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 One of the best ways in selling and promoting your work is talking about it through both lectures and readings. It will also help in providing a portal to you and your work; readers in particular love nothing better than hearing an author expound on his/her work. And aside from serving as a little chicken soup for your ego, you’ll also end up meeting a ton of interesting people, so why not?
Speaking engagements can easily be found through the Y, church and civic groups, women’s clubs and PTAs, educational institutions and libraries. And if your book ties into a commercial product, consider giving in-store demos but whatever path you choose, keep yourself alert of the myriad of possibilities out there. It might take you some time in developing the right contacts, but the pay-off is definitely worth it.
If you are interested in selling lots of your books then you might want to consider not writing on a very specific subject with a very, very specific audience. If the audience size is so small, no matter how dedicated they are, the money isn’t going to come pouring in. Your plan should involve seeking out engagements for larger, but still specialized groups, where more sales can be generated. Keep your sales literature (fliers, business cards, etc) handy and on your person for distribution after the engagement. Alternatively, you can also place them on tables for people to pick up when they enter or exit the room. Remember to always have your web address on your business cards and prominent information on your fliers, including self-contained order blanks. It might also be helpful for participants to be able to pick up your book, possibly on a discount, after the talk. After your talk, you can roll down by saying something like “For anyone who’s interested, I’ll be at the back of the room handling questions and autographing books,” or ask the introducer to mention it while winding down the talk. Never forget about this last thing, since quite often, authors end up profiting more from the “back of the room sales” than from their lecture fees.
Should you opt in for classroom settings instead, learning centers all across the continent actively seek out experts in a wide variety of fields. Look for available slots at a local community college or university and especially keep an eye out for privately owned educational facilities since they are often open to speaking engagements.
If you are willing to seriously pursue the talking circuit, places like Toastmasters International and the National Speakers Association (NSA) provide great experiences, particularly Toastmasters which is a great starting point. You might need to wait until you’re experienced before you join NSA and while the fees might be considered high, the end result is a great experience involving three great sessions per year that buffer your circuit knowledge and experience.
Writing and public speaking might seem like they are and should not be interrelated—but one really does feed off the other—particularly if you want to sell your work.
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