3 SURE FIRE WAYS TO DRAW ATTENTION TO YOUR BOOK and even better info

I was browsing the web with Empress Theodora 

while waiting for a hospital to call back with needed information ...

{Empress Theodora and Maxine's Eyes below courtesy of Leonora Roy}

and I saw the title:

3 SURE FIRE WAYS TO DRAW ATTENTION TO YOUR BOOK ON AMAZON.
http://www.eroticromancepublishers.com/2013/05/three-sure-fire-ways-draw-attention-to.html


That sounded promising, and this is the totality of the post by Emily Veinglory (a great name for this article):

1. Randomly apply boldface to some of the words.
2. Make a big deal about how CONTROVERSIAL it is.
3. Mention right in the title how mind-blowing your book is.

      (This is brilliant; why did nobody else think of it!)

Obviously, Emily was being tongue-in-cheek about the linked books.  But it occured to me to ask ... 

ARE THERE GOOD WAYS TO GET YOUR BOOK NOTICED or REVIEWED ON AMAZON?

When Keith Donohue’s novel, The Stolen Child," came out, the critics weren’t impressed, even though his publisher was Nan Talese at Doubleday.

In fact, not a single major newspaper reviewed the book. Ask any big publisher, and they’ll tell you: 

A novel stiffed by the critics has little chance of becoming a bestseller.
 

But the story wasn’t over.

 

A review copy ended up in the hands of Linda Porco, Amazon.com’s merchandising director. 

She passed it around in the office and everyone loved it. 

So Porco tried something new.

 

She got more copies of the book and mailed them to Amazon’s most active customer reviewers, the ones who review books on the site as a hobby.

 
Within weeks, all but one of those Amazon Top Reviewers posted a rave review.

Promptly, Stolen Child became Amazon’s bestselling fiction book, and it reached No. 26 on the New York Times extended bestseller list, 

an unbelievable climb for a novel with no big newspaper or trade reviews. 

Now the book is in its eighth printing and the story is being shopped to Hollywood. And ... now Stolen Child has plenty of professional reviews.

But Amazon is now restricting communications between authors and readers, 

and not all Amazon Friends invitations have been going through.
 

But what the hey, nothing ventured nothing gained:

Many Top reviewers review several books a week: 

sometimes at the invitation of an author or publisher, but usually by just following their personal interests.

Despite receiving no payment, they compete furiously to climb the rankings ladder.

 
Clicking on a top reviewer’s pen name takes you to the reviewer’s Amazon profile.

Some reviewers use their profiles to explain what types of books they prefer and whether they accept unsolicited books.

Some provide postal or e-mail addresses.  


Try Googling the Amazon reviewer's name, which will often point you toward their Facebook page.

 
A soft-sell approach works best with Top Reviewers. 

Offer a complimentary book in return for their considering it for review -- no obligation. 

Carefully screen out reviewers whose profile indicates they won’t be interested in your book.

And please don’t ask reviewers to return the copy you send.

Here’s a sample script you might use to approach Amazon Top Reviewers: 

Dear Jane Doe:

I got your name from the list of Amazon Top Reviewers. I’ve written a book, “How to Grow Self-Aware Strawberries.” I noticed from your Amazon profile that you frequently review gardening books. If you think you might be interested in reading my book and posting an honest review of it on Amazon, I’ll gladly send a complimentary copy if you’ll reply with your postal mailing address. There is no obligation, of course.

Best Regards,

Victor Frankenstein

Don't limit yourself to Amazon's Top Reviewers. 


Other good potential reviewers are:

 
* acquaintances and colleagues interested in your book’s topic.

* participants in Internet discussion boards and mailing lists relevant to your book.

* visitors who registered on your Web site and people who read your blog.

What do you think are some neat ways to draw attention to your book?  

To garner reviews?