Category Archives: e-marketing and e-commerc

A Vital Option: e-Books in 2016

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“The freedom to move forward to new opportunities and to produce results comes from living in the present and not the past.” ~ Brian Koslow

Shopping-CartIf you are ready to publish your manuscript, there are many choices to consider. Offering an electronic version of a book has become a necessity if you are an author who wants to reap the benefits in the digital marketplace. More often than not, potential book buyers want to know if a title “is available as an e-book?”

According to this article from Author Earnings, in February 2016, readers downloaded one million sixty-four (1,064,000) paid e-books PER DAY!

In my opinion, there will be more technological developments coming that will blow away any remaining doubts that e-books are just a passing trend. Especially as digital publishing becomes integrated into more classrooms and library catalogs.

Authors don’t miss out on a stream of income by failing to offer an e-book version of your title. And remember “if you are selling over the internet, you must be marketing over the internet” because that is where your potential book buyers hang out!

Speaking of hang-outs, thanks for frequenting this website. Do return tomorrow.

This blog is brought to you by award-winning author Sue Batton Leonard. Check out her e-books, audio book and books in print!

Illuminating the Heart

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“In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.” ~ Francis Bacon

Well, the run of sappy, happy Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel has begun in earnest. I’m not one for sitting in front of the television for very long, but, I do take time out to watch a few of these “appropriate for the season” movies.

20pcs-lot-Love-Tea-Light-Holder-font-b-Luminaria-b-font-Paper-Lantern-Candle-font-bThe Christmas Heart is a film that has been playing on the Hallmark Channel since 2012. It’s about a small town that veers from tradition by not lighting the town streets with luminara candles, one year. One of it’s citizens (a teenage boy) is in need of a heart transplant and the town’s people deem that festive decorating was inappropriate.

Luminarias are something that I look forward to seeing when I experience a unique kind of Christmas this year. There is a short film called The Life of a Brown Paper Bag that gives the deeper meaning and history of this Christmas tradition of the southwest. Check it out! This two minute video is worth seeing because it won “Best in Show” 2010 HSMAI Adrian Award Winner for Web Marketing.

See you back here on All Things Fulfilling tomorrow as we continue the theme on things from the heart and their delivery in paper bags.

This blog is brought to you by EVVY award-winning author, Sue Batton Leonard. For information on her publications Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and short stories Lessons of Heart & Soul.

Rise and Meet the Moment

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Whoever wants to reach a distant goal must take many small steps. – Helmut Schmidt

I’ve had memoir writing on my mind lately since I gave a presentation on the topic on Monday. When you think about it, our whole life is comprised of stories we tell.

The internet has changed the way we tell our stories. Words and images are now so easily shared through digital platforms, such as by publishing e-books. If you know how to use social media effectively, marketing e-books is made easy.  If properly “indexed,” finding your target market is no longer like taking a shot in the dark.

To further explore my path of thinking, the other day I was looking in our kitchen cabinets for something portable to put in my backpack to stuff my mouth with. I came across a box of Blueberry Crisp Clif ® Bars that I didn’t know we even had.

Hiking ArtistI noticed the verbiage on the packaging “No. 14 Adventure Challenge ‘Embrace the Uphill’ then followed the words “Share Your Adventure #MeettheMoment.”

The point is, we all have dreams, adventures and challenges in life and careers. If you are working on an  independent publishing project and don’t know how to use digital platforms effectively to draw people who are truly qualified leads, social media can be a big time waster.

There are companies who specialize in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers. “Embrace the Uphill,” as Clif ® Bar suggests. Don’t shirk away from challenges. Get help if you need it in order to finish your writing and publishing project. There is no shame in that!

I can tell you as a published author that the feelings of accomplishment that come with having a published book far, far exceeds what having unfinished manuscript feels like. Every step, big and small, was well worth the effort in feelings of personal fulfillment.

This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard. For more information on her book Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and short stories Lessons of Heart & Soul.

 

 

A Piece of Humble Pie

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Gratefulness is the gallantry of a heart ready to rise to the opportunity a given moment offers.

~ David Stendl Rast

sweetheart_cherry_pieDo you know what today is? It is February 22nd – National Humble Day. Perhaps at first glance you may have thought I meant National Hubble Day -celebrating “the man who was first to show that the universe is expanding and is considered by many to be the father of observational cosmology.” 

Well, I suppose I am celebrating National Hubble Day in my own kind of way because today I am celebrating all who have expanded my world by introducing me to the world of independent publishing. It all started back in 1998 when I was hired by West Wind Fine Art, LLC  to handle the internet sales of the publication which became a smash hit for painters “Everything I Know about Painting” by Richard Schmid, published by Stove Prairie Press, LLC. (an independent press). At the time, hardly a soul was selling books over the world-wide-web.

Oh…how things have evolved. Never would I have dreamed that the position at West Wind Fine Art, LLC would have launched me into an entirely new cosmos. And an even more far-fetched idea of penning my own book! It’s  due to be released this spring.

Well, things have changed in my world and in the publishing world – dramatically! Ordinary people with extraordinary stories are now writing, publishing and selling books through the power of e-commerce and e-marketing. To read a report on the industry with some of the latest statistics, please visit this link. http://bit.ly/1dt6xv9.

Today, I’ll eat a piece of humble pie and look back at the changes in technology that have made independent  publishing possible for people who  have great stories to tell but would not have had a prayer of having a their stories told and sold traditionally.

This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. Look forward to your return to All Things Fulfilling tomorrow.

My Winter Olympics Race

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“Starting your book is only the first five miles of a twenty-six-mile marathon that’s one-third of a triathlon (authoring, publishing, and entrepreneuring).” ― Guy Kawasaki

I’ve been so busy I really haven’t watched much of the Olympics.  For a few minutes I looked in on the ice skating. Lately, I’ve felt like a participant in a speed skating relay race – going back and forth with the publisher to make very minor, but necessary changes. Every last detail has to be in place so it is smooth sailing and there are no trip-ups to having the manuscript published. Thank goodness I finally did a hand-off and gave my manuscript to the publisher. It was time to let go, and let someone else carry the composition to the finish line.

energy goes where attention goesMost people would think now it’s a straight glide to the end point ~  not quite! The marketing, promotion and advertising is a completely  different dimension to a publishing project. Many authors loose steam, big-time, when it comes to that part.

It’s not just the independent publisher who has to carry the load of marketing, promotion and advertising. A traditional publishing house  is committed to putting  big resources behind a top selling author but, most authors are now expected to carry a good portion of the marketing load themselves. It’s understandable. After all, no one can promote a story as well as the one who wrote it because they have an intimate relationship with the characters!

Like any job, writing and publishing is not without it’s challenges. But for me,  it is very personally fulfilling. Thankfully, I went into the project with realistic expectations since I had worked in the independent publishing industry long before starting my own race.

The prize for me will come as each book is sold in the marketplace. Now, it’s back to more work. This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. The space where independent thoughts, words and views are all part of the business.

Faith in People

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“Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have a faith in people” ~ Steve Jobs

Communications have evolved in so many ways since the days of TVs with rabbit ears and transistor radios. I really couldn’t explain to you how information was broadcast and received back then, or even now, with digital equipment. I just have faith in those who develop the technology to make it happen. But, I can assure you that information travels to places you never thought possible through the world-wide-web.

social mediaYou’d have to be living under a stone not to notice that the marketing, promotion and advertising landscape has changed dramatically. It has gone from “print to digital.” Using social media and e-marketing communications means that what ever is put out into the world digitally will transmit to others and will be spread in ways that we can not fathom. Sure, anyone can use it, but, you also need to know how to use it effectively, so the right “antenna” will receive it and it is not just a big time waster.

Business owners (and that includes you, independent publishers) – its 2014! It’s beyond time to move out of the dark ages and begin learning something about how to promote your products and services using digital communication tactics. A company that specializes in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers can help you with that.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. A company where independent thoughts, words and views are all part of the business. See you tomorrow on all things fulfilling.

Seasons Greetings from CFS

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globe-www_naturalcollection_com_

Wishing You a

Merry Christmas

and Blessings for

A New Year Full of Joy

 From All Things Fulfilling!

This blog brought to you by

www.cornerstonefulfillmentservice.com.

A Company Specializing in e-commerce & e-marketing for Independent Publishers.

Ringing and Singing

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Sing with passion. Work with laughter. Love with heart. ‘Cause that’s all that matter in the end.” ~ Kris Kristofferson

nostalgic carollersI stepped into a local shop a few days after Thanksgiving and holiday tunes rang out. It stirred up memories of my childhood going from house to house Christmas caroling. People rarely carol anymore. According to an article in Time Magazine, a professor of popular culture at Syracuse University, Bob Thompson says caroling has seen a decline since the 1960s. http://ti.me/1bEe9IG

Hearing Christmas songs in the stores always puts a bug in my ear that it is clearly time to get out the holiday CDs and enjoy them. I never tire of the same old tunes. I’m endlessly delighted by the melodies. The Yule season passes all too quickly, and then it is time to put the Christmas CDs away until next year.

Today I thought I’d see what’s being sold on the internet marketplace for new holiday releases.

Here are a few CD suggestions. I bet you can’t go wrong with selecting any one of them. Each one would make for a fulfilling holiday listening experience:

  • Wrapped in Red – Kelly Clarkson
  • A Mary Christmas – Mary J Blige
  • Christmas Voices  – Celtic Thunder
  • Sending you a Little Christmas – Johnny Mathis
  • Hope for All the World – Craig & Dean Phillips
  • Angels Sing: Christmas in Ireland      – Libera
  • Christmas in my Heart – Gretchen Wilson
  • Christmas Spirit – David Arkenstone

If you are at a loss for an affordable gift-giving idea, a Christmas music is always greatly appreciated and it will be enjoyed for many years. CD’s are great stocking stuffers, too!

“It Came Upon Midnight Clear, that glorious song of old…..”

Give to Extended Family

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“No act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted.” ~ Aesop

Christmas catalogues are beginning to arrive in the mail. Last week I received one that stood out among the others. You know, all the regulars,  such as Land’s End, L.L. Bean, The Territory Ahead and my favorite – Pottery Barn.

The catalog that interested me the most was Samaritan’s Purse. Not only because you can order gifts that fit every budget, but also because of the humanitarian benefit that comes with giving from it. It’s fulfilling to know that each present gives the receiver a sense of hope.

The images below are a just a few of the 43 choices that that particularly struck me on some level, I suppose it has something to do my life values  that were taught to me by my parents. But, there isn’t a gift on the list that doesn’t uplift  the lives of others – and that’s a good thing!. The catalog is available on-line through this link. http://bit.ly/1bfZ9hh .

Extend the love beyond your family this holiday season, by giving a much needed gift to people in other places around the world.

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This blog brought to you by www.AllThingsFulfilling.com, the space where independent thoughts, words and views are all part of the business. www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Important First Steps to Publishing

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“It is not in the pursuit of happiness that we find fulfillment, it is in happiness of pursuit.” ~ Denis Waitley

The e-Book Extravaganza on Saturday sponsored by the Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA) was well-worth attending. During one of the breaks, the President of CIPA, Dr. Patricia Ross came over to me and said “Sue, I’d like you to meet one of our new members.” Of course, the usual niceties followed.

I asked the new member if she was enjoying the morning, and she said “Yes, but I feel so uninformed! There is so little I know about independent publishing.” Dr. Ross told her not to be discouraged, and off the President went doing her job of hob-knobbing about the room.

CIPA 9 13 #1As the new member and I stood talking, I said to her, “You know, each and every person in this room started where you began today, knowing nothing. That is the reason you have joined this group -to get help, to learn, to network and become informed about your options.” There is a lot to learn and you have taken a very important first step. You have joined this group!”

“Yes,” the new member replied. “There seems to be plenty of knowledge to learn from in this group.”

Before the break was over and we went to sit in our respective seats, across the room from one another, I had one more thing I had to say. “In your free time, read anything you can get your hands on about the industry, and keep coming to this group. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself.”

To learn more about the Colorado Independent Publishers Association, please visit this link. http://www.cipacatalog.com/join-cipa/. Please note the organization also offers downloadable webinars if you are too far to travel to their meetings.

http://www.cipacatalog.com/categories/CIPA-College-Downloads/

As I drove home, I began to ponder how many first steps I have taken since 1998, when the independent industry was in its infancy. They’ve all been in a quest to learn all I could about the industry and it led to becoming a business.  And the wonders and development of the independent publishing universe never cease to amaze me. I find it fascinating.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. The space where independent thoughts, words and views are all part of the business. See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling.