In our previous post we introduced you to the idea of “Social Authority“. Now, we’re giving away the MOST EFFECTIVE tool in building Social Authority for your brand. What could that possibly be? Well, the tool is literally in the name… Authority. Author.
Our society places a high value on authorship. Being an author gives you instant credibility and positions you as an authority (It’s no coincidence the word “authority” starts with “author”).
In our increasingly online world, where people communicate using 140-character tweets and Instagram photos, the humble book is still one of the best ways to show your authority as an expert. In fact, it’s become even more powerful now, because it shows you have put the time and thinking into creating something so valuable.
This means that – all other things being equal – your potential clients and customers are more likely to choose you because you’re an author. Even if all other things aren’t equal, they might still choose you because you’re an author.
Your book helps you open doors, get appointments, and close sales. It’s a high-value gift you can use in many ways. For example:
- Send it to key prospects as the initial contact.
- Give it to prospects at a sales meeting.
- Send it to long-term clients as a thank-you gift for their loyalty.
- Ask clients to give a copy to somebody they might refer to you.
- Send it to key influencers who refer business to you.
A book boosts your reputation, and puts you ahead of your peers and colleagues. If you’re a Millennial looking for financial advice, would you rather talk to just any financial adviser or one who has written the book on wealth creation for Millennials?
Your book boosts your reputation with the media as well. You can become the person the masses call for an expert opinion, and you can even leverage your reputation into regular media appearances (such as a radio show or newspaper column).
It also helps you get speaking engagements. Conference organizers like to know they are engaging experts, and your book demonstrates your expertise. You’ll be invited to speak at more conferences and sit on more panels, and this boosts your Social Authority even further.
Don’t write a bestseller – write a book that best sells YOU.
It isn’t easy to write a bestselling book. And it isn’t easy to get the attention of a publisher.
But you don’t need either of those things now. You can write and publish your own book about your area of expertise, and then give it away as a marketing tool that demonstrates your authority.
That doesn’t mean it’s easy. It’s not! But that’s OK. In fact, it’s good – because if you’re willing to put in the work, you’ll be way, way ahead of your competitors.
The good news is that it really is possible now – and in a cost-effective way.
In the past, it wasn’t feasible to print just a few hundred books, because printing was expensive. You needed to pay a lot of money to convert the basic manuscript into a finished product.
You also paid a lot of money for design, typesetting, layout and other technical work.
All of that has changed now. Printing isn’t expensive anymore and being a published author is now within the reach of more people.
The key point is that your customers and clients still recognize the value of a printed book.
You’re creating a marketing tool
Because you’re writing this book as a marketing tool, you will self-publish it. That means that you’re not trying to get a book deal with a publisher (that takes too long for your marketing needs, anyway). Instead, you will write the book, polish it until it’s ready to print, and then pay for a printer to print it.
Because this is a marketing tool, you will probably give away most of the books you print. You will give some to prospects, some to clients (as gifts or to pass on to other people), some to key influencers, and even some to the media.
In other words, you’re not trying to make money from the book – but you will make money through it.
As markets become more competitive and customers have more options than ever before, it’s essential to stand out from the crowd. Advertising doesn’t work anymore, unless you have very deep pockets. Instead, learn how to build credibility and establish yourself as a Social Authority.
Conclusion
One of the fastest ways to build Social Authority for your brand is by writing a book.
A book gives you instant credibility in the business world. A book can be used in many ways, including: print, a pdf (portable document format), or as a kindle book.
You can use the book to make money, but a better approach is to create the book for the Kindle format, create multiple calls to action within the text and give your book away for free.
When you create a book with the goal of building or establishing Social Authority, it is essential you make it easy for your audience to get in touch with you. Not doing so means lost opportunities and sales.
DO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK?
Partnering with Social Biz Flow, we have a strong team who will help you write your book, format it, create a cover and distribute it to multiple publishing channels including: Amazon Create Space, Kindle, and available on Amazon in paperback form.
Read the original article on Authority Building by clicking here and here.
