Singapore, Meet BookExpo, Book, Meet Singapore – Matchmaking at BEA

So what are book fairs really about? Parties? Seeing old friends? Meeting new one’s? Getting drunk and embarrassing yourself in front of co-workers? Yes on all fronts.

I tell people that if I’m doing my job well, BEA should be planned serendipity. Meeting content solutions experts from the around the world may not be highest on your list as some of the other things I mentioned, but I wouldn’t be doing the planning part of my planned serendipity well if I didn’t bring this to your attention.

Part of our Global Markets Forum on China specifically and Asia in general is about matchmaking and we have a huge contingent of content solution providers coming all the way from Singapore just to meet you!

The old image about outsourcing to Asia was, for printing just as well as for all the rest: To save cost. The new thing is: Yes, it DOES come at attractive prices, but quality, fulfillment and even green certificates are among the strengths particularly of the Singaporean printers just as well; PLUS don't think they are all the same (and, on top, some weird sweatshops with children working) - they're not. They have pretty similar standards as us, and they are very specialized, some more about the big jobs, others more about those highly specialized niche jobs like art, sticker books or that creative things that art director's are so fond of (and win those awards with) - you see those specializations at www.wischenbart.com/singapore oh yes, and we customize our matching as much as possible: Just let us (BEA / my team) know what a publisher wants, and we will try to find them good friends overseas - this is the serendipity part!

-L