News Headline: Fight breaks out over e-books in Gaylord Michigan barber shop

While making the long trek north to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan last week I looked in the mirror and decided it was time for a haircut. Sixty miles south of the Mackinac Bridge is Gaylord which is a mecca for snowmobiles in the winter and golf during the warmer seasons.

Pulling off the Interstate I drove through the downtown and discovered City Barber Shop, an old fashioned barbershop that would remind one of Floyd's from the timeless Andy Griffith Show. I parked my car and went inside. There, sitting on their barber chairs, were three barbers: A young woman, a middle age man and a older man. The young woman showed me to her chair and we soon were all focused on CNN playing on a small TV at the front of the shop.

Soon we started conversing. The young woman asked where I lived and what I did for a living. When I told her I was in publishing immediately the three barbers began to banter. The middle age barber asked what I thought of Kindle. Before I could answer the young woman said there was no way she would ever give up printed books. That led to a full scale outbreak of back and forth, sometimes heated, conversation on the merits of e-books. I weighed in to say that I thought tablets such as the iPad were going to be bigger than the Kindle due to their ability to stream video and other technology innovations.

Two points were interesting about the exchange. First, it was taking place in a small town barbershop in northern Michigan. Second, the middle age man was so excited about reading using a electronic device while the young woman wanted to hold onto the printed book. Research has told us for years that the typical reader in the United States is female and that young women are far more interested in books than young males. In other words, since females are already reading they are showing their satisfaction with conventional books by their actions. Young men, on the other hand, are more likely to be interested in video games than books.

Therefore, if the tablet reading experience can duplicate some of the live action from video games then it is more likely young men will be interested in reading.

In marketing the goal is to widen or enlarge existing markets. We know women are already reading. To grow the book market the key will be making the experience more interesting to younger men through disruptive technology. The market is now wide open for those who innovate with the content available in their books. This year over a hundred tablet devices similar to the iPad will be introduced. Those authors and publishers who are early adopters in their respective niche will surely benefit.