Are you dreaming about writing a book and hitting the best sellers list? Listen to this episode to find out how to hit that list and create an evergreen conversion machine.
This episode will cover some home truths about getting on the bestsellers list. It is not about writing fiction but business books that will create a funnel for future clients. It is for coaches and experts who want to position themselves as one to listen to and to make an impact.
Best Sellers List
It is relatively easy to get onto the best-sellers list if you know how to play the game. And it is a game. It is a numbers game. I don’t know if you saw the documentary about a man who exposed Trip Advisor reviews to show how hollow and empty they are. And to how you can get to the top restaurant listing on Trip Advisor. The funny part is he created a lot of demand. He ran this from a flat and pretended this restaurant existed.
He created by saying “sorry, we are booked up for the next amount of weeks. We cannot book you in until this time.” He played the game and then decided he would open the restaurant. He served them Cup a Soup and Ready Meals. It was sold as a rough and ready, rustic restaurant. This guy proved you could get to the top of TripAdvisor by creating this experience and that it is not that hard.
You can do the same on best sellers list – even with a blank book – as long as enough people buy it and support you, you can create a best seller. As long as you get enough people to buy it in a certain period of time and leave enough reviews.
Make an impact
But does this mean you are going to create a book that will have an impact? Will you write a book that people read through to the end? And will you get clients from this book?
My point here is I see people crave the best-sellers list. I do not suggest that you don’t play the game to get on the best sellers list. A book is an incredible credibility for you and your business. When you have a book, people listen to you. It also gives you door openers and opportunities to speaking gigs, to podcasts. It is something to talk about. People love having you share within their community because you have substance behind you.
The best-sellers list is smoke and mirrors.
Long-term success
If you want long-term success with a book rather than simply saying you are a best seller and it being a flash in the pan, read on. I have seen people who I respect write books that have limited success and momentum stops. It does not create new clients and is purely credibility.
I am all about the credibility. But do not waste opportunities to impact more people and create something that will give you clients. Something that will bring you a funnel and make them want to work with you. I see books rushed out.
I need to confess that I claim I wrote my book in two weekends. In there I expose that I yes I wrote it during two weekends but there was a lot of time plotting and planning before I put pen to paper. The writing of the book is easy once you have the plan. Yes, I wrote the book in two weekends but a lot of thought went into the planning stages.
Biggest book-writing mistakes
And this is where I see writing a book go wrong. People only focus on themselves and their stories. So while there are lessons in there, you need to pull in more. I recently supported a client with this process and explained that she needed more examples, to show the points that you are making.
You need to make a point through storytelling but there also needs to be a plan, a roadmap and some kind of formula to how you will plan the book out.
Title mistakes
Another mistake I see is in the title. The title does not explain what is going to be in there. When writing a novel you can create intrigue and be interesting. Yet, with a business book, the first buyers are going to be people who know and like you. They will be your friends, family and followers.
What happens when your book is on the shelf and someone who does not know you wants to buy the book? Are they going to pick it up and buy it? Not if you don’t have a clear anchor point and purpose for the book. If you are not super clear on why they should read it – and this is not immediately clear to them – they will put the book down. Unless there has been a strong recommendation.
There is only so far you can go with book recommendations. You need to make the messaging of your book nice and clear.
You can have two titles: the sexy and full of intrigue title. Then also have a sub-title that does exactly what it says on the tin. It makes it super clear what your reader will get when they buy the book.
Make it about the transformation
This is the transformation. People want to know why they will spend their time reading it. People do not read business books for enjoyment, they read because they want a transformation.
Depending on your industry, you may need to lay more heavily on storytelling. Or you may need to emphasise information, give a roadmap and make certain points. Perhaps, it is laying out the ingredients to make the transformation.
Ask yourself: what does the reader get from this book?
This is why I believe the planning is the most important stage when writing a book. Get this right first so you can fill in the blanks. Being in this position makes the whole process so much easier. It makes your book more cohesive. Then your reader has an understanding of where they are going.
Is it a dip in and out book? Do they read from start to finish? Can they dip into the bit they need most?
Book structure
There are different ways to structure a book. I am all about stealing a structure. Go and look at some of the best books you have read, and look at the structure. Then make sure that structure works for your industry and topic. Pick the best one that you feel works for you.
Do not plagiarise the content but look at the structure. There is a reason why these books work really well. There is a reason why people read them so much. Pick out these elements so you can create a great read. Also, consider why you picked up that book in the first place. What transformation were you after? Think about Miracle Morning. A huge best seller because the transformation is about creating more productivity in your day and creating a routine to make extra space in the day.
You want to get the same clarity in your book.
Putting too much in
Another problem I see is people trying to cram too much information into their books. You cannot write every book in your brain into a book. It is about distilling the information. What is relevant to people at this time? What is the focus point?
Once you have the sub-heading sorted, you can then sense check the content against this. Check if you are going off on a tangent. Or is it a topic that you can tease against? Or are you opening a can of worms into another book? Save it for a second book so you don’t confuse the reader. Or create a lengthy book that no one will read through.
Be clear in the planning stage as this will create a best-selling book. A well-planned book will attract the people who know nothing about you and buy on suggestions. If people are do not understand the transformation and why they need to read your book, all the sexy titles about you will make no difference. No one cares. It can be about you – but it is about them. What will they get from reading your story?
Beyond your friends – who will buy your book? Why will they buy it? Think about these questions first and foremost. Once the first sales are done – how will your book carry you through and bring you more clients?
If you are looking for support in writing a book, book a call with me to see if the Elevate programme is right for you.
Useful links:
Book a Call with Jen – bit.ly/claritycallpodcast
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Send your emails to jen@jen-hall.com
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