Your Book Is a Cost Center... Turn It into a Strategic Asset

From the desk of Jeffrey Mangus, CEO, Mangus Media Group

What is the first thing you think of when considering writing a book? A bestseller list? A book tour? Are we talking about a few thousand dollars in royalties?

Most folks think of books as things they go to sell. After writing a book, you put yourself in a race to the top, So, what happens then? Write something, sell it on Amazon, and hope it blows up, pushing the book as a one-hit-wonder in a desperate grab for bestseller status. I’ve seen tons of passionate people write books and be bummed by the outcome. Publishers Weekly and surveys show that, on average, nonfiction books sell under 250 copies a year, usually less than 3,000, especially if they’re self-published.

BookScan data, covering about 85% of U.S. print sales, says over 90% of books sell under 1,000 copies. Making things even grimmer, over 2 million books were self-published in the US in 2023 alone, according to Bowker. That’s more than 5,000 new books daily. It isn’t easy to distinguish oneself here. Amazon lists over 33 million titles. Without a platform, paid ads, or PR, your book will quickly be forgotten.

Let’s talk about the illusion of a bestseller. This is a frequent topic of conversation among my team at Mangus Media Group. Achieving NYT Bestseller status is essentially a marketing strategy that revolves around finances and the capital provided by an author to achieve that position. A quick disclaimer. It’s not that I don't think a book can’t reach the NYT list on its own. Indeed, it does. But in most cases, it’s a pay-to-play system where wealth, not the book’s concept or narrative, gets people on the list through their financial contributions. Landing on the New York Times Bestseller List involves more than simply writing a good book. Plus, from my experience, it’s not so much about the overall sales figures as a significant, unified undertaking completed quickly, in one week, as a lump sales extravaganza.

The biggest initial obstacle is achieving massive sales in only one week. We’re not talking about a few hundred copies here and there; it’s somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 books sold in seven days. For nonfiction, which is often a more competitive category, you’re usually looking at the higher end of that range, around 7,500 copies or more. The most critical factor is sales velocity—it’s all about how quickly you can move those books. The list measures this specific weekly window, so many authors front-load all sales efforts to make them count.

The next big thing is geographic and retailer spread. The NYT wants to see that your book is a national phenomenon, not just a local hit. This means sales must come from many outlets across the U.S., including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, independent bookstores, and even university stores. If all your sales are concentrated in one city or come primarily from a single online retailer, the NYT algorithm is likely to ignore them.

So, what is the secret behind the game? Bulk purchases. That's where things get interesting and where the money comes into play. Many well-funded authors don’t leave it to chance; they invest large sums—sometimes six or even seven figures—into coordinating bulk buys. They often hire third-party companies that specialize in this to secretly purchase thousands of copies from the stores tracked by the NYT to ensure the book makes the list. The NYT sometimes flags these suspicious entries with a dagger symbol (†), but the system isn’t foolproof, and not all manipulations are caught.

The entire process is a high-stakes marketing and PR campaign. Authors with a budget will hire expensive publicists, run nationwide ads (including in places like Times Square), and even pay for prominent placement in bookstores. Some have even hired staff to buy their books individually at stores all over the country. The sales from these campaigns are heavily front-loaded into that crucial launch week and then drop dramatically. But once you can claim the title of NYT Bestseller, it’s a label you can use forever.

So, why do people spend all this money? Because it’s a strategic investment. A “bestseller” in many sub-niches can mean selling as few as 200–500 copies in a day to hit #1, but this does little for long-term impact or income. Most sales occur in the first 90 days after launch, when any marketing push, email lists, and hype are concentrated. After that, most books experience a 90–95% drop-off in monthly sales. Fewer than 1 in 10,000 titles go “viral” organically, without significant investment in ads, influencer partnerships, or media coverage. They treat it like a public-facing megaphone, shouting their expertise to the masses, and they’re left with a cost center—not a profitable asset. To summarize, many invest heavily in writing, editing, and design, assuming Amazon will act like a sales engine, when, in reality, it’s more like a crowded warehouse.

This forces us to reconsider everything carefully.

What if you stopped seeing your book as just a product to be sold, and started viewing it as your most powerful business asset? Imagine it not as a side project, but as a strategic tool designed to generate tens of thousands of dollars in new revenue for your company. This isn’t just about selling copies; it’s a complete paradigm shift, repositioning your book from potential disappointment into a key player in your corporate strategy.

I see it as a vision and strategy that it’s time to stop thinking like traditional authors and look at our books from a savvy business owner’s viewpoint. It should shift to make the biggest impact by positioning the book as a “Corporate Bible,” rather than competing with the latest self-help guru on the New York Times bestseller list. Your genuine opportunity lies in the B2B space. Instead of writing a book for the public, consider creating a specialized, high-value offering tailored to a specific audience, serving a crucial function within your organization.

Imagine a book ghostwritten for a company’s new hires, not just a dry employee handbook; think of a beautifully designed leadership manifesto that outlines the company’s vision, values, and culture in the founder’s voice. This changes things, making your book more than something you sell; it’s a proprietary asset used to onboard every new team member, ensuring they understand the core principles from day one. This move is transparent, outstanding, and instantly sets you apart as an excellent leader among your team.

Or consider a limited-edition book for an executive team. This could be a deep dive into industry trends, a playbook for navigating a specific market shift, or a high-end, bespoke gift for a company’s top clients. This isn’t about mass distribution; it’s about creating an exclusive, high-value item that strengthens relationships and solidifies your brand’s authority. This approach moves the book from a “product with a price tag” to a “strategic corporate asset.” It’s a tool for scaling culture, building leadership, and forging unbreakable bonds with your most valuable stakeholders.

This is where the real money is.

Now, let’s talk about the real game-changer: connecting your book to your existing revenue streams. If you’re a professional speaker, a book isn’t a standalone product—it’s the ultimate lead magnet and powerful tool for commanding higher fees. I’ve seen speakers who charge $5,000 for a keynote with no book, and then, after releasing a high-quality, professionally ghostwritten book, their fee jumps to $25,000 or even $50,000. Why? Because the book isn’t just a summary of their talk; it’s a tangible symbol of their authority.

It’s the credibility they hand to the event organizer, proving they are a serious, sought-after expert. The value isn’t in the book itself; it’s in the new opportunities it creates. The book becomes the reason you get on the most prestigious stages. It’s the precursor that gets you in the door to speak to Fortune 500 companies. It’s proof of your expertise that allows you to double or triple your speaking fee confidently. The same logic applies to coaching and consulting. The book isn’t a product you sell for $20. It’s the foundational document that proves your methodology works. It’s the reason a company hires you for a $100,000 consulting engagement. It’s the leverage you use to attract premium clients who don’t haggle over price.

When you reframe your book as a tool to increase speaking fees and attract premium clients, the conversation shifts. The offering becomes: “Turn your expertise into a book that commands a $50k speaking fee.” You’re no longer selling a book; you’re selling the results the book generates.
The long and short of it. You get to make the choice. If you’re ready to stop thinking like a struggling author and start using your experience to command premium fees and attract high-value clients, then it’s time to rethink your approach. Don’t write a book for the masses. Write a strategic asset for the few who will pay you what you’re worth.

Isn’t it time to transform your expertise into a high-value corporate asset? At Mangus Media Group, we don’t just write books; we create strategic tools that grow your business.

Click here to schedule a consultation and discover how to leverage a ghostwritten book to command higher speaking events or skyrocket your business for the long-term future.

Mangusmedigroup.com