Category Archives: Independent Publishing

Back to Basics

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State signs - shipping everywhere

Fulfillment – What does it mean? It is “a sequence of steps involved in processing an order (invoicing and payment processing), making changes to inventory and sales records, packaging and shipping an order.”

Sounds straight forward enough, right? Well, it is actually more time consuming and more complicated than that. There are so many options available for shipping – first class mail, parcel post, media mail, 2nd day air, overnight express not to mention various carriers. Then there is the dilemma of what option and carrier will be the most economical so  maximum profitability on a sale can be retained.

Foreign shipments are another ball of wax. With the power of the internet, foreign orders are almost a given in this day and age. Especially if a publication has been well marketed using the latest techniques of social media marketing. Word spreads far and wide!

Most independent publishers would much rather stay focused on their craft of writing and publishing than the  business aspect of sales and inventory reporting, invoicing, payment processing and shipping. There are order fulfillment companies for any kind of product made in the US of A. My suggestion would be to look for a fulfillment company that specializes in order fulfillment for independent publishers.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com

Coffee Table Books

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I have accumulated alot of “coffee table” books over the years. You know, the kind you sit down and leaf through while you have a cup of tea. The other day, I picked up a new “coffee table” book that has wonderful images of paintings in one of the foremost private collections in the country. Painters such as Nancy Guzik, Timothy Thies, Matt Smith and Richard Schmid are all represented in the book. Wonderful wildlife artists including Ken Carlson, Clyde Aspevig, and so many others grace the pages of “Patrons without Peer: The McCloy Collection.” I know I will pick up this hefty book time and time again as I sit with my afternoon cup of tea.

To order  on line “Patrons with Out Peer: The McCloy Collection” go to www.WestWindFineArt.com

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com

Set Your Alarm and Listen Up!

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bb55s9006.jpg Bldg with broadcastingREMINDER: EVERY SATURDAY MORNING

COVER TO COVER RADIO SHOW

www.wnzf.com

  11:30AM est   8:30AM pst

Tune in to the Place to Be ! New Radio Show for Publishers/Authors!

For listeners in Colorado –  9:30 AM Mountain Time! www.wnzf.com

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com

Indy Filmmakers – Colorful and Unique

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.jpg Asian Creation - colorful and unique

 

Independent filmmaking is a whole other facet of independent publishing. I especially love  films that inspire, delight and educate!

There is a whole  breed of filmmakers that I feel can do our world a heap of good – they are the documentary filmmakers.  I love stories told through film of non-profit organizations doing humanitarian work throughout the world. Non profits are often underfunded and stretched to their limits but their strong missions and beliefs keep them alive.

Through our company’s service, it makes me feel good to help spread the word by shipping independently published DVDs globally! Let’s make the world a better place by sharing the good news!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com

 

 

 

 

It is not just about Books!

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Broadway in NY street sign

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have been talking alot of about books these days, but independent publishing isn’t always just about books. There are many screenwriters who have written great stories and those stories have been adapted for live theatre!

My first passion in the arts is for live theatre! For 25 years I ushered at the Weston Playhouse in Weston, VT. Three talented men have taken a community theatre and elevated it to world class stature. If you are ever in Vermont in summertime – you can’t miss a stop in Weston, VT to see a performance at the Weston Playhouse. Weston is also home to the infamous Vermont Country Store.

We have not even gotten to the subject of independent filmmakers, that is a whole other group of independent publishers that we aim to serve in our business of order fulfillment .

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com

Listen Up, Publishers!!!

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bb55s9006.jpg Bldg with broadcastingNew Radio Show for Publishers

www.wnzf.com  “Cover to Cover”

Saturday mornings  11:30 ET  8:30 PT

TUNE IN AMERICA!!!      Frank Gromling’s New Radio Show is Terrific! This is one great resource for all you publishers (traditional and independents alike). Jam packed with information on the publishing world, interviews with selected authors (NY best sellers as well as local), what it takes to be successful in publishing, getting started, book marketing. Give up a 1/2 hr of your Saturday morning and listen, it will be worth it. And anyone can listen on line!

For those of you who don’t know Frank – he’s  one heck of a nice guy! Past President of the Florida Publishers Association and Board member of IBPA – Independent Book Publishers Assoc. Thanks, Frank, for sharing all your knowledge  on the publishing industry with the world!

This blog brought to you by http://www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com

Time to think about Fulfillment

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976bfa94be4f44883faeb0cb041edb95[1] Clock Image Whether to outsource or not?

1.Have time and the where-with-all to invoice orders and process payments?

2. Willing to take phone, fax and internet orders?

3. Have a system for tracking sales and inventory?

4.Have knowledge of various postal and delivery options? How to get your orders there economically?

Leave the order fulfillment process to the experts, those that are well equipped to handle the business aspect that goes along with publishing. Focus on what you do best – creating, writing, publishing. While you are at it , don’t forget ,self promotion as an independent publisher is very important for successful sales.

Ask yourself these questions, assess whether you can handle your own book fulfillment. If the answer is no, it is time to do your research on companies that can. It is easy –

    google   “order fulfillment for independent publishers”

This blog brought to you by http://www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com

We Are Global

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Being a company that ships all over the world, it is imperative for us to know how to ship orders the quickest and most efficient way. Last week, we shipped one of our clients DVD’s to Sri Lanka. That may have been our first shipment to that country. But, when you have a following, you have a following!

That is the hope for our blog. That there are lots of folks all over the globe interested in the subject of order fulfillment for independent publishers or simply interested in some of our other independent thought, words and views. There are lots of fulfilling things to talk about in this world. It’s not all bad!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com