Grant Baldwin is a speaker, author, and entrepreneur. He hosts The Speaker Lab Podcast, which offers practical advice from the world’s most successful speakers. His book is The Successful Speaker: Five Steps for Booking Gigs, Getting Paid, and Building Your Platform, which shares the system he used to build a 7-figure speaking career. Grant is an all-around great guy, and he and I go way back. He was even on episode 35 of the SPS podcast when I started the show.
We talk about everything that intersects with books and speaking. Whether your main focus is writing or speaking, doing both will boost your career, but it’s not required to do both. Grant has an exciting experience with writing and publishing his book. He is friends with Jeff Goins, who is an expert writer. Jeff asked him if he was going to write a book and somehow ended up being Grant’s ghostwriter.
Jeff’s name on the book was a big plus for the publishing experience. Grant also went the traditional publishing route and bought back the rights later to continue marketing and promoting his book. We talk about a new twist on ghostwriting, publishing, and buying back the rights.
Show Highlights
- [02:22] Grant had a self published book for speakers. Jeff Goins sent him a text and asked him if he thought about writing a book. Jeff ended up being his ghost writer.
- [04:22] He leaned into having Jeff’s name on the book. It was Grant’s concept put together with Jeff’s writing.
- [05:34] Books are valuable. There’s credibility and legitimacy when you have a book. Working with a traditional publisher also gave them a lot of distribution.
- [07:56] Jeff now helps others with their books and/or proposals.
- [08:57] Grant firmly believes in hiring good people and getting out of the way.
- [11:15] Knowing Jeff and having an existing relationship made everything work out perfectly. Jeff was an expert and Grand didn’t micromanage him.
- [14:12] Grant bought the rights back from his publisher. Having a book is a long term thing. The launch went well, but sales slowed down. Having the book rights enabled Grant to continue to market his book.
- [16:32] They projected what the publisher would make in three to five years and made an offer.
- [18:13] They are selling the excess inventory and working on transferring the rights in the Amazon listing.
- [21:31] They invented a new way of publishing which is to get a book traditionally published, wait a couple years, and then buy it back up for pennies on the dollar.
- [22:21] Grant shares how he is using his book to market Speaker Lab using free plus shipping.
- [25:47] Focus on what works and don’t try the buffet approach.
- [26:06] Speaking can generate income from having a book. Experts have books on the topic. Working hand-in-hand can be powerful.
- [27:57] It’s a momentum based game the more you speak the more you speak. Send out books, reach out, and start conversations.
- [29:08] Have congruence with your book and your topic and connect the dots.
- [29:53] Have a long-term perspective. Treat your business like a business.
Links and Resources
- Get a Free Copy of Published
- Get the Audio Copy of Published
- Visit Self Publishing School Online
- Book a Call with Our Team
- SPS Free Training Course
- Self Publishing School YouTube
- Grant Baldwin
- The Speaker Lab
- Grant Baldwin Twitter
- Grant Baldwin Facebook
- Grand Baldwin LinkedIn
- The Successful Speaker: Five Steps for Booking Gigs, Getting Paid, an
- d Building Your Platform
- SPS 035: Using a Book To Get Booked with Grant Baldwin
- Jeff Goins
