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Monday, May 15, 2017

DO REVIEWS AFFECT SALES?



SOMETIMES

BUT OFTEN NOT LIKE YOU THINK




1.) A SAVAGE REVIEW CAN HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT


 Once upon a time there was a children's book that got such an unfair review 

that I not only bought it but gave it a good review -- which it deserved.

"I can understand the disappointment of not getting any text with the free sample, but it is unkind to one star a book you have never read.

I have read this delightful book, and I find it everything you would want for your child ... 

ah, in this case, just the little child in me : 

fun, zesty, light-hearted with a sense of humor to it that leaves you closing the book with a smile.

 Even the illustrations had a smile on my face.

I highly recommend this book. And I am off to order the next in the series. Thank you, Sally, for a fun, delightful read."


2.) SOMETIMES REVIEWS ARE SO OFF THE MARK THEY ARE FUNNY AND SPARK SALES


 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002HJ377A/


 
Don't judge me.  But after reading these reviews I just had to buy this shirt!

 ***

"I used to drive to work every day, now I can fly! Thanks Three Wolf Moon t-shirt!"

***

"The Three Wolf and Moon shirt arrived in the mail last week. 

When I got home from work I found the shirt had torn itself out of the packaging, 

destroyed my mail box, broke into my house, 

slept with my wife, kicked my dog, and mowed my yard." 

*** 

"I have to admit I wasn't convinced about the power of this shirt and bought it as a gag to get a few laughs with friends over. 

However something has changed since I put this shirt on, something has changed for the better that is!

Lets go over some of the things that have happened within just a few hours of putting this shirt on. 

Keep in mind these are facts that have been verified by others and your results will vary:

1.) I won the lottery for $3 Million Dollars
2.) I have about 10 supermodels fighting for my attention
3.) My muscles have become much larger then before
4.) I may or may not have super powers (possibly developing signs of x-ray vision)
5.) I rushed into a burning building and saved a bunch of school kids and some kittens."

 Don't neglect to read the answers to the 41 questions if you go to this shirt's Amazon page:

Q:
Is there a difference between the $6 shirt and the $30 shirt?  I don't see any more wolves.

A:
Yes -- Twenty-four dollars.

***

Q:
Does this shirt glow in the dark?

A:
Of course not!  It is much too stealthy to glow in the dark.

But if you chew Mint-O-Green Life Savers with your mouth open in the dark, you can see sparks!



3.) REVIEWS DON'T SELL BOOKS/ WORD OF MOUTH DOES

Who do you trust more, a stranger or a good friend?  

Yeah, easy answer, right?

Lightning strikes where it will.  

None of us know what group of strangers might read our book and spread the word ...

to a local book club ... to their local library ... to their close friends.
 


4.) THICK SKIN IS A MUST FOR WRITERS

"I have pretty thick skin, and I think if you're going to be in this business, if you're going to be a writer, you better have a thick skin."
 - John Irving .

Bad reviews are just part of the tuition of being an author.  Hang in there, everyone.

12 comments:

  1. Bwahahahaha! I need to get me that t-shirt! Not that I need bulging muscles and 10 supermodels fighting for my attention, but I could use a lottery win!

    Thick skin... Yup we need it to be thick as an alligator's.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a thick head -- I wonder if that will do!! :-)

      Sorry for the delayed response. I worked all day and all night Sunday. I slept most of today!!

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  2. That shirt sleeps with my wife and it's going to see the pointy end of my Excalibur sword.
    Good reviews help. A lot of reviews help visibility, at least on Amazon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Speaking of Excalibur -- have you seen King Arthur?

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  3. Great post, and I'm interested in buying that t-shirt as well!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am fighting the urge to buy another to replace the one that time has tattered! :-)

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  4. I'd buy that shirt in a heartbeat! As to those bad-vibe reviews, I have to admit they intrigue me, too. I always wonder if they're written by disgruntled writers who don't have any reviews of their own. Oops! That was caustic. Sorry.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I feel those caustic reviews come from people miserable on the inside.

      I know that come payday (this Thursday) I will probably the shirt again! I am such an easy sell for humor! :-)

      Delete
  5. Great post, Roland. I've run into the trap of thinking a single bad review will ruin me, and have given the naysayers way too much power in the past.

    This was a good reminder not to. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. After the 'unique" review PW gave the anthology I am in, I thought it might help my fellow anthologists to step back and re-think the importance of one review. I'm glad you liked it. :-)

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  6. We definitely need a thick skin! And while having reviews may help sales, everyone gets negative ones, so we have to be prepared for them and be able to move on!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rain falls on the just and unjust alike with bad reviews, right? Thanks for visiting and commenting!

      Delete