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Updated September 7, 2023
Subtitle
Testimonials from a wide variety of people are a great way to bring credibility, exposure, and higher book sales
Synopsis
Testimonials from various people are a great way to bring credibility, exposure, and higher sales for your book. Here are eleven sources to find free testimonials that you can use to help promote your book through your website and marketing materials.
What You Will Learn
1. You will learn where to get free and powerful testimonials for your book.
2. You will learn about the power of a testimonial to bring credibility, exposure, and higher sales.
3. You will learn why various testimonials from many different types of people will significantly enhance your credibility and book sales.
Introduction
Testimonials are a great way to bring credibility, exposure, and higher sales for your book. Nothing helps to give your book greater and faster attention than a positive quote from a prominent figure or celebrity knowledgeable in your book’s subject matter.
But regular people can also be a great source of honest, credible, and powerful testimonials. Using a variety of testimonials from many different types of people, celebrities, and non-celebrities in various professions and industries will significantly enhance your credibility and book sales.
Here are eleven sources to find free testimonials you can use to help promote your book through your website and marketing materials:
Source # 1. Teachers, professors, educators: Think about some of your favorite educators in school, especially the ones that taught a subject like your book does. Ensure you also consider the educators with impressive titles, like “Dean” and “Chairman.” Many in this group will also have been published, so make sure that their most famous, most successful, or most recent book title is attached to their name.
Source # 2. Authors and bloggers: If you have already written your non-fiction book, you will know who these people are. Email them at their publisher or blog and ask for a testimonial.
Source # 3. Industry insiders: Prominent people within your industry can be challenging to get testimonials from, but you should try anyway. These will be much easier to get if you are socially active within your industry. But anyone else within your industry who has exemplary accomplishments, many years on the job, or authored a book will be just as suitable for your needs.
Source # 4. Professional organization leaders: This one might also be difficult to get for national leaders because they will be afraid that by giving you a testimonial, it will look like their organization is endorsing you and your book. But getting this type of testimonial will be like hitting the jackpot. Professional organization leaders on the local level will be much easier to get a quote from.
Source # 5. Local celebrities: This group is worth pursuing. Some obvious choices would be minor local celebrities such as those on local TV news, successful business owners, newspaper reporters, and anyone with a fancy title. More prominent stars that appear regularly on national TV shows can be complicated to approach, and sometimes want to get paid for their testimonial. Never pay for a testimonial.
Source # 6. Suppliers, manufacturers: Talk to some suppliers or manufacturers you and your company deal with. The best testimonials will be from anyone at these companies with a professional title. But don’t forget, those without a fancy title can also be good, especially if they have direct knowledge of you and your work.
Source # 7. Charitable organizations: Any charity or religious organization you belong to, especially if you are actively involved with the group, is a good source of testimonials. Again, try to get someone with a title or impressive credentials.
Source # 8. Government officials: On a national level, these can also be difficult for the average non-fiction author. Again, try local first. Many of these local officials will be happy to help you.
Source # 9. Social media: Quotes from social media can be excellent, especially if you want to get many testimonials. But try to get quotes from those who have a big following and have also written a book.
Source # 10. Current clients: These can be some of your most potent testimonials and should be easier to get. Start with your oldest clients and those you have the most contact with. Get testimonials from some of your big clients and smaller clients. Remember, the key here is to get a variety of testimonials from different demographics.
11. Friends, family: Yes, even these can be good, especially from those who do not have the same last name as yours. But they must write an honest testimonial about you and your book, using their own words.
Conclusion
Ensure you get a wide variety of quotes from people in different professions and industries, as well as some from regular readers not found on the above list. Testimonials from those with big, fancy titles and recognizable names are undoubtedly impressive and can help you get more attention and sell more books.
But getting honest testimonials from those without those fancy titles can also help you sell more books, as well as help you build a more extensive following of devoted fans. Testimonials from regular people are much more believable and relied upon when a shopper is searching for a book to buy.
So, remember, a wide variety of voices and opinions is vital to build and maintain your credibility (and self-respect), which will help you sell more books over the long term.
Questions to Think About
1. Do you have a favorite source for finding testimonials? Is it within your industry?
2. What testimonials, and from whom, have you received that brought you the most credibility and book sales?
