One of the most frequently asked questions we hear regards the part of the process that comes AFTER we help you publish your book - Sales. Vervante offers resources and assistance to all our our authors for easy and efficient sales options for your book - and any of the products we help you create.
We can add your book to the following channels for direct sales - and have provided a quick overview of each option as well as direction for achieving the best results:
Vervante Bookstore
Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble.com
Barnes & Noble Nook
Baker & Taylor
Amazon Kindle
Vervante Bookstore is a great option if you don’t want the hassle of setting up a sales page, website or merchant bank for credit card processing. We will be happy to sell your book or product through our public bookstore. There is a 10% per transaction fee. You set the retail price for the product. The buyer selects and pays for the shipping and postage. Each month we will reconcile sales of your products and send you a statement. We will give you a quote for the production cost for your product. You set the retail price and the difference less the 10% fee is your profit.
Amazon Marketplace is the most popular option for Amazon because it only takes a 15% discount plus $1.35 per transaction fee. We receive the orders when your book or product is purchased on Amazon. The transaction is entered in your order report in your author account so you will see all transactions. Amazon pays Vervante for transactions and we will reconcile your Amazon purchases with your monthly invoice. You set the retail price for the book in Amazon Marketplace. (**We highly recommend Amazon Marketplace – see our note below)
Amazon Advantage is a consignment program with Amazon. When we list your book in this program, Amazon will order usually 1-2 initial copies for their inventory. When the book is sold, Amazon will ship the book directly to the customer and will take a 55% discount on the retail price of the book. You are also responsible for the postage costs to ship the book to Amazon.
Barnes & Noble.com is a consignment program. When we list your book in this program, BN.com will order usually 1-2 initial copies for their inventory. When the book is sold, BN.com will ship the book directly to the customer and will take a 40% discount on the retail price of the book. You are also responsible for the postage costs to ship the book to BN.com. Please note: Your book cover must contain the ISBN barcode including the ISBN number PLUS price. This is a Barnes & Noble requirement.
Baker & Taylor is one of the largest wholesale distributors in the world. We can list your book in their database and then any book reseller can order and stock your book in their store. Baker & Taylor sells and distributes to book stores, internet and physical locations, such as Amazon, Border, Barnes & Noble, etc. If your book is listed in the Baker & Taylor database, a customer can also special order the book from any bookstore. Baker & Taylor takes a 55% discount off of the price of the book and you pay for shipping to the Baker & Taylor warehouse. There are no pre-orders with this program. Baker & Taylor will only order your book if they have an order for the book.
PLEASE NOTE: There are some risks associated with listing your book with Amazon Advantage, Barnes & Noble and Baker & Taylor. They are:
Your suggested list price may not be what the book is actually listed for on these sites. These companies may chose to list your book at a discounted price and you may then have a competitive situation where you have the book listed on your site for the full list price and the distributor may be selling it at a discount.
If you list your book with Baker & Taylor, Amazon may import this listing and chose to sell your book at a discount. The book on Amazon will show "Out of Stock" and may never show in stock because Amazon might list the book but never order it from Baker & Taylor.
**We highly recommend using Amazon Marketplace for a few important reasons:
You control the list price
The product is never out of stock
We ship the product so you know who is buying your book
You pay 15% commission plus $1.35 per transaction and you are reimbursed $3.99 for postage and shipping
We have full control over the listing so if you want to make changes or update the product description or price, we can do this for you quickly and easily
Admit it. You more than likely have some little Achilles heel. Whether it’s “Downton Abbey” or Facebook or some sort of App addiction (Angry Birds, anyone?), it’s innocent enough, right?
But what if it’s those very same diversions – or even mistaken assumptions – that are standing between you and your dreams?
If you have a writing dream you’re just itching to share with the world, take stock of your opportunities then weigh them against the distractions or assumptions that are holding you back from OWNING those opportunities.
Is fear your biggest obstacle? Often people, especially perfectionists, put things off, fearing they won’t meet expectations. A good cure: put your dream in writing, set daily goals, and find a trusted friend or mentor to cheer you on and help you hold yourself accountable.
Can’t find time to write? Just do it! Success expert Brian Tracy said the greatest key to success is self-discipline. “It is the difference in winning or losing; between greatness and mediocrity.” If you really want to write, make writing your job. Pen it into your daily schedule -- with exclamation points! Schedule it like an important appointment. And when it’s time to “clock in” plan to stay put for some serious butt-glued-to-the-chair writing.
Is too much structure a roadblock to your creativity? If the rebel in you requires a brainless “mindsuck” every once in a while, building downtime into your writing schedule should help you stay focused while allowing the freedom and flexibility your free spirit craves.
Is electronic media standing in your way? Unplug! (Your dream is worth it!) Turn off the phone or tablet. Disconnect the Internet. Set a goal to check email, the news, or social media accounts only after you’ve met your productivity goals for the day or a set time period.
Too many interruptions? If you find your writing going nowhere due to distractions from friends and family, take control! Put a sign on your door or a message on your voicemail telling the world you’re hard at work. If that’s not enough, co-op a little babysitting/petsitting trade-off with a family member or neighbor or offer older kids a reward if they’ll hole themselves up elsewhere in the house to allow you at least 30 to 60 of uninterrupted writing time.
Plagued with too many ideas? Don’t overdo it! Cramming too many topics into a writing session can hamper the free flow of thought and interfere with your ability to produce high-quality work. Do yourself a favor (and save a headache!) by limiting yourself to just one subject per writing session. Your non-exploding brain will thank you.
By implementing these strategies, not only will you be amazed at your increased productivity and zest for writing, you’ll also develop greater confidence in your ability to meet your goals and achieve your writing dream.
Your book is written – now is the time when thoughts often turn to an Amazon book launch. But where to start? Is there a secret formula? Seeing your book in print is a big deal, but seeing it posted on Amazon is even bigger. However, you can’t just post a book on Amazon and hope that it does well. After years of helping our clients with Amazon book launches, we’ve learned that there are 6 essential elements that form the secret formula for a successful online debut.
Preparation Is Key: In order to organize an effective book launch on Amazon, it is absolutely essential that you plan ahead, creating an organized timeline of 4-6 weeks of preparation that builds in enough time for every step of the process in order to get the results you are looking for. Choose a date for your launch that coordinates best with your goals and does not land on a weekend, holiday or day before a holiday. Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays are usually the best.*
Establish Amazon Mission Control: In order to track results on Amazon, be sure to create an “Author Central” page where you can log in to watch sales statistics and more. It’s also a good idea to set up an “About the Author” page ahead of the day of the launch as well.
Niche Yourself: Choosing a niche category for your book is essential to becoming a best seller on Amazon. For example, instead of designating “Gardening” as your category, go deeper into your niche and choose “herb gardens” or “tomatoes.” This greatly increases your potential to achieve coveted “bestseller” status. You do not need to sell thousands of books to become an Amazon bestseller. With a niche category, you may only need to sell 100 to reach your goal.
Create Win-Win Relationships: Many authors leverage joint-venture or affiliate relationships to support marketing and sales before and during their Amazon book launch. You can do this on your own, or consult with a professional who already knows the ropes and can assist you in this part of your launch.
Post Reviews Ahead of Time: Once your book is listed online, but before the official launch day, send copies of the book to a select group of readers and ask them to post their reviews directly on the page. This way, on the day of the launch, potential buyers who may be on the fence will see them right away.
Provide Extra Value for Your Readers: The way that Amazon is set up, there is no way for you to know who is purchasing your book unless they tell you themselves. Here’s a great way to provide even more of value to your audience, while also giving you the ability to capture their contact information: On the day of your big launch, instead of sending potential readers directly to Amazon, direct them to a landing website page you have set up where they will opt in to receive a free offer or bonus product and then be directed to the Amazon page to complete their purchase. This is a win-win-win situation. Your readers get a free bonus – you have now captured their contact information AND you’ve boosted your sales to reach your goal.
One of the most frequently asked questions we hear regards the part of the process that comes AFTER we help you publish your book - Sales. Vervante offers resources and assistance to all our our authors for easy and efficient sales options for your book - and any of the products we help you create.
Admit it. You more than likely have some little Achilles heel. Whether it’s “Downton Abbey” or Facebook or some sort of App addiction (Angry Birds, anyone?), it’s innocent enough, right?
Your book is written – now is the time when thoughts often turn to an Amazon book launch. But where to start? Is there a secret formula? Seeing your book in print is a big deal, but seeing it posted on Amazon is even bigger. However, you can’t just post a book on Amazon and hope that it does well. After years of helping our clients with Amazon book launches, we’ve learned that there are 6 essential elements that form the secret formula for a successful online debut.