Managers of family offices and professionals catering to family offices know that this is a dynamic and competitive business landscape. One way to stay ahead in this arena is by publishing books and articles to build reputation and secure credibility. Executives need not be prolific writers, themselves, to achieve this goal. One valid option is to hire a writer to take your message and hone it for the greatest impact on this specialized audience.
Consider these words of advice from prolific freelance journalist and ghost writer, Bruce Shutan:
“Publish or perish is an old adage or aphorism dating back to the early 20th century that first applied to academics who were expected to produce published work or fall into disfavor. This institutional pressure has been felt strongest at research universities,” said Shutan.
He added that it also applies to “thought leaders, entrepreneurs or business people who want to elevate their brand or professional standing. The family office space is no exception.”
Shutan has spent the past 20 years building a freelance writing and ghostwriting practice, publishing with more than 100 publications or corporate entities.
“Writing under your own byline, or employing a ghostwriter to do that heavy lifting, is worth its weight in gold in today’s highly competitive business world,” Shutan said, adding, “What business people say or do matters a great deal, especially when it’s captured by the written word.”
The author indicated that most people struggle with writing and their communication skills, or simply do not have time to write. He asserts that clear communication is critically important for success as a business leader.
“Becoming a published author of an article or book helps establish thought leadership and business credibility. But it’s no easy task,” Shutan said. He explains that many newspapers, trade publications, general-interest magazines, and major book publishing houses reject unsolicited manuscripts and their editors can be difficult to reach. An established professional writer can polish an executive’s writing and then make those hard-to-get publishing connections.
In addition to traditional channels, Shutan recommends whitepapers and website content as effective alternative strategies for taking charge of thought leadership. This material, presented in a PDF document, can be made available online for free or paid download. These documents are the short-form equivalent of self-published books.
Shutan says that if an executive has something meaningful to say in their industry and they want results, “they need to think seriously about publishing their work or those thoughts will simply perish right along with their ambition.”
Bruce Shutan is a versatile journalist and ghostwriter of business books, memoirs and magazine articles. His website is www.bruceshutan.com.
Photo credits: Bruce Shutan photo provided by Mr. Shutan. Branson Foundr magazine cover photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash