How a Book Can Get Speakers onto Bigger Stages

This week, we talked with our resident speaker coach, Mimi Donaldson. Mimi has coached dozens of keynote and TEDx speakers, as well executives and business owners to hone their speaking skills and elevate their speaker profile. Her gift is helping speakers have their listeners smiling and nodding. 

Read on for expert insights about becoming a successful speaker–and how a book can support you in that goal.

What is a common misconception about being a speaker?

The most common one is speakers who think they can be successful simply because they love speaking, even though they haven’t put much thought behind what they’ll speak about. Let me tell you that content is king. If you don't have content, you have nothing to speak about. That's why speakers need a body of work or a book. You have to have content points that set you aside from everyone else. You have to have a unique take on a problem in the world. 

What makes a great speaker or a great speech?

That secret nugget is the connection. I always say a speech isn't an article you read out loud. A speech is a connection between the speaker and the listener, whether it's one person or 17,000 people, like my biggest audience. As a speaker, you must lead with the need. In other words, the audience thinks…Why should I listen? What's in it for me? As a speaker, you have to show the audience in the first two sentences that you get them. Isn't this a need in the world right now? Can you identify with this? Can you connect? And the audience thinks…You understand me. Now you have a great start to a speech.

You have a great quote about speakers and books. What is that quote?

I always say, “Every speaker needs a book, and every book needs a good book speech.” My four books were the subjects of my speeches because that's what the people booking me and my audiences wanted. A good book propels your speaking career forward. 

In your experience, how does a good book propel your speaking career forward?

There are trends in podcasts, social media, and more. But a book does not go out of style. A book feels real and is a sign of your authority. Plus, as a speaker, you can connect stories and ideas from your speech to your book to bring your audience into your area of expertise.

How do you see a book supporting a speaking business?

For example, if you speak in front of 300 managers in a company, that meeting planner or that company president will buy 300 copies of your book and give it to everybody who's there. It’s a gift or part of the speaking engagement. That's one important way for a speaker to sell books. You can also sell books to people at your speaking event or workshop. And, you never know where one of those books is going to end up because a book is a real, tangible source of information. People will tell others about your book, and that book has a long life of growing your audience. 

You’ve coached many TEDx speakers. What should aspiring TEDx speakers know?

I've had 22 people on the TEDx stage, and number 23 is going on in September in Indonesia. Everybody wants to be on TEDx because that's going to propel your speaking career, right? TEDx doesn’t want professional speakers, but they do want people who are experts with something to say and a unique message among others in your industry. When you're trying to get on a TEDx stage, they ask if you have a book. A book can help differentiate you from among the large crowd of people who are applying and puts you in the finals for speaking.

For more information about Mimi Donaldson, visit www.mimidonaldson.com.

Have an idea for a book? Submit your book proposal to Soro Publishing.