Have you ever thought of writing a business book?

There was a time when I never imagined I would.

After all – I thought, I was a business owner – not an author.

But, when the urge hit me, and wouldn’t let go, writing and publishing my book, “Branding on a Shoestring”, has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.

And, one of the smartest business moves I’ve ever made.

Turns out, there are a lot of benefits to writing a book when you’re a business owner.

Here are just a few reasons why every entrepreneur should write a book…

Your credibility as an expert will reach new levels

If you’re intimidated by the prospect of writing a book, of being called an author, it’s because we as a society hold writers in such high esteem.

As we should.

You might not feel worthy of the title, “published author”.

At least, not at first.

But the truth is, if you have been in business for a significant amount of time, you have enough knowledge and experience to – literally – fill a book.

You are an expert.

A published book is physical proof of your expertise.

It gets you noticed.

It makes you stand out.

It enforces your brand.

If you had to hire one of two entrepreneurs, and one was a published author and the other was not, who would you lean more towards?

Most people will see the author as having more credibility.

Writing a book will raise your profile and get you more business.

You will expand your network in brand new ways

When you go through the process of writing and publishing a book, you will encounter all sorts of new and exciting people.

You will meet publishers, published authors, experts in your industry and other industries… basically, you will be exposed to a whole new world.

Writing a book sparks the interest of a lot of people who are also on a similar path as you are, so you will notice that you are meeting and engaging with a lot of new, like-minded people.

People you may or may not have had access to previously.

As you know, your network is your net worth in business, and growing your circle in this way will benefit you professionally, emotionally, psychologically, and financially.

You can grow your email list

A published book is a powerful lead magnet.

It will attract all kinds of people that you are able to help with your knowledge and expertise.

Some of these connections might be potential clients.

Some will be great collaborators and referral partners one day.

In any case, the more people you can attract, the better it is for your business.

Consider giving away a free chapter of your book online in exchange for an interested person’s email address.

Doing this will grow your email list in a qualified way – attracting only the people who would be most interested in what you have to offer.

Keeping in touch with these people periodically, through email, will help you close more business in the long run.

You will leave a greater impact wherever you go

Think about all the work you put into making a lasting impression.

Perhaps you’ve attended networking events, or you were a presenter at some event.

The best you could do afterwards was meet some people, chat, make a good impression, and leave behind your business card.

And… hope they don’t forget all about you.

Once you’ve become an author, you can leave your book behind.

You can add more value.

You can give someone a tangible gift.

You can make a lasting impression.

Writing a book is partly about building a legacy and making a lasting impact.

Your self-confidence will grow

It amazes me how often business owners don’t give themselves enough credit.

In many cases, they don’t know how MUCH they know.

I must confess, I used to be one of these entrepreneurs.

It wasn’t until I started materializing all the knowledge and expertise I had accumulated over the years into a book that I realized that I had a lot to offer.

Needless to say, the experience has enriched my life and boosted my self-confidence as an expert in the field of branding.

But, most importantly, it gives me great pride to know that I am able to help more people than ever.

Every business owner should consider writing a book. Doing so will improve your credibility as an expert in your industry. You will meet exciting new people and expand your network. If you’re strategic, you can give away a few free chapters online and grow your email list for marketing purposes. You will leave a lasting impact wherever you go when you’ve got a published book to share. And finally, becoming a business author will grow your self-confidence as an expert, and pride in knowing that you’ve helped a lot of people.