Have you considered writing book reviews for marketing?
It’s the perfect marketing tactic if you love to read books that would help your ideal clients!
I just started writing book reviews (again), and not only are they fun to write, my community loves them.
(Check out my book reviews for Braving The Wilderness by Brene’ Brown and Thank & Grow Rich by Pam Grout.)
In this week’s marketing strategy, I will share with you an easy “formula” to writing your book reviews, as well as places to cross post them for maximum exposure.
Ready, fellow book lovers? Let’s get started!
VIDEO:
SHAREABLE GRAPHIC:
I love to create graphics that enhance the learning in my weekly marketing strategies. Please feel free to share these on your social media!
BLOG:
Do you read books to help you learn more about your niche or industry?
If you do, consider writing book reviews! Book reviews are an effective way to show your expertise, build relationships with your ideal clients and influencers, and extend your brand to an even greater audience.
How to write book reviews for your marketing
Your book review doesn’t need to resemble one from The New York Times. You can keep your book review to blog post length (500 words or so). To help you get started, here’s a formula you can follow:
Introduction
In your introductory paragraph, state the book title and author, and why you wanted to read this book.
Summary
Take a paragraph or two to summarize the book. You want the reader to get an overview about what the book is about, so keep it high level! Your reader should get an idea about what the book is about – not a Cliff Notes’ version of the whole book.
Thoughts
Every book review should have another paragraph or two that captures your thoughts about the book. What did you like about the book? What did you learn? What are the book’s areas of strength?
If you have negative feedback about the book, make sure you talk about it without personally attacking the author.
Recommendation
In your closing paragraph, mention who you would recommend the book to. Is it perfect for people who are new to your industry? It is better suited for more experienced professionals?
Where to post your book reviews
Now that you have your book review written, you can post it in several places. First, consider adding your book review to your own blog. That way, you are in control of the content and distribution of your review.
You could also consider adding your review to book cataloging sites, such as Goodreads and LibraryThing. These sites are full of book lovers who rely on reviews to make reading decisions. Also, the reviews are indexed by Google, which will help you get your review in front of more people.
If you copy/paste your review from your blog to Goodreads or LibraryThing, make sure to add a disclaimer (for example: This book review was originally posted on my personal blog, www.xxx.com.)
Finally, you can consider writing a book review for Amazon. Amazon is one of the largest book sellers in the world, which means your book review could potentially be seen by thousands of Amazon shoppers.
Make sure to follow Amazon’s review guidelines before posting your review. Also, Amazon recognizes customers who frequently review their products (including books), so if you’re an avid reader, you may want to consider posting your reviews to Amazon.
If you read books for your business, you are half way to creating exciting and different content that will showcase your expertise. Writing book reviews does not have to be a college project, especially if you follow this formula for your reviews. Post your review in places where others can read it. And you never know, you may catch the eye of the author, which could extend your reach and credibility even more!
Need more marketing inspiration?
If you need more ideas on how to get clients, check out my Magnetic Marketing Checklist (it’s a free download!). It’s packed with ideas on how to authentically attract more customers to your business.
ABOUT JILL
Hi, I’m Jill Celeste. I teach purpose-driven entrepreneurs (just like you) everything you need to know about marketing so you can become the Director of Marketing for your business.
Because when you put your Director of Marketing hat squarely on your head, marketing is your number one priority (which will result in more clients!).
When I am not teaching about marketing, you’ll find me hanging out with my husband or my teenage boys, or taking a nap with my basset hound, Emma. I also like to play with my two kittens and feed the backyard ducks (much to my neighbor’s chagrin).
If you’re feeling alone in your entrepreneurial journey, I invite you to check out my monthly membership group, The Celestial Circle. Affordable, loving, supportive, informative, and fun – that’s how we roll in The Celestial Circle. We would love to welcome you!
