Contemporary Business 14th Edition by Louis Boone, David Kurtz

تمرين 20

Case 12.2 Secret Acres: Getting the Word Out No matter how powerful they are, comic book heroes can't get themselves into bookstores-and readers' hands-without a little help. Leon Avelino and Barry Matthews, co-founders of Secret Acres, know that one of the greatest challenges of publishing is getting books onto the shelves and into readers' shopping carts. The task is even more difficult for small publishers-in this case, small publishers of comic books and graphic novels-because they don't have the wide distribu- tion network of major publishers. But Avelino and Matthews, whose authors consider them the superheroes of comicbook publishing, are undaunted. They know what they are trying to achieve and work dog- gedly to make it happen. "Distribution is a difficult thing right now," admits Matthews. "The publishing industry is changing and comic books themselves have a different distribution methodology and wholesale methodology than traditional books do." Unlike conventional book shops, comic book shops do not operate on a return basis. Conventional bookstores receive a small discount when they purchase books from a publisher, but then have the option to return any unsold books to the publisher. Comic book shops take a deeper discount but make no returns. Matthews also notes that currently there is only one major distributor of comic books-Diamond Distributors-which has the leverage to dictate much of what happens in the business of comic book distribu- tion. In addition, Matthews observes that Secret Acres' graphic novels could easily be sold to the general book market, but many general book distributors prefer not to deal with smaller publishers because they sim- ply don't produce enough books to be profitable. All of that said, Matthews explains that they are learning alter- native ways to distribute their books. "Amazon is great," he says. "They make it very easy for smaller publishers. They treat your books as if they are Amazon books, giving them the sheen of being part of a larger retail channel." Amazon does take a significant cut of sales, but Matthews says it's worth it to broaden the distribution of Secret Acres products. Of course, Secret Acres also sells its entire line directly through its Web site at http://www.secretacres.com, along with some books from other independent authors and publishers. This sales method is the most profitable for Secret Acres. More importantly, it allows Matthews and Avelino to keep closer tabs on their readers. Matthews explains that because orders are filled on an individual basis, he can slip promotional materials, notices of upcoming events or new books, and tie-ins right into the package of a customer whose prefer- ences he knows. This one-on-one interaction helps in the management of customer relationships. Matthews and Avelino also enjoy one other form of distribu- tion-attending comic book conventions around the country, such as the Stumptown Comics Fest in Portland, Oregon. There, they have he opportunity to interact with readers, other publishers, comic book authors and artists, and even some smaller distributors who have begun to attend these events. They note that readers in particular love to meet the authors and artists. "It feeds the interest in what we're doing," says Matthews. While at an event, Matthews and Avelino try to carve out some time to meet with other small publishers. "A lot of small publishers are in the same position" with regard to distribution, Matthews explains. "So we have been talking with them to see if we can band together to share resources." For the future, Matthews admits that he and Avelino have no idea how some of the new technologies, including e-readers, will ultimately affect distribution, but they plan to research the possibility of digitizing some of Secret Acres' titles for online distribution. Despite its small size, Secret Acres' authors consider the firm a mighty one. Theo Ellsworth, author of such titles as Capacity and Sleeper Car, praises Secret Acres for its personal attention and efforts to market and distribute his books. "It feels good to have the distribution part in someone else's hands," says Ellsworth. He explains that having some- one else take care of that aspect of publishing frees him up to concen- trate on his art, producing more posters and books-which is, after all, the author's job.
-What steps can Secret Acres take to develop brand loyalty and ultimately brand equity for its products?