5 Ways to Use Your Book to Build Your Credibility

How do others measure your credibility? Do they review your qualifications, your years of experience, your accomplishments, your confidence, or what your clients and colleagues say about you? The likely answer is, “All of these.” What if you could produce all of these elements of credibility in one item; not a resume, a keynote speech, or a list of testimonials ... but your book?

 

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines credibility as the quality or power of inspiring belief. Besides your good intentions, what do you possess that inspires belief in your capabilities? Your book is an undeniable example of your credibility. You are an expert, an authority, a go-to person for whatever you do and know. This doesn’t mean you are the only person who does what you do, or that you know everything there is to know about your subject matter. However, being an expert or an authority suggests a level of credibility that customers need in order to have confidence in you before they will commit to doing business with you and telling others about you. So what do you want to be known for? On what platform do you wish to build your credibility?

When you’re able to confidently answer these questions, it's time to leverage your book to prove your credibility and to inspire belief. Think of your book as a product; a valuable resource to help others accomplish their goals. Ideally, you’ve written a book that teaches a lesson, whether through your life experiences—as in a memoir or an autobiography—or one that provides advice, tips, or information about doing, being, or having something—as in a how-to or self-help book. Or, perhaps you wrote your novel or children’s book to establish yourself as a rising star among contemporary writers. Either way, your book is a product that represents what you want to be known for. Use it as such.

1.       Package your book with other products of yours or of others.

2.       Repurpose the content in presentations, speeches, courses, or information products.

3.       Gather the knowledge you’ve gained from writing the book, and share that on blogs, in seminars or workshops, and in your signature ezine.

4.       Assemble the information into a unique process or system to help others.

5.       Develop a unique product, service, or event connected to your book, your knowledge, or your experience.

Your book is the foundation for your credibility – and from there you can only keep building upward.