I discovered that a lot of specialist websites lost their rankings in 2023, not just me. And many experts are too busy to worry over the very top of the funnel, the SEO. So what to do instead? And what’s a better positioning play?
Clever experts are writing books and going on speaker circuits to attract people in a more trust-building way.
Tell Me if You’ve Heard this One Before…
Another mistake that novice writers make is not doing enough market research to reach niche interest readers. And the more problem-focused you can make it, the better off you’ll be. We are all looking for answers to our most pressing problems, and that’s what will make your new book an attractive force.
Rather than thinking that you will take the easy route and write up what you know, start afresh with finding out what people will respond to.
Diet books are ubiquitous, but Wendy Stehling did her own research to create her bestseller. She asked women, “what kind of outcome do you want to achieve with your weight loss”? Eventually she hit on something that kept coming up… to make their thighs light and svelte. Hence the New York Times Bestseller, Thin Thighs in 30 Days, published in 2011. With a title like that, it’s easy to get into the media spotlight and create a buzz.
Primary Research + Reflection on your Ikigai (reason for being/gift to world) = Eureka moment for positioning
My own example:
I re-wrote ‘Set up as a Micro Publisher’ and realised it was not ‘messaging’ where I next wanted to go in business. I turned into a more attracting title: ‘More Clients, Pre-Sold’, with the emphasis on book sales funnels.
This also is a positioning play: funnels is where I want to be in my innovative publishing offerings. Why? Because the way to interest people in what we do is through educating them in our depth of reasoning why we do it.
A well-written book is an insight into our reasoning; it contains clues to our outlook, personality and principles. (That’s why it’s better if you write it or dictate and write it, then we edit it).
Definition:
Positioning has to do with picking an under-served niche and then using your personal values to bring a holistic and unique offering to that niche.
Get a deep dive into the directly sold book idea with the Self-Publish and Own It package, or subscribe to get a free Book Funnel Checklist. Soon to be added: Marketing Visuals pack.
Three Simple Things you can do to be an Expert in your Field
- Put aside 30 minutes daily reading time to learn new techniques in your industry. This can be applied to future blog posts, articles, and for news media attraction. (Also spend some time to get inside your customer’s mind by reading your typical market’s online messages and forum posts).
- Set up a Google Alert with two key words searching the news daily and returning related results to your inbox. E.g. “money problems” or “personal finance + Australia”. Do not use the term your job title is known for – think outside that box. This helps inspire great blog posts too.
- Put your key findings from an “insider’s view” down on paper… Actually, no need to write. Instead, record a public talk or ask for a podcast recording of yourself. You see, it’s a lot easier to tell someone else our expert secrets and mould it later into books.
Overview on Positioning: Writing the Right Book
Whether you’ve got 15 blog articles or just a page full of notes to put into your book, it pays to consider book positioning and alignment to your future line of business first.
That way, when you do produce the book, it will be on the right angle, talking to the right market sector. If you don’t yet feel like an expert, then the three action items above can help you observe what’s happening in the field — and spark ideas for your take.
Jennifer Lancaster wrote a Niche Marketing & Book Guide, which you can get for free when becoming a writer coaching or self-publishing client.
Jennifer wrote ‘More Clients, Pre-Sold’, which you can purchase for $22 with postage (directly) if in Australia.