As the saying goes, “Everyone has a book in them.”
But few people actually take up the challenge and that’s a missed opportunity.
If you are looking to be known as a credible authority in your area of business, becoming an author is a powerful attribute – a tangible example of your expertise – and your book becomes the best business card ever.
This doesn’t happen overnight, but taking the steps to be known, get published and build a Mountain of Credibility™ gives you top-of-mind positioning with your prospects and clients. For example, the achievement of being the first to scale Mt. Everest placed Sir Edmund Hilary atop more than just the highest peak on the globe. It cemented him in history with an awesome accomplishment.
Subsequently, over 4,000 people have ascended to prominence doing the same and more than 300 have died trying…but you know what? Over 7 billion people on this planet never even attempted the climb! Just like climbing the highest peak, writing a book is something special. It is hard and not everyone does it.
When someone says they’ve climbed Everest, we are in awe at the achievement. In fact, that adventurer becomes instantly credible for more than just the physical act of climbing the mountain. They become a perceived authority for things outside of their area of expertise. You could see them at a plumber’s convention and if they gave their thoughts about a “faucet aerator fitting”, people would actually pay attention – even though the topic is clearly not part of their mountaineering skillset. It really is amazing.
The exposure can also lead to news media of all types turning to you as a trusted source of expertise in your chosen field – and sometimes even beyond.
I was fortunate to meet Jack Canfield, author of Chicken Soup for the Soul, and he said,
“When people look for answers, they turn to books. When they want the expert, they hire the author.”
Writing a book – and the required research to produce a genuine, authoritative read – can place you on a similar summit others revere.
For me, writing my first book opened doors that I never thought possible. It allowed me to become a resource for key people and speaking opportunities. It led valuable people to consider that maybe I had something worth listening to.
Consider that when asked about how much he made selling his book, Guerilla Marketing, Jay Conrad Levinson responded that he made around $10 million; $35,000 in book sales and the other $9,965,000 in training, speaking workshops, etc.
Your book is definitely the best business card and it will place on top of your Mountain of Credibility™.