Effectively promoting a business or professional practice can be one of the most challenging elements of becoming successful. Advertising can have limited value in fields where you need trust and credibility. But when you become an author and employ book publicists, suddenly things change, and you can become more engaged with the media. People regard authors and books as newsworthy and see them as thought leaders in a field. It's the type of stature that jump-starts your business and brings new clients to your door. Trying to buy enough advertising to produce similar results could be too expensive.

To establish thought leadership with your book, it needs to take a new or alternative view of its topic – or seriously advance what has already been said. Book PR people remind authors that success lies in explaining how your book is better than others or provides information not easily found elsewhere. Some topics are easier than others, but attaching your name to a title that doesn't break new ground probably won't get you anywhere. You may also work with a writer to develop your book's content. Your knowledge and perspective, combined with their writing skills, can be a plus.

Once you're ready to publish your book, publicists can approach the media and online outlets with news of its release. The result is coverage on TV and online, as well as in some legacy print publications. You can agree on a promotional plan and may be called to give speeches and presentations to promote the book. Your appearances and increased visibility will likely bring new client inquiries to your business or professional practice. People respect authors and seek out their expertise in many ways. Doors will open after the book is released that would have been challenging to open by any other method.

If you're competing for a job and can list published books on your resume, it's a significant advantage over competing candidates who lack them. Regardless of where you are in your career, authoring a book will add to your stature. You can include copies of your book as additions to packages you send about yourself or your business. It's also easy to publish chapters or excerpts to your business website as an indirect sales tool. Giving prospective clients or employers opportunities to read more about your views is always influential. Everything today is more competitive and writing a book gives you advantages.