If you’ve followed my blog, you’ve heard me exhort authors to create book hooks and display persuasive marketing text on their Amazon pages. Language is the power of the book sale. But, there is one specific type of marketing language that is more powerful than anything else:
There is nothing you can say about your book that will ever be as
powerful as what someone influential says about your book.
Go back and read that last sentence again. Why is the praise of an influencer so valuable for your book? When people see endorsements from someone they respect, they can be moved to purchase based on that recommendation alone. However, keep in mind that when readers see an endorsement, this aspect usually applies:
People care more about WHO says it,
rather than WHAT is said.
Therefore, the only endorsements that matter are from people who are famous, esteemed, or well-known. The Cambridge Dictionary defines an influencer as:
Someone who affects or changes the way that other people behave.
Examples of genuine influencers worth pursuing include:
- Well-known authors who write similar books in your genre
- Social media personalities or tastemakers with lots of followers
- Pastors of a large church or directors of a ministry or non-profit
- Professional athletes or musicians with noted success
- Industry experts, professors, politicians, or noted educators
The process of requesting endorsements from influencers whom you may know is pretty straightforward. So, here are some effective steps to pursue endorsements from influencers whom you don’t know:
Step 1 – List the likely endorsement candidates whom you’d like to contact.
First, ask yourself if there are any friends, family, or co-workers who could make an introduction on your behalf.
Step 2 – If your influencer candidates have written a book (and many have), read a copy and post a positive review on your author blog or social media pages.
Lead by doing that person a favor first. Tag the influencer’s name in the book review you post on social media so that he or she can see the action you took to help them.
Step 3 – Visit the influencer’s website and locate their contact information.
Use email, social media, or an influencer’s website to send a brief message that says, “I really liked your book.” Then, ask an open-ended question to start a friendly dialogue, such as “How did you come up with that clever idea in Chapter X?” Wait for a response.
Step 4 – If the influencer responds, send something of value to build the relationship before asking for an endorsement.
Focus on building trust. If you have something of value the influencer would appreciate, such as a white paper, details to help their research, or an interesting website link, forward it to them. Correspond via 2 – 3 follow-up messages to build their comfort level. If that person continues to respond, then ask for an endorsement.
Step 5 – If you connect with an influencer and receive an endorsement or not, always ask that individual for referrals to other influencers.
Most legitimate influencers are part of a network and know several other people just like them. Always ask for referrals. It can open up a gold mine of new opportunity.
When I began my author career in 2002, I was 34 years old with a tiny network of contacts and no connections to anyone famous. But, I was passionate and truly believed my book could help people. I channeled this belief into reaching out to industry leaders via email and setting up personal meetings at conferences. To my surprise, I received several nice endorsements simply by making the request. Of course, not everyone agreed. But, the key to my success was having the courage to ask.
Likewise, do you have the courage to ask legitimate influencers to endorse your book? There is nothing you can say as powerful as what someone else says about your book. If language is the power of the book sale, then influencers are the wizards of language. Woo them wisely!
Want to ask influencers for an endorsement without making a fool of yourself? My new book, The Author’s Guide to Write Text that Sells Books, includes a professional email script in Chapter 6 that details how to make an endorsement request. Grab a copy and take the guesswork out of doing it right.
