What Kinds of Books Should Companies Write?
April 21, 2023
As a business owner, have you ever considered writing a book for your company? It may sound daunting, but a well-written book can offer endless possibilities for your organization.
Not only does it serve as a great marketing tool, but it can also establish you or others in your business as thought leaders in your industry. A book can showcase your company’s expertise, share your success stories, and provide valuable insights to your target audience.
The question is: What kinds of books should companies write? From memoirs to how-to guides, the possibilities are endless.
Here, you will discover the different types of books companies can write and the benefits that come with each one. Whether you are a startup or a large corporation, writing a book can be a gamechanger for your business.
Why write a book for your business?
A well-written book connects with readers by providing insights into what makes you and your business unique and valuable.
You reach potential customers who may not have heard of you before but are now interested in learning more about what you do.
Writing a book also provides the following benefits:
- People seek you out. When you write a book, you give away your knowledge and expertise to readers. People will come to trust your opinion and look to you for advice. You can now attract more clients, patients, or prospects.
- It promotes your products and services. Use your book to promote your products and services in a unique way that is unavailable through traditional forms of advertising. You can also use it to create an online presence by publishing excerpts from the book on social media or writing blog posts about it.
- It positions you as an expert. Writing a book will inform the world that you have attained uncommon wisdom or knowledge about your chosen topic. Many in your industry will declare you an expert while opening the floodgates to speaking engagements.
- It can be a great career move. Writing a book can help you launch a new career or business, or it can brand your existing company. It provides instant credibility and gets media attention, resulting in more clients or customers for your business.
- It provides your customers useful information. Your book provides helpful insight into your products or services. It can also contain case studies on how you or your customers have used them.
Business Topics to Write About
When choosing a subject to write about in a non-fiction book, you should consider your audience first and foremost. Researching the current trends in your niche and understanding what readers are looking for can help narrow down potential topics.
Entrepreneurship
One traditional business topic to write about is entrepreneurship, which is starting a business from scratch and taking the risk of making it a success. Readers might be interested in the subject since it highlights the hard work and dedication needed for a startup to succeed. It also shows the reader the many obstacles that entrepreneurs must overcome on their journey to success.
Would-be business owners can learn how entrepreneurs use their creativity and resourcefulness to create something out of nothing. They gain insight into how different businesses are structured and operate daily.
Marketing
Another traditional business topic is marketing. Readers might find it interesting because it shows how companies effectively reach their target customers and create successful campaigns. It also reveals the strategies businesses use to build customer loyalty and increase sales.
Provide a case study for your reader regarding how you went from nothing to a real business using your products or services. You can also explore the tools and platforms you have used within your company to gain credibility with your customers.
Business Strategies
Readers might also be interested in learning about business strategies. For example, share your overall plan and direction for your company, which includes setting goals, developing tactics to achieve those goals, and the making decisions that ultimately led to your success.
This exciting topic reveals the thought process behind your company’s decisions. Readers gain insight into how you created a competitive advantage, lending even more credibility to what you do.
Nontraditional Business Topics
While many traditional business topics are still valid, most have reached their shelf life.
For example, there are currently more books related to conventional marketing than you can count.
Retailers are SO saturated with business books that getting published can be nearly impossible.
One way to combat market oversaturation is to choose frontier, nontraditional business topics. Here are some examples:
Fintech/crypto.
Showing how your business employs blockchain technology to manage its finances will turn some heads. Crypto and fintech are frontier subjects for business leaders interested in decentralized finance. It is unnecessary to show balance sheets, but you must give enough details to keep your reader fascinated.
Lean startup.
The lean startup movement is based on the idea that entrepreneurs can create and launch a business with little to no capital. The lean startup movement is still thriving today. Show how you used this method to get your business underway, and you will have a guaranteed following.
Social media.
Although most businesses use it, many social media strategies allude even the most highly educated marketers. If you can make sense of this ever-evolving topic, most small business owners will flock to you.
Company/brand history.
Writing a book about your company’s history is an excellent way to share your brand’s story with the world. It also ensures that your business’s accomplishments, struggles, and stories are not forgotten. For example, the book could include information on key milestones, such as when the company was founded, when it launched its first product or service, and any major successes or setbacks that have happened along the way. Also, include interviews with key people in the company’s history and anecdotes from employees who have been with the business for many years. You could also write about how the business has grown and adapted to changes in its industry or marketplace. By conveying these stories engagingly, readers can connect with your company’s story more deeply.
Cultural awareness.
A company book on cultural awareness would provide an invaluable resource to employees and customers. It could include a range of topics, such as the importance of respecting different cultures, the benefits of embracing diversity in the workplace, and how to create an inclusive environment. It could also provide practical advice on interacting with people from different backgrounds, such as tips on appropriate language usage. Provide case studies of successful companies that have embraced multiculturalism and benefited from it. The book’s message would be acceptance, understanding, and appreciation for all cultures. By providing a comprehensive guide to cultural awareness, a company can demonstrate its commitment to creating an inclusive environment for everyone.
Founder’s personal story.
Consider writing a book on behalf of your company about the founder’s unique story. It would provide readers with an inspirational and informative look at the journey the founder took to become successful. It could be framed from the company’s perspective, showing how their product or service was instrumental in helping the founder reach their goals. Also, provide insight into the values and decisions that guided their success and details of any challenges or setbacks they faced along the way. The goal of such a book would be to show readers how they can achieve their dreams with hard work, dedication, and a little help from your company’s products or services.
Writing a Book for Branding Purposes
Writing and publishing a book for branding can significantly increase visibility, reputation, and credibility.
It can also improve customer loyalty since readers will likely trust and value the brand.
Publishing a book creates a larger presence in your industry and provides an opportunity for you to share your expertise and demonstrate your authority on the subject.
A book can also increase sales by giving readers valuable information that may lead them to purchase products or services from your company.
When writing a book for branding purposes, offer only useful content that readers can use to make decisions about their lives.
This strategy could include advice on success in business, tips for leading a healthier lifestyle, or ways to achieve financial freedom. It should also offer helpful insights into the company’s products and services and provide an in-depth look into its values and mission.
Finally, write the book in an engaging way that resonates with readers and encourages them to learn more about the brand.
Create an outline to organize your thoughts and structure the book’s content. Next, begin writing, ensuring each chapter provides valuable information and keeps readers engaged.
Finally, once the book is complete, edit for grammar and style before you attempt to publish it.
5 Additional Tips for Writing Your Business Book
1. Write for the reader.
It can be too easy to get lost in your ideas of what the reader wants. You need to ensure your audience can relate to what you are trying to convey to avoid losing them.
Before you begin writing, study the demographics of your target audience. Understand who they are and what might motivate them to read your book. Only then will you hold your reader’s attention to the end.
2. Hire a competent editor.
Publishing your book is the most challenging part of getting into the hands of your readers. Even if you go the self-publishing route, you may only catch some grammatical and usage errors. The result could lower your credibility as an author.
Instead, it’s best to hire an experienced editor to review your writing and make suggestions regarding:
- Errors and inconsistencies
- Sentence and paragraph flow
- Readability and conciseness
- Overall quality
Beyond that, a third pair of eyes from a proofreader can help even further. This highly skilled professional can assist you with removing any final errors in the text. They also examine the layout and formatting to ensure your publisher can get your book to market in the format you want.
3. Identify your other team members.
Writing a book is a team effort. While this may sound strange, consider the work you must put into it. Besides the writing and editing, you will need other help as well.
First, there is the research. No matter how much you know about a subject, you will inevitably have to rely on subject matter experts. These people will help you get your facts straight while improving your connection to the reader.
Second, consider hiring a graphic designer to design and illustrate your book cover. It is a myth that people never judge a book by its cover—they almost always do.
Last, you should hire a marketing team to help get your book into your reader’s hands. Even if you are one of the fortunate few to land a publisher, they will still want you to do your part to market the book.
4. Market your book aggressively.
Chances are, you will go the self-publishing route. This option is okay if you understand the work involved in getting your book read by your target audience.
Unlike working with a publisher, you will be the one investing the time, energy, and money into the marketing effort. Aside from social media campaigns, there are:
- Local book club appearances
- Author events
- Speaking engagements
- Seminars and conferences
- TV and radio interviews
Through your combined marketing efforts, you build relationships with potential readers, generate referrals, and create an emotional connection with your future audience. It can also establish you as an authority in your field and provide credibility while increasing sales.
5. Don’t rely on your book for Income.
There are better ways to generate income than relying on book sales. Besides, you have limited control over who buys your book and will eventually have to update it with new information.
Instead, utilize your book to build credibility, attract new customers, drive traffic to your website, and increase brand awareness.
