The 4-Star Review Strategy ⭐⭐⭐⭐
How to turn someone else’s feedback into your competitive edge
Okay, last week was a bit of a slow news week for me. My focus has been all over the place—finalising a keynote speech, prepping for my new speaker reel (gathering footage, testimonials, and all that fun stuff), and, of course, delivering client work! On the bright side, I wrapped up a really rewarding project with some educational leaders in Gippsland.
Now, why am I telling you this?
Because all of this—keynotes, client work, speaker reels—it’s not separate from the process of writing a book. In fact, it’s a big part of it. These projects help me reflect and sharpen my ideas as I move through the writing process.
When I’m working with clients or chatting with prospects, I reflect on the moments that sparked the most excitement:
Where did I light up?
Where did I feel completely confident in offering advice?
Did my opinion stir up a reaction?
Did they pull back or lean in?
And most importantly—can I talk about that subject endlessly?
These are the clues that guide me.
But there comes a point where you need to stop floating ideas and actually land the plane. It’s easy to get caught up in all the possibilities, but sooner or later, you need to choose a direction.
I’m not ready to land the plane just yet when it comes to my book topic. But I am getting plenty of red-hot signals.
The next step?
See if there’s a market for these ideas, and discover what frustrates that market.
My 4-Star Review Strategy: Learning from Competitors
I’ve started my research—digging through Amazon books and creating a Google Sheet.
I’m checking out the number of reviews, and here’s my trick: I ignore the 5-star feedback.
Instead, I click on the 4-star reviews. Why 4-star? They’re full of insights about what worked and what didn’t.
I wish I could tell you where I heard this idea from but I honestly can’t remember! If I do recall, I promise to credit you :)
But this is the same method I used when planning The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint.
Here’s why this strategy is pure gold:
Balanced feedback: 4-star reviews are neither gushing praise nor scathing criticism. They usually include a mix of what the reader loved and what could have been better.
Actionable insights: These reviews often contain specific suggestions for improvement. Readers might say things like, "I wish there was more depth on this topic" or "It would have been better if they included more examples."
Understanding the Gaps: 4-star reviews can reveal gaps in the market. Readers often point out what they didn’t get but were hoping for, which helps you spot opportunities to offer something fresh and valuable.
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Would you rather get glowing 5-star reviews that don’t give much feedback or 4-star reviews full of helpful insights?
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