7 Tips to Get Book Endorsements

Endorsements …

Should You or Shouldn’t You and How Do Book endorsement

You Get Them?

One of the most common questions authors ask is: should I get endorsements for my book? The answer is yes. The real question is: where should I put them?

 Ahhh, that opens up another window. Maybe on the cover. Maybe on the back cover. Maybe on a flap or dust jacket if your book has that type of cover. Maybe in the opening pages of your book. Maybe …                                                      

Your book cover is about marketing. The only endorsements that should go on a cover / back cover are ones that will absolutely connect with your reader.It’s not your friend, your mother, your cronies in your club. Unless they are rock stars and publicly known.

My personal preference is “less is more.” If you have a stellar endorsement that is well known within your field or genre –most     likely I would put it on the back cover and in a call out type of format so it will pop. If it is from a key review source, such as Publishers Weekly, Foreword, Kirkus, or Library Journal, I would do a “sprinkle” and have the cover designer drop the line(s) so that they do a pop. If any are long endorsements, pull a few of the key sentences out as an excerpt and put the entire endorsement within the opening pages of the book along with others that aren’t used on the cover real estate–these are placed in the first few pages of the book, before the Title page.

 1. Look at the most current books. How are they using cover and interior endorsements? What types  of names are citing books (business, celebs, other authors)? How long are they? Where are they placed? These are usually generated from advanced reader copies or galleys.  In nonfiction, you will a variety of names and types. In fiction, it’s usually from other authors and typically within the same  genre. Note–the trend is using your back cover “real estate” for hooking the reader with benefits and moving endorsements to “front matter”–meaning that their first two pages of the book as it is opened are used for “praise” qutoes.

celeb black book2. Finding endorsers. If you had your choice, who would you want? What’s your Wish List? Do you know them? Then ask. If you don’t, do you know someone who does? What are social media groups—are they within any that you are a member of? This is a time of who do you know who … it’s networking time. If you are looking for celebs, works leaders, etc., The Celebrity Black Book has all the contacts. Your library might have it or pick up a used edition on Amazon (so much cheaper). There’s always Google, but it will most likely not be the source here.

3. Create a cover letter that grabs them and is compelling. Such as:  “If you love to cook … within these pages are the best 200 recipes using Paprika from Hungary.” “If you love mysteries, imagine Sherlock Holmes having High Tea with the Queen while James Bond is seducing his latest female colleague while Jessica Fletcher is tripping over bodies in Cabot Cove and he gets a call for help.”

4. Share something on the inside—as in key insights that were revealed as you created your masterpiece. From the “…if I knew 20 years ago what I know now …” or “…I’ll be requiring this for every client I work with (class I teach, patient I see, and workshop I give …). Was there anything that was shocking or left you shaking your head in disbelief or sheer wonder? Share it.

5. When seeking endorsements, ask what format the reader would endorsementlike—printed manuscript sent to you, PDF via email, a few chapters … what and how? Reveal your drop dead deadline for having them back. You could even include some ideal samples” of blurbs. Many will take those and tweak them. Make it easy.

 6. Is a particular bent or focus you want? Let them know what you are looking for.

7. Ask for the way you want his or her name included after the endorsement. If they are published, which book they would like to include under their name

8.When you have published book in hand, send a copy to your endorser. Always with a glowing, happy dance thank you note.

And bravo for your new book!

Book Marketing (2)

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Judith Briles is known as The Book Shepherd a book publishing expert and coach. She is the Founder of Author U, a membership organization created for the serious author who wants to be seriously successful. She’s been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the 80s. Judith is the author of 35 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms (ForeWord Indie/Fab Book of the Year), Snappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers and a speaker at publishing conferences. How to Avoid 101 Book Publishing Blunders, Bloopers & Boo-Boos has just been released and is available on Amazon now.

Become part of her inner circle by joining the Author’s Ark and exclusive monthly webinar and coaching event. Each summer, she holds Judith Briles Unplugged, a two and 1/2 day intensive limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. In 2016, the dates are June 23-25.  Her audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform is now available. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for AuthorU – Your Guide to Book Publishing on the Toginet Network at http://tinyurl.com/AuthorURoadio. Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and join the Facebook group, Publishing with The Book Shepherd. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact Judith at Judith@Briles.com.

If you are looking for FREE author and book coaching … call in to Judith’s Author Monday Mornings at NOON Eastern each Monday. The number is 218-632-9854; Access Code 1239874444 … have your questions ready–there’s a full hour to ask and listen.

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