Many entrepreneurs enjoy fruitful careers that impact their colleagues and customers in ways that change their lives and transform their businesses. They invest in others and witness the resulting growth. That legacy is strong, and yet, it is limited to those they can personally touch. Perhaps you could have a greater impact than that. What do you know, what can you share with others that will impact their lives and careers? You can extend your reach and leave an even greater legacy if you broadcast your accumulated wisdom, knowledge, and philosophies in written format. You’re the only one who has your story; you’re the only one who can do it. And if you want a bigger audience, you need a bigger platform. But before you go big, you must start small, and the first step is to crystallize your message. Whether you’re writing a blog post, a marketing message, or an article, the point of good writing is to communicate, to deliver a message that is crystal clear and easy for the reader to absorb. That’s not an easy task, but your chances of hitting that mark improve when you follow these steps:

The Power of Legacy

by Nancy L. Baumann The Book Professor

In a world that bombards us with millions of messages a day, you can rise above the noise and not only be heard, but remembered. Whether you’re writing a book or an article, you’ll want to know how to stand out in the crowded content space.

synopsis

2 ©2014 The Book Professor, LLC

Write to be read and remembered

Whether you’re writing a blog post, a marketing message, or

an article, the point of good writing is to communicate

1. What’s the Purpose?

An article is not the same as a blog, is not the same as a web page. Each end product has it’s own purpose, and before you begin writing, you need to know the purpose of the piece.

You probably have a general idea of what you want to write, and I challenge you distill it down to a Purpose Statement before you start. Your Purpose Statement should say, “The purpose of this (blog/article/book/web copy/marketing message) is to ___________________.

Complete that sentence. Bear in mind that it’s one sentence, not a paragraph.

Example: The purpose of this article is to inspire others to create a larger legacy.

2. Who’s the Audience?

If you don’t know your audience, it’s like playing spin-the-bottle in the dark. Don’t you want to know who you’re going kiss before you pucker up? Likewise, you need to envision your audience. What you write isn’t for everyone; it’s for a specific slice of readers.

Picture your perfect reader. What are they looking for? What’s their age, demographic, marital status? Are they male or female, conservative or liberal? How do they identify themselves? Complete this sentence: The audience for this piece is ___________________.

Example: The audience for this article is entrepreneurs who want to create a larger legacy.

3 ©2014 The Book Professor, LLC

If you want a bigger audience, you need a bigger platform.

3. Why the Message?

Writers not only want to be read, they want to be remembered. If your content goes in their mind but doesn’t elicit a response, then you’ve wasted your time. It will be forgotten as quickly as it was read. You must create some type of change in the reader. How will they be different as a result of what you wrote? What change, as slight as it may be, do you want to invoke in the reader? Do you want to move them to action? Give them hope? Make them smile? Consider the end result and write down how you want your readers to be affected.

Example: This article will inspire entrepreneurs to first crystallize and then expand their message.

Now pull the three components together into a single statement.

Example: The purpose of this article is to inspire entrepreneurs to first crystallize and then expand their message, so they can create a larger legacy.

You can write to make

a difference

(continued)

4 ©2014 The Book Professor, LLC

Ready, set, write.

Now that you know your audience, write from their perspective, not yours. What do they want to know? What information are they seeking? What new message or perspective can you deliver? Compelling content always meets the need, and your job is to deliver what the audience is seeking.

To crystallize your message, include specific content that achieves the stated purpose, nothing else. Readers absorb focused content, and everything you write should drive toward that message, that audience, that purpose, and that result.

Go BIGGER!

If you want a bigger audience, you need a bigger platform. With a little tweaking, you can extend your message and deliver it through multiple venues, like writing a book or delivering workshops, speaking engagements, and online courses. This isn’t simply an opportunity for you; it’s a service to others. When you share what you’ve learned, what you’ve developed, and what you’ve overcome, you can change the life or direction of someone else. Someone is looking for what’s trapped inside you. Whether your message is about your business, lessons you’ve learned, or about how to connect on a soul-level with your dog, if you have a passionate solution, someone else needs it! Your legacy is about the lives you touch and the change you create. When you share what you know, what you’ve learned, and what you’ve overcome, you deliver a lasting impact that extends far beyond yourself.

You can change the world

Include content that achieves the stated purpose, nothing else

5 ©2014 The Book Professor, LLC

Nancy L. Baumann, B.A., M.F.A., is The Book Professor

(www.thebookprofessor.com), a nonfiction book coach,

international speaker, author, editor, university instructor,

owner of Stonebrook Publishing, and COE (Chief of Everything) of Bookarma.net,

a global book marketing platform for authors of every

genre.

The Book Professor nancy@thebookprofessor.com 636-787-7817

I give everyday people the courage to tell their truth and the tools they need to write a book that will change lives, save lives, or transform society.

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