Books still are, as they say, “the price of entry” for service providers to be taken seriously.

Books showcase the author’s expertise in a way which is directly useful to the target markets.  In that sense, the book is a public service since it passes on knowledge.  Grateful readers, who can do their work better, become the author’s fans. Give a person a fish and that human being eats for a day.  Teach that person how to fish and that human being eats for lifetime.

Through book publishing, authors also gain a new edge getting the attention of media, booking agents for the speaking circuit, and influentials.

The good news is that the heads of service firms don’t have to spend a year or more of their professional lives writing the book.  Also they don’t have to wait for the tedious print publishing process to produce the book.  Given that usual time lag, the content may be out of date by time the book is distributed to clients, prospects, and the others on the firm’s network.

E-books, which can be a short as 25 or 35 pages, can be written or ghostwritten in days, designed and published on a computer, and copyrighted for a small fee through the Library of  Congress.  They can be free or a price assigned. One mode of distribution can be through downloads on the author’s website, blog, Facebook fan page, Google+, and Twitter account.  When delivering talks and participating in panels, the author can mention the URL or have print copies on hand.

Promotion can be done in just the same ways print books are.  In addition, reviewers no longer differentiate between print and e-books.  A fast way out of the gate is to produce video trailers and video interviews which can be posted on YouTube, sent to media, and attached on digital communications.

Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, provides complimentary consultations on Marketing, Partnerships, Advertising, Public Relations, Social Media, and Special Events kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868