Note from Kim: In the spirit of today’s opening of the Mequoda Summit, I thought I’d allow my friend and business associate Uli Raible from German publisher VNR to share the thoughts that are going through his mind as he prepares to attend the Mequoda Summit.
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I’m Uli Raible, publishing product manager from VNR Germany. I have 6 of my colleagues joining me this week at the Mequoda Summit.
People often ask me why VNR spends so much money sending their employees overseas to publishing and marketing conferences. Some people say it’s for the excellent oysters and lobster (like we had on Tuesday evening). Others say it’s for travelling around and experiencing funny traditions like the Boston Duck Tours (Thank you Don, Kim and Peter for this fantastic day).
As nice as these things are, the main reason we are here is to learn from other publishers. We all want to know how to get more names, higher circulation rates and more revenue. I would bet the majority of the people here this week would agree that the main benefit of a live conference is to network with peers and share new ideas and strategies.
But what will happen when we go back to the office with a big bunch of new ideas? People will say “Nice ideas, but the German market is totally different than the US market, so we can’t transform the American ideas into our publishing world.”
I like to call these folks the “Yes, but” people.
A similar attitude for US publishers could be “Nice ideas, but the B2B market is different than B2C and it won’t work for us.”
Are they right? No, they are not. The core desires of people are the same wherever you go: personally and professionally, everyone wants a healthier and easier life, less stress, more money…
I think you know these “Yes, but… “people I’m referring to. But once you’ve made the decision to collect more email addresses, sell more books, give away free trial issues to acquire subscribers or members, you can’t allow yourself to get torn down by these “Yes, but…” people.
Instead of letting them discourage your plans, you should make the change fast, make it powerful and use all the strength and enthusiasm you get from all the speakers and attendees at the Mequoda Summit (or the proceedings you’ll soon be able to purchase).
Do you still think your “Yes, but” people will get in the way of your plans? Then perhaps you should take them to a Boston seafood restaurant.
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I think Uli’s point is well taken. The time has now come to stop hesitating when it comes to your Internet plans. Take the plunge! And invest the time and effort required. In all my travels and in all my conversations with publishers, I’ve never heard any of them say that their online efforts have been a complete waste. Sure, there are lessons to be learned—and some cost money. But without risk, we never move forward. Take the lead—and don’t let the “Yes, but” stand in your way!
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