OK, you may say… why do this? After all, Connie Ragen Green is a delightful person as well as a brilliant marketer. She’s got 2 hard copy books selling on Amazon and a dedicated following of loyal fans. Her books are good. So … why 4 stars and not 5?
The truth is …
G
etting reviews for your book isn’t a numbers game. I’ve reviewed books with dozens of glowing reviews that never became best-sellers. Other books are flying off the shelves with jut a few so-so reviews.
Reviews need to be credible. When readers see dozens of glowing 5-star reviews on Amazon, they get nervous. Amazon is first and foremost a community, not a free-wheeling bazaar. The regulars are pretty sophisticated about reading between the lines. I’ve seen many comments on reviews (and in reviews) along the lines of, “The author obviously got all his friends to write glowing reviews.”
In fact, ordinary readers are actually more suspicious of glowing reviews than the sad little 1-star reviews. When Amazon Vine reviewers award 5 stars to a book, they raise suspicions that Vine reviewers are expected to write only positive reviewers. That suspicion is completely false: I am a Vine reviewer and I’ve written countless negative reviews of books and products I received through Vine.
So … back to Connie. She’s in danger of falling into the Lost Credibility Trap if she gets too many glowing reviews. If you review her book and you want to be helpful:
Remember that a few 4-star reviews and even 3-star reviews actually add credibility to an author. Ideally they should come early in the process so readers will realize the reviews are honest.
If you really believe the book is a “knock your socks off” special book and you can’t bring yourself to write anything other than a glowing review, add some disclaimers. Recognize that readers may be surprised by the number of 5-star reviews. Emphasize that you are not being paid to write a review and that you have no connection to the author.
Never respond to a request from someone to, “Read my book and write a glowing review.” If the book is good, the 5-star and 4-star reviews will come. Instead, say, “I will be honest or if I don’t like the book, I will choose not to review it.”
As a reviewer, I’ve developed a keen sense of what makes a book get good reviews and ultimately sell. I’ve packaged my advice into an affordable product, which you can download at http://www.BookMarketingWeb.com
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