Bookstand Publishing’s unique Customer Review Service is a very efficient tool for getting book reviews about your book posted on Amazon and elsewhere.

Here is how it works:

1.  First we identify Amazon reviewers who have written reviews for books similar to yours.

We have a program that finds these reviewers based on the books and topics we identify (for example, if your book is about white water river rafting we find Amazon reviewers who have written reviews for other books about river rafting).  We will find at least 50 reviewers with email addresses and often we find more.

2.  We will send you an excel spreadsheet with the reviewer names.

This spreadsheet will include the Amazon reviewer names, email addresses, the book they reviewed, a link to their review and any website or blog that the reviewer hosts (a lot of the frequent Amazon reviewers have websites or blogs where they talk about their favorite subjects.). You get to review this list before we sent to it to be sure you are comfortable with the books and reviewers we have identified.

3.  We develop an email to send to the reviewers.  

We will send out the email on your behalf but your email will be the reply email.  The email will be addressed to each reviewer by name.  The email will say that you would like to submit your book to them for their review.  You get to review this email and approve this email before we send it, of course. Here is a sample email:

Sample Email

———————————————————————————-

Subject: Review Copy of Blue Moon

Hi Mary,

My name is George Smart and I would like to submit my recent book, “Blue Moon” for your review.

In “Blue Moon,” New York in the turbulent 1960s and 70s are the backdrop of Al’s journey through love, war, Mafia, and street gangs.

He and his friends get strong and fight back. Al and Marina fall madly in love. But her Mafia family interferes with the fulfillment of their tormented relationship. Al finds solace in music but still longs to be re-united with Marina.

Author: George Smart

ISBN: 978-1163498XXX

Softcover, 350 pgs

Topic: Fiction/Literary

Availability: The book is available on Amazon.com.

Please let me know if you have any questions. If you wish to review my book, I will be pleased to send you a free copy (I can send you either a paperback copy or a PDF electronic copy).

Best,

George Smart

georgesmart@gmail.com

———————————————————————————-

4.  Once you approve the list and the email, the email will get sent out to the list.  

We expect about a 10% return (so if we send it to 50 reviewers we expect about 5 to respond saying they want either a paperback or PDF copy of the book.  Typically 90% of the people who request a copy will a review and post it on Amazon (and sometimes on their website or blog as well). Responses will go directly to you and you will need to provide the reviewer with any printed book copies or electronic galleys they request

You need to remember that these people are typically prominent Amazon Reviewers and they are doing you a favor to review your book. You need to respond immediately to their emails, and be professional and courteous and thank them even if they respond saying they don’t want to review your book at this time.

The Customer Review Service is a great tool for getting book reviews and is available under Publicity Services on our Marketing Services Order Form.  You can also call Andy at 408-722-8746 to discuss.

———————————————————————————-

Customer Review Service $350

With our Customer Review Service we will solicit reviews for your book from relevant Amazon Reviewers. Normally we expect 3 or more reviews on Amazon as a result.

———————————————————————————-

Soliciting Book Reviews from Consumers

(1)    Start by doing some research on who is reviewing titles similar to yours.  Dig out your book proposal for the competitive works, and look them up on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.  Cross-reference the usernames with social media platforms.   Then, either reach out to them on social media or try to dig a little further to uncover their email address.

(2)    Reach out to book reviewers through Good Reads.  Work on building your network, so, when the time comes, you already have a list of reviewers to reach out to, rather than scrambling to put the list together after your book has already been published.

(3)    People who have signed up for your newsletter or who follow you on social media—especially those who have mentioned you positively on their networks—already like your book.  Reach out to them and ask them if they would be willing to write a review.  They’re already fans, so do something nice for them, like offering to send them a signed copy.

Soliciting Book Reviews from the Media

(1)    Enlist the help of a book publicist or your publisher to help you craft media releases about your book, whether you are pitching them story ideas or sending them a press release, offering them a review copy.

Please see my article on using media releases to get book reviews: http://selfpublishingmadeeasy.wordpress.com/2013/02/04/how-to-use-press-releases-to-promote-your-book/

(2)    Do some research online, using that same list of competitive works that you used to find Amazon reviewers.  Find out who has reviewed books that are similar to theirs, research their contact information, and send them an email (or a message via social media) asking them if they would like a review copy of your book.

Don’t be discouraged if you invest a great deal of time into finding people to review your book, or you get turned downed or told that your wait for a review will be extremely long.  Book reviewers are overloaded, and their desks are piled high with books that they have been asked to review, whether they do it as a hobby or they work for a traditional publication or blog.