Many professionals think about writing a book, few actually write a book and get it published. For the vast majority, getting their book out there is just a pipe dream.
Does it have to remain a pipe dream? What does it take to write a book and become a published author? Most people I’ve spoken to wish that they could write a book and I tell them that what it takes is not just the knowledge, what it really takes is discipline, determination, grit and organisational skills. That doesn’t sound so literary, does it? What it really takes to write a book and become a published author is to just DO it!
In this quick video Glen Carlson, Global Director of the Key Person of Influence programs and Dent Global, talks about what happened when I published my book.
Listen to this podcast episode and find out why you must write your book – the benefits are enormous for you professionally and personally.
Here’s what I cover in this podcast episode.
A little background:
I typically work with senior executives who wish to make a career change, are transitioning due to redundancy or wish to develop their careers more effectively. I coach them one-on-one or in groups depending on their specific needs.
I also work with corporate clients such as The Reserve Bank of Australia and Local Government New South Wales, Rio Tinto and Credit Suisse and provide career development, leadership foundations and professional branding and image management workshops.
As I love what I do so much I keep creating content by blogging, podcasting and also have created an online 7 Steps Careers Program that job seekers can access and work on at their own pace.
I have to say that I’m so passionate about what I do because I believe that careers guidance should be accessible to all who need it and I’m on a mission to help you find your true passion and direction in your career!
Why I wanted to write my book:
I wrote Navigating Career Crossroads: How to Thrive When Changing Direction because I have a desire to reach every person who needs or wants careers guidance and advice. I thrive on my one on one coaching and delivering presentations and workshops, however, I felt that I wasn’t reaching enough people and, as my mission is to make career inspiration and support available to absolutely everyone globally, one way to do that is to offer the support in the form a valuable ebook or paperback.
What Navigating Career Crossroads is all about:
My book is all about career clarity and career transition and it takes the reader through the 7 essential steps to make a successful career change. Those steps are:
- To confidently manage change and handle the stress of uncertainty
- Assess what really makes you tick
- How to develop an effective communication strategy with your pitch, resume and LinkedIn profile
- How to network and work with recruiters and use online job boards
- Interview preparation
- Negotiation skills
- And how to onboard into your new role successfully and make the first 90 days really work for you!
Another reason for writing my book:
When I wrote the book my plan was to use it, basically, to help people but there was another motive. I knew that by publishing a book it would raise my profile within my profession and to my target audience (job seekers and those wishing to progress in their careers). By building my profile I knew that I could use my book as a product that would help in lead generation (it is a business card on steroids after all!)
People buy from people who know, like and trust you and so when you read a book that provides value, you feel that you know the author and value their knowledge.
I have to admit that by writing my book it seems that people value what I have to offer so much more. It’s about credibility.
The benefits of getting my book published:
I found that publishing the book worked really well as I was able to leverage it as a marketing tool as well as a product. I found that sales conversations were so much easier as I could give my book as a gift to prospective clients and it reduced the need for me to pitch as my book was proof that I knew what had to be done to be successful when it came to career management.
I started to get approaches from journalists for comments on career management and have been featured in numerous print and online articles in the Huffington Post, Sydney Morning Herald, The Collective Hub, CareerOne, The Courier Mail, local papers, Australian Women’s Weekly, and Cosmopolitan Middle East. I’ve also been interviewed on 2UE Talking Lifestyle, 99.3FM Northside Radio in Sydney, 97.7FM Casey Radio in Melbourne and LJN Network (Local Job Network) Radio in the US. The PR the book generated for me has been amazing.
As I don’t have to pitch so hard for work now I’ve gained more clients and also, a big plus is that I have doubled my coaching and training rates and people pay it. They expect value and they get it!
The most rewarding thing about writing this book was that it build my own self-confidence. It proved to me that I could so it. And I’m really proud that I’m an author – it’s another tick off the bucket list I guess!
Unexpected benefits of writing my book:
Some unexpected benefits of writing my book include the speaking engagements that have come out of being an author and the people that I’ve met – Dymocks asked me to speak at an author’s event in their George Street store in the City and to be a featured author during one of their events for book lovers too. It’s a lot of fun as well as good for business.
There are some opportunities that would not have come to me as easily without my book would be the speaking gigs at HR conferences and expos, getting on the panel of Local Government NSW suppliers, delivering an upcoming talk in Cairns on professional branding in May this year. I’m thrilled that everywhere I speak I’m able to ask the organizers to puchase my books in advance to offer to their attendees – that’s great for brand building as well!
If I didn’t have this book I would not have been able to scale my business the way I have done – it’s enabled me to productise what is a service and time-for-money consulting business that’s a trap that so many consultants fall into.
If you’d like to find out more:
If you’d like to find out more about my services and my book, Navigating Career Crossroads, visit janejacksoncoach.com
Good luck with your writing journey!
