12 Ways You Can Leverage Your First Book to Grow Your Business

There is a story behind starting any business and many entrepreneurs write books to share their own. Whether it’s a motivating story of overcoming challenges, an inspiring story of passion, or a story full of practical lessons and tips, an entrepreneur’s first book can be used to help grow their business.

To share insights on how to do this, a group of members of the Young Entrepreneurs Council (YEC) answered the following question:

“How can entrepreneurs who have just written their first book be used to grow their business? Why is this effective? “

Here are some of their best ideas.

1. Use Your Book as a Lead Magnet

“Have you considered using your book as a leading magnet for your business? Would both customers and potential customers gain value from your book? Would it be useful to organize performances with an audience of potential business partners? If your answer to that is “yes,” then do just that. Use your book as a basis for a content marketing strategy. Turn this book into 500 to 1000 blog posts. ”~ Samuel Thimothy, OneIMS

2. Seek Endorsements

“Get recommendations for your book. The immediate advantage of getting bookmarks is that it saves your target readers time. Recommendations immediately reduce the risk of your customers, which means they are likely to turn into customers. Recommendations also help with the exposure of your product. The person who supports you can email their distribution list of your book or even interview you for their blog. ”~ Shu Saito, Fact Retriever

3. Generate Media Coverage

“Entrepreneurs can use their books to gain customers, build their brands and create media coverage. Although most entrepreneurs will not make money with their books, they will be able to build their mental leadership, expertise and credibility with their books, gain more clients or clients, and gain a traditional publishing contract. ~ Kristin Kimberly Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC

4. Feature Your Book on Social Media

“As a first-time author, you’ll have a built-in interest in what you have to say, especially if you’re currently successful. This strategy is effective because, in fact, social media is the best choice for anything new or informative about your business. ~ Andrew Schrage, Personal Finance Money Crashers

5. Book Speaking Engagements

“My books are some of my most proud accomplishments. I go on tour and say I promote them. At first it was a smaller audience, but the more I wrote books, the bigger the audience. Add so much value that your audience will crave the next post. Books are a great tool for business because of the authority you achieve and the audience you create. ~ Matthew Capala, Alphametic

6. Create an Email Marketing Campaign

“Entrepreneurs who have just written their first book can use it to create an email marketing campaign that compiles their email list and directs traffic to their website. Email is a key tool for marketers and business owners to expand their businesses and attract more customers to their content. You can split your book into clippings and email them to subscribers. “~ Stephanie Wells, Terrible Shapes

7. Establish Yourself as an Expert

“The new book is a great opportunity to establish yourself as an expert in your field. You can use your book by dividing it into smaller digestible parts – blogs, articles, posts on social networks, etc. The possibilities are really endless. Disseminating this information through these channels and any other relevant space will ensure that you reach your ideal audience and provide value. ”~ Blair Thomas, eMerchantBroker

8. Offer Review Copies to Industry Peers

“One of the most effective methods is to offer transparent copies to as many people as possible in your industry. If you know someone who is another author or influencer, it’s even better. It’s best to get the book in front of reviewers before you even publish it, so you can start with social proof right away. “~ Kalin Kassabov, ProTexting

9. Sell Your Book on Multiple Platforms

“You can use the book to grow your business by offering your work on multiple platforms, including Amazon, for both physical copies and audio. When someone finds your book on these platforms, there is a good chance that they will want to know more about your career, products, and industry. By making intrigues so that your book is immediately available, your business will be easier. ”~ John Brackett, Smash Balloon LLC

10. Host an Event

“Use your book as a marketing tool for the rest of your business by creating an event and giving the book to your friends, clients and co-workers. Later, turn this conversation into free marketing by inviting them to post on social media and tell their friends about the book and your brand. This gives many people the opportunity to get to know your business. ”~ Candice Georgiadis, Digital Day

11. Get Involved in Relevant Communities

“One way to use your book to grow your business is to get involved in relevant communities online. For example, if you own a SaaS marketing and then decide to write a marketing book, you can easily promote your book (and business) on relevant forums and social media groups. People who are interested in marketing can read your book and then look at your site. ”~ Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights

12. Improve Your Web Presence

“Being a published author is a big boost for your image, especially online. With the help of an SEO expert, you can easily use your author status to rank higher on Google searches that are relevant to your business niche. Improving your online presence in this way can increase your visibility to new customers or clients. “~ Bryce Welker, Real Estate Student