Why Customers Love to Read about YOU

Let’s face it, we love to know about other people’s lives, particularly those who are in the public eye. But is it all about sensationalism or are there very real, tangible business benefits from business leaders and CEOs sharing their stories with the world through a book? 

A business leader once said he would rather speak to an audience of ten people than write for an audience of a thousand. I thought that sounded a bit strange, so I challenged him on it. It turned out that he had written an article for a magazine with a good circulation, but he hadn’t had any feedback at all from it. He felt he had spent his time crafting a wonderful, informative piece that no one appreciated. He also felt that if that message had been delivered in person, he could have seen the response from people immediately, in their eyes and their body language. 

It’s true what my colleague said, so how can we justify putting time into writing when we don’t get feedback? That, my friend, is the nature of writing. Sometimes you get to find out what your readers think of your material, and many times you don’t. 

The same applies with a book. If you think about the time invested in created tens of thousands of words without any idea how people will respond, it’s no wonder many people never get around to writing a book! 

If you would like to find the answer to the big questions you have about the book you want to write, your motivations for writing it, the market for your book, and much more, before you go too far with it, join me on 18th April for a live 90-minute web based training session  www.bitly.com/mgkwebinar 

A Question of Time…. 

With such hectic schedules and economic pressures to keep business ticking over, can CEO’s and leaders really afford to take the time to write and publish books, I hear you ask? 

My response is simple. They can’t afford not to!  It’s precisely when times get tough that customers start scrutinizing their purchases and looking for the best value for their money.  In a market that is already competitive, shrinking demand means fewer pounds flowing around, and those pounds will go to the exceptional companies, those that stand out. 

If I asked you to pick out some key business leaders that immediately spring to mind, I bet most of them have a book. This is because to really appreciate someone as a thought leader, you need to get into the heart of who they are, what they stand for and what makes them tick. Ultimately, we buy from people we like. We also like to read about them too! 

Consider Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Arianna Huffington, Tony Hsieh, Sheryl Sandberg, … I could go on, but I'm sure you get the idea.  All serious business leaders have put books out and are undisputed experts or thought leaders in their fields.  In fact, if they are not vocal and opinionated, regularly interviewed or quoted in the press, even those guys are at risk of being forgotten in this unforgiving and competitive market. 

But you don’t just have to be a famous face to gain the benefit from writing a book. As the CEO or leader of any organization, you have a unique story to tell that can only be told by you. Just because the world doesn’t know about it yet, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t need to be told. 

Think about Dragon’s Den star Hilary Devey. Ten years ago, many people didn’t know who she was at all, yet this exceptional businesswoman has an incredibly inspiring story to tell, which shows her determination to succeed in spite of the challenges life has thrown at her. It may have taken ten, twenty, thirty years for her story to be told, but she has definitely inspired others through her story. If you still don't know who she is, I suggest you look her up!

The Ghostwriting Dilemma 

So, you’ve decided to take the plunge and write your book, now where do you start? One of the most common questions I’m asked by business leaders is “Can’t I just get someone else to write it for me?” 

Well, you can but you might not be 100% happy with the result, and it might not be easier or quicker than doing it yourself.  It’s a common misconception that using a ghostwriter will save a significant amount of time.  To achieve a really accurate portrayal of the topic, the executive would need to spend time briefing the writer, then looking at various drafts and making comments and amendments, and reviewing it again. 

Additionally, customers want to hear the executive’s own beliefs, in his/her own words.  With the right plan, structure, techniques and guidance, anyone can write a great book in as little as 40 hours.  If an executive is not willing to invest 40 hours in strategic thinking, planning and writing a book that showcases his/her wisdom, I would have my doubts about his/her leadership and vision. 

In conclusion, I believe that writing a book is an extremely underrated exercise these days, and many successful business leaders simply don’t realize the value that it can bring, not only to their organization and successors, but in raising their profile and credibility with their target audience too. 

As a regular media contributor, I have been featured in a large number of national and specialist press over the past 10 years, and I'm always happy to comment and be interviewed on the subject of REAL Thought Leadership and writing.  As an Executive Coach, I regularly work with board level executives and people in the public eye.  Feel free to visit www.mindygk.com and let’s see if I can help YOU!