When corporate philanthropy consultant Susan Hyatt wrote a book, Strategy for Good: Business Giving Strategies for the 21st Century, it went on to win four publishing awards and got testimonials from top execs at Pfizer, Timberland, and Starbucks. Most important, it caught the attention of potential clients. “It does open doors,” she says. “The credibility is big. If people know you’ve written a book, they do take notice. It’s attracted new business for me, for sure.” Yet it sold just 1,000 copies. Books by or about entrepreneurs rarely sell well (unless they include the name Musk, Gates, Jobs, or Buffett), so if you’re considering writing a book, know that you most likely won’t make a dime. In fact, if you self-publish instead of working through a traditional publisher, you could spend tens of thousands of dollars. That’s why you should treat your book like a marketing investment that you can use to boost your company’s bottom line.

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