How To Handle Email: Book Review Requests

How to handle email! In this edition, I would like to discuss requests for book reviews! As you go in your online adventures, you get this weird voice that you start talking with. No, not really. But you may see some traction, especially if you’re a writer or a coach or someone who helps people out in the way they communicate and express ideas.

Watch the video or read the transcription:

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Or get your audio / podcast going, too:

*Podcast No Longer Available*

You may find that every once in a while you get a request for a book review. Maybe not an official one on Amazon or anything, but a “Hey, check this out, let me know what you think, where you’re going.” And it can be tough. I’ve got a couple myself. Well, it’s on a regular basis. The first book I do was kind of tough for me to figure out what to do. And that was mostly because I wasn’t really thinking about the impact it would have on my life, my business, and my time.

And really and truly, especially if it’s a random ask, you have to determine for yourself “Well, what’s in it for them,” obviously. Feedback, a review, some notoriety, maybe some links, maybe some sharing with your community in your list, but what’s in it for you? I mean, you’re going to spend two, three, four hours reading this; they’re probably going to expect something in return as far as feedback. And other than getting a free book that you may or may not even like, that you’re then on the hook to share an honest opinion on.

Well, quite frankly, I would say 99.9 percent of the time, it’s best just to not even do it. Now if that’s a matter of simply telling them “Hey, you know, I don’t do book reviews.” Or add that to the type of email that you just ignore, especially for the random ones that come in. Then that’s what you got to do.

But basically figure out whether or not it fits into your business plan or your free time to read this book and to get some feedback. You will find as busy as you get, or after the first couple that you do, that the cons usually outweigh the pros for both parties. That’s the way I do it, whether or not that works for you is up to you. But there’s some anecdotal evidence for you on handling your email. Bye!