Advertisement
 
 

Editor's Note : Who's Eating Your Cake?

February 2010 By Noelle Skodzinski
Get the Flash Player to see this rotator.
 

You may have heard by now about author Stephen Covey's deal with Amazon, selling the exclusive electronic rights (via e-book publisher Rosetta Books and for a one-year period) to two of his titles, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" and "Principle-Centered Leadership." You also may have heard (or been a voice among) the resounding, collective industry gasp.

The deal reportedly gives Covey 50 percent of the proceeds from the e-book's sale, compared to the 25 percent that many publishers offer, according to a Dec. 14 New York Times article. Another factor leading Covey to sign with Amazon, according to the article, was Amazon's intent to "heavily promote the e-book editions."

Covey's licensing deal brought behemoth questions to light in an industry currently venturing across completely unfamiliar terrain … at night … with what, at times, seems the equivalent of a match to guide its way.

Relationships Out the Window?
Besides some criticizing the business author's decision to prevent other retailers (including Borders, Barnes & Noble and Sony) from selling his e-books as bad business, bigger issues haunt the industry.

For starters, consumers should love this one: You can't buy the e-book at most e-tailers' sites where you can buy the print version. Nothing like further complicating an already-complicated digital landscape.

Also, obviously, Covey's longtime publisher (Simon & Schuster) was left out of the deal. Adam Rothberg, a spokesman for Simon & Schuster, told The NY Times, "Our position is that electronic editions of our backlist titles belong in the Simon & Schuster catalog, and we intend to protect our interests in those publications."

Covey's son commented that the Amazon deal did not reflect dissatisfaction with Simon & Schuster, but frankly, it's tough to see how the deal can be good for his relationship with the company.

Other author-publisher relationships are being tried by the battle over e-rights as well, and many publishers hold fast that e-rights are assumed under publishing rights.

What's that saying again … "Divided we …," something or other?

Amazon's Marketplace
People have feared an Amazon stranglehold on the market, being the largest e-booktailer (inventing words with "e" in them seems to be "in" today) and leading e-reader maker, and the Covey deal is just one more cause for concern.

In this issue's cover story, "The Future of the Industry: Whose Hands Is It In?", Innodata Isogen's Richard Rubin, author of a recent whitepaper about publishing strategies, poses, "If Amazon opens up a formal publishing arm and says, 'We are the biggest player out there,' … how can [a traditional publisher] compete with that?"

 

MORE ON E-BOOKS & DIGITAL PUBLISHING >>

 

MORE ON MANAGEMENT & FINANCE >>

FROM THE BOOKSTORE

<i>Powered by the Email Campaign Archive, www.emailcampaignarchive.com </i>

According to “The Power of Direct,” a late 2009 study from the Direct Marketing Association, email marketing returned an unbeatable ROI of $43.62 for every dollar spent on it in 2009. 

Thanks to this tremendous success, email marketing is on the rise … and increased volume means that marketers are faced with more and more competition resulting in overcrowded inboxes and frustrated, overwhelmed prospects.

The challenge: How to break through the clutter and get your message opened and read within 3 seconds, for that’s how long your prospects allow before they hit the delete button.  
 
<b>“All About Email Creative” is here to help.</b>

Through detailed analysis of hundreds of thousands of emails residing in the Email Campaign Archive (www.emailcampaignarchive.com), best-practice advice from industry experts, case studies and more, this groundbreaking report will give you the tools you need for success.  Here are just a few of the take-aways that you will learn:

•	Month with the Highest Volume of Email
•	Day of the Week with the Highest Volume of Email
•	Time of Day with the Highest email Distribution
•	Top 20 Most Popular Words and Symbols in Subject Lines
•	Word with Highest Increase of Subject Line in Repeat Email
•	Top 10 Categories with Most Email Volume
•	Word Count Trends … What Could It Mean?
•	The One Single Tactical Move to Improve Email Response
•	Maximum Number of Characters in the Subject Line
•	How to Test Subject Lines
•	How to Avoid Junk Filters – the Trigger Words That Get You Trashed
•	Why you Should Pay More Attention to the “From” Line
•	Once Opened, What Should the Reader See Next?
•	10 Steps to Getting Your Message Just Right
•	5 Ways to Optimize the Email Preview Pane
•	How to Deal with Blocked Images
•	Web-Friendly Fonts and Font Sizes – What Are They?
•	The Top Reason People Unsubscribe from Marketing Messages
•	To Use Free or Not to Use Free … That Is the Question
•	16 Most Effective Strategies for Email Branding
•	The Difference Between B-to-B and B-to-C Email Marketing
•	HTML or Text.  Which Should You Use?
•	The list goes on … and on

Filled with countless examples, more than 20 charts, several case studies, and privileged knowledge from top email marketers, “All About Email Creative” is must-reading for any marketer involved in email and cross-media campaigns.

<b><u>100% Money-Back Guarantee</b></u>

Your order is risk-free. If you are not completely delighted with “All About Email Creative,” notify us within 30 days for a complete credit or refund, no questions asked.

<u>About DirectMarketingIQ</u>

The Research Division of the Target Marketing Group, DirectMarketingIQ (www.directmarketingiq.com) is the go-to resource for direct marketers. Publishing books, special reports, case study stockpiles and how-to guides, it opens up a new world for those who seek more information, more ideas and more success stories in order to boost their own marketing efforts. DirectMarketingIQ has unparalleled access to direct marketing data - including the world's most complete library of direct mail as well as a growing library of promotional emails across hundreds of categories - and proudly produces content from the most experienced editors and practitioners in the industry. All About Email Creative

Powered by the Email Campaign Archive, www.emailcampaignarchive.com According to “The Power of Direct,” a late 2009 study from the Direct Marketing Association, email marketing returned an unbeatable ROI of $43.62 for every dollar spent on it in 2009. Thanks to this tremendous success, email marketing is on the rise …...

ORDER NOW

Who's Charging What Who's Charging What!

NEW 2010 Edition Now Available Who's Charging What! -- Your Guide to Direct Marketing Creative Services gives you complete facts on top copywriters, agencies, designers, and consultants, providing you with the critical information you need to make decisions when looking for a copywriter. These top-flight professionals...

ORDER NOW

 

COMMENTS

Most Recent Comments: