How Writing a Book Differentiates You from Other Consultants | Peter Thomson

The Crowded Marketplace Problem

Let me ask you something...

How many other consultants do exactly what you do? How many coaches offer similar services? How many business advisors promise the same results?

If you're like most professionals I work with, the answer is: far too many.

I've been in business since 1972. I've seen markets become increasingly crowded. I've watched as the internet made it possible for anyone to hang out a shingle and call themselves a consultant.

And I've observed the same challenge facing every professional I mentor:

How do you stand out when everyone seems to be saying the same thing?

You've got your website. They've got theirs. You've got testimonials. So do they. You've got case studies, a LinkedIn profile, maybe even a podcast.

They've got all of that too.

So here's my question: What have you got that they don't?

For most consultants, the answer is: nothing particularly compelling. And that's a problem, because if your offering is so generalised that you're one of thousands (or millions), how is a potential client able to pick you rather than others?

As a colleague of mine often states, we need to become our client's natural, emotional, and logical choice.

The Differentiation Gap Nobody's Using Now.

Let me share something that might surprise you.

Despite all the noise about personal branding, despite all the advice about differentiation, despite the hundreds of marketing strategies available, there's one differentiation tool that remains vastly underutilised.

Writing a book.

Think about that for a moment. In your specific niche, in your particular market, how many of your competitors have actually written a book?

I'll tell you the answer: very few. In fact, I'd suggest fewer than 5% of the consultants and coaches in your field have written their business book.

That means there's a massive differentiation gap just sitting there, waiting for you to step into it.

When I started sharing this insight with my mentoring clients years ago, I watched transformation after transformation.

Consultants who had been struggling to stand out suddenly became the obvious choice.

Coaches who had been lost in the crowd suddenly had clients seeking them out.

Why?

Because they had something their competitors didn't: a book with their name on it.

Your Book as Your Business Card on Steroids

Years ago, I was on that plane journey back from Los Angeles that I mentioned earlier.

Seated next to the sales and advertising director for a major newspaper. We had a great conversation throughout the flight.

But here's the thing: we had a conversation. Just like you might have at a networking event, or on a train, or at a conference. Conversations happen all the time in business.

Most of them lead nowhere.

What made this different?

When I got back, I sent him a signed copy of my latest book.

That book was my business card on steroids. It wasn't a flimsy piece of paper with my contact details. It was a tangible demonstration of my expertise, my authority, my commitment to my craft.

The result?

He engaged me to speak for his senior management team. That led to a keynote in Sweden. That led to more opportunities. All from one book.

I have many other stories like this. The marketing director who became a long-term client after receiving my book. The CEO who invited me to consult for his company. The conference organiser who booked me to speak.

All because of a book.

Your book does what your business card, your website, and your LinkedIn profile can never do. It sits on someone's desk. It gets shared with colleagues. It positions you as the expert who's serious enough about theircraft to have written the definitive guide.

The Natural, Emotional, and Logical Choice

Let me share something Professor Robert Cialdini taught me about persuasion.

People make decisions based on multiple factors, but authority is one of the most powerful. When someone is recognised as an authority, we naturally defer to them. We trust them more. We're willing to pay them more.

But here's the challenge: how do you establish authority quickly in a marketplace full of people claiming expertise?

You write a book.

When a potential client is evaluating consultants, their decision process (whether conscious or not) goes something like this:

Logical evaluation: Do they have the skills and experience to help me? Emotional evaluation: Do I feel confident that they can solve my problem?

Natural evaluation: Who feels like the obvious choice?

A book addresses all three levels simultaneously.

Logically, a book demonstrates that you've thought deeply enough about your subject to create a comprehensive resource. You've codified your knowledge. You've proven your expertise.

Emotionally, a book creates confidence. It's tangible proof. It's something they can hold, browse, and share. It makes them feel they're working with a recognised expert, not taking a gamble on an unknown.

Naturally, when one consultant has a book and others don't, the choice becomes obvious. Why would you choose someone who's just talking about their expertise when you could work with someone who's actually written the book on it?

Case Studies: Books That Changed Everything

Let me tell you about some of the people I've worked with over the years.

The Business Coach Who Tripled Her Fees

Sarah had been coaching for seven years. She was good at what she did, with great testimonials and solid results. But she was stuck at £200 per session, watching other coaches charge £500 or more.

We worked together to create her book: a 120-page guide to her proprietary business growth system. Nothing fancy, but solid content that demonstrated her methodology.

Six months after publication, she was charging £600 per session. Clients saw her differently. They positioned her differently in their minds. The book had elevated her from "a coach" to "the coach who wrote the book."The IT Consultant Who Got Out of the Commodity Trap

David was competing in a crowded IT consulting market. Every proposal came down to price. Every client conversation focused on hourly rates. He was exhausted from the race to the bottom.

His book changed everything. It wasn't about IT specifications or technical details. It was about the business impact of technology decisions. It positioned him as a strategic advisor, not just a technical resource.

Within a year, he'd moved from project work at £75 per hour to retained consultancy agreements worth £50,000 annually. The book had repositioned him completely.

The Marketing Consultant Who Became the Go-To Expert

Jennifer had great skills but terrible visibility. Despite years of successful campaigns, she struggled to attract new clients. Her marketing was no different from everyone else's.

After writing her book, everything shifted. She started getting invited to speak at conferences. Journalists quoted her. Potential clients approached her rather than the other way around.

Her book became her platform. Not just for what it said, but for what it represented: commitment, authority, expertise.

The Multiple Revenue Streams One Book Creates

Here's something most people don't realise about writing a business book.

The book itself is just the beginning. It's not just a product. It's a platform that creates multiple opportunities for income and impact.

Once you have your book, you can create:

Tips Booklets – A condensed version of your key concepts, perfect for introductory offers or event giveaways.

I've sold these for £5-7, creating an accessible entry point to my work.

Expanded Editions – Take the same material, add more detail, more examples, more depth.

A softback version might sell for £12-15, while a comprehensive hardback edition could command £25-30 or more.

Audio Programmes – Your book content converted to audio, perfect for busy executives who prefer to learn while driving or exercising. I've created over 100 audio programmes from my written material.

Video Training – Transform your book into a video-based learning experience. One of my clients created a video programme from his book that generated £250,000 in its first year.

Speaking Engagements – Your book becomes your calling card for conference speakers and event organisers.

I've been booked countless times because of my books.Mentoring Programmes – Use your book as the foundation for high-value mentoring and consulting services.

Your book proves you have a system, a methodology, a proven approach.

Lead Magnets – Offer chapters or sections as free downloads to build your email list and attract potential clients.

All of this from one book. And remember: once you know how to write one book, you can write more. I've written multiple books, each one opening new doors and creating new opportunities.

Why Most Consultants Will Never Write Their Book

Now, let me be brutally honest with you.

Most consultants will never write their book. They'll think about it. They'll talk about it. They'll add it to their "someday" list. But they won't do it.

Why not?

Because they tell themselves stories: "I don't have time." "I'm not a writer." "What if no one reads it?" "I need to wait until I know more." "Maybe next year."

These are just excuses. And while your competitors are making these excuses, there's an opportunity for you to step into that differentiation gap and claim it for yourself.

Here's the truth: writing a business book is not as difficult as you think. If you can speak for two hours about your subject (and if you're a consultant or coach, I know you can), you already have enough material for a book.

The question isn't whether you have enough knowledge. The question is whether you're willing to invest the time to capture that knowledge in writing.

And here's something else to consider: every day you wait is a day you're not differentiated. It's a day potential clients are choosing other consultants because you look the same as everyone else. It's a day you're leaving money and impact on the table.

Your Competitive Advantage Starts Now

Let me bring this back to where we started.

You're in a crowded marketplace. Everyone's saying similar things, offering similar services, competing for the same clients. The only way most consultants know how to differentiate is to lower their prices, work longer hours, or shout louder on social media.

There's a better way.

Write your book.It's not about being a brilliant writer. It's not about creating a bestseller. It's about establishing authority, demonstrating commitment, and positioning yourself as the expert in your field.

When you have a book, you're no longer just another consultant. You're the consultant who wrote the book.

You're the coach with a proven system. You're the advisor who's serious enough about their craft to create something of lasting value.

That's differentiation that matters.

That's differentiation that generates income.

That's differentiation that creates impact.

I've built my business on informational products. I've created over 100 audio programmes, 100 video programmes, and multiple books. Each one has positioned me, differentiated me, and opened doors I never knew existed.

You can do the same. The marketplace is waiting for your book.

The question is...

Will you write it, or will you let this opportunity pass to someone else in your field who's willing to take action?

The choice is yours. But I can tell you from 50 years in business: the consultants who write their books are the ones who rise to the top of their fields. They're the ones who command premium fees. They're the ones clients seek out.

Will that be you?

Want to stop blending in and start standing out?

I've created a step-by-step guide that shows you exactly how to write your business book in 10 weeks or less.

No complicated processes, no years of work, just a proven system that gets your book finished.

Get your copy here of "How to Write a Book for Your Business in 10 Weeks or Less" and claim your differentiation advantage today.

Your competitors are waiting for the perfect time. You can start now.