Today, more entrepreneurs are turning to self-publishing to promote their companies. Writing and publishing a book may sound daunting, but it's easier than ever with more self-publishing platforms available today. Self-published books can be e-books or you can also create printed versions.
 
Here are five steps to help you get started:

1. Decide on an engaging topic. Not sure what to write about? Stay away from recapping your company blog posts or simply publishing marketing material. You want to demonstrate your expertise in a distinctive, engaging way. Both print and e-books can be as short as 100 pages or as long as 300.

2. Know the basics. Do your homework on the rules of publishing before starting out. For example, owning the International Standard Book Number, which can be purchased at isbn.org for $125, can help you retain publishing rights in the future to more easily create updated editions of your book and allow you to switch publishing platforms.

3. Plan your budget. A big expense will be publication costs, which run about $5 to $20 per printed book. Choosing a publishing company that offers short run book printing, which lets you order books as needed rather than paying for a bulk order. Otherwise, you could end up ordering too many copies and getting stuck with leftovers.

4. Develop a marketing strategy. Even if you didn't set out to write a bestseller, you should figure out a marketing strategy for the book before it's published. Will you promote it via Twitter or Facebook? Or will it simply be mailed to potential clients? You also can use your company website to promote the book by creating a separate tab on your home page or a special blog. If you plan to market your book to a larger audience than your target customers, compare royalty fees from various publishing sites to see where you'd make the most money.

5. Pick a publisher. There are a number of advantages for self publishers who work with a commercial publishing company because of the shipping, support services and turnaround time they can offer. The printer should be able to help and support the self publisher through the printing and the proofing of their book.

For information on short run books and self publishing, contact The Country Press.

Entrepreneur Magazine