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[Promotion] Bostick Communications

enchantedfire5

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I recieved a strange email the other day from 'Bostick Communications',

What's even stranger is that they were asking me about my second book, which isn't even out yet. That set up red flags for me. They claim they just happened to come across my website. But if that were true, then why didn't they ask about promoting my first book, it's already out and available!

They are asking for 175.00 to promote my book. I've pasted the message below:


'Mr. Baccaro,
$175 to reach over 20,000 reviewers, media contacts and indie book stores…

Does your book need more exposure? Bostick Communications specializes in e-mailing

press releases regarding new books to our database of over 20,000 book reviewers,

print, radio, television and internet media contacts as well as buyers in independent book

stores for only $175. The e-mails are sent individually addressed to each applicable

contact.

After each distribution our staff makes follow up calls to key contacts to help push

your book. We forward all review/interview requests to you and offer feedback regarding

those requests. Our service also includes content and timing recommendations at no

additional charge. Your book is also placed on our tracking system for over one year.

Our program monitors thousands of review and media sites, seeking reviews/mentions

on your book. When pick up is detected we immediately forward the applicable link to

you.

The key to our success has been twofold: our marketing plan and our databases. The

Bostick Communications marketing plan is NOT based on how many releases we

distribute each day, but how many reviews/interviews we secure for our clients in a given

day. We build our client base mainly by referrals and that is accomplished by giving our

author clients book exposure.

The Bostick Communications databases are the most comprehensive and up to date in

the industry. We have an entire staff devoted to updating our databases each day.

Database accuracy is the key to being a successful press release distribution service.


Any distribution service can state that they send to 10,000, 50,000 or even 100,000

contacts and your release received 100,000 to 200,000 hits on websites, but if you have

not sent out any books for review and haven’t made any television appearances or radio

interviews, those numbers are meaningless. That is the value we bring to you – getting

you exposure and creating “talk” on the internet regarding your book.


Please review our website for more information at this link:

Press Release Distribution

And also be sure to refer to our testimonials especially from our author clients:'



What do you all think? Think it's a scam?
 

efreysson

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Bostick Communications

I just received the following email from them offering a to arrange reviews. It all seems a little too good to be true,


We are offering you a special rate of $95 to reach up to 30,000 applicable reviewers and
media contacts… No recurrent or hidden fees…

Bostick Communications, with over 25 years of experience, specializes in e-mailing
press releases regarding books to our database of up to 30,000 book reviewers,
print, radio, television and internet media contacts for only $95 (regular $175).
The e-mails are sent individually addressed to each applicable contact.

After each distribution our staff makes follow up calls to key contacts to help push
your book. We forward all review/interview requests to you and offer feedback regarding
those requests. Our service also includes content and timing recommendations at no
additional charge. Your book is also placed on our tracking system for over one year.
Our program monitors thousands of review and media sites, seeking reviews/mentions
on your book. When pick up is detected we immediately forward the applicable link to
you. We continue to present your book to applicable new additions to our database long
after the initial e-mail blast.

The key to our success has been twofold: our marketing plan and our databases. The
Bostick Communications marketing plan is NOT based on how many releases we
distribute each day, but how many reviews/interviews we secure for our clients in a given
day. We build our client base mainly by referrals and that is accomplished by giving our
author clients book exposure. This is NOT a similar service to what your publisher or
any of our competitors are offering.

The Bostick Communications databases are the most comprehensive and up to date in
the industry. We have an entire staff devoted to updating our databases each day.
Database accuracy is the key to being a successful press release distribution service.
Contacts in our database are opt-in and we have hundreds of "exclusive" relationships
with reviewers that review ONLY for Bostick Communications' clients. Our standards for
database inclusion are very high. If reviewers don't meet our reviewing requirements
over a period of time, they are deleted from the database.


I did Google them and opinions on them seem to vary. Apparently some get a whole bunch of reviews, others get spam.

Now, I'm self-publishing and badly need reviews. Should I take them up on it?
 

cornflake

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That doesn't say they arrange reviews.

That says if you pay them $95, they'll send out email begging people to review your book.

They don't even say to whom they're sending the emails, except that many of the people on the email list only review books for the junk email company.

What better, or more trustworthy book review could one find than a person who works for a company that makes money sending out junk email?

More to the point, who would ever see or read any of those reviews, even if those people wrote them?

I wouldn't advise paying people $95 to send out emails.