Beware of Ideas That Include Children & Business Promotion
Murphy’s Law In Finding Your Niche, I tell the story of what happened when a radio station dreamed up a new idea and gathered a large crowd of spectators, small children and their parents for a Christmas holiday promotion.
But the plan went non-fatally awry.
Suffice to say, the promotion involved Santa, a plane, parachute and the unexpected ocean. Apparently, holidays, children and the promotional element can often take an unexpected turn.
Take the Monster Makeover Halloween show producers staged for the Steve Harvey Show. The idea was not a bad one, but a failure to take into account the ages and possible reaction of the small participants. A different kind of costume would not have caused that reaction.
Two previous posts refer to the bestselling author’s work The Harlem Hellfighters, but Max Brooks recent 15-minute segment on Tavis Smiley is worth noting for several reasons:
1. Fascinating glimpse of how Brooks’ personality dictates his approach to his craft.
2. The account of the World I heroes and Brooks’ attempts to market his script, including why the graphic novel versus standard prose was chosen to feature The Harlem Hellfighters.
3.And snippet of father, Mel Brooks,’ two-part appearance on Tavis Smiley earlier this year could be described ss the most politically incorrect and hilarious conversation I can ever remember viewing on PBS. Mel Brooks, an absolute comedic genius, spoke about almost every sensitive topic in arguably inappropriate ways. And no doubt left many viewers with sides aching from laughter. If I were going to write comedy, I would have to study the films of Mel Brooks…thoroughly… for inspiration.
An outrageous comedic master who has apparently passed his gift along to the youngest member of his family.
EL Ateneo, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Copyright, Bob Krist.com
Published by Victor Gollancz. Source: Abebooks.co
If owning a bookstore is a long held dream, and you believe t
hat book selling is a simple activity that offers perks, such as
leisure time to sit and read great books….read on, “Why are
independent booksellers not implementing a publishing arm,
curating or offering services to customers who want to publish
their ideas?”
This was a question asked by John Ingram, Chairman & CEO,
Ingram Content Group at the 2014 Book Expo America: Panel
Discussion, “The Future of Bricks and Mortar Retailers.” And he further stated:“If I were running an independent bookstore,
I would have a publishing arm…” He acknowledged that some indies
were doing so but that it’s still a great untapped path.
Ingram’s observation is rooted in historical precedent.
The early origins of booksellers contain takeaway lessons in today’s world.
Colonial New England booksellers originally published material they sold in
their shops. In 17th century America, with printing presses owned
by a few, and with limited working capital, books were viewed as costly and risky.
So production of low-cost newspapers, pamphlets and almanacs were the focus. As was importing books from England and reprinting books, and retailing stationery products. Traveling book peddlers performed a valuable function and were considered important enough to warrant exclusion from an anti-hawking law in Mass, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.
But Industrialization changed and shaped the role of book selling then as it continues to do now. And it is survival of those who can evaluate the marketplace efficiently.
Reality Check
Whether the dream is to open a bookselling business like the cozy warmth of a rural bookstore or the grandeur of El Ateneo in Buenos Aires, the love of books is not enough to succeed as a seller or publisher as industry members, such as Bookhouse owner Susan Novotny, have pointed out in the past. And CEO John Ingram has a degree in business administration and English from Princeton, so what he would do…and successfully isn’t what many small indies might be equipped to do…with or without similar education.
Many of the issues facing booksellers today have been around for more than 100 years, note industry historians.
Selected Book Sellers Who Publish Today, those who both sell and publish successfully are in specialized niches within the book trade. For instance, Oak Knoll Books in Delaware specializes in rare and out of print literature about the bookselling industry. Mysterious Press in New York with its catalog of mystery, suspense, crime espionage titles, written by the best authors in the genre, and produced using top artists skilled in book cover design.
Booksellers using innovation, foresight, business acumen and strong community ties and relationships will carve out market share by rethinking the traditional model of a bookstore. For instance, Bus Boy’s and Poets, Little-Bookstore-Big-Stone-Gap are examples of community focus with a restaurant in the equation. Barter Books in the United Kingdom, is a used bookstore with an array of offerings. Note Barter Books does not publish, but they offer a unique twist in the marketplace.
And there is Singularity & Co. Think of the owners of this shop as rescue time travelers. A collaborative concern, they track down classic or little known out of print science fiction titles and reprint in digital formats. But it’s a simple idea that isn’t so simple. Ever try to track down the rights to previously published material? It can be a challenging lengthy endeavor, according to the Independent Book Publishers Association.
Set aside the assumption that bookselling is a simple business. Nothing could be further from the truth.
An aspiring entrepreneur with a burning desire to open a bookstore would do well to get a skilled mentor for starters, and using the principles of repurposing, and creative financing would arguably give the beginner a fighting chance.
BookTV.org
Little Bookstore Big Stone Gap Summary: How a couple fled corporate life
and opened a bookstore i n a small rural town http://tinyurl.com/kfjo4m2
Brian Cassidy,net Mistakes Were Made Summary: The veteran bookseller’s 64-page e-catalog
illustrates selected rare book offerings and mistakes made
in offering the titles for sale. Tip: Scroll to the last page for Glossary of Regrets. http://www.briancassidy.net/mistakes-were-made.pdf
ABAA.org Blog What My Friends Think I Do…
Summary: Antiquarian bookseller, Lorne Blair,
discusses how and why he continues to issues
a print catalog in the Internet age. http://tinyurl.com/qgduvrr
Abebooks.com The Legacy of Victor Gollancz: Publishing Pioneer Note: A former teacher, Gollanez was noted for introducing innovative marketing methods, such as bold yellow book covers http://tinyurl.com/kzl5q3v
How to Make Big Profits Publishing City & Regional Books: A Guide for Entrepreneurs, Writers and Publishers, Marilyn & Tom Ross, 1986. http://tinyurl.com/mvndo2n
IBPA Independent
Bringing Books Back, Part 1, 2, 3, Vol. 31-33,
Linda Carlson, January,February, March 2014 http://www.ibpa-online.org/e-newsletter Summary: Great article series for potential entrepreneurs considering entry into the author-publishing industry: Tracking down permission to reprint old books may sometimes be difficult; when authors want to reacquire their books and republish their own books, and how some authors transition into the publishing industry. Note: IBPA Independent is available by subscription from IBPA or through two California libraries, [three according to World Cat, but that information is not accurate].
Competing in the 850-Million Dollar Neckwear Industry
Gustys Bow Ties: Artfire.com
Shark Tank’s repeat airing on Friday of the episode of Mo’s Bows reminded me once again of the earlier profile I’d written on Knotacess http://wp.me/p3Kr4S-1qt
So I revisited the website and Mo’s Bows where I discovered the Send a Child to Camp bow tie. And I began to wonder just how many bow ties are sold annually.
Finding an answer wasn’t necessarily a Google click away. U.S. Census figures for 2007, for Men and Boys Neckwear manufacturing, indicated $299 million dollars in sales volume for that period. But a recent Bloomberg article projects sales of $850 million dollars, with 7 percent of those figures for bow ties.
A look through Amazon’s inventory reveals a remote control bow tie, a bat shaped tie, a 49 cent cent adjustable bow and 19-pages of inventory illustrating why the custom quality bow tie niche attracts an array of fashion minded entrepreneurs. Few would argue that the Moe’s Bows CEO probably brings an easy smile to many people. A walking bundle of confidence and inspiration and s ocial business responsibility.
Joyride Brothers Brew Great Business Idea & Advice In less than five minutes, the three founders of Joyride Coffee discuss their food truck beginnings to an innovative company, including a neat summary of what aspiring entrepreneurs should know about the search for their own niche.
What is the object above? Would you know the answer…
without checking?
Answer follows
It’s an American Indian horse bridle and decorative horse gear was a traditional custom…Information I knew nothing about previously.
You see, back in 2009, I enrolled in a class
in Native American History taught by an anthropology professor.
Several things quickly became apparent.
1. It was impossible to learn everything about the array of indigenous cultures in one semester or even a year.
2. I was relieved the class was not an accelerated summer course.
Assignments included a 10-page paper; we covered the U.S and two other countries at a fast-paced clip. And with so much material to study, I felt a lot of information would remain uncovered.
That impression was confirmed with the discovery of the work of Hawk Hill Press.
I had learned about the artistic customs of numerous Native American cultures across the U.S, but the coffee table literature produced by Hawk Hill Press was new information.
Publishers Jody and Ned Martin learned first-hand about the history of the artistic elements of Indian and cowboy gear while riding horses in different parts of the world.
And they began to research and document private and public collections.
Several volumes have been produced on the subject. And Hawk Hill Press is an excellent example of how an activity, avocation or leisure pursuit and observation may spark inspiration.
That’s the sage advice from ABC News
Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts
during her recent Master Class appearance on the OWN network.
Robert’s recounts how and why early in her career
her philosophy and strategy, which included turning down
a prized offer from ESPN, eventually helped her achieve
her dream goal.
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