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Case Study: Small Medical Publisher Proves You Don't Have to Be Big to Sell Direct

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"We were most comfortable with Tizra because of their personal approach. As a small company, we wanted a close relationship with a company that provides the same level of support we deliver to our customers." 
-- Curtis R. Vouwie, President and Publisher, OEM Health Information, Inc.
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OEM Health Information, Inc. is a small company with an outsized presence in its field.  They have been publishing books on occupational and environmental health topics for over thirty years, and their books are relied on by doctors and nurses who need to be able to access information in a wide range of settings, and have no time for tech hassles.  "We needed an ebook solution that provided simple, reliable access from the clinic or from the road," says President and Publisher Curtis Vouwie.

With a small staff, Vouwie knew he needed outside help in choosing the right digital publishing platform.  He partnered with Laura Fillmore at Open Book Systems (OBS), a publishing services company equipped to help publishers transition to digital. OBS helped OEM determine which titles should be made available in digital form and what capabilities were required in a digital publishing platform. After investigating many options, OBS recommended Tizra.

"It was a very easy decision in the end," says Vouwie. "Not only did Tizra's software give us the capabilities and control we were after, but their business model was more appealing because it let us retain our profits."

Tizra worked quickly to get OEM's ebooks ready in time for an important presentation to over 1,000 physicians. As part of the setup, Tizra also provided web design services, tailoring the look of OEM's Tizra-hosted storefront so it blends seamlessly with their existing website and supports the continued development of OEM's all-important brand. The design also took advantage of responsive techniques to automatically optimize for mobile and tablet users.

After going live, OEM has been able to take a DIY approach to managing its digital storefront, taking advantage of the simplicity and flexibility of the Tizra platform including:
  • Testing new pricing and promotions on the fly.
  • Introducing new products, including digital-only ebooks on niche topics.
  • Keeping content up-to-date without delays from intermediaries.
With the flexibility of the Tizra platform, the company has been able to experiment with new kinds of sales models, including higher-priced subscription options, targeted offers using coupon codes, discounts for multi-title purchases, and downloadable product offerings using Tizra's social DRM watermarking.
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