According to a recent article in The Economist, “Chief executives are not, it goes without saying, the world’s most natural writers. They do not rise to the top without laser-like ambition, a trait that rarely leads to literary reflection. To achieve success, they have to murder their straight-talking selves and master corporate twaddle instead.” When writing their memoirs, great business leaders are not noted for their literary Hemingways or Dostoevsky’s literary prowess.
When you think of great bosses and leaders, characteristics that come to mind are “influential,” “passionate,” “dedicated,” “disciplined,” and “great communication skills” as the most valued qualities a leader can demonstrate. What is never mentioned is that one of the most important qualities of a great leader is that of being a great writer. Leaders are influencers and good writing influences.
Even though successful bosses/leaders might be writing in their day to day operations with regards to a memo, email correspondence and/or letter, on the other hand, writing a book is a much more complex task. Every word you write reveals something about your character and the type of legacy you are leaving behind. If you want to captivate your audience and publish a mesmerizing page turner of a book, you will have to capture the four essential cs as well as artfully weave into your book’s narrative: competitiveness, character, candor and context. If you are one of those superstar bosses, leadership executives or successful entrepreneurs aspiring to write your business book, remember to keep these foundational elements in mind whether you write the book yourself or you hire a ghostwriter to do it for you. I am guessing that if most of you fall into the successful leader category, then, time is a precious commodity and that is when a great ghostwriter comes in handy to take care of all the details, so you can focus on running your business.
The Rise In CEO Memoir Writing
Nowadays, CEOs writing their memoirs is becoming a flourishing genre. A majority of them are turning to some of the best ghostwriters out there to tell their story of how they founded their successful firms that depicts their failures as well as their victories. Even though most entrepreneurs crave success, the truth is that businesses are built by people with flesh-and-blood strengths and weaknesses. That is why there is a growing need to show how these self-made superstar bosses rose to the top and paint an honest picture of how they did it in order to inspire the masses out there.
You have probably heard the proverbial saying, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” Even though this was written in reference to a free press being more important than political violence, this holds true for other aspects of life as well.
From small business owners all the way to high-level executives and thought leaders, now more than ever we are seeing a dramatic rise in the writing of business books. Regardless of how effectively business leaders communicate their knowledge through online media channels such as blogs, podcasts and video, nothing demonstrates authority and spreads influence like a printed book. Writing a business book becomes a central tool in promoting their company, attracting prospects, onboarding clients and team members, developing value-driven partnerships and raising profits.
How To Write A Successful Business Book
Leadership books can inspire and help more people to lead themselves and the people around them, creating great change in the world. So you could say that leadership books change the world. If you are contemplating on writing one or you are planning to put one together and get it out into the world, keep a few of these fundamental tips in mind as they will help you plan, write and publish a better book:
- Understand exactly what you want to achieve with it (zero in on your “why”, what higher purpose it serves).
- Know what kind of book you want to end up with (e.g. A manual vs. an introduction to your ideas, your business. Should it be serious or lighter? Longer or shorter?)
- Get into your reader’s head. The market is saturated with numerous leadership books out there so yours really needs to hit the mark. Make sure you have complete clarity about the issues they are still dealing with. If you don’t know your reader’s issues and needs well enough, then a suggestion would be to ask some of your clients or work with your book coach, ghostwriter to help you figure it out.
- Pick your title wisely. This will all depend on the book, as well as your nature and style.
- Pour your heart and soul as well as everything you know into this book (without making it too long). Be unrestrained as the wind. Impress the reader with your knowledge, as well as the amount and depth of your content.
- Be original when creating your content. People want to see your ideas, your content and your models.
- Get personal. Some of the most successful books which get the best reviews, share personal insights, unique strategies, stories and even feelings that reflect the soul of who you are as well as the company you have helped build.
- Invest in the best editing you can afford. To truly stand out in a crowded market of competitors, you will really need an outstanding, polished book. A poorly edited book will result in poor reviews which can only hurt your reputation.
- Publish your book in the most professional way you can afford. Saving money is great, yet your book needs to be a shining example in that crowded market. Consider a full-service publishing partner or a cooperative publisher, who can do a lot of the leg work for you, such as manage the entire project and reach more outlets and readers than you could do on your own. The best cooperative publishers launch your book to the media, and list your book with hundreds and even thousands of sites, not just Amazon. They get your book into bricks and mortar stores, and they can arrange foreign and translation deals for you.
Ultimately, good writing can be impactful and influential. Here are some winning outcomes of what good writing can do:
- Sways hearts and minds.
- Clarifies points that were unclear.
- Rallies support for a cause.
- Brings people together with an inspiring message.
As a leader, being able to do these things through your writing will gain the respect of the literary world and your readers.
The Benefits of Writing A Business Book
Most CEO author’s goal is not about becoming a household name, rather it is a way to target specific stakeholder audiences that can strengthen their company’s platform. Here is a word of caution though: a book must be seen as more than just a short-term marketing campaign. A book is an organization-wide initiative that can span months or years at a time.
Did we mention that a well-written business book can be good for a company’s internal business, too? When used strategically, it can be an effective and solid change management tool that breaks down silos within an organization and gets everyone focused on a common goal. For sales, from the top of the funnel down, a book unifies a company’s voice and allows for various departments to work in unison. Countless executives have strong ideas and interesting stories to tell. However, telling them well requires effort and you will need to put in the work.
In Summary:
With that said, every great business leader, successful entrepreneur, nonprofit leader, founder or executive has a story waiting to be told. Whether it is a personal story, a leadership story, or a story about the work you’re passionate about, your story is an important story to share with the world.
This story matters, and it can catapult your organization and your brand to the next level. Most importantly, there is a higher purpose – it will leave a legacy for both you and your business. As a leader or executive, you already have a winning edge that most writers don’t have – a breadth of experience and a platform. You can use your book to speak to this platform, grow it, refine it, or redefine it.
At TheBossBooks, we have established years of experience in accompanying countless authors to cultivate book ideas, develop their audience, and turn it into a business book. A book they can use that directly speaks to and captivates their audience as well as turns them into long-lasting customers and fans. We have helped CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs, business owners and other thought leaders to use books to open up new opportunities for both their own platform and their organization’s platform.
There are a lot of reasons why leaders with valuable, worthwhile stories stop writing their book before they even begin. That’s why we created TheBossBooks – to guide you through the process, every step of the way. Here are some of the excuses you might find yourself resonating with:
- “I am not sure where to start.”
- “I don’t have the time to invest in writing a book.”
- “I don’t have the skills to be a good writer.”
- “I don’t think my story can fill up that many pages.”
- “I don’t know if my message is book-worthy.”
- “I need a village to make this happen.”
That is why investing in a great team that takes care of all details is your best shot of having a winner. At TheBossBooks, you can rely on our talented team of editors, ghostwriters, graphic designers, book strategists and proofreaders, who will help you create a business book positioned in the global market, designed to impact lives forever, and above all that of your future readers.