As a speaker, do I need a book? How much does having a book really help me out? Can writing a book help me get more speaking gigs? I get asked these questions a lot and I am here to share my top three reasons why you shouldn’t wait another day to make a book part of your plan for world domination.
Books Build Credibility
There’s nothing like a book to show that you’re dedicated and you know your shit. Whether it’s the rash of fake political memos or living in a world of photoshopped everything, paper equals trust. Even Millennials, who grew up alongside of the Internet, say printed pieces are seen as 88% “more official” and 82% “more trusted” when compared to digital documents, according to a March 2011 TRU research report.
Books Showcase Breadth of Knowledge
Filling 25 slides is not the same as laying out content for a 120-page book. Any speaker, heck a good talker, can come up with something to fill 45 minutes of presentation time. It takes a lot more expertise, depth of knowledge and dedication to highlight one’s understanding of a subject matter in book form. How are you holding yourself back as a speaker? Limiting what you say into a small segment of time, often forces speakers to dumb down their content. Published speakers, no longer have to leave audience members out, because their book backs them up in greater detail.
Books Drive Traffic
When you have a book, you have more ways to drive traffic. Think back to your last speaking gig. As a best practice, you included your contact info on your slides, handed out your business card, and perhaps LinkedIn with individuals a week later. That’s great for the people you connected with. What about the people who are not ready to purchase what you are selling? Or just not ready to connect because they don’t have all the information. Books allow you to explain in more details concepts you discussed in the presentation. They introduce readers to more content, layout additional speaking topics you have an expertise in, and when done well, lead them back to your blog, social media platforms and website.
What are you Waiting For?
Speakers with books elevate their content and by doing so they build credibility. A book is an incredibly strong marketing tool that, when developed with a strategy in mind, has the potential to elevate your status as a thought leader within your field and generate new sources of revenue. (More on that next time.)
Cheers,
Phil
If you’re ready to take the next step, give me a call at 855.379.6218 or email hello@redbrush.com.
Redbrush helps business people, thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and speakers elevate their content and leverage their expertise into professional, published books.
