Why Should Speakers Also Be Authors? How to Monetize, Scale, and Duplicate Your Expertise for Greater Success

Many speakers are looking for new ways to monetize their expertise, scale their business, and create a lasting impact. As a speaker, you’ve already mastered the art of engaging an audience live, but have you considered how you can extend that influence beyond the stage? Becoming an author is one of the most effective ways to do this—and it allows you to scale your efforts while creating multiple revenue streams.

The Power of Being an Author as a Speaker

As an entrepreneur, your goal is likely not just to get by, but to capitalize on your years of experience and knowledge in a way that brings value to others. This approach allows you to build a legacy, create recurring income, and have an enduring impact on the world, long after you're no longer speaking at events. For speakers, authorship presents a perfect opportunity to expand your platform and create passive income streams.

Being an author allows you to create products that can be sold, shared, and marketed, which in turn helps you monetize your knowledge in more scalable ways. The key is to develop processes and systems that multiply your efforts, freeing up your time and resources to focus on growing your business. As a speaker, one of the best ways to multiply your efforts is through writing books. Books are timeless, intellectual property that provide both a legacy and an income.

How Writing a Book Can Multiply Your Efforts

For speakers, having a book offers multiple advantages:

• Intellectual Property: By writing a book, you effectively own the intellectual property related to your expertise, systems, and processes. Your book becomes a resource that others can reference, buy, and share.
• Credibility: Being a published author boosts your credibility and positions you as an authority in your field. It’s a powerful tool when you're pitching your speaking services to event organizers.
• Scalability: Books allow you to scale your business. They can be sold at events, through online platforms, and marketed to new audiences. You’re no longer limited to just speaking engagements to make income; your book can continue to generate revenue for years.

Why a Series of Books Is Even More Powerful

While having one book is a great start, a series of books can truly help you scale. A book series allows you to delve deeper into specific topics, cater to niche audiences, and cross-market your products to a wider audience. You can introduce multiple levels of your expertise to different segments of your target audience.

For example, a speaker specializing in leadership may write a foundational book on leadership, followed by a series targeting different industries such as corporate, non-profit, and education. Each book would target a specific need, helping you connect with various potential clients while reinforcing your position as an expert.

How Speakers Can Monetize and Scale Through Book Bundles

A great way for speakers to monetize their books is by creating book bundles that can be sold at events or online. Bundling allows you to offer more value to your audience while increasing the sales potential of each customer. For instance:

• If you’re speaking at an event, consider creating a themed bundle that includes a book, a workbook, and a few downloadable resources or tools that complement your speech.
• If you’re speaking to business leaders or corporate executives, offer a leadership bundle with your leadership book, a series of training videos, and a special edition workbook for team development.

This approach makes your offerings more attractive to event organizers and attendees, who often prefer bulk purchases or packages at a discounted price. It also increases your revenue per sale.

Tips for Selling Books Effectively at Events

Selling books at events can be a highly profitable endeavor if done correctly. Here are some strategies to maximize your success:

• Ask for Help: If you’re the only one managing your book table, you may find yourself overwhelmed with signing books, talking to attendees, and handling sales. Consider enlisting help, either from a local speaker or a trusted assistant.

• Engage and Connect: Don’t just sit behind your table. Stand beside it, interact with the attendees, and create opportunities for them to engage with you. Use your branded banner stands to draw people in and make your book table visible to those walking by.

• Presentation is Key: Your book table should be visually appealing and organized. Use a tablecloth that complements your branding, display your books neatly, and have visible pricing for each item. Ensure you can accept multiple forms of payment, like credit cards, through tools like Square or Stripe.

• Offer Bundle Deals: If you’re speaking to a group that’s likely to be interested in multiple copies (like business leaders or corporate executives), offer them a deal for buying in bulk. You could say, “Buy five books and get a 20% discount,” or “Buy this bundle and get an exclusive workbook for free.”

• Create a Sense of Urgency: If you want to increase sales, create urgency with CTAs like “Buy Now—Limited Stock!” or “Only Available at This Event!”

Additional Revenue Streams Through Book Bundles

When selling books at events, consider combining them with other products or services you offer:

• Product Bundles: Create thematic bundles that complement your book, such as workbooks, downloadable PDFs, and exclusive online courses.
• Membership Programs: Offer attendees an exclusive membership program or special content they can access after purchasing a bundle.
• Add-On Services: Offer coaching, consultations, or workshops as add-ons to your books, creating additional revenue opportunities.

How Book Sales Can Help Your Speaking Career

Being a published author provides more than just a source of income—it also gives you a platform to expand your speaking opportunities. Here’s how:

• Marketing Your Speaking Services: As an author, you can use your book as a marketing tool to attract more bookings. Event planners are often more likely to book speakers who have a published book, as it provides additional credibility.
• Leverage Your Book for Media Exposure: A published book is an excellent way to gain media coverage, whether it’s being interviewed on podcasts, invited to speak at conferences, or featured in industry publications.
• Cross-Promote Your Events: When you speak at events, offer attendees a discount on your books or exclusive access to bundles. You can also promote upcoming speaking engagements directly from your book, creating a seamless marketing strategy.

Multiply Your Impact with Books and Speaking

As a speaker, writing a book is one of the most powerful ways to expand your reach, create additional income streams, and establish yourself as a thought leader. When combined with strategic book bundles, speaking engagements, and effective marketing, you can scale your business and multiply your impact in ways that were once unimaginable. Don’t miss the opportunity to leverage your expertise into a profitable, scalable business that continues to grow, even after your speaking engagement is over.

Ready to get started? Consider writing your first book, adding additional books to create bundles, and watching how your speaking business scales to new heights.