How Speaking Helps Authors Sell More Books with Stephanie Chandler.

Welcome to Public Speaking with Peter George. Do you want to be calm, confident, and credible every time you speak in public? Then stay tuned as we discuss public speaking tips, techniques, and tactics that help you increase your impact, influence, and income.

Stephanie Chandler is the founder and CEO of Authority Publishing, the Nonfiction Authors Association, and the Nonfiction Writers Conference. An experienced speaker and author of several books — including The Nonfiction Publishing Plan and Own Your Niche — Stephanie joins the show to share why speaking is one of the most powerful tools a published author has, and how you can use it to reach more readers and grow your platform.

Why Authors Get Asked to Speak

Stephanie: Being an author makes you an instant authority — the word "author" is the root of the word "authority." It gives you immediate credibility and makes you an obvious choice as a speaker. And when you give a presentation to a room full of people, you captivate an audience that can't wait to take a little bit of you with them when they leave. Speakers sell books. I say it over and over again.

Speaking Beats Book Signings Every Time

Stephanie: If I had to choose between sitting at a book signing or giving a presentation and signing books at the end, I'll take the presentation every single time. I was part of a launch for Chicken Soup for the Entrepreneur's Soul — local PR, morning news coverage, seated front-of-store at Barnes & Noble on a Saturday. At the end of three hours, we sold eleven copies. I vowed never to do another book signing. I could give a speech to fifty people and sell twenty copies. Serve the audience, and they will want the book.

Where Authors Can Speak

Stephanie: Trade associations are low-hanging fruit. Figure out where your target audience spends time, go speak at those chapters and national events, and get involved in their newsletters. Podcasts are also a massive opportunity — podcast interviews are promoted before and after the fact, stay online for years, and reach devoted audiences. Don't be afraid to pitch podcasters; they need guests and content just like newspapers and magazines need stories.

Colleges often pay speakers. Places of worship host author events. Chambers of commerce, nonprofit organizations, and local business associations can keep you busy every week if you have a business book. If you want to speak, the opportunities are everywhere.

Creating Your Own Speaking Tour

Stephanie: Many authors have done this brilliantly. One speaker wrote a book about her dog, got an RV company to sponsor and wrap the vehicle with the book cover, reached out to everyone she knew, and lined up dozens of engagements at pet stores, office buildings, bookstores, and more. She leveraged existing relationships — what I call a "tribe of influence" — and got the whole tour sponsored. It's amazing what can happen when you use the connections you already have.

What New Author-Speakers Should Do First

Stephanie: Plan your content really well. Script your opening and your closing at minimum. Create something that keeps you on track, whether it's slides or an outline. And stay within your time. Audiences get frustrated when speakers go over. You don't have to be perfect, but you do have to be prepared and respectful of the time you've been given.

Peter: Stephanie, where can listeners connect with you?

Stephanie: Find us at nonfictionauthorsassociation.com. Our annual conference happens in May, and we have a free Nonfiction Book Club on Facebook. I'd love to connect with your listeners.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Public Speaking with Peter George. Are you ready to be calm, confident, and credible every time you speak in public? Then visit petergeorgepublicspeaking.com and let's make it happen. I'll see you next time.