Everybody wants to spread the word about their book. And getting good reviews is the best way to do that.
But getting your book reviewed isn’t always easy. Or cheap. Here are some ideas on how to improve your chances of getting kick-ass book reviews.
1. Reach out to bloggers. This is one of the post-launch marketing services we offer our authors. As part of this package, we target about 20 bloggers who have a history of reviewing books in your genre(s). We then reach out to them, inform them about your book, and really sell the idea of them reviewing it. Generally, we hear back from about 25% of those contacted and they’re interested in following up. That’s one step closer to getting your book reviewed on their site!
2. Offer free e-copies of your book. I hear from a lot of authors who have sent around hundreds of hard copies of their book, and maybe gotten one or two reviews out of it. That’s a lot of money to spend for something that may or may not pan out. Make sure you have a PDF or ebook available, and send it electronically to all of the reviewers you’re contacting. You could reach out to 100 or 1000. It’s an ebook, and it’s free, so it won’t cost you anything more than time.
3. Pay for a review. If neither of the top two options seem to pan out for you, then consider paying for a review. It won’t guarantee you a good review, but that’s another story. Kirkus is the most well-respected of the organizations that accept payment for a review, although it’s not cheap: $425 for standard service (7-9 weeks) or $575 for express service (3-4 weeks). Still, there’s nothing like a good quote from a Kirkus review to put on your homepage.
4. Go Amazon. There are plenty of Amazon reviewers out there who will be happy to review your book if you give them a free Kindle edition. Do some research to find an Amazon reviewer who commonly writes about books in your genre. Reach out to them and ask that they review your book. A great quote from one of those reviews can be a central piece of your marketing efforts.
5. Consider cross-reviewing. I have heard stories about newly-published authors who team up and review each other’s books. True, neither of them are professional reviewers. But it’s nice to have a quote or two from an author about what a great book you’ve written.
Do you have any other great ideas for getting your book reviewed? Share them with us!