Signed copies of print books always go down well at live events, but how would you like to be able to print a personalized copy of one of your self-published books direct to a reader anywhere in the world? Thanks to our innovative Partner Member IngramSpark, you can now do just that via your usual account dashboard.
Here is a quick guide to how to take advantage of this new service – made possible by the magic that is print-on-demand technology – and some fun ideas on how to use it to promote your books and engage with your readers.
If you're already an IngramSpark customer, you'll know that when you order copies direct from your IngramSpark account, you can buy them at a special author price, and have them shipped anywhere in the world that is served by the company – which is most of it – no matter where you are ordering from.
And if you're an ALLi member, you should already be taking advantage of their generous offer to waive set-up costs for paid members of the Alliance of Independent Authors. Indeed, many indie authors find they recoup more than the cost of their annual ALLi membership through the savings they make using our exclusive code.
Now there's a new benefit to using IngramSpark – the facility to produce a one-off personalized copy of any of your print books, any time, for just $1 extra per book.
How to Print a Personalized Copy
To order a personalized copy of one of your books, simply log in to your IngramSpark account and go through the usual process to place a print order, clicking “Create new order”, then click on the book that you wish to personalise.
In the order form that then pops up, you'll spot a “personalize it!” message next to the title, like this:
Step one in ordering your personalised copy: add your chosen book to a new order
Next, click “Personalize it!”, and you'll be taken to a new form in which you insert the precise instructions for your chosen personalization:
Easy-to-follow instructions appear on this next screen
Then continue with your order as normal. Don't forget to add in the shipping address of the intended recipient, if you don't want it sent directly to yourself.
When you reach the billing screen, you'll see that you will be charged just $1 extra for each personalized copy. What a great deal!
How It Works: An Extra Page in Personalized Copies
In each personalized book, an extra page bearing your inscription is inserted as that copy is printed. It's placed right at the beginning, and the rest of your book will be exactly the same as before.
All future orders of your book – including those ordered by third parties – will remain unchanged unless you add personalization to other orders. (One of the many advantages of using IngramSpark for print-on-demand is that distributors and wholesalers can order copies of your book directly, but the personalization service is a special privilege only for you as author-publisher.)
Marketing Ideas for Personalized Copies
IngramSpark's website suggests several potential uses for personalized copies of your books:
- Giveaway prizes – desirable rewards for competitions and promotions
- Gifts for special friends – the kind of present that other people's money can't buy
- Book club special editions, thanking members for choosing your book and including discussion questions
- Commemoration of events – conferences or litfests at which you're a speaker, thanking and engaging with delegates
We've thought of a few more:
- Celebrating a publishing milestone
The 1000th book or 10,000th or millionth – a special commemorative edition to mark your milestones. (Or even the very first print copy you produce!) With any luck, it may in time become a collector's item! - Thank-you gifts for your team members
What a lovely way to to thank those who helped you get your latest book across the line: beta readers, editors, cover designers, etc - A special dedication edition for the person whose name appears on your dedication page
OVER TO YOU How will you take advantage of this fun new feature? We'd love to hear your suggestions!
Don't have an account with IngramSpark yet? Click this link to sign up now!
#Indieauthors - like to be able to create special print copies of your books with personalized from pages? Easily done via @IngramSpark! @DebbieYoungBN explains how Share on X OTHER USEFUL POSTS ABOUT USING PRINT-ON-DEMAND TECHNOLOGY TO BEST EFFECT
From the ALLi Author Advice Center Archive
Thanks, Debbie for this awesome post. I am also very keen to know what is the Delivery Cost in Bay Area, San Francisco. Because in this particular area I have worked. Please let me know.
Love Ruth’s idea! A good replacement for ball caps and t shirts.
I would like to be able to specify a Ship From location, chosen from a drop-down list, perhaps. That way I could use this nice feature to send special copies of books to people outside the US. It isn’t worth $25 postage to ship a signed copy from Austin to the UK, but it could be worth a few pounds of postage (or whatever book rate is over there) to ship it from Ingram’s UK printing facility.
Here’s my suggestion. If your book can be used as a “premium” for certain businesses to purchase and give to their customers, the personalized page can read something like, “A special gift to our loyal customers from the author and XYZ Corporation” (or dentist’s office, engineering firm, architect’s office, psychiatrist’s office, etc). A suitable book could be purchased in bulk by the companies using it as a gift (Christmas gifts could be a huge market for large businesses that might otherwise send out fruit baskets or jimcracks of some kind), and any appropriate wording could be added to the page to gently further the business’s image. And the author’s.
Wow, that is genius, Ruth! What a brilliant idea.
Aw, shucks. Many thanks.
I love this idea!