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Picture this: Two people are in the running for keynote speaking opportunities at a major industry conference. Both have strong one-sheets, excellent recommendations, and appealing topics proposed. They’re both polished with several speeches under their belts.
However, only one of them has written a book.
The conference organizer thinks she has the budget to hire them both. The author is offered a $25,000 fee to speak and the other candidate $2,500.
This situation may sound extreme, but it’s not.
Speakers who are newer to the field are currently earning, on average, between $2,500-5,000, according to The Speaker Lab, while experienced corporate speakers are receiving $10,000-20,000, and bestselling authors are getting $20,000-50,000.
Many business leaders publish a book in the hopes of enhancing their personal brand or as a marketing tool for their organization, not realizing the major impact that a book can have on the income they can earn long-term.
This hypothetical scenario highlights the authority gap between being an expert and being a published author. One may know a lot about their subject, but the other has packaged their expertise in a tangible product that elevates their credibility and authority.
That concrete proof of expertise justifies their higher fee.
When you write and publish a book, you’ve created a credibility asset that shapes how your audience views your expertise. It’s an asset that can effectively multiply what you can charge.
Virtually overnight, as an author, you may find your speaking fees have increased, the quality of speaking invitations has improved, and media opportunities have also multiplied thanks to your new author status. That’s the potential power of a book.
The Authority Amplifier Effect
Most authors recognize the power of a published book to position you as the expert in your field. If you know enough about a particular topic to fill a 60,000-word book, you’ve effectively proven the breadth and depth of your knowledge on the subject.
That’s why so many event organizers put authors in a separate category of speakers.
After all, you “wrote the book” on whatever your book is about.
Incidentally, after I wrote a book about Domino’s Pizza, someone referred to me as “the Domino’s historian of record and renown.” No, really.
Through the years, as an author, I have personally been asked to serve as an expert witness, at an hourly rate well over $500 several years ago; been offered paid speaking engagements; been invited to participate in joint ventures; and have been interviewed by countless media outlets in print and on TV.
Can I promise this will happen for you? No. But I do know these opportunities would not have materialized for me without a book to my name.
Being an author separates you from other experts.
It also positions you for extra attention from the media.
Becoming a Media Magnet
Most legitimate media outlets require that reporters interview and cite experts. At the top of the list of expert qualifications is having written a book.
In fact, many writers and reporters use Amazon as a search tool when looking for qualified experts.
Other qualifications include being a college or university professor, leading a trade group, or representing a government agency, to name a few. These are not the only qualifications, but they are the most common.
The value of these media mentions is that they are attached to your name and your online identity for years to come. They provide long-term career enhancements.
Leveraging Your Credentials
To get the 10x benefit of having written a book, you need to be strategic in choosing opportunities to pursue.
For speaking, develop potential talks that build on your book’s concepts and ideas. The more they are in alignment, the more you can amplify the impact. For example, if you write a book about AI but then speak about the value of art in offices or how to squeeze in a workout at work, you’ll lose any connection to your book.
And when exploring potential publicity opportunities, keep an eye out for upcoming articles that have some kind of connection to your book’s topic, even if flimsy. If you can point out how your book is relevant to the conversation, you’ve strengthened the value of that media mention or quote when it comes out.
Seek out speaking and media opportunities that are directly connected to your book’s message and subject matter. This helps to confirm your expertise, rather than dilute it.
Be aware that becoming an author doesn’t just provide a one-time boost to your personal brand when your book is released. There is a compounding effect with each additional speech, public appearance, media mention, or business opportunity. Each opportunity opens additional doors that can feed into a cycle of credibility-building that can build momentum long after your book comes out.
Your book can transform your entire professional career trajectory.