Cyberspace is opening vast new electronic horizons for savvy publishers. Electronic media is reshaping everything from how you sell to how you deliver.
Here
are just a few of the possibilities...
1. Get your flagship publications on-line
Download your best publications or excerpts to an on-line server and
take advantage of inexpensive full-time exposure and access. Whether
book or periodical format, getting your best pubs on-line not only works
as a promotional tool for the publication, it also works as a promotional
tool for your company. Include information about who you are and how
to order.
2.
Print publications on-demand
Your entire catalog or a specific series of publications could be sold
electronically. Browsers purchase the right to download a specific issue
or publication by supplying payment instructions. Your server then allows
the reader to download the item they've paid for. Essentially, they
print the publication they want right in their office!
3. Put readers in touch with authors
4.
Create an on-line publication that works like a press release
This news-bite styled section of your website contains the latest-breaking
news pertaining to your publications: new releases, on-line author interviews,
book tour and conference schedules, price changes, bulk order rates,
answers to commonly asked questions.
5.
Create chat rooms to discuss your publications
People worldwide use chat rooms to discuss popular issues of the day.
Start your own forum for discussion of your publications. Put the address
of your chat room in all of your publications and correspondence. Send
invitations to important figures to log in with relevant criticism and
commentary. Encourage readers to turn here first with questions and
comments, and be sure that the authors stop by regularly.
6.
Provide customer service in a flash!
Why not include your website address in every book, periodical, and
promotion you publish? Then, encourage customers to turn here for instant
customer service. Your site can handle many of the routine requests
that your staff now spends valuable phone time on. Plus, by providing
interactive forms, you can make it easy for customers to send you special
requests or comments.
7.
Create a virtual library
Publishers who offer in-depth coverage of one or more topics can consider
creating an on-line library. Make all of your publications available
on-line. Provide table of contents and abstracts browsers can use to
decide if they're interested...then charge them for what they download.
Or, password-protect the area and sell subscriptions to your best customers.
8.
Update time-sensitive publications on-line
Many publications become dated before they even leave the printer! Why
not give the authors of time-sensitive books a page to publish ongoing
updates on-line? It's an easy way to build an ongoing relationship with
readers -- and it gives you a ready-made audience when the next publication
is ready!
9.
Encourage readers to send in updates
Your readers will be thrilled when they can update your publications
as easily as you do. Provide an e-mail screen readers can use to send
in ideas and updates. Periodically, pull the best ideas into a new installment,
get it on-line and promote it as literally as "hot-off-the-press!"
10.
Cross-link your publications with other websites
This is a great way to attract new readers and markets. After you have
made your publications available on-line, strategically link them to
the websites your readers are likely to be interested in. (You can make
these links free, make them a bonus for advertisers only, or consider
charging for the link.)
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To learn about how O'Connell Meier can generate bright ideas and boost sales for your orgainzation, give Rich Meier a call at 703.739.2266 or send us an e-mail. For a preview of the sales-boosting techniques we use, visit the association section of our bright idea generator. And for an overview of our company, our experience, and our creative and marketing services visit the About OM section. |
