Nobody really knows how many business books are published every year. There are the ones from the traditional business book publishers and there are the self-published titles and let’s not forget the re-issues of books from the past. John Brooks’ Business Adventures was out of print and unlamented until Bill Gates said it was his favorite business book.
So, you can count on a lot of competition out there. Even more reason to consider the following before you commit to a business book project.
What’s the problem?
Why, exactly, does the world need another business book? Describe what the problem is and who’s affected by it and why it’s important.
You should have some numbers here. Tell me the number of people. Tell me the cost of the problem. Share a story or two about the heartbreak the problem causes.
What’s the promise?
Great, we know there’s a problem that cries out for a solution. So, what’s your solution, smart guy? What will your reader be able to do after they’ve read your book that they couldn’t do before they read it? How will their life be different? In the world of marketing, they call these the benefits readers will get from buying and reading your book.
Benefits should be observable. Tell me what they will be able to do and how their life will be better because of it. Will they be rich, powerful, famous, safer, loved? Will their life be easier?
What’s the process?
Great, we know there’s an important (or big) problem that lots of people want to solve. What we don’t know, and you have to tell me, is: how are you going to close the gap and deliver the benefits? Tell me about the stories you will tell, the research that supports your points, and the places where you have already made a difference.
Bottom Line
If you can’t define the problem, the promise, and the process, you won’t be able to write a great business book.
You can investigate the 3 Ps for free in an Options Review Session.