Supporting your book launch with an effective marketing program is a must to succeed in today's hyper-competitive marketplace. Veteran book promoters have found innovative ways to reach target readers with news of your book's publication. The traditional approach was publicity campaigns that worked through the media. Then, much of it moved online, including the old media and newer online-only players. More recently, other techniques have been popularized, such as podcasting and freelancing articles with a byline to earn the bio section at the end. It gives you a chance to list your book's title.

If you're writing a book to advance your career through a related PR campaign, be strategic. Specifically, find an angle to your book topic that will shake things up and be viewed as newsworthy. If you can start a trend and be strongly associated with it, your business will receive an instant boost. Interviews and speaking engagements will come your way that would have been unlikely before your book. You can quickly see why so many people in industry and professional practices are becoming authors. It earns them notoriety and opportunities to be in front of audiences of people who can become customers.

Thought leadership is also helpful in differentiating yourself from the competition, and writing a book can build your stature. Authors are commonly thought to be knowledgeable, and with that comes respect. Making a new business pitch and going against someone who hasn't written a book may help you have the upper hand. You can also send client prospects complimentary copies of your book as you introduce yourself. The book makes a welcome gift, and you make an impression. A client prospect might start a conversation with you about something in the book that breaks the ice.

If you want to sell books and quickly build a profile, you can write in a genre that's an attention-getter. A great example is self-help, where authors are immediately media-friendly. Nearly everyone is interested in self-help topics, and your book will win you interviews and public speaking invitations. The book can be a cornerstone of your success if you're in a service industry that provides health, grooming, or financial advice. It allows you to lay out your philosophy and explain its benefits. The book can win you new clients, and your business can win your book new readers. You benefit both ways.