Getting Reviews for Your Indie Book - As Easy As 1-2-3

 If you want sell your book, you’ll need high quality reviews.

Any savvy author knows that Dana Lynn Smith was absolutely correct in her post  Seven Reasons Why Reviews Sell Books on the Book Buzzr Blog when she said,

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Book reviews are a powerful marketing tool for books of all types. Not only do they bring books to the attention of people who might never have heard of them otherwise, but they provide “social proof” that the book is valuable, and help the reader determine if the book is a good fit for them.

The question is, how do you get good reviews on sites like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Good Reads, and influential blogs?

It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

1. Prepare in Advance – Create Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) to get into the hands of opinion makers before you launch your book. To learn more about how to use ARCs effectively check out our post Use ARCs to Create a Buzz Before You Launch Your Book.
2. Use Your Own Online Network – Reach out people who read your blog, Facebook friends, Twitter followers, and people on your email list if you have one. Offer them an ARC if they agree to post a review of your book as soon as the book launches.
3. Target Online Influencers – Identify opinion leaders who might be willing to review your book. Some careful Googling will work, but you can save some time in finding potential reviewers by making use of sites like Net Galley, The Book Blogger List, and The Indie Reviewers List on The Indie View. Check  the genres they review and their policies to make sure you’re a good match and approach them properly.  For some good tips on how to approach bloggers, including a sample email, read Emlyn Chand’s post, How to Get Bloggers to Review Your Book, on Novel Publicity & Co.

Share your own best tip on how to get your book reviewed.