Blog

Vervante • December 1, 2020

The New Year is approaching, and some of the hottest products right now are calendars. If you’ve thought about adding calendars to the products you share or sell, now is a great time. Calendars are great for New Year gifts or retail sales products. It’s easy to design your own, or you can use ours and customize them by adding your logo or unique content. We offer a variety of styles, including: TEAR-OFF CALENDAR: One of our newest options, this one is really fun and easy to create. Tear-off calendars contain daily messages printed in full color on a tear-off pad. Perfect for display on a desk or countertop, these make great gifts and also retail sales items. Available as a sample or product you can customize to use as your own. See our full video highlighting the tear-off calendar on the Vervante Video Vault page. WALL CALENDAR: Saddle stitch or spiral-bound, these classic calendars can also come with Wire-o binding and hook for hanging. Use your own images, create your own message or content, and you’ve got something everyone loves to use all year long. DESKTOP CALENDAR (Pictured above): Full color, 2-sided calendar that comes with its own stand. POCKET CALENDAR: A small calendar that’s great for on-the-go, printed 2-sided with saddle-stitch binding for easy use. To learn more about creating calendars, customizing, and adding any other type of product for this holiday season, contact our publishing experts at [email protected] and we'll help you get everything ready.

Vervante • November 17, 2020

Holiday card season is starting soon – are you ready? Cards are a great way to show clients, customers, and business colleagues how much you appreciate them, or to reconnect at the beginning of a new year filled with new possibilities. If you love the idea of creating custom greeting cards or postcards, we can help. Any size Full color artwork of your choosing Gorgeous foil stamping available Inside can be blank or with pre-printed content Greeting cards are great for the holidays, but don’t let that hold you back, they are great all year long. In addition to retail sales online, they can be used to include with existing products to add value, as bonuses, or just a great way to say “thank you.” Customize postcards we've already created For a quick and easy solution, you can personalize a set of 10 holiday postcards we created for the holidays and use them for your own. Click HERE to learn more, and contact [email protected] for details and ordering information. Get a free quote for creating your own If you want to create your own unique holiday cards, you can start by getting a quote for your project by clicking on the “Get a Quote” link on the home page of our website. Still time for holiday delivery If you want to send cards before the end of the year, there’s still time. Once you have the design ready, within 48 hours of receiving your print-ready files, our team will download the files, review, and if there are no issues, we will add the cards to your Vervante Author Account. You will receive an email notifying you that your cards are now available for ordering. Questions? If you’re ready to create your own unique greeting cards, or have more questions, we're here to help. You can email us at [email protected] or schedule a phone call with our publishing experts at https://vervante.youcanbook.me/.

Vervante • November 10, 2020

Did you know that this Friday, November 13, is World Kindness Day? Kindness is always a good thing, and with the year we’ve had, we feel like you just can’t get enough of it. That’s why we’re excited to share the news of this special day – and a special offer from us – to celebrate this great idea. What is World Kindness Day? World Kindness Day is a global day that promotes the importance of being kind to each other, to yourself, and to the world. The idea for World Kindness Day was launched 21 years ago by the World Kindness Movement, and is now a global movement reminding everyone of the power of kindness to overcome the divides of politics, race, religion, gender, and so much more. How to Celebrate World Kindness Day Pledge to do at least one intentional act of kindness to benefit someone else. Celebrate and encourage the good deeds that others already do by letting others know how much you appreciate their kindness and generosity. Send a greeting card or give someone a small gift. Keep it simple: Smile and say “thank you.” Special World Kindness Day offer As part of our contribution for World Kindness Day, we’d like to help you spread kindness with a special offer for our Choose Kindness Journals. Discounted Journals: We are offering two of our special "Choose Kindness" journals  for the discounted price of $5.95 until supply runs out. These journals make great gifts – they have a full color cover with pink foil stamping, poly overlay, silver metal spiral binding and 200 pages inside. Click on the following links for photos and ordering information: Choose Kindness Hibiscus Journal Choose Kindness Pink Peonies Journal The world needs a lot more kindness, we hope you’ll join us in sharing kindness both this Friday and every other day.

Vervante • November 3, 2020

We’re so excited to share the news with you of a new book that’s recently launched with a bold message, unique content, and impressive team of authors supporting it. In fact, we’re honored to be a part of that team as both publisher for the book and as one of the contributors.  “The STEW: Smart Talk Exceptional Women: Art & Insights By Women For The World” was written by 60+ women connected to Colorado’s CampExperience™ Network during COVID-19. Known as “The STEW,” this colorful 200-page book launched Oct. 1, 2020 and features heartfelt stories written by 60+ women, poetry by Carol Calkins, and inspirational art by Vervante client Betsy Wiersma. This endeavor began with Betsy Wiersma, author, artist and founder of the CampExperience™ Network. The idea for this book stems from Betsy’s belief that women thrive on real-life innovation, ideas, and experiences shared by other women. In her years spent building the 5,000+ CampExperience™ Network and raising over $1 million cash and in-kind donations for charities around the world, Betsy has found that women thrive when exposed to smart talk, bold ideas, and insights shared from life’s journey. The STEW is a book filled with curated content from women who have opened their hearts and have a passion for serving others. Inside its colorful pages readers will find a yummy mix of inspirational art, proven ideas, heart-felt stories, poetry, and quotes from real women in the real world. The book is organized into five sections: Share Your Voice, Creativity Connects, Love Wins, Do Good Have Fun, and Fly! The authors range in age from 18 to 75 and reside in seven countries (Australia, England, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Norway and United States). “We’re very excited for this book, proud to have been a part of bringing it to life, and grateful for the opportunity to share this with you,” said Cindy Tyler, Vervante CEO and founder.  “Betsy began with printing art cards and a card deck, and keeps us busy growing her products. We love The STEW.” Below you’ll find more information about the book and a sampling of the authors and content inside. First, here are a few quick links if you’re ready to take action now: Facebook Instagram Learn More / Purchase (hard and soft-cover options available) CampExperience Network Authors you’ll experience inside The STEW include: >> Australian Gretchen Gagel, PhD is the managing director – Asia Pacific for Conversant, owner of Greatness Consulting, and affiliate professor at the University of Denver – Daniels School of Business and The Australian National University College of Business and Economics. The former president of The Women’s Foundation of Colorado and a female executive in the male-dominated industries of manufacturing, engineering and construction, Gagel developed a deep passion for investing in female leaders and is author of “8 Steps to Being a Great Working Mom.” In “The STEW,” Gagel writes about allowing your voice and the voice of others to be heard. She emphasizes, “Giving people voice engages them, empowers them, and fuels such amazing collaboration and innovation.” >> Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Brittani Coury landed a silver medal in banked slalom snowboarding at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea and also is a motivational speaker and registered nurse. When her World Cup season came to an abrupt end in March 2020 due to COVID-19, the 34-year-old put her scrubs back on to help out on the acute internal medicine floor at University of Utah Hospital. Originally from Durango, a terrible snowboarding accident shattered her right ankle in 2003, resulting in a joint that never healed, multiple operations and amputation below her right knee in 2011. Coury shares her journey to the Paralympics and expertly narrates what it was like to take three gutsy and nerve-racking runs to a silver medal. She says, “I knew this was my opportunity to be a positive example to the world of someone who gets back up when they’re knocked down.” >> Holly Forlenza has never spoken a word but she has a lot to say. She has severe epilepsy and bilateral hearing loss and is on the autism spectrum. Sadly, Forlenza’s inability to speak masked her wisdom for more than 20 years, but she fortunately crossed paths with Dr. Christi Kasa, an expert in facilitated communication in 2011. Kasa recognized Forlenza’s literary skills, and through years of patience and practice she now types on an iPad with the assistance of aides to express a message of love, hope and resilience. Holly and her mother, Eileen, share Holly’s story with community groups, associations and corporations to inspire and advocate for others who are unable to speak. In her STEW essay “How Love is in the Eyes of the People Before You,” Holly writes, “I think the things we as women need to do are simple. Loving yourself, loving others, and loving God. Sounds hard but we are the ones pushing ourselves to make others happy at our own expense. It is easy to do those three things if you slow down.” >> As the CEO of Women’s Bean Project, Tamra Ryan has been the Denver-based organization’s visionary leader for more than 17 years. She has been instrumental in putting the organization on the national and international map as a high-performing and impactful social enterprise, which works to affect chronic unemployment and poverty among women. Ryan’s book “The Third Law”  highlights societal obstacles and internal demons that must be overcome for marginalized women to change their lives, and is currently working on “Followship: How to be a leader worth following.” For “The STEW,” Ryan writes about the role of compassion and kindness in overcoming negative thoughts for ourselves and others. “First, we must give ourselves the grace to be messy and imperfect. Next, we must create a practice of imagining we are deserving of love from those who love us unconditionally. Finally, we can extend this same love to others.”  >> Poet Carol Calkins, PhD (at left) is a retired hospital and university administrator as well as a grandma, poet and executive director of the Global Sisterhood Network. She started writing poetry after the loss of a dear friend and was inspired even more by a CampExperience™ Fall Retreat that asked participants to “share their voice.” Carol rediscovered her lifelong love of poetry and is the author of five poetry books and HeartPoems, which are individual poem cards for sharing daily inspiration. >> Cindy Tyler, CEO of Vervante, Inc., (at right) is dedicated to helping people publish their passion and use their talents and creativity to make a positive difference in the world. In her chapter for The STEW, titled “How to unleash our inner creative spark,” Cindy provides inspiration and take-action ideas for using the creativity we all have as a force against the negativity and chaos that is in the world today, unleashing it’s power to balance the dark and bring more light back into our lives. >> Betsy Wiersma (pictured below) combines positive intention, love and scrap materials. Her playful style calls forth our participation, as each piece encourages people to live their best lives and to savor the journey. “At the ripe old age of 56, I stumbled upon an art program in California hosted by Kelly Rae Roberts. I booked a spot for myself and a friend; between serving the growing tribe in CampExperience™ and my daughter growing up, I realized I was not doing anything for myself,” she explains. “I needed to escape my normal life and responsibilities and let myself just be ... in art!” Since then, Wiersma has created more than 100 pieces, inspired and curated “The STEW,” and has designed and produced two inspirational card decks, greeting cards and blessing journals.  She also shares stories of inspiration in the book If you’re inspired to take action, here are some next steps you can take: PREVIEW THE BOOK: Learn all about the inspiration, authors, art and ideas that combined to create The STEW here: https://campexperience.com/THE-STEW. BUY THE BOOK: Prepare to be inspired! Click on the following links to purchase:  Paperback or Hardcover.   CONNECT AND CREATE WITH BETSY: Are you interested in creating a book like this? If you’d like to learn about how Betsy can help you with your own project like The STEW, complete with podcasts and events that connect your tribe, email her at [email protected]. Thanks for letting us share, we’re always excited to spread the news of books and products that we know will be a force for good and positivity in the world.

Vervante • October 31, 2020

Emergencies happen. Fires, floods, earthquakes, pandemics. Even zombies. Whether you believe in them or not, we’re big believers in being prepared, so we created the ultimate checklist for zombie-proofing one of the liveliest parts of your business… just in case. Assemble Your Team: There is strength in numbers – whether publishing a book, growing your business, or fighting off brain-hungry hordes. If you can assemble a like-minded group of people with shared goals and dreams - you've got a fighting chance of surviving and thriving! Be sure you have an experienced publisher (like us!) who provides all the products and services you need, AND  gives you access to your customers and their contact information (so you can stretegize together about future book releases or zombie attacks, your choice!) Add Human Personality: Don't let your book blend into the mindless crowd. Humanize, personalize and give it life by staying true to your unique voice, branding, and message. Content, photos, graphics, they all need to be true reflections of the real, live you. Injecting personality throughout is always a good idea. True Fact: Good design = zombie repellant: Ever see a well-dressed, stylish zombie? Neither have we. So it stands to reason that great design and beautiful covers repel the living dead. Invest in professional design for the cover and interior formatting that will impress potential readers and make them want to start doing the Thriller dance right along with you. Fortify! Have you ever seen a zombie gently reading a book? Smash-proof your products by using high quality hard covers, binders, and even leather-bound editions that stand up to wear-and-tear and offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.  Get the Word Out: There is strength in numbers, and big sales equal big numbers that give your book – and business – lots of life. Learn how to plan and execute an Amazon Book Launch. Print out this colorful zombie-inspired checklist to breathe new life into your books, products and business Be inspired with tips for sharing the word by reading “17 Strategies for Boosting Book Sales” Learn how to share your message worldwide with “How to Sell Your Book Online.” Elevate Heart Rates: Keep things lively by providing extras with your books such as posters, bookmarks, worksheets, wristbands, t-shirts, anything that elevates heart rates. They can even act as useful protection tools in case of attack. Wasn’t there an episode of Walking Dead where they staved off an attack using distracting adult coloring books, Sharpies, and a big roll of stickers? Automate Your Sales: Life in underground shelters escaping the hordes can really mess with orderly business function. Use a publisher like Vervante that takes care of everything from sales to fulfillment, packaging and shipping so your books can still make their way to customers while you’re off the grid. Plan Ahead: Follow in the noble paths of our government by planning ahead like with the Pentagon’s CONOP 8888 Plan (real!), and the CDC’s official Zombie Preparedness Plan (also real!)  Check out the link to their Zombie Novella for a printable zombie preparedness checklist. See the full Department of Defense plan HERE. Or, easiest and best for your business, download our zombie-proof checklist by clicking HERE. Have a Backup Plan: Include a flash drive with your book that has bonus digital files on it. Easy to transport, keeps your files safe, and can be used almost anywhere, like zombie shelters with USB ports. Bonus Step (If you survive): When the dust settles and we emerge from World War Z alongside Brad Pitt blinking in the sunlight, the first thing we’ll need to do is accumulate enough wealth to rebuild. Be sure to request our expert guide with 100 Publishing Tips (click on the "Get it Here" link at the top of this page) to help you get a head start on creating the book or printed product of your dreams. Because when it comes to zombies - head starts are always a good thing! Did you laugh? We hope so. But we hope you also recognized the useful tips and practical ideas we hid in between the lines. Business is serious, but should be fun, too. Thanks for letting us have a little fun with you today. *Brought to you by Vervante: A source you can trust for high-quality, zombie-proof books and products.  

Vervante • October 27, 2020

NaNoWriMo is coming! What’s that, you ask? November is National Novel Writing Month, a full month where authors, and people dreaming of becoming authors, focus on writing as much as they can in the hopes of finally finishing their writing projects and goals. Here’s our take on NaNoWriMo – don’t make this just about writing novels. It’s a great time to use all the mega-writing energy out there to work on creating and writing whatever kind of product you want to do right now! Planners, journals, coloring books, kids books, the sky is the limit! If you’re ready to finally dig in to a project you’ve been dreaming of, NaNoWriMo is a great time to do it. Here at Vervante we love it when customers come to us, so excited to finally have a project ready to print and publish. So we’re sharing this simple 3-step guide to help you achieve your goals. NaNoWriMo writing productivity guide STEP #1: Set your goal. Choose the project you want to work on. If you want to create a daily planner – go for it! Or how about a themed set of journals? Children’s novels, coloring books, training products, cookbooks, newsletters, tarot cards, prayer books, etc. The secret is to choose just one thing and focus on that. STEP #2: Create a habit. A lot of people will tell you to set aside specific time blocks for writing. That’s great, do that! But the deeper thing you should be trying to do is create a habit. If you want to be productive in writing and creating, make it a habit. For example, eating just one nutritious meal a week won’t help you lose weight right away. Same goes for writing. If you only write for one hour a week, that project may still be on your table the next year when NaNoWriMo rolls around. STEP #3: Write, don’t edit. Perfection is the killer of productivity. Don’t worry about writing or creating something that’s perfect. At this point, just let your words and ideas flow. The goal is to produce lots of content you can work with, then go back later to edit and refine it. You’re done writing, now what? Once you have your content written, the next steps will often be editing, design and formatting. This can vary depending on what kind of product you’re creating. Check out the Expert Guides section of our website for advice on creating everything from books to card decks to daily planners and more. Even better, go to the Vervante Video Vault page where you can see videos of our products, features and lots of great ideas. Once you’re ready to print or publish your product, we are here to help. Be sure to reach out to our team of publishing experts at [email protected] for free quotes, advice, or next steps to share or sell your brilliant project with the world. Bottom line? There’s a lot of great writing energy in the world during NaNoWriMo, so let’s use it to achieve something great before the year is over.

Vervante • October 20, 2020

Simple, and yet so beautifully full of potential, journals are an easy-to-create product that can offer a lot of value for your customer. A blank journal that gives someone a place to record their thoughts, goals, dreams and ideas is always a powerful product. But there are a lot more things that journals can do, with options that can help you create exactly the right experience for your customer that you want. IDEAS FOR JOURNALS Themes such as cooking, finance, travel, business, dreams, parenting, prayer, meditation, health and wellness, fitness, self-improvement and more can be supported with journals. Content such as adult coloring pages, lists, writing prompts, are also great ideas for adding value to journals. CUSTOM OPTIONS Here at Vervante, we can print journals in any size and with all the customizations you’d want to create just what you need. >> HARDCOVER OPTIONS Full color printed Faux/vegan leather Linen 2-ply board covers >> SOFTCOVER OPTIONS Laminated Foil stamped poly overlay >> BINDING Casebound Concealed wire-o Wire-o Plastic spiral Metal spiral Perfect Punched for disc binding >> ADD-ONS Foil stamp Metal corners Elastic strap Ribbon marker Soft-touch finish Tabs Pockets Stickers These are just a few highlights of ways you can customize journals. As examples, the journals you see here in this newsletter have the following features: Red floral journal: Hardcover with printed endpapers Starry night journal: Hardcover with foil stamp Daisy journal: Softcover with poly overlay Be sure to also check out our new Video Vault page filled with videos showing exactly how each of these ideas look and function. If you have any questions about creating your own journals, we can help. Just email us at [email protected] or schedule a phone conversation with one of our print and publishing experts using this link: https://vervante.youcanbook.me/

Vervante • October 6, 2020

Mark your calendars and get ready, Amazon Prime Days (October 13-14, 2020) are just around the corner! This is a great opportunity for everyone – whether you sell on Amazon, on your own website, or anywhere else. If you haven’t started planning yet, it’s not too late, especially if you use these Prime Day-inspired ideas to add some sizzle to your sales. #1 Offer a special "prime" deal for your audience Nobody promotes quite as well as Amazon. Shoppers are excited and anticipating epic deals as Prime Day gets closer, so why not take advantage of the excitement and offer your own “Prime” deals for products you sell on your website, too? The best way to do this is to reach out directly to your loyal customers and fans. This means sending emails to your list and posting updates to your social media. Offer special "prime day" packages where for a limited time several products are bundled for one low price. If your clients love packages, take it a step further by creating a subscription service and launch it on Prime Day with free extras or a special reduced rate that will catch people's attention. Record a special audio podcast or video tutorial as an extra for one of your books or products and offer it as a special bonus on Prime Day. Offer a special personal coaching session or limited-time memberships to your masterminds or coaching groups, with any Prime Day purchase. #2 Debut new daily planners If you love the idea of selling a daily planner, but aren’t sure how to get started or worried it’s too late in the game, we can help! Use the already-designed and formatted 2021 daily planner we recently released and sell it as your own! All you need to do is download the InDesign files for our daily planner, make any changes you want, then use it as your own to sell or share. In just a matter of days you can start marketing and sales for your very own daily planner. (Learn more about our 2021 Daily Planners including full access to images, files, etc by clicking HERE.) #3 Prime Days “free-plus-shipping” specials "Free-plus-shipping" offers are great for Prime Day. It’s the process of offering your book or product for free for a limited time, and the customer only needs to pay for shipping. (This is a very powerful way to build your email list, too!) (Learn more about how Vervante can support your free-plus-shipping offer by clicking HERE.) #4 Build anticipation with sneak peeks Here's one more tip to give your Prime Day deals some extra oomph: Be sure to share "sneak peeks" of the specials you'll be offering in your newsletters, social media and emails. It's a great way to spread the word, build anticipation and join in all of the Prime Day fun everyone is having. The key here is to be creative - and add value. You don't need to reduce your prices, just give in a way that will excite your customers and make them feel like they got the best prime deal out there!

Vervante • October 2, 2020

We love coloring books - and your response to our recent article with tips for creating these fun products showed us that you do too. That's why we're excited to let you know that we've just posted a new free Expert Guide that takes you through all the steps from A to Z. **Click here to download our new Coloring Book Expert Guide** Speaking of coloring books, we just had to share this story about our CEO and her cute grandson's 5th birthday party: Vervante CEO Cindy Tyler recently created a personalized coloring book for her grandson Axl's 5th birthday party. She put together a superhero-themed book featuring all the kids invited to Axl's party and included them in goodie bags with crayons, stickers and other fun items. The kids went wild (who wouldn't want to be a superhero, right?) and their parents did too! Want to see Axl's coloring book? Just click on the following link: Axl's Coloring Book Cindy and Axl's special offer We had so much fun with this coloring book that we’d like to share it with you. Maybe our superhero-themed book inspired you to create your own unique coloring book for a party or other fun occasion. Or maybe you'd like to use Axl's coloring book, but customize it with your own names - our graphic design team can help (design fees may apply). If you're excited about coloring, we're here to help! We invite you to access our coloring book resources using the links below, or Email or schedule a phone call to discuss your ideas with us. Access and Download the new Coloring Book Expert Guide on our website Download a free 5-pack of coloring pages on us by clicking HERE. Order our sample coloring book for inspiration No matter what, we can help you create and personalize a coloring book just for you. Just email us at [email protected] with questions or ideas. Here's to a colorful future and lots of superhero fun for all!

Vervante • September 22, 2020

It's official! Our 2021 daily planner is here and we're so excited to share all the details with you! We've designed this planner to be used in several ways: Order and use it just like it is Make a simple change like adding your logo/branding Fully customize: We provide access to the InDesign files so you can change anything you want. New for 2021! > We are offering spiral wire binding on demand: Wire binding is like our plastic continuous spiral binding but with a metal wire. The standard is silver metal in a 1" loop size. It's also available in 5 colors: silver, black, white, gray and brown and can be special ordered. We think this is a nice alternative to plastic spiral binding, and unlike wire-o binding, you don't have to have a minimum quantity order of 25.   > Printed tab divider pages: Tabs are popular and requested often for planners. They are beautiful but can be expensive.  Another option is to have printed tabs that are easy to find when the planner is closed or when you thumb through the planner. Please notice the way we printed the tabs in this planner on the video we've uploaded on the website HERE.   You are welcome to modify or change whatever you'd like. We provide the InDesign files to make your 2021 planner designing easier. Here are a few ideas for customizing this daily planner: Available on demand Softcover wire or plastic coil Double paper pocket inserts Die-cut tabs Bookmarks Minimum order quantity 25 2-ply board covers or hardcovers Laminated and foil-stamped covers Faux leather or linen covers Elastic closure straps Stickers: (minimum order quantity 150 sheets) Here are links for ordering, accessing, and customizing our new 2021 Daily Planner: View planner cover-to-cover online Order a sample copy of the 2021 Planner (2 versions available: Board cover with inkjet color and rounded corners /  and /  Softcover with silver metal wire-o binding). Access the InDesign files to make changes / customizations Check out the Vervante Video Vault for demonstrations of many of our planner's features - and lots of other products and customizing options available.  We're pretty excited about this new planner - and we hope you are too. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]

Vervante • September 9, 2020

Media mail is one of the most economical ways to send a package, and we know that many of our clients choose media mail for their preferred shipping method. However, the USPS recently announced a changes to how media mail returns are now being processed. USPS Changes to Media Mail Returns In the past, the postal service did not consistently return undeliverable packages sent via Media Mail. We were told they were discarded to save return handling and postage fees. Now the USPS has announced that as part of internal changes, they will be charging the same amount of postage to return it as it cost to send it. Think of Media Mail as a one-way plane ticket.  If it is returned, we now have to pay for the return part of the trip.  When this happens, we will mark the order returned and add the charges for the return postage in your author account. Effective immediately, when we receive returned Media Mail packages you will see a line item invoice in your account for the returned postage fee.  From a cost perspective, paying for an occasional returned Media Mail package is generally still less expensive than shipping Priority Mail. For example: If you send a package for $2.80 via Media Mail and it is returned, you will be charged $2.80 for the return, for a total of $5.60 charged to your account.  If you choose to ship the package via Priority Mail the least expensive option is $9.60, so even with the new policy of paying for returned Media Mail packages you still save $4.00 over Priority Mail. Media Mail is a cost-effective way to send materials such as books, videotapes, DVDs, CDs, printed music and other sound recordings through the U.S. Postal Service. This service has certain rules and restrictions, however, and we’ve provided a detailed look into how Media Mail works, and the benefits and risks when using it for shipping your own products on our blog, which can be viewed here: “The Pros and Cons of Using Media Mail.”

Vervante • September 8, 2020

Adult coloring book popularity has skyrocketed the past couple years, and shows no sign of slowing down. That's why it's the perfect time to make your very own coloring book. If you like the idea of creating a high-quality coloring book - for adults or for kids - here are 7 steps to help you get started: TIP #1: Paper thickness: Coloring books can be printed single-sided or double-sided. If you choose to print double-sided, a thicker-weight paper won't bleed through. We recommend 28# paper. TIP #2: Perforated pages: Give your customers the chance to show off their work by perforating the pages so they can easily be removed and shared. TIP #3: Create an experience: Help your coloring book to stand out from the crowd by offering a complete experience by including complementary products like coloring pens, stickers, blank journals for doodling, postcards, CDs with soothing music, etc. TIP #4: You don't need to be an artist: If your artistic talents don't go beyond sketching stick figures, no worries! There are thousands of royalty-free stock images available for purchase online that can be used to create coloring books. TIP #5: Spiral binding or saddle stitching are perfect if you want the coloring book to lay flat. We can creating coloring books using any binding you want, though, including saddle stitch and perfect bound. TIP #6: Children’s books can be transformed into coloring books: Remove the color from illustrations in a children’s book to create a coloring book. For adult coloring books, use images that continue the theme of your main book. TIP #7: Turn heads by printing horizontally! Most coloring books are printed vertical, so creating one that is horizontal with spiral binding that allows it to lay flat will definitely make yours unique! Excited about coloring? We are! And we're here to help you if you're ready to create, print and sell coloring books too. Here are a few things to inspire and help you get started: Download a free 5-pack of coloring pages on us by clicking HERE. Order our sample coloring book for inspiration. Email or schedule a phone call with us to discuss your ideas, timelines and solutions for creating and selling your own coloring books. Happy coloring!

Vervante • September 3, 2020

Want to know the best time to promote your new product? Before it's officially available! Preselling is a powerful marketing strategy that everyone can benefit from. The presale period is so important, in fact, it should be the centerpiece of your marketing and promotional campaign. What is a presale? It's that period of time when you're in the final stretch, polishing up your new product and preparing for the big launch, but not quite ready to print and ship. Presales offer several big benefits #1: Takes the guesswork out of knowing how many books, etc to print ahead of time if you want to use bulk printing #2: Helps offset the cost of printing, marketing, etc. by collecting payment for the product before you officially launch it. #3: Generates good "buzz" to support stronger sales How to generate interest in preorders Preorders work wonders for building buzz and building excitement about your upcoming launch. They can lead to more sales initially and lead to sustained sales over time as well. But how can you convince readers to buy a product when it isn’t available to read yet? Offer free swag: This is a popular strategy, and it works! Give readers an extra incentive to preorder and something that offers instant gratification to hold them over until official launch day. Send a digital gift pack: If you're on a budget, this is a more economical version of swag. Send them downloads, recordings, exclusive short stories, extras they can print and add to the planner, etc. Form a fan squad: If you have a group of friends and fans who are excited about your upcoming launch, harness that power by asking them to be your official launch team. Send them early copies so they can leave reviews and recommendations. Let them share details about the new book on their own social media and give them special links to let their followers pre-order. Use your social media: Give your social media images an update by adding information or images about your upcoming launch. Have a strategy that takes readers on a journey to get them invested and excited such as cover reveals, printing snapshots, excerpts and more. Send an email to subscribers: If you have a mailing list, (every author should), then you already have a group of people who are interested in what you are doing. Send them updates, build the excitement, and give them exclusive offers to support your presale offer. How to set up your products for presales It's easy to offer presales, here's what to do: Set up a landing page and allow customers to pay you for the product ahead of time. Be sure to communicate clearly when customers should expect to receive their purchase. At the close of the presale window, let Vervante know how many you need printed. Send us an export from your shopping cart of all presale orders and we'll ship your planner or product to each of your customers. Each person's situation might be different, so if you are planning on offering presales, it's always a good idea to consult with our publishing team so we can make sure you're optimizing each step. Just reach out at [email protected] or schedule a 1-on-1 call using our online scheduler.

Vervante • August 27, 2020

There's a lot of media and news swirling around USPS these days and how the pandemic has affected shipping rates. We've heard from many of you, so we checked our numbers to give you an idea of how shipping times are being affected. This chart shows the average number of days it took for packages to be delivered both in the U.S. and internationally using USPS services between June 1, 2020 and August 20, 2020. Bottom line? Packages are still moving, but it's always good to include some extra time into your plans as the holiday and end-of-year sales season approaches. For more information on shipping, postage and setting up your shopping cart click HERE. If you have any questions or need help, we're here for you at [email protected].

Vervante • August 25, 2020

Recently we talked about the best methods for selling on Amazon, Etsy and your own website. Today we wanted to talk to you about another retail option that deserves your attention -- the Vervante Bookstore.   The Bookstore is an online storefront solution we offer exclusively to Vervante customers. It allows you to direct customers from your website or social media to your own product page in the Bookstore. We will process the credit card transactions and manage fulfillment and distribution. This is a valuable option if you just don't want to deal with credit card processing and a merchant bank. All you need is a simple landing page and we take care of the rest.   Here are a few highlights of the advantages and rewards the Vervante Bookstore provides:  Online Storefront: Vervante authors can have product pages created for all their products  Author Bio Page: Similar to Amazon’s author bio pages, connect with your customers by sharing your story. Always In Stock: If you are using our print-on-demand (POD) services, your book or printed product is guaranteed to always be in stock. Peek Inside: Just like Amazon’s “Look Inside” feature, customers can see a sample of your book’s interior. Easy Sales Solution: You don’t need to set up complicated shopping carts or sales pages, we handle that for you. Database Growth: You have full access to your customer’s data. Higher Profits: You set the retail price for your product and pay us a 10% transaction fee. The buyer selects and pays for the shipping and postage. These are some of the best royalty numbers in the industry!  Full Access: You can login to your Bookstore account at any time to view activity, including customer data and email address. Book Launch / Pre-Order Support: Planning for a big holiday launch? Debuting a new daily planner for the New Year? You can use the Bookstore for pre-orders. Shipping estimates can be changed to show pre-order status and expected ship dates. How to set up your sales pages in the Vervante Bookstore Log in to your Vervante author account on our website, then navigate to the Vervante Bookstore page under the Services Menu. On that page you will see information about pricing and sales, a calculator to help determine royalties, and directions for submitting books or products to be listed in the Bookstore.   Once your listing is ready, each product will have a unique URL that you can use to direct online traffic to the sales page. If you would like to revise the product descriptions or your author page, please send requests with the final, approved content to [email protected].    If you like the idea of simplified credit card processing, the Vervante Bookstore provides an easy, effective and streamlined way to connect with your customers and get your books and products where they need to be. For questions or help with using the online Vervante Bookstore, email us at [email protected] or set up a call using our online scheduler.

Vervante • August 19, 2020

The news lately has been filled with stories of teachers, parents, and even children creating products specifically to help others during the pandemic. There was the Washington Post story about 4 teens who created a coloring book to educate kids about the basics of a disease some adults continue to have a hard time understanding. And a 12-year-old girl in Australia who designed a deck of 54 cards filled with ideas for how kids can spend their time during quarantine. We love this! It can be so easy to feel discouraged or helpless with the state of the world today. But what these innovative kids are doing is inspirational - they are using the power of publishing to create products that can make a positive difference. If you’re inspired to create something that will uplift and improve the lives of other people during these uncertain times just like these kids did, but need some help brainstorming, here are a few ideas: Family & Homeschooling Schoolchildren across the country are learning remotely, which means parents need some help with keeping kids focused and motivated. CARD DECKS can be used to create flash cards, writing prompts, memory games, puzzles, and even fun challenges. PLANNERS: Create planners for kids that make learning fun. Or planners for parents to help them stay organized. JOURNALS, NOTEBOOKS & COLORING BOOKS are also great for writing projects, keeping track of schoolwork, drawing and other art projects, artistic expression, play time or quiet time activities, and more.   Health & Wellness Create CARD DECKS filled with daily affirmations, positive messages, wellness tips, meditations, challenges, and any content that supports positivity and wellness  BOOKS, JOURNALS & PLANNERS: if you already have products or programs about health and wellness, you can reuse that content to create journals, daily planners or books filled with ideas and actions that promote health and support wellness. Fitness & Nutrition CALENDARS are easy to create and can be filled with nutrition and fitness information. Create a 365-day tear-off calendar with daily tips, actions and support. Wall calendars can be filled with motivational content and images. BOOKS, JOURNALS & DAILY PLANNERS can be filled with recipes, shopping tips, goal-setting strategies, fitness challenges, etc. CARD DECKS are perfect for fitness and nutrition. You can share daily exercises, recipes, menu plans, bootcamp routines, yoga poses, challenges, etc.   Business & Finance Financial planning, budgeting and knowing how to manage money has never been more important. You can help people by educating and guiding them in managing their personal and business finances with PLANNERS, BOOKS, WORKBOOKS and similar products. Working from home? Who isn't?! Running a business from a home office means there are many people out there who can benefit from your knowledge - CARD DECKS, PLANNERS, WORKBOOKS, BOOKS and other products can make a big difference. Hobbies & Personal Growth Gardening, Art, Crafting, Writing: These are all hobbies that help people to feel productive and give them a sense of accomplishment. Help people learn or perfect new hobbies that you are an expert in by sharing your knowledge through BOOKS, CARD DECKS, and WORKBOOKS. Or create audio or video content and share it through CDs, DVDs, and USB drives. Everything we mention here can be created, fulfilled and shared with your audience through Vervante. If any of these sparked an idea for you, we’re here to help you make your difference in the world. Check out our full-color catalog to see all the wonderful products we can help you create. And email us at [email protected] for free quotes, questions or any help you need. Together, we can make the world a better place!

Vervante • August 15, 2020

If you’re getting ready to launch a new book or product, setting up your shopping cart and shipping methods correctly are an essential part of the process. We’ve gathered up some tips here to help you make sure you – and your customer – get the best results.   Q: How do I know which shipping method to use? A: We automatically ship all books and products using the least expensive shipping method based on the weight and zip/postal code used. However, you can always select a different shipping method that best fits your needs. NOTE: We do not default automatically to Media Mail even if this is the least expensive option. If you’d like your orders shipped via Media Mail you need to select this as your default. (For more details about Media Mail, and why we don’t use this as our default, please refer to “The Pros and Cons of Using Media Mail” on our blog. To designate a default shipping method for any of your products, click on the link for “Select Specific Shipping Methods” under the My Profile section on your Author Dashboard. There you will see a list of your products and a place to designate what shipping method you would like to use. If you make any changes, be sure to click on the "Update" button at the bottom of the page.  Q: How do I calculate shipping costs? A: We provide a postage calculator to help determine shipping costs. From your author dashboard click on the “Calculate Postage” link under the Support section. Your items and their weights are listed there for easy referral. All you need to do is use the official USPS calculator on that page to determine shipping costs. Q: How do I know what my product weighs? A: When we first set up a new item, we estimate the weight. That’s the number you’ll see in the “Est Ship Weight” column on the shipping methods page we referenced in the previous question. Once the item is in production, the final shipping weight can be viewed on the “Calculate Postage” page found on your Author Dashboard. Q: How do I make sure I’m using the best shipping method? A: Using the shipping calculator to find the best rates is usually the best way to do. However, for some of our customers who ship internationally, it’s good to review your accounts from time to time to verify the costs. Q: Do I need to worry about shipping delays due to the COVID pandemic? A: It's always a good idea to factor extended shipping times into your launch plans – especially this year with the disruption the pandemic is causing. 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 product launches. Q: How much time will it take for my products to print then ship when they are ordered? A: 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 produce – 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 For example, if you're thinking of a Black Friday launch for a hardcover planner, you would need to begin printing October 19 in order to ship orders on November 30. Q: Does Vervante charge “handling” fees? A: For print on demand products, we do not charge handling fees. Here’s how we calculate charges: “Cost of printing book + Cost of shipping/postage = what we charge.” There are no other hidden costs. For products printed or produced in bulk, there is an order fee plus a pick fee to pull the item from inventory, plus postage. Order and pick fees only apply to individual drop ship orders pulled from inventory and shipped on demand.   Q: Can packing slips be customized? A: Every package we send includes a packing slip inside and you have the option of customizing it however you’d like. Think of this as valuable real estate perfect for sharing information like: A greeting or message that makes a personal connection Your logo for brand awareness Return policies that eliminate confusion about timeframes or refunds Business address and contact information Special holiday messages To add personalized content for your packing slip, click on “Customize My Packing Slip” on your Author Dashboard.  (If you’d like more information about using packing slips, handling returns, and suggested content you can adapt and use for your packing slip, click HERE to read more on our blog.)

Vervante • July 28, 2020

Amazon is often the first place you may think of for buying books. Etsy is the place people go to for creative products like notepads, card decks, and daily planners. But that doesn’t mean they are the ONLY places you can sell your books and products. In fact, the best place to sell online is your own website! The power of Amazon and Etsy are real, but selling online does not have to be an all-or-nothing choice. It’s not just your website, or just Amazon or Etsy. You can have it all by selling on all three!   First: Sell from your own website Your primary sales option for customers should be your own website. Selling your book or products online through your own website/shopping cart (or Vervante’s Online Bookstore if you don't have or want to process credit cards), means more profit, control and connection with your readers. Even if people don’t buy right away, by directing them to your website you’ve got a chance to create a connection, offer a free download, or opt into your newsletter. Anything that will put them on the path to staying connected, becoming more involved, and eventually become loyal fans that support your long-term success.   Next: Sell via Amazon or Etsy The online reach of Amazon and Etsy is impressive, and using them as secondary sales options is a great way to help people discover you and your products. That first sale on Amazon or Etsy is like an introduction that you can follow up with strategic communications that invite them to become a part of your tribe. But wait, how do I compete on Amazon / Etsy? Selling from your website is obviously the best option for bigger profits and business-building results. Just remember this - It’s not about competing – it’s about standing out! Give people a reason to shop with you vs. Amazon by creating an experience that makes you stand out. Exclusive offers, unique bonuses, VIP perks, and exceptional service are just a few ways to attract customers and create loyal, long-term fans. If you use your own sales pages and shopping carts in addition to Amazon or Etsy, and you’d like to attract more buyers to your own cart vs. Amazon, here are a few ideas: Exclusive Offers / Extras That Add Value Attract potential readers by offering exclusive extras they can’t get from Amazon such as limited access to programs, complementary products such as stickers, notepads, and bookmarks, or free downloads such as worksheet, templates, checklists or sneak-peeks with each purchase. Unique Bonuses How about creating a special box of goodies to include with the book order? You can create a custom-designed box/package and add a few products that elevate the reader experience. Top it all off by having it wrapped with colored tissue, stickers, and extras for a fun, hand-crafted “Etsy” type experience. You might even end up seeing your product as the star in a social media “unboxing” episode! VIP Perks People love a VIP experience. Another idea to help your sales page stand out from Amazon is to offer a special ‘VIP’ print run that will be sent to special customers, connections and influencers to help spread the word. You can autograph your books, include handwritten cards, bookmarks or stickers, and give your readers an early, exclusive peek. Exceptional Service When you run the show from the moment they arrive at your website to the moment they receive their book in hand, you’re able to control the content and amount of customer service they receive, so make sure it counts. Be personal, be positive, and shower them with the kind of service you wish you could get. Share helpful information in fun ways such as by including colorful branded postcards with content that shares everything they need. Personalize your packing slips, follow up with emails after the fact to make sure they are enjoying their purchase, and share more info to entice customers to continue to follow you.     Creating unique and satisfying experiences is the best way to get the right kind of attention for your book sales and keep customers coming back for more. If you have ideas for creating products or experiences to help boost your sales, let us know, we’re here to help! Vervante makes it super easy to sell on Amazon and Etsy! We've got the Amazon process automated and other than the 15% Amazon commission, our service is free. For Etsy orders, all we need is a copy of the order confirmation email - super simple and easy.   Sincerely, Your Team at Vervante p.s. If you’d like to learn more about your options for selling on Amazon AND selling via your own website, check out the following linked article on our blog where we lay it all out. (hint: You can do both – and you should do both! Read here to learn why: “Retail Book Sales Success.”)

Vervante • July 23, 2020

We’re excited to share with you several new videos we’ve posted to the Vervante Video Vault showcasing new features that add both fun and functionality to these popular products. "Casebound Hardcover" Video In this video we highlight three case bound hardcover products good for planners, journals and books with several options that make them stand out: Linen-finish cover with gold foil embossed images Colorful elastic straps and ribbon markers Off-white paper with grid patterns Faux leather cover with gold foil stamped title Printed hardbound cover with white printed title "Poly, Laminated and Disc-Punch" Video This video shows multiple versions of a sample planner and a new binding option we're very excited about - Metal Disc Binding. Poly or laminated covers are a great option for a high-quality feel without the extra cost of a hardcover. Metal Disc Binding: If you haven't seen this yet, be sure to check it out. Disc punch binding is the hottest new feature in daily planners, allowing greater ease for customizing each planner as interior pages can be easily added or removed. We're proud to be one of the first print-on-demand publishers to offer this unique option. Laminated covers are also great for planners or workbooks, adding durability without incurring extra costs like hardcovers would. "Hardcover Concealed Wire-O" Video We love the options showcased in this video because you can create a high-quality case bound hardcover book, planner or journal with a traditional-look spine, but with Wire-O binding, so the pages lay flat for ease of use. Check out the video to see our newest release of an undated planner with extras that really stand out such as endsheets and dividers in full color, lay-flat inner pages, and stickers that can be used on both tabs or monthly spread pages. Did one of these journals or planners catch your eye?  You can order samples of various products here.  Please check back often as we add new products to our samples collection. Please contact [email protected] if you need a quote or have questions about planners, journals or any of our other products. If you love these ideas and want to learn more about incorporating them into your next products, email our publishing specialists at [email protected] for questions, quotes and anything else you need. 

Vervante • July 20, 2020

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/.