Key Takeaways from IPG 2024: How Small Publishers Can Thrive in Today’s Book Market

Few weeks back we were at the IPG 2024 Autumn Conference, and it was a lot of fun for us as a small publisher. We've done the rounds at London Book Fair, checked out Frankfurt last year, and hit up quite a few small art book fairs - Jakarta, Ghent, but the IPG felt like we finally completed the set.

Dharshini David, the BBC’s Chief Economics Correspondent has got that perfect mix of wit and facts. Kept it light while laying down the reality.

Brexit’s sticking around and there’s nothing we can do about it. Don’t expect any significant improvements. And UK growth? Slow and steady, but nothing to brag about. Bottom line is, we will feel the squeeze for a while. But “the Taylor effect” is real—people are still spending on experiences, luxuries, and travel and hopefully our books.

Magic Cat Publishing (founded in 2019) was the inspirational surprise of the day. I took away a lot about focusing efforts and understanding your lane, and it was refreshing seeing a team like them really back their instincts. Alastair Campbell had some gems. His podcast thrives on this whole “disagree agreeably” style, which keeps it interesting without the whole argumentative shouting match that’s become popular. And when it comes to branding: stick to what you know best, stay high-quality, and keep the strategy simple and direct.

Nadim from Shimmr and Martin Casimir shared some solid advice on how to get investors on board. It takes about 150 conversations to get funding sorted. And saving the most entertaining for last: David Taylor from Ingram on the challenges of distribution. He talked about how Ingram is moving towards more of a hybrid setup—print-on-demand (POD) is the future, with localised production making things way more efficient. Amazon’s been pushing this trend hard, and even India’s stepping up with three POD centres—really expanding their game. He also gave us a glimpse of future tech, where warehousing and manufacturing could merge. Think printers that don’t just print books—they make them end to end, ready to ship, without the old logistical nightmare.

All in all, IPG was that rare mix of inspirational, educational, and just plain fun. It gave us some real food for thought, especially as we plan our future commissions and consider new directions and approaches into all our projects. Big thanks to Bridget Shine and their exceptional team for organizing this important event.