Last week I promised that I would take the advice given in The 4-Hour Workweek and contact someone famous for some advice. Well, I actually took this opportunity to contact Tim Ferriss, who wrote The 4-Hour Workweek, and within 3 hours I had the following response from Tim’s Executive Assistant:
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Hi Daniel,
Thanks for your e-mail. Unfortunately Tim is moving this week, and he is off of e-mail while getting set up in his new digs. I did however have a chance to speak to him on the phone, and I shared your e-mail with him. He has asked me to dicate the following to you, and also recommends checking out this blog post. It’s of his ‘case study in hitting the NY Times’. http://www.fourhourworkweek.com
Hope this helps, and that ‘I will suffice’ instead of Tim. 
I am just as charming as he is, but slightly less popular! 
I am just as charming as he is, but slightly less popular! “Hi Daniel,
Thanks for the kind words and letter. The best way to have heavy hitters review your book (then blurb IF they love it) is to know them for some period first and have them trust you and how you might use their name. Go to events, meet them, and spend time with them, and DO NOT discuss the book until they ask you what current projects you’re working on, etc. This is usually 2-3 beers later or a second encounter. Cold emailing can work, but you need to make it clear why something in the book is extremely relevant and interesting to them, not just why/how you’ll benefit from the blurb.
I hope this helps. I should also say that I am taking a break from doing blurbs right now because my address somehow got into the general database at Random House and I’m getting 10-12 requests and books per week.”
Good luck! — Tim”
Thanks again for your e-mail Daniel, and I’d like to say ‘hi’ to your blog readers!!
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Well, that solidifies Tim’s hero status in my eyes. Not only did he respond rapidly to my email but he also dictated it to his very capable assistant. I imagine this dictation coming from a Charlie’s Angels style speaker, with none other than the best self-promoter in history on the other end.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Matt // Apr 23, 2008 at 8:15 am
Really great having Tim respond to your open letter. I think the tip of getting to know someone is really true. People want to feel like people not just known for their name recognition (and potential blurb).
2 Simple Mom // May 22, 2008 at 5:15 pm
That’s very cool!
3 TrackSuit CEO // May 23, 2008 at 11:39 am
Thanks, Simple Mom. I’m still on Cloud 9 about this one.
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