5 Things You Need to Know About Your Nonfiction Book

Today, I’m dropping the simplest advice I can give you into your inbox.

There are five basic things entrepreneurs and experts need to know before trying to get a book deal. 

1. The audience.
   Specifically, the demographics and psychographics of your reader. Who are these people, what is their problem, why does your book solve it and most importantly — how are you already reaching them?

2. The structure.
   More than an outline, the structure of your book shows a progression of how the reader will learn what you have to share and show how the book will read once it’s written and published.

3. The promise.
   What will readers get when they buy your book? And how have you delivered that in the past to folks in your target market? Where’s the social proof?

4. How you will promote, market, and sell the book.
   For real, because plans aren’t enough. Plans have absolutely no bearing on whether you can or will execute, much less succeed. Evidence that you can promote, market, and sell effectively to the same audience as your book is essential.

5. How the book fits into your business and life goals.
   Surprisingly, many people don’t think beyond writing the book or maybe seeing it in print and on sale somewhere. But the authors that I work with who are most successful have thought deeply and extensively about how their book fits into their business and life. 

In the past three years, I’ve spoken to more than 300 entrepreneurs and experts who wanted to write and publish a book. But only a handful — less than 10% — had all these pieces in place.