Distribution Options…Does One Size Fit All?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dreamtime Press on February 11, 2011 at 9:23am

As a small publisher with a limited budget, we make sure we are listed with Amazon and use their enhanced distribution plan. We release for Kindle immediately and release for other readers using Smashwords. We try to place all our local authors in local bookstores, gift shops and in what ever shops are appropriate to the book.

Permalink Reply by Florrie Binford Kichler on February 14, 2011 at 5:27pm

Hello to all from Florrie Kichler, IBPA president, and thanks for the invitation to talk a little bit about IBPA's new partnership with Ingram. Below are some FAQ's to get the ball rolling. If you'd like more details, simply go to www.ibpa-online.org and click on "IBPA-Ingram New Programs" or call the IBPA office at 310-372-2732.

1. How will the new IBPA-Ingram program help me sell more books?

The Ingram Marketing program includes the following 3 marketing opportunities for IBPA members only:

• Wholesale Distribution — Currently, Ingram accepts for wholesale distribution only publishers with at least 10 titles in print. Now IBPA members with 1 title and up are granted access to Ingram’s wholesale distribution network. This means that your title is available through Ingram’s online database for immediate order from Ingram’s 25,000+ book trade customers.The Independent Voice — IBPA members can participate in an every-other-month cooperative e-catalogue mailing from Ingram to their customers. Your titles’ covers and information will be sent to more than 25,000 libraries, book retailers and international recipients.
• Ingram Advance print catalogue — IBPA members can participate in this monthly print publication that mails to 13,000+ book retailers and librarians.
• The Independent Voice — IBPA members can participate in an every-other-month cooperative e-catalogue mailing from Ingram to their customers. Your titles’ covers and information will be sent to more than 25,000 libraries, book retailers and international recipients.

2. What are the criteria for my book to be accepted into the Ingram database?

• Your book must be either perfect bound or hardbound (no spiral bound or other bindings).
• Your book must have a price imprinted on the cover.
• Your book must have a 13-digit ISBN number.

3. How does this new Ingram program compare with IBPA’s current cooperative direct mailings?

• IBPA’s current mailings are exclusively print and, in general, targeted to certain industry segments. The number of recipients ranges from 3500 to 11,000, depending on the type of mailing. The mailing includes IBPA member titles only and is sent on schedules that vary from monthly to every six months.
• The new IBPA-Ingram program The Independent Voice is exclusively electronic and is sent every two months to more than 25,000 recipients that include libraries and general book retailers. Non-member publishers will be included in the e-catalogue but IBPA member titles will be highlighted as members of IBPA and will of course receive special pricing and placement.
• The IBPA-Ingram Advance mailing is comparable to the IBPA cooperative mailings in that it is a print catalogue. However, as in the Independent Voice, non-members are included with IBPA member titles prominently identified as such. Advance mails every month and there are opportunities to participate in target market mailings such as Christian, Children’s, Parent, Travel, etc.

4. Should I continue participating in the current IBPA mailings, try the new Ingram program, do both…or neither?

• The best answer is……it depends. On what? On your marketing budget, on your book topic, on the sort of readers you want to reach, and on the amount of promotion you’re able to do to support your marketing effort. The IBPA cooperative mailings may work better for you if you’re looking for a smaller, more targeted audience whereas the Ingram program may help in terms of dramatically widening the exposure of your title.
• If budget permits, try both programs, watch your sales for a few months and look for an upsurge. Although it won’t be immediately apparent which program caused the increase in sales, compare the revenue from the sales growth with the expense of the marketing. If the numbers work, try continuing your participation and even tweaking the marketing schedule a bit to experiment.

5. What do I do next if I want to participate in the new Ingram program?

Visit www.ibpa-online.org and click on "IBPA-Ingram New Marketing Programs."

6. What if I still have questions?

As always, if you have questions, call the IBPA office at 310-372-2732 or email terry@ibpa-online.org

Permalink Reply by Amanda Dowdy on April 4, 2011 at 2:47pm

Thanks to the SPAN community for this opportunity to discuss what BookMasters offers!

At the BookMasters Group, we recognize that the publishing model is in transition. More and more authors are seeing the value of self-publishing as it gains acceptance throughout the book industry. High volume offset print runs are being replaced by short digital runs and print-on-demand. eBooks have gone from the realm of “techies” into the mainstream.

BookMasters is uniquely positioned for this transition. Our goal has always been to be the comprehensive source for publishers of all sizes. We offer a range of services to fit the needs of anyone in the publishing industry. We offer your business the flexibility and efficiency to meet the challenges of today’s evolving markets. We would like to share what some of those services are.

Content is Key – Content Services
Just because you are self-publishing your book doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have an editor review the content or a designer create your cover.  Your readers will expect quality, and Content Services can help. 

BookMasters Content Services offers dynamic eBook solutions to client publishers, both in the form of preparation as well as distribution of the content into the e-marketplace.

We offer your titles to retailers such as Amazon, Apple iBookstore, Baker & Taylor, Barnes & Noble, the American Booksellers Association, ebrary, Fictionwise, Ingram, Lulu, and many more.  

The eBook market is evolving and maturing at an incredible rate, and we are positioned to help you navigate the new developments and position you for success. 

Distribution and Fulfillment
For those interested in full sales representation, BookMasters gains you full entry into the book industry. We work with national and regional wholesalers, libraries, specialty markets, online retailers, and more to ensure your book has full representation into the market.

Our in-house sales efforts are complimented by our field sales groups and our seasonal catalogs.

We also understand that the hardest part of publishing can be marketing, so we offer a full range of marketing and publicity services.

Our distribution is paired with our direct-to-consumer services so you can manage your sales to non-trade outlets, ensuring your ability to move with the rapid changes in the industry.

We invite you to check out our distribution programs at www.AtlasBooksDistribution.com and www.BookMastersDistribution.com. 

Then there are publishers have their own sales organizations, or are exploring alternative sales methods to traditional distribution. We are here to support you, too, through our fulfillment program. Whether you need one book shipped direct-to-consumer or carton quantities shipped to a major trade account, we can handle all your needs.

Our state of the art distribution center brings you an industry-leading Warehouse Management Sysem to handle pick, pack, and ship functions, as well as inventory control, backed by a strong management team that delivers highly flexible and responsive customer service.

Manufacturing

For this post, we have only focused on the end of the process: sales and fulfillment. Let us also remind you that we offer  manufacturing services as well. 

For proposals and more information, we invite you to check out our website at www.BookMasters.com or call 888-537-6727.

 

Permalink Reply by Becki Buchanan on June 9, 2011 at 8:47am

Thomson-Shore has entered into a partnership with Wubbit. This is an exciting new option for on-line sales and distribution and is perfect for the small and independent publisher.

What is Wubbit?

Wubbit is an online retail and wholesale website whereby consumers and independent bookstores

can order your title. Readers can order it direct from Wubbit and have it shipped to their doorstep

or independent bookstores can order multiply copies to sell in their stores.

You can visit www.thomsonshore.com/wubbit to check it out!