Why Publish an Audiobook?

Our recent post Why Write a Book generated plenty of comments. One reader asked if it was better to do a print book or a digital book these days. Before answering that question, there’s a third option to consider – an audiobook. With today’s technology, you can convert your existing print book to audio.

When a listener hears your book in your own unique voice, the material becomes more vivid and more personal. It feels like a conversation instead of a presentation. “That is often what high-net-worth clients respond to,” Tina Dietz, CEO of Twin Flames Studios told me recently. “They want to understand not only what you know, but how you think under pressure, how you explain complexity, and how you make important decisions -- all critical attributes for financial advisors,” added Dietz.

Audio is also highly portable. Readers can listen to your words of wisdom while exercising, commuting, traveling, gardening or on breaks between meetings. This increases the amount of time they spend with your perspective, which strengthens familiarity with your approach.

“Audio gives financial advisors something print cannot: a leadership signature,” said Dietz. “It’s the sound of how you think and guide clients through complexity. For advisors who already publish regularly, an audiobook isn’t redundant; it’s the next evolution of your thought leadership,” she noted.

Studies show that audio produces 56% better attention and higher brand recall than online video.

Research also shows that audio outperforms other media in attention delivery, especially in mobile environments. One major industry study found that listeners rated long-form audio hosts at the same credibility level as journalists. The broader research also shows that long-form audio builds trust and creates a sense of connection between the speaker and the listener.

“This matters because clients selecting a financial advisor are evaluating temperament, philosophy, and judgment,” said Dietz. “Those qualities show up in your voice before you ever sit down together with a potential client. An audiobook becomes a pre-meeting trust accelerator that speaks for you in rooms that you’re not in yet,” she added.

Studies show that listeners feel a sense of telepresence -- an “I’m in the room with you” effect-when the narration is strong. “That emotional connectedness increases positive attitudes toward the narrator,” explained Dietz. “So, when someone spends several hours with your ideas in your voice, they’re not just understanding your philosophy, they’re forming a sense of your judgment, steadiness, and credibility, which is the foundation of trust with high-net-worth families,” Dietz asserted.

Business case for audiobooks

According to Diez, ROI from audiobooks doesn’t come from volume; it comes from fewer but better-aligned clients. As a result, she said audio gives you a disproportionate return on the time invested. “A one-time investment in a premium audiobook gives you a scalable asset that pre-educates and pre-aligns the exact clients you want,” said Dietz. “It reduces early-stage qualification time, strengthens relationships with centers of influence, and positions your thinking as the benchmark in your category long before anyone schedules a meeting.

Connecting with NextGen

According to Dietz, younger adults, which may include next-gen decisionmakers and future inheritors, are driving a massive shift toward audio-first content. Research shows that roughly one-third of adults under 30 listened to an audiobook in the last year, and Gen Z is the fastest-growing segment of audio-only podcast consumers.

If you’re advising multi-gen families or preparing for succession conversations, audio is the medium that the younger cohort prefers for consuming long-form ideas. “An audiobook becomes an asset that speaks in a format they’re more likely to engage with,” said Dietz. “It becomes a powerful tool for continuity planning and long-term influence,” she added.

For advisors who already have a strong reputation, audio becomes a force multiplier. It elevates your presence into environments where you can’t always be in the room, such as corporate board discussions, multi-generational family meetings, COI conversations, and even conferences where your ideas may be shared informally.

Audio also creates a permanent intellectual asset. “Markets change, strategies evolve, but your core philosophy, particularly the way you think and the principles you return to, becomes a lasting part of your professional legacy,” explained Dietz. “That has real value in succession planning and long-term brand equity,” she added.

The most common misconception is that producing an audiobook will be excessively time-intensive or technically overwhelming. Advisors imagine long days in a recording studio or complicated editing sessions. “The reality is the exact opposite,” said Dietz. “With a properly engineered remote-production model, advisors can record in short, manageable blocks, typically from their own office or home,” she said. “A good production partner can handle the entire technical side, including fully directing the recording sessions, capturing the highest quality audio, editing, mastering, and coordinating distribution,” she added.

Conclusion

The production quality should reflect the quality of your practice. The right partner amplifies your brand; the wrong partner dilutes it. Advisors should choose a partner who doesn’t just record audio, but who understands how to translate expertise into presence.

#thoughtleadership, #audiobooks, #practicedevelopment