There are few feelings in the world that can compare to writing and publishing a book. The hard work, time and effort that are required to complete a book project can seem immeasurable; just holding the first copy in your hands ignites a great feeling of pride, joy and accomplishment.
The next step is creating a marketing plan to sell thousands of copies, start collecting royalties from your publisher and making millions. Unfortunately, the scenario of publishing a book and making millions on your first run hardly ever happens. Yes, getting a major book deal, selling a boat load of book and making millions is rare.
Fact, most authors who are not well known – only sell up-to 500 copies in their first run. They never make a large sum of money directly from selling books. Learn from the experts. Expert authors and authors who are famous use professional speaking as a platform to promote and sell books. For authors who are novice, this may come as a surprise. After all, many people write books and try to sell copies online or sell books in the bookstore because they are afraid to speak in public. On a brighter note, professional speaking is something authors should include in their platforms. Professional speaking expands your exposure and helps you become a career author. Career authors pursue speaking opportunities to gain more attention for their books.
Speaking to a large group of people about your unique topic is an effective and efficient way to gain immediate publicity. There is something special about standing in the front of the room speaking to others. The audience gathers eagerly to hear your speech. We learn in school at an early age that the person in the front of the room is the teacher. You become the teacher. Authors who are experts understand this secret. They use their speaking skills to get their audience’s attention and to gain an advantage in the marketplace. Here are three ways professional speaking opportunities can help you sell more books and help you become an expert author:
Become a Loss leader. A loss leader is a professional speaker who offers products at a discount price to stimulate sales for other products. Example, a restaurant may offer several dishes at a lower price but increases the price for its wine and beer selections. The restaurant might break even in selling food but will generate a fast profit selling wine and beer. An author is a loss leader when he or she offers a book for free or at a discount price while advertising their speaking fees at a higher cost. The fame and notoriety that you receive from selling copies of your book will help you gain more opportunities to speak publically.
Direct promotion and back of the room sales. Selling books in the back of the room after speaking to an audience is slightly different from being a loss leader. In back of the room sales the author may speak for free but uses the speaking opportunity to sell copies of their book or other products (CDs, DVDs, workbooks. . .). Expert authors like Brendon Burchard and Seth Godin make a significant amount of money selling books and products in the back of the room.
Gathering testimonials and word of mouth endorsements. Collecting testimonials from people sitting in the audience is another technique you can use to land speaking gigs. A testimonial is a written statement expressing approval or endorsing your book. Word of mouth publicity and endorsements from other experts will help you achieve celebrity status. The fame and recognition will help you sell more books
Becoming a loss leader, selling products in the back of the room, and collecting testimonials from others are three sure-fire techniques you can use to sell books and land speaking gigs. When done correctly, you can gain both profit and notoriety for you and your book…both of which can help take your career to the next level. If promoting your book is your goal, check out your local Toastmasters organization (www.toastmasters.org) and start speaking, TODAY!
