Corporate vs. Individual: Who Should Your Book Speak To?
A lesson in balancing B2B and B2C markets from a soggy Gold Coast walk
Should your next book focus on serving corporate clients or individual readers? It’s a tricky decision I’ve been wrestling with, and the answer came to me during a walk along the Gold Coast, under dark clouds, just before I got caught in a downpour.
But the storm wasn’t the only thing that hit me—Mike Kim’s latest podcast episode did too.
I’m here at the Gold Coast, hosting Leanne Hughes’ Red Carpet Experience, a 1:1 offering that solopreneurs and consultants usually book. Interestingly, it’s rare for a corporate client to sign up for this. My business, which operates under my personal brand, serves about 80% corporate clients and 20% individuals or solopreneurs.
Recently, my good friend Andy Storch teamed up with marketing expert Mike Kim on a new book designed for corporate professionals looking to build their personal brands. As the rain poured down, I continued listening to Mike’s podcast episode, where he laid out their marketing strategy.
Here’s the episode: Episode 437: My Strategy for Building a Thought Leadership Brand From Scratch
Two key takeaways from this episode sparked ideas for my next book:
Hosting two virtual events to promote the book, with the goal of adding 2,000-3,000 new email subscribers from their combined lists. It’s a smart and effective way to scale quickly.
Running a webinar to test the material and ask the audience what resonates most. I love this—it's a real-time way to co-create and validate content. Pure gold.
Creating a virtual summit, which they will record in person at Andy’s Talent Development Think Tank conference. I love the idea of using a live event to interview guests and create content.
Then came a moment of clarity (one of those obvious-in-hindsight realizations): Mike said something that really stuck with me: “There are more people employed than who run businesses like us.” It was a great reminder that when writing my next book, it might make sense to target both audiences—like I did with The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint—or perhaps even lean more heavily into the corporate market, with individuals as a secondary focus.
I found it interesting that while Mike has a huge online following, anda Wall St. Journal and USA Today bestselling book (You Are The Brand), he’s sought a terrific opportunity to partner with Andy and target his message, to the corporate market.
Lots to think about! Even though I returned to my suite completely drenched, I walked away with something far more valuable—clarity on my next move. The topic I focus on must serve employees.
I know, that's still a bit broad and doesn't narrow things down too much, but every small step in refining the direction helps. I’m committed to sharing this entire behind-the-scenes decision-making process with you as it unfolds.
If this sparked any ideas for you, I'd love for you to hit the heart button! It’s a great way to let me know you’re enjoying the behind-the-scenes ride.
Plus, it helps me keep sharing more of these thoughts with you.