I want to start today’s lesson by talking about civic groups, clubs, organizations and associations. Whether you live in a small town or the big city, it’s likely many of these groups are active in your community. Let me start by listing a few. I’m going to discuss the kinds of speakers they’re often looking for:
American Business Women’s Association
There’s nothing greater than touting the successes of local women, and that’s what your ABWA loves to do. Contact your local group and let them know you’re available to speak. Chances are, you can encourage other women with your “How I got published” speech. To find your local chapters, go here.
DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution)
I’ve spoken at nearly a dozen DAR groups over the years. The ladies in these groups are amazing! If you’ve got a book that focuses on ANY aspect of American history, DAR members will be interested. They’re particularly interested in stories that merge fact with fiction and books that are historically accurate. They’re also keen on people using their family lineage to write a story. (I did a ghost-writing project with/for a woman who used her family’s real-life stories to create seven books for girls. I spoke at a local DAR group afterwards and the response was very exciting!) DAR women love to purchase books from authors of books that highlight periods from America’s rich history. Here’s a link to the Texas DAR groups. If you live in another state, simply type “Daughters of the American Revolution” in your search engine, along with the name of the state. The state will have a “primary page” that lists all of the local chapters, complete with email addresses for the person to contact. Put together a sample “I’d love to speak to your group” letter that can be used again and again!
Lions Club
I’ve probably spoken for more Lions Club groups than any other service organization. These groups are (primarily, but not always) made up of older men who are interested in giving back to the community. One of their main focuses is sight/vision health. I’ve spoken most often on topics related to the Galveston hurricane of 1900. I’ve also talked with them about leaving a legacy by writing their own stories (which they can leave behind to their families). I usually sell quite a few books afterwards, which is always fun. To find out more about this organization (including local groups/meeting times/contacts) go here: http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/index.shtml
Rotary Club
Rotary Clubs love to hear from/about local folks who are making a difference. They’re particularly focused on humanitarian efforts, goodwill projects, friendship, networking, education and the alleviation of poverty. If your own personal story touches on any of these things, then they would likely be interested in having you speak. Tell the story about how you came to be published and/or talk about the challenges you’ve overcome in your life to get to where you area. (Don’t forget to sell your books afterwards.) To find these groups in your area, simply type “rotary clubs” plus the name of your city in your search engine OR go here.
Speakers Groups
Toastmasters, AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and other speaker’s groups like CLASS (Christian Leaders Authors Speakers Seminar), Speak Up Speaker Services and Christian Speakers Association are great places to get your feet wet. You can join these groups to improve your speaking skills, but there’s an added bonus. Most will ask you to give speeches as part of the program. You can choose a speech that corresponds with your book project. That way, you’re learning “how to” speak, but you’re also sharing about your book with others who might be interested in purchasing a copy!
Women’s Clubs
Chances are pretty good there are local “women’s clubs” (like MOPS—Mothers of Preschoolers—for instance/www.mops.org). Don’t overlook these types of groups, even if you don’t have young children. Where there’s a club, there’s a speaking opportunity. And where there’s a speaking opportunity (especially to/for women) there’s a chance to sell books after. You can do a search online for these groups, or ask other women in your community what clubs they belong to, and then tell them about your services as a public speaker.
Museums/Historical Foundations
If you have a story that deals with anything historical, don’t overlook your local historical foundation. When I spoke at the downtown Houston historical museum, local business people were invited to come on their lunch hour to hear me. Not only did I take away a $200 honorarium, I also sold several books and increased traffic to my website (and my monthly newsletter). Also, out of that speaking engagement came an opportunity to teach on creativity at a local (HUGE!) law firm (one of the largest in the Houston area). Someone picked up one of my brochures and sent me an email, asking me to teach. (And can you imagine? Teaching on creativity at a law firm? The room was FILLED with would-be writers who had a blast during that very exciting hour!) To find historical groups in your area, type “historical foundation” in your search engine, along with the name of your state or city. (I’m going to focus more on historical foundations in a later lesson. In particular, I’m going to talk about the kind of presentation I did and make suggestions for how to appeal to a crowd that loves history.)
Political party groups/organizations
Even if your book has no particular political leanings (and most don’t), you can find an open door to speak at political groups and organizations. Just present yourself as a successful local woman with a story to tell (and let group leaders know that you’re a staunch supporter of their political party) and you just might find yourself being asked to speak. To find these clubs, type in the name of your city and either “Republican women’s clubs” or “Democratic women’s clubs” in your search engine.
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic men’s fraternal benefit society that was formed to render financial aid to members and their families. (http://www.kofc.org/about/index.cfm) They are particularly interested in pro-life issues, so if your book touches on this topic, you might contact your local group(s) to see if they need speakers. Don’t forget to ask if you can sell books afterwards!
Girl/Boy Scouts
These organizations love it when successful adults offer to speak. (What an encouragement to the kids!) Try to set up your speaking engagement so that both parents and kids are there together. That way, when you sell your books afterwards, you’ll stand a better chance of actually making some money. It’s always so much fun to speak to children about writing. Isn’t it fun to realize you can play a role in stirring up the gifts God has placed in them?! (http://www.girlscouts.org/AND http://www.scouting.org/)
Garden Club
Any gardening aspects to your book? Could you somehow tie your story to fit a gardening club’s luncheon theme? The possibilities are endless!
There are so many other groups you might consider. I’ll list a few here: AARP, Kiwanis, American Legion, Friends of the Library, PTA, Salvation Army, Child Advocacy Organizations, Women’s Shelters, Hospice groups/organizations, nursing groups, Cancer survivor groups, ASPCA (animal rights) groups, Pro-life groups/organizations, YMCA, Civil War history groups (i.e. “Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War” – a group I spoke to a few years back in the Houston area), Veterans of Foreign Wars, sports related clubs (tennis, golf, etc.), preservation groups, music arts council, retirement clubs, quilting groups, Moms Club, Newcomers Club, Big Sisters, Christian Women’s Clubs, Junior League, etc. The possibilities are endless! Even if these groups don’t pay a stipend, they will usually let you sell books afterwards. Ask them to run an article in the local paper, announcing your speaking engagement so that you have plenty of folks in attendance.
CHURCHES
I’ve spoken at several different churches/denominational groups over the years (most often about the Galveston hurricane, paralleling it to the storms we all go through in our lives). I’ve given personal testimony of storms I’ve survived in my own life (including the very recent deaths of my twenty-year-old niece and my daughter’s best friend – a nineteen-year-old). I’ve had an amazing response, particularly in churches close to the coast. I once taught at a Presbyterian women’s luncheon at a country club (300 women in attendance) on the topic of “Makeover Madness,” which corresponded with the release of my non-fiction devotional, “I Must Decrease.” (And no, I’m not Presbyterian, but they didn’t care. Someone in the church had heard me speak in a smaller group setting and liked what she heard.)The response from women in church groups is always wonderful! The love to support you (and trust me, they’re much more apt to buy your books if you’re a speaker). You might not be asked to speak from the pulpit, but consider all of these other possibilities:
Some Church Groups to Consider:
- SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES (The most books I ever sold after giving a speech was at a local Sunday School event.)
- SENIOR CITIZEN GROUPS (Man, are these fun! This age group particularly loves quizzes.)
- BIBLE STUDY GROUPS (Can you come up with a Bible study teaching that drives home a spiritual point found in your book?)
- MISSIONS GROUPS (Does your book have a “go into all the world” focus?)
- WOMEN’S GROUPS WITHIN VARIOUS DENOMINATIONAL GROUPS (like Women’s Aglow, for instance)
- PARENTING GROUPS (Any parenting issues in your book?)
- CAREGIVERS GROUPS (Any of your characters caregivers?)
- SINGLES GROUPS (Does your book deal with issues familiar to singles?)
- SINGLE PARENT GROUPS (Can you target this group with something from your book?)
- 12-STEP GROUPS (Any of your characters recovering from addictions of any kind? Or – more personal still – are you? If so, and if you’ve overcome your addictions and gone on to make a success of your writing, your local 12-step group would be thrilled to hear your testimony!)
- CELL GROUPS/CARE GROUPS
I’ll leave it at that for now, friends! No doubt I’ve exhausted you already! I’ll be back in a few days to talk about writers groups/guilds and online chat groups. The possibilities are endless! In the meantime, let’s brainstorm together. Tell us what groups/organizations you find in your area, and let’s talk about how you can tailor your speech to fit that particular group!
