Beyond Your Book – 5 Business Building Strategies For Authors
- Brainz Magazine
- Jun 4, 2023
- 4 min read
Written by: Laura Di Franco, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Learn how to repurpose and monetize your beautiful book so your legacy continues past the launch!
“It was kind of disappointing.” I don’t like hearing these words from authors about their book launches. What quickly follows is usually, “I don’t know what to do.” I was one of those people after I self-published my first book. I said the same things. I wasn’t sure anyone except my mom and BFF read my book. My first launch didn’t reach bestseller status. I had no guidance. And I paid a lot of money to the company who helped me publish. I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I was disappointed. I had reason to be. I know a thing or two now—exciting strategies that’ll ensure you won’t be disappointed and that you receive gifts well beyond royalties after launching your book.
I turned my own mistakes and failures into a great success. There’s a limitless well of ideas when it comes to building your business, empire, and revolution based on and beyond the launch of your book. In fact, the best stuff happens after!
Royalties are cool and all, but along with a book that earns consistent royalties, wouldn’t you love to have a growing business as a result? I like that math even more than royalties some months! My books have more value now than they ever did. They help me grow my community and platform, and they help me sell my offerings, products, and services. It’s some of the strategies I incorporate alongside my book that give me the biggest results and benefits in my business.
How to Use Your Book to Build Your Business
Here are five powerful strategies I’ve used to grow my business with my books and why they work.
1. Create A Funnel for your platform or to sell books
Building your platform is crucial for every author. Use a chapter as an email opt-in to grow your email list and sell books.
Why this works: Everyone loves something free. Give them a chapter that piques their interest and motivates them to want to read more, and you’ll sell a book.
2. Create A Community
Rally your tribe by creating a community with a vision they want to help you build. Start a Facebook group based on your book theme or hold a monthly Zoom meeting to help your community connect and network. Connect people and help them build their businesses.
Why this works: It’s how you make people feel that matters. If you’re only out there trying to sell your book and not connecting with the humans who might read it, you will lose. People buy your books. Invest in getting to know them at the next level and learn what kind of support they need. Then aim at giving that to them.
3. Create A Course
Take your readers on the next part of the journey by teaching a course on your book topic. Why this works: Having a course brings income into your business, but it also allows readers to get to know you at the next level and possibly become superfans who will buy your next book.
4. Create A Talk
Turn your words into a talk and go light the world on fire by speaking them out loud! Create a powerful call to action for your free or paid offerings. This helps build your platform and/or increases income.
Why this works: Similarly to creating a course, a talk takes it to the next level of know-love-trust for people. And if you build trust, you will create superfans who buy the next thing you have to offer. Make sure to get out there and speak in all the ways you can. Podcasts, speaking gigs, book clubs, community events... they’re all ways you can get your information out there to a bigger, interested audience.
5. Social And Email Content
Use your ideas, words, and quotes to craft months' worth of content for your social media platforms. Repurpose your chapter or book content into videos, blogs, quote memes, or other short-form content that has a powerful call to action to buy your books. Why this works: Every business owner needs valuable content that builds know-love-trust, creates a relationship with the consumer, and draws them to the next step. That step might be buying your book or course, signing up for coaching, or joining your community. When the content is inspiring, educational, motivating, or entertaining, your platforms grow faster, and you have a bigger community to announce your next offering to.
Of course, there are more ways than these to build your business as an author. Sometimes it’s difficult to know where to start, what step to take, and what information is the best for you and your business. Listen to your gut. Choose one thing and master it. Taking action on even one of these ideas will begin the movement you need toward better business building. The authors in the Brave Healer Productions and Brave Kids Books community enjoy regular events to educate them on all aspects of writing, publishing, promoting, selling, and sharing their brave words. There’s so much more to think about after a book launch. When choosing a publishing company to partner with to help leave your legacy in the world, make sure you understand what resources you’ll be receiving, and also make sure that the company cares about helping you leave your legacy in the biggest way possible.
If you need extra resources for any of the strategies mentioned here, reach out to our publishing team here, and we’ll be happy to send you more information.
Laura Di Franco, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Laura Di Franco, CEO of Brave Healer Productions, an award-winning publisher for holistic health and wellness professionals. She has 30 years of expertise in holistic physical therapy, 14 years of training in the martial arts, and her company has published over 50 Amazon bestselling books. She's a spoken-word poet, lover of dark chocolate, and has a contagious passion for helping you share brave words that build your business. BraveHealer.com
