Parables are stories illustrating a central moral theme. Parable business books do pretty much the same, except that central theme is usually a business philosophy.
Some parable books that you are probably familiar with are The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason, The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton, The eMyth Revisited by Michael Gerber, The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann, and The One Minute Manager by Kenneth Blanchard.
We like to read them because they are short, entertaining, and provide solid information in an easy-to-consume style.
As business people, we should definitely investigate writing a parable book as a way to introduce ourselves to prospective clients. In fact, for many authors, their parable book can take on a life of its own and sometimes it redirects their entire business model.
The Go-Giver
Decades ago, my friend Bob Burg wrote a business book titled Endless Referrals. I found the book in a sales training room, flipped through it, thought the author looked familiar, and handed out copies to everyone in the training. (The instructor left us alone in the room accidentally-on-purpose.)
The book was great: Lots of common-sense advice on how to get more referrals for your business. The information was presented well (Bob’s very entertaining as well as whippy smart) and he even gave you “the words”—a lot of people get stuck on what to say. Bob made it easy for you.
It sold well over the years. He updated it, gave it new covers. Kept it current.
Then, around 2008, he and his co-author, John David Mann, reworked some of that material, added more, and created the parable book, The Go-Giver. The Go-Giver has sold over 1.2 million copies and has been translated into 30 languages. In the world of books, that’s huge. They have added more books to the series. It has become the flagship product in his speaking and coaching franchise.
Now, Bob was doing just fine before he released that parable book. But his business growth after releasing the book has been nothing short of phenomenal. The Go-Giver is still on the business bestseller lists to this day.
Caveat: The Parable Part Needs to Be Done Well
Most business books impart wisdom of some sort: principles, how-to, lessons learned, etc. A parable business book combines those elements into a story, most often patterned on the hero’s journey. Whether you’re writing a straight business book or a parable-style business book, the hero of the story is always your reader. You are the wise guide. You are Yoda, not Luke.
The parable—the story part—needs to be a good story. It should read like a novel. The reader needs to care about the main character or they won’t relate to him or her. The story needs to take the reader somewhere and change them in the process. The main character must grow. And just like a romance novel, there needs to be a happy ending. (No, not THAT happy an ending!)
As business people, we are more Joe Friday (“Just the facts, Ma’am”) than Joseph Campbell. We want to give the information in the most straightforward, easy-to-consume way possible. Attempting to write fiction while working in the lessons usually results in a heavy-handed, preachy book.
The first rule of writing good fiction (after “Just put your butt in the chair and write!”) is “Show, don’t tell.” You don’t say, “He walked into the office and Jane told him there was a problem.” More, “Walking into the office, Michael was surprised that the usual conversational buzz was a low-volume whisper. He glanced around but no one met his eyes. He felt a vague dis-ease in the pit of his stomach. It was not going to be a good day at the office.”
You might not be familiar with the “Show, don’t tell” rule, but I bet you’ve experienced books where the author was all tell and no show. You don’t know why you can’t “get into” the book, but you feel distracted and frustrated while reading it. They are easy books to set aside and not get back to. Pro tip: Avoid that.
Parable Business Books Are Easy to Consume
Parable books work because stories are easy to consume and easy to learn from. A well-written and therefore well-paced book will move the reader along. Since most are fairly short reads, the reader is done before they know it. (If your book is VERY good, they will go back to highlight important points and re-read sections.)
People tend to learn better and retain more when they are enjoying the process. But the true strength of a parable book is that by putting the principles and practices into a fictional story, the reader can see how these things play out in a “real world” environment. One of my all-time favorite business books, The e-Myth Revisited, shows small (really micro) business owners how to set up systems in their business by following the steps the main character, Sarah, takes to make her bakery efficient and profitable. The main character asks the questions that business owners need to have answered. They can bring up contingencies and special cases. If you are a coach or consultant, this is really about showing your own expertise and problem-solving skills. By being able to take one situation and then demonstrate how to transfer the problem-solving process to another situation, the reader understands that you will most likely be able to help them with their particular situation.
The main character also serves to ask the “dumb” questions that people are afraid to ask. People are embarrassed to ask about certain things. You most likely know what those things are in your business. Having your hero ask those questions and your mentor character treat them thoughtfully, does two things. First, it makes readers realize that if they have a question in their mind, someone else does, too. Answering that question in print will relieve some perceived future embarrassment if and when they engage with you. Having the mentor respectfully answer those basic questions tells people how you work: It reassures readers that you are not going to be arrogant or condescending. No one wants to look like an idiot. Your book’s hero is okay with asking because he/she needs to know the answer. It’s another way of saying, “No question is stupid if the answer will help you.”
I had a friend who was a bit of a seminar junkie. Everyone thought she was dumb because she would ask rather basic questions. In truth, she already knew the answer. But she also could see when people weren’t “getting” a concept. She’d raise her hand, ask the question so that the information was relayed in a slightly different way, and would ask a follow-up or two to make sure the concept was clear to everyone. (“So, what you’re saying is….?”) She was a gem. You want to have her in your mind when you are writing.
Parable Business Books Are Not Easy to Write
On the plus side, parable books are short—usually under 25,000 or 30,000 words. (I read Who Moved My Cheese standing up in an aisle in Barnes & Noble. Pro Tip: Don’t waste your money.)
One of the best ways of writing your parable book is to take your imaginary main character and treat them like you would a client who has come to you with whatever business problem(s) you solve. What is said in that initial contact session? You want to write this as dialogue in the moment, not a “This is what we discussed.”
What is your process as the mentor character in finding a solution to your hero’s problem? What are the steps you take with that person? What are the problems that come up? What are the questions they ask? You write your process, scene by scene, guiding your hero along the path to success.
In the end, you show how you (as your mentor character) brought their business (or marriage or health) from the brink of disaster to success. You show the main character’s success, their contentment, their new anxiety-free life.
Along with the story, you are seeding the idea that your reader is the type of person who will be a successful client. You work in the details of the types of businesses you work with or problems you solve. You showcase your experience through your mentor character—even mentioning some hard-earned lessons.
The Big Question: Should You Write a Parable-Style Business Book?
And yes, of course, my favorite answer: That depends.
Obviously, some subjects lend themselves more to a parable book than others. It may well be that your particular field of expertise doesn’t. You may be better off with a how-to format or a more fact-based format. (And if you’re not sure, take advantage of a free strategy session with me. We can discuss your idea and the best structure for your book.)
If you are a coach or consultant, a counselor or some sort of service provider, there may be an opening for a parable-style book. And, best scenario of all, if you already have a book that outlines your business principles or your process, it could be used in a retelling of the information.
Writing a parable book takes a deft hand, a strong knowledge of the story process and structure, the ability to create believable, likeable characters, and an almost intuitive sense of story pacing. It is hard to do well but done well, it can be a book that takes off and becomes the rallying spark that attracts readers who convert to clients. Who knows… you could start a movement!
