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Vervante • February 8, 2022

(Part 2 of our "How to Create a Product From Start to Finish 5-part series) How to Create a Product with Vervante: Part 2 In the second installment of this special series of articles, we will guide you through the next steps once you’ve defined the product you want to create. How to get printing cost quotes Once you've defined exactly what you want to create, you can reach out to our team to find out what it will cost to print it. We provide free quotes, all you need to know when requesting a quote are general specifications. Here are a few examples: Books: Size of book, number of pages, cover type, binding method Card decks or greeting cards: Size of cards, number of cards, packaging Planners or journals: Number of pages, page size, tabs, covers, binding, etc. To request a quote, go to the Vervante website and click on “Get a Quote” in the top right-hand corner. Fill out the required information and you will receive an email response with the quote information. Create a Vervante author account To upload files and order products, you need to create a Vervante author account. It’s free, quick, and easy. Just go to our website and click on Sign Up. Once you’re set up, you can access your Author Dashboard, which is where you can upload files for printing, place orders, and access everything from sales reports to invoice details and everything else you need to manage your account. Writing and creating content No matter what kind of product you are creating - books, planners, card decks, children's books, coloring books, etc. - it's guaranteed that you will need some amount of written content for that product. Content is just as important as design when it comes to creating a product that is both attractive and functional. Here are a few of our tips to give you a head start as you create content for your product: Writing productivity tips: Facing a blank page can be hard, but we've put together a few articles that can help you get into the zone, including: "How to overcome writing obstacles," a fun guide to zombie-proofing your book or product, and our National Novel Writing Month writing productivity guide. The importance of copy editing: Nothing can be more damaging to your products and your reputation than publishing a book or other written product that is filled with typos, errors, and incorrect information. A few mistakes here and there aren't that big of a deal, but consistent misspellings, grammar errors, and incorrect information will distract your reader and leave them with a negative perception of you, your expertise, and the message or information you share. Check out this article to learn more about the different types of editing and how important it is for the success of your product: "The Importance of Copy Editing." Understanding legal issues: Understanding how to protect your unique work and the rules you need to follow is an essential part of being an author and entrepreneur. We've published several resources and multiple blog articles about the most common issues, answering many FAQs that our customers send our way. We've included links below to articles and free guides you can access that will give you a good working knowledge of the do's and don'ts as you create your new product. What to put on your book copyright page: The copyright page is found at the front of the book, usually right after the title page. The format can be varied as there is no single accepted template for copyright pages. Generally, they will contain things like: copyright notice, ISBN, publisher information, contact information, rights and permissions, country book is printed in, author website, credits and disclaimers. Follow the link to this story, "What to Put on Your Copyright Page," and you'll see lots of examples you can use for inspiration.   FREE RESOURCES Our Help Page offers a variety of free resources including product videos and guides on everything from design tips to copyrighting.  Below are links to just a few of the many guides available: How to Use ISBN, LCCN, and Copyright "Can I Use That Quote?" What Authors Need to Know About Fair Use & Permissions Copyright Permissions and Fair Use How to Write a Children's Book Word Count Conversion Chart Custom-Designed Card Decks How to Create Your Own Coloring Books 7 Steps to Create the Perfect Planner In this section of our special 5-part series, we hope we shared information that has inspired and motivated you to move forward with your idea for a book or special product. Next week, we will cover what you need to know about designing your product, with insider tips to help you through the process. Links to Full Series Article #1: Getting Started Article #2: Creating Your New Product (this article) Article #3: Design and Print Files Article #4: Publishing & Printing Article #5: How to Share & Sell

Vervante • January 19, 2022

You've probably seen us talk about POD often enough, but what about MOQ? When it comes to the print and publishing world, becoming familiar with printing terms like these is a great way to minimize confusion and help you make the right decisions for budgeting, printing and sales down the line. Here's what you need to know: What is MOQ? “MOQ”, or minimum order quantity, refers to the fewest number of units required to be purchased at one time in order to place an order. The main reason for minimum order quantity is due to the upfront fixed costs associated with setting up a custom print job. Minimum order amounts can vary as well, depending on the product. To find out what the minimum order amount is for a specific product, please reach out to us either using the "Get a Quote" link on our website, or by emailing [email protected]. What is POD? Print on Demand, "POD", uses digital printing methods to print books and other products only in the amount needed. This means you can order 1 book or you can order 100, whatever you need. (More details here: "How Vervante Print On Demand works") POD vs MOQ The deciding factor on whether printing will be POD or MOQ depends on the type and complexity of product. We've created a graphic you can see here that lists many of the products we provide and whether they are POD or MOQ. For example: POD: Card decks, paperback books, notepads, and saddle-stitch booklets MOQ: Hardcover planners and books, kiss-cut or die-cut stickers, and anything with foil stamping or wire-o binding To access this graphic anytime, or download it for free, visit our Expert Guides page on the Vervante website.

Vervante • November 11, 2021

If you plan on selling products this holiday season, this is one of those emails you need to keep on hand. No matter what you need - from extra print runs to calculating postage and shipping - we can help. CHOOSING SHIPPING METHOD Vervante gives our customers the ability to choose the best shipping method for your needs. Our shipping system will automatically default to Media Mail for domestic shipments. However, if you want your orders to arrive by Christmas, we don't recommend Media Mail after November 30. If you want to set a specific shipping method for a product, you can do this from your Author Dashboard. Here's how: STEP #1: Log into your Vervante Author Dashboard and select the link that says "Select Specific Shipping Methods." You will see a list of your products, their estimated weights, and the default shipping methods. Initially the shipping methods are set to the default of "Best Way." This means that we will use Media Mail unless you change (or have previously) changed the shipping method to something else. (Remember, if you want your packages to arrive by Christmas, we don't recommend using Media Mail after Nov. 30). STEP #2: FOR INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING please click on the link at the top of the page for International Shipping Methods. STEP #3: TO SET DEFAULT SHIPPING METHODS for each of your products, select the desired method you prefer in the right hand column, then click on the "Update Ship Methods" button at the bottom of the page to save your preferences. (VERY IMPORTANT: Don't forget to save your changes) For more details and tips on things like using Media Mail and making sure you're choosing the best shipping method, be sure to check out our article on the blog here: "How to Set Up Shipping for the Holidays." CALCULATING POSTAGE We offer a postage calculator on the Vervante website for our customers. Here’s how to use it: Log into your Vervante account Scroll down to the Support section and select Calculate Postage You will see your products listed and their weight Below your product list you’ll see a USPS shipping calculator.  You can then enter information such as destination, dates, weight, etc to calculate shipping costs. PRINTING TURNAROUND TIMES Be sure to allow time for your products to be printed as you plan your holiday sales deadlines. Turnaround time for products printed on demand is usually 5-7 business days.  Due to increased volume in December, orders may take an additional 2-3 business days to print. HOLIDAY SHIPPING Did you know that because Black Friday falls on Nov 26 this year, you only have less than a month to make sure all orders make it to your customers on time? For that reason, it’s a good idea to get familiar with shipping deadlines. UPS: If you use UPS, check here for their November and December deadlines US POSTAL SERVICE: For USPS, you can check here for shipping deadlines and postage information 2022 DAILY PLANNERS If you’re planning on selling a daily planner for 2022, here are some important dates and information to know. Turnaround times for hardcover planners is approximately 4-6 weeks. For all other planners (laminated, board covers, poly paper, etc.), turnaround time is approximately 4 weeks.  If you are planning on selling a hardcover planner, we are still accepting orders, but cannot guarantee that they will be finished and shipped in time for the Christmas holiday. Please email our team at [email protected] for questions or assistance. FULFILLMENT HELP If you already printed your products and need an easy to manage distribution resource for the holidays or for any time of the year, we can help. Here’s how: Store your products in our modern warehouse facility located in Utah Provide us with order information and we will pull the required products from inventory, package and ship directly to your customers This can be done for individual orders or bulk orders Click here to learn more about our Fulfillment Services Click here to learn more about our Warehousing and Inventory Management Services

Vervante • October 1, 2021

If you have a book or product for sale via Amazon Marketplace - or planning on it for the future - and are unsure how to calculate how much profit you'll make on a sale, we've got you covered. As our customers are prepping for holiday launches for books and planners we've been hearing this question more often, prompting our CEO, Cindy Tyler, to create a video walking you through the process of identifying costs and calculating profits for your listings on Amazon Marketplace. Click here to access this special video with Cindy. In this video we cover: How to have Vervante set up your Amazon listing for you How to access our online retail transaction calculators Details of how Amazon fees work Estimating product and postage costs Calculating final profit amounts If you're curious to learn more about our services listing products on Amazon, the difference between using Vervante vs. KDP (Amazon's publishing services), or details and best practices when it comes to selling and shipping retail products, we invite you to visit our online library of free resources, including the following: Why Vervante vs. Amazon KDP Helpful Hints for Retail Distribution From Retail Sales to Royalties: How Authors Get Paid Bottom line? We want you to feel confident as you list, sell and ship your books and products and know that our team is here for you to help you along the way. For free production quotes, or to answer any other questions you might have, reach out to our team at Vervante customer service, we're here for you!

Vervante • September 14, 2021

Every author  needs a website. Especially self-published authors. Social media is great. But when it comes down to it, an author website that you control is the best way to promote your books, boost your sales, and create a loyal following that will support your future endeavors too. As a self-published author you should have a website, at least one social media account, and an Amazon Author Page that works together in harmony to connect and promote. But the mistake that many authors made is building them – then forgetting about them. An active website can do wonders for sales and engagement. An outdated or stagnant one will do the opposite. Luckily, it’s easy to improve your author website so that you can make sure it’s supporting your goals. If you’re thinking to yourself “Gee, it’s been a while since I’ve checked in to my own site,” we’ve rounded up a few tips for making your author website all it can be. 5 Things You Need for An Author Website First, let’s cover the basics. You should have the following 5 things on your author website. Author Bio Your Books and Products Mailing List Sign Up Contact Info Blog or Calendar Tips for improving your author website TIP #1: AUTHOR BIO: Make sure your bio is up-to-date, and that it includes a clear call-to-action at the end. If a reader feels connect to you, give them a way to stay in touch. This can include pointing them to your email/newsletter sign-up (see Tip #3), buying a book, or even just following you on an active social media account. TIP #2: BOOKS & PRODUCTS: All of the books and products you currently have available for sale should be listed and have easy-to-find links for purchasing. If you have multiple products or lines, make sure this page is well-organized and easy to read. Many readers will go to your website to find your books, and if you make it easy for them to click and buy, you’ll make them very happy (and get more sales!) We encourage you to sell directly from your site using any shopping cart, then let us print and ship the product to your customer.  Selling direct allows you to collect the customer data, specifically their email address, and build your subscriber list. You can then sell your products on Amazon as a secondary distribution channel. TIP #3: MAILING LIST SIGN UP: Start collecting email addresses even if you don’t have a newsletter yet. Building a database of interested followers and loyal fans is a very powerful way to boost future sales, connect with your readers, and create a community that will support you for the long term. (You can read more here about how a contact list can support your next book or product launch.) TIP #4: CONTACT INFO: Don’t leave them hanging. You don’t have to share your personal email or phone number, but be sure that readers have a way to stay in touch including an email/newsletter sign-up, social media, or even how to follow you on your Amazon Author Page. TIP #5: BLOG or CALENDAR PAGE: A blog is a great way to let people know more about you, share your world, announce new books, launch campaigns, and give them a place to connect in a deeper way with you. A calendar is also a great method of announcing events such as book signing, online live streams, holiday promotions, etc. TIP #6: MAKE IT SPECIAL: Offering incentives can go a long way toward creating a loyal and enthusiastic following. Lead Magnets Pre-Sale / Pre-Launch Offers Discounts Bonuses VIP Status Free Content Swag (Stickers are fun -- Custom card decks too!) If you’re gearing up for a book or product launch for the holidays, now is the perfect time to update your author page. Having one more support system updated and ready to go will streamline your launch and help with smooth sales throughout the year ahead.

Vervante • July 27, 2021

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

Vervante • July 7, 2021

If you use the online design program Canva to create your products, you’re not alone. Many of our customers use Canva with great results for creating planners, journals, card decks, calendars and more. If you have your Canva designs ready to send to us, here are a few tips and tricks to make sure your files are correctly set up and your printing experience stress-free. Page Limitations When you create a design in Canva that has multiple pages, Canva limits you to 100 pages. If you are creating a product that has more than 100 pages, such as card decks or daily planners, here’s what to do: Split up your design into multiple files within Canva. Send us the files and our design team will merge them into one final print-ready pdf for a small design fee. Please number the PDFs in the order they should be merged. We will then send you the final file for your approval before proceeding with setting up your product for printing with us. Adding Bleed If your product has color that goes all the way to the edge of the page, you need to be sure that you’ve added bleed to your design. Bleed helps to avoid having unsightly white gaps when you want your design to print to the edge of the paper. Here is how to set up bleed on designs in Canva: Click on “File” Select “Show print bleed.” A border of broken lines will appear close to the edges of your design. This margin is fixed and cannot be adjusted. If you see white gaps around the design edges, adjust your background and design elements to cover the white spaces. Due to the risk of a shift when cutting, make sure you extend the images outside of the bleed line to guarantee your document does not have a white stripe along the side of your page. Also, when you’re making those adjustments, know that anything in the bleed area will be trimmed off your print in the finishing process so if you want something to show up on your print, don’t let it creep into the bleed area. Crop Marks Crop marks show the printer where to trim (or cut) the paper or card for your product. The size for crop marks is fixed and cannot be adjusted. The time to add crop marks is when you’re ready to download your design and send it for printing. After you add bleed to your design, click the Download button on the toolbar. On the File Type dropdown menu, select PDF Print. Click the box next to “Crop marks and bleed.” Click Download. For more details and information about preparing your files for print, be sure to refer to this article “How to Prepare Your Files for Printing” on our blog.   ***Why are bleed and crop marks important? Missing bleed and crop marks seem to be the most popular reason for rejected print files. If your PDF has edge-to-edge printing, then you need bleed. This means the image should be slightly larger than the finished page size so that when we trim to the crop marks, we will cut through the image so that the printing actually prints edge to edge. Without bleed, your page/cover/document will have a white border all of the way around and the color will not print to the edge of the sheet. Print file preparation is extremely important, so even if you're not ready to start printing just yet, be sure to save these instructions to help you down the road.   Downloading Files From Canva Canva provides all you need to download a print-ready file, if you follow these directions: Start by clicking the download button in the top right. Under “File Type,” make sure “PDF Print” is selected. (Not PDF Standard). Make sure “Crop marks and bleed” are checked. Download your files in a single-page PDF format. Click “Download” to get your files. If you have any questions about using Canva for printing, or preparing your files to send to us, we’re here to help.

Vervante • July 7, 2021

Some authors come to us to self-publish one book. But most authors end up creating multiple books and products, as it’s hard to turn off inspiration (and your audience keeps asking for more!). No matter what kind of books you’re writing – from fitness to finance to fun cozy murder-mysteries – there’s something that everyone should understand early in the process: The benefits of publishing imprints for self-published authors. What is a publishing imprint? A publishing imprint is the name assigned to an ISBN. It will be the name listed as publisher on your book copyright or imprint page, on the back cover of your book, and in retail descriptions such as Amazon. Benefits of creating a publishing imprint Authors who publish their works under imprints set themselves apart from other self-published authors who have no imprint and are publishing under their own names. Having your book listed with a publisher name that is different than your own creates a level of professionalism that can overcome bias that many still have against self-publishing. Having an "official" name on the back of that book gives it a professionalism that many readers are looking for. It also helps you create continuity with your branding, and gives you more flexibility in marketing and sales. How to create a publishing imprint When you work with Vervante, you have the flexibility to choose between using us (Vervante) as your imprint, or creating one for yourself. Using Vervante as your imprint: If an author uses an ISBN purchased through Vervante, then Vervante will be listed as your imprint. Using Vervante ISBNs and listing Vervante as your publisher adds credibility as we are an established, respected publisher who has been in business for 21 years. Another benefit to using our ISBN is that you, as the author, retain full rights to your ISBN and content (a benefit that many other publishing companies do not offer.)  Creating your own imprint: If you already have a business brand name and your book is a part of that business, you might choose to create an imprint that is consistent with your business. For example, if your brand is “Fitness International,” and you are writing a series of books about nutrition, health and wellness, your publishing imprint could simply be “Fitness International Press.” If an author wants to create and use their own imprint, they must purchase their ISBNs directly from Bowker. When you purchase your ISBN directly from them, you can set up the publisher name that will be attached to it. PLEASE NOTE: If you purchase ISBNs from Bowker, you don't need to purchase barcodes as well. There are a number of free barcode generators online that you can use. An imprint is a great way for self-published authors to brand their works and elevate their credibility by having a professional publishing name associated with their books. If you have any questions about using Vervante as your imprint, or creating your own, please email our team

Vervante • June 30, 2021

One step in the sales process that is important to plan ahead for is returned orders. There are a lot of reasons for returns, but no matter why, we can help you plan ahead to create a hassle-free process for both yourself and your customer. RETURNS POLICY First, we highly recommend that you share your return policy with customers by including it on your packing slip. For directions on how to do this, see this article on our website: "How to Customize Your Packing Slip." Here is an example you can customize to fit your needs: "This product was shipped to you by Vervante in partnership with YOUR COMPANY NAME. In the unlikely event of damage during shipment, please contact Vervante at [email protected]. YOUR COMPANY NAME offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you would like to return the product, please make a copy of this packing slip and return that copy with the product to: COMPANY MAILING ADDRESS. When we receive your return (FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS HERE)."  WHAT HAPPENS TO RETURNS When a return is received, our receiving department will e-mail you that the package has been returned. As of March 15, 2022, returns sent to Vervante will incur a $4.00 charge to your account. Damaged products: In the unlikely event of damage during shipment, please contact Vervante at [email protected] (or have your customer contact us) and we will replace that item. Address issues: Any address issues that make your product undeliverable will be returned to our office. We will notify you when we receive it, and the reason for the return. If we receive a return for insufficient address or address problems, and you are able to provide us with an updated correct address, we will reship the order at no additional charge except for the postage. If a product has NOT been opened, used or is not damaged, we will re-use the product. If the product HAS been opened, we do not re-use returns and they will be destroyed immediately. ORDER PROCESSING & SHIPPING For more information about how order processing and shipping work for all of your books and products with Vervante see this article: "How Vervante Order Processing & Shipping Works." Returns happen, and we're here to help you handle them as gracefully as possible. For questions or requests regarding book or other products returns, please reach out to our team at [email protected].

Vervante • June 23, 2021

How is your latest project going? If you're writing a book, or creating a new product like a card deck, daily planner, or journal, sometimes a little help getting started is what you need. Or maybe you're in the middle, got stuck, and not sure what your next step should be. No matter what you need - ideas, instructions, inspiration - you can find it on our website. Free resources written by our expert team that detail every step and every angle of the process, all free, easy to access, and available right now. Just click on the images below for access to everything you need to give your books and products the advantage as you bring your ideas to life.   FREE GUIDES FOR AUTHORS                                           DETAILED VIDEOS                                                 PRINT SPECS, SAMPLES & MORE                        

Vervante • June 8, 2021

If you’re looking for a secret weapon to support your Amazon sales, here it is – Amazon Author Pages! Authors who sell books on Amazon automatically have access to this very cool – and free – resource, but often don’t know they can use it, or forget about it with all the hustle and bustle of a sales launch. Amazon Author Pages help you to connect with your readers by providing detailed information about you, your books, and any other links or products you’d like to promote. There’s even a way for people to “Follow” you on Amazon so fans can be alerted when you debut new items. If you haven’t used this resource yet – or maybe set one up but forgot about it – it’s not too late. Here’s what you need to do:   How to set up an Amazon Author Page Get started by going to Amazon Author Central and log in to your account. If this is the first time you're logging in to Author Central, follow their directions for verifying your account and linking to your existing books for sale on Amazon. Once you've done that, Amazon will walk you through the rest of the setup steps. Here are a few pro tips to make sure you are using this resource to its best: Amazon Profile: Start by uploading a current photo.  Biography: Sharing your story helps readers make a stronger connection with you. Blogs: Link to your blog so updates will be posted on your Author Page as well. Photos & Videos: Upload event videos, book trailers, speaking highlights, interviews, etc. Once you’ve filled in all the information, check that all of your books are listed on your Author Page. If any of your books are not listed, go to the Books tab and click Add more books. To see how your Amazon Author Page looks to other people, click on the link provided in the Profile section. You'll also see a tab at the top called "Reports and Marketing," where you can: Use the Sales Rank feature to check how your book is performing in Amazon. Check Customer Reviews under the Reports + Marketing tab  Want to see how other authors are using Amazon Author Pages? Here are a couple you can check out for inspiration: Melanie Beckler Judi Holler Amazon Author Pages are free to set up and a great opportunity you don’t want to miss. We hope this inspired you to get started on your own, and please let us know if you have any questions.

Vervante • May 25, 2021

When you place an order and open your package, what is the first thing you see? Often, it’s the packing slip inside! This simple piece of paper is often overlooked, but can be customized to make it a useful, interesting, and value-adding part of your customer’s experience. Think of the packing slip as a valuable piece of real estate perfect for sharing information like: A greeting or message that makes a personal connection Your logo for brand awareness Return policies that eliminate confusion about time frames or refunds Business address and contact information (PLEASE NOTE: Prices are NOT included on our packing slips.) Here at Vervante, we provide the ability to customize packing slips – and you can even print out a sample to see how it will look from your customer’s perspective. Here’s how to get started First, log into your Vervante author account, then select “Customize My Packing Slip” on your Author Dashboard. From this page, you have options to customize in the following ways: Add a logo Input your business address Add a personal greeting, instructions, return policy, or other message Include a custom return address if needed When you make a change to your packing slip, be sure to click on the “UPDATE” button at the bottom of the page to save your changes. Then you can click on the “PRINT SAMPLE” button to print out a copy and proofread your changes. Too often, the value of these small slips of paper that come with packages are overlooked. We hope this gave you some great ideas and useful info for customizing your packing slips. And if you have any questions, please let us know. We're here to help at [email protected].

Vervante • May 16, 2021

You’ve created the perfect planner, now the big question is how much to charge for it? It’s like a scary math problem where the answer isn’t always clear. Price it too high and no one will buy. Price it too low and you devalue your work and your profits. Finding the right price doesn’t have to feel like a guessing game, though, especially if you follow these steps. (btw, these work for any product – books, journals, card decks, etc.) STEP #1: Research similar products and see what they are charging. This will give you a starting price range and an idea of what customers are willing to pay. A note about pricing: If your community is relatively small and you’re planning on printing a small batch, for example less than 500 planners, don’t compare your product and price point to planner industry leaders Emily Ley or Erin Condren who both print thousands at a time, making their costs significantly lower.  STEP #2: Calculate your costs including printing, production, and fulfillment to get a break-even baseline. If you plan to sell on Amazon, remember to add in 15% commission for Amazon.  If you sell from your own site, include fees such as credit card processing and other merchant fees. STEP #3: Consider the value your book, planner or product is offering to your customer. Will this product help them save time, money, stress? If you deliver a lot of value, this in turn raises the value of your product and the price you can charge. STEP #4: Set a price that feels right to you. If you think you’re charging too little, then you’ll feel resentful and that will come through. If you think you are charging too much, you might feel nervous, unsure or scared to put it out there. STEP #5: Poll beta testers. Reach out to friends, colleagues, anyone who might fit your target customer demographic and ask for feedback.  A soft-launch is a great way to test the water.  Pre-orders are another great way to test your product, price, and even help determine how many to print. The other added benefit of pre-orders is that it helps offset the cost of the print run. STEP #6: Relax that this isn’t set in stone. Pricing can be nerve-racking, we know, but you can always adjust. You might start out with an introductory price to test the waters and then adjust it to fit demand. Coupon codes, special packaged deals, and other similar methods can be used until you’ve got it just right. STEP #7: Add value to support your price: Make the price you set a no-brainer by adding so much value that your customer is excited to buy! Create packages to make it unique and different than anything else – and add value with extra products that complement it. For example, for daily planners you could include extras like pens, clips, bookmarks, notepads, stickers, card decks, or even experiences like an introductory coaching session or limited-time membership in a mastermind or online program. Adding a little something extra like this will elevate your planner's value in your customer's eyes. Yes, there might be similar products with lower prices (that are most likely bulk-produced in China), but you have the ability with self-publishing services to create something unique, elevate your customer's experience, and make yours the choice they want.

Vervante • April 28, 2021

No matter what type of product you have, there are always ways you can make it better. Even just the smallest little extra can be the key that inspires customers to hit the "buy" button and choose your product over the rest. We've rounded up a few ideas below for popular products that you can easily add for your products.  Card Decks Custom-designed card decks are fun, valuable, easy to use, and very memorable. A great way to uplevel your card deck presentation is by creating custom packaging. Many people provide bags for card decks that we can package them in, but did you know that we can also print custom-designed boxes and packaging for cards? Check out our expert guide, "How to Create Custom Printed Card Decks," on our Expert Guide page to learn more about card decks and the packaging options we offer.     Spiral or Wire-o Binding Journals, planners, coloring books, and workbooks are just a few examples of products that increase in both function and value when you have the ability to lay them flat. When it comes to spiral and wire-o binding, we have a lot of options. Plus, we can help you list and sell spiral-bound products on Amazon - something most other print-on-demand publishers don't offer. Spiral binding can be used for:  Soft Covers Poly Paper (water and tear resistant) Hard covers Laminated Soft Covers 2-Ply Board Covers We offer a range of colors for spiral and wire-o that have the power to deliver a high-impact first impression, as well as a reliable binding option for your customer. Your product, already packed with value, becomes awe-inspiring and unique with the simple addition of a color or metal option. Plastic spiral binding (50+ colors) Metal spiral (3+ colors) Metal wire-o (7 colors) For more information about using spiral or wire-o binding for books, journals, planners, coloring books and more, see "How to Sell Spiral Bound Products on Amazon" on our blog.   Custom Labels or Custom Printed Boxes Custom labels are an excellent way to maximize your brand, logo, or message. Take advantage of this valuable – and often overlooked – brand-boosting opportunity by creating a fullcolor label that features your unique design. Custom labels are a simple, yet vastly effective way of dressing your letter and packages for success, and making sure that your brand is the one that stands out. A custom printed box stands out from the crowd. Add your message to the outside and inside of the box and wow your customers! For more information about custom printed boxes, watch the video "Custom Printed Boxes" on our video vault page on the website.   Printed Newsletters Direct mail pieces such as newsletters are a great way to connect to your readers at a deeper, more emotional level. Sending them in a standard white or brown envelope is great, but sending them in a clear mailing envelope is a great way to let your newsletter shine through and wow your readers before they even start reading them.   Check out our expert guide, "The Secret Weapon to Successful Newsletters," on our Expert Guide page to learn more about creating, mailing and packaging printed newsletters.  For more product and packaging ideas that will help your products stand out from the crowd, be sure to watch the videos in our website Video Vault. We are also happy to provide free quotes and answer questions about any of the products mentioned here,

Vervante • April 13, 2021

We're very excited to share with you today a new expert guides now available on our website Expert Guides page. It's free, easy to download and print, and we can't wait for you to see it. New Free Guide: Amazon Images & "Peek Inside" Feature This expert guide shares how to provide images for your listing, and how to add a popular feature  that shoppers love. We can use single images of a book cover, or we can use designed images (like the one here with multiple products). We can also help you set up something similar to Amazon's popular "Look Inside" feature so customers can get a taste of the book or product you're offering for sale. We offer this service for both Amazon and Vervante Bookstore listings, called "Peek Inside." You're invited to check out our new guide, recently posted to the Expert Guides page on our website, for details. If you'd like to set this up for your listings in Amazon or the Vervante Bookstore, just following the easy direction in the user guide. And we'll be here at [email protected] if you need any help. You can view and download this guide, and many others, on our Expert Guides page on the website.

Vervante • April 6, 2021

Spiral binding is popular for many types of books because it makes them so much easier to use. Planners, journals, workbooks, cookbooks, and coloring books are often so much easier to read and write in with spiral binding as it allows them to open fully and lay flat. Picture a coloring book or planner that is perfect bound, like a novel, next to one with spiral binding that lays flat, and you’ll see why spiral binding is often the better choice. Did you know, however, that spiral binding on-demand is rare in the publishing world? That’s why we’re happy to share with you that we offer on demand spiral binding and the ability to sell your spiral-bound product on Amazon and anywhere else you want too. Spiral binding options Spiral binding is sometimes also called spiral coil, plastic coil or coil binding. Spiral binding is durable, won't break or bend under pressure, and comes in more than 50 different colors allowing you to customize your book by matching the binding to the cover for a unique and attractive finish. Spiral is also available in metal.  This is a very popular option over metal wire-o binding. The reason is because it is a continuous metal spiral so the binding cannot come apart. Sometimes with wire-o binding, the loops can be pulled apart or they inadvertently don’t get clamped together properly. We love metal spiral binding because this doesn’t happen. Metal spiral is available in three colors: silver, black and white. We stock silver metal spiral. Black and white can be special ordered. Plastic spiral is available in more than 50 colors. We stock black and white. Other colors can be special ordered. Both Metal and Plastic spiral binding are available on-demand or for bulk orders. Wire-o binding A similar binding option for books is wire-o binding, also known as twin loop, double-loop, or wire binding. It also allows a book to lay flat, comes in a variety of colors, and is a popular choice for journals and planners. The minimum order quantity for wire-o binding is 25. Click on these links to see the color options for plastic spiral, metal spiral, and metal wire-o binding: Metal Wire-o Metal Spiral Plastic Spiral Using spiral or wire-o binding with custom covers We offer both soft and hard cover options with spiral and wire-o binding. Spiral and wire-o binding can be used with all of our cover options: Soft covers Poly paper covers 2-ply board covers Hard covers If you want the best of both worlds – a spiral bound book that lays flat, but has a spine like a traditional book that looks good on a shelf – we offer a unique wrap-around cover that provides everything you want. Spiral binding videos Be sure to watch the videos in our website Video Vault to see multiple highlights of products with spiral binding, wire-o binding, and all of the customizations we mentioned here. We offer samples for spiral bound products to help you see and feel how it might function with your own products. You can see our sample offerings page here.  We are also happy to provide free quotes for spiral-bound products, or answer questions at [email protected].

Vervante • March 24, 2021

If you love the idea of creating a daily planner, hopefully our articles earlier this year outlining the steps and strategies for a smooth process helped inspire and motivate you. We shared a step-by-step guide for creating a planner from A to Z, stressing the importance of understanding the timelines and planning ahead. We followed up with a detailed look at deciding how your planner will look and function with design and formatting tutorials you’ll want to bookmark. Once you’ve set your plan and started designing your planner, the next steps are really fun – deciding on the details, all those little extras that can really make your product shine. Creating a Daily Planner: Details, Extras & Add-Ons It’s all the little extras that can make a planner extra special. We offer a lot of great options that you can pick and choose from to make your planner uniquely your own, and make sure it fits the audience you’re building it for. The best place to go to learn more about what we offer is the Video Vault page on our website. We’ve recently adding a handful of new videos in addition to what is already there, and they are all filled with real-life, full-color demos of our products and all the extras showing how the look and function to help you make your decisions. Here’s what you can check out now on the site: Planner & Journal Add-On Options: Extras that make your product shine such as foil stamping, metal corners, tabs, kiss-cut stickers, paper pockets, bookmarks, and elastic straps. Hardcover Journals: Multiple options for journals and books: Faux leather, linen or printed covers, foil stamping, soft or hard covers, ribbon markers, elastic straps. Concealed Hardcover Wire-o: Yes, you can have it all! A hardcover, wire-o planner, journal or book WITH a spine! And extra touches including printed end sheets and a lux soft-touch laminated cover.   Our Annual Customizable Planner: This is a great detailed dive into how we create our popular annual planners that many of our customers use as a starting point for creating their own. See features and budget-friendly alternatives including wire binding in multiple colors, printed tab dividers, paper pockets, and more. Faux Leather and Linen Covers: In addition to cover alternatives, this video highlights extras including metal corners, ribbon markers and elastic straps. Poly Paper Cover: A lightweight and durable option for planners, and other types of journals or workbooks, poly paper covers are durable, waterproof, tear-proof, washable, fade-resistant, and recyclable. Plastic Snap-in Sheets: Add these to wire-o bound planners, they add functionality and can be written on with a dry-erase marker. Did one of these journals or planners catch your eye? In addition to seeing our products in our videos, you can also order samples of various products here.

Vervante • March 12, 2021

Looking for a lightweight and durable option for daily planners, journals, notebooks, workbooks, menus, etc? A Poly Paper Cover might be just what you need. Be sure to check out one of our newest videos on the Vervante Video Vault page highlighting the versatility of Poly Paper covers. This synthetic paper is durable, waterproof, tear-proof, washable, fade-resistant, and recyclable. These can be printed on both sides, can be used with spiral binding or wire-o, and are a great budget-friendly choice if you need something more durable than plain paper but not quite as thick as hard covers.  Poly Paper covers are very popular for daily planner covers, journals, reference documents, menus, and much more - Click HERE to see more details and order one of our 2021 Daily Planners with a bright and fun Poly Paper Cover. To learn more about this new cover option, check out the video on our website, or reach out to us at [email protected]. 

Vervante • November 17, 2020

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

Vervante • November 3, 2020

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