We’re starting to get hints of fall here, despite the continual heat. The evenings are getting colder, and the leaves are starting to turn. As a child, fall was my favorite time of year. It meant new school supplies (which were always far more exciting than the classes I had to use them for), sweaters, and most of all fresh new books.
So I suppose it isn’t surprising that when I saw Lavonne’s post about her Customer Love challenge this month, my first thoughts went to creating a shiny new book. Those of you who know me personally know that I think e-books are generally a sort of wasted opportunity in the current format. So many people download a strangely named pdf and either let it sit in a folder until their next hard drive cycle, or read it and forget it. My personal theory is that we don’t engage with e-books in the same way because they are by nature a static format, and many people don’t learn purely through reading. If you think back to the earliest reading experiences that make an impression on us, they’re all about more than reading. Some books for children use fur and fabric to reinforce the concepts that are being learned (think Pat The Bunny), and things like pop up books rely on that sense of happy surprise that occurs as you turn to the next page to see what information will stand out.
We know why these techniques work. Children see written information highlighted and reinforced in delightful and unexpected ways, and it causes them to engage with the book while retaining the information. So why the hell don’t we do this with e-books?
Well, because we’re adults for one, and there is a sad perception that we outgrow delightful books pretty quickly. Secondly, because e-books are generally a business resource, and business is well…even less fun and delightful.
Along with Lavonne’s challenge, we’re taking time this month here to declare that e-books, and running a business in general doesn’t mean that you have to lose that sense of fun and wonder that you approach learning with when you’re little. By the end of this month, we’re hoping to have a big copywriting e-book out that proves that you can produce something that is both a serious online resource and a delight to interact with, even if it’s a little unconventional in format.
In the meantime, go check out Lavonne’s blog post about the challenge, or even go ahead and enter on your own! It’s going to be crazy and fun; we can’t wait to see you there.
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