Having read or listened to hundreds of books across genres over the years, I believe readers can benefit from each new title they purchase. Here’s how:
Books offer value. If you’re reading for pleasure, books can provide hours of entertainment as you follow characters through the twists and turns of their adventures. If you’re reading to upskill at work, books can provide lots of ideas to improve your performance. And if you’re reading to enhance your ability to cook, garden, or play tennis, you can glean useful tips that you can use right away.
If you were to go to a concert, attend a professional sporting event, or watch the summer blockbuster with a bucket of popcorn and a drink, you would spend substantially more than the cost of a 400-page novel. And most professional training seminars cost multiples more than a business book on the same topic. Having played tennis most of my life, I can assure you that you can buy many books for the cost of a single one-hour lesson with a tennis pro.
Books are a great investment. There’s an adage that pertains to business and how-to books that, if you get just one idea from the author(s) that will improve your performance, then it was a good use of your time and money. Without exception, every business book I’ve read has had one idea (and often many ideas) that has covered the cost of the book and produced added revenues over time.
Last year, I used the counsel from Alex Hormozi’s $100M Offers: How to Make Offers So Good People Feel Stupid Saying No to create a sales letter that generated $15,000 in added sales within two months. I paid $25.15 for the hardcover edition. The author agrees that books are a great investment. On the back cover he writes, “If you implement even one tactic from even one page in this book, it will already have paid for itself many times over. Just watch.”
Books leverage time. Years ago, I would often read books during my daily commute into New York City. And when I traveled extensively for work in the ‘90s, my books were cluttered with boarding pass stubs that doubled as page markers. Whether reading for work or pleasure, books are a great way to capitalize on downtime.
Earlier today, as my son was preparing for the 8-hour return trip to college, he asked if I would sponsor an audio book for him to listen to on the drive. Because it’s time well spent, another copy of Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends & Influence People was sold!
Books reward readers (and listeners). They offer value, are a great investment, and leverage time. Between Aug. 14-25, Berrett-Koehler Publishers is having a Flash Sale on a diverse selection of books with discounts of 30% on all formats (and an additional 10% for members) and free shipping. If you enjoy books as much as I do, take advantage of this opportunity to discover fresh titles, authors, and ideas!
