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Jan 22
Love4

Kindle Textbook Creator vs. iBooks Author: No contest (yet)

By Blog

I have been dreaming of the day when someone releases a tool that makes it easy to create ebooks that contain video, snazzy layouts, and other interactive features that make for a rich reading and learning experience on a tablet. In my iBooks Author review, I was impressed with the creative possibilities and the ability to include video and high-quality photo layouts. However, I was disappointed with the lack of support for other platforms — there was no way to export a version of the book for the Kindle, the Nook, or Android tablets. So when the book industry press started making Kindle Textbook Creator vs. iBooks Author comparisons, I was very interested in seeing if Amazon’s new tool could fit my needs. I was disappointed in the results, as you will see from my review of Kindle Textbook Creator below.

The first sign of trouble was the landing page for Kindle Textbook Creator. There weren’t any exciting screenshots. Instead, the focus of the beta tool seems to be around converting PDFs to ebooks:

Kindle Textbook Creator is a free tool for authors and educators that makes it fast and easy to convert PDFs of textbooks, course notes, study guides and other educational material into Kindle books. In a few simple steps, you can import your PDF content into Kindle Textbook Creator and then use the built in previewer to see how your book appears on a range of Kindle devices and free Kindle reading apps.

I downloaded the tool and gave it a spin, using the latest editions of Google Drive & Docs In 30 Minutes and Excel Basics In 30 Minutes. These two titles have new, high-quality interior design, and the tool’s preview function showed that the layout was preserved in the ebook. The output file is .kpf, which (unlike .epub and .mobi files) I could not preview on any of the devices I own. It also doesn’t work on the Kindle Previewer app, either. To really test the results, I would have to upload the package to Kindle Direct Publishing, a step I am unwilling to take considering I already have ebook versions of Google Drive & Docs In 30 Minutes and Excel Basics In 30 Minutes in KDP.

Kindle Textbook Creator review

There were other missing features in Kindle Textbook Creator. There’s no way to edit text, replace photos or other images, or edit links. The rich media features of iBooks Author — the ability to insert videos, HTML widgets, photo slideshows, etc. — were completely missing. A Kindle Textbook Creator vs. iBooks Author Creator comparison is simply no contest. It’s not even like comparing apples and oranges, it’s more like melons and plantains (or something like that).

So, at the end of the day, it appears that the beta version of Kindle Textbook Creator is little more than a PDF to ebook conversion tool. Amazon hints in a product FAQ that more is in the works, however:

We decided to launch a Beta of the Kindle Textbook Creator so that we can get more feedback from authors and educators to make improvements before our full launch. Our full launch will include a number of additional features, including support for audio, video, and other interactive features.

But, as is always the case when big companies make vague promises, it’s not clear how well Amazon will deliver on these promises, or when it will happen.

If you’re an author or publisher, what features do you want to see in Amazon’s new book creator tools? Leave comments below.

Jan 06
Love0

Is it possible to learn Excel in just 30 minutes? What readers say about our newest guide

By Blog, Featured, News

Today I am pleased to announce the second edition of Excel Basics In 30 Minutes. Yes, it’s possible to quickly pick up the basics, and to that end the new guide concentrates on the features and skills which I believe will most benefit new users. It is not intended to be a comprehensive guide, and I am not making any guarantees that readers will be able to take over their companies’ accounting departments, but 30 minutes after starting, readers will hopefully have learned some core spreadsheet skills … and even a trick or two!

Don’t believe me? Then listen to what real readers have to say. There is already one review of the second edition from a Goodreads member. She said:

Nice guide to learning how to use Excel for most basic functions. As someone who only uses Excel occasionally, I found the tutorials to be easy to follow. Additionally the visual aids (images of what your screen should look like) were beneficial. It is an easy book to reference if you are having an issue with a particular Excel task.

This is a major update, not only because it covers the most recent versions of Excel (e.g., Excel 2013, Excel for Office 365, Excel Online, and Excel for Mac) but also because In 30 Minutes guides has commissioned a new interior design template. I think you’ll agree Rick Soldin has done a fantastic job. Starting with this guide, all In 30 Minutes books and ebooks will feature sharper images and a high-quality layout that’s easier to read, for the print version as well as the ebook:

Excel Basics in 30 Minutes iPad sample

In addition, for those users who don’t want to invest in an Office 365 subscription or a $100+ Office 2013 software package to learn how to use Excel, Excel Basics In 30 Minutes (2nd Edition) includes instructions for Google Sheets, Google’s free online spreadsheet program. Readers of the first edition who only wanted to dip their fingers into spreadsheets appreciated these extra sections, which make it possible to learn the basics of Excel without having to own a copy of Excel.

What else did readers like about the first edition? Here are some review excerpts gathered from Amazon and Goodreads:

Thomas:

It’s like a “Cliffnotes” book for Excel 101. It actually did take me 30 minutes to get through this – I may have had an edge because I use Excel at work so a complete newbie may need more time. But still, after 30 minutes you’ll know a good amount. To be efficient like that is a big plus to the author.

Robin:

I have been out of the office environment for several years and now starting to use Excel again. This has been a great refresher course.

Another Thomas:

An excellent little guide. For those that already know their way around Excel, it’ll be a good refresher course. For those that don’t, it’s a clear, easy-to-follow handbook of time-saving and stress-avoiding skills in Excel. Definitely plan on passing it around the office. Best of all, it covers both Excel and Google Drive’s spreadsheet system. Given how many workplaces, groups, and individuals are migrating to Google’s cloud-based system, it was a welcome addition.

Chad:

One thing I particularly liked about “Excel Basics in 30 minutes” is that it covers BOTH the MS Excel basics and the Google version basics. Explaining anything this intricate in 30 minutes is a challenge. (Can it be read in 30 minutes? Yes, I could do it, but I am not a typical user, I did not need to stop and practice the examples.) I was impressed that the book does go into some of the “meat” of Excel while still being a book that someone with NO previous exposure to a spreadsheet can grasp.

The chapters cover the following topics:

  • The basics: cells, functions, and formulas
  • Excel Ninja Skill #1: AutoFill
  • More basic Excel skills: percentages, pasting, and rows
  • Excel Ninja Skill #2: Charts
  • Sorting and filtering
  • Printing, PDFs, and import/export features

Excel Basics In 30 Minutes, 2nd EditionThe ebook version of Excel Basics In 30 Minutes (2nd edition) is available for the Kindle, iPad, Android devices, and the Nook. The black-and-white paperback edition can be ordered via Amazon or requested at libraries and bookstores — the ISBN is 978–1–939924–30–8. There is also a full-color PDF, which can be printed out or read on a screen.

Nov 24
Love0

A textbook case of a broken sales funnel

By Blog

So I am in the market for a large, expensive piece of office equipment. Someone tells me the name of a vendor, an established international brand. This person also sends a spec sheet from the vendor’s website, which includes telephone numbers for all of the regional offices. I assume that these are probably sales offices (which are usually divided into regions) or they can at least direct me to the right local office to get my order in the system.

At 5:30 pm, I call the nearest regional office. The phone rings for a long time, but no one answers. OK, it must be after hours. But it does seem a little strange that there’s not even a directory message (“dial 1 for x, 2 for y …”) or a short message apologizing that the office is closed, and to please call back during normal business office hours. I mean, new customers call this number. Shouldn’t the company try to help them, even if no one can take the call?

At 10:30 am the next day, I try the same number. Still no answer or phone directory options. Mind you, this number is for the East Coast office, and is on spec sheets that are probably downloaded hundreds or thousands of times per day. How many prospective customers call and can’t get through to the sales team?

Whatever. Maybe they want prospective customers to reach out via the website, and they’ll call back. I go to www.vendorname.com. They have more spec sheets, and I spend a while looking at some more products and comparing them. However, there is no online contact form, just a 1 800 number. The 1 800 number is actually not a number, but a phrase like “1 800 ACME YES”. There is no numberical equivalent below it, so I have to squint at the keypad to make sure I am dialing it right.

The phone rings. Someone answers. “What ZIP code are you dialing from?” he asks. I tell him, but he has trouble understanding — it’s a long distance call, maybe to a call center in another country, and he is not a native speaker. No worries, he gets it when I speak slowly and then asks if I have a pen. I tell him I do. “Then write this down: 1 617 439 XXXX”.

I have a meeting. When I come back, it’s just after noon. Someone has got to be in the office, even if it’s lunch. Especially the sales team. So I call the 617 number. This time, a robo operator answers with directory options: “Dial 1 for sales, 2 for service, 3 for …”

I press 1. Finally, I’ll be able to start the process of buying this piece of equipment! This will be the easiest sale they have to make today, because I have already made a purchasing decision and am ready to place the order.

But the phone rings. And rings. And rings. No one answers. There is no voicemail or operator option.

No sale will be made today. Maybe not ever, because at this point I am ready to try the competition.

This, my friends, is a textbook case of a broken sales funnel. Not only is the handoff from marketing to sales screwed up (e.g., no online contact form, an unresponsive regional number on a widely distributed spec sheet; a lack of basic automation to handle customer messaging and redirection) but the local sales team doesn’t even answer the damned phone.

If you sell products of any type, make sure your sales funnel works. Test it out yourself — call the sales numbers, use the phone tree, submit contact forms, etc. If some element is not responsive, make sure it is. If it feels bewildering, clarify as needed so your customers are reassured and are able to find the information they need to make a decision and place an order.

Sep 23
Love0

Announcing Twitter In 30 Minutes, 2nd edition

By Blog, Featured, News

Twitter guideI’m pleased to announce the 2nd edition of our popular Twitter user guide, Twitter In 30 Minutes: How to connect with interesting people, write great tweets, and find information that’s relevant to you. Released this week, it’s available in several different formats, including ebook (Kindle, iOS/iPad, and Google Play), paperback, and PDF versions. As part of the launch promotion, I am giving away 10 free electronic editions (more on that below) and I will also talk a little bit about the guide itself, including what’s new and why I wrote a second edition of the guide, considering the first edition was released less than a year ago! Read More

Aug 29
Love1

How to remove a book from Google Play Books Partner Center

By Blog

If you publish ebooks for sale on Android, and decide to withdraw the title, here are instructions how to remove a book from Google Play Books Partner Center.

  1. Log into the Google Play Books Partner Center.
  2. Click on the link on the left side of the page that says Book Catalog
  3. You will be presented with a list of titles in your catalog. Click the title, or the cover of the book which you want to remove from sale.
  4. Choose the Summary tab
  5. Click the button at the bottom of the page that says Remove From Sale (see screenshot)
  6. You’ll see a message that says Book Processing, but the book will be removed from sale … unless you reactivate it (see below)
Remove a book from Google Play Books Partner Center

Google Play Books Partner Center interface

On the Summary tab, There is another button that says Deactivate Completely, which I believe that removes the record entirely — the book can’t be re-listed in the future unless you want to create a new record from scratch. If you think the book may be returning to sale in the future, stick with Remove From Sale. If you want to reactivate the title in the future, click the button on this page that says Enable for Google Play

Country preferences for Google Play Books Partner Center

In addition, if you only want to remove the title from sale in certain countries, but keep it “Live” in other countries, go to the Pricing tab and remove the countries in question.

If you want to see how to remove a title from iTunes, please read How to remove a book from sale in iTunes Connect