A report recently released by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) has some interesting points to make about the publishing industry in New Zealand.

According to the media release, “Increasing marketing expertise, especially amongst small book publishers, is the biggest challenge facing New Zealand’s book publishing industry, currently worth an estimated $204 million per annum.”

The report, New Zealand Book Publishing: Industry Development Issues says that our total market for all books – those created in New Zealand as well as those imported – is around $200m per annum. New Zealand publishers’ share of that is estimated at 43%, with indicators showing that market share is increasing.

However, size is an important issue facing the development of the industry. NZTE’s Creative Sector Director Dame Cheryll Sotheran (pictured) says:

Sole operators and very small companies proliferate within this industry. These businesses are unable to devote the time or resources needed to develop the international networking and marketing side of their businesses. Currently 90% of turnover is generated by just 5% of businesses.

Most operators concentrate on what they have to sell rather than how they are going to market and distribute it and what the customer wants. There is a need for practical assistance in market intelligence with training in management and export marketing. The vital ingredient is hooking into the right overseas networks and distribution chains.

Sotheran is recommending that assistance should be provided for operators who have the motivation and capability to grow.

Specialisation succeeds - New Zealand publishers who have succeeded in export markets have all broken through with a narrowly focused product range. The opportunity to build on existing strengths is highlighted in the study, in particular children’s literature, which is an inspiring specialist niche publishing success story for New Zealand.

Educational publishing dominates our domestic market and to an even greater extent exports. It provides a success model that other book publishing niches could follow, with the development of specialised content targeted at export markets.

Sotheran has long been an advocate of the cluster principle of business networking, and thinks that this should be applied to publishing. She points out that “This is a process that has worked effectively for other sectors such as film, design and interactive media.”

Want to read the full report? It’s available online by clicking here.