We've helped authors self-publish thousands of books over the last 15 years and during that time we've received a lot of feedback about their experiences with other companies. And their frustration with hidden fees and deals that don't help their bottom line. Today we're sharing two of the most common ones with you so that you can be aware of and avoid these when it's time to publish your book.
Publishing packages: When aspiring authors approach publishing companies, one of the first “advantages” they are offered are publishing packages in order to get started. These range from $449 - $1999 and usually include a lot of extras you don’t need, especially if you are on a budget or have a focused goal that doesn’t quite fit these one-size-fits-all offers.
Vervante has a no minimums, no set-up fees, no hassle policy. With large publishing packages, you’ll end up with books filling up your office and garage while you figure out how to process orders and send them out. With Vervante’s print-on-demand policy, you order what you want, when you want it, saving money, time, space, resources and stress.
Postage, Handling & Set-up fees: One of the most frequent compliments we get are from clients praising how we don’t mark up postage costs or charge handling or set-up fees for the products we produce. Did you know that many other publishing companies have up to a 33% mark-up on postage? Just think how this can really add up over time. We charge exact postage fees and no mark-ups. And we don’t hassle you for handling and setup either.
Here’s the bottom line...
We love Amazon – who doesn’t? But there’s a reason that IBM and thousands of independent authors have trusted Vervante for the last 15 years to publish their books. We offer high-quality, full-service, affordable and complete solutions – and as you can see from these few examples, you get to keep more money per book! Want to see how it works? Check out our article online that compares our services and fees with another popular provider, CreateSpace.
There are a lot of publishing companies out there. We want you to know that Vervante is your best overall choice for print-on-demand publishing that continually exceeds the standards within the industry and excels in providing creative, customized, high-quality, profit-boosting solutions for your book.
Ready to publish? Working on a manuscript? We can’t wait to help you bring that book to life. Be sure to check out any of our author resources for publishing, selling and distributing a book in the Expert Guide section of our website or send us an email at [email protected] and let us know how we can help you.
I’m sure you noticed, but in our last two blog articles we’ve had books on the brain quite a bit. Here at Vervante HQ we specialize in helping authors self-publish their books and some of the most common questions we get are all related to books. We’ve discussed how to determine WHERE the best place is online for selling your book. And we talked about Strategies to boost your sales, sharing 17 strategies that will reach out and connect with potential readers.
Today, it’s all about the HOW. How books are really a super secret weapon for building your business. How writing and self-publishing a book gives you a quality product to use in building a new business or enhancing the one you have. And how your book can help you to:
Gain credibility and influence.
Become known as the expert in your field.
Create a new revenue stream for your business.
Create a platform on which to build your business and create ancillary products.
Sell your products online or at the back of the room during speaking engagements.
Collect contact information for your lists.
Boost sales and conversion by adding value to programs or other products
Receive invitations to speak.
Be interviewed on radio or for magazines and newspapers.
Open doors to publication of articles and columns.
Command higher speaking and consulting fees.
Have a product that gives you a competitive edge over your competition.
Demonstrate your passion and commitment to your business.
Just to get those wheels spinning in your head about all the possibilities, here are some common methods and opportunities many authors have utilized to grow their business and increase their visibility:
Speaking engagements: As a published author your chances of being booked for speaking opportunities increases, and with it the opportunity to share your message and your book from the stage.
Back of room sales: This goes hand-in-hand with speaking engagements. Often you can negotiate the right to feature your book for sale at the back of the room where you are engaged to speak.
Workshops and Programs: When readers love your book and want more, this is the perfect jumping off point for creating a workshop or continuity program that will continue to provide more of the message or teachings you share while also providing even more revenue streams and growth opportunities.
Joint ventures: Find someone whose products or services complement your book and create a joint venture together. Share a message, service or products that will provide greater value to your audience and again widen the impact you have with a new audience.
Guest appearances: As a published author, you’ve just become a fantastic potential guest expert for anything from radio and TV to webinars and live workshops.
Products: If your book resonates with your readers, they will want more, even after they read the last page. Now is the time to create products such as bookmarks, posters, card decks, CDs or DVDs that are a natural extension of the book’s core message and give your readers even more of your awesome author goodness.
As you can tell, books are often just the beginning. These are just a few ideas for how writing and publishing a book can lead to more business growth opportunities than you might have first imagined – and why we can’t wait to help you publish yours.
And if you need a little help or inspiration along the way, here's a quick list of some of our favorite free resources for authors:
You’ve got a book – now what?! Some people think that the hardest thing about writing a book is... writing a book. But from the number of emails we get from authors asking for guidance about what to do AFTER they’ve self-published their books, we know the truth. That’s why we wrote this special 3-part series filled with marketing and sales strategies for your book as well as other business-boosting ideas.
Today’s article is all about online sales. One of the most frequent questions we get from our authors deal with the uncertainty of how – and where – to sell their books online. Choosing the right retail solution can make the difference between robust sales or no sales at all.
The first step, that many people often overlook, is choosing the right place online to sell your book. When you work with Vervante you have a lot of choices, from the Vervante Bookstore to Amazon and Barnes & Noble, to using your own website and shopping cart.
Here are a few of your options – and insight into whether they are right for you. Remember, you aren’t limited to just one. Just remember to consider your target audience and choose the places online that will appeal to them best for finding, selecting and purchasing your book.
Personal Websites or Landing Pages
Using your own website or landing page to manage and process sales of your book is a powerful way to support your business growth that goes well beyond sales income. You can collect customer data, offer bonuses that enhance the value of your book, give readers the chance to opt-in to your email list, along with other relationship-building tactics that ensure interested readers become loyal clients and fans.
Sales for your book on your own website are also good for your budget, as you don’t have to deduct commissions or transaction fees that other retail channels will require.
Vervante Bookstore
The Vervante Bookstore offers the perfect solution for stress-free online sales without complicated and profit-eating commission or transaction fees common to other retail channels. We handle all the transactional details so you can focus on marketing for your book.
Vervante Bookstore sets up sales pages for your books and other products, and manages credit card transactions, fulfillment and distribution. You set the retail price for the product and pay us a simple 10% per transaction fee. The buyer selects and pays for the shipping and postage. Plus, we send you monthly statements to always keep you in the loop.
Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Amazon and Barnes & Noble are the go-to places to list your book for sale online in order to gain visibility through improved search engine optimization (SEO) as well as opportunity for increased sales and expert status. Their sales system is easy to use and trusted the world over. They handle accepting payments and processing credit cards, too. However, sales through Amazon and Barnes & Noble will involve commission and transaction fees that reduce your bottom line. For details, check out our Expert Guide “Selling Your Self-Published Books.”
We can help you with the process of placing your book for sale on these sites from A to Z - listing, orders, managing sales transactions, printing and distribution. We set it up so that we automatically receive all order information and we even know the secrets to a successful Amazon book launch.
Click HERE to read the next article in this series where we share proven strategies and tactics for boosting book sales that you can use no matter where you decide to sell your book online. And for even more helpful guidance about selling your books online, be sure to check out “How to Sell Your Book Online” on our blog now.
Publishing packages: When aspiring authors approach publishing companies, one of the first “advantages” they are offered are publishing packages in order to get started. These range from $449 - $1999 and usually include a lot of extras you don’t need, especially if you are on a budget or have a focused goal that doesn’t quite fit these one-size-fits-all offers.
I’m sure you noticed, but in our last two blog articles we’ve had books on the brain quite a bit. Here at Vervante HQ we specialize in helping authors self-publish their books and some of the most common questions we get are all related to books. We’ve discussed how to determine 
You’ve got a book – now what?! Some people think that the hardest thing about writing a book is... writing a book. But from the number of emails we get from authors asking for guidance about what to do AFTER they’ve self-published their books, we know the truth. That’s why we wrote this special 3-part series filled with marketing and sales strategies for your book as well as other business-boosting ideas.