Just listen to how excited print publications are about next week's launch of the iPad:
Time magazine has signed up Unilever, Toyota Motor , Fidelity Investments and at least three others for marketing agreements priced at about $200,000 apiece for a single ad spot in each of the first eight issues of the magazine's iPad edition…
At Condé Nast Publications, Wired magazine is offering different levels of ad functionality depending on how many pages of ads a marketer buys…
Magazines largely are planning downloadable iPad applications that are near-replicas of the stories in the print versions, but they are demonstrating the new-media bells and whistles for advertisers: add-ons like videos, social-networking tools and navigation that take advantage of the large screen, touch technology and Internet connections of the tablet computer…
Time Inc.'s Sport Illustrated has been showing advertisers three video-heavy ad prototypes, including one for a Ford Mustang that includes an arcade-style driving game using the tilt-and-turn capability of the iPad. With a few touches to the screen, readers can pick paint colors and wheel styles for cars they might want to buy…
(And so on. All from Shira Ovide and Suzanne Vranica's excellent WSJ article on iPad ads)
And, wow, does that sound great. It sounds, in fact, as though the iPad will completely save print publications' asses.
But it won't.
Why not?
Because why would a consumer pay for a whole electronic “magazine” when the consumer can already get whatever articles in the magazine the consumer actually wants to read for free?
The iPad-will-save-our-asses craze is based on a single, flawed premise: Consumers want to read magazines and newspapers electronically the same way they have read them for centuries in print — in a tightly bound content package produced by a single publisher. But 15 years of Internet history suggests that they don't.
To the consumer, the Internet is one vast publication. No longer are consumers limited to the particular editorial tastes and packaging of a few publishers whose “books” they subscribe to. Now, consumers can snack on content from thousands of publishers, for free, all day long. And the iPad is not going to change that.
Another iPad hallucination that print publishers are having is that consumers are going to pony up way more for a fancy iPad subscription than they do to just subscribe to the site online. (Or, in the case of sites that give their content away for free online, such as the New York Times, that consumers are going to pay for the iPad edition when they can get the regular web edition free.)
Why would consumers pay up for that? To get a sexier, more magazine-like electronic experience?
Some rich aesthetes might do that. (Some.) But the mass market won't. The mass market will just save their money and read the publications in the iPad's browser, where the publications are free and it's easy to jump around to as many as they like.
In short, the hullabaloo about the iPad-saving-publishers'-asses resembles the hullabaloo about what people thought the Internet would look like when it first burst on to the scene.
“Like TV”, shouted the TV companies.
“Like a magazine!” shouted the magazines.
“Like a newspaper!” shouted the newspapers.
Of course, as it turned out, the Internet didn't look much like any of those things. And the companies who ran away with the Internet loot figured that out fast. And they went with it.
We expect the same will soon be said for the iPad.
See Also: 10 Burning Questions About The iPad
On March 18, 2010, Susannah Greenberg organized a panel for the Women's National Book Association on Book Marketing Online. She invited some of the people in book publishing who are engaged in digital marketing, and it made for an interesting discussion. The panel was open to questions throughout and many of the questions kept coming back to social media. (You can see more information about the event including the live stream here:http://bookbuzz.com/panelvideo.htm.)
After the panel was over, I realized I had some questions of my own for my fellow panel members which they were gracious enough to answer. Here is my interview with Ron Hogan, Director of E-Marketing Strategy, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Kate Rados, Director of Digital Initiatives, Chelsea Green Publishing, and Abby Stokes, teacher and author of Is This Thing On?: A Computer Handbook for Late Bloomers, Technophobes, and the Kicking & Screaming
Fauzia Burke: Ron, from a publisher's perspective, you had talked about the importance of having a personal touch when engaging in social media. What does that mean and can you give us an example?
Ron Hogan: People are much more likely to “bond” with other people than they are with a corporation, so as much as possible you should approach and engage them on a personal level. Decades before we had “social media” or even the Internet, Stan Lee understood this, connecting with fans with his monthly “Bullpen Bulletins,” a conversationally toned column that gave folks a peek inside the Marvel offices while promoting the newest comics. By introducing readers to the artists responsible for Marvel's comics, Lee cultivated a fan culture that endures to this day.
FB: Kate, you talked about doing “personal PR,” why do you think that is important not just for authors but for people in publishing as well?
Kate Rados: Especially in this economy, personal PR is key to any career. Most of your jobs and your relationships (with media, vendors, influencers) come from recommendations and relationship building. Social media is the best place to start making friends within your industry and frankly, that's how people collaborate these days.
FB: Abby, you said you have been active on social media for a year, and I wonder if you had set out with a goal for Facebook and Twitter?
Abby Stokes: I didn't set out with a goal for each medium, but definitely had numbers in my mind at the outset with Twitter. I discovered over time that Twitter followers can be fickle, for good reason, and discovered that the more I posted what was interesting to me and less about self promotion, my numbers increased. By the time that was happening, I was less invested in the numbers and more into the fun of finding interesting things to post. When I stopped thinking about the numbers a slow and steady increase started to happen. I didn't ever think numbers with Facebook, but instead wanted to find people who I hadn't seen or heard from in a long time and had a desire to reconnect with.
FB: Kate, you have been doing social media longer than most people in publishing, what are the biggest lessons you have learned?
KR: Stop selling. Be friendly; be passionate; be genuine. LISTEN.
FB: Ron, do you feel your experience as a blogger helps you with your current publishing job? How?
RH: My background as a blogger definitely comes in handy as an online marketer. One, I have a hands-on understanding of the territory; I haven't read every blog that's out there, but I've been around long enough to find some I admire…and I know effective ways to find more, even in areas I'm unfamiliar with. Two, I've been on the receiving end of marketing pitches long enough that I have a sense of what does and doesn't work when trying to approach bloggers. (I'm not saying my reactions to marketing pitches are universal; I have enough friends in the blogging community who feel differently about various types of pitches than I do to maintain an open perspective.)
FB: Kate, you said you use Twitter to get most of your news, what did you mean and why is it the best way to get news?
KR: It's not necessarily the best way to get news, BUT I use it on a regular basis for two purposes: 1) As I mostly follow publishing people, I hear about the latest news from my tweeps before it hits the mainstream blogs. And, I get people's opinions attached to the news right away, so I can get a temperature of how people are reacting. And 2) I set up lists for my niche blogs so I can get breaking news and re-tweet or add to the conversation. For instance, Chelsea Green is all about sustainable living, so my 'green' list helps me keep in touch with the latest news. And for the record, I still do use Google Reader which in my opinion is the best way to get news–and I use it within an inch of its life.
FB: When I talk to most people about social media they say,”I have no time for it.” Abby you said, you have a schedule of 15 minutes in the morning and 15 at night. Did that evolve or did you have that schedule in mind from the start?
AS: I was concerned from the get-go about time management because my schedule is tight. When I teach I don't have access to a computer the same way people do in an office environment. Sometimes I can sneak a peek on my iPhone between appointments or while in transit, but not always. That put a natural limit on when I can communicate. I suspected that if I didn't “water and feed” the people who followed me on both Twitter and Facebook I wouldn't keep them coming back. That's what keeps me disciplined about posting on both twice daily when possible. It is a nice routine now that I catch up and share at the start of the day and at the end.
FB: Kate, what are the three sites you can't live without?
KR: Only three?! Regarding social media, I get some good takeaways from Mashable. I also live on Gizmodo and GetGlue. And about 50 others per day. It's a sickness.
FB: Abby, have you achieved your social media goals?
AS: I really enjoy both Twitter and Facebook now. They are a part of my daily routine as much as e-mailing or calling a friend. Not a goal, but a lovely benefit. From a practical point of view, I have increased the number of people who are aware or me–a definite goal achieved. I had no idea that Twitter would be such a wealth of good information–a bonus.
Social media is growing in importance on a daily basis. Both Facebook and Twitter have been real assets to us in broadcasting publicity features, as well as building relationships with authors, publishers, agents, journalists, Web editors and bloggers. I am finding that it is also a great way to show potential clients our results in real time.
Fauzia Burke is the Founder and President of FSB Associates, an Internet marketing firm specializing in creating awareness for books and authors on the Web. Founded in 1995, FSB's mission is to give authors an opporutnity to promote their work to an eager, targeted audience online. FSB is based in the NYC area. For more information, please visit FSB Associates, or contact Fauzia on Facebook.
Bulk email Internet marketing is a method of communicating with your current potential or prospective customers. Bulk email has sometimes been commonly called junk mail, a term for unsolicited emails that go to prospective customers. Anyone familiar with 'junk mail' will know that this can be a major headache, but when it is properly used, it can be a cost-effective way of getting your message across as a business owner. To differentiate the legitimate bulk emails from the 'spam' or 'junk mail,' the term 'opt-in' email is coined, which means the email has prior permission from the customer before mail is forwarded.
For the past decade or so, bulk email marketing has become a lucrative business. A plus point of bulk email marketing is that it is less expensive that traditional bulk postage mail. Earlier, I have already mentioned a disadvantage to bulk email marketing, and this is the unsolicited emails often labeled as 'spam mails,' which may affect your company's reputation since people generally scoff at and disapprove of this type of email received without permission.
Despite technological advancement that has caused some changes in the mechanics of direct marketing, the rules remain pretty much the same. Having said that, if you want to utilize bulk email marketing in your small office or home office, here are five quick steps to get started:
1. Knowledge of email marketing. As a business owner, you don't have to be a computer guru (although it's an advantage) but at least know the basics about the Internet, internet marketing, including email marketing. Although bulk email marketing is very effective, some things should be considered before implementing it. The content of the email should be to the point. Avoid the use of attachments as far as possible. It takes more space and requires some time to download.
2. Establish your business as a legitimate entity. This relates to the issue of 'spam emails' or 'junk mail.' People generally will not read something that is unsolicited if it takes even an ounce of effort. Complaints about unsolicited emails from a large number of Internet users may result in blocking your account by the Internet service provider (ISP). It's always best to have opt-in emails indicating that your customer has an earlier knowledge of your email. Even if your bulk email is not option, you can still make sure that your links provided in your emails are functioning properly. It is also a good point to address the recipient by first name. Try to make the subject line as short as possible and to the point.
3. Building your email list. Most direct marketers attribute the success of bulk email Internet marketing effort to the list you built. Gather a quality long list of email addresses and other important profile of your customer. Quality is determined by the list members' relevance to the promotion being made. Are they in the target marketplace? Are they decision makers? Is there evidence that they respond to this type of promotion? How long ago? These type of questions are important in selecting a list.
4. Offer. It's been suggested by direct marketers that having the right offer contributes to a big percentage in the success of bulk email internet marketing campaign. A prospective customer should be provided with a reason why they should act to offers. Offers should be enticing. Some examples of strong offers are: Contests (winning a cash or a trip), FREE!, and a 30% off. Essentially having a good offer gives a hint at what the benefit of the offer is.
Presentation. Presentation is the graphics and the layout so that the offer can easily be seen and understood. Make sure your email is well presented, with clear graphics and a highly visible offer.
Over the recent years, bulk email Internet marketing has become a lucrative business.
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Gregory Riley