For an indie fresh author it is quite a task to get some fair and book free Amazon book reviews for your maiden book. To make this task easier I have complied a few tips here to get effective reviews. Form a group of co-authors, who would support in your quest for the reviews. Usually authors are in constant touch with each other to have special favors. It cannot be easy but you need to form a network that serves common purposes. I got my first few reviews from them but mind you, these were all verified reviews — supported by actual sales. They actually read the book and then reviewed it. Make a WhatsApp group to facilitate this.

1. Offer Freebies with Grace

For free Amazon Book Reviews, offer a freebie to those who buy your book and offer them the subscription to your newsletter. As the process moves on, after say fifteen or 10 emails — you may ask them for a fair review for your book on Amazon. This is a long time solution so do not expect immediate results. Be patient.

2.Contact Social Media Group Members Discretely

Ask your social media friends, fans and followers to support your book by reviewing. It may not click immediately, also everybody may not oblige you. But two things will happen — either they will go for the book and give a review, or refuse and ignore your completely. either way you have an important feedback on whom to contact and request, whom to let go.

3. Contact Members of the Readers and Writers of Similar Interest

Similarly if you belong to an author or a reader group discussing similar topics , there you need to read the community’s rules. Then you find the right people, usually book readers. Assure you only contact those who have the same interest and genre books which you are writing. Contact them discreetly , by visiting their Tweeter and Facebook page or LinkedIn profile to get contact details. Contact on the wall of their page is as a rule I would not prefer, better keep it private, on an email or some other way.

4. Create A Powerful Launch Team

Create a book launch team, which could be your coauthors, friends, fans, colleagues, relatives, regular readers, preorder customers and others to help you with the reviews. Also request them whether you could contact similar people to do the thing. Populate this team with dependable people.

5. Ask for a Review at the Book End

Right at the end of your book, ask for a review — even in your free lead magnet you can post this request prominently so that they do not miss it. The ideal time to structure a launch team would be a month or two before the book release is done. This is possible with a prerelease strategy.

6. Free Book Download

Announce a free download week or five days free ebook, however this will depend on Amazon’s policies as regards Amazon KDP. This can be also be permanently free , refer to the Amazon help files and communities to understand them and then setup the free scheme which suits you. In exchange for the free eBook you can request for a review.

Precautions

A few precautions, do not influence your reviewers too much to get high ratings. Also do not run for unverified reviews on Amazon. Be wary of your Facebook friends, relatives, your social media audience known to you — Amazon frowns and may take down your reviews, if at all you want it — ask them to post anonymously. And lastly always thank your reviewers if you are in touch with them, a personal email may go a long way for your growth. Thank and appreciate in email without going overboard. As opposed to Free Amazon book reviews I will discuss paid reviews in the second part.

Sudhir Bhatt — sudhirbhatt.com/ authorshine.com

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Sudhir Bhatt

www.internetserves.com , getdivinity.blogspot.com/ copywriter, content writer and creative writer. exp: business plans, case studies, blogs, ebooks, teaching