Self-Publishing Books to Build Your Business

The internet has dramatically changed the nature of self-publishing. It used to be that you had to be prepared to spend several thousand dollars in order to get your self-published book printed at a cost that allowed you to sell it at a reasonable profit. But with the advent of Lightning Source and newer competitors such as Lulu, iUniverse, Xlibris and Outskirts Press, you can now self-publish your book with little or no set-up fees, no minimum order, and still be able to sell it at a reasonable price for a reasonable profit.

However, when you carefully consider the finances of self-publishing and marketing, you'll find that you'd have to sell hundreds or thousands of books every month to earn any substantial income. Don't get me wrong -- there are people that do that successfully, but for every one that does, there are a hundred more that don't.

On the other hand, you can use self-publishing as a powerful tool to grow your business. A book enhances your credibility, educates your prospects and generates qualified leads for bigger-ticket products and services.

Robert Skrob, President of the Information Marketing Association shares some stories and tips in How Self-Published Books Create Highly Profitable Businesses.

Related on About.com:

• Authorpreneurship: Books as Business
• Self-Publishing Resources