by Tanya Hall
With much of the business world abuzz about content marketing, smart marketers are taking stock of opportunities for their clients to use the power of story to convey a message and build stronger brands. Conspicuously absent from most content strategies, however, is the granddaddy of all content marketing: writing a book.
The benefits of launching a book are many: increased visibility and credibility, tighter messaging, an angle around which to build a publicity campaign, a tool to acquire new business, and more. But writing a book is a daunting task for most, and a long process to boot. On top of that, many would-be authors doubt whether their ideas are book-worthy. So as a trusted advisor, when should you include writing a book in the recommendations you provide to your client? Here are four key elements to look for:
1. Commitment. Writing a book requires an obvious level of time and thought commitment, but if the author wants to see any degree of commercial success, it also requires a commitment to promote and hustle sales. It takes months, sometimes years, to write a book. Once it’s complete, you’re looking at another 6-9 months for a national distribution rollout. (Digital publishing options obviously can shorten that timeframe but limit availability.) Having your support as a marketing and brand advisor not only during the writing process but also during the book launch stage will make the journey much more manageable for the author.