A series of “lunch & learn” masterclasses are to take place at FutureBook Live, featuring sessions on audio publishing, effective innovation, using consumer data, and digital marketing. The masterclasses will take place immediately after the networking lunch at the event and will last for 30 minutes.
Speakers include Videl Bar-Kar, global head of audio, at Bookwire, Wade Lucas, international account manager at BookBub, and Natalie Butlin, commercial manager at Bookouture, Alice Revel, founder of book subscription service The Ampersand Book Co, and Ruth Jones, director of global sales and digital services at Ingram.
Audio specialist Bar-Kar will talk about when publishers should stop selling audio rights and move into publishing audio. He said: “The audiobook market continues to grow in double digits, but the retail landscape is more diverse and complex than ever before. This interactive session aims to equip publishers with the tools and strategies they need to successfully launch and grow their audio publishing programme.”
Revel will run a hands-on workshop following her conference session on “How to innovate like an outsider”, with panellists including Cat Jones, m.d. of Travel and Media at Founders Factory, Jeff Taylor, founder and editor-in-chief at Courier Media, Victoria Loomes, head of premium content at TrendWatching, and Ben Saul-Garner, co-founder of Rebel Book Club. The masterclass will answer delegates specific questions about innovation and problem solving, including how to put ideas into action and make innovation part of every-day culture.
Meanwhile, a digital marketing session will feature Bookbub’s Lucas in conversation with Butlin of Bookouture, discussing how the e-book publisher uses the tools available on the BookBub platform to grow its digital sales. This session will focus on how Bookouture and BookBub work together to promote Bookouture’s digital list to millions of readers, helping their authors find new fans and sell more books.
The final session, hosted why Ingram’s Jones, will look at how aggregate consumer behaviour around authors and titles gleaned from the web and social platforms can reveal opportunities across a publisher’s list and at the individual title level. The masterclass will examine this through the lens of software designed to do just this; interpret consumer signals and make suggestions to help publishers efficiently grow sales, online and off.
Philip Jones, editor of The Bookseller, said: “We are delighted to welcome those with specialist knowledge in these important and distinct fields to share their expertise with our audience at these masterclasses, where delegates can get hands-on with those who have built the tools to best exploit the knowledge base.”
The full FutureBook Live programme is now available; to secure your ticket visit thebookseller.com/futurebook-conference. Once booked delegates will be emailed a range of options including the masterclasses, the Day of Code, and the opportunity to set up one-to-one meeting with a range of speakers and sponsors, including keynote speaker Paul Abbassi.