Marketing

How to Stay on Good Terms With Book Reviewers

open-bookYour book is published and it’s the best time of your life. You are following the rules of promotion, you have your platform, and you even have a life growing inside of social networking.

What’s left?

Book reviews! Yes, the dreaded book reviews. There are quite a few places to gather book reviews and especially certain networks that takes out the need to contact bloggers yourself. However, if you are doing this on your own, you may want to consider a few approaches when working with book reviewers that will go a long way. No, it won’t give you a guaranteed five star review, but it will at least keep you on good terms with them and will also prepare you with their expectations.

1) Give a free copy of the book-platform of their choice.

If you’ve published your book, or you are about to, it’s necessary to leave options open for book reviewers on the type of platform they get their books. Give them the option to go outside of the standard kindle e-book. In fact, keep it in mind that they may not like e-books nor have an e-reader. Be prepared to ask them what they would prefer-e-book or print copy? Kindle or Nook?

While it is your book they are reviewing, it’s still their time and promotion you are asking them to give over.

2) Consider offering a book to review and giveaway.

While it may mean you are giving out more of your book for free, keep in mind that giving away a copy along side the review will bring more attention to your book. Not to mention, bloggers appreciate the free copy as it brings attention to their post. In the long run, it benefits both parties-not to mention, if you ask the blogger to include links to your social networking accounts as an entry for the book, you also get a good following as a result.

3) Throw in a few goodies.

One of my best experiences as a blogger is getting a few freebies from an author for a book I’m about to review. Not just bookmarks, but even little pens and notepads can start you off on the right path. Visit promotional product sites for some ideas of what you can buy to get your book’s title and your website on top.

4) Have patience.

Remember, it isn’t exactly easy to do a book review. It takes a lot of time and consideration to put it together. So, make sure you don’t follow up after just one week. Give them enough time to read it or even ask them for an estimation of how long they need to read the book and review it. When they do give you the time frame, respect it.

While these tips are just the beginning on the marketing you’ll need to do for your book, but it will get you familiar in the review process, especially when you are dealing with bloggers directly.

If you have any questions, please ask below!