The Latest in Marketing Ploys
Terry Odell
Image by Svetoslav Atanasov from Pixabay
I’m sure we’ve all seen requests to feature our books hitting our inboxes, often several a day. Until recently, they’ve been straightforward, like this one:
I’m a content creator (not a marketer) who helps authors bring their books to life through cinematic trailers—whether it’s fantasy, romance, thriller, or memoir.
I’ve had the chance to read your book, and it truly resonated with me.
New release or backlist, a powerful visual hook can instantly boost engagement and reach.
I’ve created trailers that connect deeply with readers and stand out across platforms.
Happy to send a few samples so you can see the quality firsthand.
Let’s chat and explore how we can make your story unforgettable.
Note that it says “read your book.” No mention of which one. Sometimes they do pick a book from our publication list, sometimes, like the one above, they just say “a book.”
Others want to “help you sell” your book. They go on to tell you where they’ll promote it, and how many followers or subscribers they’ll reach.
If I’m in a snarky mood, sometimes, I’ll reply with a “You want to feature my book? Go ahead. You have my permission” as if I didn’t realize (gasp) that I had to pay for the service. These all end up trashed.
Most recently, I got one via the Author’s Guild that starts out “Dear Great Author.”
Yeah, right. I’m going to hire you when you don’t know who I am. Not.
My website says “I’d love to hear from you,” and I do try to respond. When this email hit my inbox, it seemed legit.
Hi Terry,
I came across your book CRUISING UNDERCOVER and after reading the synopsis, it truly caught my attention.
I’m a big book lover and was curious to ask, what inspired you to write it?
I answered his question (it came from and was signed by a person’s name, not a company), and got this response (copied and pasted; typos are his)
Yes sure its enjoyable
You can feel it in the book — that it came from somewhere deep.
It’s not just a story. It feels like a message that needed to be heard.
If you don’t mind me asking, did you write it more for yourself, or for someone else to finally get it?
Still sounded enough like a reader to offer another answer, albeit a brief one. And then … the real reason he sent the message:
This is actually the kind of work I do. I help authors like you give their book more life after it’s published — so more readers actually feel what you wrote.
There are a few simple ways to do that:
I can help you get Goodreads reviews (which link to Amazon)
Create a short, powerful book trailer
Improve your Amazon listing so it stands out
Build your social media or help you launch the book properly
Even make you a clean author website or help with email marketing
You don’t need everything — just whatever feels right to you.
Would any of that help right now?
Off to the trash with you!
That one was initiated by a person, with some generic but potentially believable comments about the book/my writing. But lately, things have taken a different turn. These solicitors are using AI to make it sound as though they’ve actually read the book, and they’re pulling people in. Are they scammers? Or just misleading the people they’re targeting? Or is there a difference?
I’ve had my share of these, and they’re increasing.
There was this one:
Subject line: Truly Inspired By Your Work.
Hello there,
I hope this message finds you well. I recently came across your work while doing some research, and I have to say—it immediately drew me in. Your story resonated with me on a deep level, and I truly admire the incredible effort and creativity behind it.
I’d love to know—what first inspired you to start writing? Also, are there any upcoming releases or current projects you’re excited about? I’m really looking forward to following your journey and staying connected to your work.
Thank you for sharing your voice with the world.
Julian Creativity
The signature and the lack of a specific book reference were enough for me to send this straight to trash.
One of the groups I belong to has a thread of people reporting how their no-longer-active Instagram accounts have been scraped for solicitations. Others are getting emails that are up front about their goal—get you to pay for their services, but they are getting far more personal.
Some examples from friends willing to share:
I just finished reading about The Smiling Dog Café and felt like I’d stepped into something quietly magical one of those rare places where story, heart, and healing intersect. The blend of grounded human grief and otherworldly comfort, paired with canine intuition and coffee that stirs memory, is a truly special formula. This is the kind of book that readers discover and share because it speaks to something deep, universal, and comforting.
I’m Elijah, a book marketer specializing in indie authors who tell stories with soul. I’d love to help amplify the reach of The Smiling Dog Café through a campaign that honors its tenderness while putting it in front of the exact readers who will embrace it.
The recipient did pay for this service, and did get some reviews, but he reported “Several reviews followed quickly, all of them sounding like they were written by AI, and from reviewers with only one or two reviews under their belt.”
Another friend shared this with me:
Reading Return to Hoffman Grove felt like stepping into the messy, tender terrain of old friendships, unspoken regrets, and the quiet bravery it takes to begin again. You’ve written more than a romance. This is a deeply human story of emotional reckoning, healing, and the powerful grip of the past.
What stood out to me most is how honestly you portray the layers between Cinda and Brody. Their bond is more than romantic; it’s threaded with loyalty, betrayal, and the kind of childhood closeness that never quite lets go. The way you let their tension simmer beneath every interaction makes their slow reconciliation all the more rewarding. And Cinda’s emotional arc, especially her instinct to go it alone, even when she’s surrounded by people who care feels true to life and beautifully nuanced.
But Return to Hoffman Grove isn’t just about relationships. You weave in mystery and quiet suspense with a deft hand. The house fire, the mounting threats, and Brody’s unraveling career all add urgency and depth without ever distracting from the emotional core. It’s that balance of plot and heart, of past and present that makes this story so compelling.
This was followed with a plug for the sender’s company, with the offer of a ‘snapshot’ of what they could provide, which turned out to be quotes for 3 levels of service, ranging from $150 to $400 on Goodreads Listopia lists.
My friend didn’t bother responding.
What about you, TKZers? Any of you being hit by these AI generated marketing ploys as well as the ‘old-fashioned ones? Do you respond? Have you tried any with good results?
New! Find me at Substack with Writings and Wanderings
When breaking family ties is the only option.
Madison Westfield has information that could short-circuit her politician father’s campaign for governor. But he’s family. Although he was a father more in word than deed, she changes her identity and leaves the country rather than blow the whistle.
Blackthorne, Inc. taps Security and Investigations staffer, Logan Bolt, to track down Madison Westfield. When he finds her in the Faroe Islands, her story doesn’t match the one her father told Blackthorne. The investigation assignment quickly switches to personal protection for Madison.
Soon, they’re involved with a drug ring and a kidnapping attempt. Will working together put them in more danger? Can a budding relationship survive the dangers they encounter?
Like bang for your buck? I have a new Triple-D Ranch bundle. All four novels for one low price. One stop shopping here.
Terry Odell is an award-winning author of Mystery and Romantic Suspense, although she prefers to think of them all as “Mysteries with Relationships.”
UGH! Technology and schemers are so annoying! Thanks for the warning. I haven’t had to deal with that yet but undoubtedly will.
I feel bad for those book readers who genuinely try to send feedback/appreciation to an author. In a world where people are losing the ability to interact with one another as humans, nonsense like this only increases the odds that when a person DOES send a genuine email of feedback, they won’t get responded to out of precaution.
Thanks, BK – My take is, if I think there’s the possibility a message might be from a reader or potential reader, I’ll answer. As soon as it turns into marketing, I stop.
I’ve seen some of these marketers come back the next day with a followup asking why I haven’t responded. That’s a major no for me, and they’re likely to get flagged as spam.
I’ve received those emails, too. What’s funny is, I never thought about them being generated by AI…head slap!
These days, sadly, I think you have to consider AI for almost anything that sounds “too good.”
Ugh. Almost daily, Terry. They especially like Facebook Messenger. Some “feel” real, as you mentioned. This one guy sent the personalized message above, using the AI summation of characters and setting. And so, I responded. Then came the hard sell. He was so pushy, I had to be rude to get rid of him.
Now, when I get a message that sounds real, I either trash it or respond with: Please excuse my suspicion, but are you trying to sell me something?
I’m getting several a day lately. Most are obvious marketing “requests” and those get deleted immediately. My basic rule is cold calls/solicitations get dumped without responding. Easier not to engage at all.
Yup, straight to trash. If they persist, I block. The AIs are now sneaky enough to get through spam blockers. Emails that start with “Hope this finds you well…” deserve suspicion.
A while back, this happened on Twitter//X with DMs from “well-known” authors reaching out to me. They were all imposters promoting sleazy scams. Happened enough that I quit Twitter/X.
As Brenda says, “people are losing the ability to interact with one another as humans, nonsense like this only increases the odds that when a person DOES send a genuine email of feedback, they won’t get responded to out of precaution.”
Sad world when we have to assume anyone who contacts us is likely trying to use us.
Glad TKZ remains a little island of civil, respectful, interesting, educational connections.
I’m tempted to respond to those “hope this finds you well” with, “I was doing just fine until I got your email.”
At least the delete key is easier to use than back in the dark ages when telemarketers called on the phone.
AI powered scams are incredibly easy to generate and can earn the scammer good money.
Social media follower counts need to be astronomically high to generate money. If someone with 10,000 followers says they can sell you book, they might be able to sell ten copies.
This is a chart of how many people you really need to be an “influencer.”
Above 500 followers: Nano influencers, who have 500 to 10,000 followers, get paid between $10 – $100 per post.
10,000 followers: Micro influencers, who tend to have 10,000 to 50,000 followers earn about $100 – $500 per post.
100,000 followers: Influencers with this following size typically earn $1,000 to $5,000 per post, with rates increasing for higher engagement or niche audiences.
500,000 followers: With half a million followers, you could earn between $3,000 and $10,000 per sponsored post, depending on factors like engagement rates and brand partnerships.
1 million followers: With a massive following, creators can make anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000 for a single sponsored post, with premium brands often paying towards the higher end of this range.
Above 1 million followers: For influencers with several million followers, earnings per post can reach $50,000 or more, especially for collaborations with high-profile brands, celebrities or exclusive campaigns.
I follow a fun account. She has 34,000 followers. Mostly she gets promo T-shirts, movie passes, and sample products. Cash? Not so much.
Wow. Thanks for this eye-opener (at least for me, who doesn’t spend much time on social media.)
Wow, Alan! Those figures boggle the mind. No wonder so many millennials want to become influencers. Judging by your chart, I guess I’m a micro influencer on some sites. Who knew?🤷🏻♀️
I’ve been getting these sorts of emails since I began self-publishing back in early 2017, but back then, they were clearly written by humans. I’ve always sent them to the virtual round file. The old ones usually had the title of one of my books, now that isn’t always true. You’re right, the current marketing spam is likely all written by AI.
Oddly enough, several that have been “aimed” at boosting visibility of one of my books have made that book my short story collection, “Rules Concerning Earthlight,” which is far and away my least selling book.
I wonder if our traditionally published authors here at KZB get these sorts of marketing emails? I’m guessing yes, but don’t know.
I’m saying yes, Dale, but I’m also thinking that those traditionally published with the bigger publishers don’t get them because they go to the publisher. But my traditionally published days are long gone, and those were with small presses.
I’ve been getting emails and X.com DMs with this messaging for a long time. In the last year or so, I noticed the messaging usually involves the phrase “your story drew me in” or something similar. I can see how AI could be used to generate things like this. But where do they get the email list?
If the sender says they want to help me market the book, I usually thank them for their offer, let them know I don’t have any money for marketing, and wish them well.
My guess is they are also using AI to scrape websites for author names and email addresses, which they then contact.
I agree with Dale. There are lots of places to mine email addresses.
I got a phone call from a company wanting to promote my book Hole In My Family Portrait. “What inspired you to write your book?”
Me: “Uh, the death of my son.”
“Do you plan to write a sequel?”
Me; “Uh, no.”
The company was some book expo in Canada and was only going to cost me $499!
How could I resist? Easily. Too bad I don’t own a landline. So satisfying to slam that sucker down.
I had a someone from New York wanting to take over promotion for one of my books … book 3 in a series, and when I asked why on earth they had chosen that one (this was an actual phone call), she resorted to obvious boilerplate responses. No, thank you very much.
I’m not high enough in the writing food chain to get marketing ploys, but you could just respond that you’ve been trying to get in touch with them over their car’s extended warranty. (Not original, but funny nonetheless.) AI seems to have improved scammers attempts, though. I’m a face painter, and our network shares the scammers who reach out regularly. Scammers used to be easier to spot because of the poor spelling and grammar, but they’ve improved, probably thanks to the AI beast that wanders the internet, looking for fodder to regurgitate.
There is a soulless quality to AI writing that makes it stand out. I think of ‘Blink’ by Malcolm Gladwell, and while in some cases it’s hard to put my finger on what causes me to believe a passage is AI rather than human written, I think my brain is thin slicing and picking up on tiny nuances in the writing that identify it as AI. It has certainly become a lure for students who lack integrity and are either lazy, don’t care, or are pressed for time on assignments, but it’s also a time-sucker for teachers trying to identify it. Honestly, I hate it. I wonder if we’ll be able to trust the degrees of anyone who graduated after 2020.
I can see a new marketing ploy. Let us promote your book, and we’ll extend your car’s warranty for three years.
AI has its uses, but scamming people shouldn’t be one of them.
I wonder if you can ask AI if AI wrote something??
I’ve been getting those for years. Most originate from a certain country in Africa known for scams. I used to engage with their experience and what sort of guarantee they offer for the money spent, but that got old soon.
They aren’t targeted market experts so any “plan” they have to offer is like shotgunning an ad which I can do without spending for their “help”.
So true, Fred. I have several well-established marketing outlets I use with some success. Recently, I had a BookBub featured deal that lifted my book into the top 25 at Amazon, and to #1 in several genres. I don’t like doing marketing on my own, but I’m not trying someone who’s found me via who knows what algorithms.
I was being phone scammed for several years by a company that kept changing its name who wanted to promote/publish GUARDIAN ANGEL. They assumed it was self-published, but it wasn’t. I may have one every year now. Now, it’s someone who wants to scam medicare info out of me. That’s daily. And I just got another one.
My favorite publishing scam was an email from the “Pulitzer Prize board chairman” saying I’d been nominated and needed to send them a processing fee. I laughed and laughed.
A Pulitzer scam. Wonder how many suckers fell for that one.
Thanks for sharing, Marilynn
Most of those types of emails I receive go straight to the spam folder, where they remain. But I’m in a Facebook group for mystery readers, and these bots are always showing up in the comments. Amusing when I’m posting a review about a book I’ve read or sharing another author’s publication news, and these marketers respond with praise for my book and offers to make me a cinematic trailer.
I’ve had offers for trailers, too, Sharon. I’ve never bought a book based on a trailer–I rarely watch them–so it’s not an impressive marketing tool for me.
I’ve been lucky that nobody has found my Facebook page, and the writing groups I belong to seem to have good moderators. We get spam here on TKZ, but the spam filters do a good job of keeping them out of our comment threads.
I’m a new author. My first novel, a psychological crime thriller, will be published in November. I’ve made mention of this on my social media platforms, and now I’m getting so many companies reaching out to me to help me market my book. If anybody has used any services that are actually real, and helpful, please let me know.
I’ve used Written Word Media which connects to a number of reader newsletters.
Other advice. Make sure you have a website and collect your own emails for a newsletter. You own those. Social media accounts can disappear.