By Tammy Hopf

You’re browsing the bookshelf at your local bookstore, trying to decide which books to buy. You pick up a book and notice that it’s endorsed by a well-known person you admire. Are you more likely to buy the book?

Yes! Many people base their book buying decisions on endorsements.

While endorsements aren’t mandatory, they can certainly help book sales.

Kinds of kudos

Pick practically

Don’t send a copy of your page proofs to Oprah and expect her to drop everything and endorse your book. Choose wisely and practically. Check out local contacts first; people you know personally or have a connection with.

Broaden your list by looking in magazines, Web sites, and newspapers about your genre.

Sit down and have a “round table” with friends—you might be surprised at who they know!

Start soon

It takes time to read a book and then more time to write an endorsement. The “bigger” the name, the busier they usually are, so you may even want to suggest writing something on their behalf for their approval.

Is your book almost/already in print? No worries. Use endorsements in your promotional/marketing materials. Put them on bookmarks, press kits, flyers, etc. You can always include them in reprints of your book.

Ask and ask again

Once you compile your list of prospective endorsers, start asking for endorsements. Be polite and sincere. If the endorser has been an inspiration to you, let them know and that you value their opinion. Tell them you will use their quote with their name and the name of their organization or book—think of ways to show it will benefit to them as well. Follow up with gentle reminders and be patient.

Plenty of prose

You’ve successfully collected lots of endorsements. Use the best ones on the back cover of the book (and a good one-liner from the most famous person on the front). Place the remaining endorsements on the first page(s) where the title and half-title page appear.

You may need to edit endorsements to meet space requirements. If you change any of the wording on an endorsement, be sure to show the changes to the endorser and get their approval before going to press with your book.

As a project manager, Tammy Hopf is the first port of call for everything concerning the actual production and printing of your book. She also directs authors to any other departments they may need.

Tammy has worked with WinePress Publishing Group since 1999 and has been a project manager for seven years. As the liaison between authors and the design, typesetting, editing, and other production departments, she helps coordinate all the different aspects that transform a manuscript into a beautiful book. She enjoys working with authors to make their dreams a reality.