Is it Ever too Late to Send Review Copies?
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Often when I teach my book review classes through AME-U I get a few authors on the call telling me they didn't know they needed to send their book out for review, or perhaps they did and sent it to the wrong reviewer, wrong publication, or to a market that didn't consider their genre or (if they were self-published) didn't want to review a self-pub'd book. So how late is too late to get reviews? Well, honestly that depends on what your book is about. We're currently working with a book that's two years old and review copies are flying out the door but guess what? It's an online campaign. Online tends to be a bit more "forgiving" of time.
If you're looking for more "bounce" for your book and want to get reviews, try pitching topic-focused blogs, web sites, and magazines. Often these places won't be as inundated with review requests as book bloggers and review publications. Also, consider pitching the book as a story, rather than a review. For example our local paper, The San Diego Union Tribune, won't consider any self published book, but if I pitch them based on a story they're more inclined to consider it.
So if you're feeling like you could do more for your older book, get creative. Go after the topic, rather than the glamour blogs and web sites. Often you'll find they are not only very receptive but also when you target a web site, blog or publication that is 100% your audience you're more likely to make a sale, and in the end, isn't that what all this promotion is all about?
Reprinted from "The Book Marketing Expert newsletter," a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com
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