Tips and a Book Review
I was chatting to a business colleague at an event recently over a coffee and she said something that made me review my focus. She told me she was much more likely to take notice of someone in business who had published a book. She said, that while blogs and articles are a great resource for finding out information, she is far more likely to trust the authenticity of that information if it comes from a book.
There’s something about our relationship with information and money that makes us far more likely to have faith in something we’ve paid for.
Building a book into your business is a great way to stamp your mark. To be able to walk tall, telling people you are a published author, gives you a new level of credibility as a businessperson.
If this is something on your radar and you’d appreciate a free, no-obligation chat about it BOOK A SLOT HERE
One tip, if you are embarking on a book for your business, tell a story.
Even a Non-Fcition Book Should Alwayas Have a Story Behind it
I don’t mean share your entire life story in your book, I mean weave in relevant threads of it throughout the narrative to bring your advice and expertise to life on the page. Put it into a relatable context and scatter a little writer’s razzle-dazzle into your book!
If you are writing fiction, telling a story is a given, but in non-fiction, especially business books, it’s easy to forget this fundamental part of human interaction. As a species, we communicate through story.
I’m reading another business book at the moment ‘Rapid Results Referrals by Roy Sheppard’ and while the alliterative title appeals to me, the cover is ugly and the way it’s written is painfully dreary and littered with jargon. The content, however, is valuable and there are a few tiny snippets of humanity in it, but not nearly enough to make it a satisfying and enjoyable read – I shall persevere!
A book I have read recently, that is both satisfying and motivating is ‘The Storyteller’s Secret’ by Carmine Gallo.
Each chapter tells the story of a successful entrepreneur and reveals how they each used the power of stories to find that success. Crammed with tips and backed up with academic research, it’s a brilliant resource for any business leader who wants to communicate well on a human level.
A powerful story can both inspire and educate.
Author, Maya Angelou, is famously quoted as saying:
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Unless you can elicit an emotional response from a reader (make them laugh, make them cry, make them empathise), they’ll forget you.
Each chapter ends with a ‘Storyteller’s Tools’ section offering a bite-sized chunk of practical advice and rounds of with a ‘Storyteller’s Secret’ – the single most powerful storytelling lesson that worked for them.
My only criticism of this book is it is a little repetitive but with each chapter a story in itself you can dip in and out of different chapters out of sequence.
Stories are at the heart of everything I do. If I’m not making up intricate stories in my hyperactive imagination for my fiction novels, I’m enthusing and empowering people to embrace their stories and tell them well in their own words to benefit their business.
My three takeaways, influenced by this book, are:
- There’s a 60/40 rule when presenting information: 60% story, enriched with 40% stats and facts.
- Be succinct, use few, well-chosen words and use simple words to explain complex concepts
- The power of three: break the story into three parts and stick to three core points.
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