What separates Suze Orman
from the financial advisor down the street? Blonde hair, perhaps, and
her books, most certainly. Is she any smarter, or more talented than
her competition? No. But she is a better marketer. She knows that
having a book creates a brand, especially for professionals where
intellectual capital makes all the difference.
The best-selling business book, “buy-ology,”
by Martin Lindstrom, which studies brain scans to understand buyer
behavior, concludes, ‘Expect anything and everything to be branded in
the future—because as our brain scan study has shown, our brains are
hardwired to bestow upon brands almost religious significance and as a
result we forge immutable brand loyalties.”
Brands differentiate products in the minds of buyers.
And nothing can differentiate YOU more effectively from your competitors than a book.
Was Dr. Robert C. Atkins
a better nutritionist than his peers? Maybe not. But in 1972, Dr.
Atkins published one of the most influential weight-loss plans of the
20th century, ''Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution .’’ The book made the difference, and his low-carb message revolutionized America’s eating habits.
Is Rick Warren the best preacher in America today? That’s hard to say. But his “The Purpose Driven Life” has made him the most influential religious figure in popular culture today.
Most importantly, it’s not the book alone that has made a fortune for Orman , Atkins , and Warren.
The plethora of ancillary and spin-off products including clinics,
seminars, private consultations, TV and magazine contracts, and
speaking fees, which leveraged the brand created by their books that
really generated the revenue.
In “buy-ology” Lindstrom discovers that eye-grabbing advertisements,
catchy slogans, and infectious jingles are not what drives us to
purchase. Brand-driven buying decisions take place below the surface,
so deep within our subconscious minds, we’re barely aware of them.