Category Archives: leadership

Talkin’ Turkey about Book Selling Events

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“Self respect – that cornerstone of all virtue.” ~ John Herschel (1792-1871) 

Are you an independent publisher who is ready to hit the book selling scene by doing book appearances and book signings at local libraries, bookstores and other venues? 

 Traveling from venue to venue can be expensive and time consuming, but it is still a necessary part of selling books. Not every independent publisher has it in their budgets to travel from coast to coast on book tours, so they concentrate their efforts locally and regionally.  A very effective way to increase your visibility, as an author beyond the local or regional level, is to put a solid e-marketing plan into place. There are companies that specialize in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers, who can help you with that. 

Let’s talk turkey for just one moment .When you do schedule personal appearances at bookstores and in other venues, make sure your time and money is well spent. Arrive at the venue with all the information you need about the details of the event stuffed inside of you, well in advance. 

There are questions to ask before you arrive at the site. Ask about size of the meet and greet area and it’s location within the store. Find out what the book store’s “take” of the bookselling proceeds will be. So you can fulfill your part of the agreement, ask whether to bring signage, a cash box or credit card machine and about other promotional materials that might be helpful. If you are well organized and prepared, you will be viewed as a bookselling professional when you arrive at the scene. It will reduce the stresses on the day of the event.

To learn more about planning a successful do-it-yourself book tour, please visit this site  http://bit.ly/RUJsq /. It is filled with good tips.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Fulfilling Needs to Express An Opinion

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“We will act consistently with our view of who we truly are, whether that view is accurate or not.” ~ Tony Robbins
 
Opinions about the pro’s and con’s  of  e-marketing have grown ever louder as people adjust to new ways of doing business in today’s world.  A whole new dimension of promotion, advertising and marketing means thinking creatively and networking creatively to sell products and services.

Today, on this blogsite All Things Fulfilling,  we are going to do something new. We want feedback from you! Not through comments to our blog but, through a poll!

Let us know what you think about this thing called “e-marketing.” Is it here to stay? The poll will only take a second or two of your time – there are three answers to chose from.  We look forward to seeing the results and we will share them with you at a later date!

This poll brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Closing out a Chapter

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“The heart’s intention is the measure of all things.”-Maimonides

Today, Kiwanis International is on my mind. Perhaps because Monday is the day our Steamboat Springs chapter of the service organization meets. 

Did you know every nine minutes, a newborn from somewhere around the world dies from tetanus? This shouldn’t occur. The vaccine is available and inexpensive.($1.80 per vaccination). Kiwanis International and UNICEF have partnered to eliminate this fatal disease. 

All Kiwanians look forward to the day when fulfilling this mission is complete. This service organization has already proven a project of this scale can be successfully accomplished by the global elimination global of iodine deficiencies disorders. This new mission to eliminate neo-natal and maternal tetanus can be achieved, too. It will mean closing out a chapter of worry in the lives of mothers in far off places around the globe. Sixty one million child bearing women in 38 countries will be protected against the deadly disease of MNT. 

You can do your part by learning more about the good work of Kiwanis in local communities and around the globe. Join in and “serve the children of the world.” http://bit.ly/byhSUg.

Thanks for hearing my plea. And one more thing – Today is Halloween so be on the watch for little ghosts and goblins as they they walk down the street trick or treating. Please slow down and be alert!

Coming tomorrow, more independent thoughts, words and views from www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Interweavings of Faith

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“I am sensitive to the value of faith and religion and spirituality in people’s lives because I’m a journalist.”  ~ Peter Jennings

Last weekend, I attended my third annual United Methodist Women’s (UMW) Retreat. http://bit.ly/9W2ac2. It was a great deal of fun! As in the past years, what made the experience so rich and rewarding was the broad mix of women in many stages of life. There were mothers with younger children, women with college-aged children, empty nesters, grandmothers and retirees. Everyone contributed valuably to the conversations regarding their own spirituality and the paths in life they have traveled to arrive at their thoughts. 

We took several topics throughout the day and broke into random small groups to discuss our feelings and opinions of how the subject matter related to our own lives. Lo and behold, several of those gathered in my group are interested in independently publishing their beautiful and fulfilling stories of their walk with faith.  

Of course, a discussion ensued about how in this day and age anyone can publish and sell their independent stories through e-commerce and e-marketing (selling and marketing publications on the world-wide-web).  

By the end of the day-long retreat, we had all found friendship and fellowship with many women we had never known before. The common threads of places we have traveled, experiences we have had and the spiritual beliefs we share, are often the ties that bind. 

Thank you to all who made the day a great success. The location in Steamboat had an awe inspiring landscape. I enjoyed the art and music, ate a lot of good food and gained a better understanding of what this thing called “yoga” is all about too!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Book Selling Opportunities

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“You don’t get harmony when everybody
sings the same note.” ~Doug Floyd

There is a misconception that once an author finishes his book, the work is done. In truth, the work has just begun. Promotion and
marketing is even more important than the writing of the narrative, if an author is to successfully sell. Even in the traditional publishing world, authors are more often being called into action to fulfill the duties of promoting and marketing their own book.

It is important that independent publishers think beyond book signing appearances at libraries and bookstores. Although those are appropriate venues for bookselling, there are many more opportunities that exist.

 Last weekend, I attended a fall food and wine festival at the Bethesda Co-op – A Natural Foods Market in Bethesda, Maryland. http://bit.ly/nDoCoB. My niece works there and she wanted me to see where she works. As I strolled through the outside tents of food and wine sampling the goods, I came across an author, Judith Welles, selling her book. It is a regional publication called “Cabin John: Legends and Life in an Uncommon   Place. www.judithwelles.com. The book is full of mystery and history of the area known as Cabin John, along the Potomac River. The Cabin John Citizens Association Foundation (a non-profit organization) published the book. www.cabinjohn.org.

I spent time with the author discussing the book and the marketing of it. The book is finding great success in selling in several local hardware stores. As we all know, men are attracted to hardware stores like magnets. Many men are also history buffs, thus the book is finding it’s way into the hands of men through a retail environment far different than a bookstore.

This brings me to the point of how necessary it is to think beyond the bookstore when researching bookselling opportunities. In fact, artists working all kinds of mediums, can promote their work by appearing in unlikely places.

I was also introduced to a lively band of six talented women called Wicked Jezabel. They were not in a nightclub, in a bar or on a traditional stage. They were on the roof of a structure, jamming away at the Natural Foods Market Fair. They are promoting their art in non-traditional ways. www.wickedjezabel.com.

Next time you think book selling opportunities are limited, take a good look around. Sometimes doing things in non-traditional ways draws attention – that is why the independent publishing industry of books, films and music is finding great success! The industry and the artists in it are fulfilling a need for independence away from the routine.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Doing Away with Restrictions on Library Lending

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“If information and knowledge are central to democracy, they are the
conditions for development.” ~ Kofi Annan

 

As much as we try to keep our readers in the loop with what is happening in the world of independent publishing, the fact of the matter is
the industry is changing so very rapidly that we can only do our best to share some of the information on this blogsite.

The Independent Publisher: The Voice of the Independent Publishing Industry is another great resource for finding out the most current  news of the industry on-line. It is a good site to book-mark and return to time and time again.

If you are looking for information about their four sponsored book award contests, The IPPY Awards, Moonbeam Awards, Axiom Business
Book Award Contest and Living Now Awards you will find it there.

In the current issue, there is an interesting article on the controversy revolving around library e-book lending and traditional publishing
houses. Harper Collins for one, controls lending of their e-books to a limited number of circulations per copy. These regulations mean availability of top selling books and other e-books is restricted, thus threatening access to information. To gain a better understanding of the restrictions many traditional publishing houses are placing on libraries, please visit http://bit.ly/qfc68w.

The Colorado Independent Publishers Association has signed an historic agreement with libraries in the State with regard to e-book lending. This contract could very well serve as a model for libraries in other States. It will also be fulfilling to the demands of library patrons to wish to
have unrestricted access to books that are heavily circulated. For more information on this agreement, visit http://bit.ly/eYPEix.

Thinking outside the box of the traditional publishing paradigm is what is driving the independent publishing industry to it’s success. There
is a newly released, downloadable webinar called On the Fast Track: The Independent Publishing Industry that will give you an overview of the new generation in publishing. Please follow this link. http://bit.ly/oIkV2g.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Next Generation Begins Leveling Playing Field

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“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.”  ~Flora Whittemore

So, you’ve made up your mind. You are going to tell the story that you’ve been itching to tell. You will be in the company of scores of others who have decided that the time is now and that your voice will be heard even though you are not a top selling author. Right you are and good for you!

Even those who have been previously published through traditional publishing houses are now determining that independent publishing may be well worth exploring.  The traditional publishing companies continue to give strong promotional and marketing attention to the top selling authors and fall short in their marketing efforts for lesser known authors. Non-traditional publishing is proving it can be a viable option for many with on-line selling and on-line marketing (e-commerce and e-marketing), which has leveled the playing field for those who are not among best selling authors.

The Colorado Independent Publishers Association www.cipacatalog.org  is making great headway into changing the way non-traditional publications are found.  Libraries are now looking beyond the big six publishing companies for the next generation of publications that will allow them to expand their catalogs yet, not require changes to facility space. Enter e-books!

Before you begin publishing an e-book, make sure your due diligence is done.  Find the best fit for your needs.  Visit this link http://bit.ly/vZztM to find the top publishing companies in this new age of e-books.

As you start down the path to telling your story, do remember, there are freelance professionals available for every step of the way. Need help in finding them? Contact a company that specializes in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers.

Another independent thought, word and view from www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

 

American Spirit Brings Change

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“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed. It is the only thing that ever has.” ~Margaret Mead


It is eye-opening to have lived on the East Coast of the United States all of my life, and then to relocate to the West. Aside from the vast change in landscape, the difference in people’s attitudes has been most interesting to absorb. In my opinion, business to business dealings among Westerners is less antagonistic. Westerners seem to have a better understanding that working collaboratively and cooperatively will bring about forward movement. In deed, the “pioneering spirit” is still alive and well in the West. 


During my tour of Frederick, Maryland I visited with a storeowner who may have explained much of the success this town has had in bringing fulfilling awards of distinction to their downtown. The storekeeper, having moved from Chattanooga, Tennessee two years ago, expressed his delight at having arrived in this town. A solid vision along with a strong Main Street Association of business owners, shopkeepers, restauranteurs, artists and other members of the community, working together rather competing against one another, along with the Chamber of Commerce and the Maryland Council on the Arts, has apparently been the secret to success. All should be commended for developing a town that has been awarded by American Style Magazine as a 2010 Top Arts Destination. 


Salvaged, just one of the retail stores I visited, is a reflection of the entire downtown area of Frederick, Maryland. www.salvagedmaryland.com. In each of the shops that I browsed, the merchandise was trendy. Geared for doing business in the new millennium and artfully displayed. Even red brick warehouses filled with antiques that I had visited some twenty years prior are no longer jumbled messes. They have been attractively re-arranged. Shoppers who ordinarily are not fans of antiquated home furnishings may now see value in restoring, salvaging and reclaiming period furniture rather than letting it be dumped in landfills. 


Despite challenges that have come to retail establishments in recent years, this community appears to have weathered the battles better than many. Frederick,Maryland seems well positioned to attract tourists and other businesses in the new century. The people’s visionary spirit is driving this town in the same manner as those who led the Western expansion. 


Tomorrow, we will wrap up this blog series. Return again, so your mind can complete the picture I have drawn of a town that is thriving along the Mason-Dixon Line. The return to the values that are at the roots of our country has in part, driven success.


This blog brought to you by www.cornerstonefulfillmentservice.com.

Outlook from the Look-Out

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“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” ~ Andre Gide

Being an active, productive blogger means always being on the beat. Like any writer, new experiences and change of scenery helps bring new perspective to my work and to my readers. 

Over the next few weeks, I will be meeting many new faces and visiting new places as a way of sharing my universe of independent publishing with others. I consider myself an ambassador for the independent publishing industry and I will continue fulfilling my duties, as such, by spreading the word about this exciting industry in my sojourns. 

My blog postings will be less frequent for a few weeks. I invite our readers to return time and time again to All Things Fulfilling. This site has 700 blog writings in 389 categories. On the far right side of this page, the blog postings are searchable by category. Choose from the drop down menu, and enter my universe of independent thoughts, words and views from Cornerstone Fulfillment Service, LLC.

There is also a new on-line portal into the independent publishing industry, made available by the Colorado Independent Publishers Association. Enter On The Fast Track: The Independent Publishing Industry, by visiting this link: http://bit.ly/oIkV2g. 

Over the past two years I have shed, for our readers, some valuable light on the dynamic and growing industry of independent publishing which now, represents more than 50% of all publishing revenue. That’s progress, innovation and creativity from many, many individuals hard at work! And it is a beacon of hope for those who have always wanted to tell their story, but felt until now, their voice would never be heard.

That’s the outlook from my universe of www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Take a Fulfilling Trip

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“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” ~ Bill Hicks

Last month I had the pleasure of interviewing author, screenwriter, performing artist, journalist and songwriter Mara Purl about her book “What the Heart Knows.”  Her hardcover is slated for release on September 27, 2011, about a week from now. 

For each blogger who was a part of Mara’s month-long virtual book tour, she reciprocated by blogging back about each blogger’s site and it’s focus. As a blog writer, I know the intense work that that takes! “Bringing my customers to the world. Bringing the world to my customers” is the blog site theme that Mara Purl has associated with our company blog site, All Things Fulfilling. She hit the mark – that is the aim of our company, Cornerstone Fulfillment Service, LLC! To read the entire text, please visit http://bit.ly/okpGOL. 

I would be presumptuous if I thought that Mara’s quote applies only to a company that specializes in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers. From my perspective, the goal of every author and blog writer in the literary world is to bring your customers (your readers) to the cosmos that you, the writer, created. By effectively communicating a valuable or entertaining message through the medium of a book, film or music, you might bring your customer to a universe of women’s fiction or into a puzzling story of mystery; to the work of a non-profit through an independently published film; or perhaps to the lyrics of powerful and emotive music.

Secondarily, the objective when publishing a book or producing a film or music is to reach customers all over the world. That is now entirely possible and probable all through the power of  internet  selling and e-marketing! 

After years of evolution and revolution, the independent publishing universe is now a force to be reckoned with. Take a quick trip to the new world of publishing through this link http://bit.ly/oIkV2g. You will begin to understand what an historical time it is in the publishing world. The world of books no longer revolves around five or six giant publishing houses. It is an exciting and dynamic era in media.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.