The Need for a Platform

Marketing a book in today's fast-paced world is remarkably different from years past. Stop for a minute and just think of the communication differences from today versus just 5 to 10 years ago. Social media has changed our lives. Not only has it changed, but it will continue to evolve and change.

Even just 2-3 years ago the IPad and other notepad devices didn't exist. I read yesterday that the #1 Fathers Day gift this year will be IPad accessories. We now have Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Email, TinyChat and the list grows. OK, if we know all about this stuff what does it mean?

I just had lunch today with a lawyer who specializes in entertainment law. She was talking about the importance of building a platform. The way people buy books has changed dramatically and we now have the ability to get our message to thousands of consumers @ no cost by investing in building a platform. Seth Godin touts building a "tribe". It isn't simple and it does take creativity and time but the tools to do so exist.

Someone within an organization such as a Junior League or a branded property, say a resort for example, already has a "tribe". The key for these entities is to increase the scope of the "tribe". This is accomplished through a blog, a fan page, e-mail blasts, e-newsletter, Twitter and web site. The first task of anyone publishing a book is to find their audience and begin marketing to it by using the tools of social media--and it's fun.

What have you done to creatively build your platform?

Real Books VS E-Books

In today's technological society we are witnessing change faster than the speed of light. One huge area of change has been brought about by the advances in e-readers. The Kindle, the Nook and the IPad are revolutionizing the way that avid readers enjoy their books.

Being in the community cookbook business I am often asked, "should I also sell my cookbook via e-reader devices?" The answer to this question is a bit trickier than it might seem. Sure there are now millions of e-readers out in the hands of consumers, but when you think about why people buy community cookbooks and how they use them, the proclivity for offering them in electronic format diminishes.

Personally, I am a messy cook. I would hate to think that I just splashed an expensive e-reader with olive oil or salt--not to mention flour, raw eggs or Worcestershire sauce. It's bad enough keeping my laptop keyboard free of dust and other normal atmospheric junk but to take it or a similar device into the kitchen is a scary thought.

In addition, most of us don't purchase a community cookbook simply to cook out of. We want the stories and the memories all together in a printed volume to recall our visit to a place and a culture where we enjoyed the people and their food. Somehow this just doesn't translate into electronic files.

The other obvious drawback for community cookbook publishers is the business end of the equation. Where will readers buy my electronic version? How will they find it? Will I make any money from the sale? The business end of this industry has a long way to go before any of us understand exactly how the model works.

Am I putting e-readers and their fans down? Absolutely not. Both my wife and one of my daughters enjoy their Kindles. I am planning on buying an IPad when the next generation comes out later this year. Most likely I will download trade biographies or non-fiction to my reader to use when traveling. That said, I never foresee using an IPad in the kitchen--for my money, a community cookbook should be the printed volume.

Of course my thoughts are exactly that, mine. However, read the attached article by Nichole Aksamit of The Omaha World-Herald and you will see that others agree.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20110119/LIVING/701199957