Writing a book will establish you as a trusted expert. It will also differentiate you from the overwhelming majority of other professionals in your field who don’t have a book. You can hand free copies of your book to potential clients and referrers, which will help you generate more leads, attract more referrals and win more business.

Write about something that will be of interest to potential clients and will give you the chance to showcase your expertise. For example, a buyer’s agent might write a book about how to build a property portfolio that generates $100,000 per year in passive income; a financial adviser might write a book that explains how to build wealth for retirement. By sharing knowledge, experiences and practical advice, you can establish yourself as an authority in your field while also offering valuable information to your target readers.

Aim for 30,000 to 70,000 words. The key is to provide valuable information in a way that’s easy for your audience to understand and enjoy.

The first thing you should do is understand why you want to write a book and who you want to read it. Pick a topic you know well and that your audience will find interesting. Before you begin writing, create a structure: start with the title; then choose the chapter headings; then think of subheadings within each chapter. You’ll then find it much easier to write the content. Block out time in your calendar (at least one session per week) to write the book, so you make steady progress. Use everyday language and real-life examples to keep it engaging. Share practical advice and be yourself.

The biggest mistakes to avoid are not being clear about the subject or purpose of your book, not writing with the reader in mind and not creating a coherent structure before you begin writing. Other mistakes include being verbose, using too much jargon and skipping professional editing.

If you self-publish your book, including through Amazon (which is free), your book will definitely be published. If you try to publish your book through a traditional publishing company, your chance of success will be low, as publishers have very precise criteria and receive many submissions.

If you publish your book on Amazon, you will receive a link that you can share on your website, social media, online and via email newsletters. Physical books can be sold in local stores, stocked in libraries and sold/handed out during events.

Assume your book will make no sales, because the vast majority of books sell no or very few copies. If your goal is to make money from book sales, you’re unlikely to succeed. However, if your goal is to use the book as a marketing device – by handing free copies to potential clients and referral partners – you’ll almost certainly succeed, because the book will position you as an industry leader and differentiate you from the 99% of your rivals who don’t have a book.

Cover design is very important, because people do judge a book by its cover. A well-designed cover will create a positive impression about the book, the author and the author’s business. So it’s worth investing money in professional design.

If you have the time, skill and discipline to write your own book, you can do the job in-house. But if you don’t, you should seriously consider hiring a copywriting agency, which will almost certainly complete the book faster and to a higher standard. Another option is to write a draft yourself and then give it to a copywriting agency to edit.