Why as a self-published author 5*Amazon reviews are all I want for Christmas

I know we're supposed to hate them, but for self-published authors and small business owners, Amazon can be a godsend

If you’re new to me, hi there, I’m Selina, a Career and Life Design Coach, author and podcaster. I’ve been helping people design lives and careers they love for almost two decades. My ‘Goodbye 2024, Hello 2025’ journal is now out - available in the UK, USA, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. ORDER YOURS NOW!

If you saw my post last week, announcing the arrival of the ‘Goodbye 2024, Hello 2025’ journal, you may remember I asked people to please please pretty please come and leave a review on Amazon.

What happened next genuinely blew me away.

So many reviews started pouring in and amazing reviews at that. So much love poured out about the journals and how they have helped people change their lives.

And while a part of my is cringing about sharing this because what if it sounds like I’m boasting?!

F*** it.

I am proud and so over the moon to hear the difference these journals have made to people’s lives.

I’ve created plenty of things in the past that haven’t been particularly noteworthy or made much of a difference to people, but these yearly journals really do seem to have a power to them…

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “I can't be without this Journal in my life!

It is a ritual I have come to treasure at the end of every year, and it makes me so excited for the year to come.When I look back over my journals and see how far I've come and all the things I have done, it makes me so proud.

Get this journal today, it truly is life changing”

Lynsey Hanratty

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Life changing

I started doing these journals at the end of 2017 and things that I wanted to change in my life started to shift immediately and significantly.

These journals are utterly life changing - cannot recommend enough - also makes a fab Christmas gift, I’ve bought many of the last few years and given to pals whose lives have also been massively enhanced by this magic

Jem

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “My favourite New Year’s tradition!

I have to say they are truly magical. It's amazing what happens when you delve into this stuff and get it down on paper! Totally transformative. Thank you Selina!”

Zoe

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Inspiring and full of great wisdom

Selina is a talented and intuitive coach who is a ray of sunshine and loving guidance. This book is like having her there on your shoulder guiding and cheering you on every step of the way”

Sarah

I mean…COME ON.

And at the time of writing this there are 45 Amazon reviews saying similar things 🥹

But please don’t let that stop you from leaving one too!

If you are a fan of the ‘Goodbye, Hello’ journals and want to let me know, then please do head right over here and let me know! And if you’re in the US, head over here.

Because not only does it honestly make my day to read the reviews coming in, but this year I’m really leaning into setting up shop on Amazon, both in the UK and the US, to help me sell the journals and every single review is gold dust in helping me do that.

And I don’t want to lay it on too thick, but it is my birthday tomorrow and if would make it an amazing birthday if were to wake up to 50 or more reviews on Amazon 😝🥳

Now if you’re curious about why I’m wanting to lean so much into selling on Amazon this year then read on. This will be particularly interesting if you are a writer with a dream of self-publishing your own book or a coach, therapist or creative wanting to self-publish your own journal…

Or maybe you just hate Amazon and can’t understand why in the world I would be wanting people to review on there!

Why Amazon of all places - isn’t that destroying the book world?!

This might be surprising, because of the reputation Amazon has when it comes to books and authors, but actually, for self-published folk, Amazon is kind of a godsend (particularly if your book or journal mainly sells over the Christmas period).

Here is why:

1. It’s hard to sell our books or journals anywhere else

It’s hard enough to get your published book into a book shop, but almost impossible if your book or journal is self-published. Most bookshops, big or small, will only order their books through the main book distributors and the main book distributors don’t stock self-published books.

You can of course, particularly if you have a journal, approach gift shops, because they are more used to taking on small amounts of stock from different suppliers, but I for one don’t have the time to be approaching hundreds of gift shops and then getting them set up as a stockists. I know a journal company that has someone doing that job full time and I only have me!

And even when you strike gold and get your book or journal into places like the Tate Modern (it’s back there again this year! 🥳) or Oliver Bonas, as the journal has been in previous years, they still don’t take that many journals.

2. Your book or journal can instantly join the biggest global market place in the world

For ages I avoided using Amazon to sell the journal on moral grounds, but then I realised, the only person losing out was me. I know Amazon needs to change and get better, but the fact remains that more people than ever are shopping on Amazon and I want my journal to be one of the products that they can discover. Plus with just a few clicks I got the journals selling in the US on Amazon.com. That is pretty amazing.

2. No one delivers as quickly and efficiently as Amazon, particularly Amazon Prime - and during the Christmas period that is super important

I ordered a copy of the ‘Goodbye 2024, Hello 2025’ journal on Amazon last week. It arrived within less than 24 hours. You cannot beat that. Particularly at Christmas. And honestly, everyone at the Lewisham Royal Mail depot is breathing a sigh of relief that I’m not sending all the journals out myself this year. I don’t know who found it more stressful - them or me. And while I have to say Royal Mail did a pretty good job (hardly any were lost and all arrived in pretty quick time) being able to order the journal on 23rd December and know that you’ll get it in time to give as a Christmas present two days later, is the kind of guarantee I want to give my last minute shoppers looking for a meaningful Christmas gift.

And actually I make more money getting my journals sold and shipped through Amazon than I do when I sell my journals to shops.

3. In a world of increasing online scammers, people trust Amazon

With more and more scammers flooding instagram and tiktok with false copy cat accounts, it’s hard to know what websites you can really trust. People use Amazon because they trust it. And thanks to those golden reviews, they can double check that what they are clicking to buy really is what they are looking for. Which is why those ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reviews are so incredibly valuable.

4. Amazon will even print your books or journals for you

Amazon’s print-on-demand service has been a total game changer for writers. You can upload your book or journal onto Amazon and have customers buying it straight away, without having to put up any upfront cash to print the books first. Whenever a customer orders your book, Amazon will print it and send it. I don’t personally use this option, because I want my book to be made in a certain way, with fancy things like shiny lettering on the cover, but I love that Amazon offers people the freedom and power to print and sell their own books.

Isn’t it hard to sell on Amazon?

It does officially have THE WORST customer service in the world, but there are plenty of great You Tube videos out there that will show you how to set yourself up as a seller or upload your book or journal to print-on-demand. And if you want a total pro guiding you through it all, I can’t recommend Vicki Weinberg more. Just one session with her gave me SO much invaluable guidance - I’m now going back for more (and we’re going to be recording a podcast ep together soon too - watch this space)!

Like I say, I feel a little bit weird championing Amazon so much when they have a lot that they need to change about the way they operate and treat their workers, but for anyone out there with a product they want to sell or a book they want to publish, Amazon might be more of a friend than you realise.

x Selina

P.S. If you sell your own book, journal or product on Amazon and want me to review YOU in return, let me know - in the comments below or drop me an email 💌