Utilize Your Book As An “Atomic Business Card”
By Peter Biadasz – Author, Speaker, Publisher,
Consultant
NO
NOT USE BUSINESS CARDS by themselves if you are a business owner, entrepreneur, blogger,
speaker, or anyone else who is at, or desires to reach the top of your
profession. Business cards are so common, everyone has one. It is hard to stand
out in the crowd handing out an item people can easily lose in a pile of your
competitor’s business cards. My “Atomic Business Card” is one of my books, “Write
Your First Book”, now
in its 2nd Edition. I can give you 31 reasons to consider why you
too should have an “Atomic Business Card”:
1. You are the expert! Your book documents your expertise and in the mind of your prospective
customer instantly establishes you as an expert in your field.
2.
You already have enough content
to fill a book! People want to know what you did to become successful, your processes
and customer stories – both success and failures. Plus, now you can put all of
the accumulated paper and digital files to a better use.
3. When all things are equal your book sets you apart from the crowd! While your competitors hand
out business cards, flyers and make slick presentations, you may do the same
PLUS present your book (autographed).
4. Tell your story and memorialize it in a book! A business card is an
introduction; your book makes you memorable.
5. Tell your “war stories”! The most interesting people are the best story
tellers. Your book will allow you share stories of success, failure; the steps
you took to reach your goals and life’s achievements.
6. Target market recognition! Your target market wants to do business with you;
they may just not know you exist. A book will help put you on their radar when
they need your product or service.
7. Speaking, advising, consulting, etc.! Your book will recognize you as an expert
giving you options to pursue other income streams.
8. Content, not size, matters! Don’t think your book has to be several hundred
pages. 25 pages of solid content is better than 200 pages of boring. You have
the content; just organize it (see#2 above).
9. Shows people should listen to you! Your book shows you are the expert, have
organized your material and are setting the example of moving forward in life.
People wanting to grow will listen to YOU!
10. Set yourself apart from the
website crowd! Most have a website, not everyone can offer their book on their website
because they do not have a book to offer. Display your book’s front cover on
your home page for maximum effect. Don’t
forget the “Buy Now” button for maximum return on investment. Also, see #3
above.
11. Resume’ Extraordinaire! Your book is the most
thorough and interesting resume anyone (who wants to do business with you) can
read.
12. Perceived as the expert! Even if there are many
experts in your field, your book ensures you will at least be perceived as an
expert. Studies have shown 90% of people have an idea for a book but only 2%
actually follow through by writing their book. Be a two percent-er!
13. Legitimacy! Your book will add
legitimacy to your presentations and other writings (article, blogs, etc.)
14. Kick your competitors away
from you! How
can your competitors truly compete with you when you have a book and they
don’t?
15. High quality marketing tool!
The other
30 points in this article present how your book is one of the highest quality
marketing tools you will have available to assist in reaching your personal and
professional goals.
16. Give away to prospects! See David Miller’s quote
below after point #31.
17. Ghostwriters can write your
book for you! In some genres up to 50% of books are written by ghostwriters. These
books are based on the interviews, documentation and other input from you, the
author. Good ghostwriting candidates are those like you who may have very
little time or no desire/expertise to write.
18. First Impression! You can make a positive and
memorable first impression by presenting your book or mentioning you are an
author.
19. Exposure to people you may
never meet! Your
book can have far reaching distribution and can also be duplicated. This means
it/you can be in multiple places at the same time. It can open doors of
opportunity for you without you having to be physically in front of the
door/person.
20. Encourages other to
utilize you, your products and services! Your book is your best sales presentation.
It not just encourages, but compels others to utilize you, your products and
services.
21. Does not have to be long! Quality is more important
than quantity. See #8 above.
22. Diversify income streams! You book can help not only
diversify, but may create new income streams. My 16 books as an author led to me
owning a national publishing company which helps develop authors to reach their
true potential. What your book can do for you over time may pleasantly surprise
you.
23. Credibility! Your book gives you instant
credibility. See #1 above.
24. Business cards are easily thrown
away or mis-placed! People do not misplace books. However, they may forget who they lent
your book too, which means they need to buy another copy.
25. Build relationship as they
get to know you! As someone reads your book they get to know you better, as well as gain valuable
insight.
26. Build mailing list! Your book will build your
mailing list as people you did not even know existed will buy your book and
then contact you with questions, or better yet, business.
27. Branding! A book can be a strong tool
to help brand you and your business.
28. Book sales are secondary! While book sales are great
to have, your book can be a tool to increase your primary income and maybe
produce other income streams as well.
29. Billboard! The front cover of your
book is the best billboard you will ever have. Once finished it can be displayed
in a variety of ways and mediums.
30. Back of room sales! When making an appearance
give the crowd the opportunity to take you home with them. Sell books at the
back of the room. Autograph and personalize each purchase.
31. An “Atomic Business Card”
to help you reach the next level! The better the tools you have available to you the,
more success you can achieve. Now is time to add an “Atomic Business Card” to
your tool box.
Here is what
some authors have said about their “Atomic Business Cards”:
*As business
owner, and now author, David Millers says, “My book is a relatively inexpensive
gift which effectively closes business with potential customers, vendors and
partners. I keep a stack of soft copies and a sharpie under my desk at all
times. People always love a signed copy of an author’s book as a personal
thank-you!” (“Hard Knocks MBA” and “Before
& After – Auto restoration – DONE RIGHT!”)
*Multi-Book author Shirley
Hall writes “The compelling writing
style in "One Day"
and "Listen" led
to entrepreneurship and two striving businesses, More Than Word, and
ShirleyHallPoet LLC.”
*Lisa A. Mazzeo, author of "Who Can Catch the Moon" notes “As a clinical social worker,
practicing in the child welfare arena, I have learned a lot about how
children who grow up in foster care think, feel and function. By
documenting my stories and sharing my insights in a book, I have cast
a wider net and gained the attention of other professionals in my
field. As a result, I am asked to comment on various related topics
as well as speak at events that cover my field of expertise.”
*”Writing my book gave me supreme
insights into the nature of my mind and a path of self discovery’ says Rabia Erduman,
author of Veils of Separation. Writing this book helped me talk to potential clients about my
work; what I do and how they can benefit from working with me.”
*”My book has
definitely brought more patients into see me. It's been a stepping stone
to being seen as an authority on my subject; hormones and prevention and health.”
William Lee M.D., author of Over 50 Feeling 30! How Bioidentical Hormones Bring Your Body Back
To learn how to develop,
create, design, distribute and market your book A.K.A. your "Atomic Business Card",
feel free to contact Peter Biadasz at Peter@TotalPublishingAndMedia.com
or call him at 918-624-9300. You can
also want to obtain a copy of “Write Your First Book, 2nd Edition” by Peter Biadasz,
available at Amazon.com or wherever you like to buy your books.
BONUS:
Still not sure if your industry deserves your ideas expressed in a book? Following
is a list of 64 industries in which your expertise would be of benefit with a
book authored by you.
1.
Animal Enthusiast
2.
Athletic Trainer
3.
Automobile Repair
4.
Automobile
Restoration
5.
Awards
6.
Banker
7.
Beauty Consultant
8.
C.P.A.
9.
Carpet Cleaning
10. Cell Phone
11. Chamber of Commerce
12. Chiropractor
13. Coffee Service
14. Commercial Real Estate
15. Computer Network
16. Computer Repair
17. Credit Card System
18. Dentist
19. Dry Cleaning
20. Financial Planner
21. Florist
22. Funeral Service
23. Furniture
24. Hair Stylist
25. Handyman
26. Heating and A/C
27. Hotel/Motel
28. Insect Exterminator
29. Insurance - Life
30. Insurance - Property & Casualty
31. Interior Design
32. I.T.
33. Janitorial Service
34. Landscaping
35. Lawyer
36. Local/Long Distance Dial Tone
37. Mailing Equipment
38. Massage Therapist
39. Medical Specialist
40. Mortgage Banker
41. Mover
42. Office Supplies
43. On-Hold Messaging
44. Paint & Body Shop
45. Payroll
46. Photography
47. Plumber
48. Printer/Copy Shop
49. Professional Sports Teams
50. Promotional Products
51. Radio
52. Realtor
53. Security Systems
54. Signs
55. Social Media
56. Staffing - Permanent
57. Staffing - Temporary
58. Telephone Systems
59. Television
60. Travel Agent
61. Uniform Service
62. Veterinarian
63. Website Designer
64. Your Industry
