Blog

Vervante • July 27, 2021

In a recent article we talked about a wide variety of items you can add to a package to enhance your customers’ experience. Today, we would like to focus on just one of those – Postcards. Creative postcards added to your product packages are guaranteed to get attention. They are simple, budget-friendly, and offer a surprising among of flexibility. As the first thing your customers will see when they open their packages, postcards add value and set the tone for each customers’ experience. And here’s the fun part… Your postcards can say anything you want. From a photo with a simple thank you, to a full-length mission statement, mantra, or take-action message, you can share a personal, intimate glimpse into you and your company in a way that can create instant connections. We’re not talking about those “wish you were here” travel postcards you see on vacation, but strategically created cards with branding and content that fits what you need. The key is to keep it simple, be real, and share something you know will resonate with your audience. Love this idea? We do! Here are a few ideas for how we’ve seen our customers get creative with postcards: Welcome Get Started Instructions Mission Statements Mantras or Affirmations Offers for Free Items Discount Codes Contact Information Invitations to “secret” pages on your site or forums for customers only Tickets to special events Postcards can be printed any size and shape, but generally range from playing card size to traditional postcard size. They are printed on heavy stock, can be on both sides, and in color or black & white. There’s a lot of power in these little cards. We’d love to help you harness it! If you’re interested in creating a batch of custom postcards to include with the packaging of your Vervante-created products, let us know at [email protected]. We can give you a free quote for creating the cards, and let you know how we can include them in all of your future mailings. You provide the design, we’ll get it to your customers, as easy as that.

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 7, 2019

Looking for ideas to give your income a boost this holiday season? Well, we've got good news and not-so-good news. This year you've got a little longer to plan for Black Friday with the later-than-usual Thanksgiving date. But that means that your holiday sales and shopping season will be a bit shorter in December. That's why we're sending this note - to give you a head start for successful product launches and sales. We’ve got what you need with plenty of products and tips that can be ready to go in time for Black Friday and remain bestsellers through the New Year. Here are 5 of our bestselling products that can be sold just as they are, or customized to create exactly what you - and your customers - need: PLANNERS: Use ours or design your own JOURNALS - soft cover and hard cover CALENDARS: Desktop or wall calendars GREETING CARDS: Packaged individually or in sets of 10 in a stationery box with a clear lid CARD DECKS: Any size, any number of cards Select the products you would like to sell, contact us if you would like to add your logo or customize the design, then add them to your sales pages and shopping carts. Reach out to our publishing experts at [email protected] and we'll help you get everything ready. Worried about time? No need to stress! Here are a few tips to help you prepare: TIP #1: If you have the general specs of the product you want to create, we can give you a free quote right away so you can set your retail price and start working on your sales and marketing strategy. TIP #2: Your product does not have to be complete to offer it for sale.  All you need is the cover design image for display on your site and – voila – you can make your offer and collect pre-orders. Just be clear in the description when your customer can expect to receive their purchase.    TIP #3: Once we have print files, we can ship most products within 3-4 days, so you're able to let customers know when pre-ordered products will arrive and can be confident in quick deliveries. The lead time for our hardcover products such as planners, journals and books is 4-6 weeks. If your products are in stock, we will ship within 24 hours. Questions? Let us help you make the most of your holiday sales by dropping us a line at [email protected] or scheduling a phone call with one of our publishing professionals at https://vervante.youcanbook.me/.   Here's to a stress-free and successful holiday season!

Vervante • September 24, 2019

The world has become obsessed with planners and here’s why: In a society where people dream big but feel like they have little time or can’t get organized, the idea of a tool that can help them clarify their goals, focus their thoughts, and prioritize their actions is something they can get behind. Add to that all kinds of options catering to specific types of goals, projects or personalities, and you’ve got the makings of an obsession.   Creating a daily planner to sell as part of your own business is a great idea. But standing out from the crowd can be hard, especially if you’re just getting started. While most daily planners start with a very similar foundation, it’s the extras that transform them from just another planner to an entire experience – something that your customers will feel an emotional connection with and know that THIS is the planner that will support their success and THIS is the planner they must have!   Want your planner to be “extra” special? Here’s a few ideas: Specialized content: Create a planner that makes your ideal customer say to themselves “they know me, they really know me!” Customize it to fit specific personalities, passions, dreams and ideas by adding focused content like lists, affirmations, challenges, recipes, workouts, projections, formulas, charts, horoscopes, etc. Paper Pockets: 2-sided pockets can be added to any size planner and used for holding extras like receipts, notes, etc.  Foil embossing: A great way to add extra flair Plastic slide-in bookmarks: Works great for spiral or wire-o planners Binders: Another planner binding option is to use 3-ring or 6-ring custom printed binders. They allow for a lot of flexibility in customizing, adding, and editing planner pages as they are used throughout the year. Great for ongoing subscription or membership programs. (Binders can be made in several sizes with a custom printed sheet wrapped to create a professional turned edge binder.) Stickers: Colorful, customized stickers make everything from holidays to reminders to celebrating success so much more fun! Notepads: Matching designs make them fun, ability to take notes on the go make them practical. Colored binding: Spiral binding is available in 50 colors. We stock black and white, but any of the other 48 colors available can be special ordered. Wire-o binding is available in 8 colors including black, white, blue, red, green, gold, silver and bronze. Tabs: Design colorful tabs that allow quick access to any section. Elastic closures: A great way to keep everything secure. Excited? Inspired? We are too! If you’re ready to create – or update – your daily planner, our newest planner just debuted and you can check it out here: Vervante 2020 Planner. If you have a vision, we can help. Start by sending an email to [email protected] and let us know if you have questions or need help with customizations. We can provide free quotes or free advice to help you get it done.

Vervante • August 13, 2019

While you're probaby still enjoying time on the beach, or just starting to think about shopping for school supplies, there's something that might not be on your radar right now, but should be - planning for holiday product sales!  Honestly, the BEST time to start planning for holiday sales is RIGHT NOW. You've got plenty of time to envision, create and plan your marketing and sales campaigns, and this little head start will help you create a stress-free, successful experience. Ready? If you haven’t started planning yet but want to give your income and your business an end-of-the-year boost, now is the time for action. First, let’s talk products. Here’s a few crowd-pleasing ones perfect for holiday sales: Planners: Wow, planners are the superstars of self-publishing right now and we've got everything you need to create the perfect planner for your audience. Journals: Timeless treasures perfect for just about anyone. Books: Small books that can be sold or used for free-plus-shipping offers are very popular during the holidays. Calendars: Calendars are also a great option for client and customer appreciation gifts and to use as lead generation freebies. Adult coloring books: Create your own using holiday themes, New Year themes, or branded content that supports your products and programs. Cards of all kinds: These are great sellers, make great gifts, and can be easily customized and configured to fit your business and audience needs. Card decks, note cards, and postcards are popular, or get creative and try tarot cards, affirmation cards, or health and wellness program cards. Planning a Holiday Sales Timeline Once you’ve picked your products, it’s time for action: AUGUST / SEPTEMBER Decide on products to sell. Make a list of ideas for how you will make them unique and start writing or designing. Contact Vervante at [email protected] and request free quotes for printing, shipping timelines, etc. If you’re just adding your logo to one of our ready-made products, upload a print-ready file to your Vervante account, then order a sample copy. For customized products, finalize graphic design files and upload to Vervante account. Order sample copies for quality and proofreading checks. Have Vervante list your books and products for sale. We can list 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. Promote, promote, promote! Procrastinate much? For last-minute ideas in time for Black Friday, our ready-made planners, card decks, books, journals and calendars are easy and quick to set up and sell.   DECEMBER Confirm Vervante holiday shipping deadlines. Attend book signings. Continue promotions, especially for New Year / 2020 products. Announce surprise last-minute deals.   JANUARY Continue to promote New Year products. If 2020 planners were a hit, think about removing dates from planner and sell "undated" versions that can be sold all year long. 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/.

Vervante • June 18, 2019

As an author, you’ve fulfilled your dream of writing and publishing a book. But your book is only the beginning – not the end! Because you can take that book and create products that will make you not only an author, but also an entrepreneur. Whether it’s your first book, or you’re a seasoned author, you can leverage the content you’ve already created to make products that increase readers’ enjoyment, expand your audience, and add new revenue streams – all without a lot of extra work. Because you’ve already done the heavy lifting by writing the book!   Books can be the foundation of a thriving business model. Our CEO, Cindy Tyler, loves brainstorming with Vervante authors to help them choose the right products that will complement their books, and boost their income. We’ve gathered up her best tips here, to give you a head start: Choosing types of products Take a look at your book and consider what else your readers might need that would add value to the book and to the readers’ experience. Remember, this is not about creating more work for you. It’s about repurposing great content you’ve already written into products like:   Workbooks Journals Planners Notepads: Shopping lists, exercise routines, learning course tasks, etc. USB flash drives Card decks: Educational flash cards, recipes, exercises, daily affirmations, etc. Children’s books and fiction can do this too. Products that go great with fiction and children’s books include: Coloring books Small journals Stickers Card decks: Educational flash cards, games, character cards Creating and selling themed products Products that continue the theme of your book can also help to increase book sales by packaging them with the book and offering as bundles. This increases the value of what you are providing – and allows you to charge a higher price. Once you’ve chosen the type of product you want to create, remember that you don’t need to write something brand new. Use the content from your book to create the product, then send us a print-ready PDF. Here are a few ways you can transform your books into a complementary product: Workbooks: Restate lessons from each chapter, leaving space for readers to write down thoughts, ideas, questions, answers, actions and next steps. 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. Card Decks: We are rule-breakers here at Vervante – we’ll create a deck of cards in any amount you want and any design, front and back. So don’t feel like you have to do exactly 56, and the backs don’t need to match, either. Cards can contain daily affirmations, training tips, daily tasks, recipes, exercise routines, writing prompts, gratitude mantras, meditations, and more. The sky's the limit - as long as you can fit it on a card!  If you want to design some of these products yourself, Canva is a great graphic design program for creating your own card decks – and it’s free! Short on time and want a team of professionals to help? We have great designers, writers and editors we are happy to recommend to our customers. If you love to write and dream of making a living with your writing, it’s all about creating multiple streams of income. Check out our online catalog for ideas, and let us know if you have any questions or ideas at [email protected].

Vervante • November 26, 2018

We're constantly amazed by the clever, unique, brilliant and beautiful books and products our customers create. So much that we're putting them in the spotlight to share the details of their creations and the inspiration behind them.    About the Passion Planner, Angel Oracle Cards, Inspirational Art Cards & Postcards I have always loved art and crafts and have used art as a connector in programs for my 5000+ tribe of women called the CampExperience™ Network. Before August of 2017, I would consider myself a casual crafter with some bead jewelry, collage and some sewing.  And then life changed forever. In August of 2017 I participated in a week-long art retreat and immersed myself in learning some techniques.  My basic skills became faces and mixed-media pieces. The art that was in my soul came forth!  Soon I was diving in to mixed-media as a bliss-filled escape and creating “inspiration art” for fun! It was the partnership with Vervante that really set my art free to serve the world!  Their team helped me not only produce my original idea of a Daily Insight Card Deck featuring my 36 pieces, but also led me to creating a Daily Planner, greeting cards, postcards and hardcover journals. The response has been fantastic! My CampExperience™ Network tribe has been buying my inspiration art for family and friends, my images are perfect for my marketing, and with Vervante I am on Amazon!  My parents are so proud! The story behind Betsy’s products Q: What inspired you to create these products? A: I have been an event planner since high school and a public speaker, traveling to 20+ countries to uplift and educate my guests. In 2006 we began the CampExperience Network  consisting of 5000+ women gathering for uplifting events and positive messages. In August of 2017 the message just came to my canvas and I wanted to add it to the mix for supporting people to live lives of passion and purpose. Q: What advice would you give for others creating products like these? A: I would say just CREATE and see what happens.  I did not set out to create these products.  I let art out of my soul and the products became a natural way to share it!  Take a class and let one of the thousands of experts help you unlock your own inner talent.  And have FUN every day! Q: What do you love about these products? A: I actually cannot believe what has come forth when I let go and enjoyed the journey of the art. Mixed media art is messy and you just let go of the outcome, add more texture and color and see what emerges. I just love to see my art and products in the world and hear the feedback of my customers who LOVE the Sisters and friends. Learn more For a peek inside Betsy's planner, click HERE. You can also learn more about Betsy’s products here: https://CampExperience.com and https://betsywiersma.com/shop/. Want your book or product to be featured? If you liked this and want your Vervante product featured in our newsletter and blog, please email [email protected] with the following information: 250-word overview of your product URL link for the landing or sales page for the product High-res image(s) of the product Your creativity inspires us and your success deserves to be shared!

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 • 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 • February 10, 2014

Did you know that this week (February 10-16) is Random Acts of Kindness week? We've been busy here at Vervante HQ planning acts of kindness for each other and our clients to show everyone how grateful we are for them and how much we love this idea. No matter what kind of business you have, book you write, or service you provide to the world, weaving Kindness throughout all that you do is a sure way to make the world a better, stronger and richer place. If you're looking for ideas perfect for home, work, school or practically anywhere, be sure to check out the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation website at http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/. They have a lot of great ideas and inspirational stories of how simple acts of Kindness can change lives.

Vervante • January 23, 2014

Did you know that today (January 23) is National Handwriting Day? Sharing a message with a handwritten note is an easy and stylish way to make a personal connection with family, friends, colleagues and anyone that you have a desire to connect with. So be sure to send a note today - handwritten, of course - and say "thanks," or "you're great," or "I really appreciate you." It's practically guaranteed that you'll make their day. Oh, and if you need custom-designed cards, we've got you covered, too! Just check out our catalog to see how you can have your own custom-designed greeting card, note card or postcard created that will wow your friends and impress your clients and colleagues. Memorability is just one handwritten note away.