Are you having trouble finding opportunities to speak? Do you feel you are running out of options? Are you at a loss as to how to locate venues where you can speak about your book? Here are some ideas:
• Visit your colleagues’ sites—those professionals and authors in your field. Check their “appearances” page to see where they have been or where they will be speaking. This ought to give you some ideas for finding speaking gigs in your community and beyond.
• Do a Google search using keywords related to your expertise to find possible speaking opportunities—a library in the next town that’s doing a seminar on this topic, for example, a bookstore where novelists share passages from their books every Friday night or an organization that might welcome your presentation at their next awards banquet.
• Thumb through the section in your phone book related to the theme of your book—pet care, finances, aspects of business, communications, Christianity, health, etc.
• Get a listing of bookstores within a certain geographic area, appropriate businesses (hobby shops, gift shops, pet stores, etc.) and/or organizations related to your topic through the Chamber of Commerce, local business directory, front pages of your phone book, etc.
• Study newsletters related to the theme of your book—in particular those produced by other authors. You’ll learn volumes about what other authors are doing and get many ideas for promoting your book through speaking engagements.
• Use online directories to locate conferences and events in your book’s subject. I’ve published links to directories numerous times in this blog. Let me know if you need me to give them to you again. PLFry620@yahoo.com.
As most of you know, personality and presence sell books. If you have a book and you’re not getting out and speaking, you really should be.
If your book isn’t doing all that well in the marketplace, maybe I can help. I wrote my 40-page ebook, The Author’s Repair Kit expressly for you—to help you to breathe new life into your faltering or failing book. Order your copy here:
http://www.matilijapress.com/author_repairkit.html
Announcements
My article, “How to Attract Readers” appears in Book Promotion Newsletter this morning.
Here’s something else I found in the Book Promotion Newsletter—Fran Silverman is offering sections from her radio show ebook for sale so you don’t have to purchase the whole big $75 book. If your book relates to food and travel, you can get a list of 20 radio shows that use guests who talk about these topics for only $12. Pay $20 for 83 shows related to business, $15 for 57 shows with a New Age theme and $12 for 42 shows related to health issues. Learn more by visiting Fran’s site at
http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com or http://www.talkradioadvocate.com
Order Catscapades, True Cat Tales in time for Easter giving. Anyone who enjoys cats, has one or more cats, used to have cats or simply enjoys charming cat stories will thank you for a gift that promises not to make them fat or sick.
http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades.html.
Need to ask a question or get help with your project? Contact me here: PLFry620@yahoo.com.
Thanks, Patricia.
I left a comment on another post regarding how to find speaking opportunities. This post answers a couple of those questions. Thanks.
Tom Kaye