Showing posts with label Publication Services. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Publication Services. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Publisher Data collection

Book publishing services are usually just self-publishing companies that do the legwork for a fee. But in a nutshell, the publishing industry includes the development, marketing, production and distribution of news and non-fiction magazines and books, literary works and other works dealing with dissemination of information. Although newspaper and magazine companies often own printing presses and binderies, most of the book publishing companies outsource the production and development work to smaller companies and only control the advertising and marketing tasks. Some of the publishing companies sub-contract the editorial work as well. These companies offering specialized book publishing services are also an integral part of the ever-growing publishing industry in the US.

Some of the book publishing services companies like Cader Books, Benchmark Productions, iUniverse Inc. and Xlibris offer specialized services at every stage of book publishing like researching topics and assisting authors. They also offer editing services, designing the layout, artwork and photography, cover layout, bar coding and the final printing and distribution of books. Each service has a fee and can be customized according to the client’s need.

A number of publishing service companies offer counseling services to help self-publishers. They include theme planning, book formatting, business plan advice and copyright information. Other specialized services include manuscript evaluation and critiquing, as well as suggestions as to how to develop the manuscript and make it “saleable” in the market. The publishing services also include ISBN acquisition and CIP data acquisition that are mainly used to assign a unique number to the published books and to help catalog the books.

Whether you want to get published or whether you want to self publish your cook book, the same basics apply – you need a good understanding of the publishing industry. Without the basics, will you know if your contracts are in order, that your book is the best it can be and that your cook book marketing plan is actually an effective strategy? No – but, knowledge is power. It is crucial that you take enough time to educate yourself about the entire publishing industry.

Understanding publishing, and the marketing of books, will clearly help you to identify why you are writing a cook book. Perhaps you are writing a cook book just to record secret family recipes or to have all of your own favorite recipes in a book format; maybe you are writing a cook book for a community or church fundraiser; or best of all, your goal is to create a bestseller. Cook books that are written for a very small group do not require business and marketing plans because you already know how many books will be purchased and who the buyers are. However, if you are planning to publish your own cook book for the mass markets, you need to understand that you have moved beyond author to publisher. That means that you are now a business person whose primary goal is the creation of a product to sell. There is no point in printing a book that no one will want to buy.

When I began writing my own cook book, I naively thought that it would be a two or three month process, and that in no time I would have a book on every book store shelf in the country. Ha, ha, ha, chuckle chuckle… Experience is a great educator, but who says that you have to learn the hard way? Obviously I had no idea how to publish a cook book in the beginning! However, through this article and via the publishing course that I and my partners have created, I intend to help you avoid losing time and money.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

How to reduce the Publication Cost

Publishing with vanity press has its perks and downsides. You must thoroughly research and compare the existing publishers before you start presenting or proposing the publication of your book.

Make sure that you are financially capable for the preliminary release of the book. It is advisable that the book is launched in peak seasons like Christmas. In this way, the book will be noticed and may become part of someone's gift list.

Consider the genre of the book - it may be timely for an event or a celebration. For instance, an autobiography of a local hero can be published on Independence Day. Or, a book about love can be released on Valentine's Day.

Take note that these publishers do not have a staff that will take care of your book's promotion, tours or its distribution to bookstores. If you have plans to be the next bestseller, you should take care of these concerns. Among other things, you are going to be the one accounting for royalties, licensing fees and other payments. There maybe a few companies that cover these areas, but just to be safe, you have to be on the look out.

A very important matter is the editing. There is no editor-writer relationship. You will be your own editor. You are going to be the one reconfirming relative facts or correcting grammatical errors. You also have to be careful about any statements in the book. Be sure statements do not offend anyone. A tell-all book has the potential for a lawsuit waiting to be filed.

Most of these publishers do not have a reasonable distribution scheme. Even if your book has reached the bookstore, there is a possibility that it will be placed in an obscure section of the bookstore.

Bear in mind that readers will always question your credibility as a writer, because you have participated in the publication. Beating this kind of perception is very difficult. If you are really determined to be published, establish an assurance for the quality of your book.

Vanity press requires the author to finance a part or all of the total publishing cost. This includes the marketing expenses for the promotion of the book. On the other hand, the conventional book publishing still follow the usual protocol. First, it accepts the manuscript then reviews it. If the material has commercial potential, the publisher will pay for the publication and endorsement of the book. In vanity press, the publisher has little risk because it has either a small or no investment in the publication of the book. That is why it accepts as many manuscripts as it wishes.

Amateur writers are attracted to this kind of publishing, because they are given all the opportunities that conventional publishers cannot provide. Vanity publishing usually acknowledges unsolicited manuscripts. Meaning, an author need not seek representation from literary agents.

Time is a plus. Since, authors do not wait for their manuscripts to be reviewed and approved. They have control on the date that their book is launched. Of course, it depends on the financial capacity of the writer. Also, there is no censorship. As long as the contents do not convey too much obscenity or ruin the image of the publishing house, the book will be published as it is written.

If a writer releases a book through a vanity publisher, there a significant chance to build his or her reputation in the book industry, and learn the business side of literature industry. Many function as their own agent. Thus, they can schedule their own tours, make contacts and directly receive feedback from readers.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Professional publication services

Of all the credentials desired by professional service providers, perhaps the most coveted is authorship, publishing a book under your own name. A book conveys solidity, credibility and expertise; in the mind of the marketplace, it often distinguishes the serious players from the also-rans.

But if you write and publish a book with the hope that new leads and fresh business will magically arrive at your doorstep when your book arrives on store shelves, you’re woefully mistaken. Without your active effort, your book may become little more than an attractive footnote on your resume. With careful planning and an aggressive campaign, however, your book can do more than catalyze a few fresh leads – it can open up new opportunities you may not have even considered possible before.

The following are eight points to consider about publishing and marketing. Whether you’re planning to write a book, entering contract negotiations or have already published a book and are currently marketing it, these points can help you make the most of a very good thing.

Too many authors focus almost exclusively on the terms of their advance (the money you get while writing the book) and royalties. Keep your focus and remember that you’re not writing the book to make money on sales, but as a tool to build your business or practice. Here a few important things you’ll want to address during negotiations:

Placement: The big bricks-and-mortar stores dictate shelf placement – where your book will be categorized – from corporate headquarters, and headquarters takes the lead from publishers. Ask your publisher where they think it should go and be prepared to fight, er, engage in persuasive dialog, if you disagree.

Free and/or discounted copies: Most publishers will give you a set number of free author copies for you to distribute as you wish. You can never have too many. Publishers may give you more – if you’re prepared to show them a plan for how you’ll use them, such as lists of press contacts you’ll mail them to, or a schedule of speaking engagements at which you’ll offer them as door prizes. You’ll also want to beg for as steep an author’s discount as you can get on additional copies.

First dibs on remainders: If or when your book goes out of print, standard publisher practice is to unload the leftover inventory as remainders sold at sharp discounts. Ask for a clause in your contract that gives you first rights on buying remaindered inventory.

Almighty Amazon.com: Not only is Amazon the big gorilla of book sales, it’s a distributor you can directly link to from your own website. Be sure your book gets all the special features on Amazon.com, from an image of the book cover to extensive “search inside” capabilities.


Expertise can sometimes be defined by the articles, columns, responses and books you write. It does not take a lot of effort to write the articles and columns but it does take effort to write a book. Having a book behind your name shows your expertise. After all, you were able to write 300 pages on what it is you do and make references to your work through examples. What a good way to make cold calls and get people to attend your speaking engagements. Your sales efforts will be much easier once you are defined as the expert in the field. You will have something to refer to when speaking or going to a customer (or a potential customer) site.

You can readily quote the information from the book and use charts and graphs that are relevant to your topic. The audience will have an easier time believing what you say and will also likely want to meet with you for further business. You will not only sell books at the back of the room, you will also be selling your services (or that of your company) to a willing audience. Just think back to all the talks that you have attended and also think of those that made the biggest impact on you. You will find that it is likely the ones that had a book for sale. I recently attended a talk by Jack Canfield and enjoyed his presentation and bought his book "Chicken Soup for the Soul". Before purchasing the book, I would have said “Jack Who?”

Friday, November 13, 2009

Magazines subscription services

All of us subscribe to monthly or weekly magazines. Often the newspapers are not enough to quench our thirst for knowledge, gossip and fun. We need the magazines which are more comprehensive and detailed than a newspaper. Moreover, they are more enjoyable to read on a lonely afternoon. If you are in a specialized field as a student or a professional and you simply want to keep track of the changing fashion scenario and beauty tips then the best option is to subscribe to some of the best magazines that are available in all most every city in Australia and elsewhere.

Online subscription is a great way of reducing your monthly magazine bills. Most online shops normally give you discounts and special offers. Infact most reputable sellers would charge you considerably less than the market price if you are a regular buyer. You can also go to the websites of the respective magazines and journals, and apply for the subscriptions as well. They also give you a good discount if you are purchasing for six months or a year in advance. Some of the online sellers also have additional features like gift cards, seasonal discounts, referrals schemes and renewal reminders.

The delivery time for a magazine depend upon the distance of your location from the printing center. However, most online sellers or even the main company make sure that you get the subscriptions as quickly as possible. The magazine world has a lead time of 4 to eight weeks for weeklies and 8 to 12 weeks for monthly magazines and quarterlies. If you do not get the first issue of your order in time, then you should directly go to the website of the concerned magazine and check for your order status. You can also lodge a complaint about the delay. The holidays are a great time for magazines. This is especially true during the late holiday phase. Some good online shops and magazine companies will even send you a holiday discount card or special offer coupon to purchase special issues or regular issues at amazingly discounted rates.

When purchasing magazine subscriptions online expect to save a significant amount off the cover price, but expect to the price offered to be the exact same on all the major sites. Pricing on magazine subscriptions have a fixed minimum price and the vast majority of legitimate retailers will charge exactly that minimum price. Choose the website to purchase from based on features such as additional features (such as available gift cards and renewal reminders) and based on which site you are confident you can trust. Be aware that some sites will automatically charge you for a renewal if they don't hear from you when it's time for renewal. If that's not what you'd like, read the companies policies clearly.

Most publishers use mail processing centers which print address labels for several issues at a time. Labels for new orders are generally not printed until the next run of labels. Additionally, most magazines are printed well in advance of shipping, and each printing is pre-allocated only to the amount of subscribers at the actual time of printing. As a result of this, the magazine industry has a standard "lead time" for subscriptions of 4 to 8 weeks for weekly magazines and 8 to 12 weeks for monthly magazines and quarterly subscriptions although these times do vary by different publication. If you haven't received the first issue of your subscription within the expected period times, you can often check the magazine's web site for your order status.

Magazines are a popular late holiday gift because the receiver doesn't expect an issue in-hand at gift giving time. Many magazine subscription websites send a card with gift subscriptions, so there is something to fill the stocking. The most popular magazine gift ideas for men are men's magazines and fitness magazines. For women, vacation magazines are the most popular gift and for children, puzzles and animal related magazines top the gift list.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Magazines Protocol and Journalism

What is the working protocol of journalism especially for magazines? Also what is the role of editor-in-chief in a magazine and the working hierarchy in a magazine... who reports to whom? Also how much should the editor-in-chief allow the

Second, Various journalism roles can vary quite a bit, actually, from publication to publication. Some companies have more "hands-on" management styles, while others give their executives more autonomy. But, in general, the editor-in-chief has control over the publication's editorial contents and direction, just as the advertising director has control over the ad contents, placement, and policies.

That doesn't mean the editor is God, because he/she shares power with other high-ranking executives. The editor's greatest management skill is in working effectively with people -knowing how to negotiate with other power brokers who have a say in how the magazine is put together, distributed, etc.

I'll give you an example of hierarchy: In the trade magazine publishing company where I worked, there was an individual editor over each magazine. We shared a pool of in-house writers, and we each contracted separately with freelancers as needed. There also was an advertising director who managed the ad sales and placement for each of the three magazines. If I didn't like the ad placement in my magazine, I could go to her and negotiate; she was usually agreeable within reason.

(Of course, we usually prevented negotiations by talking in advance about special features that would need special space, and she was conversant with our standard placement of recurring features, etc.) We also worked with execs at various support companies -- R.R.

Donnelley printing in Senatobia, Miss., which required us to meet certain format standards with what we submitted and to adhere to agreed-upon timetables; and the company that wrapped, labeled, and mailed our magazines, which required clear directives, correct mailing label files, and adherence to agreed-upon timetables. We also worked with the business office in our publishing company to communicate clearly about incoming bills from freelancers (then signing off on them) and other issues.

In other words, the hierarchy is broader, and less linear, than I thought it would be from my studies in journalism. The real world is much, much, much more "cooperative" than it is territory based. And, sadly for editors, the power tends to reside where the money is (hint: Not in the editorial offices). Often, the ad director swings a bigger stick than you will as an editor. Make close friends with the ad director -- do favors when you can. You'll need to call those favors in at some point. Make sure you develop a relationship as allies rather than as adversaries.

Last, The editor-in-chief has limited options in how much he lets the magazine's owners, publishers, and other higher-ups interfere with the editorial content. He should establish the extent of his authority when he is hired and, if possible, have it spelled out in writing. Clear upfront communications are the best preventative step. He can help prevent problems by communicating clearly with his bosses about editorial directions and getting buy-in as he goes along rather than waiting for issues to arise.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

B2B magazine Publication

Is advertising in an industry trade publication or magazine, a waste of marketing dollars? Should B2B marketing strategy totally abandon print media in the future? The answer is a Big Fat No! Industry and niche market print trade publication marketing can be a huge opportunity to capture new prospects by utilizing the internet and harnessing the power of social media marketing.

The opportunity and challenge is changing how you "the advertiser" utilize trade magazine advertising to drive traffic and capture leads, not just promote yourself or create brand recognition.

Lets face it. The days of using a trade magazine to show off your company or new product to your market or industry is over, but the vehicle to attract new contacts, prospects and customers is not dead.

Look, we all know that newspapers, magazines and trade publications are getting thinner and thinner as advertisers turn away from them to invest their dwindling marketing dollars into other advertising mediums during these tough economic competitive times that many companies face. Where some see this as the end of print media and time to join the masses and jump ship, I see the glass more than half full and it as a great opportunity to stand out and create new untapped ideas to generate velocity for my marketing efforts.

To me a thinner trade magazine means that there is a better chance of my ad being found and noticed by my target customer and if I leverage this opportunity effectively it can open up new opportunities to create prospects for my sales team to capitalize on.

I am not talking about a target industry or a target market. I am talking about a target prospect that your marketing is going to be directed at, in an effort to capture them. You have to narrow your focus and target your efforts, to be effective. Being all things to all people will not work.

As part of my research I grabbed and flipped through any trade publications, market specific magazines and specialty niche magazine I could get my hands on. What jumped out at me was most major ads promoted a company, a brand or a specific product, but few went after the target prospect directly. You need to identify "who is my target prospect"? It is only then that a targeted PrintEnet Marketing Campaign will be successfu

This seems so simple, but it is a classic mistake by so many advertisers. People advertise in publications that they read, is relevant to their business and that their competition advertise in, which is not necessarily the ones that their target prospects and customers read.

Now that you have identified you target, just do the research. A quick call to any good advertising sales executive will give you all the demographics you are going to need to identify which trade publications are going to give you the best chance to reach out to and capture your target.

Just as useless as suggesting that a target call a number for more information, is to give them your corporate website to learn more. More than 90% of static corporate or product specific website homepages are no more than a glorified yellow pages ad. That is like going fishing by tying bait to your line, forgetting to ad a hook and hoping they will just jump into your boat. Your sales team is going to starve!

You are not sending them to the homepage of your corporate website, white paper or marketing literature of the information you have enticed them with. You are sending them to a custom "squeeze page" developed to compliment your print ad that will:

Have s similar look and theme to your print ad to maintain theme continuity
Be half the size of a normal page (length), keeping key information above the fold.
Use video and images to enhance the page.
Highlight the value that your products, services and company bring to your target.
Include a registration form to capture your targets contact information to send them the important knowledge offered in your print ad.

Usually add an additional gift, chance to win something or additional enticement to motivate them to register.

Keep it concise, keep it targeted and offer limited options. One way in and no way out.

Your squeeze page analytics will easily enable you to quantify the success of your print media ad. Taking the guess work out when evaluating the effectiveness of a specific ad or campaign.

You can also test different squeeze pages to see which ones work best. Tracking results and testing different pages is a key element of internet marketing and should never to overlook.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Magazine Renewals Services

Most magazine publications have their own photographers. But since these individuals cannot always be there to take that perfect shot, it gets the services of freelance photographers. Can you submit your own pictures? The answer is yes as long as you follow certain guidelines.

First, you cannot submit photographs that have already been printed. This is because before it is sent to the printers, their digital team will clean up the picture. The best thing to do will be to send your images in a CD-Rom.

Pictures that are submitted must be in the correct pixel size and resolution. This will enable the magazine publication to see your images regardless of the operating system they use. You have to remember that although a lot of people use Microsoft Windows, some companies have shifted to Linux while others use Apple's Mac.

If the pictures you took are for example 72dpi and what they want should be in 300dpi, invest in software that can do the job.

Images can be saved in different formats. The three most common are jpg, gif and png. The one that is compatible regardless of the operating system used is the JPG format.

Whenever you submit images, make sure to include your name, address and synopsis of the contents of the CD. A simple way of doing this is with Photoshop. You simply go to file, automate and then lastly go to contact sheet. Once there, find the folders where your images are, pick the paper size and the number of images on each sheet of paper.


Take a moment to think about how you would really answer this question. If given enough thought just about any business owner who utilizes the Internet for any purpose will likely find that whether or not they intentionally organized an Internet marketing campaign, they may already be marketing their products and services on the Internet.
For more details go to: www.eazy-ebook-money.com this article will examine some subtle ways business owners may already be marketing their business on the Internet.

Do you have a website for your business? Business owners who answer yes to this question are already marketing their products or services online just by virtue of the fact that they have a website online. Having a live website means there is the potential for curious Internet users to access your website. You may not be actively promoting your website but you may still find that your website generates interest in your products despite the lack of promotional endeavors; this is a form of passive marketing.

Do you participate in message boards and include a link to your website in your signature? Again business owners who answer yes to this question are already marketing their website online. Savvy business owners realize the importance of participation in industry related message boards to create an interest in their products and services, establish themselves as knowledgeable about the industry and offer a link to their own website even if it is in the signature line of their posts. However, even business owners who do not realize this may already be inadvertently enjoying the benefits of Internet marketing which result from message board participation just by doing something they enjoy and may be doing as a form of leisure activity.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Basic Scenario of Publishing Industries

In the basic scenario of book publishing, a writer finishes a book and then finds an agent who helps sell the book to a publisher. When someone asks, "How do I find a publisher?" they're often looking for the details of this scenario. But let's backtrack a little. The answer to this question has to do with what you as a writer want out of the publishing process as well as what the publisher wants. It's best to be as clear as possible on both counts. Here are a few things to consider.

What exactly do you want for your book? It's possible that your answer can save you a lot of time and heartache. Here's an example. A writer recently emailed me about wanting to find a publisher for his book on dealing with sickle cell anemia. He said he felt it was a really important book and that people would be interested in the information. That's great, but if his main goal is getting his book into the hands of those coping with the disease, he doesn't have to go with a big traditional publishing house in order to do that. He can self publish and take the book directly to doctor's offices, support groups and sickle cell organizations.

Do you want a book that tells a family story that will be a legacy for your children? Do you want a book that will establish your expertise and help you get started on the speaking circuit? You can accomplish these things by self publishing. A prominent ghostwriter recently published a book about his trade and landed a television interview where he discussed how politicians get their books written. The author was introduced as a "ghostwriting guru" and his book was prominently displayed at the end of the story. There was nothing that would have told you the book was self published. It didn't make a difference that it was. He still got the notice, was still seen as an expert.

They want good writing. That's a given, but how do you deliver? First of all, be in a mode of constantly learning about your craft. Take classes, workshops, join a writer's group. Next, hire someone to help you. There are many editors who assist writers in getting a manuscript ready for submission. Some agencies even provide editing as part of their services.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Independent publication Services

There are basically three options for getting your book published. You can try to get your book proposal accepted by one of the industry giants like Penguin or Random House but that’s a tough road. Those companies only work with proven authors or those who already have huge platforms and salivating audiences. Having said that, if you manage to get accepted, you’ll end up with a huge implied endorsement and a ton of indisputable credibility.


On the other end of the spectrum, you could self-publish your own book. The nice thing about this approach is that the only person who has to approve your book is you! If you want to publish your own book, go right ahead. In fact, given the advancements in technology, you can do exactly that and order as little as one book at a time. The downside is that the credibility is far lower than with a major publisher.


These two options seem to be on opposite ends of the continuum and indeed have plenty of differences between them. Luckily, there’s a third category that sits comfortably in the middle. It’s the category of smaller independent publishers and there are thousands of them. They range from very small mom and pop operations to well-established significant publishers. They tend to specialize in one genre or another and often become leaders in their area of expertise.


Soliciting the independent publishers is a great way for a new author to break into the market. Find one that specializes in your particular area and visit their website. They will tell you exactly how they want to be solicited and you’re well advised to follow their guidance. Find out exactly what they’re looking for and then cater your proposal to their specific requirements.


It’s not necessary to have a Literary Agent when soliciting independent publishers. Don’t get me wrong. Having an agent is always a good idea. But you do have some additional options when dealing with the niche players and many will accept proposals directly. Most want you to send it to their Acquisitions Editor but I recommend checking with their website before addressing the envelope.


Getting a book advance is less common when dealing with independent publishers. It’s not impossible but I wouldn’t bank on it. The upside is you’ll have more access to the people reviewing your proposal and that’s half the battle. Don’t pester them. They probably get a few hundred proposals each month. But a polite and well placed phone call rarely hurts and it gives the editor a chance to hear your speaking voice at the same time.

Becoming an author is something you only do once. Once you’ve published your first book, you will forever more be an author. And it can change your life, not to mention your career. Don’t waste your time approaching one of the industry giants when your odds of being accepted are significantly less than 1%. Instead, find an independent publisher that specializes in the subject you’re considering and target your efforts accordingly.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Benefits of frequency discounts

Many publications offer lower rates, called frequency discounts, for multiple insertions, either in a single issue of publications or over a period of time. Publications also offer volume discounts, based on the total lines or dollar amount of space used during a fiscal or calendar year. such discounts often allow large advertisers to support marginal propositions where other advertisers would not be able to make them work. In some cases, however, such discounts are not available if a mail-order discount is also being taken check with the publications.

Guide that lists magazines that can be segmented by type of reader or by area of the country- a valuable way to target expenditures to a specifies market or to minimize downside risk on a test

Newsletter Printing is a good method to produce publications for a certain school. Newsletters can encourage students to join certain organizations inside the campus. Many students are not aware of several youth organizations that cater to their interest. Through these prints, students can learn about specific groups and can be encouraged to join. Furthermore, the informative prints can invite students to be active in joining competitions, seminars and other school activities. Announcements of workshops and forums can also be made through newsletters.

Printed materials like newsletters can encourage students to speak their minds. School prints must include contact details and e-mail address so that students can comment on the articles written. With this, students will be able to share their thoughts and insights about school matters. Furthermore, students can also suggest interesting topics to writers and editors. They can even raise questions and concerns about their schedules, a dirty rest room, or a poor service at the canteen.