“Well, he wrote the book on that!” Can you think of another phrase that so readily conveys the message that someone is at the top of their game in their field of expertise?

A well-written, properly designed book makes an elegant calling card for your business — in one attractive package, you can share the history of your company, your personal contributions to the industry, the motivating philosophy behind your business and the expertise you can bring to your clients.

For businesses celebrating a milestone, a book that commemorates the story of your founder and the legacy of your company makes a wonderful way to share a history that not all your employees may be fully aware of, and a gift for clients who have been part of building up to your current success. Nostalgia photo books are popular items that can evoke fond memories of a brand or business, particularly when a company has a rich heritage that has been well-documented in photos — memorabilia items or pictures of how the physical landscape and structures and tools of the trade have changed.

A book can also humanize a business — here you have a forum to share what makes you tick; what motivates your decisions; you can reveal your personality. Customers who see that the core beliefs of your business align with their own outlook become more loyal. Seeing who’s behind the counter or on the other end of the phone gives them a reason to have a relationship with your company, instead of thinking of you as just another one of any number of faceless options.

If you are frequently called upon to participate in speaking engagements, or if lectures or presentations are a core part of your business model, a book makes a great add-on at an event. Whether you choose to offer it for free or at a reasonable cost, it is a way for you to go home with each attendee. Even better, they can pass your book along to someone else — a new potential client or customer for your business who now understands exactly what you’re all about. (Being that this is a lasting memento, make sure you’ve put in the effort to include significant or useful information and that it represents you well — our professional editing and production team is there to ensure you put your best foot forward.)

“But if I put all my advice in a book, won’t that mean clients don’t need ME anymore?” Think of it this way: If you buy a cookbook from a famous chef, how likely is it that you’ll give up going to his restaurant simply because you are now equipped with the list of ingredients and methodology for creating his dishes? Not likely, is it? It’s the services,  goods and customer experience you provide that make your business and keep customers coming back. A book is simply an efficient tool for reminding them that you have experience and knowledge to offer. After all, you wrote the book, didn’t you?