by Sherrie Wilkolaski
The other day I was talking with a colleague let’s call her “Sally” and she told me that she decided to finally take the plunge into the world of electronic books and bought a Nook. The funny part about this story is that she is in the business of e-books. It’s not that she just touches e-books she is a big-wig, in the e-book business. How could this be?
So I asked Sally, “What has been holding you back from buying an e-reader?” Could it be that she works too many long hours and doesn’t have the time to read? Nope. She is an avid reader, loves her paperbacks and even checks books out of the library. Is it because there are e-readers lying around the office and so she doesn’t really need one at home? Not the case. Perhaps she already bought a Kindle or iPad for herself and one of her kids has taken hold of it. Again, nada.
The reason Sally held out so long on buying an e-reader, was because she likes to read in the bathtub. That is her escape and she always takes a good old-fashioned paperback with her. I thought I must have missed some big announcement from Barnes and Noble about a new waterproof devise. Turns out the clerk at Barnes and Noble, told her to put her Nook in a Ziploc™ bag so it won’t get wet. Brilliant! As chance would have it, this is a very common question.
This simple solution sold one more Nook for Barnes and Noble, so kudos to that sales rep. Sally is now enjoying her Nook while enjoying her bubble baths. So why did she run with a Nook vs. Kindle vs. iPad? For Sally it was the smaller size and she wanted a device that was just for reading e-books. Now she is hooked and very clean.
Sherrie Wilkolaski is a public relations and book marketing expert for independent authors and traditional publishers. Her unique balance of real-world experience as a best-selling author and her insider knowledge into the mechanics of the publishing process has allowed her to help thousands of authors successfully translate their creations into published works of art. Her boutique publishing house style draws authors to her—it’s the measurable results in book sales that keep them loyal. She is a former Director of Publishing Services at Lulu and co-host of radio show, “The Publishing Insiders.” Currently, she is a columnist for the Raleigh Examiner and frequent featured blogger on Shewrites.com. She is a consultant and publishing services broker for a variety of small to mid-sized publishers, including Infinity Publishing. She is the author of best-selling book, “How to Start a Wedding Planning Business” and the “Cookies and Cocktails” series. Her third, yet to be titled, book is coming out in 2012. She will speak on How to Maximize Amazon at “How to Write, Publish & Market Your Book Now!” retreat Feb. 23 and 24, 2013.
www.authorpublishingservices.com
Image courtesy of ozaidesigns.com.