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A great way to get free publicity for yourself is by giving free talks to local groups and businesses. There are several benefits to giving talks.

In the first place, get to meet people face-to-face, which can help you to create new social and business relationships.

If you have dreams of becoming an author, it can help you to build what is called a platform, a base of fans or people who know your name, which can make you more attractive to publishers. You can get additional publicity by letting the media know where and when you are giving your talk. They might list the event in their calendar of events or even send a reporter out to do a story.

Perhaps it will lead to a lucrative career as a speaker.

Service clubs and business organizations offer great opportunities for you to speak. Some of the better known are Kiwanis, Rotary, Knights of Columbus, Soroptimist, and Lions Club, though there are many others.

These types of groups have memberships that can range from a couple of dozen or so to well over 100. Most groups meet once a week; and the majority of them have speakers at their meetings who will talk for a predetermined time, usually 15-30 minutes. Generally, they don’t pay guest speakers, though if you’ve published a book, most of them will let you sell it at the meeting.

You can find these clubs on the Internet and the phone book. One of the best ways to get information on each local club is to call the Chamber of Commerce in your community and nearby ones.

Most chambers are extremely helpful, though often shorthanded, and keep lists of clubs in the community. Ask them for contact person for the groups you would like to speak to. While you’re at it, ask the chamber if they are looking for speakers. Many chambers now have links to member organizations in their websites, but again, usually for the contact person, not the group as a whole.

Danek S. Kaus is a Silicon Valley business journalist and Free Publicity Expert. He is the author of “You Can Be Famous! Insider Secrets to Getting Free Publicity.” You can get More Publicity Secrets and learn how to Be Interviewed on Radio Shows