Last weekend I read this little ditty on flakebook:
“i have no more physical room for books, Juan. That is why, that unless something is absolutely earth-shattering, it better be deliverable via electronic media so I can store it lol. I think that is something even the Ben Settles of the world will have to soon realize. I have a library on trading that can fill two rooms just about lol.”
I gotta say…
This kind of reasoning amuses me.
(From a marketer’s point of view.)
Why?
Many reasons, my little droogling.
For one, he thinks guys like me care what someone who only buys ebooks thinks or buys.
(I couldn’t care less.)
Secondly, it reminds me of a Copyblogger interview I once did.
They interviewed me about selling physical products.
And, a comment troll said:
“c’mon guys you can’t be serious. i’m from the uk, not from the us, and i can tell you this guy does only one thing, and not even good – he’s trying to justify his own beliefs and preferences and is assuming many people (based on few of his friends as the “sample” of people) like physical products? that guy is like what – 40 years old? go ask 18 years old how they consume media, or news letters. i’m 32 and can’t remember the last time i had printed paper in my hand (ok, it was today – local paper metro in london, uk). printed stuff is for single people who have shit load of time on them or for cave men like your mr. T. most people consume media online – there’s reason for that…if i paid for newsletter 140 usd, like the guy is saying, i’d consider myself the dumbest person in the class.”
Sigh.
Behold the face of an ebook evangelist:
First, he goes out of his way to prove my point while thinking he’s disproving it (i.e. saying he doesn’t touch printed paper, but then admits to reading a print newspaper that same morning — what’s that he said about being dumbest in his class?)
He also makes assumptions without facts.
Like how old he said I was.
That I’m justifying my own beliefs. (In the interview I specifically said there are times when you SHOULD go digital… duh).
And, that printed stuff is for single people with lots of time.
Really?
That’s interesting considering many of the richest and most successful married people I know prefer print to digital “bytes” precisely because it SAVES time, not because they *have* lots of time.
But worst of all…
This bloke judges information by weight and volume.
(And not the value of the information.)
It’s amusing how many people think a 800-page book of filler and nonsense is worth more than a 16-page newsletter filled with hard-hitting tactics and advice that can quickly recoup their investment each month several times over.
Anyway, this is how eBook evangelists think.
It’s also why I couldn’t care less if they buy or not.
And, in fact, why I actively try to repel them.
More:
This is the subject of tomorrow’s Ben Settle Show podcast.
We get down & dirty about digital vs physical products. Including which is more lucrative to sell. Which has the highest quality customers. And, which format is easier and less hassle.
Anyway, it’ll be up tomorrow.
In the meantime check out our past shows here:
Ben Settle
P.S. Last I heard, we are in the top 10 of iTunes in our category.
So special shout out to the listeners.
And, also, to those giving us reviews.
Reviews (even troll reviews) are ALWAYS appreciated… if you haven’t left us one, and want to send us some review love (or hate, it’s all good), you can at the link above.
