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liveBooks Secures $5 Million in Funding From Strategic and Private Investors
Company Introduces Subscription-Based Pricing and Pre-Designed Websites Delivered Through SaaS; Aligns Strategic Partners to Expand Into Graphic Design, Interior Design and Other New Markets
| Source: liveBooks
SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - November 4, 2009) - liveBooks, Inc., (www.livebooks.com) the
leading provider of award-winning websites that allow creative
professionals to promote and manage their businesses online, today
announced that it has secured $5 million in funding from strategic and
private investors. This allows the company to expand into new markets and
create more flexible and affordable payment and design options for its
customers.
With this funding, liveBooks has:
1) Lowered the cost of entry into the liveBooks suite and service so that
any professional can now afford a liveBooks site;
2) Introduced a subscription-based service to eliminate the need for
front-loaded monetary commitments;
3) Launched pre-designed site offerings with unrivaled choices in terms of
number, design and utility;
4) Broadened its market reach with new, creative professional industries
such as graphic design and interior design
The net result of these changes is that every creative professional now
has access to an affordable solution designed to differentiate their online
offer, without the need to get involved in the technology of running a
website.
"We have been impressed with liveBooks' approach to the photography
industry and believe that a liveBooks site is a great solution for anyone
selling a visual product to manifest their unique brand on the internet,"
said Laura Shore, senior vice president of communications at Mohawk Fine
Papers. "Our strategic relationship with liveBooks is an important
component of our effort to expand our sphere of influence beyond paper
products and to incorporate a 360-degree focus on products and services
related to the graphics industry."
For customers who want the benefits of liveBooks' proven design expertise
and intuitive site administration in a more affordable package, the company
is now offering an unrivaled array of pre-designed themes and layout
options with subscriptions priced at $39 a month. liveBooks is also
extending this pricing flexibility to its customized design customers who
want completely unique sites that are both visually stunning and true
manifestations of their brands. Single customized sites will require a
one-time design fee plus a subscription charge.
"liveBooks' website platform empowers professional photographers with the
tools they need to easily and successfully leverage the power of the
internet to run their businesses," said Chris Rainier, National Geographic
Photographic Fellow. "At a time when creative professionals in all
disciplines are facing job cuts and finding making a sustainable living
increasingly difficult, the new liveBooks offering -- which is at a price
that even a student can afford -- will be a saving grace. This gives me
hope for the future of the global and independent creative photographer
working as a professional."
liveBooks has a history of creating beautifully designed and easy-to-manage
websites for the world's top photographers, such as Rainier, nature
photographer and host of PBS's "Adventures to the Edge" Art Wolfe, and
celebrity photographer Harry Benson. Since its inception, liveBooks has
created sites for more than 7,000 photographers and creative professionals.
"We're extremely proud that our work has helped professional photographers
grow their businesses over the past five years and we remain committed to
delivering exceptional designs and customer service to the photographic
community," said Andy Patrick, CEO and president of liveBooks. "This
financing allows us to take advantage of the significant growth
opportunities in other creative markets where professionals' business needs
are similar to those of photographers. This, together with the
implementation of the more scalable, SaaS- and subscription-based business
model, presents our customers with more affordable options in these
difficult economic times."
liveBooks was incorporated in 2005 and quickly became well-known for
developing and delivering customized websites that allow professional
photographers to easily manage their online presence with an intuitive
drag-and-drop interface and advanced search marketing tools. The 75-person
company is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in the United
Kingdom, Romania and throughout the United States.
To reflect the expansion of its business model and offerings, liveBooks
today re-launched its website at www.liveBooks.com. The company can be
reached at (888) 833-4605.
About liveBooks
liveBooks, Inc. provides award-winning websites that serve as a business
hub to help professionals in creative industries like photography, graphic
design and interior design save time, promote their businesses and make
more money. The company works with an extensive ecosystem of advisors,
partners and consultants to deliver unrivalled products, services, partner
applications and customer experiences through the powerful combination of
small-business acumen, award-winning designs, a scalable platform and
extensible architecture. liveBooks is committed to customer success through
design leadership, business integrity and its belief in the power of image
and creativity to enable social change.