Voicework on Demand ? Blog Archive ? Question of the Week ...

While discussing ?a project with a potential client, she asked for my opinion.

Just ask my brothers and my husband ? I?m never shy with that!

She wanted to know what the quickest way to be perceived as an expert in her field was, and in addition, she hoped it wouldn?t be too expensive or time consuming.

Well, here?s the thing ? I?m opinionated, friendly, helpful, talented with audio software ? but not a miracle worker!

In my opinion ? and others may differ ? you need a book with your name on the cover as the author. That?s step one of a two-step process.

It doesn?t have to be traditionally published, and it probably shouldn?t be. Last week,?Houghton Mifflin Harcourt filed for Chapter 11 protection after nearly 200 years in business, and in spite of having the lion?s share of textbook publishing. Traditional book publishing is drying up as more people choose virtual over physical where books are concerned. Just today I told another potential client that creating?CD?copies of audio books is something that can be done, but that I don?t recommend. Physical product sales are drying up everywhere in the book industry.

You don?t even have to write your own book, though you should have substantial input into it. Ghost writers, co-writers and even collaborative books ? ones where each author is responsible for a chapter ? are great ways to get your name on a book cover.

That?s step one ? step two is to leverage the book into getting speaking engagements, where you can be in front of potential clients and customers.

Who is your perfect client? What sort of groups does that person join? Those are the groups you want to speak to, and trust me ? nearly all of them want speakers, especially if you?re low- or no-cost. Depending on what you want out of that event, speaking for little or no money could be very lucrative for you.

If you want to be seen as the expert in your field, as my potential client does, then look at the opportunities to speak as a way to enhance your expert status and perhaps bring more business into your company. Both of those are very rewarding ? often more rewarding than a paycheck the day of the event, unless you?re a very established speaker.

Here?s the deal ? many people don?t even read books, much less write them. Once you?ve actually written one, all of those people will assume you know what you?re talking about. And research done by UC Berkeley shows that people who speak up are consistently viewed as having greater intellect and leadership skills than their quieter counterparts.

So, write and speak. You?ll dazzle them with your expertise.

If you need help with speaking skills, two organizations I highly recommend (and belong to and learn from) are Toastmasters and the National Speakers Association. The former is mostly about learning good platform skills, and the latter is fabulous for learning the business of speaking as well as great platform skills.

If you need help with ghostwriters, co-authors, editors, publishers or a writing coach, I have great friends who do all of those things, and I?m happy to put you in touch with the person or people who can help get your book off the ground.

If you?re in a writer, speaker, trainer or coach group, I?d love to come and speak to your group. My contact info is to the right.

Do you have a question? I?d love to hear it, and maybe answer it right here. Helping people?monetize their content?is what we do!

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Sandy Weaver Carman
CEO, Voicework on Demand, Inc.

I partner with writers, speakers, trainers and coaches, taking work they?ve already done and turning it into a new revenue stream. Ready to get your feet wet?

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