The Book Strategy
Most books fail because they were written without a strategy.
Writing a book is not the hard part. Writing the right book is.
You have decades of expertise. You could fill a book tomorrow. That is not the challenge. The challenge is building a book that does something for your business after it is published.
Most experts skip the strategy entirely. They start writing, or they hire someone to start writing for them, and they hope the book will “figure it out” once it exists. That is how you end up with an expensive stack of paper that sits in boxes and does nothing.
A book without a strategy is a key made without knowing which lock it needs to open. It might be beautifully crafted. It will not open anything.
The five mistakes that kill expert books before they launch
Mistake 01
Writing the book you want to write instead of the book your reader needs to read
You have decades of knowledge. You pour it all onto the page. The result is a book that serves you but ignores the reader. Your reader picks it up, reads a chapter, and puts it down because they cannot figure out what it will do for them.
Mistake 02
Writing a book that has no strategic purpose
A book that attracts clients, makes a sale, or other strategic action requires a completely different structure than a book designed to land speaking engagements. A book written without a clear business objective is a key made for no lock.
Mistake 03
Trying to put everything you know into one book
Twenty years of expertise does not need twenty years of content. Books that try to say everything end up saying nothing. They overwhelm instead of guide. Strategic restraint is not leaving value on the table. It is building a body of work.
Mistake 04
Writing for everyone, which means writing for no one
“My book is for anyone who wants to improve their life.” That sentence guarantees your book will struggle. The more specific your reader, the more people your book will resonate with. Paradox, but true.
Mistake 05
Ignoring the business model behind the book
At $15 to $25 per copy, you need to sell tens of thousands of books to make meaningful income from royalties. The real money is in what the book makes possible: the contracts, the fees, the clients, the partnerships. But only if the book was designed for that from the start.
What a strategically built book actually does
- Your book stops being a cost and starts being an asset
One new consulting client or speaking engagement after publishing typically covers the full investment. The book keeps working every day after that.
- Your authority becomes undeniable
Prospects who read even one chapter show up to sales calls pre-sold. You are no longer pitching. You are being consulted.
- It opens doors that cold calls never could.
Speaking invitations arrive. Podcast hosts reach out to you. Partnerships form. Your book compounds with every copy that lands in someone’s hands.
- You hold something you are proud to hand to anyone
Your book looks, feels, and reads like it came from a major publisher. It will never be mistaken for self-published. Your name is on something worthy of your reputation.
The seven questions your strategy must answer before you write
Purpose
What is this book designed to accomplish for your career and your business?
Audience
Who specifically is this book for, and what do they need from it?
Positioning
How will this book stand apart from everything else on the shelf?
Structure
What format, length, and organization best serves the reader and your goals?
Business Model
How will this book generate revenue beyond royalties?
Production
Who will handle the writing support, editing, design, and publishing?
Activation
What is the plan for getting this book into the right hands on day one and every day after?
Your Answer
If any of these are unclear, the strategy call exists to solve that.
Whitney Jones
3x Ms. Fitness Olympia, Author of Win Broken
Is this the right fit?
This is for you if:
- You want your book to change your income, not just exist on a shelf
- You care about leverage, positioning, and measurable outcomes
- You understand that shortcuts cost more in the long run
- You want something you are proud to put your name on
This is not for you if:
- You want validation instead of results
- You want to figure it out as you go
- You are treating your book like a hobby
- You want the cheapest option available
The first step is a Book Strategy Call, by application.
- If there is a clear path to building a book that gets results, Dave will show it to you.
- If there is not, he will tell you that too.
- Either way, you leave with clarity you did not have before.
Dave accepts a limited number of clients per year. Programs start in the five figures.
Start with just the Strategy Session
$5,000 · credited in full toward any program