Shatnerquake--Proof Positive That On The Internet, You Can Sell Anything

by Bonnie Boots

At a recent seminar, Masters of Internet Marketing, one of the speakers was answering a question asked by an audience member-"How can I know if there will be a market for my book?"

One speaker had launched into a complicated explanation of market research when another speaker jumped up.

"One thing so many people fail to understand, " he said, "is that out on the internet, there is a market for anything. In fact, until you actually get involved in internet marketing, it's impossible to imagine just how many people are out there waiting to throw money at almost any product anyone comes up with."

Eraserhead Press will tell you that's the gospel truth.

Eraserhead Press is an independent publisher specializing in what they term "bizarro genre literature." Their latest release is "Shatnerquake" by Jeff Burke.

In Burke's novel, actor and spokesperson William Shatner is attending the first ShatnerCon, an event devoted entirely to him, when a failed terrorist attack rips the fabric of time and space. The result is that all the characters ever played by Shatner are sucked into our own world. They have one mission-to hunt down and destroy the real William Shatner.

Meanwhile, over at Qurik Books, "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" by Seth Grahame-Smith has just rolled off the presses.

It's described as an "expanded" version of the classic Jane Austin novel--expanded with scenes of brain-gobbling zombie mayhem in-between the flirtations of feisty Elizabeth Bennet and haughty Mr. Darcy.

Before 2000, when the internet really began to boil as an avenue for buying and selling, books like this were only published by authors that could afford to make Xerox copies of their manuscripts and share them with friends. There was simply no way to fund printing and find a market for them.

Today, with the internet, it's possible to find a market for virtually anything. And I stress the word "virtual."

In virtual space, people are not restricted by the border of the town or even country they live in.

They don't have to shop at their neighborhood stores.

They don't have to socialize with only their next-door neighbors.

And thanks to simulated communities like Second Life, they don't have to be only one person or live only one lifestyle.

In this new, expanded idea of real life, where people can do and be anything, you can also make and sell anything.

I don't take issue with the basic advice of good business practice--learn where your target market is and make things they will want to buy. Just keep in mind that there are an unlimited number of target markets. Yes, some markets are larger than others. But don't let the high visibility of those larger markets fool you into thinking that's all there is.

In cyberspace, all borders and boundaries are erased and people are free to explore whatever ideas and interests they have. In that vast, virtually connected world, there is a market for anything you can imagine.

If you doubt that, go to Amazon and get a copy of Shatnerquake.

 
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