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A World without Borders
Chris Ulyatt
I have just finished reading a great post by Sarah Mitchell of http://www.globalcopywriting.com that I felt compelled to respond (And as my response is so long I thought it would be better to put it here than take up space on the highly enjoyable Small Business Owner blog).
Sarah, in her summary of the current Border customer experience, has hit upon what I think is a problem with so many big businesses.
I know that there were many deep issues with Borders that have been analysed by clever folk in the media. With a Marketing perspective I think what went wrong was simple - they didn’t know what business they were in.
From how Sarah has described the original Borders (and from what I have witnessed in the smaller independent book stores) the business that Borders was in was:
“Being a brand that connected a broad and eclectic range of literature genres and authors with the heavy (and passionate) consumers of books” . By a Broad Range I mean the populous NY Times List best sellers, the fly by night trends (including cooking), together with the classics, the smaller imprints, the stuff that is too hard to find at Walmart/K Mart.
I think that is how Borders saw itself.
Once the internet – Amazon – came along they panicked. “OMG – there will be a broader range of books available online....we better get even broader – find something else to sell these book lovers”.
With homage to Reis & Trout (I’m not worthy, I’m not worthy, genuflect and thank you to Leon for bringing their wisdom and downright common sense into the ongoing conversation over on Sarah’s post) WOOPS!
I can hear the thought process, can’t you?
“Geeze – all the books you can get here you can also get somewhere else. Quick, order in a shipment of coffee mugs and novelty toilet seats”.
Their problem? They didn’t really know what business they were in.
I think they were focused. Just they were focused on the wrong thing – they were focused on how to make a sale.
They didn’t realise that rather than just selling a broad range of books they were about ‘connecting’ a broad range of literature to heavy consumers of same...
“connecting” meant choosing and endorsing.
“connecting” meant sharing insights and recommendations with their customers
“connecting” meant getting authors in front of real life readers
“connecting” meant continuing to own their position – despite competitors who could (in those days) only do a small part of what they could do.
Buying a book on Amazon, despite their huge inventory, and recent introductions of Purchasers' Reviews is NOT the same as experiencing the one-on-one advice, help, relationship, time spent in store browsing, connecting, with the original Borders or today’s independent book store.
Imagine what they could have done if they had realised that it was their job to connect?
“Wow – look at this internet thingy....We can emulate some of our customer experiences online too....we can email suggestions for authors, we can alert them to in-store functions...We can share interviews with our publishers....”
Imagine if they had embraced events? Taking the Borders experience into school fetes and community festivals?
Where are the Borders sponsorship of creative writing courses and awards?
Why couldn’t I post my book reviews or my writing or writing of my fave authors on the Borders site just like I can over at Canon EOS land?
Where is the Borders mobile/pop up book store taking it to the streets and the suburbs?
Where the Borders sponsored "Reading Desk" in appropriately branded and targeted food outlets?
So many ideas – IF you focus upon the right strategy.
All of these big businesses start with the ultimate goal in mind (to get someone to spend money – any money – on anything) instead of recognising that their goal is to connect their clearly identifiable brand with a clearly defined (and financially viable) customer basis....and then the money will come.
Long live the independent book stores who – purely because they are small businesses – can keep it real.
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Comments
& Robertson and Barnes & Noble all discounted was the shopping experience. It wasn't about coffee and open spaces, it was about losing yourself for hours browsing the aisles. While I shop at Amazon for things I want, I need a bookstore to shop for things I
don't know I want. The tactile pleasure of leafing through a book, reading the author's bio, following a trail from one book jacket to the next is an indescribable pleasure for me. I'm not alone in this. So you're right, Borders forgot about readers and reading.
They focused on shoppers and spending. It's a crying shame. I love this post. Thanks so much.
you don't even know you want yet * they were so focussed on the shoppers and selling, they forgot the readers and reading. I seriously believe that EVERY business should ask themselves those three points? Are they doing that too....??? Thanks Sarah. Mwah