Here’s why I think people end up writing Business Card books, you know, the 100-page (or less) skim across a topic that you can hand to potential clients, usually accompanied by an apology because you know it’s not very good.
- As an entrepreneur or business owner, you’re inclined to think better done than perfect because that’s how you’ve gotten where you are today. Your motto is “Ship it.”
- You can get it written in a matter of days or weeks, and who doesn’t like the sound of that?! Instant gratification is awfully tempting.
- You don’t have to dive deep, just bounce like a stone across the surface of the pond.
- You don’t have to risk the time, energy, or resources; this option is relatively cheap.
- The internet would have you believe that this is the way to go, that the bestseller status they get for you equates to quality and panache.
But where is the impact, I ask you. How do you change lives or habits or mindsets with an overgrown, quick-hit article? One that’s disorganized and mistake-riddled to boot? Cause I see one of those and it immediately lands in the trash bin. Or, if it’s done reasonably well, I’ll gloss over it and forget it (and the author) in my hotel room.
Here’s the real reason folks like you and me choose the Business Card book route: Hard choices are not required.
Sure, you must choose the topic. But you’ll default to housing ready-made content, or sharing your hero’s journey, because that stuff’s easy. (There’s nothing wrong with any of this, we just need more to capture the hearts and minds of a reader.)
The publication method is a given: Assisted self-publishing—on the cheap, templated, editing a menu item—which serves only the providing company. (I run a publishing house. I know how this shiz works.)
And there’s ZERO thought to how you will monetize this book. Even if you’re writing for impact—you’re already way off course, BTW—ensuring that a book serves your reader so the book will serve you, well, that requires choices.
Make those initial choices, however—and there’s a simple way to do this—and you can create a REAL book that matters. A REAL book that will get read from cover to cover, that will be handed from one reader to the next because it’s THAT good. A REAL book that will transform lives and grow your business as a result. A REAL book that will serve all involved, including you. (I like me an ROI, I don’t know about you.)
I can show you how in my upcoming Kickstart Your Book Masterclass, coming to a venue near you.
