The 4R marketing strategy for university

publishing house's book products in the

digital environment.
Author / Hu Haichao

[Abstract] In the digital era, traditional book-selling methods employed by university

publishing houses are no longer effective in adapting to the new marketing environment.
It is crucial for university publishing houses to recognize the significant impact of
customer relationships on sales. This article analyzes the 4R marketing theory based on
relationship marketing and proposes a book marketing strategy for university
publishing houses that revolves around user relationships. The strategy encompasses
four aspects: Relate, React, Relation, and Retribution, emphasizing the importance of
user relationships as the foundation for marketing university publishing house's book
products.

In the context of digital transformation, university publishing houses are continuously

introducing a wide range of book products. However, both print and electronic books
face obstacles in entering the market due to outdated marketing concepts and methods.
In 2017, the overall market size of the book industry in China reached nearly 70 billion
yuan, with online markets accounting for more than half, becoming a significant driving
force behind the expansion of the book market [1]. Data shows that online marketing has
become an important avenue for book product sales, and user purchasing behaviors
have undergone significant changes.

University publishing houses have established their own online stores, micro-shops, and
have also joined book sales platforms such as Tmall, Dangdang, and Amazon, providing
users with more comprehensive and convenient purchasing services. This helps
overcome the limitations of promoting academic and specialized niche books offline.
Nowadays, university publishing houses are increasingly engaging in direct marketing
scenarios targeting readers. By leveraging online channels, they can scientifically
monitor the specific distribution of books and users' purchasing and usage behaviors,
with a focus on prioritizing user needs in their marketing efforts.

The 4R marketing theory, as a novel relationship marketing concept, can provide

effective solutions for the marketing of university publishing houses' book products in
the digital environment. It emphasizes the importance of user relationships and offers a
framework for building and strengthening connections with users. By utilizing the 4R
principles, university publishing houses can adapt to the digital landscape, address user
demands, and effectively promote their book products.The 4R marketing theory,
introduced by American scholar Don Schultz in the early 21st century, is the latest
marketing theory. It complements the previous 4P theory that emphasized product-
centric marketing and the 4C theory that focused on adapting to consumer needs
passively. The 4R marketing theory raises the bar by proposing higher marketing
objectives, which include not only satisfying market and consumer needs but also
cultivating consumer loyalty and establishing new proactive relationships.

The 4R marketing theory places relationship marketing at its core and consists of four
elements: Relativity, Reaction, Relation, and Retribution.

1.Building Long-term Relationships with Users through Branding

In the current publishing market with a wide array of options, university publishing
houses often face challenges due to their relatively small size and limited resources in
terms of funding and technology. To establish and solidify their user base in the
publishing market, university publishing houses need to continue deepening their focus
on the distinctive features of textbooks, academic publications, and related materials.
They should fully leverage their responsibility in disseminating social and cultural
knowledge and use high-quality digital products as a connection point. This helps to
draw users into their marketing ecosystem and establish a new type of interconnected
relationship between the university publishing house and users.

Firstly, it is important to build a marketing ecosystem centered around the brand,

which brings traffic and ensures the brand is deeply rooted in people's minds.
University publishing houses need to continuously enhance their ability to promote and
operate through the brand effect, guiding consumer purchasing behaviors. For example,
Guangxi Normal University Press has created a cultural brand for young readers called
"Mysterious Island." They have gradually released series such as "Liu Cixin's Young
Science Fiction Novels" and "Bi Shumin's Books for Children's Spiritual Growth,"
earning a place in the field of young adult books. Tomorrow Publishing House has
launched the WeChat public account "Shasha Story Club," which not only publishes
articles but also operates a micro-store, group purchases, and children's book markets.
It has gradually evolved into a physical platform for community marketing, completing
the development of an IP from scratch [2].
2.Encouraging User Participation in Marketing Activities to Increase User Engagement
and Generate Word-of-Mouth Effect

Users of university publishing houses, including students and teachers, have a higher
level of knowledge and literacy. They are not just passive recipients of information but
also reliable disseminators of information. University publishing houses can embrace the
co-creation trend of the User Generated Content (UGC) era by providing users with a
platform that fosters a sense of involvement and participation. This allows users to
develop a sense of dependence on the publishing house through deep engagement with
the products, leading to recommendations.

There are various ways for users to participate in product co-creation. For example,
publishing houses can establish a platform for reader submissions and regularly select
and publish high-quality content. This provides an opportunity for ordinary readers to
express their opinions while increasing the frequency of user interaction with the
publishing house. Additionally, conducting surveys or encouraging users to share book
reviews or opinions on platforms such as Weibo and WeChat can also be effective. These
reviews and opinions serve as valuable information for other users. Cambridge
University Press, for instance, incorporated a user feedback mechanism in its online
dictionary expansion in the 2017-2018 fiscal year. Based on user feedback, they added
over 11,000 new vocabulary entries and countless example sentences, resulting in more
accurate publishing services and enhanced user engagement [3].

3.Adopting Prompt Measures to Respond to Market Changes

To maintain sustainable development, university publishing houses need to constantly
monitor changes in user demands and industry dynamics, and respond to new situations
from the perspective of users.

Firstly, it is important to gather user feedback by allocating dedicated operations

personnel and upgrading user information storage systems. Many university publishing
houses fail to promptly follow up on content updates, customer information updates,
new book releases, and customer feedback due to unclear responsibilities of the
operations staff, which hinders the achievement of expected marketing results. By
providing training and clearly defining the scope of responsibilities for operations
personnel, publishing houses can improve operational efficiency and establish a
comprehensive user database. Additionally, publishing houses can upgrade their
technology to collect and store user data, utilizing digital information management
systems such as ERP to scientifically monitor user behavior. As university publishing
houses focus on academic and educational publishing, where profit margins are typically
thin, technological improvements can have a positive impact throughout the product
lifecycle. During the initial stages of product development, marketing personnel can refer
to user data to conduct overall market research, understand which types of books users
are interested in, and assess how well they align with the publishing house's strengths in
content resources. This helps in creating book products that cater to user preferences
and offer educational value. After the product is launched, marketing personnel can
monitor changes in sales and user feedback, scientifically evaluating the need for
strategic changes in product and user maintenance.

Secondly, establishing a dedicated marketing department within the editorial

department [4] enables timely responses to user feedback. University publishing houses
should fully leverage user feedback as it not only impacts traditional sales processes but
also informs market research before product development. By establishing a specialized
department responsible for front-end marketing activities, publishing houses can make
the most of their understanding of book selling points and reader characteristics.
Through social media and marketing campaigns, they can attract the attention of target
users and drive book purchases, continuously adapting to changes in consumer
preferences and demands. The distribution and marketing department at the back-end
remains responsible for actual sales and maintenance work, collecting feedback from
readers after purchasing the product. This approach allows for timely responses to
reader feedback while also conveying the feedback to the editorial department for
subsequent product updates and improvements. As a result, the marketing process for
digital products becomes more streamlined, with the front-end and back-end
departments working together to monitor user feedback, ensuring the delivery of
excellent book products to users.

4.Fostering Two-Way Interaction between Consumers and the Publishing House

Users of university publishing houses often purchase products for learning purposes,
and this relationship can easily be limited to the duration of their learning activities. To
enhance user engagement, university publishing houses can leverage both online social
media and offline channels to establish a two-way interaction and strengthen user
loyalty.

Social media, also known as social networking or socializing media, has tremendous
potential, surpassing traditional marketing tools. Over the past few years, social media
has become an indispensable platform for promotion and sales in the publishing
industry in China. University publishing houses need to learn how to effectively utilize
influential and long-lasting social media platforms, positioning themselves as opinion
leaders. The first step is to understand the characteristics of their products and the social
media platforms. It is essential to gather information about the age, income, preferences,
and other attributes of the publishing house's product fans. Tailored promotions can
then be developed based on the specific features of different platforms, solidifying and
expanding the reader base. For example, as Weibo users tend to be younger, university
publishing houses can focus on promoting English language skills, vocational training,
and popular literature that cater to the needs of these users.

Secondly, university publishing houses should combine long-term marketing efforts with
spontaneous marketing events [6]. Marketing is an ongoing and continuous process, and
in the digital environment, users are scattered and dynamic. The long-term operation of
social media connects and aggregates users [7]. The next step is to seize hot topics and
create marketing events, stimulating user interaction. For example, planning marketing
events during major holidays or popular events, such as promoting book gift sets during
the Lunar New Year or offering discounts and free shipping on Singles' Day. Beijing
University Press published a headline article titled "Let's Talk About 'Idols' Instead of
Wang Ju and Yang Chaoyue" on their WeChat public account on June 25, 2018. The
article discussed the fanatical phenomenon of idol elections in the popular reality show
"Produce 101." At the end of the article, a link to purchase the book "The Crowd: A Study
of the Popular Mind" was inserted [8]. By connecting the reader's interests with book
sales, the publishing house creates a more organic and trustworthy experience for users.
The interaction between readers and published products is a multi-dimensional process
of receiving information and knowledge. Solely relying on online platforms lacks the
sense of presence, while offline interactions are an essential part of the user experience.
University publishing houses in the process of digital transformation often face
challenges in integrating online and offline marketing efforts, leading to limited coverage
of marketing activities. By combining the characteristics of both realms and leveraging
the communication advantages of online new media and the topic advantages of offline
activities, a closed-loop model of "offline-online-offline" can be formed. This greatly
expands the user-product interaction and increases the possibility of user retention. For
example, collaboration between Xixi Bookstore and Yilin Publishing resulted in the joint
launch of the exclusive custom book "Moon and Sixpence" by Xixi Bookstore. Yilin
Publishing upgraded the content editing and provided a new translation, while Xixi
Bookstore's Pushstone Culture team handled the book cover design and sales. Through
online promotion, users were directed to the physical bookstore, allowing the offline
activities to gain continuous exposure on the internet. This provided users with
comprehensive interactive opportunities and effectively transformed the event's impact
into sales.

5.Implementing a Flexible Combination of Free and Paid Return Strategies

In China, the inadequate digital regulation system has fostered a long-standing user habit
of enjoying online resources for free. Combined with the social nature of university
publishing houses, it becomes challenging to adopt a purely paid approach when
targeting users. Therefore, a "free + paid" strategy is more likely to be accepted by users.
The free strategy can quickly accumulate a large user base and generate positive word-
of-mouth for the product. There are two common approaches. First, offering partial
content experiences, such as allowing users to read the opening chapters of a book for
free or providing access to certain features of a platform. This attracts users to continue
exploring and experiencing the product. The second approach involves charging
advertisers to display ads on applications, platforms, web pages, or book pages. Although
this sacrifices some user experience, users can still enjoy the product for free. The
concept of free is a product of the internet era, reducing the cost for users to obtain the
desired information and services. Compared to paid options, it is easier to cultivate
users' affinity for the product. For publishing houses, it is an effective way to gain
intangible reputation capital.
The free strategy gradually attracts users to the product, while the paid strategy enables
the university publishing house to generate profits. The funds generated from the paid
strategy can be invested in content production, technological updates, and publishing
management. In recent years, there has been a continuous increase in the willingness of
Chinese digital readers to pay, reaching 66.4% in 2018 [9]. This presents an opportunity
for university publishing houses. When formulating pricing rules, university publishing
houses need to fully consider users' need for personalized services and experiences in
the online environment, and develop flexible and adaptable pricing strategies. They can
consider implementing monthly membership or one-time payment methods on digital
reading platforms and apps, allowing users to experience higher-quality products and
more personalized services. University publishing houses can also use a scenario-based
approach for bundled product sales, fully leveraging the additional value of book
products and providing users with a more enriching usage and purchasing experience.
For example, Shanghai Translation Publishing House experimented with a mixed sales
model of "book + coffee" for Haruki Murakami's novel "Killing Commendatore," selling
3,000 sets of "new book + coffee" during the pre-sale period. Tsinghua University Press's
Wenquan Bookstore combines free and paid services by providing free access to
functions such as sample book delivery, dedicated sample book shelves, and library
selections to partners, enabling resource sharing. At the same time, Tsinghua University
Press has established a dedicated online shopping section on its website, allowing users
to directly purchase books through the platform. Such flexible pricing models allow
users to choose products that suit their personal preferences and consumption
capabilities.

In summary, university publishing houses should actively adapt to the changing

marketing models in the digital environment, break free from old product thinking, focus
on user needs, and establish new connections with users. It is essential to prioritize
users in all marketing efforts, as this will enhance the dissemination and influence of
book products.

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References:
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Focus on "Smart Bookstores". China Publishing Media Daily.
[2] Ling, J., & Chen, D. (2017, June 7). The Growth Story of Tomorrow Publishing: The
Story Behind the Self-media Marketing Platform "Sasha's Story Club." Retrieved from
http://www.bookdao.com/article/396952/.
[3] Cambridge University Press. (2018). Annual Report (for the year ended 30 April
2017). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[4] Li, J. (2018). Analysis of Front-end Book Marketing Strategies in the Digital Era.
Publishing Research and Distribution, (5), 59-61.
[5] Kantar. (2018, November 7). 2018 Kantar China Social Media Impact Report.
[6] Zeng, L. (2018, December 24). How to Make Use of "Social Media Marketing" in the
Book Industry? Retrieved from http://www.bookdao.com/article/410873/.
[7] Advertising School of Communication University of China, National Advertising
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