Connections. October 2020
An October without those dark, rain-sodden Frankfurt streets, the manic scramble between halls on account of some calendar glitch, and those annual run-ins with the Messe kiosk staff, when trying to pay by card…
Strange times indeed – although no less hectic. (It’s hard to see how we actually had time to be out and about AS WELL as sitting in front of our screens.)
So the month shaped up differently, with a decidedly digital flavour: the IPG autumn conference provided the best example yet of the switch to digital presenting, with pre-recorded sessions, and live, online chat with both presenter and attendees. And of course, via Twitter.
And we’ve been beavering away in between times on Glassboxx: adding bits and pieces to the platform, onboarding more clients, providing webinars to the uninitiated, and generally enhancing, tweaking, and marketing. We’re naturally thrilled to see publisher numbers increase further throughout the month, and we look forward to welcoming more to the platform in the weeks and months ahead!
Our #eBookWednesday campaign has been a real hit, and we’re delighted to see an increasing number of publishers join in each week: promoting their eBook titles using our graphics, hashtags, etc to great effect.
We’ve actually tweaked the wording in the Vendor portal dashboard to highlight the sales and marketing features and functionality available to Glassboxx clients – and don’t forget, there are a number of videos which will walk you through each key feature. So whilst many of you have those Buy buttons embedded on your website product pages, remember there are plenty of other opportunities to promote your digital product pages via Facebook, Twitter, blog posts etc,
Speaking of which – last month we mentioned our new blog, and it seems that it’s been getting some attention! Our post on Why Audiobooks Speak Volumes for Dyslexic Readers, piqued plenty of interest – no wonder, given the ever-rising popularity of audiobooks. For more blog posts and updates, head over to www.firstynews.com. We’re looking forward to sharing much more of what we’re thinking, and what makes us tick.
Our most exciting update, particularly in the wake of Super Thursday, is pre-orders!
Our most exciting new update is our one time password – added security pushed into the latest app versions on iOS and Android.
Each time end users log into Glassboxx, they will be sent a verification code to their email address. This is valid for several minutes, giving users plenty of time to enter this and log in securely to their Glassboxx account. This is a standard feature across the web, offering peace of mind to publishers and authors: an added layer of security, but one which does not get in the way of the reading experience.
We’re also THIS close to launching multi-currency availability on Vendor+, offering customers the option to pay in EUR, USD, and CAD. We’re very aware that there are some of you clamouring for this, and rest assured we’ll update you directly as this rolls out over the next week to 10 days.
If you’ve been following our #TopTips series across social media, then you may be familiar with some of the ways to maximise the impact of Glassboxx – recently we focussed on authors.
We have been continuing to work with publishers to promote their books, and a key part of this is involving, quite naturally, the people who write them! Many authors have huge followings on social media, and even a tweet or two sharing ‘buy now’ links can have a big impact on sales. Working with your authors to promote their books is a simple and easy way to create a buzz – and now, with so many great new releases, is the time to start building excitement and grabbing the attention of fans.
Pavilion Books in particular have done a fantastic job of creating a buzz around their titles, and this has resulted in some fantastic sales. The Pastry Chef’s Guide, despite being released in April, has become hugely popular, with the return of The Great British Bake Off and the author’s new judging role in the Junior Bake Off, which they have publicized alongside the book.
In the last month, several more publishers have joined Glassboxx – below are a few links to some of their product pages.
- Black and white – Olive, Mabel & Me
This title follows the growing popularity of the commentaries Andrew Cotter uploaded to Twitter during lockdown, featuring his two Labradors, the eponymous Olive and Mabel. We think that the audiobook format of this title is set to be especially popular (and there’s an initial percentage discount they’re running on the site), given that Cotter is one of the most recognisable voices in sports broadcasting – to find out what has got people so excited about this title, check out the episode that started it all on YouTube.
Other recent publishers to launch include:
- Merlin Publishers – Castillo
- PCCS Books – Living with Voices: 50 Stories Of Recovery
- Practical Inspiration – Brand Therapy
We’re very conscious that there are still a number of other publishers signed up, but yet to onboard – and we’re here to help with that process. By all means drop us a line and we can pick the momentum up here!
