Blog

Earlier this year, a fan of my Lean Media video channel reached out to ask if I would be interested in partnering with him to help sell his product. He appreciated the no-hype style of my videos, and thought that we could work something out that would be mutually beneficial. This post describes some ofRead more

A publisher asked me if it’s possible to set up an Amazon Advantage account if they already have a distributor. The publisher had seen some of my Amazon Deep Dive videos about Amazon Advantage. My answer: Assuming the distributor already handles sales through Amazon, if the publisher were to set up its own Amazon AdvantageRead more

In my Amazon Deep Dive video series, I talk at length about Amazon Advertising metrics, from ACoS to Sales. But there are 2 vital metrics that Amazon Advertising doesn’t provide – spend per sale, and the conversion rate. In the following 8-minute video, I explain why these metrics are so important. Even better, I showRead more

Most 21st century businesses need to have at least a little media DNA to market their products/services and connect with customers. If you have a website or social media presence, these are in fact important channels for distributing media to an audience, which may consist of current customers, prospective customers, partners, and peers. Many smallRead more

Let’s talk about the Amazon TOS for publishers. TOS means “Terms of Service” and it’s basically the rules Amazon sets out for everyone who uses various Amazon services, including Amazon KDP, Amazon Seller, Amazon Advertising, and other Amazon programs. Before I get into the details: This post represents my opinion based on my experience andRead more

Last month I received an intriguing email from Barnes & Noble Press, which sells many of my company’s books on the bn.com website. It was about a new self-serve ad platform that could potentially help promote my books there. But my interest evaporated when it became clear that B&N was massively overcharging for the service,Read more

There’s a great article in The Economist about management lessons derived from the rock world. I think the study of bands’ management styles really does give useful insights into creativity and venture creation — this is a topic I covered in Lean Media, especially with discussions about the rise of Led Zeppelin in the lateRead more

It’s reached the point where if I see an article about startups that uses the term “lifestyle business” I just stop reading. It’s either a business or it’s not. Product or service? Check. Place to sell it? Check. Cashflow? Check.  It can be a one-person shop, or it can be a massive enterprise. Yes, theRead more

This question about Amazon FBM royalties came from a member of the Independent Book Publishers’ Association, on whose board I serve. Here’s my answer: Amazon Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM) is technically part of “Amazon Seller” accounts and there are two tiers: FreeProfessional ($40/month) Free gives you basic access to selling stuff on Amazon and thenRead more

A former colleague recently asked a very good question: Why not create audiobook versions of my nonfiction guides? In this post I’ll explain why this idea despite having promise won’t work for my book publishing company. Some quick background: I am the founder of i30 Media Corp., which publishes IN 30 MINUTES guides. There areRead more