You Don’t Have a Book Problem—You Have a Positioning Problem

One of the most common conversations I have with high-level professionals starts like this:

“I know I need a book.”

And in many cases, they’re not wrong.

A book can absolutely be a powerful tool for:

• credibility
• visibility
• authority
• opportunity

But as I listen more closely, what becomes clear is this:

The issue is rarely the book. The issue is positioning.

What I See From Where I Sit

As a publisher, business strategist, and Editor-in-Chief of Published! Magazine®, I work with professionals across industries—executives, consultants, nonprofit leaders, and subject-matter experts—who have already built meaningful experience.

They are:

• knowledgeable
• capable
• accomplished

But they are also:

• not being chosen
• not being clearly understood
• not being positioned at the level their experience warrants

And often, they believe the solution is “I need a book.”

The Assumption That Leads People Wrong

The assumption is simple:

“If I write a book, people will finally see my value.”

But here is what actually happens in many cases:

• The book is written
• It is published
• It is shared…briefly

And then? Nothing changes at the level they expected.

Not because the book lacked quality, but because the positioning was never clear to begin with.

The Real Problem: Lack of Clear Positioning

Positioning answers three critical questions:

1. What do you want to be known for?
2. Who is this specifically for?
3. Why does it matter right now?

When those answers are unclear, everything that follows becomes diluted—including your book.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

Today’s marketplace is saturated with expertise. According to IBISWorld, there are over 900,000 consulting firms operating in the United States alone, reflecting a highly competitive environment for professionals offering expertise-based services (IBISWorld, 2024).

That means your audience is not lacking options. Your audience is lacking clarity.

And when clarity is missing, decision-makers default to:

• what is easiest to understand
• what is easiest to explain
• and what feels most differentiated

How Positioning Impacts Opportunity

Let’s make this practical.

When your positioning is unclear:

• You are harder to refer
• You are harder to describe
• You are harder to justify in decision-making conversations

Research from McKinsey & Company highlights that in complex B2B environments, buyers increasingly favor clear, consistent messaging and value articulation when selecting partners and providers (McKinsey & Company, 2023).

In other words:

If your value is not immediately clear, you are creating friction, and friction leads to hesitation—or rejection.

Why a Book Won’t Fix This

A book is not a positioning tool by default. It becomes one only when the positioning is clear first.

Otherwise, the book simply reflects the same issues:

• too broad
• too general
• too unfocused

And instead of strengthening your authority, it reinforces confusion.

The Difference Between a Book and a Strategic Asset

When positioning is clear, a book becomes:

• a structured expression of your expertise
• a tool that reinforces your message
• a reference point for your thinking

When positioning is unclear, a book becomes:

• a collection of ideas
• a general overview
• an accomplishment… but not an asset

What Strong Positioning Actually Looks Like

From where I sit, professionals who are positioned effectively tend to have:

• a clearly defined area of expertise
• a specific audience they speak to
• a perspective that is easy to understand and repeat

They are not trying to say everything. They are known for something.

And that clarity carries through:

• their conversations
• their content
• their visibility
• and eventually, their book

Where Strategic Publishing Fits

This is where publishing becomes powerful—when it is used intentionally.

Not as the starting point but as the structured extension of a clear position.

For many high-level professionals, a strategically developed book helps to:

• clarify their thinking
• solidify their message
• and create a tangible asset that supports their authority

But only after the positioning is established.

The Cost of Getting This Backwards

When professionals move straight to publishing without addressing positioning:

• they invest time and money into something that does not perform
• they become frustrated with the outcome
• they question the value of the book itself

When in reality the issue was never the book, it was the lack of strategy behind it.

If you are considering writing a book, the most important question is not “What should I write?” It is “How am I positioned—and is it clear enough to work for me?”

Because once that is clear, your message becomes stronger, your visibility becomes more effective, and your book becomes a true asset.

At some point, every serious professional has to decide:

“Am I building something that works for me… or just adding to what already exists?”

Because when positioning is right, everything that follows becomes easier to understand, easier to communicate, and easier to choose.

Alesha Brown, CEO, Fruition Publishing Concierge Services®

Editor-in-Chief, Published! Magazine®

Award-Winning Entrepreneur|Publisher|Film Producer