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Description: Tags: Doranremarks

Freeload Press is launching a new publishing model that provides free electronic textbooks to students, supported by advertising revenue. The textbooks can be accessed online or purchased in an inexpensive paperback format. This model aims to lower the costs of textbooks for students, who currently spend $700-900 per year on textbooks on average, by over 60% not purchasing all required materials due to high prices. Freeload Press is led by a team of publishing and academic professionals and has begun testing their model with over 125 courses reaching 25,000 students across 100 colleges. Initial student and instructor feedback has been very positive.

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24 views14 pages

Description: Tags: Doranremarks

Freeload Press is launching a new publishing model that provides free electronic textbooks to students, supported by advertising revenue. The textbooks can be accessed online or purchased in an inexpensive paperback format. This model aims to lower the costs of textbooks for students, who currently spend $700-900 per year on textbooks on average, by over 60% not purchasing all required materials due to high prices. Freeload Press is led by a team of publishing and academic professionals and has begun testing their model with over 125 courses reaching 25,000 students across 100 colleges. Initial student and instructor feedback has been very positive.

Uploaded by

anon-197652
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 14

Freeload Press

Liberating the Textbook

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Freeload Press
Liberating the Textbook
Background

The Problem

9 Increasing tuition/fees
9 Textbooks prices up 186% vs.72% average
9 Textbook costs per year: $700 - $900
9 Over 60% are not buying all required material

Freeload Press

9 Academics, Publishers and Authors


9 Launched in Sept. 2004
9 Publish proprietary content
9 Distribute other publishers content

2
Freeload Press
Liberating the Textbook
Building a Better Model

Management Team

• Publishing Execs + Academics


• Previous start-up success
• Invested

Dr. John Ivancevich Chairman/Academic Officer


Tom Doran CEO
Peggy Mulvaney Morgan CFO
Howard Quinlan Marketing and Sales
Edgar Laube Publisher
Bill Dornbach Tech
Ted Buchholz Board Member
3
Freeload Press
Liberating the Textbook
Opportunity

Technology in Place (Delivery)

¾ Almost universal computer access

¾ High installed base of broadband

¾ Precedent in other industries (e.g. music)

Advertisers want to reach college students (Revenue)

¾ Famously elusive

¾ Trend-hop

¾ Media multi-taskers

4
Freeload Press
Liberating the Textbook
Solution

Product

9 Free e-textbooks (owned or licensed)

9 Supported by advertising

9 Inexpensive ad-free options (paperback versions)

Social Impact

9 Access: For students from all financial backgrounds

9 Process: Less waste

5
Freeload Press
Liberating the Textbook
Students with textbooks

How it works for students:

1. Get textbook assignment from instructor syllabus

2. Complete registration and sponsor survey

3. Then download e-textbook (Price: $0)

4. Presented with paperback options (Price Range: $9 - $35)

97% of first 5000 students rate FP model as


“favorable or highly favorable”

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Freeload Press
Liberating the Textbook

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Freeload Press
Liberating the Textbook

Academically Approved Ads

+ Standards for industry and message types


+ Standards for ad placements in textbook
+ Ongoing ratings by instructor users
+ Instructor and institution indemnification

8
Freeload Press
Liberating the Textbook

9
Freeload Press
Liberating the Textbook
Buyers

Advertisers like:

9 Required Reading

9 Frequency + Duration

9 Interactive + Rich Media

9 Measurable ROI

“Textbooks are way sticky”

10
Freeload Press
Liberating the Textbook
Decision Makers

College Instructors like:

+ Students own/use assigned material

+ Lowers course costs

+ Rave reviews for beta:


9 25,000 students
9 Over 125 courses
9 100% rollover rate: instructor users
9 Instructors at over 1000 colleges reviewing 2007
products

Beta list saved students over $1,000,000 in 2006

11
Freeload Press
Liberating the Textbook
End Users

Student benefits:

9 Saves $
9 Own critical course materials
9 Easy to use

Usage:

9 Most read online


9 Only 5% buying ad-free paperback
9 Not printing e-book

Concerns:

9 Want ad variety but not too many ads


9 More books!
9 “Don’t screw this up”
12
Freeload Press
Liberating the Textbook
Publishers

Benefits:

+ more affordable textbooks


+ improved sell-through
+ reduced inventory risk
+ direct access to and data from end-user customers
+ goodwill and positive press

13
Freeload Press
Liberating the Textbook

For students from all financial backgrounds….

“This is a great way for companies to give back while helping


assure that people like me---who are trying to work their way
through school and are on a tight budget—have the course
materials they need to improve themselves.

Maybe I’ll also be able to give something back to the community in


a similar way when I graduate. I truly do thank you and your
sponsors!”

-Matt; University of Massachusetts-Lowell

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