5 Reasons a Leave-Behind is the Better Move

Handouts or Leave-Behinds?
5 Reasons a Leave-Behind is the Better Move

1. Handouts are Distracting Spoilers
2. Reinforce Your Message
3. Leave a Lasting Impression
4. Expand Your Audience
5. A Good Investment

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If you're doing a book signing or workshop with your book, you may want to hand out information. It's a good idea, but you need to plan what to hand out and when to hand it over.

1. Handouts Are Distracting Spoilers
If you offer handouts at the beginning of your presentation, participants will flip through them and jump ahead before you’ve even had the chance to say hello. Instead, create a sense of anticipation by telling your audience you’ll have something for them at the end of your presentation.

2. Reinforce Your Message (and don't share your slides)
Leave-behinds give you the opportunity to repeat and enhance your message. But don’t just share your slides. To begin with, your slides will likely (and should) have minimal information—and they won’t have much meaning if you’re not there to explain them. A comprehensive overview of your talk in a dedicated leave-behind will be more effective.

3. Leave a Lasting Impression
Is there too little time to present all you want to cover? Put it in a leave-behind. Your leave-behind is a tangible reminder of who you are, and your credibility is reflected in the quality of your materials. Make it professional. Get help with the writing, editing, and design. Because it matters. (That’s where we come in!)

4. Expand Your Audience
An effective leave-behind is one that will be shared when participants return to the office and meet with associates. Make it interesting and you’ll capture a whole new audience.

5. A Good Investment
A well designed leave-behind continues to work for you after your presentation. You can re-purpose it as bonus content on your website, use it as a mailer, or post it on your blog.