People Don’t Buy Books; They Buy Solutions

Readers are selfish. But before you get offended, ask yourself why you purchase personal development, leadership, or business books. Is it for entertainment? Or is it to solve a problem or teach you a new skill?

Think about it. If you want escapism, you grab the latest Grisham novel. If you’re looking to strengthen your business, Gino Wickman’s book Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business is probably a better pick.

Unfortunately, many authors miss the boat when it comes to writing and marketing their books. They let their ego get in the way. They jump right into selling their intelligence without really addressing their reader's problems.

The key is to start with the end in mind. As writers, the end is the transformational experience you deliver to your audience.

At the same time, you want your book to attract the type of audience you want to work with in the future. As a high-performer, your book is just a small (but essential) part of your ecosystem. It may be the entrée into a product suite of online courses, public speaking, consulting, or business solutions you offer.

Let’s start with your book’s topic. You want your reader to feel understood, validated, transformed, and begging to continue a  relationship with you after they finish your book.

In my experience, identifying someone’s pain and delivering a solution is how you differentiate yourself from your competitors and earn the business.

And since your book is part of your brand, it should offer the same level of service and guidance.   There are five significant points your book must address to solve a problem and create a hero's journey for your reader.

Define the issue. This may seem obvious, but so many nonfiction books fail to niche down into an actual problem. Instead of focusing on something specific, they decide to be general and speak to everyone (which really means no one).

  Consider the following make-believe book titles

• General: How to Start a Business
• Specific: How to Start a Landscaping Business in 30 Days

Which of these books sets the best expectations for their readers? Which title has the best chance of delivering on its promise? Which title will have the most difficult time providing comprehensive and useful information because the scope is too big?

Reference the problem often and empathize. Let’s first consider the definition of empathy from Dictionary.com: the psychological identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, attitudes of another. This is very important to remember as you are writing your book. It’s not just about providing your solution; it’s about letting your reader know you feel and understand their pain. Consider the difference between the two sentences:

• You need to focus on only one project at a time instead of context switching between multiple projects.
• As business visionaries, it's easy to get excited about multiple projects, but focusing on one thing at a time helps us reach our goals faster.

The first example tells the reader what to do, but provides no empathy or acknowledgment as to why it's challenging to focus on one project and has a negative tone. However, the second example lets the reader know they understand their pain and provides the solution in a positive way.   Remember: You are taking your reader on a journey towards solving their problem. Quantifying their problem anchors them to you and your solution.  

Anchor your solution in fact and research. It’s one thing to tell your readers what to do, and another to back it up with research and numbers. You are still building trust with your audience, so bring in some heavy hitters to strengthen your message. For example:

Would you rather follow financial methodology from Warren Buffett or John Doe?   If you are promoting or reinforcing an idea that someone else is already doing well, then leverage their reputation.

Provide social proof. If you're writing a book, then I assume you have something amazing to share with the world. And whether your system or solution worked for you or someone else, you need to share those stories … it's your proof of concept. Case studies, stories, and profiles accomplish many things for your reader. They provide:

• A chance for your audience to connect with someone else’s experience. If they can do it, I can do it.
• A way to see how your solution looks from an implementation standpoint.
• Confidence in you and your solution.
• Proof that what you are saying works.

Offer the solution and follow up. This statement may sound self-explanatory, but it’s the most commonly missed part of many nonfiction books. I work with clients all of the time who make statements like:

• How can I solve all of their problems in just one book?
• If I give away all of my solutions, then they won't need to work with me.
• If I solve their problem, then I won’t get paid.

So, let's unpack all of this a bit.

First, you are not solving ALL of their problems. This is why you need to define the problem and niche down. It's better to solve something small than offering nothing to a more significant issue.

Secondly, people can find information everywhere … websites, books, courses, etc., so your upsell can’t be information. Your follow-up or next step needs to focus on implementation. Your book is proof you can do the work.

Consider this: You can read all of the blog posts on my site and begin structuring and outlining your book without any additional assistance.

Or, you may choose to fast-track it and hire someone like me to coach you through the writing and publishing process. Either way, we have started a relationship because you have read my material.

Some people will take action with you after they read your book as long as you have eased their pain, delivered value, and provided a clear call to action on how they can continue their relationship with you into the future.