Ep# 40: How this Agent Created Instant Authority and Credibility With His Own Book

Erik Brown explains how he wrote and self-published a 133-page book ('One in a Million') to escape commodity status in a hyper-competitive market, and how he inserts it at the top of every lead funnel as a conversion tool. Best for loan officers or agents who want a differentiation strategy beyond rate sheets and business cards.

Takeaways you can run this week

• Apply ACE marketing (Authority, Celebrity, Expertise): write or co-author a book on a topic your target clients need — e.g., 'Everything a First-Time Buyer Needs to Know About Getting a Mortgage' — and list it on Amazon via CreateSpace or a similar self-publishing platform.
• Replace the business card handoff: every time a prospect raises their hand (website opt-in, referral call, sign call), physically mail them a copy of your book before the first real meeting. Budget ~$10 per mailed copy and treat it as cost-of-lead, not overhead.
• Use Erik's chapter structure as your writing framework: open each chapter with a client story, tie it to the chapter's core concept, then close with 3-5 actionable nuggets. Aim for 10-15 chapters; 130 pages is enough.
• Block two writing sessions per week (one weekday, one weekend) and protect them on your calendar. At that pace Erik finished a full book in 7 months while running an active real estate practice.
• Pair the book with a BombBomb video drip: send a 'Did you receive your copy?' video follow-up 5-7 days after mailing, then run an 8-10 video sequence over 16-20 weeks offering additional value (buyer's guide, relocation packet, market update) to keep leads warm until they're ready to transact.
• Propose a co-authored book project to 1-2 agent partners: LO covers financing chapters, agent covers home-search chapters — both parties share the authority positioning and split printing/mailing costs, and the book becomes a joint referral tool for both businesses.

The playbook

1. 1. Choose your audience (buyers, sellers, investors) and title the book around their #1 question.
2. 2. Outline 10-15 chapters; within each chapter follow Story → Concept → Nuggets structure.
3. 3. Block two writing sessions per week; expect 6-9 months to completion at that pace.
4. 4. Self-publish via CreateSpace or Dog Ear Press; list on Amazon in paperback and Kindle.
5. 5. When a lead opts in or calls, have an assistant qualify them and immediately mail a physical copy (~$10 all-in).
6. 6. Follow up 5-7 days later via BombBomb video: 'Did you receive the book? Any questions?'
7. 7. Enroll the lead in an 8-10 video drip sequence over 16-20 weeks with additional value offers embedded.
8. 8. At listing/buyer consultation, reference chapters the prospect mentioned — you arrive pre-sold.

Worth quoting

“People toss away business cards. They don't toss away books.”

“If I send out a thousand books and even at direct mail rates of a 1% conversion, that's 10 clients.”

Best for

LOs who feel commoditized on rate and want a tangible, lasting differentiator that works before the first meeting ever happens.