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Your dream of publishing a book, CD, DVD or other unique product is almost to the point of becoming a reality. You’ve crafted the perfect content for it and are ready to take the next big step – publishing! The most important move you can make right now is to take the time to research your next steps in order to ensure your final product stays true to your vision. Choosing a publisher is a big decision – they will become an important part of your team and an essential element for bringing your dream to life.

To help you make an informed decision, we’ve gathered together the top 8 qualities you need to look for in an on-demand publisher for your project. After more than 30 years in the publishing industry, we’ve seen up close and personal what you need – and what you don’t need – in order to pick the right company to help you. And we know that no matter if you choose to work with a larger corporate publisher or specialized boutique organizations, these are universal truths that will help you make the right decisions to ensure that your publishing experience is valuable, productive and, above all, stress-free.

1. Easy to Use: Are you a DIY person, or do you want someone to be your personal guide and help you through the process? No matter which, make sure that the publisher you choose can work with your unique publishing mindset.
   1. DIY: For the person who prefers to do it themselves, check that the website has a full complement of online tools, training videos, whitepapers and information posted for those who prefer total automation. 
   2. A partner in publishing: For those who love to have access to personal help throughout their publishing experience, check to make sure your publisher has a team available to help with everything from file set up, graphic design, packaging and more.
2. Proven Track Record: How long has the company been around? What is their experience / track record in the industry? Who are the principles and what is their background? Your book or product is very important to you and you should have qualified, experienced professionals with satisfied clients and proven track records to be on your team.
   1. Check the publisher’s “About” page on their website for initial background info.
   2. Read up on the executive team. See what their background is and their level of experience within the publishing industry.
   3. Look for information about other clients who have used this publisher. If their contact information is public, reach out to them to hear about their publishing experience.
3. Customization. Your unique vision should know no boundaries. Check out what customization options are available to you. Are you required to use cookie-cutter templates or do you have access to various unique customization options for your product. “Off the shelf” ideas are great for certain standard projects, but you want to make sure that you can break out of the box and have access to all sorts of creative products and packaging depending on your needs. Ideas? Hmmm, how about drawstring bags for personalized card decks? Or t-shirts, framed certificates, goody bags, shipping boxes or clear newsletter packaging envelopes? A good publisher will take your ideas, bring them to life and then give you options that will elevate your project to even higher levels.
4. No strings, no hidden fees: This pretty much speaks for itself. Read the fine print in any agreement or product descriptions and choose a publisher who states all project fees upfront. Who needs the stress of worrying about each little thing along the way and adding up a ‘la carte fees? Not you! Look for a publisher who will work with you with no set up fees, no minimums, and allowing all items to be produced and shipped on demand or in bulk.  
5. Comprehensive Solutions: Check if the publishers you are looking at offer free coaching on product and packaging as well as dedicated team to support you, via email or phone support. You should never be left hanging. Check with your publisher about how progression through the publishing process will work – and that you will have access to an experienced guide who can walk you through everything from design and formatting, printing and shipping. Don’t forget to ask about comprehensive solutions ahead of time such as accdess to designers who can create artwork and packaging, edit audio files, master DVDs, and then produce and ship products. While it may be tempting to try to do it all yourself, it is worth asking about done-for-you packages that may end up saving you precious time and finances in the long run.
6. Marketing & Sales: Once you have your product in hand, can your publisher take the extra steps to help you realize your goals by providing sales, marketing and promotional opportunities? You’ve already worked together so much – at this point it is a relief to be able to continue that relationship with someone who can help you to manage retail channels such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble, as well as format and offer ebook solutions and help ensure distribution via the largest channels available.
7. Personal Relationships: Every step of the way you should have full access and quick response from your publisher. If you want to see how your potential publisher is with relating to their clients, go to the source, their customers. See if they have testimonials available. Reach out to those people – if they are really satisfied they will be delighted to tell you of their experiences. Referrals are the best – and truest – form of flattery. If colleagues and like-minded people have used the publisher you are looking at – and would do it again – then that’s telling you a lot.
8. Connect with Customers to Help Your Business Grow: While we listed this last, it may indeed be the most important point you should consider. If you want to publish more books in the future, create products, and continue to grow your audience and your business, having a subscriber list is the key. Ask your publishing company how they handle sales and customer contact information, and if they provide a way for you to stay in touch with your readers and fans.

By taking a close look at these 8 essential qualities, you’ll be able to easily narrow your search for the perfect publishing partner for your big project. When it comes to all of the qualities we describe above, Vervante continues to stand out from the crowd.

Vervante has the experience, solutions, and systems to help you publish, share and sell high-quality books and printed products easily and profitably. And when it comes to supporting you as a business, and helping your bottom line grow, Vervante offers what no other publisher does - the ability to connect with your customers. Subscriber email lists are your #1 asset for business growth, so why send your customers to another site to buy? What does that mean? Well, if you sell through self-publishing companies such as Amazon KDP (formerly CreateSpace), you’re selling directly from Amazon. And that means the people who purchase your book are essentially Amazon’s customers and you don’t have access to customer contact information.

We love Amazon, who doesn’t? But what we offer is the ability to sell your book in multiple ways, including via Amazon, with ALL customer contact information gathered for your business database. Here’s how it works:

• SELL FROM YOUR WEBSITE – You can sell your book via a website page you create, using your own shopping cart that’s set up to send sales details our way, and we will print and ship all orders for you.
• AMAZON SALES – We can also list your book on Amazon. When we list it for you, Amazon will send all order information to us, including customer information, and we will pass that info on to you. (Score!)

This is how using Vervante as your back-end publishing and distribution partner allows you to have the best of both worlds – your own solution where you sell the book from a site you control, collect customer contact information critical for building your business, and we handle printing and shipping. PLUS we list your book for sale on Amazon as an additional purchasing option. It’s a win-win solution: You have access to critical customer data AND your book will be available on Amazon.

We have more than 30 years of experience in the publishing industry and have worked with authors, business owners, entrepreneurs, corporations and visionaries just like you who are ready to share their brilliance and creativity. We specialize in easy, efficient and quick publishing solutions for books and products such as newsletters, CDs, DVDs, books, information products and card decks. Whether you are motivated by art, business, or life, we make it easy for you to realize your publishing dreams. For questions or help, we invite you to contact us at customerservice@vervante.com or schedule a phone call with one of our publishing specialists at https://vervante.youcanbook.me/.