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How You Can Grow Your Business By Writing and Marketing Books   by Bobette Kyle

We've all seen books authored by high-profile professionals. We know authoring a book creates prestige for such people. But do we really understand how writing and marketing books can help build a business or career?

Ron Kaufman knows. He has built a business around customer service training and motivation, including series of books and has generously agreed to share his experience with us.

Bobette: Thank you for the interview, Ron.

Ron: My pleasure! Let's get started.

Bobette: You have written 14 books in the two series. That is quite an accomplishment! What motivates you to keep writing?

Ron: Writing books is a natural "next step" to put the experience I have gained over the years into written form. Book writing also forces me to consolidate and organize my thinking into a coherent body of knowledge. The rigor required to organize each chapter and articulate each page has improved my own thinking, and my ability to serve my clients.

Bobette: Has writing and publishing resulted in an increase in demand for your professional services? In what ways?

Ron: Writing and publishing absolutely increase your credibility. After all, "author" is the foundation of "authority" -- when you write (and write well) people take you more seriously.

Also, I now insist that each person in my corporate audiences receive their own copy of at least one of my 14 books. This adds value to the participants -- they can "take home" and study my writing after the program. But this also increases the number of very influential "Ron Kaufman business cards" out there in the market -- books!

Bobette: The books also create a marketing synergy that works both ways -- your books gain you consulting business and the consulting business increases book sales?

Ron: Yes. Books and live sessions support each other towards the common objectives of learning, improvement and commitment. Attending a session allows for interaction with the instructor and colleagues while reading the book gives more time to reflect and consider each of the key learning points.

Bobette: I noticed that you will sometimes customize a book for an organization. How is this advantageous to marketing your business?

Ron: When you allow a customer to customize for their specific needs, they value your content even more. And they remember where they got it!

Bobette: Another area nonfiction authors often agonize over is whether to approach a traditional, established publisher or publish through their own company. What are your thoughts?

Ron: Self-publishing gives you the freedom and control. It also gives you a tremendous financial advantage. A book in print costs about $2-3 per copy (after the initial editorial and production costs.) When you GIVE a book to a client, it's worth a LOT more in their eyes -- it's the most credible business card/brochure you can imagine. Now imagine selling your book in volume to your client -- 100 people in the room, everyone receives a copy of your book.

The publicity benefits are endless, too, because EVERY COPY of your book takes on a life of its own -- passed around, loaned to others, moved from office to office. You never know when someone will see your book, go to your Website and call or write to you for an engagement.

Bobette: Are there any other words of wisdom you would like to leave us with?

Ron: Two final points: 1) There is something called "the page experience" that authors must reckon with today. The days of simply words on page are over. Readers want images, graphs, charts, illustrations, photographs, cartoons, interesting layouts, etc. Authors should spend time in the bookstore studying the covers of other books (of course), but also the interior designs. Find several that you like and then study them carefully: how does the design add value to the reader? what elements of design do you find most useful or attractive? how can adding design elements to your book improve the reader's "page experience"?

2) I have a personal phrase, which reads like this: "I love writing, I hate to write." What that means is the joy of writing is in the writing. The agony of writing is in knowing that you need to write, but you haven't gotten started. The hard part is getting to the keyboard. The fun part is in bringing out the words.

Bobette: Thank you so much, Ron, for taking the time today to share your expertise!

Ron: My pleasure! To all aspiring writers, speakers, trainers, coaches and consultants everywhere -- you have my encouragement for your efforts, admiration for your passion and respect for your commitment to serving others. Keep it UP!

About the Author

Bobette Kyle is proprietor at WebSiteMarketingPlan.com, where she recently added a nonfiction book marketing section: http://www.websitemarketingplan.com/book
Ron Kaufman is author of 'UP Your Service!' and founder of: http://www.UpYourServiceCollege.com