Blog

Vervante • March 10, 2019

Audiobooks are a fantastic growth market for authors and entrepreneurs looking for new ways to expand their audience, boost their income and increase their influence in their unique market. In addition to providing a new revenue source, audiobooks open new markets and new audiences to you that you might never have reached otherwise. And audiobooks allow you to reach a greater audience to increase your discoverability and boost your credibility as an author. In today’s market there are more opportunities to share an audiobook than ever. Sure, you can list yours on Amazon Audible – and we can help you with that. But big-name services like Amazon come with big commitments. For example, authors who use ACX to produce and sell audiobooks only on Amazon Audible and iTunes are entered into a 7-year exclusivity agreement and share royalties with the producers.   In an industry that often requires extensive contracts and staggering fees, we don’t recommend locking yourself into a long-term contract that limits your options. Many authors today are choosing to record their own audiobooks and retain control of their products and royalties by using other venues such as: Podcasts Google Play CDs USB flash drives Downloads from your website or shopping cart When it comes to building a business, nothing is quite as powerful as selling or sharing products in a way that allows you to collect customer contact info and cultivate loyal connections. Selling audiobooks, physical books, or any product from websites or shopping carts you control allows you to do that. Handing your products over to Amazon does not. (For more details regarding the pros and cons of using Vervante as opposed to Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (aka CreateSpace), Audible, and similar online retailers we recommend reading this article.) How to list your audiobook on Audible If you love Audible and want to list your book there, Vervante offers Audible listing services. Working with Amazon’s ACX program, we can list Vervante author’s audiobooks on the Audible service. If you want the option to both sell on Amazon AND through your own website or other options, you can have the best of both worlds by selecting their non-exclusivity contract that allows more freedom, but with lower royalties (see details below). Audiobook technical requirements Audiobooks files must adhere to the following requirements in order to meet ACX standards and be published through Amazon, Audible and iTunes. Even if you are recording your own audiobook to sell on your own website, following these guidelines will ensure a high-quality audiobook that your audience will enjoy listening to. Audiobook files must: be consistent in overall sound and formatting include opening and closing credits1 be comprised of all mono or all stereo files2 include a retail audio sample that is between one and five minutes long3 Each uploaded audio file must: contain only one chapter/section per file4 each file’s section header must be read aloud5 have a running time no longer than 120 minutes have room tone at the beginning and end and be free of extraneous sounds measure between -23dB and -18dB RMS and have -3dB peak values and a maximum -60dB noise floor be a 192kbps or higher MP3, Constant Bit Rate (CBR) at 44.1 kHz More audiobook technical details For opening and closing credits, at minimum opening credits must note the name of the audiobook, the name of the author, and the name of the narrator. Closing credits must at least say something to the effect of “the end.” Mono files are strongly recommended. We recommend mono for audio consistency and ease of uploading. The sample file is what potential customers will use to preview of your audiobook before purchasing. Each sample file should start immediately with narration, not opening credits or music. No explicit material is allowed. Opening credits and closing credits must be their own separate files. This helps listeners to easily navigate between sections. Reading the section headers aloud helps listeners know what section of the book they are listening to without having to look at their player. More details about ACX requirements can be found online at ACX Video Lessons & Resources. Audiobook Sales Recommendations QUALITY CONTROL: Be sure to schedule a full quality control listening session to your audiobook before submitting the files. Do it yourself, hire or have someone listen to the audio in its entirety from start to finish to ensure all edits are done properly and the audio matches the book. This is crucial to avoiding errors that can hurt your reputation. SELLING FROM YOUR OWN WEBSITE: If you make your audiobook available for purchase and download from your own website or shopping cart, you retain the full proceeds from each sale. This can be done digitally, or by sending your customers the audiobook on CD or USB thumb drives. SELLING THROUGH AMAZON ACX: Royalties for audiobooks sold through ACX via Audible.com, Amazon.com, and iTunes are dependent upon the distribution and production options you select.  If you choose to distribute exclusively to these three channels, you will earn 40% for the duration of a 7-year exclusivity agreement. If you choose to produce the audiobook using the Royalty Share option, you will earn 20%. If you choose to distribute your audiobook non-exclusively, which means you retain the right to sell your own audiobook through other retailers (including yourself) you will earn 25% and retain the right to distribute your recording at your discretion. Download our free audiobook guide More information about distribution, sales, royalties and more can be found in our free Audiobooks Expert Guide on the Vervante website. How to list your audiobook for sale If you want to sell or share an audiobook and would like to talk to one of our audiobook publishing professionals, email [email protected] or schedule a 1-on-1 phone call by clicking here. Your book deserves a voice – let us help you share it with the world!

Vervante • February 19, 2019

We're constantly amazed by the clever, unique, brilliant and beautiful books and products our customers create. Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeanna Gabellini, Master Business Coach, Law of Attraction expert, and author of the “Speed Dial the Universe to Double Your Profits” journal. The story behind Jeanna’s inspiration Q: What inspired you to create this journal? A: This journal was created out of frustration. I used to have several different notebooks and journals, each one with a different focus. I had my daily gratitude lists, my intentions for the day, my great ideas, and visions for my future. I also had a slew of other journals where you fill in certain sections daily, but they were never quite right for me. My coaching clients were having similar frustrations, so… I decided to make a journal that would include the best processes I’ve found for mastering the Law of Attraction, raising your vibration, and setting yourself up to receive. Q: What advice would you share with other aspiring authors? A: Create the product you want and need. What would allow for more ease, flow, and joy in your day? Then leverage your expertise with an info product. And get your clients involved before you even introduce it… so they're already "hooked" on the solution you will provide. Q: What do you love about this journal? What I love about this journal is it gives you a shortcut to infinite ideas, solutions, and connection while shifting your energy, focus, and expectations to create more of what you want, every day. In just 10 minutes a day. I also love hearing daily, about the awesome results my clients receive in their lives and their businesses! About “Speed Dial the Universe” The Speed Dial the Universe journal shares a 6-step, 10-minute money-magnetizing process that sets you up to receive everything you want in your business. With all of the to-dos, demands, and craziness of your business, it’s easy to stumble into each day without taking the time to get focused, set your priorities, raise your vibe, and deliberately create what you want. The Speed Dial process is an easy-breezy way to create a whole new level of prosperity, profitability, and manifestation power. Because when you’ve got the Universe on speed-dial, anything is possible. This journal guides you through 6 Steps to: Choose how you want to feel, let go of your past stories, and amp up your vibe for maximum manifestation. Clarify your top priorities and inspired actions for the day so you spend your time and creative energy on what matters most. Delegate all the to-dos, demands, and desires you don’t want to deal with to the Universe (and watch what happens!). Be an idea machine for new strategies, products, and services that put your business on the map and pay off big time. Shift your focus, energy, and expectations to easily manifest your deepest desires and realize your wildest dreams. Expand your capacity to receive and flex your manifestation muscles by clarifying and claiming your most outrageous dream biz. 6 Simple Steps + 10 Minutes a Day = Whatever You Want! Learn more Learn more about Jeanna’s book here: https://masterpeacecoaching.com/products/speed-dial-to-profits Get your product featured If you enjoyed this article and would like your Vervante product featured in our newsletter and blog 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 and/or author Your creativity inspires us and your success deserves to be shared!

Vervante • February 4, 2019

Have you heard of “free plus shipping” offers? Internet marketing gurus like Russell Brunson, Dean Graziosi, Brendon Burchard and Perry Marshall have mastered the sales funnel and free plus shipping offers – in fact, it’s one of the biggest trends in publishing right now – which is why we wanted to share a little bit about how it works and how we can help you use it too.  What is Free Plus Shipping? Free plus shipping offers are when a product is offered for free and the buyer is only asked to pay for shipping costs. It’s a great way to excite your audience, create lots of new customers, and grow your list with minimal cost to you. While you don’t make money, or maybe just a small profit, initially from free plus offers, it’s the conversion of leads into additional sales of products, programs or services that these offers lead to that make this method profitable. You don’t need a huge list for free plus offers. In fact, this is a great way to GROW your list. You can begin by printing a small print run to get started. As demand grows, you can order larger batches of the product, reducing your initial costs while increasing list growth and future revenue potential. How to set up a free plus shipping offer: FIRST: Create a product for your free offer. This could be a condensed version of a larger product or program you can promote or upsell. Some of the more popular products are saddle-stitched booklets and perfect bound books. NEXT: Contact Vervante at [email protected] for free quotes for your product. We can give you print-on-demand quotes (for printing them one at a time) and bulk order quotes for 50, 100, 1,000 or however many you want to start with (the more you print, the lower the cost per unit). ORDER A PROOF: For any product you create, we recommend that you order one (or a few) as a sample to make sure it’s exactly how you pictured it. PRINT FREE PLUS PRODUCT: Once you’ve approved the product, let us know how many you’d like to print for your initial order. We can keep your products in our warehouse with no inventory fees. FULFILLMENT: We receive order information, pull the product from stock, and ship them to the customer. We include tracking numbers and customized packing slips free of charge. We can process orders from ANY shopping cart, no matter which one you use. And you don't need to worry about integration, API, or any of that fancy complicated stuff. For information about how we handle order processing and working with ALL shopping cart systems, click HERE.  INVENTORY MANAGEMENT: You can see how many products you have in storage in our warehouse, plus order status, tracking information and more in your Vervante Author Dashboard account.  RETURNS: We accept returns. We do not charge you for handling a return. You will receive an email when we receive a return. Returns can be sent to our headquarters in Utah, or you can modify your packing slip to have returns sent directly to you. Whether you choose to have returns sent back to us or to your office, we recommend that you include your return policy on the customized packing slip included with each of your orders. If you love this idea, we’re ready to help you get started. For questions, ideas or free quotes reach out to our publishing pros at [email protected] or schedule a phone call with us by clicking HERE.

Vervante • January 29, 2019

We're constantly amazed by the clever, unique, brilliant and beautiful books and products our customers create. Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Regular, a wellness leader who facilitates authentic self-empowerment through inspiration, healing and spiritual wellness strategies, and author of the book Embrace Your Power: A Healing Journal of Self-Discovery. The story behind Jennifer’s book Q: What inspired you to write this book? A: I was first inspired to write this book when I was just 10 years old, a very observant child who wanted to share my thoughts and observations on how society determines your destiny. The book took many forms in my head and on paper as I gathered wisdom, experience, training and education, yet the basic concept always stayed the same. Later I led personal growth and empowerment workshops and students were asking for a type of manual or workbook to use on their own following the workshop. I decided this was a good time to publish the book with the intention of using it for those attending my workshops and for back-table sales following my speaking engagements. I started working with a copyright editor and life coach who helped motivate me to finally get the book published 30 years later. She told me about the option for self-publishing and steered me toward Vervante. So grateful she did! Q: What advice would you give for other aspiring authors? A: Gather people who are best at what you may not be, such as an editor or graphic designer, rather than letting these things hold you back. Great to gather support from those who will motivate and inspire you to follow through, and perhaps even hold you accountable for completing the project. Q: What do you love about your book? A: I love that it is published on demand, and that I'm able to buy copies to sell on my own. It means you don't need a ton of money up front or the storage to keep hundreds of books. It also gives people an easy link to purchase and that you can use to promote your product. About Jennifer and her “Embrace Your Power” book Jennifer Regular is an inspiring wellness leader who facilitates authentic self-empowerment through inspiration, healing and spiritual wellness strategies. Her book, Embrace Your Power: A Healing Journal of Self-Discovery, is a journaling-style exploration designed to give you an opportunity for deep reflection and connection with your core self to rediscover what you came here to do. It is an opportunity to go within and re-emerge as your True Self. It also offers a soul-nurturing toolkit. As you work through the book, you become more comfortable making choices you know are intuitively right for you and begin to focus on what nurtures, guides and heals you as you tap into your inner knowing and learn to trust yourself again. Use this journal to align with your heart’s desire. Tune into your innate wisdom as you make the journey into authentic empowerment. This journey is about reconnecting with your true self; nurturing your soul and meeting the need for fulfillment and meaningful engagement. Consider this a pilgrimage of your heart’s true desire that empowers you to reclaim your life and reveal who you truly are. Learn more Learn more about Jennifer’s book here: http://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081706423.html Get your product featured If you enjoyed this article and would like your Vervante product featured in our newsletter and blog 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 and/or author Your creativity inspires us and your success deserves to be shared!

Vervante • January 15, 2019

We're constantly amazed by the clever, unique, brilliant and beautiful books and products our customers create. Today we’d like to introduce you to Malane Shani, International Life/Relationship/Bereavement Coach and Holistic Practitioner and creator of the “Notes to Self” collection including the unique card deck we discuss here.   The story behind the “Notes to Self” card deck Q: What inspired you to create this unique card deck? A: The “Notes to Self” affirmation cards came as a natural companion to my first book, Notes to Self, which is based on some of the hardest life lessons I've faced and overcome by discovering the gifts in the midst of moving through these lessons. These cards expand the message of self-love, self-empowerment and self-awareness from the book by giving customers an easy way to remember, practice, and follow the guidance the affirmations provide. Q: What advice would you give for other aspiring authors and creatives? A: For others creating this product, I would suggest following the guidance inspiration provides. The affirmations themselves were channeled as I would wake up early to reflect and be in communion with my Spirit to write my book and create the affirmations. The card design went through several drafts, but we held the overall vision for the product in an elevated space until the final design came together effortlessly. Q: What do you love about the "Notes to Self" card deck? A: We love the impact that this card deck has on everyone who uses and interacts with it. The cards have accompanied us in private coaching sessions, workshops and conferences, and the reaction we get from customers is the same: appreciation and resonance. At events, we shuffle the cards and ask customers to pull one card and get their lesson for the day. The cards pulled are always right on time and right in alignment with where the customer is in their life. It's such a powerful experience that customers try to walk away with the card they pulled or take pictures of them--and the cards always sell out. About Malane and her “Notes to Self” affirmation cards Every life lesson, no matter how difficult, always brings us wisdom that we can carry throughout our lives and share with others. The Notes to Self Affirmation Cards are a reflection of Malane Shani's hard lessons and brilliant breakthroughs. Through her 52 years and experience as a Life/Relationship Coach, Spiritual Educator and Intuitive, Malane has used these affirmations to transform her life by changing unwanted thoughts and false beliefs. The affirmation cards give you insight as to what your lesson for the day is. They also give you an intentional affirmation and an affirmation for the week. Every day or week you just pull one card and it will share your lesson for the day/week. You can work with the affirmation to transform whatever challenges you may be having in your life around that particular lesson. There are 25 lessons, 25 intentional affirmations and 25 weekly affirmations, all originally channeled from Malane Shani and her life experiences. A couple of the lessons included in the deck are "the truth will really set you free" and "a siloed life is unnatural and a threat to joy." Do you feel comfortable with telling people how you feel? Do you pretend to be someone you're not to impress your friends or family? These are signs that you need to embrace your personal truth and let it set you free. Do you isolate yourself from others when you're going through a hard time? Do you feel lonely, even in a crowd of people? This could mean that your heart is calling out for a tribe or support system that really sees and loves you. Make the transition into a tribe and into your personal truth by speaking, writing and living these affirmations--and watch your life soar. Malane Shani invites you to create a new reality for your life built on freedom, your truth, a deep sense of self-love, self-awareness and wisdom with the Notes to Self Affirmation Cards. Use these affirmations along with your firm commitment to your own personal growth and development as tools to heal the past, release illusions, speak your truth and to move forward powerfully and with ease. Learn more Learn more about Malane and the "Notes to Self" collection here: https://malaneshani.com/notestoself2019/ Get your product featured If you enjoyed this article and would like your Vervante product featured in our newsletter and blog 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 and/or author Your creativity inspires us and your success deserves to be shared!

Vervante • January 8, 2019

Happy New Year! A fresh start, new beginnings, endless possibilities… We figured this is the best time to catch you up on what’s new with Vervante in 2019. Whether you’re looking to add new products and revenue streams to your business, publish books, journals or other products, or get super creative with Tarot decks, planners and more, we’ve got what you need. Here's a quick look at the latest and greatest from the past year here at Vervante: Vervante Publishing from A to Z You may think you know Vervante, but check out the Vervante Publishing From A To Z guide and you might be surprised. We take you on a tour of our products and services, then give you a peek behind the curtain to learn more about our vision and how we work to provide the very best in publishing, production and fulfillment solutions for everyone.    VIP, Coaching or Subscription Box Services We can help you create a unique welcome or VIP gift for your coaching clients. Or if you'd like to start a subscription box membership we've got ideas and affordable ways to produce beautiful boxes or packages for your customers and clients. Click here to learn more.   Book Coach, Author Coach, and Publishing Consultant Services Here at Vervante, we give book coaching professionals the ability to offer their clients complete idea-to-finished-product services – expanding your impact on their journey as an author, as well as your ability to increase your income as a business. Learn about our specialized services just for you by clicking HERE.     New Book: “How to Self-Publish” “How to Self-Publish: The complete guide for authors, entrepreneurs and industry influencers” was written to help authors, entrepreneurs and industry influencers make sense of all the steps that might seem confusing when publishing a book. By following this guidance in this book, you can check off all the details in a matter of days — and at a fraction of the price if you tried to figure everything out on your own. To order a copy, authors can log into their Author account, scroll to the bottom of the dashboard and click on "Order Samples." For those who don't have an Author account, you can order the printed book in our Bookstore by clicking HERE, or download a digital copy here. The Honest Truth About Amazon Best-Seller Status When we started working with authors almost 20 years ago, bestseller status on Amazon had credibility and true value as it was achieved using the traditional method of counting book sales. But there’s a secret behind all of the buzz about becoming an Amazon bestseller that no one is talking about. And a lot of misinformation that we feel should be addressed. Over the years, Amazon’s methods for assigning bestseller status have changed – and we shared the hard truth about it HERE.   Author Spotlight Series Debut We're constantly amazed by the clever, unique, brilliant and beautiful books and products our customers create. That's why we started a spotlight feature to share the details of their creations and the inspiration behind them. We built this business to support authors, entrepreneurs, coaches and business owners. We realized that sharing your products with all of our customers is one more way we can offer our support. We're all in this together trying to provide valuable products or services to the world, and if we support each other, that's just a really good thing. In 2018 we shined the spotlight on Nancy & Steve Juetten, James & Christopher Dack, Betsy Wiersma, Amber Lilyestrom, and Joy Don Baker & Terri Goodman. We’re not even close to done, as 2019 has a lineup ready to go of more inspiring authors, entrepreneurs and visionaries with stories we’re excited to share.   New Book: 50 Ways to Build a Business and Life You Love "50 Ways to Build a Business and Life You Love" is a little book filled with big ideas about taking charge of your own destiny, following your passion and realizing your full potential. It's a great gift idea with an attractive design hard cover, foil stamped with a soft-touch UV finish. Launched near Valentine's Day, this book is perfect for showing someone you care. Buy one for yourself. Give copies to everyone in your mastermind. Offer them as special bonuses with products, as prizes, or as gifts for clients you love to work with. No matter what, this little book will make a big impression.      

Vervante • January 8, 2019

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. Today we'd like to introduce you to Corliss Rassyle, personal leadership coach, entrepreneur, speaker, and author of "Lead Your Life."    The story behind the book Q: What inspired you to write this book? A: What inspired me to write a book? I rediscovered purpose! I had been doing the same career for many years and wasn’t feeling the same passion as I once did. My children had also grown and were more independent and that left me asking myself what was next for me. With some self-reflection I recognized I was wanting more for myself, but to contribute more to others than I was. I started my new company, With Purpose Consulting, to help people who are like me. People who want to have a sense of purpose and passion in their lives and bring that home to their families and with them to their work. As I was creating content for the workshops, seminars and conferences a book was born! I want to make a positive and significant difference in the world and a book is a powerful way to share insights that can help others. Q: What advice would you give for other aspiring authors? A: Write from the heart and be yourself. There is a message within you that needs to be heard. Share from that place. Q: What do you love about your book? A: I love knowing I have a tool that can help and support people as they journey through life. About “Lead Your Life. How to live with purpose, passion and confidence” Corliss Rassyle’s book, “Lead Your Life. How to live with purpose, passion and confidence” helps readers discover their unique purpose, connect to their passions, and find the confidence to create the life they deserve. Corliss has a natural talent for simplifying topics that are often difficult for people to grasp. After decades of balancing a high-level leadership position, surviving divorce, and independently raising three children, she understands the burden of responsibility and how the monotony of routine can leave you feeling overwhelmed and unfulfilled. With a leap of faith, and a deep desire to create something new, she courageously turned her own life around and shows others how to do it too. She understands the issues plaguing women of today and with honesty and transparency will guide you to answer the questions you’ve been asking yourself; “Is there more to my life than I am currently living?” and “What is next for me?” As you experience life you will grow and evolve, as can your purpose and passions. “Lead Your Life” will guide you to discover those passions and connect with a purpose that brings meaning back into your life, and with purpose, you will have the motivation to confidently create the life you imagine! Learn more Learn more about Corliss and her book here: www.corliss.ca Get your product featured If you enjoyed this article and would like your Vervante product featured in our newsletter and blog 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 and/or author Your creativity inspires us and your success deserves to be shared!

Vervante • October 22, 2018

If you have a book idea, but aren't sure how to take it from manuscript all the way to the marketplace, you're not alone. We're helped thousands of authors take their books from first drafts to publication and know every step needed for a successful experience. That's why we rounded up the following frequently asked questions and answers for every step of the process. Q: I’m excited to get started. What’s the first thing I need to do? A:  Establish a Vervante Author Account. It’s free, quick and easy. Just go to www.vervante.com and click on Sign Up.  Once you’re set up, you will be able to access your Author Dashboard, your personal mission control that gives you access to everything from Support and Resources to Activity Reports and Invoice details and overall Account Management. Q:  OK, I’ve got the material for my book written, now what? A:   We recommend that once your manuscript is written, you have it professionally copyedited. This ensures that you will provide your audience with a high-quality product. We do not provide this service, but strongly feel that this step is essential for the quality and success of your finished product. For recommendations contact us at [email protected].  Q:  What is an ISBN and do I need to have one? A:  If you plan on retail distribution for your book, such as on Amazon or in bookstores, yes, you will need an ISBN (International Standard Book Number). The most important identifier your book can have is the ISBN. ISBNs provide unique identification for books and simplify the distribution of your books throughout the global supply chain. Without an ISBN, your book will not be found in bookstores, whether online or down the street from your house. You can buy your own at www.Bowker.com, or purchase one at a low cost from Vervante – Just log into your Author Account and click on “Purchase ISBN.” Note: The imprint within an ISBN indicates the publisher of record. When you purchase an ISBN through Vervante, the publisher of record is automatically shown as Vervante. This publisher information is usually shown in places like the book’s inside cover or in the product details list for books that are sold on Amazon.com. If you would like your own imprint, you can purchase an ISBN directly from www.isbn.org. Q:  Are there steps I can take to protect my book legally? A:  Yes, Copyright registration is important and a simple task you should do as soon as your book is complete. You can complete the Application to Participate online and you will receive an account and password. Once your book is complete, you can send a copy of the book to the Library of Congress at: Library of Congress, Cataloging in Publication Division 101, Independence Ave. SE, Washington, DC, 20540-4320. The website is at http://www.loc.gov/publish/pcn/newaccount.html. For more details and to register your book, go to http://www.copyright.gov/.  If you prefer to have our team submit the copyright registration for you, please complete the request document in your Vervante Author Account. Q: What about a Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN)? A:  The LCCN is a unique identification number that the Library of Congress assigns to book titles. There is no charge for registering your book with the Library of Congress. You can complete the Application to Participate online and you will receive an account and password. Once your book is complete, you can send a copy of the book to the Library of Congress at: Library of Congress, Cataloging in Publication Division 101, Independence Ave. SE, Washington, DC, 20540-4320. The website is at http://www.loc.gov/publish/pcn/newaccount.html. We offer done-for-you LCCN services as well for a small fee. All you need to do is request it through your Vervante author dashboard, we’ll complete the registration on your behalf and email the LCCN as soon as we receive it, usually within 10 business days. Q :  Who owns the rights to my book?  A: When you self-publish with Vervante, you benefit from our unique system in which you simply grant us the rights to print and distribute the book on your behalf. Our contracts with authors are non-exclusive. This arrangement is rare in the publishing world and is very much to your benefit as the author. You retain all rights as the sole owner of your book. Period. Q:  OK, I’ve got the manuscript back from my editor – now what? A:  Now it’s time to format the text of your book. Formatting is the process of creating print-ready digital files according to our specifications. Q:  What are some decisions I need to make regarding formatting? A:   Here are two important decisions that will affect your book’s appearance: Binding: You can choose perfect bound, saddle-stitch or spiral binding (hard cover, spiral or hard cover wire-o) for your book. There are photos, specs and templates of each available on the “Print Specs & Templates” page on the Vervante web site. Better yet - for real-life examples to help you make your choice, check out the sample packages we offer at www.vervante.com/samples. Size: We can bind a book at any size up to 8.5 x 11 inches. We do not have pre-set sizes. One of the most popular sizes for paperback books is 6 x 9 inches but it is completely up to you what your book should be. Depending on the binding style you choose, books can be from 25 to 800 pages long. Color – we offer mixed black & white and color – some pages can be printed in color and the rest black & white Q: What about my cover? A: We require a print-ready PDF of the cover. You can find detailed specs and templates on our website HERE. Q: My text and cover files are ready to go. What next? A: Once your files are ready, you can upload both content and cover art files from your Author Account using the Send Files link. Q:   How long does it take to get my book published?  A:   Once we have a final, approved-by-you, high-resolution PDF of the book content and cover, we can print your book within three to five business days and distribute anywhere in the world according to your needs and deadlines.  If your book will be printed as a hard cover book, the turnaround time could be a few weeks. Q: What about ebooks? A: You provide us with your formatted ebook files and we can post your ebook to Amazon or Barnes & Noble. For more detailed information and the steps to get started, please log in to your Vervante Author Account and go to the Retail Distribution page accessible via the Services menu. Q: Can I use the same ISBN for my ebook? A:  No, you cannot use an ISBN from a print edition for your digital edition. If you want to include an ISBN for the digital version of your book, it must be a unique ISBN. You can supply your own ISBN or you can purchase an ISBN from Vervante. Q:  What are the fees for using Vervante’s publishing services? A:   No set-up fees, no monthly minimums, no management fees. You only pay for printing and distribution costs.   Q: What will be my cost for printing the book? A:   Products printed on demand include production, packaging and fulfillment.  For products printed in bulk and drop shipped on demand, there is an order fee and pick fee per item.  Each book is unique and Vervante will quote you the exact printing price as soon as the book is set up for publishing. The prices quoted do not include shipping. Q. How are orders shipped? A: We send the majority of shipments via USPS, First Class or Priority Mail and International Airmail. We charge postage based on weight and destination. We do not have a flat shipping fee and we do not inflate the postage rates. Q:   Who sets the retail price of my book? A:   The price you list on your book is up to you. We provide you with a quote for printing and fulfillment costs, as well as potential royalty scenarios depending on the sales and distribution channels you choose to use. Q:  What about royalties for sales on Amazon or other retailers? How will I be paid? A:   All transactions for your book are recorded in a free online account you will set up with Vervante. Royalty payments can be sent to you as a check or online via PayPal. Q: How do you process orders? What about compatibility with shopping carts? A:  We have no shopping cart preference and, in fact, can process your orders from any shopping cart or merchant solution. Orders can be processed in a variety of ways: Automatically processed from the order confirmation emails generated from your shopping cart. Automatically processed from an email notification set up in Vervante specified format outlined in our detailed user guide (available from your Author Dashboard) You can log into your Vervante account and place orders You can email your orders to [email protected] for processing You can find information about automated order processing HERE. Q: Can you help me list my books for sale? A:  We can add your book to the following channels for direct sales: Vervante Bookstore Amazon.com Barnes & Noble.com Barnes & Noble Nook Baker & Taylor Amazon Kindle Vervante Bookstore is a great option if you don’t want the hassle of setting up a sales page, website or merchant bank for credit card processing. We will be happy to sell your book or product through our public bookstore. There is a 10% per transaction fee. You set the retail price for the product. The buyer selects and pays for the shipping and postage. Amazon Marketplace is the most popular option for Amazon because it only takes a 15% discount plus $1.80 per transaction fee. We receive the orders when your book or product is purchased on Amazon. The transaction is entered in your order report in your author account so you will see all transactions. Amazon pays Vervante for transactions and we will post the credit for the Amazon purchases in your Author Account. You set the retail price for the book in Amazon Marketplace. (**We highly recommend Amazon Marketplace – see our note below) Amazon Advantage is a consignment program with Amazon. When we list your book in this program, Amazon will order usually 1-2 initial copies for their inventory. When the book is sold, Amazon will ship the book directly to the customer and will take a 55% discount on the retail price of the book. You are also responsible for the postage costs to ship the book to Amazon. Barnes & Noble.com is a consignment program. When we list your book in this program, BN.com will order usually 1-2 initial copies for their inventory. When the book is sold, BN.com will ship the book directly to the customer and will take a 40% discount on the retail price of the book. You are also responsible for the postage costs to ship the book to BN.com. Please note: Your book cover must contain the ISBN barcode including the ISBN number PLUS price. This is a Barnes & Noble requirement. Baker & Taylor is one of the largest wholesale distributors in the world. We can list your book in their database and then any book reseller can order and stock your book in their store. Baker & Taylor sells and distributes to book stores, internet and physical locations, such as Amazon, Border, Barnes & Noble, etc. If your book is listed in the Baker & Taylor database, a customer can also special order the book from any bookstore. Baker & Taylor takes a 55% discount off the price of the book and you pay for shipping to the Baker & Taylor warehouse. There are no pre-orders with this program. Baker & Taylor will only order your book if they have an order for the book. PLEASE NOTE: There are some risks associated with listing your book with Amazon Advantage, Barnes & Noble and Baker & Taylor. They are: Your suggested list price may not be what the book is actually listed for on these sites. These companies may choose to list your book at a discounted price and you may then have a competitive situation where you have the book listed on your site for the full list price and the distributor may be selling it at a discount. If you list your book with Baker & Taylor, Amazon may import this listing and chose to sell your book at a discount. The book on Amazon will show "Out of Stock" and may never show in stock because Amazon might list the book but never order it from Baker & Taylor. **We highly recommend the Amazon Marketplace option for a few important reasons: You control the list price The product is never out of stock We ship the product so you know who is buying your book You pay 15% commission plus $1.80 per transaction You determine how much you want the buyer to pay for postage We have full control over the listing so if you want to make changes or update the product description or price, we can do this for you quickly and easily Q:   How can I keep track of the books that are shipped to me or my customers? A:   When your orders are shipped, you or your customer will receive a shipping confirmation email notifying when the product has shipped and a link to track the order. You may log on at any time into your Vervante author account to view the status of your orders, tracking information, order details, online reporting and customization of your packing slip.   Q: How do I know who purchased my book or how to follow up with them? A:  Retail booksellers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble do not share customer contact information with you. Listing directly on Amazon, or sending your buyer to purchase your book on another site like CreateSpace, Lulu or Blurb, turns your customer into their customer, and denies you access to any of their information. This is why we strongly recommend selling your book from your website as your primary sales option. This gives you the benefit of knowing who your customers are, and how to contact them to follow up. We do recognize the power of Amazon and suggest using them as a secondary sales option using the Amazon Marketplace program. This gives authors all the advantages of Amazon, while still retaining control of sales and customer information by using Vervante as your publisher and distributor.  Using Vervante as your back-end publishing and distribution partner allows you to have the best of both worlds – your own solution where you sell the book from your site, collect customer contact information critical for building your business, and have professional solutions you trust to handle printing and shipping. PLUS we handle the sales and processing for your books and products by working with your shopping cart (we can work with them all!) and listing your book on Amazon. It’s a win-win solution for authors all around. You have access to critical customer data. Your book enjoys the visibility and prestige Amazon offers. You are in control, every step of the way. ~~ Feeling a little more confident about self-publishing? With this expert guidance, you now possess the big-picture knowledge to address important decisions and issues that are the foundation of self-publishing – and your book’s success. For questions or free quotes please feel free to contact our publishing specialists at [email protected]. We’re here to help!

Vervante • October 17, 2018

The holidays are quickly approaching. Are you 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: Calendars: Great for sales, calendars are also a great option for client and customer appreciation gifts and to use as lead generation freebies. Planners: Planners are a product that people just can’t seem to get enough of. You can create your own, or save some time by customizing our ready-to-go 2019 planner. Journals: Timeless treasures perfect for just about any situation. 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: Card decks, note cards, and postcards are popular all year long. Create your own custom cards, or use our ready-made ones by adding your logo or message. Your Holiday Sales Timeline Once you’ve picked your products, it’s time for action: OCTOBER: Decide on products to sell. Make a list of customizations. 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 print-ready file to your Vervante account, then order 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, Barnes & Noble, Vervante Bookstore online, etc. If you sell from your own website, set up shopping cart. 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 / 2019 products. Announce surprise last-minute deals. JANUARY: Continue to promote New Year products. If 2019 planners were a hit, think about removing dates from planner so it 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 • September 25, 2018

When an author wants to sell more books, build credibility and get more attention as a speaker, author or expert in their industry, it’s common knowledge that becoming an Amazon bestseller is one of the quickest ways to success. In fact, there’s an entire industry built around helping authors become Amazon bestsellers. Authors can purchase services that practically guarantee helping them become bestsellers no matter what type of book they write, with promises of wealth, influence and star status that are almost irresistible. But there’s a secret behind all of the buzz about becoming an Amazon bestseller that no one is talking about. And a lot of misinformation that we feel should be addressed. In fact, bestseller status: Is a lot easier to get than you think Doesn’t mean you sold a lot of books Won’t guarantee future book sales Can be achieved without blowing up your budget When we started working with authors almost 20 years ago, bestseller status on Amazon had credibility and true value as it was achieved using the traditional method of counting book sales. Over the years, however, Amazon’s methods for assigning bestseller status have changed and we’ve seen how achieving it can be relatively easy with only a few sales. In fact, since Amazon algorithms update nearly every hour, by coordinating friends and family to all purchase the book within a very short time frame, you have a very good chance of achieving “bestseller” status. We’ve even heard of authors creating large batches of email addresses using different names then purchasing their book using those various email addresses within a short time frame to become a “bestseller.” Hey, we even read a true-but-hilarious story about how this author became a bestseller on Amazon in five minutes and with only $3. Don’t get us wrong, bestseller status is great. We just hate to hear stories of new authors blowing their budgets to get bestseller status by outsourcing expert help and purchasing large amounts of their own books when they really just need to learn a little bit more about how Amazon assigns bestseller status – and how they can work toward it on their own. While we believe that good writing, quality printing, and access to a database of dedicated readers are the keys to a successful experience as an author, we’re happy to share how many authors are achieving bestseller status – and how you can too.   It’s all about the categories Here’s the secret about Amazon bestseller status – it’s all about the categories. When a book or ebook is first listed on Amazon, selecting categories is one of the first steps. Choosing the right ones can lead to bestseller status. Choose the wrong ones, and no matter how many books you sell, you’ll never achieve bestseller status. Amazon assigns bestseller rankings to books based on how many sales or downloads they have over a period of time as compared to all other books on the Amazon market. You can find that number in the Product Details section on the book’s page. It looks like this:       Here’s what those numbers mean: If you’re in the Top 100 in your Amazon category, you will see a “best-seller ranking” below the title. A book at the #1 spot in any given category will get a “#1 Best Seller” banner featured next to the title. Dominating a category is obviously key for bestseller status. So you can see how carefully choosing the right category is essential. Choose a broad category means you’re in competition with a larger pool of books. But choosing a much more niched category decreases the size of that pool and the size of your competition as well. For example, if you’re writing a gardening book, you could choose the category of “gardening.” But if you are able to niche down even further using categories that pertain to the type of gardening, geographical locations, or even select fruits or vegetables, etc., you’ll be even more niched and have much less competition for bestseller status. How to choose Amazon categories Unfortunately, Amazon doesn’t list its categories, so you’ve got to do a little research to choose the ones you want to use. Start by researching other books that are similar to yours and see what categories they are using. You can see this in the Product Detail section (as seen in the image above). Make a note of the ones that fit your book best, then try to niche down even further. Do this by clicking on one of the categories in the books you are researching. A page will open listing best sellers in that category. And the categories will be shown in a column on the left. Often there will be even more options for narrowing your category and you can explore those by clicking on any of the selections. Here’s an example: In the image here you can see how we were able to niche down 6 categories from Kindle ebooks to Reference to Writing, Research & Publishing to Publishing & Books to Authorship.  By researching books similar to yours, and their rankings in categories that are “super-niched,” you’ll be able to select categories that can boost your own status. We hope this peek behind the curtain at how Amazon bestseller status is achieved – and what it really means – has been enlightening and helpful. Here at Vervante we offer free listing services for Amazon and if you want to learn more about choosing categories with the most potential for bestseller status we can help. Just reach out to one of our Amazon retail specialists at [email protected] or set up a call using this link.  

Vervante • September 21, 2018

Your dream of publishing a book, CD, DVD or other unique product is almost to the point of becoming a reality. You’ve crafted the perfect content for it and are ready to take the next big step – publishing! The most important move you can make right now is to take the time to research your next steps in order to ensure your final product stays true to your vision. Choosing a publisher is a big decision – they will become an important part of your team and an essential element for bringing your dream to life. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve gathered together the top 8 qualities you need to look for in an on-demand publisher for your project. After more than 30 years in the publishing industry, we’ve seen up close and personal what you need – and what you don’t need – in order to pick the right company to help you. And we know that no matter if you choose to work with a larger corporate publisher or specialized boutique organizations, these are universal truths that will help you make the right decisions to ensure that your publishing experience is valuable, productive and, above all, stress-free. Easy to Use: Are you a DIY person, or do you want someone to be your personal guide and help you through the process? No matter which, make sure that the publisher you choose can work with your unique publishing mindset. DIY: For the person who prefers to do it themselves, check that the website has a full complement of online tools, training videos, whitepapers and information posted for those who prefer total automation.  A partner in publishing: For those who love to have access to personal help throughout their publishing experience, check to make sure your publisher has a team available to help with everything from file set up, graphic design, packaging and more. Proven Track Record: How long has the company been around? What is their experience / track record in the industry? Who are the principles and what is their background? Your book or product is very important to you and you should have qualified, experienced professionals with satisfied clients and proven track records to be on your team. Check the publisher’s “About” page on their website for initial background info. Read up on the executive team. See what their background is and their level of experience within the publishing industry. Look for information about other clients who have used this publisher. If their contact information is public, reach out to them to hear about their publishing experience. Customization. Your unique vision should know no boundaries. Check out what customization options are available to you. Are you required to use cookie-cutter templates or do you have access to various unique customization options for your product. “Off the shelf” ideas are great for certain standard projects, but you want to make sure that you can break out of the box and have access to all sorts of creative products and packaging depending on your needs. Ideas? Hmmm, how about drawstring bags for personalized card decks? Or t-shirts, framed certificates, goody bags, shipping boxes or clear newsletter packaging envelopes? A good publisher will take your ideas, bring them to life and then give you options that will elevate your project to even higher levels. No strings, no hidden fees: This pretty much speaks for itself. Read the fine print in any agreement or product descriptions and choose a publisher who states all project fees upfront. Who needs the stress of worrying about each little thing along the way and adding up a ‘la carte fees? Not you! Look for a publisher who will work with you with no set up fees, no minimums, and allowing all items to be produced and shipped on demand or in bulk.   Comprehensive Solutions: Check if the publishers you are looking at offer free coaching on product and packaging as well as dedicated team to support you, via email or phone support. You should never be left hanging. Check with your publisher about how progression through the publishing process will work – and that you will have access to an experienced guide who can walk you through everything from design and formatting, printing and shipping. Don’t forget to ask about comprehensive solutions ahead of time such as accdess to designers who can create artwork and packaging, edit audio files, master DVDs, and then produce and ship products. While it may be tempting to try to do it all yourself, it is worth asking about done-for-you packages that may end up saving you precious time and finances in the long run. Marketing & Sales: Once you have your product in hand, can your publisher take the extra steps to help you realize your goals by providing sales, marketing and promotional opportunities? You’ve already worked together so much – at this point it is a relief to be able to continue that relationship with someone who can help you to manage retail channels such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble, as well as format and offer ebook solutions and help ensure distribution via the largest channels available. Personal Relationships: Every step of the way you should have full access and quick response from your publisher. If you want to see how your potential publisher is with relating to their clients, go to the source, their customers. See if they have testimonials available. Reach out to those people – if they are really satisfied they will be delighted to tell you of their experiences. Referrals are the best – and truest – form of flattery. If colleagues and like-minded people have used the publisher you are looking at – and would do it again – then that’s telling you a lot. Connect with Customers to Help Your Business Grow: While we listed this last, it may indeed be the most important point you should consider. If you want to publish more books in the future, create products, and continue to grow your audience and your business, having a subscriber list is the key. Ask your publishing company how they handle sales and customer contact information, and if they provide a way for you to stay in touch with your readers and fans. By taking a close look at these 8 essential qualities, you’ll be able to easily narrow your search for the perfect publishing partner for your big project. When it comes to all of the qualities we describe above, Vervante continues to stand out from the crowd. Vervante has the experience, solutions, and systems to help you publish, share and sell high-quality books and printed products easily and profitably. And when it comes to supporting you as a business, and helping your bottom line grow, Vervante offers what no other publisher does - the ability to connect with your customers. Subscriber email lists are your #1 asset for business growth, so why send your customers to another site to buy? What does that mean? Well, if you sell through self-publishing companies such as Amazon KDP (formerly CreateSpace), you’re selling directly from Amazon. And that means the people who purchase your book are essentially Amazon’s customers and you don’t have access to customer contact information. We love Amazon, who doesn’t? But what we offer is the ability to sell your book in multiple ways, including via Amazon, with ALL customer contact information gathered for your business database. Here’s how it works: SELL FROM YOUR WEBSITE – You can sell your book via a website page you create, using your own shopping cart that’s set up to send sales details our way, and we will print and ship all orders for you. AMAZON SALES – We can also list your book on Amazon. When we list it for you, Amazon will send all order information to us, including customer information, and we will pass that info on to you. (Score!) This is how using Vervante as your back-end publishing and distribution partner allows you to have the best of both worlds – your own solution where you sell the book from a site you control, collect customer contact information critical for building your business, and we handle printing and shipping. PLUS we list your book for sale on Amazon as an additional purchasing option. It’s a win-win solution: You have access to critical customer data AND your book will be available on Amazon. We have more than 30 years of experience in the publishing industry and have worked with authors, business owners, entrepreneurs, corporations and visionaries just like you who are ready to share their brilliance and creativity. We specialize in easy, efficient and quick publishing solutions for books and products such as newsletters, CDs, DVDs, books, information products and card decks. Whether you are motivated by art, business, or life, we make it easy for you to realize your publishing dreams. For questions or help, we invite you to contact us at [email protected] or schedule a phone call with one of our publishing specialists at https://vervante.youcanbook.me/.

Vervante • July 4, 2018

As we celebrate Independence Day here in the United States, we wanted to give you a peek behind the scenes of our operations here at Vervante to let you know of our pride and commitment to the people, places and products we are fortunate to have right here in the United States of America. While some companies outsource or have taken production out of the country, Vervante is here to stay and planning on many more decades of providing you with the best of service right here here from our home. All of our books and products are printed, bound, warehoused and assembled for distribution in the USA. Our operations are based in the heart of Utah, with more than 12,000 square-feet of warehousing, fulfillment centers, and administrative space dedicated to meeting our customers’ needs. Independence is at the heart of what we do and we feel ourselves fortunate to work with people from all over the world to help them create independence in their businesses and their lives by creating products that support their goals and dreams. Happy Independence Day from us to you, no matter where you are!

Vervante • July 1, 2018

As we were reading an article from Richard Branson last week, this stood out: “No matter how big, small, simple or complex an idea is, get it in writing. But don’t just take notes for the sake of taking notes, go through your ideas and turn them into actionable and measurable goals. If you don’t write your ideas down, they could leave your head before you even leave the room.” His article, titled “Why everyone should be taking notes,” made us think of one of our favorite products – planners! If ever there was a product perfect for taking notes and turning them into actionable goals these are it. Late last year we debuted a 2018 Planner that could be customized or used as is and sell as your own. Your response made us sit up and pay attention because, wow, did you love it! Your creativity in customizing everything from the cover and images to the content and layout inside really got our wheels turning. That’s why we’re starting much earlier this year.   We’ve designed two ready-to-use planners, (pictured here), that can be your secret weapon for personal, business and revenue growth. They are unique 18-month planners that start in July 2018 and take you all the way through 2019. (If you want to launch in Jan 2019, though, no problem. We will remove the months you don’t want.) Just think – seasonal or end-of-year promotions, new year debuts, and long-term goal tracking can be planned, tracked and recorded in one (gorgeous!) place. We’ve designed our 2018/2019 planners for universal appeal. They are 7” x 9”, have two cover designs that can be done in hard cover or soft cover, and are spiral bound to easily lay flat for reading and writing. And we’ve added even more inside with a mix of full-color and black-and-white pages that include: Stickers for important dates Full-month spreads and daily planning pages Adult coloring pages Places for brainstorms, lists, and goal-tracking Inspirational quotes and motivations throughout SNEAK PEEK OF THE WHOLE PLANNER: If you'd like to see the full planner, page-by-page, click on these links: "Grateful Heart Planner," and "Fresh Start Planner." As we said, you’re welcome to use these planners just as they are and sell as your own. (They make great gifts too!) But you can also customize to make them unique. One super easy idea is to add your logo to the back cover. But we can help you take it much farther than that! Last year we saw some very creative ideas, such as: Inside pages: Create address/contact info pages, exercise and nutrition-trackers, recipe and shopping lists, journal pages, writing prompts, weekly mantras, and more. Custom stickers: You can use our sticker template and easily revise them to fit your own brand. Design new front or back covers or change the color scheme. HERE'S HOW TO ORDER A PLANNER so you can see what it looks like and how to customize or personalize it for your customers: 1. IF YOU HAVE AN AUTHOR ACCOUNT: Log in and scroll to the bottom of the author dashboard. Click on “Order Samples.” The new planners are posted at the bottom of the page. 2. If you don't have an author account you can ORDER DIRECTLY FROM THE BOOKSTORE by using the following links. (Note: Vervante Author account user names and passwords do not work in our Bookstore): Grateful Planner Fresh Start Planner 3. Let us know what ideas you have for customization. We can either send you the InDesign files to make changes directly or our graphic design team can make changes for you ($75/hour graphic design rate). Questions? Contact us at [email protected] or schedule a phone call with our publishing pros by clicking HERE for free quotes and guidance for submitting designs, customizing options, and getting your unique planners ready to go.

Vervante • June 19, 2018

Finding a new way to stand out from the crowd is always a good thing, right? Email newsletters have become of the most reliable and profitable ways of connecting with new clients, nurturing current ones, and overall helping to grow a business. Which is why so many people use them – including us! We love newsletters. In fact, we help a lot of our clients create newsletters that definitely stand out from the crowd – by creating PRINTED ones, that is! One of the most powerful – and underused – marketing tools is the printed newsletter. Whether you are a small business with a humble list, or an established entrepreneur with a sizeable audience, there’s some serious power in the printed newsletter. More effective than email, which is often quickly scanned and forgotten, a printed newsletter can be a valuable resource for the reader, who can save, reread and even share it with others. Printed newsletters: Have a higher perceived value and are better remembered and referred to later on Give peace of mind that important info will reach readers without worrying about spam filters or accidental deletions Encourage readers to connect to your message at a deeper, more emotional level Impress customers and become treasured resources Are perfect for special occasions or as “collector’s editions” Can be shipped in clear or branded envelopes and include extras such as checklists, notepads, stickers, bookmarks, or other products that complement your message Newsletters can be one page, a few pages, or even multiple-page booklets in black-and-white or full color. If you’re interested in creating a printed newsletter, we can help. Just email your ideas or questions to us at [email protected] and we’ll send you a free quote and all the answers you need.

Vervante • June 5, 2018

Does this sound familiar? You’re speaking on stage and the event planners offer you a space to sell your books and products at the back of the room – just 2 days before the big day! You’ve been asked to lead a workshop as part of someone else’s event, and at the last minute they tell you that enrollment for your class doubled! Book signing is scheduled, marketing is going well, and you receive a rush order at the last minute from the bookstore for 100 more books! It’s inevitable that at some point you’ll need to order a book or product at the last minute. We understand, that’s why here at Vervante we go the extra mile to help our customers with quick service and fast turnarounds – without adding to your stress with inflated charges, penalty fees or sluggish service. When events call for quick orders and even quicker shipping, we can help. All you need to do is place your order via your Vervante account, choose the shipping method that works best, then send us an email at [email protected] with “Rush Order Request” in the subject line. Let us know when you need your order by and we’ll do all we can to expedite printing and ship within 24-48 hours, WITHOUT charging rush fees or marking up postage costs. We’re dedicated to providing you with the best customer service and publishing experience we can – even when life throws last-minute curve balls like these.

Vervante • April 7, 2018

Wow, our last article sharing a comparison of Vervante’s services to Amazon’s self-publishing solution Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), formerly CreateSpace, caused quite a positive response! In fact, we received so many requests from authors interested in moving their books from Amazon KDP to Vervante that we wrote up the following FAQs and next step information for authors ready to make a change. But first, we’d like to clarify that using Vervante doesn’t mean you can’t have your book on Amazon.  Just the opposite, in fact.  We want you to sell your book on Amazon – just not as the only purchasing option. When you link your sales/buy buttons directly to Amazon via KDP, you can’t capture the customer data. We think that’s pretty important when it comes to building your business.   Using Vervante as your back-end publishing and distribution partner allows you to have the best of both worlds! You sell the book from your site, collect the customer’s data, and we’ll print and ship your book. Then, as a secondary purchasing option, we’ll list your book on Amazon. You’ll have access to customer data AND your book will be available on Amazon. Q: If I use Vervante can I still have my book listed on Amazon? A: Yes, we encourage you to sell your book from your own site so that you can capture the email address of your customers. AND we recommend that we list your book on Amazon as a secondary purchase option. It’s a win-win situation all around! Q: How do I move my book to Vervante if it’s already listed with KDP / CreateSpace?  A: There are two ways to “Unpublish” a book with KDP / CreateSpace:  Option #1 – Change Status 1. Log in to Amazon KDP and go to your dashboard. 2. Click on your listing 3. Go to the third link under 'set up', which is 'interior' and click on that. 4. The second option is 'Change' in a blue, oval button. Click on that. You will see this message: “You have selected to make changes:  WARNING: If you make any changes to the setup of your book, you must complete the review process again. Is this what you want to do?” 5. Select 'Proceed' 6. Now when you go back to 'Member Dashboard' your book will show as 'incomplete' It takes a day or two, but the book will eventually be shown in listings as 'unavailable' Option #2 – Retire the Book Email customer service at KDP and ask them to retire your book. This should also make the book unavailable for ordering. Q: Will I need to redo my current listing page on Amazon if I stop using CreateSpace? What about my testimonials, will they disappear? A:   No. If we list your book with Amazon Marketplace your current book page and all testimonials will stay the same. The only difference is that Vervante will now receive all orders and ship them for you. There are two advantages to Marketplace:  1) 15% Amazon commission vs. 40% CreateSpace commission, 2) You will have access to the names and mailing addresses of customers who buy your book. You won’t get their email address but we can include a letter with the book encouraging the buyer to visit your site and opt into your newsletter or blog. Q: Does Vervante print books on-demand? A: Yes, we can print and ship your book on-demand, print in small batches or print thousands – whatever you need. Q: Can I order books for myself at my cost? A: Yes, your book will be available in your Vervante Author Account where you can order it at your cost.  We also offer bulk order discounts for books and products. Contact us at [email protected] if you plan on a large order. Q: I’m ready to get started with Vervante, what’s my first move? A: First, you need a Vervante author account, set one up HERE. Once that’s done, you can request a free quote for your book from your Author Dashboard online, or email us at [email protected]. If you have questions or would like to discuss your project, you can also schedule a phone call with us using our online system HERE. Q: How do book sales work? A: If you already have a sales and shopping cart system set up online, great! We can process orders from ANY shopping cart, no matter which one you use. And you don't need to worry about integration, API, or any of that fancy complicated stuff. For details on integrating shopping carts into our system, click HERE. No website or shopping cart? No problem. Vervante has a public bookstore solution. We can sell your book in our store and you’ll have access to the email and customer data. Listing on Amazon: We love Amazon, and we still want you to list your book there. Our recommendation to switch from KDP / CreateSpace doesn’t mean we don’t see the value of having your book listed there. We just want to offer you the ability to collect and build your customer contact list without giving away your customer data to KDP / CreateSpace. All you need to do to list your book on Amazon using Amazon Marketplace is to let us know and we’ll take care of the details. Q: How do I get paid for Amazon Marketplace orders? A: We’ve put together a special guide called “From Retail Sales to Royalties” to help authors follow the money trail for everything from sales to royalties for their books and products. Check it out HERE. Q: What are your options for book binding? A: We offer a variety of binding options:  spiral, wire-o, saddle-stitch, perfect bound, hardcover, 3-ring binders. Q: I’d like to print my book mostly in black-and-while, but with a few color pages mixed in. Do you offer options for color or partial color? A: We can print an entire book in color, partial color (just a few pages within the book), or black-and-white. If your book has just partial color then we only charge you for those pages to be printed in color, not the entire book. Q: How do the numbers work again? A: We’ve created this handy chart to show you the numbers.                                     Q: Can I send marketing materials or a letter with the book?  A: Yes, we can include materials we print such a letter, bookmark, postcard, etc. or even items that you provide us to include in the packaging with your book. Q: What if I don’t live in the United States? A: No problem, we have lots of international customers who use us as their U.S.-based distribution option. And we can send book orders anywhere in the world. We hope this helped create a clearer picture of our services, and inspired you to let us help create your next book or product. Questions, ideas, comments? We're here for you at [email protected]. You can also schedule a phone call through our online link HERE.

Vervante • March 27, 2018

Subscription boxes have become one of the most versatile, income-boosting and business-building products we’ve seen lately. Customers receive monthly shipments filled with products for everything from pets, beauty and crafts to gardening, food, and fitness. Coaching or training professionals use this business model for customers who sign up for their services as well, starting with a welcome box, then transitioning to monthly shipments filled with products that complement their services such as printed coaching materials, USB flash drives, workbooks or worksheets, journals, checklists, challenge cards, calendars of upcoming events and recordings of coaching calls. If you’ve been thinking of adding a subscription service to your business, Vervante can help create, package, and fulfill each monthly shipment for your customers. Here’s how: We can print or produce some or all of the products to be included in your monthly shipment Sample items or other outside products can be sent to us to include in each box Each month we assemble and ship packages directly to your customers We also offer a wide range of packaging options to help you create a box or package that stands out from the crowd. Customize your packaging on the outside with creative graphics, branding or stickers. And customize the inside with colorful tissue paper, attractive bags, mantra cards, or other unique inserts.  If creating a subscription box is on your to-do list, we’ve got the products, resources and experience to help you make that dream come true. Questions, brainstorming, and quotes are free! Email us at [email protected] or schedule a phone call with our subscription service pros by clicking here.  

Vervante • March 16, 2018

If you’re a publishing consultant, book coach, or author mentor, one of the main goals of your business is to help your clients create the best book possible. All too often, though, once your client’s manuscript is ready for publishing, they move on to the next step without you and the relationship ends. Here at Vervante, however, we give book coaching professionals the ability to offer clients complete idea-to-finished-product services – expanding your impact on their journey as an author, as well as your ability to increase your income as a business. Complete oversight of publishing process We offer book coaches the ability to guide their clients through the self-publishing process by overseeing the process of ordering sample copies, approving all print and design decisions, and placing the actual, physical book in their clients' hands. This is all done using a system set up for book coaches with Vervante that allows oversight of the full publishing process, from uploading files to approving samples and ordering first runs. Once the author is ready to take over, we can make that happen easily too. Products you can offer through your business We also offer book coaches the ability to offer products that complement books, such as bookmarks, cards, journals, postcards, spiral workbooks, CDs or DVDs, adult coloring books, card decks, and other creative solutions. These are perfect for special events, upgrades, book signings, or to offer as special bonuses. You can easily add these options to your services, offering lucrative bonus services and products that authors will love. Help clients sell books AND grow their business By using Vervante, your clients have access to their customers contact information. Other publishers, such as CreateSpace, do not offer this. This is not usually on the radar for new authors, but it's a game-changer. Especially for those who are also entrepreneurs, business owners, or want to keep in touch with loyal readers. Here's why you can't collect customer information when using CreateSpace: When an author sells their book directly on Amazon, the buyer becomes Amazon’s client (not the author’s), leaving the author in the dark about who is buying their book. Here's how Vervante is different: We encourage authors to sell the book from their own sales page, process the transaction and we'll print and ship the book to the buyer. This scenario provides the author with more profit on the sale PLUS the buyer's contact information and email address. If the author doesn't want to deal with credit card transactions, we can list the book in our store and the author simply redirects the buy button from their landing page to their book in our store. The three big differences between our bookstore solution and redirecting to Amazon are: We don't take 40% of the price of the book like CreateSpace We share the customer data with the author We take pre-orders for the book. An author can take pre-orders on their site or in our store and when the book is ready we'll print and ship to the buyers. This isn't possible on Amazon. You can still sell from Amazon, though, and we recommend it be set up this way:  While we DON'T recommend redirecting buyers from the author's landing page directly to Amazon, we DO suggest using Amazon as a secondary retail distribution channel. Amazon Marketplace is a great option for selling books and products on Amazon. We'll manage all of the details from listing the book on Amazon to managing and shipping orders. We receive so many questions about using Vervante vs. other publishers like CreateSpace that we've created a special report with more details you can read HERE. Additional profit potential for book coaches and authors On-demand printing and complete fulfillment services While other publishers may offer cheap rates for initial press runs to the author, there are usually hidden costs. These special prices are commonly only applicable for bulk orders placed by authors for their own title. However, this leaves them shouldering the responsibility of storing the books in their home or office, supplying packaging, processing payments, addressing packages, and taking them to the Post Office for shipping, steadily chipping away at their bottom line - and adding time and stress to the process. Vervante will print and ship books directly to customers. A copy of the order confirmation email generated from the author's shopping cart is all we need to print and ship the book. We can print and ship on demand or we can print bulk orders at further reduced costs, with the option of storing in our warehouse until they are needed. This helps authors avoid the expense and hassle of processing and shipping their own books. Increased perceived value of book While some people opt to list books with Baker & Taylor or Ingram, this can result in resellers taking the opportunity to sell your book through their own services, underbidding the set author price, and devaluing the book. Even if your clients are not writing a book for the money, when they try to offer their books at events, as promotions, or to support other products and programs, this causes the book to lose its value in the eyes of consumers. Retaining control of the book's price is essential to retaining its value. Listing books with a wholesaler like Baker & Taylor releases control and can result in plummeting sale prices and royalties. Whereas selling and distributing through a personal sales page and shopping cart, as well as using Vervante's Amazon Marketplace listing services, retains control of the book - and ensures the continuation of its value. Have you ever noticed when searching for a book on Amazon that there are a number of resellers offering the book at random prices? This is because the book has been listed with a wholesaler such as Baker & Taylor or Ingram and resellers then sell the book on Amazon at their discretion. The end result is that prices can drastically fluctuate, causing buyer confusion and devaluing the book even more. Exceptional customer service We have dedicated publishing professionals who will answer your emails and talk to you on the phone. Something pretty much unheard of in this industry. Authors retain all rights Authors retain all rights and creative control of their books and products. And we offer complete services for ISBNs, UPCs, LCCN Assignment and Copyright registration. You even have the option to list yourself or your own company as the publisher of your book. However, if you use CreateSpace's template builder for your cover, they technically own the artwork for your book. And if you use their ISBN services, they own the ISBN and are listed as the publisher. This means if you decide to use alternative publishing services in the future, you must get a new ISBN and new design for your book. We'll work with you and your client as a team You've got experience in publishing. Your client probably doesn't. We'll work with you and your client to get their book published, distributed, listed on Amazon, shipped to speaking events, and whatever other support you need. Satisfaction guaranteed We stand behind our products and services, creating the highest quality books and products for our clients supported by the best in customer service. If you are not delighted with your experience with Vervante, we pledge to work with you to make it right - or we will refund your money. Furthermore, all products we publish are guaranteed against defects in quality and design. If any of our products are defective in quality, we will replace or repair that product at no additional charge. Contact Us We welcome the opportunity to partner with us for your clients' publishing needs. For more information, check out our Book Coaching services page, email [email protected], or schedule a phone call with a member of our team.

Vervante • February 12, 2018

Publishing a book for the first time? We know that the process of creating, printing and selling a book can seem a bit overwhelming at first. That’s why we created this step-by-step guide to help. If you love lists and need a little guidance for publishing your next book, we’ve put together this checklist to help you stay on track for a successful and lucrative publishing experience. STEP #1: Build Your List If you’re thinking of writing a book, or have been working on your manuscript, building an audience who will be first in line to buy your book is one of the best things you can do to ensure sales success. Start blogging, send out emails, write newsletters, and start collecting email addresses to build a database list that will become your biggest fans – and buyers! – and help to spread the word when you release your new book. STEP #2: Choose Your Publisher There are companies out there who offer “one-button” solutions that make it all look super easy – just send them your manuscript and they print your book and sell it on Amazon for you, easy-peasy. What they don’t tell you is that by handing the book over to Amazon for sales, you are also handing your customers over to them as well. We appreciate the fact that everyone shops on Amazon, but we offer a way to sell your books on Amazon without denying yourself access to your customers and their valuable contact information (see STEP #1). When you use Vervante, we give you the best of both worlds – your own solution where you sell the book from a site you control, collect customer contact information critical for building your business, and we handle printing and shipping. PLUS we list your book for sale on Amazon as an additional purchasing option. It’s a win-win solution: You have access to your customers’ data AND your book will be available on Amazon. Want more information on how this works? Check out this article: The Difference Between Vervante and CreateSpace. STEP #3: Finish Your Manuscript The world needs that special gift you have, so what’s holding you back? Join a writer’s group, sign up for a book-writing challenge, join an author mastermind, assemble all those blog articles, or even hire a coach or ghostwriter if that’s what you need. You can do it! STEP #4: Edit Content Your book is your reputation. For best quality, and no embarrassing errors, add a professional copywriter or proofreader to your team. Ask other authors for referrals, survey your trusted connections online, or check with us about copyediting services. STEP #5: Gather Quotes / Create an Author Account Once you have an idea of the size, length and style of book you want to publish, reach out to us at [email protected] for a free quote. You can also create a free author account for access to many of our author tools, expert guides, and to upload files, place orders and watch your account activity after you start publishing. STEP #6: Get An ISBN & LCCN ISBN’s are required for retail sales. Do it yourself or let us handle it for you by clicking on Purchase ISBN in your Vervante author Dashboard. LCCN’s make your book eligible for library cataloging. If you want an LCCN, we offer that service as well, you’ll find it under the Services menu on our site. STEP #7: Format the Interior & Design Your Cover Professional formatting for your book content (the interior pages) creates a better experience for the reader. Look at some of your favorite books for ideas about everything from page numbering to chapter headings to photos, graphs, and charts. Attractive cover design invites readers to dig in. It’s best to use a professional designer with book cover experience. Ask your colleagues, reach out on social media, or you can check with us for referrals and ideas. Don’t forget, book cover design includes front, back and the spine. STEP #8: eBook Conversion If you have a book – you can have an ebook too! Just think of how many more readers you can reach by offering your book to e-reader audiences who are hungry for new titles to add to their digital library. Be sure to choose a reputable ebook conversion specialist who can provide the services you need. And feel free to reach out to us for recommendations as well. STEP #9: Upload Files & Order a Copy for Yourself It’s ready! Upload print-ready text and cover files for your book using the Send Files link on your author Dashboard home page. Once the file shows up in your author account you can place orders from there. If you have something special in mind, such as bulk orders for a special event or book signing, let us know by emailing [email protected]. Once the book appears in your author account, order a copy (or 2) from your author Dashboard page for a final check – and congratulate yourself! STEP #10: Copyright Registration Don’t skip this important step to legally protect your book. You can do it yourself, or let our copyright experts handle it to make sure your work is protected. We can set it up for you, just log into your Vervante author account and click on the Copyright registration link on the author Dashboard. Here’s a great article with lots more details about Copyrighting a book. STEP #11: Build Landing Page & Set-Up Shopping Cart Set up sales pages and make sure your shopping carts are integrated with our system. Follow the instructions on our Order Processing Page (link at the bottom of our website pages) and Vervante will be automatically notified.  From the order confirmation email generated from ANY shopping cart, we’ll print and ship your book to your customer. for sales and shipping. STEP #12: Retail Sales & eBook Listing We will handle all of the details of listing your book and eBook on Amazon, processing and shipping orders.  We don’t take a percentage of the retail or any processing fees. If you’re ready to get your book out there and share your brilliance with the world, we’re here for you. Be sure to sign up for our Vervescence newsletter and you’ll receive valuable special offers, priceless tips from the pros, and all the support you need for creating and publishing book and products that will truly help your business grow. And if you have any questions, we’re always here to help. You can email us at [email protected] or schedule a live phone call with one of our publishing experts at https://vervante.youcanbook.me/.

Vervante • January 17, 2018

As we plan for 2018, we couldn’t help but notice that there were a few of our products from this past year that really caught your eye. From tried-and-true classics to recent debuts that made a splash, we thought it would be fun to give you a chance to revisit old favorites, or try out new ones, at a discount price (but only for a limited time, details below). Here they are: 2018 Daily Planner (Soft cover): This soft-cover, spiral-bound daily planner for creative minds was a big hit from the moment we debuted it late last year. While it's great as it is, many of our customers customized it for their own businesses by adding logos or changing the content inside. 2018 Daily Planner (Hard Cover): This planner has been so popular that we’re offering a hard cover spiral bound option too.We think you’ll love our design with month at a glance and week at a glance pages and creative inspirations throughout. Book Sample Set: Ready to publish but not quite sure on the specifics of binding? This set will help you make the choice with samples of books featuring three kinds of binding (perfect bound, spiral and saddle-stitch) plus a sample bookmark. Card Samples: This set puts a variety of options in your hands to help you choose what’s best for sharing your message and supporting your business. It includes several sets of cards and a fun deck of 34 cards featuring inspirational quotes and packaged in a custom printed tuck box. Adult Coloring Book: Order a coloring book for fun, but don't forget to consider the possibilities they offer for your business. We can create custom coloring books, and make them really stand out by adding stickers, pens, crayons or other products that pair up well. Live Love Inspire Journal: This gorgeous journal has been in high demand since we debuted it last year. Its hard cover, wire-o binding, and beautiful soft-touch UV coating finish are a great example of the quality and customization we offer. Set of 10 Greeting Cards: Need a beautiful set of greeting cards? This set includes 10 cards plus envelopes packaged in a stationery box with a clear lid. Great for yourself, as gifts for clients, or inspiration for your own set. Little Book of Big Ideas: We're giving you a sneak peek at our newest product with this special offer before the official debut. "50 Ways to Build a Business & Life You Love" is a small hard cover book filled with ideas to help you take charge of your own destiny, follow your passion and realize your potential. The book is hard cover, 5x 6.5, foil stamped with a soft-touch UV finish. Intrigued? We hoped so! To see more details and take advantage of these special discounts just log into your Vervante author account, and click on the “Order Samples” link in the Support section. Or CLICK HERE to see all the products on one page. To help you get the New Year off to a great start, these discounts will be available throughout January.