Pragmatic Consulting Club - Writing Vs Speaking

Writing and thinking are two of the most powerful educational initiatives consultants have at their disposal.

Both can build visibility and generate leads. But what’s the main difference between them? How do you choose?

Writing sets the standards high - it forces you to think clearly, allows you to document your methodology, and create IP. Every single consultant who’s considered an authority in their field is, as the word implies, an author.

But what is it that speaking provides, that writing does not? The answer is simple: more opportunities to emotionally connect with your audience.

We are all humans. It is impossible to compare the trust-building power of hearing someone speak (either in person or digitally) to reading words on a page. Dozens of research publications back this up, showing likability, perceived credibility, and responsiveness are way higher - sometimes 30x higher.

So ideally, you want to do both. This is the obvious marketing advice. Write and speak.

But this advice is also very poor, since it’s unpractical. We’re busy and building visibility is only one of the many priorities we have to juggle. It’s quite naive to believe consultants can find the time and energy to both write and speak consistently.

There are a few different solutions to this problem, but all of them require prioritization. If you are struggling with a lack of opportunities, it’s better to start by simply picking one, concentrating on fewer tasks, and sticking with it.