There is new thinking about the way business people and companies are using books.

Gone are the days when a book’s success was solely measured by its sales figures. Now some of the most popular books are actually distributed for free (though you might not know it). In fact companies use books as freely as they would pamphlets, brochures, and business cards. Books are being used as thank yous, gifts, and tools to leverage publicity.

But books are also used in other creative ways….

There are many reasons why people write books, but a growing number of publishing and marketing experts realize it’s not to make money from book sales. At least not directly.

There has long been a notion that in order for a book to be of any value to its author, it must sell. But what many people don’t realize is many books are more successful when used in entirely different ways.

Besides being used as enhancements to careers on the rise or as codas to careers well spent, business books have, more often than not, had far greater impact when they’ve been distributed for free.