In a recent episode of the Growth-Drive Hot Seat podcast, host George Sandmann sits down with Beth LaGuardia Cooper, Chief Marketing Officer at Forbes Books. This insightful conversation sheds light on the world of authority building, book publishing, and content marketing for business leaders and entrepreneurs.

The Evolution of Publishing

Beth began by explaining the unique position Forbes Books occupies in the publishing landscape:

1. Traditional publishing: Authors give away rights to their story, with limited control over the process.
2. Self-publishing: Authors retain control but face challenges in standing out and achieving desired results.
3. Advantage Forbes Books: A hybrid model offering control, quality, and comprehensive support.

This middle-ground approach allows authors to maintain rights to their content while benefiting from professional guidance and promotion strategies.

Beyond Books: Authority Building

While Forbes Books started in publishing, Beth emphasized that they've evolved into an authority building company. Their services now encompass:

• Book promotion
• PR and media placement
• Content creation
• Podcast services
• Airport book promotion

The goal is to help CEOs and entrepreneurs share their stories effectively, whether to grow their business, leave a legacy, secure speaking engagements, or transition into thought leadership roles.

The Book Writing Process

Beth highlighted two primary paths for authors working with Forbes Books:

1. The Majority (85%): Business leaders with ideas but no manuscript. Forbes Books provides ghostwriters who engage in a thorough discovery process to capture the author's voice, ideas, and goals.
2. The Minority (15%): Authors like George who come with a manuscript. In these cases, "book doctors" help refine and polish the content.

The Authority Maturity Model

Forbes Books has developed an "authority maturity model" to understand different stages of thought leadership:

1. Experts: Building expertise and credentials.
2. Expert-ville: A crowded space of professionals sharing best practices and how-tos.
3. Visionary-ville: Thought leaders challenging paradigms and presenting novel solutions to industry or societal problems.

Amplifying Your Message

Beth stressed the importance of various channels for building authority:

• PR and earned media
• Podcasts
• Blog posts and newsletters
• Articles in trusted third-party outlets

Forbes Books offers specialized services to help thought leaders place their messages effectively, with a strong track record in major media outlets.

The Impact of Publishing

George shared his personal experience, noting how having a published book has been transformative for his business. It serves as a demonstration of expertise and opens doors to new opportunities.

Take a look at this week's Hot Seat Podcast below to learn more. 

UPCOMING WEBINARS 

We are thrilled to announce two new webinars for the month of November. 

The Authority Advantage

Wed 11/20/24, 12:00-1:00 ET

Learn how to leverage thought leadership and position yourself as an Authority -more than simply an expert- Forbes Books CMO Beth Laguardia. This is a follow-up on her fantastic Summit presentation.

Register Here

90.io 'powered by Growth-Drive'

Fri 11/22/24, 12:00-1:00 ET

Learn why 90.io is helping deliver client wins with 90.io Strategic Partnerships Advisor Brandon Snyder. Brandon explains the embedding of Growth-Drive's Methodology and Process in the 90.io platform.

Register Here