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Turn Your Signature Speech into a Transformative Book

Starting with your speech first increases your chances of success as an author.

Public speaking

Writing

Publishing

Thought Leadership

Andrew

Davis

Partner, Speaking Business Thought Leader

minute read

Published on

August 26, 2024

Starting with your signature speech, then turning it into a book, can make the writing process easier and help you produce a more profitable book.

In the speaking world, it can sometimes seem like everyone else is ahead of you—landing more gigs, booking more keynotes, charging higher fees, and creating more content on social media.

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And as you struggle to “catch up,” they jump a step ahead, by publishing a book.

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Great. Now you’re way behind (or so it feels).

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After all, writing a book as a professional speaker can establish your expertise and solidify your credibility.

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Releasing a book means media coverage, publicity, and maybe even going viral on social media. That media buzz can lead to interviews, guest appearances on podcasts, and features in articles.

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Writing a book can lead to more speaking opportunities. Not to mention the additional revenue stream that comes from royalties and book sales (who wouldn’t want that?).

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And let's be honest, the phrase “speaker and author” just has a really nice ring to it.

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All great reasons to start writing—and quick!

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Is writing a book worth it?

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Here’s the truth: you’re not behind, and you don’t need to play catch-up.

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Your fellow speakers aren’t your competitors, they’re one of your most valuable assets in your speaking business. Their success doesn’t take away from yours. In fact, it’s quite the opposite—in this business, speakers get speakers work.

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So, from one speaker to another, let’s see what it really takes to write a book as a professional speaker, if it’s worth it, and how to do it more effectively and profitably. We’ll dive into the science behind book success and reveal a new way to approach book writing.

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You see, many speakers have very high expectations after writing a book. It’s only normal to hope for bestselling author status and a significant revenue bump after spending so much time writing, revising, and editing your book.

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But the reality might be far from these expectations.

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The Science of Book Sales

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According to a 2018 study, “Success in Books: A Big Data Approach to Bestsellers,” over three million books are published each year—including more than 100,000 new titles—but very few attract massive readership.

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Researchers discovered that of those one hundred thousand new titles, less than 500 make it to The New York Times bestseller lists—only about 0.5 percent. That means a vast majority of those newly published books sell few copies and quickly fall into oblivion.

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A book becomes a New York Times bestseller after appearing on the weekly bestseller list at least once. One in every four books appears on the list only once, while some do spend multiple weeks—even months—on the bestseller list.

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The odds of staying on the bestseller list for a whole year are very slim. The study goes on to say that “most books follow a similar sales pattern: the sales increase very fast, reach their peak in the first ten weeks and drop dramatically afterwards.”

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Writing a bestseller is hard. Is it worth the risk?

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The speech is the spark.

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Using your speech to kick off your book—in other words, writing your book while speaking about it at the same time—significantly decreases the risks associated with book writing. Speaking first can lead to a better book, a much better book.

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You see, there is a way to use that same seemingly grim research to write a successful book. But you must start with the speech.

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Starting with your signature speech, then writing your book, gives you all the same benefits of writing a book, while increasing your odds of success.

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You see, on stage during your speech you can test the ideas you want to put in your book. You get live audience feedback to determine what works and what flops. You can pick up on what questions your audience has, what topics truly engage them, and what is confusing or hard for them to understand.

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If you were to write a book first, then speak about it, you might discover too late that there are missing parts or sections that just don’t resonate. And realizing you missed something after publishing your book—something that could have been prevented—is not a good feeling.

Full Transcript

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Instead of writing a book and then speaking about it, speakers can use their speech as the spark for their book.

Demand-Driven Writing

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On the other hand, if you have a speech that’s already successful, one that constantly earns you stageside leads and positive feedback from audience members, writing a book can be a natural by-product of that speech.

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After a truly transformational experience, it’s not uncommon for audience members to say:

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“Wow, that was amazing, I’d love to learn more. Do you have a book?”

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When your audience starts asking for your book, you already have one of the most important aspects of the sales formula: demand. When your audience already wants what you have to offer, selling your book becomes much easier.

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This dramatically increases the chances of your book’s success because you know your audience is already interested. Interest plays a huge role in your book’s success. According to the research, “the data indicates that the first few weeks of a book are crucial: this is when the books capture the interest of their readership.”

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With your speech, you’ve already piqued their interest, you’ve changed their perspective, and now they want more—they want your book.

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Fine-Tuned Content

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Not only does speaking increase your audience’s interest for your book, it also helps you fine-tune the content for your book. In fact, when done right, it can almost guarantee your book will give your readers the ideas, frameworks, and information they crave most.

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When you talk to audience members (aka: your future readers) at lunch, listen to their questions during the breakout sessions, and analyze their reactions and comments during and after your speech, you start to understand their perspective. Knowing their aspirations, difficulties, and ideas can help you fine-tune your content.

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This makes your book much more relevant, polished, and impactful.

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Knowing your audience is essential to crafting a referable speech as well. When readers connect with your speech, the content in your book will already seem inviting and familiar to them. You’ll have tailored it and adjusted it to their specific wants and needs.

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The data from the study also shows just how important this is: “As readers prefer the familiar over the unknown, having some sense of what to expect drives more people towards a book or a series.”

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Speaking about your book, not after you write it, but rather during the writing process, is a valuable tool that can help you drive more people towards your book—before it’s even published.

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Built-In Marketing

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On stage (or on screen), you hold your audience’s attention, you exude authority, and you have a platform to promote your book. Simply mentioning that you have a book coming out soon or inviting audience members to sign up for a prereleased copy serves as a built-in marketing technique.

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Every time you give a speech, you’re building awareness for your future book. Your audience leaves with not only a memorable, transformative experience but also with anticipation for your future in-depth content.

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As a speaker, having name recognition within your fractal or sphere of influence is often enough to kick-start your book sales and put you on the path to success.

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Why? Because speaking creates a personal connection with your audience. As you speak—whether on stage or on screen—you’ll slowly increase your fame and set your book up for success.

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And the research supports this. According to the study, “the success of a book is deeply linked to the previous success and the name recognition of its author.”

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Now, of course, names like Taylor Swift, Oprah, Elon Musk (and the like) will influence book sales tremendously. Fame sells. But you don’t need to have world-wide fame to become a successful author.

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Build Your Waitlist Now

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Not too long ago I talked with Veronica Romney, who’s writing a book and speaking at the same time. Next month, she’s going to debut a new book promotion and lead generation strategy.

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Here’s how it’s going to work:

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Veronica gives her signature keynote—it’s captivating, engaging, actionable, and eye-opening—and her audience loves it. She’s planned and rehearsed her speech and reliably earns stageside leads, almost every time she gives it.

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Near the end of her speech, Veronica will add this line:

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“Right now, I’m working on a book about this exact topic. It’s coming out next year. If you want a prereleased copy, sign up here, and you’ll be the first to hear about it when it comes out.”

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People sign up, Veronica adds them to the waitlist (which will grow and grow with every new speaking engagement), and when her book comes out, she’ll already have a large list of people anxiously waiting to buy it and read it.

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A better book awaits you.

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At the end of the day, speaking while writing a book maximizes the benefits of authorship while increasing your odds of success.

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It allows you to leverage your incremental speaking revenue while you write your book. Instead of worrying about getting an advance from a publishing house, your earnings from speaking events can fund your writing. You’re giving yourself an advance!

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You can use speaking as a live feedback loop to improve your speech and your book iteratively and simultaneously, while incorporating audience insights into your book.

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And it creates a personal connection with your audience—one that enhances the credibility of your book (since your audience knows and admires you) and allows you to discover exactly what type of content resonates with them.

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Writing your book while speaking about it translates into a more engaging book—a book that sells. Maybe even a bestseller.

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Demand-Driven Writing

‍

After a truly transformational experience, it’s not uncommon for audience members to say:

‍

“Wow, that was amazing, I’d love to learn more. Do you have a book?”

‍

With your speech, you’ve already piqued their interest, you’ve changed their perspective, and now they want more—they want your book.

‍

Fine-Tuned Content

‍

This makes your book much more relevant, polished, and impactful.

‍

Speaking about your book, not after you write it, but rather during the writing process, is a valuable tool that can help you drive more people towards your book—before it’s even published.

‍

Built-In Marketing

‍

As a speaker, having name recognition within your fractal or sphere of influence is often enough to kick-start your book sales and put you on the path to success.

‍

Why? Because speaking creates a personal connection with your audience. As you speak—whether on stage or on screen—you’ll slowly increase your fame and set your book up for success.

‍

And the research supports this. According to the study, “the success of a book is deeply linked to the previous success and the name recognition of its author.”

‍

Build Your Waitlist Now

‍

Not too long ago I talked with Veronica Romney, who’s writing a book and speaking at the same time. Next month, she’s going to debut a new book promotion and lead generation strategy.

‍

Here’s how it’s going to work:

‍

Near the end of her speech, Veronica will add this line:

‍

A better book awaits you.

‍

At the end of the day, speaking while writing a book maximizes the benefits of authorship while increasing your odds of success.

‍

You can use speaking as a live feedback loop to improve your speech and your book iteratively and simultaneously, while incorporating audience insights into your book.

‍

Writing your book while speaking about it translates into a more engaging book—a book that sells. Maybe even a bestseller.

Dont

Instead of writing a book and then speaking about it, speakers can use their speech as the spark for their book.

Don't