Many of my ghostwriting clients have asked me what they should expect from our first meeting. I hope the following will explain …
Your book is your individual calling card and will possess a credibility that very few other marketing materials have. It will differentiate you in a crowded market place and be a great way to connect with people that have a particular problem which only you can solve. The idea is that your book will make an impact on people’s lives … and you will get recognition for that.
Many non-fiction authors can make substantial amounts of money from their books indirectly. For example a book can be used to get you:
· Paid speaking gigs
· Consulting jobs
· Coaching clients
· Leads for your business
A well-constructed non-fiction book:
· takes information
· adds contextualization, explanation and application
· … and turns it into usable wisdom for other people
In order to know if you have a book in you, I will ask you the following positioning questions:
Why are you writing this book?
Who will care about this book?
Why will they care?
Ultimately, I will ask you to consider the following three questions:
1. What results must the book produce to make it a success for you?
2. What audience must you reach for the book to achieve these results?
3. What do you have to say that is interesting and valuable to that audience?
Knowing the specific result you want to achieve enables you to focus only on those efforts which will give you those results, saving you both time and money… and possibly a little angst.
Here are some of the most common results my authors have got from their books:
· They have generated solid authority and visibility in their field.
· They have generated more leads for their business or service.
· They have got more speaking engagements.
· They have shared important ideas or pieces of wisdom that have helped others.
· They have launched or advanced a career.
Once we have defined the results you want from your book, we will move onto exploring your audience.
I will ask you, ‘Who has to know about your book for it to get the results you want?’
You must be specific. The answer to this question is wholly dependent on the results you want. The best outcome is when the author’s goals and the reader’s goals align. Without an idea of what result you want and who your target audience is, the content of the book has no anchor.
What you know that your audience will find interesting and take value from determines the content of the book.
I will ask you to consider the following:
1. Why does your book matter to them?
2. What is the essential point(s) you are making for your audience to take away from your book?
3. What, specifically, will your audience get by reading your book? How does your book help your audience achieve their goals?
4. What does this mean your book should be about?
5. What background information does your reader need to have and how do you plan to explain it?
Once you have answered these questions we should have an idea of what will be valuable and interesting to your audience. Then we can begin the fun stuff … the structuring and writing of your book!