5 Ways Writing a Nonfiction Book Can Help You Grow Your Business
October 28, 2022
“Your business and results are a reflection of you. Your business and results will grow in direct proportion to your own growth.”— James Arthur Ray
Growing your business is no easy task. It takes time and dedication to build a business from the ground up. Of course, thanks to your full commitment to your brand, you are up to the task.
But there are times when you might not be sure about the next step.
Believe it or not, writing a nonfiction book can be just the tool you need to help grow your business.
In this article, we will discuss five ways writing a nonfiction book can help you grow your business. Moreover, we will explore how you can spur organic growth to ensure your business’s longevity.
So, stay tuned because we have lots coming your way!
What is a nonfiction book?
In essence, a nonfiction book refers to a publication that does not deal in creative writing. By “creative” writing, we mean novels, short stories, or poetry.
We are talking about books based on real-life topics that provide information. This information relates to people, objects, and events depicted as accurately as possible.
Merriam-Webster offers this succinct definition: Nonfiction pertains to “writing or cinema that is about facts and real events.” Thus, we are talking about real situations, topics, or people. This definition, however, does not mean that nonfiction writing has to be boring. It can be quite creative and imaginative.
A nonfiction book can touch on any number of subjects.
But when it comes to growing your business, nonfiction material must always deliver value to your target audience.
In doing so, your audience will see the relevance of your material. Your material will, in turn, generate further growth.
Ultimately, the key to organic growth is to ensure your material consistently delivers value. Please remember that organic growth may be slow but highly sustainable. Sustainability is what ensures your brand’s longevity.
What are examples of nonfiction books?
There is a wide array of nonfiction books. Here is a list for your consideration:
- Autobiographies
- Blog compilations
- Company history books
- How-to guides
- Memoirs
- Product guides
- Research reports
- Technical specifications
- Whitepapers
As you can see, there is no shortage of materials you can produce. So, the question is: What nonfiction materials will help you position your company and brand in your customers’ minds?
How to Choose the Right Nonfiction Content
Choosing the right nonfiction content depends on your target audience. For instance, a younger audience might prefer lighter and shorter materials. In contrast, an older target audience might choose more comprehensive and lengthier discussions.
Please keep this rule in mind: Your content must deliver value at all times. Therefore, choosing the right nonfiction content boils down to delivering as much value as possible.
Producing irrelevant content will not help position you, your brand, or your company in your customers’ minds.
So, what is valuable content?
Valuable content addresses your customers’ pain points. You provide relevant information your customers can use to satisfy their needs or deal with an issue.
Consider this example:
A shoe brand has been a successful force in the fashion industry for decades. Now, the brand wants to celebrate its success by telling its story. So, the brand produces a company history book to chronicle its rags-to-riches tale. This project delivers value as it helps customers understand the people and ideas behind one of their favorite brands.
Generally speaking, any type of nonfiction content can help position your brand. Nevertheless, here are five key elements to consider when choosing the right nonfiction content for your brand:
- Always focus on your target audience’s demographics. Savvy brands take the time to ask their customers what content type they want. You can use surveys to gain useful insight into what content your customers want to see.
- Look around to see what other successful brands are doing. This approach is not about copying another brand’s strategy. Instead, this tactic is about finding inspiration so you can build your strategy to suit your strengths.
- Think about what you do not like. Reflect on the content that does not resonate with you. Consider why it does not work for you. Then, strive to use those reflections to avoid similar mistakes in your content.
- Avoid “selling” your products as much as possible. Producing content for the sake of “selling” products is not going to cut it. You must focus on delivering content your customers appreciate. Of course, there is always room for plugging your products. However, it is crucial to avoid making nonfiction content all about why customers should buy your products. It is always best to focus on the benefits that customers get from your products. Try your best to build your argument with credible information and sources. That approach is what sells your brand!
- Choose the format that works for your company. The right format depends largely on your brand’s image. For example, a sophisticated brand may choose glossy, hardcover print books as their main content form. A hip and edgy brand may choose e-books and audiobooks for their target audience. Please remember that your content format should always represent your brand’s image and spirit.
Ultimately, it is always useful to experiment. Take chances, and most important, ask for your customers’ feedback.
Your customers will tell you when they like something. They will also tell you when they do not.
You never know what content type can strike a chord with your customer base.
5 Ways Writing a Nonfiction Book Can Help You Grow Your Business
A nonfiction book can greatly boost your business’s growth by providing valuable information. So, let’s look at five key ways a nonfiction book can help you grow your business to the next level.
1. Positioning Yourself (Or Your Company) As a Thought Leader
Thought leadership is the gold standard in positioning yourself and your company in your respective market. Thought leadership involves showcasing your expertise so that others see you as the reference point in your field.
How can you establish yourself or your company as a thought leader?
A nonfiction book is a great place to start. Writing a book signals to the world that you know what you’re doing. You are not messing around pretending to know something. You know what you are talking about and are willing to share that knowledge with the world.
Please remember that the most influential thought leaders are those willing to share their knowledge, experience, insights, and expertise with the world. But there is one catch: Becoming a thought leader requires consistency. In addition to producing a nonfiction book, you may need further material such as a blog, newsletter, or research papers. By maintaining a consistent presence, you can bolster your book’s message so you can truly position yourself as an influential leader.
2. Chronicling Company History
Some companies have been in the market for a long time. However, customers know little about their story, origins, and founders. A company history book can become a wonderful way to chronicle your company’s history while generating buzz around your company and brand.
Think about it.
How much do you know about the story behind your favorite brands?
Chances are, you are relatively unfamiliar with your favorite brands’ stories. As a result, a company history book can help address your target audience with a clear message. Your company’s history must be about communicating your company’s core values. These core values are what has made your company successful. Highlighting the people who built your company tells customers there’s an ethos behind everything you do. Customers will be able to see the true driving force behind your company’s success— and it’s not ambition or greed.
3. Offering Valuable Industry Insights
Customers get very little access to industry insights and secrets. In fact, most people know very little about what happens behind the scenes. They only see products on the shelves or deliveries at their front door.
A nonfiction book can help lift the veil on your industry so that customers get exclusive access. For instance, writing a memoir or journal can give your target audience your unique perspective. Also, writing about a specific episode in your professional career or company history can deliver immense value to your target audience.
After all, would you like to read about the story behind the iPhone’s creation? Would reading about the invention of the internet sound appealing? Would you be interested in learning about Coca-Cola’s history?
Indeed, these stories would be very interesting to read if they come straight from the source. These insights are exclusively yours. The public would be hard-pressed to find this type of insider information elsewhere. As a result, you have a unique opportunity to take your target audience on a journey no one else can provide.
4. Raising Awareness on a Key Issue
There are cases where your company may be deeply concerned about a situation affecting your customers or industry. As a result, you intend to shed light on this situation by providing information and insights into causes and solutions.
Publishing a nonfiction book is a great way to raise awareness of an issue. In particular, research papers such as whitepapers offer a great deal of insight into what you want your target audience to know. For instance, climate change might significantly threaten your company’s future sustainability. Therefore, your book aims to raise awareness while discussing climate change’s impact on your company, customers, and industry.
5. Showing Your Commitment (Or Your Company’s) to a Cause
Companies often devote resources to worthy causes. After all, corporate social responsibility is one of the most important areas companies engage in outside of their core business functions. Consequently, your nonfiction book can focus specifically on a cause your company is committed to supporting while discussing your efforts.
Showing your company’s commitment to specific causes helps your target audience see more of your company’s ethos. Moreover, it communicates to customers that your company is after more than just profits. You aim to communicate how your company gives back to the local community. Also, adding a call to action can be a great way to pursue further involvement. Asking your customers and followers to support your company as part of a greater cause can deepen your company’s bond with your target audience.
How can hiring a ghostwriter help your company publish a nonfiction book?
Suppose your company is serious about publishing a nonfiction book—or any nonfiction material for that matter. In that case, you might want to consider hiring a ghostwriter to help.
So, why hire a ghostwriter?
A ghostwriter is a professional scribe who can assist your company in producing any content type it plans.
Moreover, a professional ghostwriter is an experienced professional who can deliver the right content in your company’s voice.
The aim is to portray your company’s core ethos so that your target audience can see the corporation behind the brand. It’s about removing the faceless enterprise persona from your brand by allowing your target audience to see the real people running the show. In doing so, your target audience can identify with your brand for what it truly is: a collection of people just like them.
The best part of hiring a ghostwriter is that doing so saves time and effort. There is no need to tap existing staff to produce a nonfiction book in addition to their usual tasks. Also, you do not have to put needless pressure on yourself to write a book. A professional ghostwriter can walk with you every step of the way. Ultimately, your chosen ghostwriter will take care of the heavy lifting, ensuring that your creative vision leaps out at readers.
One Final Thought
The decision to write a nonfiction book can be confusing. After all, you may not know how to get started. And you may not have the time or experience needed to bring your creative vision to fruition.
Hiring a ghostwriter can help you make your vision become a reality. So, take the time to reach out to professional ghostwriters. Take the time to research and interview potential candidates.
Finding the right ghostwriter for your project is worth investing effort in finding the right one.
In the end, bringing your vision to life is a combination of love and hard work. Hiring the right ghostwriter can make the entire journey much easier than you ever expected. Employing a trusted ghostwriter may be one of the best business decisions you’ll ever make!