from using your product or service.
The first thing you have to do is figure out your product. You should know how to define it, the problems it solves and how someone can implement it. Then, specify the value proposition by looking at what your product does for the customer and what it doesn’t do. Finally, you must humanize your product so that your readers can see how it will satisfy one or more needs they have.
- Don’t be afraid to fail
You will encounter many failures, and failing isn’t always the best feeling. But it’s better to fail than never to try at all; however, it is crucial to recognize that it wasn’t a total failure as long as you learn from the mistakes. Failing means doing your best and learning what to try differently for the next time. You also add to your supply of perseverance for the future.
Books build your authority and position as an expert in your niche. Your book needs to do at least two things: First, it needs to be an influential book because it contains all the best material you’ve accumulated over years of writing. It also needs to stand on its own and not rely on you. Your publisher’s name isn’t your brand.
If you want to increase sales and build an authoritative reputation, you need to write books. No matter how experienced or new you are, publishing your book will be a challenge and a valuable learning experience. Make sure you pay attention to both what you write and how you write it.
