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Vervante • June 29, 2015

Lyle McDonald has helped thousands to change their bodies for the better through products, programs and online resources that focus on health, fitness and nutrition. Lyle became interested in sports performance in high school which led him to UCLA to pursue a degree in kinesiology/exercise physiology.  During this time he got involved in competitive cycling and in-line skating which took him deeper into the science and practice of sports performance, nutrition, training, and supplements. His first book, The Ketogenic Diet, was published in 1997 and he has written 10 books since then on various topics of nutrition, fat loss, diet and exercise. Lyle is also a passionate volunteer and advocate for the Austin Humane Shelter and regularly shares his experiences on his website with the shelter and his two rescue dogs Alfie and Norman. Q:  What inspired you to become an author? My first book was written back in the 90's; due to my presence online and background I had become a bit of an "expert" on low-carbohydrate diets and set out to write an objective book on the topic, looking at both the pros and cons of such diets.  I actually originally published it through a short-run print house before switching to Vervante and have produced 7 products through them since. For various reasons, I had become dissatisfied with my short run print company, mainly with having to maintain inventory, pay up front for books and handle the shipping myself.  As print-on-demand services like Vervante offers became more common I researched them heavily and made the switch.  What I liked most about Vervante was that their setup was easy and they do not charge a setup fee.  They also do not take a percentage of sales like many other companies outside of actual print and shipping costs.  Being able to pay at the end of the month only for products actually sold, plus the fact that they handle returns and reships quickly and easily, sold me. I've never looked back and refer any friends or colleagues looking to get into book publishing without a publisher to Vervante. Q:  Do you offer digital downloads along with printed products? I actually do. I had offered digital downloads earlier in my career but became frustrated with piracy so I stopped. Two years ago I started offering them again and am thankful I did. We are moving to a digital age and a majority of my sales are digital only. However, I offer bundles on all of my books where the purchaser can get the hardcopy (for people who want physical books) and the immediately downloadable digital version. I have also recently got into Kindle .epubs and Nook formatted products. So many people are using only phones or tablets, so they need scalable digital files. I really see digital ‘books’ as almost overtaking the physical kind in the future. No need for space, easy to transport, we live in a digital world now. Q:  What advice would you give to other authors who want to increase exposure and sales? I am in a different position than most as I’ve been in the field and online for 20 years now. Getting started with writing now is much more difficult, there is much more competition, and it’s a lot harder to stand out. I have hosted a handful of seminars including in Canada and Ireland, but beyond that I’ve mainly just focused on books themselves. I am lucky that I was on the Internet in 2004, about when it started, so by the time I got around to really writing I was well-known and already had the exposure. Certainly as the Internet grows, my exposure grows by leaps and bounds. Since I focus on nutrition and fat loss books, and given that just about every forum has some type of weight loss related topic, people more or less do my marketing for me. Writing good content and quality books is the first step, but without marketing you’re a store that nobody can find. YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are more or less mandatory now. Finding folks who are popular bloggers in a niche, who have a following, also helps. Approach them politely and offer to send a book copy for review. If you have an affiliate program make them aware of it. Yes, objectivity can suffer when affiliates are making money off the product but that’s really part and parcel for the Internet now. Even Amazon takes a cut and nobody complains about their business practices. A recent practice is to actually release the whole book or a chapter (usually digitally), for free initially, giving readers a chance to sample it without risk.  If they like it, they will buy it. People are tired of flashy marketing that sells garbage books. Show readers you’re a good writer, don’t just tell them. In the long run that, more than anything, will help with growth. People that like your work tell two friends and they will tell two friends, and so on. In a world dominated by social media, all it takes is for a few people to share your work and it can explode. Q: What do you wish that someone had told you BEFORE you began publishing books? My first book was a nightmare since I didn't know what I was doing.  From layout to not getting an ISBN, or realizing how long it took to get them (this was in the mid-90's), my first book's publishing was delayed for reasons that had nothing to do with the writing. To be honest, my first book was such a disaster that I almost gave up on it near the end. After that, trying to write another book gave me anxiety attacks for years. It was all pretty difficult. But that was part of the learning experience and I didn’t have access to resources to help me through all of the problems (again this was the mid-90's).  I had also already been selling my book through a different company to begin with; a lot of the problems were fixed by switching to a better company, Vervante. Now, I mainly try to walk friends/colleagues who are doing their first book through the minefield of potential problems since I think I personally found them all. The only problem I can recall early on with Vervante was a very old issue with the author interface.  I had some books that never made it to the purchaser but I wasn't aware of it and wasn't able to correct the problem. They really stepped up when they identified the problem. Since that time Vervante has made significant improvements to the author interface and there's nothing I can't check in terms of orders that didn't ship or when I need to put in specific order requests myself. My books are well received, people seem happy with quality of the books and shipping, and that makes me happy. Five Fun Facts about Lyle 1. Favorite book / author Robert Sapolsky is the writer I hope to someday be when I grow up.  His ability to take complex scientific concepts and write about them in a fashion that is both non-technical and entertaining is a skill and an art that most science writers lack. He is truly brilliant. I also have a long enjoyment of Robert Anton Wilson, a counterculture author to be sure but reading his work truly gave me a new perspective on not only the world but on how to think about things. 2. What are you reading right now? I actually just started re-reading Sapolsky’s book Monkeyluv.  I had lent out my copy and never gotten it back. I’m also re-reading The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson, a 3rd generation cyberpunk and author. I love his work. 3. And when you’re not writing? I watch a lot of Netflix, I love the ability to watch shows from beginning to end. Video games.  Playing with my dogs. I’m quite the introvert so I tend to be fairly much of a homebody. 4. One thing about you that would surprise people: That despite my often brash online demeanor, I can actually be the best friend anyone will ever have. I’m just 100% or nothing. A friend I will do anything for. Everyone else... 5. What makes you happy? When I finally finish editing a book! You can learn more about Lyle and Body Recomposition at www.bodyrecomposition.com.

Vervante • June 2, 2015

If you're ready to learn which products are best for increasing  satisfaction, reducing returns and boosting profits, then you'll love our latest interview with fitness industry expert and author Jonathan Goodman. Jon's business has kept him at the top of best-selling lists and in the media spotlight for years - and allows him the financial freedom to take time away from the office and explore the world. Read on to learn how Jon increased profits by 20% by finding the right mix of products for his target audience. Creator of the Personal Trainer Development Center (thePTDC) and Viralnomics, Jonathan Goodman has sold tens of thousands of books, training programs, and courses to audiences around the world, as well as featured in Men's Health, Schwarzenegger.com, Muscle & Fitness, and Forbes amongst others. He writes about personal training and enjoys philosophizing and experimenting with new media. Originally from Toronto, Jon loves exercise, hates bad socks, considers himself a key lime pie connoisseur, and spends his winters exploring the world. Q:  What inspired you to add published products to your business model?     My goal was to establish longevity. I noticed that other people in my market who were initially successful would fade out after a few years; there was no longevity, even if they were very good. I also realized that those who put things out in tangible, physical products were more successful in the long run. Their teachings and products were consumed more, they were taken more seriously, and those products ensured that they enjoyed great word of mouth and a increasing audience as they were passed along. Even though publishing products is expensive superficially, I decided due to those observations, that I would have physical products for everything I do. I want to be relevant in 10 years, and having physical products that last is key for that.   My first product was 1K Extra. It’s a premium product for my industry with a higher cost. The first version was priced at 499 dollars and delivered in digital form. However, I was dismayed at the rate of refund requests; it was pretty high for my expectations. When I followed up and did some research into why people were requesting refunds, I found out that many of the people who purchased it, didn’t even look at it before returning.   Buyer’s remorse is a funny thing; it’s based more, I believe, on the perception of what people think others will think of them, versus the actual return on investment. Whereas with a physical product, I’ve found, if you design a beautiful product and it looks and feels good to the person who bought it, the refund rate goes way down. Ordering a physical product means there is a wait to receive it, anticipation builds increasing the expectation and enjoyment of receiving the package and ripping the box open. Now there is a much better chance that they will actually look at it and use it. I now offer both physical and digital versions as pricing strategies to allow me to position the products and pricing differently. For version 2 of 1KExtra we offered a physical product and a digital download and the return rate went way down.  I ended up making about 20% more in profits even with the fulfillment cost because of the decrease in refunds.   Q:  You published your first book, “Ignite the Fire,” with CreateSpace. Now most of your products are with Vervante. Why the switch?   I did my first book with CreateSpace before I knew info marketing was something I wanted to do. Now, with the variety of multimedia projects my business produces, I like how Vervante can handle all the different types of products in one space and offer the advantage of selling through my site while still having Vervante handle the ordering, fulfillment, and distribution details. Plus Vervante’s customer support is really great – if someone mistakenly makes a double order, they check that it’s correct before fulfilling and charging me for it. Vervante is great, because it allows you to start small with one product, and then work your way up as you add more and more. Q: Any wisdom to share that you wish you’d known back when you started?   Don’t be embarrassed to price your products for what they are worth, especially if you’re in a niche. What you do is worth a lot of money to some people. The first product or program you put out there should have the potential to fundamentally change your business. For most, that means an influx of money to allow you to finally do what you want to do, instead of have to do.   Don’t compare yourself with others in your industry or who are doing similar things. I’ve met a lot of people who look great or might be intimidating at first, but in reality no one is perfect.   Better design makes a huge difference – when you can make sure you invest in high-quality design. Design communicates the value of what they are getting inside. It can allow you to charge up to twice as much for a product. The perception of quality is often as important as the actual quality of the product itself.   It’s worth having a professional proofreader or editor for your products as well. I have an exceptional editor I’ve worked with on all my books and copy editors for grammar and punctuation. They can make a big difference in the quality and perception of expertise that your readers form when using your products. Don’t forget that you can create products from things you are already doing. I put on three conferences and one of my products, Ultimate Fat Loss Seminar, is a high-quality video and audio recording of those conferences that I turned into a product.    Q: How have Information Products affected your business?   Information products have allowed me to create more freedom and longevity in this market. The conventional model of generalities and marketing to the masses favors short-term success. Self-publishing and premium high quality information marketing, which is what I do with Vervante, allows me to focus in on the one thing I have specific expertise in. I don’t care about the mass market, I just know there are 100 or 500 or 1000 people out there that want what I can give them, so I can create it and sell it at a higher price. I think topics that are created to fulfill a specific need for a smaller population is where the future is. You can learn more about Jon and his products at these sites: 1K Extra: Jon’s premier multimedia course that teaches how to build an efficient and scalable online personal training business has become the go-to resource in his niche. Ultimate Fat Loss Seminar Home Study Kit: Recorded audio and video from a conference hosted by Jon. Hiring Trainers: A multimedia course co-produced with Jodi Rumack that teaches gym owners how to find, hire, and train their ideal personal trainer.

Vervante • May 21, 2015

Michelle Moore is a natural health advocate who strives to educate and help people to achieve and maintain optimal health through natural and integrative approaches. Michelle’s books, websites and consulting services have assisted thousands of people in understanding the numerous tools and approaches that are available to help in overcoming chronic health challenges, especially infections. Michelle’s interest in holistic health began when she worked for a major pharmaceutical company as a Microbiologist. For a number of years Michelle performed microbiological research on many kinds of bacteria. She later became a consultant; teaching pharmaceutical companies how to be compliant with the microbiological manufacturing regulations of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). After struggling for four years with recurring infections that mainstream medicine was unable to treat, Michelle discovered a way to restore her health using holistic and natural medicine. In her books, DVDs and other resources, Michelle helps people to view health challenges from a larger point of view by addressing the root cause of the condition. Rather than simply “fighting the disease,” the underlying causes of illness are explored. The use of a variety of traditional, integrative and natural methods focused on achieving both short-term and long-term results are revealed. In this interview, Michelle shares her experience using published products to share her knowledge and help change lives on a greater scale. Q: What was the inspiration behind your books? I’m a microbiologist who used to work for pharmaceutical companies. My husband Les and I published our first book MRSA Secrets Revealed in 2008. It offers a different perspective to help people in their recovery from Staph and MRSA bacterial infections. For me, it was a personal mission to help others in need as this issue struck a personal cord. I myself had battled against recurring sinus infections for several years. Antibiotics weren’t working and my doctor couldn’t offer me any other help. So, I had to start finding answers for myself. And that meant stepping outside the world I knew. What I found changed my life, and I put what I discovered into this book. Q: Give us a peek inside the publishing process for you We heard of Vervante through another colleague of ours. We discovered their publishing products met our needs and we were also very happy with their service, support and pricing compared to other companies we’d worked with. As our company is composed of just my husband and I, we can’t do it all (even though we try). It’s great to know Vervante can handle graphics and design issues for us when it comes to cover graphics and layouts. Whenever we’ve had any questions, they are quick to answer. Email support from Vervante is exceptional and it’s great to trust and know they are on top of things. We don’t have the time and resources to be stocking and shipping books to our customers with our busy work schedule. So, printing, warehousing and shipping each of our books is what we use Vervante for, and we’ve been very happy with their services over the years. Q: What do you wish that someone had told you BEFORE you began the publishing process? It would have been nice to do our homework ahead of time and brush up on editing and design. Some aspects of publishing are not obvious unless you are a designer and knowing that would have saved us some time. Thankfully Vervante was able to help us identify potential problems that would affect the quality of our book and printing-related issues so our publishing went smoothly. It’s worth having an expert alongside you to help you through issues you never even knew existed. Q: Is there anything you would do differently next time? I would do my homework and learn rudimentary of editing and graphic design, color management and printing. That being said, we also try to know it all and do it all. However, that’s not really possible if you want to be a profitable business. It’s better to let the experts do their thing so we can do ours. Q: How did Vervante support you during the launch of your product? The launch of our second book went very smooth. As usual, they sent us proofs of our new book, kept us apprised of the process and once we approved our proof, we were ready for our first print run. They handled everything like true professionals and that’s why it was a smooth start. Our books have been very successful and we get frequent reports of happy customers. Not only is our story great and helpful, but it’s put together in a professional quality package.

Vervante • April 29, 2015

As part of our continuing series of Author Interviews, we chatted this month with Patrick Ames, Editor in Chief of Juniper Networks Books, who shared his experiences publishing a wide variety of books and ebooks, including some of the things he wishes he'd known before he started the process. (Great info for future authors to keep in mind!)  Juniper Networks (NYSE: JNPR), the industry leader in network innovation, is composed of nearly 9,000 employees worldwide serving more than 100 countries, all focused on helping customers build the best networks on the planet. From the network core down to consumer devices, Juniper Networks’ innovations in software, silicon and systems transform the experience and economics of networking. Juniper Networks Books works with reputable book publishers around the world to publish networking tracts for use in the field or classroom, and publishes its own suite of books and eBooks within their Day One library. All books are authored, edited, and reviewed by Juniper Networks subject matter experts and engineers, and are singularly focused on network productivity and efficiency. All sales requests for Juniper Networks Books are referred from the Juniper Networks website to the Vervante Bookstore where orders, sales and distribution are then handled. Q: Tell us a little about your products We created the Day One book series because our networking technology books are somewhat of a niche topic, certainly meaningful to a group of networking engineers. Some Day One books are read by only a few hundred people, and traditional publishers wisely avoid these type of small-run titles. We publish in PDF, in ePub, and in Paper. The paper books are always coveted. Q:  What do you wish that someone had told you BEFORE you began the publishing process? That book-building is like a scriptorium. Q:  What’s something you’ll do differently next time? Use more visual content. Illustrations, pictures, movies, sound. Q:  During the process, were there any surprises? Something you would do differently or advice other authors to be aware of? Paper stock. Be sure to inquire about various paper stocks and ask for a draw-down (an example). Q: Why did you choose Vervante to help with self-publishing? Vervante has a history that goes back a long way. It’s important to have that history, to know the mistakes others have taken and how to avoid them. Today’s publishing is about immediate gratification and instant downloads. Vervante has managed to make that same immediacy and combine it with the paper world. That’s amazing. The Vervante team is also great with new concepts. Want a poster? Want a fold-out cover? Want color? They will give you the individual attention you need to make your books useful and attractive. Their on-demand print knowledge is invaluable. My project has lasted for five years. Vervante was there on the first day and continues to be.  I can be assured that this corporate publishing program has an on-demand printing service that I don’t have to fund or administrate. You can learn more about Juniper at www.juniper.net/books or www.juniper.net/posters. If you enjoyed this article, and would like to be featured in a future Vervante author interview, please email us at [email protected].

Vervante • March 31, 2015

We're excited for you to hear our latest author interview sharing a fresh perspective on how to navigate the creation, publication and marketing of a collaborative book. (What's a collaborative book? It's when multiple authors each contribute a chapter or section to a book that has a shared theme.) Successful product to profit specialist, Terra Farrar, sat down with us and spoke about her recent adventure with Vervante. Terra guides business owners through the maze of how to capture their intellectual property, turn it into a signature program or product and create a passive income stream. In this Q&A, Terra shares her story – and some great tips – on multi-income producing opportunities in her recently published book, “Skyrocket Your Product Launch Using 12 Proven Strategies from Experts Around the Globe.”   Q:  Tell us a little about what inspired your book. A: There is a growing number of entrepreneurs wanting to help people beyond their one-to-one services and create passive income streams in the process. The problem is, they don’t know how to turn their expertise into the kind of programs and products they can bank on. Fortunately, I know how to solve that problem. It’s my area of expertise. I have a strategy to capture their knowledge and convert it into their own signature program.   However, there are many integral components for a dream to experience lift off and soar to success. So I embarked on a journey to find experts who share similar values and are committed to the client’s success. They have become the Dream Team of Experts. By applying our combined expertise, clients are ready to sell the programs and products online, from the platform, to their tribe or community as well as to their existing clients.    As I tell my clients, their idea is a master key to doors of possibilities. A collaborative or anthology project such as this is a powerful business-building tool. For example, I’m using it as a syllabus for my own product creation training program. When in the role of an event sponsor, I use it inside a drawing package to capture leads. Each co-author uses it to fit their business model. In addition, as a published author, so many more doors open.   I remember the day the parcel from Vervante arrived containing my first copy of “Skyrocket Your Product Launch Using 12 Proven Strategies from Experts Around the Globe.” It took my breath away. I rushed to my computer and opened the initial email invitation I sent to the potential co-authors. Then I looked at the dates.  It had been only 67 days from email invite to holding the book in my hands! When things are meant to be it’s a matter of getting out of the way, buckling up, and saying “YES.”   Q:  Are there any tips you would share with new authors for their own books projects? A:  Before officially launching your book, first get it into the hands of people you know. For my initial print run, I incorporated a red sticker on the cover saying, “Advanced Reader Copy.” By adding that designation, it’s like saying “expect mistakes inside.” It also became a way for those receiving a copy to know they were part of something special. The readers were much more willing to give honest feedback and forgive our errors. This is also a good time to capture testimonials while implementing further edits and tweaks. For example, once I saw it in print, I decided the inside margins needed widening. I also re-arranged the chapters during this phase.    For the “advance reader copy,” I purposely left off the ISBN and bar code on the back cover. Copies were given away, not sold. Once the edits are in place, remove the red sticker from the front cover and add the ISBN and bar code to the back.   One last bit of advice: For a collaborative book project, hire a copy editor to read each of the submitted chapters rather than depend on the authors to give you a print-ready version. We found typos, and incorrect word usage, which would have had a dramatic influence on the reader’s experience.   Q:  Are there any surprises you’ve had as a result of publishing your book? A:  Yes and it’s an income-generating surprise bonus. As people hear my story of going from big idea to printed book in only 67 days, they are hiring me to guide them through the process. I have become the go-to person for those wanting a similar marketing tool for their business.    Q:  Why did you choose Vervante to help you self-publish this product? A:  A few years ago, I used Vervante for a fiction book I wrote. I was very pleased with their quality and service. I have since referred clients and colleagues who are equally happy. It was a no-brainer to come back to them. I love the no minimum order policy; the ease of tying sales from shopping cart to my print-on-demand Vervante account; and how hands-free they make it for the author.   Q: How was your experience using Vervante for your book-publishing project? A:  Vervante’s customer service has been awesome especially when it came to handling the updates I made to both cover and content. Since I have multiple authors, Vervante makes it seamless for them to set up their own accounts. After uploading revisions, I send an email to my customer service rep who in turn updates everything to each author’s account. This makes it easy for the co-authors and acts like an insurance policy for book consistency.   Q:  This book is a collaborative project with contributing authors. What advice would you share with other people who might be considering a similar project? A:  Choosing your co-authors is very important. My goal was to select people who share similar values. It’s been extremely rewarding to have amassed this group of experts with the readers’ success in mind.   In the back of the book is an “About the Dream Team” section. On the even number page is their photo and bio. The facing page features a special program or offer for those readers wanting to dive deeper into the subject matter. Since getting JV (joint venture) ready is part of what I teach my clients, each Dream Team member is a JV partner providing me with a passive income stream from their “what’s next” step for the reader. This is an example of the product to profit strategy I teach.    You can learn more about Terra at www.DreamLaunchAcademy.com. If you enjoyed this article, and would like to be featured in a future Vervante author interview, please email us at [email protected].

Vervante • March 16, 2015

As a business professional, writing and publishing a book is a powerful way to elevate your business head and shoulders above the competition. The same goes for people who are inspired to share their talents and message with those who could benefit from it. Books are still one of the best ways to reach audiences around the world both in person and online. Books add an extraordinary dimension to your business model, and will open the door to speaking, publicity, consulting, new income streams and more. When it comes to self-publishing your book there are a lot of creative options available. So many, in fact, that a book project can feel overwhelming almost before it begins. We’ve helped thousands of authors create the right types of books that best support their goals over the years. During that time we discovered that there are 3 elements that you must establish right from the start to ensure a successful experience for you AND for your readers: Content, Format and Your Team. Get clear on these three points, and you’ve built a solid foundation for a successful, efficient and effective book publishing experience.   Content: Choose carefully both the topic of your book and who will write it. Topic: Be clear about your goal for this book. Is it to educate, entertain, create a new revenue stream for your business, or support a coaching program? Decide what content would best serve the needs of your readers as you dig down deeper to define your topic and what the content will be. Understanding these elements will help you to create a book that resonates with your readers and is best able to support your goals. Author: Will you be the sole author of your book? Or do you envision a collaboration of several authors? If you need a little inspiration to get your writing up to speed, check out this article: “Overcoming writing obstacles: 6 strategies for staying on task.” Collaborative books with multiple authors working together are also valuable for bringing great minds together. Be sure to read our article “Making collaborative books better” by clicking HERE.  Format: Your choices about what your book will look like when it’s published will affect both the cost of printing it as well as its effectiveness connecting with readers. The type of book you are writing will also govern your decision for the design and format. Cookbooks will be formatted much differently than technical manuals. And business coaching or health and fitness guides can have unique qualities that definitely differentiate them from novels or self-help books. There are many formatting and design options you can choose from to ensure your book stands out in a crowd. Our free self-publishing guide (see below) shares everything you need to know about binding, color, fonts, paper, size and more to help you create a book that best fits your needs.   Your Team: It takes a village – even when it comes to writing a book – and the right team is critical right from the very beginning. Editors/Proofers: After you complete your manuscript, it is a good step to have it professionally edited for spelling, grammar, punctuation and style. Do not compromise when it comes to the quality of your product. If your budget allows for it, hire a professional. Publisher: Choosing a publisher for your book is a big decision. Things like quality, customer service, the ability to customize, and fee structures that make sense are essential elements for a productive and profitable publishing experience. Click HERE to see how Vervante is a leader in the industry when it comes to quality, experience, service and competitive pricing.

Vervante • January 27, 2015

Are you ready to publish a book that supports your business? Or maybe you want to create an info product, some cool card decks, calendars, journals and other complementary products that proudly  feature your brand and support your goals. Wouldn't it be nice if you could do all that in one place, saving countless hours, dollars and headaches? Well, we're here to confirm that the rumor is true - you can!  We're excited to share with you today the 2015 Vervante Product Catalog, filled with creative products and distribution options for sharing your unique brilliance with the world. In it you'll find favorites like books, info products, notecards, CDs and DVDs alongside new ideas for promotional products and distribution. Why should you use Vervante? We know that it can be confusing when it comes to choosing the publishing specialist that will be best for you. We like to think that in addition to exceptional industry expertise and state-of- the-art resources, we create clarity in an industry that can feel pretty chaotic. Since 2001 we have been successfully supporting entrepreneurs, authors, coaches and corporations with all-in-one solutions for branded products, book publishing, printing, packaging and global distribution services. {{Click here to learn more about "Why Vervante?"}} Bottom line? With us, you get our dedicated team that provides personalized insight, support, and step-by-step guidance throughout your project, working together with you to bring your vision to life.

Vervante • January 19, 2015

Author Preston Ely is a real estate investor, serial entrepreneur, life coach, musician and philanthropist who was acclaimed by Fast Company as one of the 100 most influential people online. His company was recently recognized as one of the fastest growing private companies in America by Inc Magazine. His "No BS" approach to life and business has garnered him a following of over 200,000 newsletter subscribers, and he's helped many on their paths to financial freedom. Preston’s book, “How to Get Rich in Real Estate,” has helped his readers quit their jobs, be their own boss and live their dreams. He shares with us today his journey as an author bringing his own dream to life, and how self-publishing has helped him along the way. Q:  Tell us a little about your book. A:  I got my start in real estate investing almost 20 years ago. Within a year, I quit my job, got rich, and found freedom flipping houses. I’ve been on a mission to help others do the same. If you go to your local bookstore into the "real estate investing" section, you’ll find anywhere from 500 to 1,000 books there. They all have one thing in common, they all suck. They are long, boring, complicated, confusing, and impracticable. They're packed full of useless fluff just for the sake of making the book look big so they can charge you $20. I wanted to write a book that was short, to the point, fun to read, simple, easy to understand and AWESOME. That’s how “How to Get Rich in Real Estate” came to life. Q:  How did your publishing relationship with Vervante begin? A:  We shopped around. No one, and I mean NO ONE comes close to what Vervante has to offer. Incredible quality of service, impeccable quality of products, and the lowest prices in the industry! Plus, they hook right up to our shopping cart, so everything is automatic. Q:  Any problems / frustrations along the way?  A:  It took a little bit of tweaking to get the book cover and contents just right, but Vervante got us proof copies quickly so we could see for ourselves what needed to be fixed! Q:  What do you wish that someone had told you BEFORE you began the publishing process? A:  That it’s actually pretty simple! Many people are daunted by the process, but all you need to do contact Vervante and they’ll help you every step of the way! Q:  What resources at Vervante did you find to be valuable? A:  The Vervante author dashboard is particularly helpful. We can log in at any time to see our inventory levels, review our orders, and manage everything in their convenient, user-friendly system. Plus, the customer service has been unbelievable. It’s actually a rarity these days to get prompt, friendly service, but that’s exactly what Vervante gives with every communication! Q:  How has your book been received? The feedback has been astounding. People absolutely love the book. And we’re very grateful for Vervante for making it possible. To learn more about Preston Ely and Real Estate Mogul go to www.realestatemogul.com. And you can check out his book "How to Get Rich in Real Estate" by clicking HERE. If you enjoyed this article, and would like to be featured in a future Vervante author interview, please email us at [email protected].

Vervante • December 5, 2014

Have you been an author in a collaborative book project? You know, those books where multiple authors each contribute a chapter or section to a book with a shared theme. These have been around for years and can be great business-builders for everyone involved. In fact, these have become so popular that many self-publishing companies are offering “special” packages for printing. Unfortunately, these specials come with minimum order requirements that end up with authors left with boxes of books taking up space in their garage and no idea what to do with them. Here at Vervante, we love collaborative books! And we always want to make sure your publishing experience is both productive and profitable. So we're set it up to make it easy for every author to order as many copies they need, whenever they need them, from their own individual author accounts. No minimum orders required. Here’s how it works: One author sends us the book files and cover art to create the book in our system. We then add the finished book to that author’s account. Next, the rest of the contributing authors create their own free Vervante accounts, then send us an email with their username and title of the book. We add the book to their account, giving them to ability to log in and order how many they need, when they need it. Each author is only charged the price of printing the book plus actual postage. Just the same as we do with all of our customers, for all of our products! The same goes for information products. Or any other product you co-create with others as well. No matter what you’re creating, or how many authors are contributing to it, we know that flexibility and profitability are important to you. This is why we continue to offer customized solutions like these to ensure your publishing experience is exceptional. 

Vervante • October 29, 2014

Dr. Patty Ann, internationally recognized relationship and communication expert, recently added best-selling book author to her list of accomplishments with “Not Tonight Dear, I’ve Got a Business to Run!” Dr. Patty Ann recently shared with us her personal thoughts about taking the leap from publishing items such as information products to writing, designing and publishing a book that rocketed to the Amazon Best-Seller list – and the valuable lessons she learned along the way. Q: For any author, bringing your first book to life is a very big deal! How did you choose who you would work with as a publisher? A: It’s funny. Even though I had worked with Vervante for all of my info products, which I absolutely loved, I didn’t know that they also self-published books. I need to like the people that I work with, that’s why I’ve chosen Vervante in the past. And that’s why I was so excited when I found out that Vervante provided self-publishing services for authors as well. They are both extremely professional and great to work with on a personal level. What I love the most is that I can trust that they would never guide me toward anything other than what is in my best interest, even if they will make less money themselves. To have this kind of trust with your publisher is essential – and the reason I chose Vervante. Q: What was one of the big “light bulb” realizations you had about the publishing process? A: I didn’t realize that when you self-publish, it is just like starting with a blank piece of paper. This is the good news and the bad news. When you self publish you have total control. If you’re looking for a “done for you” process, self-publishing isn’t the way to go. It was much more work than I anticipated. Luckily, Vervante served as a trusted guide throughout the entire process and helped me over many humps, such as formatting the manuscript, cover design, and more. Q: What advice would you give to authors who will soon self-publish their own books? A:  Realize that once you finish writing your manuscript, you’re still far from being done. Self-publishing is an entire new project in itself that takes just as much energy, effort and attention from you in order to succeed. To have a final book that you are really proud of, it is very important that you have detailed, clear direction for how you want the final version of your book to be, or you’ll end up revising a million times. Throughout the process, always be specific and as clear as possible. It’s not magic, you can’t just hand someone your manuscript and then forget about it. You have to do the work. Q: How can publishing a book change your business? A:  Overall, a book will act as a hard-working business card, but having that book in and of itself, does nothing for you if you don’t market it. And the marketing of a book is as hard as writing it. But if done correctly, your business will explode. Q: Let’s get down to some of the nitty-gritty details. Can you share with us important parts of the publishing process that other authors should definitely take notice of? A: Sure thing. Let’s start with appearance. You have to have a catchy title – then, remember that the subtitle is what tells you what the book is about. The title took me months to figure out. You can’t hurry it and I tweaked it countless times. Also, and this is totally true, people do judge a book by its cover. Vervante’s designers created our cover design and formatting for the interior of the book – with a lot of clear direction from us, of course. The final version of my book is so high quality that many serious industry people are surprised that it is self-published.  Be sure that your publisher helps you with information for copyrights for your book, registering with the Library of Congress and understanding intellectual property – Vervante helped us with that and really made it easy. They also were invaluable in helping with our Amazon book launch. Their guidance was key in helping us navigate that process successfully and achieve Amazon Best-Seller status. Q: Any final advice for others starting the publishing process? A:  When you’re done with your manuscript, don’t think that you’re done with the book. Now is the time to take a breath and prepare to start the next lap as you enter the self-publishing process. You won’t have your book in your hand until it’s formatted, laid out, cover designed and more. The manuscript is only about 75 percent of the process. Keep your content simple, say what you want to say and try to keep sentences short and sweet. I could still be editing this book, believe me, you can edit it forever. Get your message out as simply as possible and be true to your message, don’t go off on tangents. You need to hold your readers’ attention. Don’t preach. Give facts, give options, don’t point fingers. You can have opinions, but remember that they are your opinions. With “Not Tonight Dear,” people responded well to the fact that I gave suggestions but didn’t go on to declare that this was the way that they had to do things.  I’m so glad I published this book. I’m so glad that Vervante was there with me every step of the way. And I would absolutely do it again. No one can ever take away from me the Amazon Best-Seller status I have achieved. You can learn more about Dr. Patty Ann Tublin at drpattyann.com. If you enjoyed this article, and would like to be featured in a future Vervante author interview, please email us at [email protected].

Vervante • October 28, 2014

If you have an idea for a new product for the holidays but are worried about the time crunch – never fear! You still have plenty of time to finish your design, send us your files and place the order with time to spare for shipment to your favorite clients, customers and colleagues. Other publishing companies ask for a long turnaround time for new products, especially as the holidays approach. But Vervante’s experienced staff and exceptional service offer you the opportunity to produce high-quality, memorable, branded products that you can be proud of. We can help you with last-minute requests including: Deadlines in a rush: Email [email protected] with deadline info and we’ll help you choose the delivery method that will get it done. Retail listing: We can list your book on Amazon within 3 days. Other retail channels can take 7-14 days. Speedy shipping: Most orders will ship out within 3-5 business days. Quick ordering capability: If there are no problems with the print files you send us, your product should be visible and ready to order from your author dashboard within 24-48 hours. During this busy season the last thing you need is more to worry about. Let us take care of publishing, processing and distributing your special books and products this season – while you concentrate on the things that are most important to you.

Vervante • October 17, 2014

We've helped authors self-publish thousands of books over the last 15 years and during that time we've received a lot of feedback about their experiences with other companies. And their frustration with hidden fees and deals that don't help their bottom line. Today we're sharing two of the most common ones with you so that you can be aware of and avoid these when it's time to publish your book. Publishing packages: When aspiring authors approach publishing companies, one of the first “advantages” they are offered are publishing packages in order to get started. These range from $449 - $1999 and usually include a lot of extras you don’t need, especially if you are on a budget or have a focused goal that doesn’t quite fit these one-size-fits-all offers. Vervante has a no minimums, no set-up fees, no hassle policy. With large publishing packages, you’ll end up with books filling up your office and garage while you figure out how to process orders and send them out. With Vervante’s print-on-demand policy, you order what you want, when you want it, saving money, time, space, resources and stress. Postage, Handling & Set-up fees: One of the most frequent compliments we get are from clients praising how we don’t mark up postage costs or charge handling or set-up fees for the products we produce. Did you know that many other publishing companies have up to a 33% mark-up on postage? Just think how this can really add up over time. We charge exact postage fees and no mark-ups. And we don’t hassle you for handling and setup either. Here’s the bottom line... We love Amazon – who doesn’t? But there’s a reason that IBM and thousands of independent authors have trusted Vervante for the last 15 years to publish their books. We offer high-quality, full-service, affordable and complete solutions – and as you can see from these few examples, you get to keep more money per book! Want to see how it works? Check out our article online that compares our services and fees with another popular provider, CreateSpace. There are a lot of publishing companies out there. We want you to know that Vervante is your best overall choice for print-on-demand publishing that continually exceeds the standards within the industry and excels in providing creative, customized, high-quality, profit-boosting solutions for your book. Ready to publish? Working on a manuscript? We can’t wait to help you bring that book to life. Be sure to check out any of our author resources for publishing, selling and distributing a book in the Expert Guide section of our website or send us an email at [email protected] and let us know how we can help you.  

Vervante • October 8, 2014

I’m sure you noticed, but in our last two blog articles we’ve had books on the brain quite a bit. Here at Vervante HQ we specialize in helping authors self-publish their books and some of the most common questions we get are all related to books. We’ve discussed how to determine WHERE the best place is online for selling your book. And we talked about Strategies to boost your sales, sharing 17 strategies that will reach out and connect with potential readers.   Today, it’s all about the HOW. How books are really a super secret weapon for building your business. How writing and self-publishing a book gives you a quality product to use in building a new business or enhancing the one you have. And how your book can help you to: Gain credibility and influence. Become known as the expert in your field. Create a new revenue stream for your business. Create a platform on which to build your business and create ancillary products. Sell your products online or at the back of the room during speaking engagements. Collect contact information for your lists. Boost sales and conversion by adding value to programs or other products Receive invitations to speak. Be interviewed on radio or for magazines and newspapers. Open doors to publication of articles and columns. Command higher speaking and consulting fees. Have a product that gives you a competitive edge over your competition. Demonstrate your passion and commitment to your business.  Just to get those wheels spinning in your head about all the possibilities, here are some common methods and opportunities many authors have utilized to grow their business and increase their visibility: Speaking engagements: As a published author your chances of being booked for speaking opportunities increases, and with it the opportunity to share your message and your book from the stage. Back of room sales: This goes hand-in-hand with speaking engagements. Often you can negotiate the right to feature your book for sale at the back of the room where you are engaged to speak. Workshops and Programs: When readers love your book and want more, this is the perfect jumping off point for creating a workshop or continuity program that will continue to provide more of the message or teachings you share while also providing even more revenue streams and growth opportunities.  Joint ventures: Find someone whose products or services complement your book and create a joint venture together. Share a message, service or products that will provide greater value to your audience and again widen the impact you have with a new audience. Guest appearances: As a published author, you’ve just become a fantastic potential guest expert for anything from radio and TV to webinars and live workshops.   Products: If your book resonates with your readers, they will want more, even after they read the last page. Now is the time to create products such as bookmarks, posters, card decks, CDs or DVDs that are a natural extension of the book’s core message and give your readers even more of your awesome author goodness. As you can tell, books are often just the beginning. These are just a few ideas for how writing and publishing a book can lead to more business growth opportunities than you might have first imagined – and why we can’t wait to help you publish yours. And if you need a little help or inspiration along the way, here's a quick list of some of our favorite free resources for authors:   Self-Publish Now: Your complete no-BS guide for writing and self-publishing a book How to plan a successful Amazon book launch Helpful hints for retail distribution Everything you need to know about eBooks

Vervante • September 14, 2014

You’ve got a book – now what?! Some people think that the hardest thing about writing a book is... writing a book. But from the number of emails we get from authors asking for guidance about what to do AFTER they’ve self-published their books, we know the truth. That’s why we wrote this special 3-part series filled with marketing and sales strategies for your book as well as other business-boosting ideas.     Today’s article is all about online sales. One of the most frequent questions we get from our authors deal with the uncertainty of how – and where – to sell their books online. Choosing the right retail solution can make the difference between robust sales or no sales at all.   The first step, that many people often overlook, is choosing the right place online to sell your book. When you work with Vervante you have a lot of choices, from the Vervante Bookstore to Amazon and Barnes & Noble, to using your own website and shopping cart.   Here are a few of your options – and insight into whether they are right for you. Remember, you aren’t limited to just one. Just remember to consider your target audience and choose the places online that will appeal to them best for finding, selecting and purchasing your book.   Personal Websites or Landing Pages   Using your own website or landing page to manage and process sales of your book is a powerful way to support your business growth that goes well beyond sales income. You can collect customer data, offer bonuses that enhance the value of your book, give readers the chance to opt-in to your email list, along with other relationship-building tactics that ensure interested readers become loyal clients and fans.     Sales for your book on your own website are also good for your budget, as you don’t have to deduct commissions or transaction fees that other retail channels will require.   For processing orders and handling distribution, Vervante offers easy, free integration with all shopping carts so that your sales will automatically be handled as they roll in. (See our articles “Easy ways to automate shopping cart orders”  and “Automatic order processing for 1ShoppingCart, InfusionSoft and PayPal” for more details.)   Vervante Bookstore The Vervante Bookstore offers the perfect solution for stress-free online sales without complicated and profit-eating commission or transaction fees common to other retail channels. We handle all the transactional details so you can focus on marketing for your book.   Vervante Bookstore sets up sales pages for your books and other products, and manages credit card transactions, fulfillment and distribution. You set the retail price for the product and pay us a simple 10% per transaction fee. The buyer selects and pays for the shipping and postage. Plus, we send you monthly statements to always keep you in the loop.   Amazon and Barnes & Noble Amazon and Barnes & Noble are the go-to places to list your book for sale online in order to gain visibility through improved search engine optimization (SEO) as well as opportunity for increased sales and expert status. Their sales system is easy to use and trusted the world over. They handle accepting payments and processing credit cards, too. However, sales through Amazon and Barnes & Noble will involve commission and transaction fees that reduce your bottom line. For details, check out our Expert Guide “Selling Your Self-Published Books.”   We can help you with the process of placing your book for sale on these sites from A to Z - listing, orders, managing sales transactions, printing and distribution. We set it up so that we automatically receive all order information and we even know the secrets to a successful Amazon book launch.     Click HERE to read the next article in this series where we share proven strategies and tactics for boosting book sales that you can use no matter where you decide to sell your book online. And for even more helpful guidance about selling your books online, be sure to check out “How to Sell Your Book Online” on our blog now.  

Vervante • September 14, 2014

In the first article of this series, we talked about the world of retail sales for your book or ebook, highlighting options and how to determine the best place online for the best results. We had a lot of feedback (thanks for that!!) and what we heard the most was: “OK, we liked learning about where to sell – can you tell us more about how to sell?” You got it!   It’s no secret that by the time you’ve written, designed and published your book, you’ve put a lot of time, resources and personal energy into it. So now is the time to pull out all the stops and put into action a marketing plan that will give it the promotion it deserves. We’ve been helping best-selling self-published authors with their books for more than 15 years and during that time we’ve learned a lot about what works – and doesn’t work – for promoting and selling books online. The following are just a few ideas for marketing your book both online and in person. It’s important to remember that if you are going to use your book as part of a business or message-sharing strategy, you must take steps to increase the visibility of your book and bring it to the attention of your target audience. Shout it out via social media: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn. These and more have all been used successfully by authors to build up to a book’s release, attract a loyal audience and increase sales. Social media lets you connect to your target audience in a way that is quick, easy and often free. Your website: This may seem like a no-brainer, but so many people forget to put a promo and a link to purchase your book in a prominent place on your website homepage. Blogging: Share the inspiration for your book, reveal tidbits and quotes to give readers a peek inside your book, reprint feedback from readers and reviews. These are all great ideas for blogging as a way to increase visibility for your book while whetting people’s appetites to buy it. Speaking engagements: As a published author your chances of being booked for speaking opportunities increases, and with it the opportunity to share your message as well as sell your book from the stage. Colleagues and affiliates: Be sure to let your friends and loyal fans know about the book and how to share the news to their audiences. If your business offers affiliate programs, don’t forget to include them in the launch. Sales or splash pages: These are specially designed web pages filled with sales copy and graphics that promote you, your book and the value it can bring to the reader, as well as giving readers the opportunity to buy your book online. Share links to this page on social media, from your website, blog, in person or on the phone. Free telecalls or webinars: Using online or conference calling systems, offer a wide audience a chance to see or hear you speak about your subject or your expertise while also providing insight into the book and its value. Guest appearances: These are not just for the Oprah crowd anymore. Reach out to online radio and talk shows, webinar producers, YouTube channels and more that focus on your topic and offer to share your knowledge, insight and information about your book with them. This is another great way to address a new audience, boost your visibility, and boost your book sales.  Invest in products that support your message and spread the word. Check out the Vervante store for ideas such as card decks, accompanying CDs, custom-designed mailers and more. For a small price you can get big marketing results by using these as part of a strategic marketing plan. Plan an official book launch event: If you’re thinking about organizing a book launch as part of your marketing and sales efforts, there are many options available that will bring you success. Be sure to check out our free guide “How to Plan a Successful Amazon Book Launch,” on our website. Or if you are planning a live event, we can help, too. Just drop us a line at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to share our thoughts with you. Your newsletter or ezine: An email blast is the perfect way to promote your book. After all, this is an audience that you know is interested in the topic you specialize in. Your email signature: Think about how many emails you send out per day. Add a teaser and a link beneath your email signature that is short, sweet and lets the recipient know about your book, with a link to your sales page. Press releases: Write several press releases about your book and send them out using either paid or free services before, during and after your book launches. Don’t forget to send these releases to your local newspapers, trade publications and niche websites, magazines and blogs who also might be interested. Video: Video for a book? Oh yes! Here are some ideas for using video to promote your book: Share a video of the author (that’s you!) talking about what’s in the book. Record interviews with people who have read the book and their reviews. Place the videos on your YouTube channel, but don’t forget to share them via Google+, Facebook, Twitter and your blog as well. Guest writing: Connect with people, websites, blogs, media that shares a common audience and focus as your book. Offer to write a guest article for them and refer to your book in your author bio or at the end of the piece. Offer added value: If you are selling your book via your own shopping cart, website or through the Vervante bookstore you have the control and ability to sweeten the deal by offering valuable extras. Give them a free download, extra templates, CDs or DVDs, or other products that complement the book and add value to their purchase. Watch and learn from the best: Is there a successful author you follow who recently launched a book? Watch and learn – see what methods they used to boost their book sales and use the ones that appeal to you most. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Here’s the bottom line. You’ve written your book to provide something specific for your intended readers. Education, entertainment, inspiration, motivation... whatever it is, keep that original goal in your mind as you market and promote your book. Don’t be “salesy.” Instead let potential readers know why you write the book, what problem it solves, and how it will be the best at doing so. Connecting your passion and purpose to your book in this way is much better than pushing a sale, because people will appreciate that you’re in it for them. And that makes all the difference. In our next article, we’ll talk about how your book is a super secret weapon for helping your business achieve a new level of success. And if you missed the first article in this series, click HERE to access it now.

Vervante • August 25, 2014

Back-to-school fever has taken over the offices here at Vervante HQ and we’re in the mood to share an awesome new free resource! If you’ve dreamed of publishing a book or eBook, this free guide will help you make that dream come true. We are here to support authors, entrepreneurs and visionaries every step of the way from inspiration to creation to that glorious moment of presenting your audience with the customized, high-quality book you've been dreaming of. It's easy to get started. Just click HERE to access and download your free copy of “Self-Publish Today!” our refreshing no B.S. guide to self-publishing. At Vervante, customer satisfaction is our highest priority. We are here to guide you from taking that first leap of getting your manuscript ready all the way through to publishing and distribution. And we’ll help you make sense of the little details that are important for success. With our guidance, you will be able to check off all the details — and at a fraction of the price if you try to do it on your own. No set-up fees and no minimum orders Books printed and shipped on-demand or in bulk – you tell us when, where and how many You keep the rights to your book You determine the retail price Sell your books from your website, online retail sites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble, or our own Vervante Bookstore. We’ll handle the rest, printing and shipping your books or other products directly to your customers. You sit back and enjoy the royalties. Choosing a publisher is about more than just price. It’s about finding someone to become a part of your team who takes the time to understand your vision and stand beside you to ensure a successful experience. We’re ready to leverage decades of combined industry experience and insight to make sure that your products effectively share your message, elevate your brand and help you stand out from the crowd. We combine boutique-style service and personal support with more than 30 years of publishing experience to help bring your publishing dreams to life. So go ahead and click HERE to download “Self-Publish Today!” and then let us know how we can help you create the book your audience is just waiting for.

Vervante • June 17, 2014

Did you know that Vervante can help you list your book for retail sale online in places like Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the Vervante Bookstore? Not only will offering your book online boost your visibility through improved search engine optimization (SEO), it also offers exceptional opportunities for increased sales and supporting your expert status. Here at Vervante, we can help you with everything from listing, orders, and managing sales transactions to printing and distribution.   We’ve put together a list of frequently asked questions and answers to create a new free resource for authors called “Selling Your Self-Published Books.” You can download it from our website by clicking on the “Expert Guides” link at the bottom of any of our website pages.   Here is a sampling of some of the questions we address: How to submit your book or e-book for retail sales Instructions and investment costs for converting a book to an e-book The 7 online sites where we can list your book or e-book for sale Information about ISBNs and UPCs Integrating current sales pages into a cohesive sales stream with other retail sites  Click here to open the expert guide directly or head on over to the website and you’ll find it in our library of expert guides and resources located at the bottom of each web page.

Vervante • January 21, 2014

If you have a book (or are thinking about writing one), you can easily have an eBook, too! If your plans this year include writing and publishing a book, don't forget that you can also share that book with a global digital audience by converting it to an eBook. Publishing an eBook is an effective way to create a digital version of your book and make it easily available to more people than ever. When it comes to increasing your visibility to a much larger - even global - audience, eBooks are a sure bet. Hugely convenient, eBooks can be purchased from almost any computer or reading device. Readers can carry hundreds of books with them anywhere they go on a device the size of a paperback. And eBooks offer a convenient, easy and fast way for people who are interested in you, your message, your business, products or services to get to know more about you through your eBook. When it comes time to publish your eBook, it’s important to understand your options and make sure your eBook looks and reads well on a variety of eReaders, like Kindle, iPad, Nook, and more. For information about formatting, understanding of the difference between epub and mobi files, and lots more expert guidance, check out our eBooks Guide for everything you want to know about getting started, conversion, formatting, and best practices. Click here to download the free report: http://store.vervante.com/white_papers/eBooksExpGuide.pdf

Vervante • January 6, 2014

Fulfillment is a very important part of the publishing process. Fulfillment is what happens from the time that you or your customers place an order to the moment that the package arrives on their doorstep. Our fulfillment services bring you decades of industry expertise, reliable resources and flexibility in order to provide customized and easy-to-use solutions for your fulfillment needs. Product orders and processing Orders through your existing shopping cart:  Do you have a shopping cart? Great! We have no preference and can accept orders from virtually all shopping cart or merchant solutions including InfusionSoft, 1ShoppingCart, PayPal, ClickBank, E-Junkie, and more. Orders are processed from emails generated from your shopping cart or merchant solution (more details here – link to http://vervante.com/AFB09). Listing your product in the Vervante Bookstore:  No shopping cart? No problem. Our clients have the option of listing their products (books, DVDs, CDs, etc.) in the Vervante Bookstore where they can then direct customers for online purchasing and fulfillment. (Click here http://vervante.com/VPWLK) Placing direct orders:  If you want to order some of your books or products for yourself, just log into your Vervante author dashboard and you can place orders directly from there. Note:  We do not require you to pre-order books or fulfill any minimum order amounts. The beauty of our print-on-demand services is that you only print your books or products when you need them. Production & Shipping Once we receive and process the order, your products are produced, assembled and packaged for shipping and will be sent via the method chosen in the order. We can ship your products anywhere in the world using USPS and UPS services. Most orders are shipped within 3-5 business days. During production and assembly, the order will go through a series of quality control checks to ensure the quality and accuracy of every order. We are often asked if we can include extra items (such as pens, gift bags, tshirts, etc) along with your product when shipping. Yes, we are able to do this, just send us an email at [email protected] with details.

Vervante • June 11, 2013

One of the most frequently asked questions we hear regards the part of the process that comes AFTER we help you publish your book - Sales. Vervante offers resources and assistance to all our our authors for easy and efficient sales options for your book - and any of the products we help you create. We can add your book to the following channels for direct sales - and have provided a quick overview of each option as well as direction for achieving the best results: Vervante Bookstore Amazon.com Barnes & Noble.com Barnes & Noble Nook Baker & Taylor Amazon Kindle Vervante Bookstore is a great option if you don’t want the hassle of setting up a sales page, website or merchant bank for credit card processing. We will be happy to sell your book or product through our public bookstore. There is a 10% per transaction fee. You set the retail price for the product. The buyer selects and pays for the shipping and postage. Each month we will reconcile sales of your products and send you a statement. We will give you a quote for the production cost for your product. You set the retail price and the difference less the 10% fee is your profit. Amazon Marketplace is the most popular option for Amazon because it only takes a 15% discount plus $1.35 per transaction fee. We receive the orders when your book or product is purchased on Amazon. The transaction is entered in your order report in your author account so you will see all transactions. Amazon pays Vervante for transactions and we will reconcile your Amazon purchases with your monthly invoice. You set the retail price for the book in Amazon Marketplace. (**We highly recommend Amazon Marketplace – see our note below) Amazon Advantage is a consignment program with Amazon. When we list your book in this program, Amazon will order usually 1-2 initial copies for their inventory. When the book is sold, Amazon will ship the book directly to the customer and will take a 55% discount on the retail price of the book. You are also responsible for the postage costs to ship the book to Amazon. Barnes & Noble.com is a consignment program. When we list your book in this program, BN.com will order usually 1-2 initial copies for their inventory. When the book is sold, BN.com will ship the book directly to the customer and will take a 40% discount on the retail price of the book. You are also responsible for the postage costs to ship the book to BN.com. Please note: Your book cover must contain the ISBN barcode including the ISBN number PLUS price. This is a Barnes & Noble requirement. Baker & Taylor is one of the largest wholesale distributors in the world. We can list your book in their database and then any book reseller can order and stock your book in their store. Baker & Taylor sells and distributes to book stores, internet and physical locations, such as Amazon, Border, Barnes & Noble, etc. If your book is listed in the Baker & Taylor database, a customer can also special order the book from any bookstore. Baker & Taylor takes a 55% discount off of the price of the book and you pay for shipping to the Baker & Taylor warehouse. There are no pre-orders with this program. Baker & Taylor will only order your book if they have an order for the book. PLEASE NOTE: There are some risks associated with listing your book with Amazon Advantage, Barnes & Noble and Baker & Taylor. They are: Your suggested list price may not be what the book is actually listed for on these sites. These companies may chose to list your book at a discounted price and you may then have a competitive situation where you have the book listed on your site for the full list price and the distributor may be selling it at a discount. If you list your book with Baker & Taylor, Amazon may import this listing and chose to sell your book at a discount. The book on Amazon will show "Out of Stock" and may never show in stock because Amazon might list the book but never order it from Baker & Taylor. **We highly recommend using Amazon Marketplace for a few important reasons: You control the list price The product is never out of stock We ship the product so you know who is buying your book You pay 15% commission plus $1.35 per transaction and you are reimbursed $3.99 for postage and shipping We have full control over the listing so if you want to make changes or update the product description or price, we can do this for you quickly and easily