WaveCloud's Wednesday Webinar Series. This webinar is for authors seeking answers to questions they might have about how to get book reviews, and how to use them once they have them.

1. Self-Publishing Wednesday Webinar:
Book Reviews:
The Cornerstone of Marketing
Your Self-Published Book
Bill Van Orsdel
(303) 974-7845
Bill.VanOrsdel@WaveCloud.com

2. Before we get started…
Checklist:
ü You are planning to or have already self-published
your book
ü Your ebook and print formats are on the “same”
Amazon™ sales page
www.WaveCloud.com
Disclaimer:
this
site
is
not
affiliated
with
or
funded
by
Amazon.com.
Amazon
is
a
trademark
of
Amazon.com
Inc.
or
its
affiliates.

3. A word from our sponsor
www.WaveCloud.com
• WaveCloud is an Author Services platform
and an ebookstore
• Helping writers become successful
authors is our #1 priority
• Not a “How To Do” but a “What To Do”
• Watch this webinar: Book Reviews –
The Cornerstone of Marketing Your
Self-Published Book
Bill Van Orsdel
WaveCloud
CMO

4. Key Points
www.WaveCloud.com
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Reviews
are
a
subs6tute
for
“Trial”
Reviews
come
before
marke6ng
(un6l
12
–
24+)
Reviews
can
drive
discoverability
(@
100+,
“Also
Bought”?)
Review
sourcing
requires
strategy
&
6ming
Many
sources:
Amazon™,
Goodreads,
Blog
Tours,
F
&
F
…
Review
the
reviewer
BEFORE
asking
for
reviews
Follow
basic
e6queWe
when
reques6ng
reviews

5. Why does this matter?
www.WaveCloud.com
Awareness
Interest
Trial
(Considera6on)
Purchase
Support
(Catalog
Purchases)
Referral
(Word
of
Mouth)
Reviews!

6. Why does this matter?
www.WaveCloud.com
• Book reviews can be a substitute for “Trial”
• Awareness à Interest à Trial à Purchase
• Build Social Proof
• “Someone else liked this, I’ll probably like it too”
• Convert visits to your Amazon.com™ sales page to book purchases
• Every bounce “costs” you money, directly or indirectly
• Amazon™ promotes books that convert, not bounce
• Factors into your sales ranking. (- Jon Fine, Amazon™)

7. Ready to blow your first $1K?
We hope you’re not….
www.WaveCloud.com
• Do not start driving traffic to your Amazon™ book page until your reviews
are in place
• Minimum of 12, stop trying after 24
• After 100, you may experience an Amazon™ “Also Bought” boost, aka
“Discoverability”
• Other marketing is okay, just don’t drive traffic to conversion until your page
is “complete”

8. Strategy & Timing
www.WaveCloud.com
• Make book available for sale on Amazon™
• (and make sure book sales page is “finished”)
• Strategy:
• Most valuable, finicky, attitude-filled reviewers FIRST. Friends and
family LAST.
• Ask for the review to be posted on Amazon™, Goodreads, and
Barnes & Noble
• Timing:
• Longest runway reviewers asked first à typically your Amazon™
reviewers
• Place friends and family at the end of the queue

9. Sources for Reviews
www.WaveCloud.com
• Amazon™ reviewers (you have to dig for these!)
• Book bloggers, (Google “Author Title Review”)
• Paid blog tours, (Google “Romance Book Blog Tour”)
• i.e.
• http://www.blognation.com/directories/book-review-blogs
• http://www.enchantedbookpromotions.com/
• http://bewitchingbooktours.blogspot.com/
• Goodreads reviewers (Review Group)
• https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/78683
• http://www.theindiereview.com/indie-reviewers/ (330+ Reviews listed)
• Readers (you are using back of the book links, right?)
• Social media platform(s)
• Friends & Family
• Professional connections (Nonfiction books!)

10. Sources: AMC Tool
www.WaveCloud.com
Expect
to
spend
a
lot
of
4me

11. Review the Reviewers
www.WaveCloud.com
• They reviewed other books specifically like yours
• And gave them good ratings!
• They are accepting books for review
• They are accepting self-published books
• They are highly rated reviewers (Top 10,000)
Find them at:
• BookReviewBroker.com $$, OR
• www.AuthorMarketingClub.com review grabber
• (Better, but much more work involved and $105)

12. Review Request Etiquette
www.WaveCloud.com
• Offer your book in their preferred format
• Consider a couponing strategy (Smashwords)
• Your book is free to them (including shipping)
• Don’t give your book (doesn’t show up as purchase)
• Ask for an honest review (templates abound)
• Ask for posting on Amazon™, Goodreads and Barnes & Noble
• Decline requests for payment (run away politely)
• Expect your paperback to be a “used” book

13. Final Recommendations
www.WaveCloud.com
A. Reviews are a substitute for “Trial”
B. Reviewers come before marketing (until 12 – 24+)
C. Reviewers can drive discoverability (@ 100+, “Also Bought”)
D. Review sourcing requires strategy & timing
E. Many sources: Amazon™, Goodreads, Blog Tours, F & F …
F. Review the reviewer BEFORE asking for reviews
G. Follow basic etiquette when requesting reviews

14. WaveCloud Self-Publishing
Wednesday Webinar Series:
www.WaveCloud.com
• Enjoyed this webinar? WaveCloud has more online! Additional webinars
can be viewed here: WaveCloud Webinars
• Ask questions regarding self-publishing, request a topic you would like
to learn more about, or tell us what you think at
authorinfo@wavecloud.com

15. www.WaveCloud.com
Questions?
Bill Van Orsdel
(303) 974-7845
Bill.VanOrsdel@WaveCloud.com