Publishing has changed. Authors know it. Amazon knows it. Publishers know it. But for most businesses it’s still something that is happening to someone else.
Maybe you’ve heard about Kindle Singles, or someone you know bought a self-published book on their iPad and didn’t hate it. Possibly you have a friend who is selling that novel they wrote years ago that never found a home at a big publishing house. And it’s very likely that you know at least two or three people who claim to be important bloggers.
But it’s just the beginning.
When selling books through bookstores, you sell one book to each consumer. You never know who they are, so there is no possibility of a repeat sale. One of the benefits of selling books to corporate buyers is that you cannot only sell many books to one buyer, but you can generate repeat sales from them. Here are Ten Tips for Generating More Sales From Fewer Buyers.
Kobo has announced that the Sony Reader Store will close on 16 August and that ‘soon after the closure’ Australian users will instead access its ‘comprehensive digital reading ecosystem’.
The Sony Reader Store will also close, with users to access Kobo instead, in the UK, Germany and Austria, and follows a similar change in the US and Canada in March.
In a statement, Kobo said the free Kobo App for Android will be ‘pre-loaded on select Sony smartphones and tablets’, but ‘timing and availability may vary by market and carrier’.
On May 21, 2014, the Authors Alliance will hold a kick-off meeting at the Berkeley Center for New Media. From their announcement:
Authors, construed broadly to include all creators, create for all sorts of reasons. In academia in particular, it is not uncommon to write and create primarily for the specific purpose of being read, seen, and heard.
Strategic negotiating requires you to ask questions, listen and then move ahead based on this new information as the second five of 15 tips discussed. Here are the last five of 15 tips for negotiating large-quantity book sales: 11. Do not move too quickly. There will be times when all the details seem to fall into place and your enthusiasm leads you to accept an order before you have thought it through. Can you really deliver the expected quantity on time, with the requested customization at the agreed price? Is there a penalty if you do not? Can you fill an additional order quickly if the initial quantity moves faster than expected? 12. Do not give in to ultimatums. Your prospect may say that you have to sign now or lose the order. Even if you know the terms are satisfactory, resist the temptation to agree too quickly for it could minimize your negotiating position in future deals.
Negotiating is a function of people and chemistry as the first five of 15 tips discussed. Here are the second five of 15 tips for negotiating large-quantity book sales: 6. Anticipate questions and objections. After several negotiating sessions you will be better prepared for the tough questions that arise unilaterally. These may be about price, quality and delivery. Be prepared to handle those you anticipate as well as those you hear for the first time. Always answer honestly, but in a way that does not reduce your bargaining power. 7. Ask for clarification if necessary. Do not assume you understand the intent of every question you are asked or statements made. If your prospects ask, “How can your proposal lead to a successful conclusion to this promotional campaign?” Ask them how they define success. Is it an increase in sales? Revenue? New customers?
