A Market Case for Books Without Borders
It’s futile to judge a book by its market performance but leaving that aside for now, let’s examine a market case for Books Without Borders. If you don’t recognize the term it’s a reference to Publica’s use of cryptographic blockchain technology because I often say “blockchains don’t know what country they’re in.” In short, Books Without Borders.
I mentioned the FAANG before and they exploit markets territorially. (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google.) They build operations tailor-made to specific nations and geographies, often more separated from their home nations’ operations and policies than you’ve probably felt any reason to look into. Major differences.
An author or publisher who puts up a book on a FAANG or FAANG-like platform has no advantage in the territories they specialize for. Books are a commodity next to every other book (millions!). They can either advertise (spend money), or patiently build trust (a platform of email list, website comments, blog, chat/tweet etc.).
If you’re an author then this gets personal. When you offer your books beyond the FAANG’s platforms, you gain market advantages. You can apply first-mover advantage and establish your beachhead before they arrive with their commodity books so your books will be immune forever to their commodity machinations.
You can establish your name as the one and only at what you do. You’ll be noticed if only because you stepped out from the herd.
Caring and thoughtful readers around the world know about the FAANG and your book will be all the more interesting to them because you made it available beyond whichever borders the FAANG likes. The real people who really buy books will recognize the respect that you’re showing them. Nevermind the robots.
That’s only talking about the markets of readers who you don’t know because you never met them on a FAANG platform. What about the readers you do know? Do some of them live beyond easy reach of the platform that was easiest for you? Shouldn’t you cultivate them all the more?
And whatever you think, please don’t make the mistake of thinking there’s only a viable book market in “developed countries.” That’s totally false, and frankly, emotionally offensive even if you didn’t know. You don’t have to take my word for it, there’s science and math and a courageous writer who won Bill Gates’ respect, here’s his video review. The book “Factfulness” by Hans Rosling and Anna Rosling Ronnlund shows the world in an up-to-date and more truthful way.
I hope it’ll add an inspirational dimension when I encourage you to think of marketing your own Books Without Borders.
P.S. Molly Flatt of The Book Seller
Molly posted something in between when I wrote this and when you’re seeing it in my blog. We know each other but we didn’t know we were thinking about related topics at this time although I suppose that shouldn’t surprise. While reading hers, think of mine occasionally especially when she talks about communities. The BookSeller is U.K.-centric but don’t let that stop you from thinking about Books Without Borders.
https://www.thebookseller.com/futurebook/death-influencer-841671
