Books,
in my mind, can be priceless when you look at the impact they can have on
society and individuals. There’s no
doubt that books have led people to turn their lives around, switch careers,
change religions, stay in a relationships, laugh, love and find happiness. They also have fermented seeds of hatred,
caused violence and inspired suicide.
The words and images revealed in a book are so powerful and
inspiring. So how does one put an exact
price tag on a book?
Maybe
people should pay after they read a book.
They can determine its worth only after experiencing the content and
seeing how it is reflected in their lives.
Perhaps for books that disappoint, a reader should get compensated for lost time and duress.
For books that neither inspire nor cause us to recoil in anger, the book
is free. For books that move us forward
and serve a need or help us toward a goal, there is a scale of compensation to
be employed.
The price of
a book is often set by a few factors, namely number of pages, format,
packaging, and competition. There are
few surprises. Trade paperbacks are in
the $12-20 range; hardcover is $20 to $35; eBooks are 99c to $10; audiobooks
$15-$30; digital audio is less; hardcover children’s picture books are $10-$18;
etc.
So what
if you charged for a book based on perceived value, where you actually create the marketplace you’re looking to crack?
Howard Schatz, an internationally respected, award-winning photographer
has done just that.
Schatz's work includes having images featured on the covers of The New York Times
Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and other illustrious glossies. Vogue, American Photo, Time, and so many
institutional publications have shown and reviewed his work. He’s published 20 books on a variety of
subjects, ranging from professional athletes and Hollywood celebrities to homeless people and pregnant women. Now he
has a beautiful two-volume special edition set that captures 1,100 of his best
images – out of a professional collection of 4,000,000 photos. These images make you feel, think and look in
awe. What would you pay for such a book
collection?
He’s
offering up the 18-pound pair of books for $500. Now, to be fair, that’s a special
introductory pre-launch price. It’ll
rise once the book is released in May.
There are 500 numbered sets to this limited release. It is a collector's item to be treasured.
Part of
the price is dictated by cost. To put
together such a book – factoring in printing, editing, design, packaging, and
shipping – not to mention the value of his time and to reward his creative
genius engenders a higher price.
His
books embody not only the beauty of life, but the beauty of physical books.
It’s meant to be held, touched, and displayed prominently. A work of this magnitude can’t be shrunk into
a digital box and be viewed in the dark.
Long live print!
I had
the pleasure of promoting one of his earlier books, At The Fights, and now I am
promoting his latest accomplishment, Schatz Images: 25 Years with the help of the public relations firm that I work for. If anyone warrants
commanding his sticker price it is him.
The art of producing great photography takes years of dedication and his
books delivery plenty of amazing images.
It’s about time we see books as valuable as a mini-iPad, a pair of
designer shoes, or a nice restaurant meal.
What’s
your book – or any book worth? The
answer lies between its covers and how the reader consumes and values your
work. Some books are certainly worth
more than others and Schatz’s may prove to be more valuable than most other
books. You decide.
DON’T MISS: ALL NEW RESOURCE OF THE YEAR
2015 Book PR &
Marketing Toolkit: All New
Brian Feinblum’s views,
opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his
employer. You can follow him
on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels
more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by
BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2015
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