Barriers To Entry

A few years ago,
self publishing seemed like
an industry
in which anyone could play.
eBooks were relatively inexpensive
to produce.
Amazon made it easy
to load the eBooks.
Readers ‘magically’ discovered
these eBooks
and writers made sales.

There were no barriers to enter
the industry
and people flooded it.

But,
as Seth Godin
says,

“Any market that seems to offer
an easy in
to the undifferentiated
will eventually squeeze them.”

Amazon couldn’t promote everyone.
There were too many books releasing.
To reduce that number,
they started charging for this marketing.

The writers who can pay
are currently seeing healthy returns.
The writers who can’t pay
are struggling.

Market spend has become
the new barrier to entry.

If you’re in an industry now
where the barriers of entry are low,
know that it likely won’t always
be that way.
Plan for that day.
Take advantage of now.