Benefits Of Writing A Book For Consultants (& How To Do It)

My business has evolved a lot from its early days as a side hustle in 2009 to what it is today: a ghostwriting and book coaching firm with a global remote team.

While this growth happened in stages over time, I can point to the precise moment when things leapt forward.

It was writing a book (and then another one).

Each time, a published book has been my ticket to a full client roster, media attention, and collaboration opportunities. It’s helped me grow my influence, impact, and revenue.

But equally important—to me, at least—is how writing a book changed me and my business. I’ve seen it work the same magic for my clients.

And if you’re a consultant, I know it can do the same for you.

Most consultants typically emerge from the book-writing process with new frameworks, language, and marketing clarity they can immediately apply to their business.

The book is an inflection point — a catalyst for increased impact.

A Great Book Brings Growth through Clarity and Opportunity

Writing a book is a deeply introspective journey, and unless you’re working with a ghostwriter, it asks you to sit with your thoughts for hours, days, weeks, and months.

The process pushes mental boundaries and forces us to test our discipline and follow-through.

And if you can emerge on the other side of the long and meaningful journey of writing a book, you’ll be profoundly transformed.

Most consultants typically emerge from the book-writing process with new frameworks, language, and marketing clarity they can immediately apply to their business.

Writing and publishing my first book back in 2013 and my second coauthored book in 2018 completely changed both how I saw myself and how others saw me.

Internally, I gained deeper clarity and clearer language; this impacted how I carried myself, invested in my business, and pursued opportunities.

I developed an entirely new framework for teaching and implementing my expertise, and developed additional offerings, including a digital course. I began taking bigger risks, hiring a team, and even investing more in my wardrobe.

Clarity of self is empowering.

So are new opportunities and challenges.

As a published author, people began to see me as an expert industry leader. I began to steadily grow an audience. I secured keynotes and opportunities I’d only dreamed of when I started my business.

And my newfound clarity and confidence helped me thrive through all of it.

And as of this writing, I’m working on my next book. While I’m only at the outlining stage, I’m already experiencing profound growth.

How to Write a Powerful Book to Scale Your Consulting Business

Today, I lead others through this journey, and we begin with developing clarity. In the book-writing system I developed, we start by digging deeply into your big vision, one reader, and core differentiator, and then push to define how readers will be transformed through reading your book.

We roll up our sleeves and wade through the muck and mud of ideation to arrive at a structurally beautiful book outline.

If you’re just beginning this journey, get started with some daydreaming.

Grab a piece of paper and a pen, set a timer for ten minutes, and respond to the prompt, “If I could write any book, what would it be about?”

Let your ideas flow without judgment.

Sit with those ideas for a day. Make notes as inspiration arises.

If you’re facing a nearly blank page, don’t stress.

Trust that the book is within you and instead answer the question, “What could a book do for my life, business, and impact?”

(And if you’re feeling extra-inspired, respond to both!)

Once you’ve narrowed in on a topic, consider which of the three core types of nonfiction books is the right fit for your consulting business: big idea (a favorite of consultants), how to (another favorite), and narrative.

Think creatively here and give yourself freedom.

You might even write a blend: storytelling, big idea, and a touch of practicality.

As you think through the right structure for your book, ask: What’s the number-one thing I want my reader to experience, feel, and do after finishing this book?

You’ll also want to get crystal clear about the book’s role in your broader vision for impact. Many aspiring authors have several book ideas or a single, way-too-broad idea that would result in a tome rather than a compelling, engaging book.

Spend time clarifying your vision using my visioning guide. Then, chart out the steps to get there.

From here, it’s time to take action. Absorb everything you can about book writing and authorhood.

1. Begin working on your outline.
2. Create a realistic plan to accomplish your goal of writing a book.
3. Find a coach or program.
4. Then, go all out and make that dream happen, because on the other side of writing and publishing your book is transformative growth and meaningful impact.

Trust that the book is within you and instead answer the question, “What could a book do for my life, business, and impact?”

As You Write, Be Generous

Generous authors win fans for life.

Hold back too much, or make readers access additional steps to get basic value from the book (e.g., by visiting your website), and they’ll quickly abandon your title for another one.

Instead, ensure you provide great value directly in the pages of your book.

Here’s the thing: information is always out there.

But when people hire a consultant, it’s because they don’t have the time, energy, or interest to cobble together fifty Google searches—or execute every point in your book themselves.

So teach what you know. If you have a clear view of the job your book is doing for them (transformation, how to, inspiration, etc.), and where your potential reader is on their journey, you almost can’t provide too much.

“Seed” Your Consulting Business as You Go—with Subtlety

There is nuance to effectively mentioning your business, speaking, programs, or website. I suggest actively avoiding reader-centric language, such as “if we were to work together” or “if you hired me.”

Rather, a subtle way to show the value of your work is through case studies and stories of past clients (with their permission, of course!).

I find that mentioning your site or service directly more than a couple of times per chapter can be overkill and feel salesy.

But the right balance depends on the book.

For example, if you’re writing a how-to book that provides a lot of value but has all the editable templates available on your website, you might mention your site multiple times as a value-add to the reader.

All that said: don’t leave out your work or site entirely!

If you don’t let readers know you can help them, they won’t know.

Write what feels natural and then turn it over to your (highly qualified) editor to provide guidance on whether you’re striking the right balance.

Build Your Platform—and Market the Heck out of It

“Write it and they will read it” is a myth. And I’ll add, “Write it and they will hire you” is an even bigger myth.

As you write and publish your book, be sure to develop your platform.

A platform, in the simplest terms, is how you show up online and in person. It includes your website, social media, interviews you do, emails you send your list, and everything in between.

Start early and begin building your audience well before the launch date of your book and/or business. That way, you’ll have an already nurtured audience who is hopefully ready to buy your book—and hire you!

And once your book is in hand, utilize it!

• Gift it to new clients.
• Reference it in speaking engagements, presentations, or during potential client calls.
• Utilize portions of it in programs.
• Place it on a shelf in the background of video meetings.
• Create opportunities for subsequent book “launches,” such as releasing an audiobook, being featured in a bookstore or airport, awards, and other notable accomplishments.

Long-term success takes effort and requires a thoughtful, ongoing marketing and PR plan, and a book is one of the best tickets to credibility you can have.

It’s a true asset for your business and brand.

Of course, there is much more to this discussion. But these high-level points should get you going and provide strong guidance as you write a book to grow your business to new heights.

And if you’re stuck on your journey and need support, guidance, and accountability, send me a message—I’d love to connect.

I’m cheering you on as you write your book—and scale your consulting business.

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Stacy Ennis is a best-selling author, creative consultant, and speaker, as well as the founder of Nonfiction Book School. She served as long-time ghostwriter for a Nobel Prize winner in medicine and executive editor of Sam’s Club’s Healthy Living Made Simple, a publication that reached around 11 million readers. Stacy’s latest coauthored book is Growing Influence: A Story of How to Lead with Character, Expertise, and Impact; her TEDx talk, “How to raise brave kids,” has been viewed thousands of times around the world. She lives in Portugal with her husband and two children.