Your Guide to Success at BAIPA
Monthly Meetings and Workshops
We’re continuing to meet online, so some of these suggestions are not applicable, but some are.
- To get the most out of your membership, we encourage you to attend our monthly meetings and workshops.
- Wear your name badge.
- Write out your questions and bring them with you to the meeting.
- The first part of each meeting is a rich conversation about changes in the world of independent publishing. Peer to peer sharing is an important part of our Q&A session that begins our meetings. These exchanges are facilitated by one of our resident experts to be sure as many questions are addressed in the time allotted.
Meeting Tips
- Come prepared to introduce yourself at the Meeting. You will have 20-30 seconds to give us your name and tell us something memorable about yourself, your book or the services you provide. If you have an event coming up, tell us about it. It is a wonderful way to practice your speaking skills and to meet new people.
- Write out your introduction and rehearse it before you come to the meeting.
- Time yourself.
- Always bring your books with you.
- Hold your book up next to your face when you are introducing yourself.
- Speak into the microphone as if it were an ice cream cone, holding it up to your mouth.
- Stand up (if possible) when you speak so we can better hear you and see you.
- Ask questions that help you avoid costly mistakes.
- Share what you have learned—successes and obstacles that you may have encountered along the path to publishing.
- Talk to people you don’t know! There is time for networking at all of our meetings during the breaks.
- Be respectful of others by turning off your cell phone at the start of the meeting.
- Bring event flyers to put near your book on the display tables provided for members.
- Give an honest review of our presenters. Complete a written evaluation form and turn it in before you leave the meeting or workshop.
Your Member Profile
We want to get to know you online too!
- Your Member Profile is a key part of your membership. It’s like your Amazon Author Central Page and your Author Profile on Goodreads. Your profile lets the world know you, your books, and services offered. (You can cut and paste from any of your social profiles or from a text document.) You can decide what you want to show and share and what you want to keep private.
- Your profile can include text, images, photos, and video. You will want to include a good, recent headshot of yourself and images of your book(s) and perhaps your company logo.
- You can work on your profile, save your work as a draft, and publish it when you are ready.
- And you don’t have to worry, you can edit your profile at any time.
- If you need help with your profile, reach out to one of the Board members.
The BAIPA Blog
- Visit the baipa.org website frequently. You will find the latest information on self-publishing, upcoming events and news from our members.
- The blog is delivered via email to all members and subscribers, which is about 1,000 people!
- Let us know when you have an upcoming event by sending your announcement to [email protected] for possible inclusion in our news feed.
- Submit articles that you feel would be of interest to our readers. It could be a tip or a resource you want to share. Send it to [email protected].
- Tell us how BAIPA is contributing to your success by sending your comments to [email protected]
Volunteer Opportunities
One of the best ways for you to get the most out of your membership is to volunteer! We are an all-volunteer organization. You have a chance to make BAIPA better by stepping up and volunteering your time and expertise.
When you give back here are some of the things you gain:
- Increased visibility
- Meet people
- Recognition for your contribution
- Be on the inside track when new events and offers are available to members
- Increase and develop your leadership skills
- Learn new skills
- Satisfaction of knowing you make a difference
- Be the change you want to see
- Shape the future of the organization
- Expand your reach
Let us know how you would like to contribute by contacting [email protected] or speak to a BAIPA Board member.
Members Only
You can find a full list of Members Only Benefits. Here are some of the highlights:
- Attend regular meetings for free
- Show and sell your books at meetings
- Display flyers and brochures for your events
- Ask and answer questions in the forum
- Submit articles to the BAIPA blog
- Announce your events to all members and subscribers to our blog
- Introduce yourself at meetings
- Enter contests for members only
- Enjoy reduced fees on workshops
- Receive a customized printed named badge to wear at meetings
- Volunteer opportunities (committees and events)
- Share your business cards at meetings and put some in the card box near the registration table where members and guests can find them
- Access protected content on our website (coming soon)
We are here to help you succeed. BAIPA has helped our members publish more than 2,000 books!
We want to celebrate your success too.