The publishing industry and mobile alerts
Bernard Cornwell has a new book out, The Lords of The North. It’s the third in the series detailing life of a particular hero in early England under Danish Occupation. I read his first and really enjoyed it. Then I saw the second was out and I got that on audio book.
I was in Waitrose today getting some stuff for the BBQ and saw the latest one on the shelf there. I bought it. Total impulse buy — although I had absolutely no idea it was available. In fact I didn’t know Bernard was working on this one at all!
Now, according to the Amazon record, the book was released on the 22nd of May 2006.
I only found out about its availability TWO months (to the day, almost) later. I’ve been in and out of WH Smiths buying other books and things recently and never saw it.
What a total arse that is for me.
I was elated at discovering it but annoyed at not knowing about it. Being a fan of the previous two books, I’m a guaranteed customer. I was always going to buy the next in the series. But I made the publisher, HarperCollins, wait 2 months before doing so, because of their absolutely neolithic marketing practices.
For a long time now I’ve wanted a shortcode at the end of each book. I’ve wanted to see something like this on the final page of whatever I’ve been reading:
Enjoy this book? Tell us what you think of it. Text LORDS + your message to 80010. If you’d like to be notified when Bernard publishes the next in the series, text LORDS UPDATE 80010 and we’ll keep you updated.
(Standard network rates apply. Texts from us are not charged)
WHY is this not done?
WHY do I have to wait and do the damn work myself? I have a busy life WHICH, by the way, contains a BUDGET for HarperCollins WHICH they cannot be ARSED to tap into. I really cannot stand having to experience the utter surprise that a new book is out.. that I already WANT to buy.
It’s a done deal. It’s not an IF. Or a Maybe. Or a "hmm, I’ll have a flick through first." A pure guarantee of cash.
In fact if anyone from HarperCollins had half a mobile marketing brain, they’d have realised that me texting into say I want more information is not only a guarantee of £15 x however many books Bernard can produce, it’s also a super opportunity to upsell me. Send me a text and ask me if I’d like an individually signed copy for £25. I’d probably say yes.
When I saw the book on the shelf, I had to walk over and pick it up to check that it was part of the series. I simply couldn’t believe that the 3rd book was out and I didn’t know about it.
But what am I meant to do about this? How do I solve it? I don’t live on a Amazon, constantly searching to see if there are any new Cornwell books. I couldn’t give a toss who the publisher of the book is — so I’m not on their site. I don’t have brand loyalty to HarperCollins, I have brand loyalty to Bernard Cornwell. Which is why I never thought to look on the HarperCollins site. Come to that, I didn’t bother doing a search for Cornwell either. I’ve got too much going on in my life.
I put this point to Conn Iggulden, author of the super Emperor series (all about the life of Caesar). I whacked him a mail to ask if he couldn’t get his publishers, (HarperCollins, incidentally!) to sort out some kind of mobile or email update. From memory I think he replied saying he liked the concept but was pretty sure they wouldn’t do it. I’ll need to look up the mail and see what he actually said.
I see that HarperCollins have an authortracker service which allows people to stay updated with news about their favourite authors. All very well. Good service. The challenge is I’m HOLDING the book in my hand as I finish it. I am NOT on the HarperCollins website when I finish the book. It’s the BOOK that need the direct call to action. Ideally use the medium of mobile since it’s far more accessible — your handset is generally on and ready to rock whenever you need it, whilst the vast majority of people have their computers switched off until they need to use them. So, focus on the call to action message – make it immediately accessible. Don’t make me visit the HarperCollins site (and thus add a a few minutes delay to my ‘impromptu action’). Get me while I’m warm.
So: HarperCollins, your marketing to me totally blows. Please sort it out: I would have given you more cash, earlier, if you had told me about Bernard’s new book. You should have been building me up with updates three months before the launch! Mainstream media doesn’t cut it with me. Talk to me directly.
If you’re worried about whether or not mobile is international enough or ubiquitous enough a medium, don’t be. There are billions of GSM customers worldwide sending and receiving billions of text messages a day. All you need to do us get yourself a 44 MSISDN number and a good mobile marketing company to sort it all out. Then from Manilla to Manchester, any reader of your books can opt to receive notification of when to pay you more money (i.e. when the next book is published).
[insert sounds of teeth grinding]
When I sit and think of the economics and how these companies actually run, I’m just astounded that there’s no call-to-action in their published works. How do you market a book? Whatever the marketing strategy was 5 years ago, you need to tear it up and start thinking about talking directly to your readers — it’s quick, cheap and easy.
While I’m going on about mobile as my medium of choice, I’d be just as delighted to do the same with email. Either or.
So here’s hoping. I hope that when I finish my next Bernard Cornwell or Conn Iggulden book, there’s a call to action (mobile, email or otherwise) ready to take advantage of the slight disappointment of reaching the end of a good book.
