Tag Archives: order fulfillment independent filmmakers

A Change in Landscape

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“I think one of our main strengths lies in being adaptable, hitting smart, things like that.” ~ Franklin Brightwater

You are business owner. So, have you noticed how the landscape has changed? If not, you had better take heed! It is not a change in scenery due to seasonal weather. I am referring to the marketing landscape. It has stepped from an old season to a new season. One that now includes focus on e-marketing (internet marketing). 

Did you know that 88% of marketers are now using social media marketing as part of their overall strategy?  It is for good reason! Internet marketing generates increased exposure for business, brings awareness to your brand, improves search engine rankings, and helps to generate qualified leads. 

How about you? You are in business to stay in business, and that means changing with the landscape, too. It doesn’t mean you need to do completely away with the old marketing strategies of print advertising, direct mail and face to face selling, it means adding a new dimension to the landscape. 

The principles of internet marketing are the same whether you are selling a product or service. Visibility on the internet is the name of the game! If your business needs help in becoming more visible, do exactly what you always do in this day and age of the internet when you are looking for information, search it! Look for an e-marketing company for independent publishers. They can paint a new marketing landscape for you. One that includes e-marketing!

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

Sharing the Word!

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“Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest.”                 ~Mark Twain 

How coincidental is that? Today, I had planned to write a blog on the man who is known as our first American novelist – Mark Twain. He is one of the most well-known essayists and moralists in our country’s history! This morning, I had a few minutes to spare before my dentist appointment, and took the opportunity to take a little drive into an area of Steamboat Springs, CO that I had not previously taken the time to explore before. There the name was, on a street sign, Mark Twain. Was it an Avenue or Road or Lane? ! I dont know! I was so thrown off guard by this odd coincidence of having just composed, on paper, last night a blog based on  Mr. Twain that I can not remember which!   

Seeing this sign has changed the content of my blog. I was going to go on and on about the man who was born in 1835 and died in 1915 AKA Samuel Langhorne Clemens. His speculative ventures included silver mining, business and publishing.  His writings had appeal to young and old, alike. Although in he is known for his humor and wit, many of the essays he wrote in his final years were filled with his “venting” against power, corruption and greed.

Why his name should appear on a street sign in a place like Steamboat Springs, CO, I wonder. Perhaps it is just a subtle reminder to all that as we travel down the road of life  “to do the right thing.”

 

 This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com

Stepping into the Light after 9-11

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“..the whole healing process – art, colors and design – all that makes a difference.” ~  Barbara Weaver

I was never more cognizant of art fulfilling it’s purpose than during the days following September 11, 2001. As much as I wanted to do all that I could to shield my eyes from the ugly images of destruction, rubble and death, I found myself glued to the television watching images I never expected to see in the United States of America.

Going to work each morning, following the horrific events of 9-11 gave me the opportunity to escape from a world of ugliness into a environment  filled with beauty and light. I had begun my employment at West Wind Fine Art, where my introduction into a career of order fulfillment for independent publishers began.

Not only was I surrounded by inspiring art books and videos, I was also amidst magnificent paintings by master artists. Each morning after 9-11, as I stepped into the art gallery, my place of work, I lingered a little longer in front of each painting so I could forget the images of the destruction of the Twin Towers, and into an environment of beautiful landscapes, floral images and portrait paintings that exquisitely captured faces without pain, fear and horror. At the end of the work day, I would do the same, stand and be drawn into worlds far different than what the media was charged with covering.

Art fulfilled it’s purpose by changing my perspective, it connected me with peace and set me free from my emotions of sadness and doom. It allowed me to replenish and nuture the seasons of my soul.

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

Do Another Nice Thing!

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“A library of all wisdom is more precious than all wealth…” ~ Unknown

All children need to learn the virtues of compassion and sharing. Teach your child to be a book angel, by donating their gently used (or new) books to inner city children, homeless shelters, youth centers and family literacy centers through www.bookends.org.

The founder of this non-profit is a 8 year old boy. The focus of  this  organization is kids helping other kids for the sake of literacy. Since this organization was founded in 1998, 1.9 million books have landed in the hands of 478,000 at risk childrens hands. Imagine how many smiles this gesture of kindness has brought to the faces of children who needed it the most!

Keep the momentum going from yesterday’s cleaning out of kid flicks to give to children in hospitals. Have your child make room for new books by donating those they no longer need!

Teaching your children to be involved with doing good things sure beats the alternative, doesn’t it?

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

You’ve Got to be Kidding!

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“The most thoroughly wasted of all days is that on which one has not laughed.”  ~ Chamfort

What good are the words “RANT” and “RAVE” if we don’t use them every once in a while? The thing is, they are just two little words taking up unnecessary space in the dictionary unless we all put them to work occassionally!

 I put “RANT” to good use yesterday, as I sat in front of a computer at the library. Once again, my computer is in the shop. This occurrence has been  repeated far too many times this summer. I tried to console myself as I walked through the library doors. I uttered words to myself like “oh well, at least our library is gorgeous, new and bright!” Followed by, “I will work efficiently, since my time will be limited on a library computer.” To cement this concept in my brain, I chanted “I will quickly get in and out, I will quickly get in and out.”

Yeah, right!! I selected a computer placed right across from #028.909 NEL in the non-fiction section of the Dewey Decimal System. There sat the culprit ogling me and it refused to let me be! The flirt was a book called “So Many Books, So Little Time : A Year of Passionate Reading” by Sara Nelson.

Now, I ask you – “How can you possibly get in and out when you spy a title starring at you like that?”

  1. The title – I can relate to!
  2. My dream is the tag line.
  3. I met the author at a publishing conference a few years ago.
  4. I am curious to know if Sara Nelson can write as well as she speaks.
  5. You can not just strike up a relationship with just one book! What about all the others?

Now for my “RAVE” – Sara Nelson’s book came home with me (and a few others, too!) What a delightful, easily-devoured book! As a book reviewer, Sara executes her job so well. Throughout the book, she name drops titles left and right, and gives you enough of a tease to know you want the whole story! It is a great publication for someone who wants to read so many books, but has so little time!

When my computer is back from the repair shop, I will resume my chanting “I will work efficiently, I will, I will, I will.” That way, I’ll have more time for you know what!

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

Saved by the Book

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“We need to be pro-children and pro-literacy of all kinds.” ~ David Booth

Saved! By former First Lady, Laura Bush! All was not lost when my wishes for a weekend full of literary enjoyment began with a bomb of a book that did nothing to fulfill my expectations. Determined to immerse myself in some good reading, I switched gears and delved into a wonderful  journey that was entitled “Spoken from the Heart.”

From the time Laura Bush was a little girl, literature has been an all encompassing part of her life. As an only child, she found a treasure trove of good times with characters and places to escape to all by herself.  Later on in her life, her positions as a mother, teacher, librarian and First Lady allowed her to share her passion of reading with her twin daughters, students and  others, around the globe. She made stories come alive for children in disadvantaged areas so they could also escape into worlds beyond their own environments,.  She taught students how to make handmade books and  former students became subjects of her own first published book “Read All About It.”

As first lady of the United States, she traveled to many countries, like Zanzabar to spread the good news that private and American funds would place 20,000 books in 16 schools for underserved children.

Laura Bush has always been at the top of my list for favorite First Ladies.  Her book “Spoken from the Heart” gave me even more insight into the wholesome Texas values she was raised with, the fact that she is deeply aware of how blessed we are to have children in our lives and our responsibility to do all that we can to spread the value of literacy around the world.

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

You are Worth it!

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“The best thing you can do is be a teacher to young people” ~ Rick Pitino 

Have you ever asked any kind of volunteer “if it is worth it?” In my experience, many will respond “YES,  that volunteer work is both fulfilling and satisfying, and that is payment enough.” 

Last week at our Kiwanis meeting, www.kiwanis.org, three mentors from the Partners in Routt County Program, a program associated with AmeriCorp., visited and spoke with the Kiwanians about the admirable work they do in mentoring children at risk.

The program pairs mentors with children, at local schools, who have been identified as being “at risk” for a number of reasons – perhaps poor family dynamics, drug or alcohol addiction problems, low self -esteem or kids who struggle socially or educationally. The mentors develop comfortable relationships with the at-risk children and they become someone the kids will confide in when things get rough. 

Did you ever wonder what your time is worth, as a volunteer? On average $20.58 per hour! However, it does to vary from State to State. To see what value your state of residence puts on volunteering, please visit http://bit.ly/cxvboF. 

I was glad to hear that these valuable volunteers from Partners in Routt County are compensated by way of a small stipend and the benefits include being able to “pay back” educational debt. It makes volunteering even more worthwhile. However, what the volunteers are paid does not fully compensate for what these volunteers are worth according to the statistics given by the www.volunteeringinamerica.gov  chart. 

By donating their time, volunteers from Partners in Routt County are saying to each and every child they mentor “YOU ARE WORTH  IT!”  And that is like music to children’s ears!! 

Thank you, Volunteers – you are worth it, too!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com

Penny Here, Penny There

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 “Literature is an investment of genius which has dividends to all subsequent times.”  ~ John Burroughs 

Believe it or not, it is getting time to pull out the fall jackets, pants and coats here in Colorado – I love that time of year! Invariably I come across a little pocket change that I didn’t know existed. Finding a few crumpled dollars, or handfuls of coins left in my clothing from the season before is such a fulfilling feeling – it is like finding an extra paycheck – no matter how big or small. 

We all work hard for our money, and we should work hard at keeping it too! Are you an independent publisher guilty of overspending on postage and delivery each year? Well – you are not alone! It is no wonder though – keeping current with changes in postal and delivery service rates and fees is a never ending job.

Independent publishing means being smart, making wise decisions and not spending money needlessly, so you can retain a higher profit margin on your product. Isn’t that one of the reasons why you decided to independently publish in the first place? Adding an extra stamp here and extra stamp there “just in case” and “for good measure” can really add up! And it will affect your bottom line too.

As an order fulfillment company, we must be guardians for our clients to make sure they retain the highest profit margin on their sale. We strive to stay “in the know,” so we can ship the quickest, most economical, and reliable way possible, all over the globe. It is all part of getting the job done!

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

An Adjustment

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“The winds of grace are always blowing; all we need to do is raise our sails” ~ Unknown  

Ok, so I couldn’t post the blog that I really wanted to post today. I had written a blog that I really wanted to share with all our readers. It was important and it needed to be said! But the image I wanted to post came to me in a format that does not want to cooperate. 

So, rather than pout, and fuss and stew, I decided to move on and I will share what I have to say, in due time. Hopefully tomorrow I can share it, but if not, we have until August 31st to share the news. 

I have been caught a little off-guard today, since what I had planned needs to be postponed. I will follow the words of a friend who has been a mentor to me for 10 years or more. As she says, “There are no problems, only solutions.” She has set a great example in finding grace during the most trying times, and has taught me to turn to Art for fulfillment and enjoyment! 

So, that is what we will do. Join me in a moment of sharing and caring.

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

Plotting the Course

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“We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate”                                           ~  Ralph Waldo Emerson 

The words of poet, philosopher, orator and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson have endured because of the wisdom and insight he had into the independent spirit. Transcendentalist and idealist that he was, he well understood how we are all fulfilled by different things in life. He also “got it” when it came to literature, too! His comprehension of how to eloquently use words to move us, worked well. 

One of the biggest advantages of independent publishing, is the ability to plot an individual and “private chart” for marketing a book or film. However, in order to be successful, one must have vision, understand capturing an audience, know how to market and how to tap into it. In this day and age of internet selling, the willingness to step into marketing tactics that are creative and non-traditional is important and necessary.  

If you are a person who enjoys the writing process, but do not consider yourself e-commerce (internet) savvy, there is no reason to be concerned. There are freelance consultants that can help design a course of sales and marketing action for your book. The aim will be to become more visible to your potential buyers so you can increase opportunities for sales.  

Wisdom dictates that it is never too early to begin plotting the course for your voyage for your independently published book or film. Be smart – start right now! Search the internet for companies who specialize in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers.

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