During his presentation at Book Expo 2011 (BEA) yesterday, Michael Norris, from Simba Information, declared "the print book will not die - you can write my name by that statement." Forty-eight percent of Americans did not buy a book last year. That is an audience we need to reach. New gadgets, however, don't always mean new customers.
With all the discussion around ebooks, it was great to hear Michael. He encouraged publishers to intertwine print and ebook marketing as the discoverability feeds off each other.
I hope to see more of the conference floor over the next two days. I feel the books calling me, although tomorrow is filled with meetings!
BEA sessions are overflowing with great ideas. You can feel the excitement. Everyone is exploring new options and trying to figure out what their customers need. You can help us define our direction. Send us your thoughts.