The Curve: From Freeloaders into Superfans: The Future of Business by Nicholas Lovell
| The Curve: From Freeloaders into Superfans: The Future of Business by Nicholas Lovell | |
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| Category: Business and Finance | |
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Reviewer: Robert James
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| Summary: Fascinating and very readable study of how businesses and individuals are reacting to the opportunities afforded by the internet to get lots of money out of rich fans, while providing free content for the masses. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 256 | Date: October 2013 |
| Publisher: Portfolio Pengun | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-0670923830 | |
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Back in the 20th century, companies tried to sell the same products to everyone for the same price, and needed to shift massive amounts of them if they wanted to make a lot of money. Today, there is the potential to get just as much money from customers by selling expensive items or services to a small number of big spenders. Of course, the trick is getting enough of these big spenders to discover what you're marketing in the first place - and one of the best ways to do that is by giving something away for free. But how do they then turn these freeloaders into superfans? Author and consultant Nicholas Lovell gives us an overview of the changing world, and advice on how to take advantage of it, in this fascinating book.
There's an interesting mix here of well-known success stories and lesser-studied companies. I knew a fair amount already about Amanda Hocking's success in the world of teen fiction, and Trent Reznor's independent release of Ghosts I-IV, made available at a wide variety of price points from free downloads to a $300 limited edition. These are good to read about to find more details whether or not you already know the basic stories, but lesser-known examples, including a fascinating section on how Marcus Sheridan managed to rescue his swimming pool business while cutting his advertising budget by ninety per cent. Perhaps the most interesting of all, Lovell gives an insight into just what 3-D printing will mean to businesses, and how they can potentially use this in conjunction with the curve.
It's written in a fairly easy to read style - although I could live without the constant repetition of the phrase the tyranny of the physical. Apart from a few minor gripes like this, though, Lovell does a good job of conveying information in a readable manner and I finished it quickly. Overall, this is a fascinating read which is definitely worth taking a look at if you're a creator of digital or physical content, or just if you want to see how other people are making use of the internet to raise funds.
Another really readable business book focusing on the internet is The Year Without Pants: WordPress.Com and the Future of Work by Scott Berkun. You might also appreciate Life Inc: How the World Became a Corporation and How to Take it Back by Douglas Rushkoff.
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You can read more book reviews or buy The Curve: From Freeloaders into Superfans: The Future of Business by Nicholas Lovell at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy The Curve: From Freeloaders into Superfans: The Future of Business by Nicholas Lovell at Amazon.com.
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