49.POD_May_Be_the_Wrong_Choice
POD May Be the Wrong Choice for Printing
Many authors exclusively opt for the POD option of manufacturing their books. It may be a mistake. POD can be ideal for creating advanced reader copies (ARC) for a test of potential readership; even a book that has had a good run and an author just wants to keep it available for buyers, yet not invest moneys in a full print run. It’s also ideal for authors who can’t afford a full print run.
The quality of POD has increased significantly since inception. For self-publishers, the two majors they will come across will be Amazon’s CreateSpace and IngramSpark. Of the two, IngramSpark is superior in color and print quality. Plus the bonus with IngramSpark is that you have the Ingram distribution to bookstores behind-you capability. Make sure you allow for a 55 percent discount and allow for books to be returnable.
If you are planning on selling lots of books; putting an aggressive marketing campaign in play; hiring a publicity team to support your marketing efforts; creating special sales opportunities through speaking engagements; or desire a book in the landscape format, you need to move to offset printing pronto. Your cost per unit could be half (or more) of a POD cost, and the quality of the printing is superior.
TIP: Do the math. If you are selling books regularly; if you are speaking on your expertise; if groups are ordering your books by the dozens, start crunching numbers.Yes, you could have books in your garage or have minor warehousing costs … but the net return to you will be far greater than the cost.
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