The Art Of Authors Faking Sincerity

 

 

My barista at a nearby Starbucks this morning did what all of the workers are trained to do — act like they know me and sound as if they care about me. They shout my name across the room as I open the door to enter. I am noticed immediately. Their bid to be friendly can be good for business, except when the customer realizes he or she is just being seduced for what is in their wallet. Book marketing should never come across as faked sincerity — even if it is.

As you place your order and the cashier is feverishly pressing buttons to process the order, they are fed prompts from the computer to ask a series of questions, one after the other:

“Do you want whip cream on that?”

“Would you like your beverage hot or cold”?

“Anything else with that”?

“How will you be paying today”?

“Do you need a receipt”?

“Ok, well you have a great day, today, Brian. Your drink should be coming shortly.

They smile, though underneath is likely a frown.

They sound energized, but they could probably just as easily collapse on a couch if they could.

Every exchange and interaction feels robotic and scripted. They are selling not just coffee and desserts, but a faux friendship.

The connection continues long after I leave the store. I receive follow-up notifications, based on my buying patterns or digital cookies, asking me to spend more. If only I had a second mouth!

Are most of our exchanges no more believable than when a stripper on the job fakes an interest in someone, seeking to establish a relationship that lasts only for as long as you pay her.

So, why do businesses fake sincerity if they fake it poorly or when we know it is all baloney?

The same reason we stay at dead-end jobs, remain friends with people who don’t always treat us right, and stay in a marriage or relationship well past its sell-by date. We want to feel wanted so badly, and to avoid feeling lonely or unnoticed, that we will buy into whatever fake interaction that is thrown our way.

So, when marketing your book, be aware of this social dynamic.

 

Don’t forget to:

* Forge a personal connection as you send targeted pitches to the news media.
* Actively make social media interactions.
* Be polite and ask how one is doing.
* Avoid making standard or bland responses to questions.
* Que the laughter.
* Always make eye contact.
* Sound like you give a crap.

As we weave through the pandemic recovery and re-socialize in a variety of settings, let’s remember to show some sincerity, even if we have to fake it.

 

Please Contact Me For Help

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres.

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2021. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.