November 23rd, 2005
Few online booksellers consider creating a full service website to sell their books. Their main reason for this is that competing with the ‘big boys’ is impossible. In some sense they are right. However, do not be misled by this assumption; creating a website can do a lot for your business. A website helps with your professional image, customer loyalty, and other intangible factors. OF couse those things do not translate on to paper. What you are really worried about is SALES. In my opinion, a website can certainly be successful with an informed webmaster and a little work. How: exploiting a niche market.
Of all of the webtrends right now, niche markets, is the one that is gaining the most buzz. If you have solid collections of military history books, cinema books, postmodernism books, or whatever… you can generate solid traffic and sales for your own website. In the age of “corporate” and “mega” small businesses are finding success within a “niche.” For web development, the key is to develop the website based solely around that niche. Sure you may have other types of books and want to list ALL of then on your website but you have to focus 95% of website space and content ON YOUR NICHE (avoid niche dilution). [Tip: CONTENT is key: add informative articles or reviews on the genre/theme in general to your website. This is the best way to boost search engine rankings.]
After the holiday, I will discuss more about hosting options, credit card processing, graphic design for dummies (like me), and marketing. You may find with a little guidance this project will be much easier and cheaper than you think. A new website with a shiny new domain name would be a great way to start of 2006.
November 22nd, 2005
It isn’t Google Print, or even Amazon Pages (pay-per-page)…. it is better. Amazon Upgrade makes use of digital technology in a way that make sense. The Upgrade service will allow you to purchase (no specifics yet on how) the right to search within an entire book, but only after purchasing the hard copy from its site. This is a great way to incorporate the best of both worlds, and would most certainly BOOST online book sales. The question is… can you upgrade marketplace purchases? I am not sure, but I would bet not. (Link: CNet news column)
November 21st, 2005
We received two emails today from Biblio’s Kevin Donaldson, Director of Sales and Marketing. The first was a press release stating that Biblio
has been selected as part of Internet Retailer’s Best of the Web - Top 50 Retail Sites. These are not necessarily the biggest or most popular internet sites, but rather those that “innovate” and work “to improve online shopping. This is a huge achievement for Biblio and should help the site grow immensely in 2006. The list will officially be announced in early December by Internet Retailer.
The other email focused on our series of postings regarding marketing approaches for the Holiday/Spring semester, of which an annotated version is quoted below.
“We are distributing our new bookmarks to Biblio.com Bookseller Members that request them. We have tied this in with a fundraiser for our next library project in Bolivia through our newly formed not-for-profit BiblioWorks. Biblio.com will also be working with college campus representatives, our strategic partners, and a college marketing firm to get the word out on campuses for the Spring Semester. We will also begin promoting IOBABooks.com, (which we developed the technology for) with the Independent Online Booksellers Association to generate interest in this organization that we wholly support in its mission to perpetuate quality online bookselling standards. We will also actively promote the Fine BooksÂ’ Collegiate Book Collecting Championship of which we are a major sponsor, on campuses and in Fine Books & Collections Magazine throughout 2006.”
