I think books are amazing, but it’s the personal brand who authors it that matters the most. Before picking up a book and reading it, do you really know the author? I bet more than half the time you have never experienced the author in reality. You may have searched their name in Google, found a Wikipedia entry on them or their own blog, but honestly, do you know them?
Why do people go through the trouble of purchasing books?
- They want to feel a connection and be exposed to a celebrity or industry thought leader.
- They know the person and want to pay homage to their brand.
- They have a problem and they feel that the book will help them solve that problem.
- They have genuine interest in the topic and consider the book as different than others in it’s class.
- They are traveling and need a quick fix and books are convenient (airports, etc).
What will paper books always lack? A visual touch point, where you see, hear and feel the power of the author in front of you. Some authors don’t know how to solve this and a lot of businesspeople don’t consider one of the most rapidly growing media in the world today, video. A book might be great at spreading influence and position you as an expert in your field, but nothing can replace a real life experience with the author. As I write my own book, I always tell the publisher “The book is part of me, and I’m the brand behind the book.” When you listen to an author giving a speech or workshop through video, you already feel like you know them. Then you are more inclined to purchase their book.
Let me draw your attention to Michael Port, author of Book Yourself Solid and the upcoming Beyond Booked Solid book. Michael approached me and sent me a pre-release copy of his book. I didn’t really know him, so I Google’d his name and started looking through all his material. I came across information highlighting his books, notables in the Wall Street Journal and the fact that he’s consulted over 20,000 business owners in the last two years. He brands himself as an actor and speaker. He was an actor on TV and film, with projects such as Sex and the City and All My Children. Aside from listing all of these accomplishments, the real thrill and feeling I had was watching one of his many YouTube videos. After starring at them for all of 15 minutes, I felt like I already knew him. THAT IS THE POWER IN VIDEO!
If you don’t believe me, see for yourself…
[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=KOvEzQiwbHc]
Here are some of my favorite snippets from his new book:
- Branding: “Once you are booked solid, you can open other storefronts, buy out competitors and start related businesses, in other words – build on the brand you have created.”
- Constraints: “The first constraint you have to relieve to go beyond booked solid is – you.”
- Innovation: “Without innovation, your ideas, the new business architecture you’ll design, will stay just that – ideas, dreams.”
- Ambition: “To succeed, you need people around you who support your ambition, who nurture your inner strength and who cultivate and maintain curiosity as well.”
- Creativity: We need to nurture both our own creativity, and the creative instincts or disposition of those around us, to succeed.”
