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Key Takeaways A business book can be a strategic asset fostering new revenue streams, but it rarely yields significant profit from royalties alone.
Effective marketing and an established platform are crucial for a book’s success, requiring careful planning and possibly professional help.
Choosing the appropriate publishing path, whether traditional, self or hybrid, impacts the book’s timeline, control and financial investment.
Business owners often hear that a book is the ultimate credibility booster. But publishing in the nonfiction space (especially when your goal is to grow a company) comes with unique challenges and misconceptions. Before you dive in, take time to evaluate what a book can (and can’t) do for your business.
Start with your goal
The first question every aspiring author should answer is simple: Why do you want to write this book? Your goal drives everything from the content to the publishing path to the marketing plan.
For example, credibility seekers might lean toward traditional publishing to gain the added prestige of a major imprint.
On the other hand, entrepreneurs using a book to sell a course or coaching program must design the book’s framework and marketing funnel to lead readers directly to that offer.
A clear goal gives you a filter for every decision that follows.
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