“How often does someone buy a book based on a reader endorsement? How can I believe what is being said about a book? What if the person endorsing a book has a completely different take on it than I do?”
These questions and more are considerations by potential book buyers who are viewing information on your website. In all truth, they want to know if the book (your book) they are considering purchasing is worth the $20 or so they will be spending.
Do endorsements work? Sometimes yes. Sometimes no.
I, for one, do read endorsements. I have purchased many books based on an endorsement. The more “real” an endorsement seems the more likely I will get the book (if I had an interest in the first place).
So what does this have to do with you? Well, if you’re an author you need to be fully aware of what gives a book more “legs” and how to position this.

The fact is, endorsements work. Visible on a book website definitely helps.
It’s one thing for us to tell others how good our book is. It’s something completely different to have a third party say the book is good.
So how do you get endorsements? Often, it’s simply a matter of asking. Here are three ways to get endorsements.

• Send review copies to influential people in your industry. It’s best to contact them first to see if they have an interest. When someone is extremely busy and they get an unsolicited books sent to them for review the books often go into a pile called, “Need to get around to reading.”
• When someone tells you how much they enjoyed reading your book, ask them if you can use their comments on your website. If they emailed you their comments, all the better. You can often use as is. All you’ll need is their picture to add more credibility to the endorsement.
• Review comments on your Amazon page. Contact those who left reviews to see if you can use their comments on your website.

Endorsements do help. Your job is to do what you can to obtain valid comments.