The Question is: B2B or B2C

Not sure if my post title evokes the question that BEA is grappling with as we look forward for what BEA needs to be for a publishing industry that is undergoing a metamorphosis wrought by technology and the new platforms that come with that technology . BEA has had to evolve to keep pace and ahead of those changes in order to remain relevant for booksellers, librarians and publishers.  However, the essence of BEA will never change and that essence is books and their authors.  The value of BEA for publishers is for breaking out titles, while booksellers and librarians depend on BEA for discovering titles and the latest trends and technology impacting he industry.  More and more consumers are finding out what is happening at BEA and that is impacting books they are discovering.  That is being done by consumers through blog posts and what crosses over from the mainstream media but it has been without any support or resources directly from BEA.  That is not on purpose, because the fact is that BEA is a trade event - meaning it is solely for industry professionals in the world of publishing - as we view it internally - B2B.  

There is increasing value for engaging consumers directly while there is a growing appetite from consumers to know what is coming from their favorite authors and personalities that are writing books.  We think the time is coming for the publishing business to connect directly with consumers that we view as B2C.  BEA has begun to share our plans with BEA's Executive Advisory Committee, our association partners and will conduct research with our whole exhibitor base as well as some consumer focus groups.  This will not happen immediately, but are looking at 2013 to shift BEA to a Thursday - Friday - Saturday, leaving the trade portion exclusive on Thursday and Friday so the industry can continue to meet and conduct the B2B business that is inherent to BEA and open the doors on Saturday for consumers built around author events, but also allow them onto the show floor to look behind the curtain, see what new works from their favorite writes will be coming out like ComicCon does.  This will also give a day of exhibits on the weekend that small but vocal portion of librarians and booksellers miss. 

Nothing is baked and we have a ton of due diligence to conduct to insure that a BEA that includes consumers, is an event that serves the industry in the ways that were always viable as well is in a whole new and valuable way.