"review" copies - what do you do?

baba-prague

This is really just to share what's become a bit of a bugbear recently. We regularly get asked for review copies of our deck - which is great and we're only too happy to help. But what do you do with people who write bogus requests pretending to be journalists?

We've had a couple of these recently and I've found it makes me really annoyed. It's time-consuming to check out the person and it's oddly offensive when you realise they have never published a review in their lives and are just trying to get a free copy.

The real reviewers tend to be great and very professional (like the reviewers we know so well here on AT - couldn't be better). Often magazine reviewers will even offer to return the deck after review (we never ask for this though!) and will nearly always send a copy of what they've written. We've been surprised with free books from time to time - only to find we are in there!

But these people who write pretending to be something they are not - grrrr. Does it irritate you as much as it does me? How do you respond? I'd love to share on this one!
 

Imagemaker

One quick thought on checking them out quickly. I'd ask what publication they write for (or intend to publish in), then enter their name and the publication into Google. See if that turns up verification.
 

mercenary30

What a great idea....

Why didn't I think of that?

Baba, will you let me know when the Baroque Bohemian Cats' Tarot is finished? I want to review it!!!!!

})
 

baba-prague

LOL - okay you'll get a free review copy if you get at least six reviews in print between now and then ;-)

Imagemaker. I do always Google and it's useful, you're right and thanks for pointing that out.

But what's hard is the time spent - you really do have to be careful before you give a flat refusal - and also the fact that it is so unavoidably annoying when you feel someone is not being truthful. I'm just interested and - maybe - amused to hear what other people here do about it. I'm also not very good at refusals - sometimes I sometimes want to write "go away - how dare you!" but I'm always very polite. I wonder if everyone here is? Has anyone ever sent a really cross or witty reply I wonder?
 

Ironwing

I would put a notice on the website saying that review copies are available to qualified people (describe these) with verifiable credentials and contact information.

A bogus request makes you feel that you're under attack, and makes you doubt yourself and what you do. Although petty, it's like any other crime - an invasion that threatens your trust.

When I published my CD-ROM (100 copies), I gave several review copies to booksellers, magazines, and professional societies who requested them. Only one resulted in a review (or anything else), and none resulted in sales.

I will not offer review copies of my tarot deck, since so few decks will be printed. I also prefer to handle publicity on my own terms in ways that make sales, opportunities, and friends...NOT just generate creepy phone calls and e-mail requests from "artists" looking for crash space. (See, I get mad too!)

I hope the fake requests stop coming. Good luck!

Lorena

ADDITIONAL NOTE:
I often get requests from people who want to use photos from my cactus website for printed publications. I usually allow this and even supply high resolution photos...but I request a copy of the publication and I always note the e-mail address of the sender and check their contact info. For instance, a hotmail or yahoo address from someone who claims to be e-mailing from work should raise a red flag if the person claims to be representing their company or agency.
 

mercenary30

No practical experience....

but you could set a standard for all requestors to submit the last "X" number of articles and/or references. Any journalist should have credentials that they use for these purposes. This would put the leg work back on them. You should not have to put in that time, and should be able to feel comfortable in denying any request that cannot follow through on this. If you build a template that you can use over and over, worded in such a manner to allow an extreamly polite request that also states that regretfully, your company cannot submit a deck unless these criteria are met.

One emailed/mailed response and you are all done, unless they remit the requested information.
 

minotaur

review copies

To cut down on the number of bogus review requests send review copies only to media addresses. If the reviewer says they work at home and to send it to their home address, then you might consider further verification of their press credentials.
 

baba-prague

Ironwing said:
A bogus request makes you feel that you're under attack, and makes you doubt yourself and what you do. Although petty, it's like any other crime - an invasion that threatens your trust.

When I published my CD-ROM (100 copies), I gave several review copies to booksellers, magazines, and professional societies who requested them. Only one resulted in a review (or anything else), and none resulted in sales.


Yes, you're right. Like I say I find it oddly upsetting - you've helped me work out why. It is a matter of trust.

We are actually more than happy to give review copies to real reviewers and on the whole we've had a good experience. It's generally very hard for us to know if they have directly resulted in sales - but I think they have. Anyway, the feedback is always very interesting.

I have a horrible feeling though that when Baroque Cats comes out we will get quite a flood of bogus requests - because it will appeal to all sorts of people outside the tarot community.

Ah well, nice to have this discussion, get it off my chest, and get some good ideas for dealing with it.!
 

Imagemaker

Re: review copies

To cut down on the number of bogus review requests send review copies only to media addresses. If the reviewer says they work at home and to send it to their home address, then you might consider further verification of their press credentials.

This is an excellent suggestion and the way it works for professors requesting review copies of course books. The publishers send the item to the academic department of the institution. Even for adjunct teachers with only occasional courses, the department will accept those mailings and hold them for pickup.
 

baba-prague

Yes, this makes a lot of sense. Though of course it's no problem to send a copy to the home of a journalist or reviewer who you actually know.

By the way, I should say again that this rant of mine is NOT aimed at real reviewers - who we much appreciate. It was actually sparked off by one very recent request the details of which I won't go into but which did - as you can see - make me cross!

Oh well, I suppose it all has a funny side too.