Developing an Ebook Strategy - Free IBPA Conference Call Monday 1pm Eastern

The Independent Book Publisher's Association has invited me to be the guest on a free 90-minute conference call Monday at 1pm Eastern titled, "How to Develop and Implement an Ebook Strategy."

We'll be giving away a free Sony Reader Pocket Edition to one lucky listener, courtesy of our good friends at Sony Electronics and the Reader Store from Sony.

The conference call will follow a Q&A format, moderated by Florrie Binford Kichler, president of the IBPA.

If you're new to ebooks (and who isn't??), I invite you to attend. We'll cover a lot of ground, including almost everything you need to know to produce, publish, distribute and market your ebooks. No, this is not a Smashwords advertorial, so even if you don't work with Smashwords you're welcome to attend and join the conversation with your questions.

Topics we'll address include:

* What’s the latest market data on ebooks?
* What’s driving the growth of ebooks?
* Overview of ebook reading devices
* How do ebooks fit within an overall publishing strategy?
* Which books work best as ebooks?
* Tips on ebook formatting
* Deciphering the alphabet soup of ebook formats
* How is the ebook supply chain evolving?
* What's DRM, and do customers really know or care?
* How do I price my ebooks?
* How do I market my ebooks?

Florrie has prepared dozens of questions to ask me, and we'll also take live questions from listeners on the conference call and from folks on Twitter who use the hashtag #IBPA.

This call is a follow-up to an online seminar I presented back in July for the IBPA's Publishing University Online series. Over 120 people paid up to $69 each to attend that class. There were so many great questions we couldn't get to them all. After some pondering, we decided to do a free conference call, open it up to everyone (even if you're not an IBPA member!), and make it 100 percent Q&A for 90 minutes!

Post-Call Update:
Great call. Thanks everyone for attending. Access the conference call replay at 712.432.1085 (free, but your long distance rate, if any, applies) with passcode 405513.

How to Develop an Ebook Strategy: IBPA Publishing University Class Tomorrow

I'm presenting a one-hour online class tomorrow at 2:00pm Eastern, sponsored by the Independent Book Publisher's Association (IBPA) titled, "Making the Move to Ebooks: How to Develop an Ebook Strategy."

The class tomorrow expands upon a class I co-presented with Dan Poynter at the Publishing University conference in New York in May.

From the IBPA web site, here's a partial summary of what I'll cover:

1. Why ebooks are hot
2. Latest market sales data
3. Will ebooks cannibalize or complement print books?
4. How ebooks fit within overall publishing strategy
5. What books work best as ebooks
6. How Ebook formatting is different
7. Why multi-format is important
8. Evolving distribution models: The new ebook supply chain
9. How Amazon is vertically integrating its ebook business: friend or foe to the independent publisher?
10. To DRM or not DRM?
11. Ebook pricing models

To learn more, or to register, visit the Publishing University Online registration page. The class is $49.00 for IBPA members and $69.00 for non-members. 100% of the proceeds go to IBPA, a wonderful organization I'm so pleased to support.

Speaking about the Future of Ebooks at IBPA's Publishing University and BookExpo America

If you're headed to New York next week for the Independent Book Publisher Association's Publishing University or for the huge BookExpo America, I'm speaking in three separate sessions. Stop by and say hello. The sessions are:

Publishing University Thursday, May 28

#1. 8:30-10am, "Turning Printed Books into Downloadable E-Books: Creating Digital Reading for Those on the Move"

I'm honored to do this presentation alongside the one and only Dan Poynter! I'll share my views on the past, present and future of ebooks. If you haven't purchased Dan's latest greatest book - The Self Publishing Manual Volume 2 - buy it now at Smashwords (it's our #1 bestseller!).

Once your book is written and ready to be printed, it is time to think about other profit centers. E-books do not have to be printed, inventoried, or shipped. E-books are never returned. You will discover how to prepare the file, convert it into the five popular e-book formats, and submit it to resellers (dealers) such as Amazon.com, Palm, and Yahoo! A resource handout includes a step-by-step plan plus contact names and phone numbers. Learn from the industry guru, Dan Poynter, who has been selling e-documents and e-books since 1996.

#2. 12:00-2pm, Keynote Luncheon, "Give the E-Readers What They Want — Content Delivery in a Digital Future"

For this roundtable panel moderated by IPA president Florrie Binford Kichler, I'm accompanied by Neelan Choksi of Amazon/ Lexcycle, Daniel Albohn of Sony, and Tricia Roth of ReadHowYouWant.

In an era that in recent times has seen print book sales steadily declining, e-book sales are on the rise. “It’s the content, stupid” has been the mantra, and nowhere has that been more evident than in the growing numbers of e-book readers that range from the Sony e-reader to the Apple iPhone and beyond, and ebook READERS who are migrating to their cell phones and devices for everything from the New York Times to their favorite novel. As a publisher, how do you create your own digital strategy to reach consumers who now have more choices in HOW they read than ever before? Join this panel of experts who have revolutionized the reading experience as they talk about the brave new world of publishing and how publishers can best take advantage of new and ever-changing technology. How can you reach this growing market? Learn the answers and more in this must-attend program presented by companies whose names are synonyms for technological innovation and leadership.

BookExpo America (BEA) Friday, May 29 (Happy Birthday to me!)

#3. 9:30-10:30am, panel, "Digital Debut Tool Time"

This panel discussion is moderated by Mike Shatzkin of Idea Logical, featuring me, Peter Clifton of FiledBy, Hugh McGuire of BookOven and Neil Jones of Coolreaders.

An insider’s presentation of new and soon-to-be-mainstreamed web-based entities providing innovative digital services and tools to authors, publishers and readers.

See you in New York!