In the age of entrepreneurial endeavors, it's not uncommon to meet business owners who have left the corporate world to start something that they feel will serve their clients better, moms who wanted the option to be a stay-at-home parent and breadwinner, or even those who have no business background, but who expertly serve the needs of their clientele.
One of the main concerns that all of these business owners have in common, though, is coming up with unique ways to market their businesses while also showing their trustworthiness and respectability or credibility. Maybe they have speaking engagements or an online-only business; either way, creating compelling content is something all businesses (especially those in the "small" category) have to be working on constantly.
With that in mind, an interesting strategy for business owners is to create a book for their business. Often, we find this in the online-only business as a downloadable e-book as a lead magnet. Ebooks are relatively easy to produce, with very little time or overhead needed. They can be as short as 5,000 words if you're using them as a lead magnet, or you could create a longer book and use only the first chapter as the free download. On the whole, however, sales in ebooks have declined over the years, so don't rely on this too heavily for passive income.
Instead, leverage the in-person appearances you do and be sure that you're charging for those talks, then each audience member gets a copy of your book to remember you and your product or service. If you're not charging for the talk, ask the organizer if you can sell your books afterward. I have yet to hear of someone being told "no."
If you don't do speaking engagements or networking events, you should consider it. If you just don't have the time or are in an industry where that doesn't happen as much, consider doing your own talk at a local bookstore and combine a signing with it. Most independent bookstores love events like this and it just takes a phone call.
Books for business really are a tool that anyone in any industry can utilize. Whether you're a podcast host, a stay-at-home mom turned sales rep, a doctor, or attorney, you should consider what kind of value a book would add for your marketing endeavors.
Happy writing!