World Book Day is coming up, and if you’re a small business owner staring at your content calendar thinking “what the bloody hell can I write about books that’s actually relevant to my business?”, you’re not alone.

But books and business have far more in common than you might think. Both require creativity, persistence, and connecting with an audience. So before you dismiss World Book Day as just another random awareness day, consider these blog post ideas that could actually resonate with your audience (and won’t make you sound like you’re desperately shoehorning your business into an unrelated topic).

1. “5 Must-Reads That Changed My Business”

Don’t just regurgitate the same tired list of business books everyone recommends but nobody actually finishes. Talk about books that genuinely made a difference to your business – the ones with dog-eared pages and coffee stains because you’ve gone back to them repeatedly. Share specific ideas you implemented and how they worked in practice.

2. “Unexpected Business Wisdom from Children’s Books”

Does The Very Hungry Caterpillar have more to teach us about business transformation than most MBA textbooks? Discuss genuine business lessons from children’s classics that your audience knows. It’s relatable, shareable, and shows personality without being cringe.

3. “Books Every Small Business Owner Should Know”

Focus on books specifically valuable for small business environments – not the corporate tomes written for people managing 500-person teams. What books helped you (or you and your small team) through real challenges like cash flow problems or wearing seventeen different hats?

4. “Why Fiction Makes You a Better Entrepreneur”

Did you know reading fiction improves empathy, creativity and problem-solving? Share how fiction has helped you understand customers better, approach problems differently, or find creative solutions to business challenges.

5. “Books That Predicted Business Trends Before They Happened”

Showcase books that were ahead of their time in predicting significant business shifts or market changes. Did someone write about remote work years before it became mainstream? Was there a book that foresaw subscription models or the experience economy? This highlights your industry knowledge while creating an interesting discussion about visionary thinking in business.

6. “The 15-Minute Reading Habit That Transformed Our Team Meetings”

Detail how incorporating short reading discussions improved communication, innovation or decision-making in your team. This works brilliantly for service businesses wanting to showcase their company culture.

7. “From Solo to CEO – Books for Every Stage of Your Business Journey”

Offer different book recommendations based on business growth stages and common challenges. What should you read when you’re just starting? What helps when you’re making your first hire? What do you need when you’re ready to scale?

8. “Bookish Businesses – Clever Marketing Lessons from the Publishing World”

Explore how bookshops, publishers, and authors market themselves creatively and how those same tactics can work for small businesses. From enticing email newsletters, to creating “sequels” of popular products, to building communities of superfans – the book world is full of marketing inspiration that any business can adapt.

9. “Turn Your Business Expertise into a Book”

Outline practical steps for business owners who want to build authority by publishing their knowledge. This works particularly well if you’ve already written a book or guide yourself, but even if you haven’t, you can share research and resources.

10. “How to Extract Maximum Value from Limited Reading Time”

Discuss how solo business owners can be strategic about their reading habits when they’re doing everything themselves. Cover techniques like targeted reading (choosing only the most relevant chapters), using book summaries for initial screening, audiobooks during admin tasks, and actually implementing one key idea from each book instead of passively consuming content. This acknowledges the reality of limited time while still encouraging reading as a business development tool.

Bonus Tips:

Include a clear call to action – perhaps encouraging comments about readers’ own book recommendations
Create shareable graphics with book quotes that relate to your business values
Film short video reviews of your top business book recommendations
Run a book giveaway related to your industry to generate engagement
Partner with a local bookshop for cross-promotion opportunities

The key to making World Book Day content work for your business isn’t forcing awkward connections – it’s finding the genuine overlap between books, reading, and your business journey. These stories exist; you just need to tell them.

Now go forth and write something your audience will actually want to read. After all, that’s what World Book Day is really about.

Need some help with blog post inspiration or content writing for your business? I might be able to help – fill in my contact form or book a call and let’s see if we’re a fit!