[tbdeinc]

GREETINGS ALL...

I just posted a couple of interesting thoughts on IMWAN and I would like to share them here...

1))))
This looks like it's leading towards "Incentive marketing."

Making digital content available for free or a low affordable cost with the call to action on an incentive...

and what is the incentive?

Maybe get a chance to order something extra?
1) a limited edition signed page of your choice? (additional purchase necessary)
2) a limited printed version of the digital comic (additional purchase necessary)
3) a FREE bigMAC and FRIES coupon?
4) an iTUNEs $$ credit?
5) a TOYs R US $$ credit?
6) a discount on the purchase of another item from the same creator?

Since the playing field has been leveling with every new WIZBANG GIZMO and the internet as a distribution source...
CROSS PROMOTION INCENTIVES are what will eventually end up happening, trying to get your money...


2)))
Longbox is not going to succeed...
they are a modeling themselves on a system that can easily by-pass them and go direct...

Longbox is a Diamond Distributors...

the only way for them to have a chance is to have an exclusive right to digitally distribute (WHATEVER COMIC)...
like Diamond has exclusive rights on stuff in print...

I don't see how they can put themselves between the content creator and the customer on the level of APPLEs system...

ESPECIALLY with ePUB format which will soon become a global standard given the MILLIONs of established customers apple already has...


I am currently developing an ePUB formatted GOLDENAGE COMIC SET for possibly putting on the APPLE BOOK STORE...

any thoughts on INCENTIVES for PUBLIC DOMAIN COMICS?


GPG

[boox909]

GREETINGS ALL...

I just posted a couple of interesting thoughts on IMWAN and I would like to share them here...

1))))
This looks like it's leading towards "Incentive marketing."

Making digital content available for free or a low affordable cost with the call to action on an incentive...

and what is the incentive?

Maybe get a chance to order something extra?
1) a limited edition signed page of your choice? (additional purchase necessary)
2) a limited printed version of the digital comic (additional purchase necessary)
3) a FREE bigMAC and FRIES coupon?
4) an iTUNEs $$ credit?
5) a TOYs R US $$ credit?
6) a discount on the purchase of another item from the same creator?

Since the playing field has been leveling with every new WIZBANG GIZMO and the internet as a distribution source...
CROSS PROMOTION INCENTIVES are what will eventually end up happening, trying to get your money...


2)))
Longbox is not going to succeed...
they are a modeling themselves on a system that can easily by-pass them and go direct...

Longbox is a Diamond Distributors...

the only way for them to have a chance is to have an exclusive right to digitally distribute (WHATEVER COMIC)...
like Diamond has exclusive rights on stuff in print...

I don't see how they can put themselves between the content creator and the customer on the level of APPLEs system...

ESPECIALLY with ePUB format which will soon become a global standard given the MILLIONs of established customers apple already has...


I am currently developing an ePUB formatted GOLDENAGE COMIC SET for possibly putting on the APPLE BOOK STORE...

any thoughts on INCENTIVES for PUBLIC DOMAIN COMICS?


GPG

You should talk with JimShelley! Honest.

B.

[tbdeinc]

who is "JimShelley" and where does he order his coffee from?

GPG

[boox909]

who is "JimShelley" and where does he order his coffee from?

GPG

"JimShelley" (the name you can reach him through via a PM on GAC) is a strong supporter of this site and runs http://flashbackuniverse.blogspot.com/  -- lots of good stuff there for folks willing to look around.

B.

[Astaldo711]

That's a really good site. It helped me through when this site was down. Has many PD comics for download in different genres. It names itself a blog, but it looks too good for that. Worth checking out.

[JimShelley]

Thanks to B00X909 for the heads up on this thread - would have responded sooner, but I was out of range from any wifi or 3G service. --- Also thanks to Astaldo711 for the nice compliment on flashbackuniverse.com

As to the OP's topic - I too think Longbox, if not doomed to fail, has what will surely be a VERY uphill battle ahead of them. For one, I don't think what they bring to the table is significantly different that what a few others have tried in the past (PullBoxOnline.com) and they face incredibly stiff competition from Graphic.Ly, who seem to be moving faster with better resources.

That's an interesting concept about the incentives - and one I had not thought about - but I think you are right. As the market for Digital Comics gets saturated, I think there will be an urge for each Indy Publisher to sort of try to find a way to move his comics. In the beginning of the great iPod Comics gold rush, Indy Publishers who moved quick enough to the format were the recipients of some nice promotional advantages. As the Marvel, Image and Dark Horse moved into the marketplace, the Indy guys have sort of gotten pushed by the wayside (witness the change in content availability on ComiXology and iVerse.)

As you say, for the various platforms competing on iTunes, cutting exclusive deals with Marvels seems to be the way to make the most money. (And where is DC in all this?)

As far as how to incenticize people into downloading Golden Age materials - I think the key there is to get the word out on what the content is all about. I would consider putting together a 20 page free comic explaining who some of the more well know PD characters are and why their comics are cool or what significant impact did they make on comics today.

- Jim

[narfstar]

I would like the comic for sure

[tbdeinc]

I think 20 pages is a little TOO much for marketing/advertising material...

1 to 3 pages tops... after that you'll end up loosing people that may not have been interested in the first place...
why I say this is that an informative piece should be quick to read and accessible to everyone...

Longbox having an uphill battle is much more difficult for a few hundred reasons:

1) you can create a PDF or JPG or ZIP or ePUB of the content yourself and have it available on iTUNEs or iBOOK store... heck you can do this on your OWN website and have a link to your PAYPAL to complete the purchase... again, all of this you can do on your own...

the technology to create and distribute IS AVAILABLE to everyone... FOR FREE!!! why go to them?

2) see point one, elseif you get tired of reading point one, goto point 3...

3) this could be an elaborate method to make the company (longbox or other such) seem big and important so they end up selling it for a quick buck... this method has been known to happen more than you think in the suit-world...

does anyone have free burgerking coupons?

GPG

[tbdeinc]

Jim,

thanks for the reply... I read your forum response and...

i've been distributing my comic (as soon as it was printed) digitally for free since 1990...

I've done the ENTIRE spectrum of multi-platform repurposing of the printed material
(ex. PDFs, JPGs, animated vids, powerpoint, ZIPs, menu-board, interactive, voice-over read-alongs, animation of the content)

there is more... it has been 20 years...
(see http://www.georgepetergatsis.com/)

I've been planning for this eventuality for 10 years... and I waited for apple to bring out a tablet that would standardize distribution and format...

iBOOK store with ePUB formatted material looks like will be a standard right along with what happend with the USB protocol... and eventual the wireless protocol...

I've done this with my comics already... I have the different formatted versions to work on whatever platform is out there...

BUT... I want to go beyond that with GoldenAageComics...

take complete sets...
clean them up if need be...
size them to an exact pixel ratio...
and make them an ePUB graphic novel...

a VOLUME of multiple comics content instead of a simple 1 issue experience...

the Volume would consist of a primary cover, and introduction and the comic, with a gallery of the other covers at the end....

This way you get the public domain comics of yesteryear into the same league as the graphic volumes of today...

it's the packaging of the content that is key to having peoples interest...
FREE is the cherry at the top of the best tasting icecream...
AND... incentives would skyrocket it to the top of the iBOOK list..

you cannot compete with FREE...

HECK I would even create a new cover for the volume if need be to make it look as slick as possible... slicker even....


GPG

[narfstar]

sounds neat tb