Business authors are in the helping business

Jul 14, 2014 | Writing A Book

Great business books and what they do

Stephen Lynch’s book, Business Execution for Results helps business executives close the gap between strategy and execution. Susan Finerty’s book, Master the Matrix, helps people in complex organizations survive and thrive. Rod Santomassimo’s book, Brokers Who DOMINATE, helps commercial real estate brokers make more money.

Are you picking up a pattern here?

Great business books help people do things better

What makes great business books great is that they help readers do things better. To sharpen that idea for your book you should ask two questions.

Who will my book help?

Personalize it. You can say that your book will help “People who …” That works, but it’s even better if you can personalize it.

Pick a real person to write to. When you write to a real person issues will stand out in sharp relief. You will write more clearly. And when you want to test a passage or a concept, you’ll know right where to go.

What will my book help them do?

Once you’ve identified the reader, get specific about how you will help him or her. Here are some general possibilities. Your book can help them:

  • Stay safe in a dangerous situation
  • Seize an opportunity
  • Fix a bad situation
  • Do things more easily

Turn your answers into a statement of purpose for your book

Make this a simple, one sentence statement of who you will help and how. Use your statement of purpose to test everything you want to put into the book.