networking Archives | Solopreneur Solutions

5 Ways Writing a Book Will Support Your Business

Donna Amos — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 15:30:18 +0000

You have probably noticed that a lot of business leaders and solopreneurs have started to write their own books. Some of their books even land on the New York Times Bestseller’s List. Writing a book and publishing it isn’t easy, but you can make yourself stand out from competitors if you become a published author. Moreover, being a published author causes others to subconsciously view you as more knowledgeable, professional, and authoritative when they see that you’ve published a book.
One of the biggest obstacles in writing your own book is overcoming the mental barrier that it’s something you can’t do or would do poorly. Solopreneurs especially struggle with this mental block. However, it’s really not as impossible as you might think. Some published authors will tell you that writing the book is the easy part, but promoting it is the difficult task.
Don’t let the difficult aspects of writing a book deter you. Instead, focus on the ways in which it will support and grow your business. That will help keep you excited when the going gets tough. Also remember you’re not in it alone. You likely have an editor and publisher guiding you along the way. You could even find a mentor to guide you if you’re still concerned about doing a good job. Here are five ways that writing your own book can support your business:

1. Earn New Customers and Loyal Fans

You will attract new customers and loyal fans when you publish a book. It can take someone longer to become a fan of your business when they just read your blog posts. Because published books are viewed as higher authority than blog posts, a person can more quickly become a fan of you or your business. If your book sparked their interest in your business, then they will look it up and buy one of your products or sign up for your e-course. They will want to gain the benefits of using your products, and they will also want to learn as much as possible from you. Through that process, they could become a fan of your brand.

What exactly does it mean to be a fan or brand advocate of your business? As defined by marketer Ross Beard on the Client Heartbeat blog, “Brand advocates are highly satisfied customers who go out of their way to actively promote the products they love and care about.” The author of Brand Advocates, Rob Ruggetta, discovered through his research that a brand advocate is 50% more beneficial than the average customer. Here are some of the benefits you receive from brand advocates:

Word of mouth marketing. Fans of your brand talk positively about your business to other people.
An increase in positive online reviews of your business. Most customers don’t take the time to write a review unless they were extremely satisfied or unhappy. Loyal fans of your business often leave a positive review to help you out and share their own excitement over the product.
Customers that stay through the bad times. If they’ve become a fan, they’ll stick through the good and bad times.
Increased brand awareness.

2. Learn More About Yourself and Your Business

Another benefit of becoming a published author is you learn more about yourself and your business through the process. Book writing requires a lot of research, planning, and organization. You get to tap into your creativity as well to find unique, engaging ways to present all of the valuable information you have to share. Throughout all of these phases, you will learn more about yourself and your business. You will discover which topics excite you the most and which areas you’re not that interested in mastering. It will help you fine-tune the services you offer as well as become clearer on what services you don’t offer.
Remember that part of writing a business plan involves specifying who you won’t serve and what services you won’t offer. Knowing what you don’t do is as important as knowing what you do. Who your target audience is becomes clearer. According to Tanya Hall, CEO of Greanleaf Book Group, many people who approach her for help with book writing worry that they don’t have enough material to write a book. After a few days of consultation, they realize that they have the opposite problem: they have so much to write that they have to narrow it down for the book. They gain a greater understanding of their businesses and the processes they use in business that make them successful as a result of planning the book.
Personal organizer and author of “From Frazzled to Freedom” Julie Starr Hook admitted, “Writing my book forced me to look at my strengths and weaknesses.” She discovered that she is naturally good at organizing bathrooms, kitchens, and offices, but she struggles with digital organization. “I recognized while writing this book that I don’t have to specialize in every area,” she shared.

3. Increase Your Credibility

When you write a book, your credibility increases as well. You can use this to your advantage by adding “author” to your social media bios and introducing yourself as an author. Erika Andersen shared in an article she wrote on Forbes that people perceived her as smarter and more expert after she became a published author. People who wouldn’t have listened to her before suddenly had an interest in what she had to say. Your business is viewed as more legitimate when you’re a published author too. Customers will buy from you with greater ease and trust.

4. New Opportunities Materialize

Many entrepreneurs who have written books said that an abundance of new opportunities came their way afterward. David Niu, author of Careercation and founder of TINYpulse, said that he received more speaking engagements after he added “author” to his bio. The increase in credibility directed more opportunities his way, and those opportunities helped promote and grow his business. Lori Matzke, owner of Center Stage Home and author of “Home Staging: Creating Buyer-Friendly Rooms to Sell Your House” has made several TV appearances since publishing her book. People also now consider her an expert in home staging.

5. Encourages Networking and Making More Connections

Another primary way that publishing a book helps your business is it pushes you to network and make more connections. It is likely that you’ll end up interviewing or talking to at least one expert during the course of writing your book in order to provide facts and credibility. How many business books lack quotes or research from experts? Not many!

It’s important to back up claims for readers to believe what you’re saying and trust the information. Readers want to know when something is fact, theory, or opinion. Connecting with people at networking events is easier too when you can include being an author in your introduction. It gives you more credibility, allowing you to connect more easily with other experts in the industry.If you want to grow your business and receive new opportunities, writing a book is one of the best things you could do. You will learn more about yourself, your business, and your niche during the process. Once the book is published, you’ll generate new leads for your business, earn new customers, and maybe even receive a few new fans. Solopreneurs who write their own books can reach a higher level in business that they wouldn’t have otherwise reached.

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Income Generating Activities

Donna Amos — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:11:59 +0000

As solopreneurs we make choices everyday as to the best use of our time. And there are more than enough activities to choose from that eats away the hours we have to devote to our businesses. Many of those hours are spent providing the service that we offer to our clients. Because we are typically passionate about that product or service we become experts in our fields. The sad truth is that being an expert does not equal being financially successful. And although it is not the money that drives us it is the money that allows us to continue our endeavors. We must learn how to incorporate income generating activities on a daily basis.
I did a quick survey of successful solopreneurs to ask what types of income generating activities they do and how much time do they spend in that area of their business. I have always believed that the 80/20 principle applies to these activities and I believe my quick survey proved me right.
This is what I learned. Although they all came from a different perspective as to what was effective for their business the amount of time they spend on these activities is about the same. I received similar responses that they spend anywhere from 20-30% of their time and/or responses like they always do at least one activity each day for marketing and sales. Activities such as warm and cold calls, networking with their target market, writing sales copy and getting it in front of their target market were all activities the different individuals do on a consistent basis that generates the results they are looking for.
If you look at your own business how much time do you honestly spend on income generating activities? If it is less than 20% of your week you might want to look at restructuring your time. If the financially successful solopreneur spends up to 30% of their time looking for new business I would follow their example in your own business. And if you believe that you are spending that amount of time but you are not experiencing the income as a result you need to do some research.
The first research I would recommend is that you track your activities for a week. You may find that although you think you are spending enough time in reality you are not. However, if you find that you are honestly putting the time in then you must evaluate the activities themselves. Learn what your numbers are. If you are not converting enough contacts to sales determine where the weak link is. Do you need to improve your closing skills, increase your number of prospects or are the prospects you are attracting the correct target market? Successful business owners are always looking at their results and determining where and how they can improve. Need help in this area get outside assistance that can look at your situatiion with a fresh set of eyes.
Create a prosperous day.

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Eight Steps to Becoming a Profitable Networker

Donna Amos — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:42:39 +0000

Do you attend networking events with the expectation that you will leave with new business? I hope not, because the event is simply step two. You should have a plan developed that will take you from step one all the way through to the bank. Networking is like any other marketing strategy that you may use to drive prospects to your pipeline. For the strategy to work you must have a system to follow that will allow you to measure your results and improve as you find opportunities.

No, I did not make a typo when I stated the event is step two. Step one is preparing your dialogue for the event. That dialogue begins with a great introduction of yourself and your business. Your intro must help the prospect immediately identify how they or someone they know could benefit from doing business with you. You must also be prepared with conversation generators (statements and questions) that you would be comfortable saying to the new people you approach at meetings and events. Prepare and practice in advance. There is an acronym that can help you with this: F.O.R.D. create your questions about their Family, Occupation, Recreation and Dreams. Build your conversation starters around these areas of their lives and you will have them talking in no time. Which by the way is your objective, you must learn as much as you can about them. This is not the time to blah, blah, blah about your business.
Step two is attending the event. Pretend you are the host at the event and these are your guests. That intention will help you to remain focused on learning about your guests. Remembering as much as possible from each conversation will pay off tenfold when you follow up. When appropriate make notes for yourself.
Step three is following through with what I call a “Quick Six”. If you touch people six times within a two week period they will remember you. Being remembered is a big benefit for your business. What is a quick six? It is part of your system. Here is an example of how the six touches may go.
1. They met you at the event.
2. The next day they receive an email: I enjoyed meeting you.
3. Two days later they receive a quick note with some piece of information that is relevant to your conversation with them. (Demonstrate you were listening)
4. Day 5 you call and schedule a time to meet. Coffee, lunch or even to share your presentation if they had previously expressed an interest.
5. Sometime during week two you meet. Ask how you can support them in their business. And this is the appropriate time to ask for their business or for an opportunity to do a presentation.
6. Send a thank you for meeting with you.
Step three is actually step three – seven. If you follow a system similar to this you will capture more business from your networking events.
Step eight is adding them to your follow up system. Remember NO is only not today. Statistically most sales take 10 to 12 touches and we have only completed seven. A great follow up system will result in a higher percentage of closed sales.
The bottom-line do not go to networking events expecting to walk away with new business. You must earn that business. Put a system in place to give yourself a higher percentage of return on investment of time.

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