The Penmaster: A Literary Journey to Enlighten and Inspire

In addition to providing insights and knowledge about digital marketing to readers, particularly managers and marketing students, Quan Vo also hopes that his book will contribute to fostering a community of Vietnamese authors capable of ‘exporting knowledge.’ This aspiration was expressed during a dialogue event held in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday.

The release of Quan Vo’s book, Digital Marketing Cho Nhà Quản Lý, occurred in late 2022, and within a year of its publication, over 5,000 copies were sold. This is a significant milestone for the author.

The book is conveniently available on major Vietnamese e-commerce platforms such as Tiki, Shopee, Lazada, and Fahasa, making it accessible to a wide range of readers across the country.

The English edition of the book, titled Profit-Driven Digital Marketing, became an instant success, reaching the top spot in the Global Marketing category on Amazon’s Kindle Store just a month after its release in March. This is a remarkable achievement for a Vietnamese author.

Profit-Driven Digital Marketing has been published in various formats, including ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook. It has found a diverse audience, with customers from the US, UK, Germany, Canada, Japan, and the Netherlands showing a strong interest in the book on Amazon.

The Journey to Publishing the Book

Quan Vo’s journey towards publishing his book began over two years ago when he enrolled in a specialized training course recommended by a friend. The course provided valuable insights into book writing and information gathering, which inspired him to take on the challenge of becoming an author himself.

He dedicated four consecutive days to attending the course from morning to night, demonstrating his commitment and focus.

After completing the course, Quan Vo was determined to write his book and create a global version that would reach an international audience. This ambition drove him to persevere through the challenges of the writing process.

With the support of his partners, he conducted thorough research on social marketing and marketing books available in both the Vietnamese and global markets. This helped him identify gaps in the market and understand the needs of his target audience.

He also evaluated training courses in the field to assess their effectiveness in meeting the learners’ needs. This comprehensive approach ensured that his book would fill any existing gaps in knowledge and provide valuable insights to readers.

Quan Vo quickly identified a lack of digital marketing skills and knowledge among managers, which became the focus of his book. He aimed to provide principles and recommendations that managers could easily apply to their business operations, bridging the gap between theory and practice.

Despite facing challenges such as outlining the book, finding the right writing style, and selecting the most relevant knowledge to include, Quan Vo persevered with determination. He overcame these obstacles and spent an additional six months rewriting the book after his first version was not well-received.

Designing the book cover was another laborious process, with Quan Vo going through several drafts before finalizing the one that best represented his work. This attention to detail demonstrates his commitment to delivering a high-quality product to his readers.

The book is now available on Vietnam’s e-commerce site Tiki and multiple local platforms, making it easily accessible to Vietnamese readers.

As Quan Vo set his sights on taking his book international, he explored various sources and consulted with a wide circle of friends and acquaintances to gain insights into achieving success in global book sales. He discovered that the key to reaching a global audience lay in Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing platform.

This platform offers a unique opportunity for authors as it prints books on demand and ships them worldwide, eliminating the need for upfront costs or inventory management. Through this platform, Quan Vo was able to truly “export his knowledge” and reach a global audience.

Spreading Knowledge and Inspiring Others

For Quan Vo, “exporting knowledge” is not just a metaphor; it is a strong desire to share his insights and understanding with those who need it. This led him to donate 1,000 copies of his book and other relevant tomes to the libraries of 20 universities in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang, in collaboration with 12 other authors.

He hopes that students at these universities will benefit from the knowledge within the books and have brighter futures after graduation. This act of generosity demonstrates his commitment to empowering the next generation with valuable skills and knowledge.

Additionally, Quan Vo presented copies of the English version of his book to 12 universities in Ireland, where he received his higher education. This included Trinity College Dublin, where he earned a master’s degree in management. The author’s dedication to spreading knowledge knows no borders.

The 36-year-old author has even bigger plans, aiming to place his book in the libraries of universities in other countries, further spreading his insights and understanding to a global audience.

Quan Vo views book donations as an effective way to ‘ship’ his knowledge to foreign markets and make it accessible to a wider audience. This approach aligns with his primary goal of sharing his expertise rather than solely focusing on monetary gain.

While he did not write the book with the intention of making a profit, Quan Vo hopes that his work will help enterprises, especially small and medium-sized firms, save significant amounts of money in their marketing efforts. By equipping businesses with digital marketing skills, he believes they can achieve better results without incurring excessive costs.

Quan Vo emphasizes the importance of thorough research, a clear understanding of the global market and audience, and a deliberate targeting of reader groups for authors who aspire to create valuable and universal books. He attributes his success to these factors, which transformed him from a businessman to an author, proving that nothing is impossible.

He encourages local writers to have the confidence to create their own volumes and take them to a global audience. Writing a book, he notes, is a long-term endeavor that requires dedication and perseverance, as authors may face discouragement and uncertainty along the way.

However, by setting clear goals, staying motivated, and pursuing their passion, authors can achieve success and inspire others, just as Quan Vo has done through his presentation at the ‘Journey of Exporting Knowledge’ talk.