The "Of-Course" Generation Book Buying Habits
Great article on book marketing and social media (click here). I don't know how many conversations I've had with clients about consumer behavior, but this article amplifies what I've said. We live in an unpredictable, crazy culture that loved unimportant things like pet rocks, Chia pets, clappers, and a host of funny as-seen-on-TV gadgets that sometimes but most of the time don't work. If I had a nickel for every time an author asks me, "Is this best-seller material?" I would be richer than Bill Gates.
I know what I like to read. I know what my friends like to read. I know what people are generally reading. But asking me if you've got the next Harry Potter or fan fiction like 50 Shades of Grey is basically asking me to call the next pet rock. I mean who knew that "mommy porn" and S&M would set American women into a dither or excitement. I was pretty surprised when some of my women friends gushed their love for this book.
So in the above-cited article, the author is right -- algorithms measuring social media behavior are useless. It all comes down to the real world. We are not measurable in algorithms, numbers or fuzzy math. We're humans that love stuff that sometimes no one can predict or define.
I agree with the writer's assessment of the future of publishing and kiosks. Red Box spelled the end of Blockbuster, did it not? We are a smart phone generation. Easy, quick and downloadable appeals to a huge demographic of what I'm going to call the "of-course" generation. Can you please help me find a book? Of course, says twentysomething counter girl. My business partner, who has teenage kids, recently started saying "of course" (I couldn't help but smile). At least the phrase is positive and upbeat. The of-course group loves their smart phones, loves e-everything, and a kiosk? Even better. Forget Amazon and shopping. Video-loving eyes will gladly spend 5 minutes at your kiosk to buy their books.
Does this bode well for the future of eBooks? You bet it does. So, read that linked article. You'll learn way more than I just shared here about book marketing.
I know what I like to read. I know what my friends like to read. I know what people are generally reading. But asking me if you've got the next Harry Potter or fan fiction like 50 Shades of Grey is basically asking me to call the next pet rock. I mean who knew that "mommy porn" and S&M would set American women into a dither or excitement. I was pretty surprised when some of my women friends gushed their love for this book.
So in the above-cited article, the author is right -- algorithms measuring social media behavior are useless. It all comes down to the real world. We are not measurable in algorithms, numbers or fuzzy math. We're humans that love stuff that sometimes no one can predict or define.
I agree with the writer's assessment of the future of publishing and kiosks. Red Box spelled the end of Blockbuster, did it not? We are a smart phone generation. Easy, quick and downloadable appeals to a huge demographic of what I'm going to call the "of-course" generation. Can you please help me find a book? Of course, says twentysomething counter girl. My business partner, who has teenage kids, recently started saying "of course" (I couldn't help but smile). At least the phrase is positive and upbeat. The of-course group loves their smart phones, loves e-everything, and a kiosk? Even better. Forget Amazon and shopping. Video-loving eyes will gladly spend 5 minutes at your kiosk to buy their books.
Does this bode well for the future of eBooks? You bet it does. So, read that linked article. You'll learn way more than I just shared here about book marketing.
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