The Scribe Method The Best Way to Write and Publish Your Non-Fiction Book

What is Book Positioning (and Why Does it Matter)?

When it comes to writing and marketing your book, positioning is the most crucial aspect. If you take the time to get your book positioning right from the start, you will reap the benefits for years to come. So, what exactly is book positioning, and why does it matter?

What Is Book Positioning?

At its core, book positioning is about the space your book occupies in the mind of your reader. It’s how your readers perceive your book and why they believe it fulfills their needs. But beyond that technical definition, book positioning is really about answering one fundamental question that readers ask about every book:

“Why should I read this book?”

When you position your book effectively, it makes both the writing and the marketing process much easier. Getting this part right means that you have a strong foundation for success, while getting it wrong can undermine all the effort you put into the rest of the book.

If you don’t take positioning seriously, there’s little you can do to overcome this critical mistake. Even the best writing and marketing efforts won’t save a book that lacks proper positioning.

A Brief History of Book Positioning

In the old traditional publishing model, book positioning was a crucial conversation every agent had with an editor before deciding to buy a book. Back then, positioning was about where the book would sit on the bookstore shelves – hence the term “positioning.” But the market was centered on bookstores, and books were categorized to fit into these physical spaces.

Fast forward to today, and things have changed dramatically. The vast majority of books are now sold digitally, and physical books are increasingly sold in non-bookstore retailers like Walmart and Costco, where books aren’t categorized in the same way. The traditional publishing world once cared primarily about whether books would sell in stores – because that was their revenue model.

Modern Book Positioning: A Shift in Focus

In today’s world, most nonfiction books are published outside the traditional model, and the way books are monetized has shifted. Most nonfiction authors don’t earn significant revenue directly from book sales. Instead, a book serves as a powerful tool for indirect revenue generation.

For example, your book can elevate your authority, increase your visibility, and help you attract more clients. It’s not just about selling books – it’s about using your book as a marketing tool to generate opportunities and income in other areas of your career or business.

At Scribe, we’ve adapted the old positioning process to ensure that it serves your needs as an author, not just the publishing company’s. Proper positioning doesn’t just benefit your book – it benefits your career.

Positioning Done Right: Ensuring Your Book Works

When done correctly, positioning ensures your book works for you. At Scribe, we’ve developed a proven process that helps authors crystallize their book ideas into well-positioned concepts that achieve their goals.

Here are the three key steps to positioning your book:

  1. Determine Your Objectives
    What result must your book produce for you to consider it a success? Defining clear objectives is the first step toward creating a book that works.
  2. Target Your Audience
    Who is the audience that needs to be reached to achieve your objectives? Understanding your ideal readers helps shape your book’s message and tone.
  3. Lock in Your Book Idea
    What is your book about, and why will your audience care? Your book idea must resonate with your target audience and provide value to them.

All of these steps are interconnected. Your objectives drive the choice of audience. Your audience’s needs shape the content of your book. And the book’s idea must provide value to your audience so that you can achieve your goals.

The Key to Effective Book Positioning

The key to successful book positioning is to always remember this:

Nobody cares about your book. They care about what your book can do for them.

This simple truth is vital to your book’s success. If you don’t know the answer to the question, “Why should I read this book?” before you start writing, you may end up with a book that doesn’t serve your audience – or yourself.

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re ready to position your book for success and start writing with purpose, grab your free online copy of The Scribe Method now, and start applying these strategies to your own book. Want a physical copy? You can purchase one here.

Position your book correctly today, and watch it thrive for years to come.