Looking for ideas to give your income a boost this holiday season? We’ve got what you need with plenty of products and tips to get ready for Black Friday through the New Year.
Here are 5 of our bestselling products that can be sold just as they are, or customized to fit your needs:
Planners - use ours or design your own
Calendars - desktop or wall calendars
Greeting Cards - packaged individually or in sets of 10 in a stationary box with a clear lid
Card Decks - any size, any number of cards
Journals - soft cover and hard cover
Select the products you would like to sell, contact us if you would like to add your logo or customize the design, then add them to your sales pages and shopping carts. Reach out to our publishing experts at [email protected] and we'll help you get everything ready.
Worried about time? No need to stress! Here are a few tips to help you get ready in plenty of time:
TIP #1: If you have the general specs of the product you want to create, we can give you a free quote right away so you can set your retail price and start working on your sales and marketing strategy. TIP #2: Your product does not have to be complete to offer it for sale. All you need is the cover design image for display on your site and – voila – you can make your offer and collect pre-orders. Just be clear in the description when your customer can expect to receive their purchase. TIP #3: Once we have print files, we can ship within 3-4 days, so you're able to let customers know when pre-ordered products will arrive and can be confident in quick deliveries.
Questions? Let us help you make the most of your holiday sales by dropping us a line at [email protected] or scheduling a phone call with one of our publishing professionals at https://vervante.youcanbook.me/.
We're constantly amazed by the clever, unique, brilliant and beautiful books and products our customers create. So much that we're starting a spotlight feature to share the details of their creations and the inspiration behind them. Today, we're pleased to introduce Nancy and Steve Juetten.
About: Life Goes on Roadmap™
Life Goes on Roadmap™ is a playful, powerful, and practical system for families to use to organize their crucial personal finance information to gain power, access, and control, before disease, disability or death get in the way. Life Goes on Roadmap elevates the process of getting organized to be a game to win instead of an administrative task to put off.
Users welcome financial peace of mind when they organize important contacts, service providers, insurance information, bank or credit union accounts, investments, credit cards, and more so the information is accessible when and where it is needed. Unlike shelf help, the creators hold clients’ feet to the fire to get the mission accomplished, while making it fun. Consumers love the product and the experience so much they are posting powerful testimonials to YouTube.
Created by a fee-only fiduciary who is also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional and his wife, Life Goes on Roadmap starts powerful conversations now with family members to shift roles and responsibilities as needed to ensure a smoother journey, no matter what happens next. Unlike old fashioned paper systems, Life Goes on Roadmap is suitable for today’s digital age. It offers a safe and secure way to enter, save, update, and share the information that covers 16 important pages of crucial information with the right people who have a need to know.
The story behind the product
Q: What inspired you to create this product?
A: The inspiration for creating this product was deeply personal. Late last year, three people I love got life altering news. One was served divorce papers by surprise after 32 years of marriage. Another found out her stage 4 lymphoma came back. The other checked into the hospital with the flu and died. It was a triple threat of divorce, disease, and death in one week.
Shell shocked, I had a serious chat with my husband Steve. He's a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional. I asked him to get me on the same page with regard to all of our most important financial documents and information so I would have power, access and control to advocate for him if something were to happen to him or be able to drive my life forward if it should come to that.
It was a light bulb moment for us because we discovered a blind spot that once uncovered could make a huge difference for families everywhere. As much as financial advisors guide their clients to save for retirement, plan for emergencies, diversify and rebalance their portfolios, and mitigate their risks, there is a common gap that goes unmet that is hiding in plain sight. It is making sure that all the right parties in the family have power, access and control over their financial accounts and documents for when life serves up a bump in the road.
After searching online for a positive, upbeat approach to getting the mission accomplished, together we decided to create our own system to escape the 'doom and gloom' approaches we found so disappointing in our online search. We've actually elevated the task of getting organized into a game to win instead of task to put off until later. We hold our clients' feet to the fire to get this done as we make it fun.
In August of this year after serving hundreds of families to rave reviews, we started licensing our system to advisors so they could bring this level of very specific empowerment to their clients. Now we have 10 licensees proudly sharing the system with their clients, and consumers of our system creating YouTube videos to sing its praises. As advisors consider what services to add to their current offerings to serve clients more deeply, meet a personal, practical, and profound need, and set themselves apart in the marketplace, Life Goes on Roadmap™ does the job.
Q: What advice would you give for others creating a product like this?
Solve an urgent problem for a specific audience of people who will willingly invest to get the value and the benefit.
Be excited about your solution to the point that you will stop at nothing to bring it to market.
Take your product beyond "shelf help" by finding ways to engage, delight, inspire, and involve your clients in achieving the promised outcome in a specific window of time so they have something to celebrate and are inspired to tell their friends. I am a big fan of the Great eCourse Adventure and Marisa Murgatroyd's 'experience product' training.
Create an audience for your offer, even before your product is done or perfect. Our opt-in page for our 5 Blind Spots that Prevent Financial Empowerment and How to Course Correct for a Smoother Journey Special Report has welcomed over 3090 subscribers this year, and new people find it every day.
Test your offer, listen to feedback, make ongoing improvements in messaging and delivery, and keep your eye on the big results you desire and the specific revolution you are fighting for.
Work with Vervante so that the delivery of physical product can be world-class, reliable, and efficient.
Q: What do you love about this product?
A: The design and ease of use of our 'experience product' factor big time in the value and results clients welcome when they make the wise choice to get on the virtual bus to get their personal financial information and crucial documents organized with our tools, expert support, and 'hold your feet to the fire to get this done' accountability.
The inspiration for this product and the impact it has on those who use it offer us the opportunity to experience our finest hour of contribution to the marketplace in the third act of both of our careers. I am almost 57 and my husband is 65, and we believe the best is yet to come for us and those we get to serve. What I love is that this product offers my husband and me the opportunity to serve, grow and make our legacy alive today with every family we help. It's never too late for your finest hour in life and business.
Consumers can purchase this system from www.authenticvisibility.com/roadmap. It's a thoughtful and practical gift that gets people talking about important things before life gets in the way. Financial advisors and other professionals can license and brand the system as their own to serve their clients in this practical, profound, and very practical way.
Get your product featured
If you liked this and want your Vervante product featured in our newsletter and blog, please email [email protected] with the following information:
250-word overview of your product
URL link for the landing or sales page for the product
High-res image(s) of the product
Your creativity inspires us and your success deserves to be shared!
If you have a book idea, but aren't sure how to take it from manuscript all the way to the marketplace, you're not alone. We're helped thousands of authors take their books from first drafts to publication and know every step needed for a successful experience. That's why we rounded up the following frequently asked questions and answers for every step of the process.
Q: I’m excited to get started. What’s the first thing I need to do?
A: Establish a Vervante Author Account. It’s free, quick and easy. Just go to www.vervante.com and click on Sign Up. Once you’re set up, you will be able to access your Author Dashboard, your personal mission control that gives you access to everything from Support and Resources to Activity Reports and Invoice details and overall Account Management.
Q: OK, I’ve got the material for my book written, now what?
A: We recommend that once your manuscript is written, you have it professionally copyedited. This ensures that you will provide your audience with a high-quality product. We do not provide this service, but strongly feel that this step is essential for the quality and success of your finished product. For recommendations contact us at [email protected].
Q: What is an ISBN and do I need to have one?
A: If you plan on retail distribution for your book, such as on Amazon or in bookstores, yes, you will need an ISBN (International Standard Book Number). The most important identifier your book can have is the ISBN. ISBNs provide unique identification for books and simplify the distribution of your books throughout the global supply chain. Without an ISBN, your book will not be found in bookstores, whether online or down the street from your house. You can buy your own at www.Bowker.com, or purchase one at a low cost from Vervante – Just log into your Author Account and click on “Purchase ISBN.” Note: The imprint within an ISBN indicates the publisher of record. When you purchase an ISBN through Vervante, the publisher of record is automatically shown as Vervante. This publisher information is usually shown in places like the book’s inside cover or in the product details list for books that are sold on Amazon.com. If you would like your own imprint, you can purchase an ISBN directly from www.isbn.org.
Q: Are there steps I can take to protect my book legally?
A: Yes, Copyright registration is important and a simple task you should do as soon as your book is complete. You can complete the Application to Participate online and you will receive an account and password. Once your book is complete, you can send a copy of the book to the Library of Congress at: Library of Congress, Cataloging in Publication Division 101, Independence Ave. SE, Washington, DC, 20540-4320. The website is at http://www.loc.gov/publish/pcn/newaccount.html. For more details and to register your book, go to http://www.copyright.gov/. If you prefer to have our team submit the copyright registration for you, please complete the request document in your Vervante Author Account.
Q: What about a Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN)?
A: The LCCN is a unique identification number that the Library of Congress assigns to book titles. There is no charge for registering your book with the Library of Congress. You can complete the Application to Participate online and you will receive an account and password. Once your book is complete, you can send a copy of the book to the Library of Congress at: Library of Congress, Cataloging in Publication Division 101, Independence Ave. SE, Washington, DC, 20540-4320. The website is at http://www.loc.gov/publish/pcn/newaccount.html.
We offer done-for-you LCCN services as well for a small fee. All you need to do is request it through your Vervante author dashboard, we’ll complete the registration on your behalf and email the LCCN as soon as we receive it, usually within 10 business days.
Q : Who owns the rights to my book?
A: When you self-publish with Vervante, you benefit from our unique system in which you simply grant us the rights to print and distribute the book on your behalf. Our contracts with authors are non-exclusive. This arrangement is rare in the publishing world and is very much to your benefit as the author. You retain all rights as the sole owner of your book. Period.
Q: OK, I’ve got the manuscript back from my editor – now what?
A: Now it’s time to format the text of your book. Formatting is the process of creating print-ready digital files according to our specifications.
Q: What are some decisions I need to make regarding formatting?
A: Here are two important decisions that will affect your book’s appearance:
Binding: You can choose perfect bound, saddle-stitch or spiral binding (hard cover, spiral or hard cover wire-o) for your book. There are photos, specs and templates of each available on the “Print Specs & Templates” page on the Vervante web site. Better yet - for real-life examples to help you make your choice, check out the sample packages we offer at www.vervante.com/samples.
Size: We can bind a book at any size up to 8.5 x 11 inches. We do not have pre-set sizes. One of the most popular sizes for paperback books is 6 x 9 inches but it is completely up to you what your book should be. Depending on the binding style you choose, books can be from 25 to 800 pages long.
Color – we offer mixed black & white and color – some pages can be printed in color and the rest black & white
Q: What about my cover?
A: We require a print-ready PDF of the cover. You can find detailed specs and templates on our website HERE.
Q: My text and cover files are ready to go. What next?
A: Once your files are ready, you can upload both content and cover art files from your Author Account using the Send Files link.
Q: How long does it take to get my book published?
A: Once we have a final, approved-by-you, high-resolution PDF of the book content and cover, we can print your book within three to five business days and distribute anywhere in the world according to your needs and deadlines. If your book will be printed as a hard cover book, the turnaround time could be a few weeks.
Q: What about ebooks?
A: You provide us with your formatted ebook files and we can post your ebook to Amazon or Barnes & Noble. For more detailed information and the steps to get started, please log in to your Vervante Author Account and go to the Retail Distribution page accessible via the Services menu.
Q: Can I use the same ISBN for my ebook?
A: No, you cannot use an ISBN from a print edition for your digital edition. If you want to include an ISBN for the digital version of your book, it must be a unique ISBN. You can supply your own ISBN or you can purchase an ISBN from Vervante.
Q: What are the fees for using Vervante’s publishing services?
A: No set-up fees, no monthly minimums, no management fees. You only pay for printing and distribution costs.
Q: What will be my cost for printing the book?
A: Products printed on demand include production, packaging and fulfillment. For products printed in bulk and drop shipped on demand, there is an order fee and pick fee per item. Each book is unique and Vervante will quote you the exact printing price as soon as the book is set up for publishing. The prices quoted do not include shipping.
Q. How are orders shipped?
A: We send the majority of shipments via USPS, First Class or Priority Mail and International Airmail. We charge postage based on weight and destination. We do not have a flat shipping fee and we do not inflate the postage rates.
Q: Who sets the retail price of my book?
A: The price you list on your book is up to you. We provide you with a quote for printing and fulfillment costs, as well as potential royalty scenarios depending on the sales and distribution channels you choose to use.
Q: What about royalties for sales on Amazon or other retailers? How will I be paid?
A: All transactions for your book are recorded in a free online account you will set up with Vervante. Royalty payments can be sent to you as a check or online via PayPal.
Q: How do you process orders? What about compatibility with shopping carts?
A: We have no shopping cart preference and, in fact, can process your orders from any shopping cart or merchant solution. Orders can be processed in a variety of ways:
Automatically processed from the order confirmation emails generated from your shopping cart.
Automatically processed from an email notification set up in Vervante specified format outlined in our detailed user guide (available from your Author Dashboard)
You can log into your Vervante account and place orders
You can find information about automated order processing HERE.
Q: Can you help me list my books for sale?
A: We can add your book to the following channels for direct sales:
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.
Amazon Marketplace is the most popular option for Amazon because it only takes a 15% discount plus $1.80 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 post the credit for the Amazon purchases in your Author Account. 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 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 choose 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 the Amazon Marketplace option 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 $1.80 per transaction
You determine how much you want the buyer to pay for postage
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
Q: How can I keep track of the books that are shipped to me or my customers?
A: When your orders are shipped, you or your customer will receive a shipping confirmation email notifying when the product has shipped and a link to track the order. You may log on at any time into your Vervante author account to view the status of your orders, tracking information, order details, online reporting and customization of your packing slip.
Q: How do I know who purchased my book or how to follow up with them?
A: Retail booksellers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble do not share customer contact information with you. Listing directly on Amazon, or sending your buyer to purchase your book on another site like CreateSpace, Lulu or Blurb, turns your customer into their customer, and denies you access to any of their information.
This is why we strongly recommend selling your book from your website as your primary sales option. This gives you the benefit of knowing who your customers are, and how to contact them to follow up.
We do recognize the power of Amazon and suggest using them as a secondary sales option using the Amazon Marketplace program. This gives authors all the advantages of Amazon, while still retaining control of sales and customer information by using Vervante as your publisher and distributor.
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 your site, collect customer contact information critical for building your business, and have professional solutions you trust to handle printing and shipping. PLUS we handle the sales and processing for your books and products by working with your shopping cart (we can work with them all!) and listing your book on Amazon. It’s a win-win solution for authors all around. You have access to critical customer data. Your book enjoys the visibility and prestige Amazon offers. You are in control, every step of the way.
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Feeling a little more confident about self-publishing? With this expert guidance, you now possess the big-picture knowledge to address important decisions and issues that are the foundation of self-publishing – and your book’s success. For questions or free quotes please feel free to contact our publishing specialists at [email protected]. We’re here to help!
Looking for ideas to give your income a boost this holiday season? We’ve got what you need with plenty of products and tips to get ready for Black Friday through the New Year.
Life Goes on Roadmap
A: The inspiration for creating this product was deeply personal. Late last year, three people I love got life altering news. One was served divorce papers by surprise after 32 years of marriage. Another found out her stage 4 lymphoma came back. The other checked into the hospital with the flu and died. It was a triple threat of divorce, disease, and death in one week.
If you have a book idea, but aren't sure how to take it from manuscript all the way to the marketplace, you're not alone. We're helped thousands of authors take their books from first drafts to publication and know every step needed for a successful experience. That's why we rounded up the following frequently asked questions and answers for every step of the process.