It is even Publishing any more...

From the title alone, you can tell we've been in publishing for many years--when you called it publishing. In our case, we've been in educational publishing most of our careers but now we are not. Really, we are no longer publishing in the way it was meant when the word took form generations ago regarding building books. And that's the fun part.

We are now digital content managers, content creators, educational content providers. Translated, we write content for digital educational formats, and we create digital educational formats for delivery including partnering with a key Learning Management System company, which will be announced shortly.

We still make sure content is good and accurate, just like publishers did, but those same publishers are now content aggregaters and we help them do it. We at iD8-TripleSSS are educational content aggregaters. We write it, we manage those who write this content, we create delivery formats to provide it.

"Education is the key to all things wonderful."--Anonymous. And that's what we'll always do.

Fear of the Unknown: Digital Transitions

Once upon a time, thinking about educational publishing transitioning to digital offerings was quite intimidating to our business. Where do we start? How do we start? Then, by some possibly divine measure, a former colleague brought business to me from a company already in the throes of making this transition. They needed content for two educational supplemental products--one for the students and one for the instructor. It was an "ah-ha"
moment for me, full of as many clichés as this blog already has! It was even an epiphany! Content, content and more content--but only quality content. Never will the need for quality content go away--the trick for those in the industry who've grown up in the print world is to realize that two things will never change:

1. The need for quality content.
2. The need for an understanding of your markets so you can sell this quality content. 

Now you just need to add learning more about digital delivery. And what did you do when you first entered your markets? You talked to your customers--you visited them, surveyed them, got to know them, asked them what they need, expect and what their students need and expect; you asked about business models and you shared it with the sales representatives. And you make sure that everyone in management knew that you took the time to get this in-depth information for your markets. After that, digital transitions will be based on information, facts and projected numbers you will feel more confident about.

Finally, just like when you first started your career, spend time with those that know digital--we all spent time with production professionals; now we spend it with digital professionals.

Don't fear the unknown; take steps to make it known, because at the end of the day it's still quality content and market knowledge that leads to sales, no matter how slick the delivery. 

Susan

iD8-TripleSSS is Off and Running in 2013!

(image courtesy of Times Union, Albany, NY)

Our New Year started with a flurry--both literally and figuratively. iD8-TripleSSS Media Development is located in the beautiful upstate New York area, and  literally, our winters are full of flurries and less than balmy yet we are made of hearty stock. Figuratively, an exciting new client invited us to submit proposals for creating content and developing several substantial online courses that are due to start imminently. One has already been awarded to us.

These opportunities both surprised and thrilled us, as our journey into digital educational content and course development is now well established. This burst of unexpected new business was so encouraging that it raised our confidence about meeting and possibly exceeding our 2013 goals.  We invite you to talk to us about it!

A new business model, however, has emerged for us to add to our company. It is service as a product and with it increased ways for us to expand. Service may mean creating custom products for specific clients or it may mean providing “everything content” while also starting to offer our own courseware—blended class/online learning will be required in all markets within in two years. This is an exciting initiative for us that creates opportunity that does not compete with our current client base.

We invite you to share in our goals, which include:

1.  Continuing to provide development and content to all our clients in the digital space as well as the print/blended spaces.

2.  Breaking into new markets while acknowledging existing business has evolved almost wholly into digital opportunities.

3.  Meeting face to face with and listening to our clients’ needs, present and future.

4.  Talking with educators and administrators in the K-12 market-space as well as our postsecondary spaces, and trying to determine how best to meet those needs.

5. Relying on our staff, the very heart of our business, to grow and learn with us, as we create the content that will always serve as the fabric of educational publishing.

As the business climate of educational publishing has shifted, so have the opportunities for us to grow. Growth is never something we take lightly, especially in this still-struggling economy coupled with the excitement of digital transition in educational publishing. As an organization based on a service model, we pride ourselves on being  flexible, customer focused and devoted to quality. 

Thank you for trusting us on this educational journey. We are there and ready to take those next steps with you.