1. EachPod

How to Get Book Reviews with Derek Doepker {ep. 136}

Author
Alexa Bigwarfe
Published
Thu 22 Aug 2024
Episode Link
https://podcasts.castplus.fm/e/pnm5xx6n-book-marketing-strategies-with-derek-doepker

In this episode, Derek and Alexa discuss:

  • how Derek went from being a broke valet parker to a bestselling author, selling over 100,000 books using mostly free and low-cost marketing strategies (he got into personal development and started writing fitness blogs, which eventually led him to publish a book.)
  • Why you shouldn't give up after a launch that isn't successful.  (first book didn’t do well, but he kept learning about marketing until his third book became a big hit, making $6,000 in 11 days!)
  • Derek focused on learning marketing strategies, and his book consistently hit #1 in competitive categories. 
  • the importance of book reviews for authors, especially when launching a new book  (aim for 10 to 20 reviews early on to help with promotion)
  • Build your email list! This is key to anyone serious about selling more books!
  • Strategies for Reviews: ask for genuine feedback from readers and use methods like viral giveaways to build an email list. From there, authors can engage with readers and ask for reviews.
  • Hollywood Pitch Formula: Derek shares a strategy called the Hollywood Pitch Formula, which helps your book stand out. It’s all about combining two concepts to create a memorable hook (e.g., "Die Hard on a bus" for the movie Speed).
  • How to engage reviewers: To find reviewers, he suggests reaching out to people who already review books in your genre and giving them a clear and engaging pitch.
  • Follow-Up with Readers: To encourage readers to leave reviews, Derek recommends using surveys. This approach allows authors to get feedback and, potentially, a review with minimal effort on the reader’s part. He emphasizes following up in a non-pushy way, asking questions like, "How are you enjoying the book?" before asking for a review.
  • Final Thought: Getting positive reviews can be a great motivator for authors to push harder in their marketing efforts.



Derek Doepker went from being a broke valet parker to a bestselling author who's sold over 100,000 books sold using mostly free and low-cost marketing strategies. Now he shares these strategies with entrepreneurs to turn their knowledge into a bestselling book.

Learn more here: https://bestsellersecrets.com

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