Tag Archives: mission
What’s a book endorsement? And how are book endorsements gathered?
Today I’d like to answer two questions about the publishing industry: What are endorsements? And how are they gathered?
What are endorsements?
The first question is easy to answer. An endorsement is a recommendation from a typically well-known or respected person for a product that is used for marketing and promotion. In regards to books, “endorsement” is the name given to the short quotes printed on book jackets and in the interior pages that describe for consumers why they should read the book.
For examples, see the Amazon page for The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission by John Dickson. All of the quotes listed under “editorial reviews” are endorsements. (For an example of how endorsements can be used in a humorous way see “editorial reviews” section for Tina Fey’s book, Bossypants. I laugh out loud every time.)
How are endorsements gathered?
This question is a bit harder to answer because there is no “one way” to get an endorsement. The way I gather almost all of the endorsements for our books is to start with the author and the content of the book. I ask him or her, “Who do you know that has a strong reputation in the field or topic you’re writing about?” We then go to those people – friends, colleagues, and aquaintances of the author – first as they are the most likely people to respond positively.
