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It’s that time of year again. No, we’re not talking about beaches and fun in the sun – we’re talking about the holidays! You read that right, if you’re planning on launching a new book or product for the holidays then NOW is the time to get started.  

A lot of people joke about Christmas in July, but honestly, it’s the BEST time to start planning for holiday sales. You've got plenty of time to wrap up your book details, strategize marketing and sales, and give yourself a nice head-start for a stress-free experience. 

First, let’s talk about understanding lead-time for products
Different products take different amounts of time for printing and production. Here are some examples of standard lead times for a variety of products we product – and why it’s important to factor lead times into your holiday sales plans:

• Paperback books: 5 days
• Softcover spiral bound or saddle-stitched books: 5 days
• Card decks: 5-10 days
• Custom printed tuck boxes for card decks: 10-12 days
• Hardcover books, planners, journals:  4-6 weeks
• Custom printed corrugated boxes for VIP, membership and mailing: 10-15 days

SCENARIO of a Hardcover Daily Planner Launch: If you're thinking of a Black Friday launch for a hardcover planner, for example, you would need to begin printing October 19 in order to ship orders on November 30. Let's get those products you want to launch and sell in the 4th quarter into the queue as soon as possible now, so we can minimize the stress of year-end and the holidays.

Shipping During the Holidays
Another element to factor into your holiday launch strategy is the possibility of extended shipping times – especially during this upcoming holiday season. Many shipping companies are struggling to maintain normal schedules during these uncertain times, so it’s a good idea to factor in the possibility of extended shipping times for holiday product launches.

Holiday Book Sales Timeline

AUGUST

• Finalize your book manuscript and send it to an editor to make sure it’s ready to go.
• Start gathering details such as print quotes, shipping timelines, etc.
• Assemble your self-publishing team. Some people you might need include:  Designer for the cover and interior formatting; Printer and publisher (like Vervante), Technical support for sales pages, shopping carts, etc,; a book launch expert or project manager; Launch “squad” made up of friends and colleagues who will provide early reviews and help spread the word.

SEPTEMBER

• Upload print-ready files for the book and order sample copies for quality and proofreading checks.
• Coordinate with Vervante for your book retail listing: Amazon, Vervante Bookstore, or your own shopping cart. Vervante can list your book for sale on Amazon and add it to the Vervante Bookstore online (free for Vervante authors).
• If you sell from your own website, start working on your landing and sales pages, set up shopping cart, plan marketing strategies.

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER

• Put marketing plans into action. Announce special promotions, early bird sales and specials. Attend book signings. Promote, promote, promote!
• Boost your book launch by creating complementary products that will get attention and ignite interest.
• Check out these ideas: Creative Ways to Launch a Book

DECEMBER

• Confirm Vervante holiday shipping deadlines.
• Attend book signings. Continue promotions, especially for New Year / 2021 products.
• Announce surprise last-minute deals.

JANUARY

• Continue to promote New Year products.
• Look back at your holiday sales experience, making notes about what worked (and what didn’t) to help with next year’s plans.

Questions? Let us help you make the most of your holiday sales by emailing us at [email protected] or scheduling a phone call at https://vervante.youcanbook.me/.

Notepads have been around for awhile, but a lot of people make the mistake of thinking they're only good for phone messages and grocery lists. But custom designed notepads, like we offer here at Vervante, have endless potential to become the next “must-have” product to add to your business or life.

We can create notepads in all shapes and sizes, and in black-and-white or full color. Notepads can be glued for tear-off sheets with a cardboard back or spiral bound along the top or side. You can add a magnet to the back, use any design of your choosing, and select the size and number of pages in your notepad.

To-do lists with lined pages are a classic design, but notepads can also be used in other ways - to add value to existing programs, as gifts for favorite clients and customers, as items to include in subscription boxes, or as complementary products to accompany your books, planner, or coaching program.

If you're interested in creating your own notepads, here are a few inspirations:

• Event planning checklists (weddings, graduations, work, school and playdates)
• Healthy food shopping lists
• Tracking workout program progress
• Daily journal entries or inspirations
• Car-care maintenance tips
• Business networking contact lists
• Help kids keep track of chores, homework, sports and school
• Financial program support – learn, invest, record and keep your CPA happy
• Seasonal gardening or outdoor series
• Special offers for loyal / return clients and customers
• Productivity tracking
• Goal setting and achievement checklists
• Weekly planning pages and productivity trackers
• Meditations / Affirmations
• Upbeat messages and images to show appreciation and support

We’re excited to introduce you to the world of notepads and hope this inspires you. If you have questions or would like to talk about creating your own notepad products, we’re here to help. Just email us at [email protected] or schedule a call to discuss and we’ll help you get started.

Sometimes the most powerful tool you can give someone is a blank page. A space where they can write down their thoughts, inspirations, feelings, and ideas. A place to record their wins, analyze their losses, and work toward the goals they want to achieve in life.

A journal provides all this – and more. Creating a journal is a great way to empower and uplift the people who use them, as it provides an organized space to focus thoughts, emotions and actions.

Journals have unlimited universal appeal – children, adults, businesses, therapists, health, fitness, nutrition, finance, relationship, emotional, spiritual, social – you name it, a journal can be created to fit exactly what is needed.   

If you like the idea of creating a journal for yourself, friends and family, clients, or community, we can help. Journals are not just a simple book with blank pages – you’ve got a lot of choices that will allow you to unleash your creativity and create something truly unique and relevant for your audience.

• Covers can be printed, faux/vegan leather, or linen with foil stamp designs
• Journals can be any size, and with any number of pages
• Inside pages can be blank, lined, include instructions, writing prompts, designs, images, or a mixture of everything
• We can include extras such as elastic straps, ribbon markers or bookmarks

Here you can see some examples of journals Vervante customers have created. The top example is our "Starry Night Journal," a 200-page hardcover journal with foil stamped illustrations on the cover and a ribbon market. (Click HERE to see more).

We’re excited to introduce you to the world of journals and hope this inspires you. If you have questions or would like to talk about creating your own journal, we’re here to help. Just email us at [email protected] or schedule a call to discuss and we’ll help you get started.
 
Here's to making a big statement - starting with a blank page.