When I worked at the Almost Big Bank and the Really Big Bank, I was involved in various corporate wide projects. One of those was to advise corporate on those divisions that had siloed themselves.
Think of a silo. It stands alone in the field. (Actually, I had a great picture of a silo, but after much deliberation thought it was a bit too phallic. Ahem.)
A department that siloed itself had isolated itself from the main corporate structure. Those departments had problems with communication, associate retention, and morale. The more they isolated themselves, the worse it got. Sometimes, the only way to eliminate the problem was to eliminate the department. After all, they’d proven they weren’t a systemic – and necessary – part of the whole. They were so autonomous they weren’t needed.
We met with managers, trying to convey how important it was for them to interact, inter-relate, and communicate. Those who got the picture changed their corporate structure and survived. Those who didn’t, well, didn’t.
When I put away my corporate suits, I thought I was done with that part of my life.
Au contraire.
Enter publishers.
I’m thinking silos again.
Readers have never been the customers of publishers. Isn’t that odd to think? Publishers sell to bookstores and big box stores. What other industry produces something and has such an isolated (siloed) relationship with its ultimate consumer?
A steel mill provides the steel to an appliance manufacturer, in order to produce a refrigerator as the ultimate product. But books are books. They don’t get formed into microwaves or sinks. They are what they are from the publisher. If readers don’t buy them, don’t read them, the publisher isn’t in business.
The more I think about it, the more I think publishers should begin to interact with readers directly. After all, the way we buy books is changing, but the one thing that won’t change is the fact that readers buy books. What better way to ensure yourself of a place in the market post-2011 than by engaging readers?
How would a publishing company eliminate its silo behavior? Maybe by establishing book clubs and helping readers establish reader groups. Maybe by having panels where readers were the participants, by sponsoring reader awards, by offering special pricing to publisher-loyal readers.
A friend of mine, for example, reads every Avon book that comes out every month. Shouldn’t that kind of loyalty be rewarded?
What do you think?
I woul participate in a reader panel for a publisher. It might be fun! NL
You know, I would, too – as a reader. I read like a demon.
I know Harlequin has quite a few reader panels you can join and yes it would give the publishing companies more insight into what readers expect and want form them.
Don’t you think? I wish they would come up with a few of those ideas.
I would enjoy being involved in a readers panel, I read all the time and its a hobby, a part of my life.
I like the Silo concept and your right, Publishers are not out for the customers but for the big book stores, If they tried to focus also on the customer then a lot more revenue would be made.
One of these days, the big book stores might not be around. Publishers, in my humble opinion, need to look to the future.
Those are great ideas, and I would love to participate! NL
I’d enjoy being on a readers’ panel! NL.
So many good ideas, special pricing. yep. panel I’d be tempted.
nl
In the UK the BBC are currently recruiting for a viewers’ panel, if anyone’s UK based and interested.
I’ve blogged about the issue you raised, but the silo image is a good one. In a nutshell, the question is really now one of what publishers bring to the process, especially in the e-book age. The answer seems to be that they are (or at least should be) the ones who by having a group of authors whose work is of interest to a particular kind of reader, develop a ‘tribe’ of readers who will pick up a particular author and then maybe read the whole of their output and other related works put out under the same ‘tribal banner’. If you don’t like the ‘tribal’ image, which has been picked up a lot recently, maybe ‘broker’ would also be appropriate? If publishers can’t do this for authors or readers, then the authors may as well self-publish or operate as small co-operative groups the way some are now doing in areas such as experimental fiction.
Just my quick 2p (I’m dashing out now, late for an appointment!).