“How to make your book your business” may seem like an oxymoron. Whatever you write about is obviously “your business” because it’s about you: your stories and experiences and what really matters most to you.

The business I’m referring to is the commercial part of your career: how to make your published book into a profitable enterprise. If you give seminars or workshops, your book can be a textbook, workbook or guidebook that supports the material you present at these events.

You can also make your book the cornerstone for any type of online or offline enterprise.

I’ve just finished ghostwriting a book for a kindergarten teacher with some amazing new early childhood development tips and techniques. I already know her book is going to be a winner… but first people have to find out about it.

In addition to selling her book as a print on demand hard copy, this client also wanted to sell her book as an electronic downloadable product, or ebook. “How can I set this up through my already existing website?” she asked.

Another client is a therapist with years of experience in helping people release anxiety. Currently I’m editing her first ebook. ”How can I use this ebooks to attract clients? What kind of website do I need to build?” were her two questions.

A third client is launching a motivational seminar enterprise and I’ve just finished doctoring her first book. “I want to sell my book at the back of the room at my seminars,” she told me, “and I also want to develop a website based on my motivational program.”

All three of these gifted professionals are planning to write and publish more books after launching their first one. They’re also eager to develop CDs, DVDs and other products that can be downloaded from their website. Eventually they will add teleseminars, audio and video podcasts to their websites.

I thanked my clients for motivating me to write a series of articles that would address all of their questions and concerns. I also told them I would package my articles as an ebook that I would make available on my own website.

Build your “field” or website, and… become a traffic magnet

You may already have a website, or maybe you’ve been waiting to get your book written and published before you build one. You could also build a second website just for selling your book.

Wherever you are in the website development process, your goal is the same: you want to sell your books and create a profitable online business.

Your challenges are also the same:

  • How will your potential customers and clientele find you?
  • How can you find them?
  • How will you create at loyal community of returning customers who will eagerly be waiting
    • for your next book… and your next one after that?

    The good news: never before has there been such a great opportunity for reaching a targeted public and creating your community of like-minded individuals.

    The even better news: you do not have to spend a lot of money to build and maintain a successful online business.

    The greatest resource you have is yourself: your creative talents as a writer and your experience in knowing what people want.

    Web 2.0 Technologies, Social/Professional Networking and You

    Not so long ago, websites were merely glorified business cards. People had a difficult time finding you or learning what products you were selling. It was extremely difficult to figure out how to make your book your business.

    The search engines that did exist were Model T’s compared to today’s jet-propelled IT keyword carriers. Within seconds Google, Yahoo and many others can race from one end of the internet to the other to link you to specifically targeted potential customers or clients.

    Web 2.0 or social networking technologies were the next to emerge, giving us a whole new playing field for interacting with millions of others. Web 2.0 has shrunk the globe to the size of a laptop, handheld device or smart phone.

    I’m delighted to learn that recently SelfGrowth has created an alliance with SiteSell and SiteBuildIt (SBI), the web company I used to build my two websites, Write to Publish for Profit and Dandelion Books.

    In my next article I’ll tell you more about the amazing capabilities of SBI and why I highly recommend this company's services to both newbies as well as experienced web builders and online entrepreneurs.

    Author's Bio: 

    Carol Adler, MFA’s first ghost-written book listing her name as co-editor, Why Am I Still Addicted? A Holistic Approach to Recovery, was endorsed by Deepak Chopra, M.D., and published by McGraw-Hill. Other publications include three novels, four books of poetry, and well over 200 poems in literary journals. She has ghostwritten over 40 non-fiction and fiction works for a number of professionals in the education, health care and human potential industries.

    Carol is President of Dandelion Books, LLC of Tempe, Arizona; a full service publishing company. She is also President and CEO of Dandelion Enterprises, Inc., Write to Publish for Profit and President of the International Arts & Media Foundation, a non-profit subsidiary of Dandelion Enterprises, Inc.

    Her business experience includes co-ownership of a Palm Beach, FL public relations company and executive management positions in two U.S. rejuvenation and mind/body wellness corporations, for which she founded publishing divisions.

    Carol has served as editor of several poetry and literary magazines. Her career experience includes extensive teaching of college-level creative and business writing, and conducting of writing workshops in prisons, libraries, elementary, junior and high schools, and senior citizen centers.

    Additional Resources on Publishing can be found at:

    Website Directory for Publishing
    Articles on Publishing
    Products for Publishing
     Discussion Board
    Carol Adler, The Official Guide to Publishing