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Basically, this is what happened: I bought The Long Tail at the Union Square Borders tonight. I’d seen references here and there, while browsing on the Web. But I wasn’t really sure what it was. I had only a vague sense it might be important or interesting or relevant.

As a rule, I try to pay attention to the messages Google puts into the world. I would say that I do not rely on serendipity to bring those messages to my attention. That’s why it came as such a surprise to me to stumble upon a book on a store shelf in San Francisco bearing this rather remarkable quote from Google CEO, Eric Schmidt:

“(Chris) Anderson’s insights influence Google’s strategic thinking in a profound way.
READ THIS BRILLIANT AND TIMELY BOOK.”

Those are Eric’s caps, not mine, by the way.

Given so emphatic a recommendation from so high a place at Google, how could I have missed it? Why did this message elude me?

Admittedly, my near-oblivion to The Long Tail for so long may be all my own fault. Perhaps I’ve been distracted. Perhaps I’ve been remiss. But whether or not the failure is mine, and regardless whether it is a failure of attention or of diligence, the truth remains that I bought the book today.

The details of how a thing was sold may interest the person whose job it is to sell that thing.

Traditional Marketing Principles would allocate most of that interest (as budget and strategic focus) to the largest type of customer, as a group.

In practice, it is difficult for Marketing to give much attention to anything beyond the top few types of customer.

That could certainly explain what happened in my case, why I had heard so little about The Long Tail before encountering a purchase opportunity. Maybe the writing on the wall was not for me, and what little I knew about The Long Tail before tonight was an unintended accident. But, then again, a purchase was made. That’s always a win for the seller. Right? I’m sure somebody over at The Long Tail Inc. is ready, willing and able to take credit for me. Especially if there is a plausible chain of events to connect effort and effect.

As for the buyer’s satisfaction, in this case, we shall have to see.

I have placed The Long Tail in optimal position, on a small table beside the toilet in my bathroom, and will consume it shortly.

Instead of writing a review of the book (of which there are surely many on the Web already), I thought it might be more interesting to give an account, instead, of my purchase, and to offer my perspective as a consumer for the benefit of marketers. There is also a message here for those of you who buy traffic, yet doubt you can sell without clicks.

I would have to call this an impulse purchase.

I walked into Borders with one specific technical purchase intention (PHP-related), and a vague haze of interest in something currently popular in the Business/Media/Technology sector.

I don’t often buy or read “popular” books. But when I do, it’s usually motivated by a desire to obtain “market intelligence“, “take a temperature“, or find out “what the fuss is all about“.

I asked the staffer at the information desk for the “Programming Reference” section. He told me where it was and pointed it out clearly.

I tried to describe to him the other sort of book I might be looking for and he twisted up his mouth for a second and told me to try the “Science” section, which he said was next to where I’d find my programming book.

I found my PHP book first and then began to browse the adjacent section, which I found annoyingly heterogeneous. There were just too many types of books within a poor organization scheme, and I felt sorry for anyone who might have to search for a specific book in that mess.

As I turned, more or less to leave the store, I caught sight of The Long Tail and stopped.

The books were placed cover-out on the shelf, which is the only reason I was able to make out the title at a glance.

Clearly, a critical number of “impressions” had done the trick. I recognized the title.

I couldn’t tell you precisely where (for never having stopped to read the article, or blog post or whatever it was), but I have been on a lot of pages where that title was mentioned.

This suggests I am reading a lot of the other articles on those very same sites.

Or perhaps the title was merely advertised on a lot of the sites I visit.

I did NOT know The Long Tail was a book.

It was only when I saw a book on a shelf with that title that I realized The Long Tail is a book (or at least that there is a “book element” to it).

I also realized, only then and for the very first time, that I had a rather positive disposition to this “product” as a prospective purchaser, whatever its form.

Before entering the store, I was aware that “The Long Tail” is a business concept.

Before entering the store, I was aware of a connection between the title and a particular, but unremarkable line chart.

I began to leaf through the book.

When I discovered the familiar line chart inside the book, something clicked.

I’ll bet the same thing would have clicked sooner if the chart had been on the cover of the book.

Only then did I return to the cover of the book for a closer look.

I noticed the line “Why the future of business is selling more of less”, and remembered having seen that, too, on the sites I visit.

The combination of the title, the line chart and the tag title completed a picture for me, and I felt I had a good idea what the book’s thesis is.

I noticed the quote by Eric Schmidt.

I turned the book over to the back and checked the price.

I looked at the thickness of the book and the print size, and snickered.

I reminded myself that “paperback” is more than just a format.

I proceeded to the cashier with my 2 items — the one I had wanted, and the one I had been sold.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 14th, 2007 at 11:05 pm and is filed under selling, the media, business ethics, google. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.