‘I Am Gifted, So Are You!’ has Been Pirated in China! I Think I Will Pirate the Pirates!
Well, I guess it was only a matter of time. My first book, ‘I Am Gifted, So Are You!’ (that I wrote in 1998) has been traslated and pirated in China. Well, to be honest, I am not really upset. I guess in one way it is pretty flattering that people thousands of miles away are bothering to translate my book and selling it. I guess it shows that it is recognized by a worldwide audience.
Anyways, my main purpose of writing the book was not really to make money from the book sales. The main reason for the book was to boost my brand awareness and credibility so I could make the real money through running courses, seminars and learning centres. So in a way, these pirates are helping me to break into the China market by doing my marketing for me!
There are so many of my students who have told me that they have feared to write books and sell them on the Internet or in countries where intellectual property is not enforced. ‘What if they copy my book?’ ‘What if they pirate it?’ They are so afraid of losing out (typical kiasu Singaporean) that they never dare to enter the market by putting their stuff on the Internet. I think these people are MISSING OUT ON THE BIG PICTURE!
Have you ever wondered why a company like Microsoft bothered to go into China, if they knew that their software will be pirated like crazy? Well, I guess it is because they saw the BIG PICTURE. Although they will lose millions of dollars in licensing fees, BUT they know that piracy will allow them to monopolize the whole market and spread the brand very quickly. The licensing fees they earn from the government and legitimate business will already amount to billions in sales revenue.
Anyway, I just got a better idea. I thought of getting a copy of my pirated chinee book. And since all the translation has been done, just simply copy it and sell it myself through my websites and my own company in China. So, why not pirate the pirates?
Adam! yea hw smart and sexy of u!!! Pirate the pirates!!! yea mann! rmb the ULTIMATE SUCCESS FORMULA? yea u r gd at tht!k… byebye sexy.
^^
Hi Adam
Interesting insights! Pirate the Pirates is a good one!
Bernard
Haha great idea Adam; free labour!
Yeah, pirate the pirates. Welcome aboard Captain Khoo! Way to go, would-be-pirate!
[...] Yesterday, I was borwsing through this site by Adam Khoo and found one very interesting point raised up by him. His book ‘I am gifted so are you!’ got pirated and translated into chinese in China. His book was sold dirt cheap in China. However, it seems like he is not upset by this phenomenom. [...]
wow!
Hey Adam you are damn cool! Powerful reframing and a blessing in disguise!!! The average people might have fuming mad and could have sued them, yet you chose to focus on the sweetest part of it all! Everything’s done before you even move a finger! – Leveraging -> other people’s work!! And this only means that your credibility being the BEST in this industry is undeniable!
Just dropping by to catch up with you on ur blog posts and leaving my thoughts!
See ya soon!
walauuuu, adam
your book in chinese is 18.2RMB, (i think around $4)!!!
I bought 12 of them and sold them back in malaysia…hehe
Hey Adam,
That’s a damn cool idea, pirate the pirates. Just copy wholesale and do a bit of minor corrections here and there and push it out to the China market and there you will have a better orignal than the pirates!!!
You are a winner!
Cheers!
[...] Yesterday, I was borwsing through this site by Adam Khoo and found one very interesting point raised up by him. His book ‘I am gifted so are you!’ got pirated and translated into chinese in China. His book was sold dirt cheap in China. However, it seems like he is not upset by this phenomenom. [...]
Congratulations Adam! The fact that they put in an effort to translate your book into Chinese only means that your book is considered a good book and have a good sale value in China! Now give way Tony Buzan… the new “Tony Buzan” from Singapore has just arrived!
[...] Yesterday, I was borwsing through this site by Adam Khoo and found one very interesting point raised up by him. His book ‘I am gifted so are you!’ got pirated and translated into chinese in China. His book was sold dirt cheap in China. However, it seems like he is not upset by this phenomenom. [...]
hi adam…
im a girl frm sembawang secondary school….and you knw wad….i’m starting to miss ur course n collegues…..especiaLLY melvin….he’s sooo cute…he made us cry n realise lots of tings tat we shud knw in life….well i tink after my o’s…..can i join u.??? i mean work for you….im so interested…well on behalf of sembawang secondary school students…:
WE MISS YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!
good for you adam
This evening Dec 21, 2008, I have just bought the Vietnamese edition of your book “I am…” translated by Mr. Tran Dang Khoa, Ms Uong Xuan Vy, with the permission of Adam Khoo Learning Group Pte Ltd.
The book was nice, clear and interesting and it forced me find out further info about you on the Internet. And Google took me here.
Thank you very much for writing that useful book. Nice night.
Hi Adam,
I already finished this book in Vietnamese & found it’s really useful. I want to introduce this to my friend. But she only can read it in Chinese or English. And i cant find it in Vietnam. So can you tell you how or where to buy this book in Chinese or English. I want to gift this book to her.
Looking forward your reply. Thanks
Best regards
Yuki