What Does The Future Hold For Alpine Sage?

In the beginning Alpine Sage started out as a small marketing company for Entertainers and Small Businesses. Only a select group of friends were allowed to get into the Alpine Sage circle. It was not created to make money. Its only function was to promote what my friends were doing.

The name Alpine Sage was formulated during a conversation with one of my Producer friends. I wanted the name to have a deeper meaning than Mountains and Brush. The truth is found in the root words. Alpine means Higher, and Sage means Wisdom.

It was not designed to become a logo, a brand or even a company. It was a philosophy and a way of life. It was a place where money had no value. Making greed a non-existent entity. Where friendship was the only tie that mattered, and true friends would always be there for you.

A lot has changed since then. Many of those friends have disappeared into the shadows. I still catch a glimpse out the corner of my eye sometimes. So I know they are still around. Who knows, they may be reading this now.

Friendship doesn't pay the bills, or keep a roof over your head. So I had to put my talents to work in exchange for pay. At least that is what the world expected of me. Needless to say, those Clients are now all gone, and I often wonder if it was all worth it. Then I think of the friends I have made along the way, and I know that it was.

So what does the future hold for Alpine Sage? Well, through deep reflection and learning from my mistakes, Alpine Sage is alive and well. I have found a way to balance my friendships and my checkbook without putting either at risk.

Most people understand that, even at a year old, InTalent Magazine is still in its infancy, and costing more than it is bringing in. So until it takes off I will need to find other ways to keep a roof over my head and food in my stomach.

Over the past several years I have had dozens of Authors ask my advice on getting published. I always gave them a few pointers and sent them on their way. Over the last few weeks there have been several of these requests, and it got me to thinking.

I made a few phone calls, questioned my closest advisers, and closed a couple deals. Starting next week I will be taking on new Authors for Alpine Sage Publishing. Our new website will be up later next week.

The Author Process:

1. A review of their Manuscript by one of our Staff Readers. If they pass this stage they will move on to stage 2.

2. An Editor will read through their Manuscript with a fine tooth comb. Searching for any misspelling, grammar, or oops!

3. The Manuscript will be returned to the Author for correction.

4. The Author will return the Manuscript to the Publisher.

5. The Publisher will perform a review of the changes then send the manuscript to the Printer. The Printer will hold the Manuscript until orders arrive. (With today's technology books can be printed on demand and shipped within 48 hours.)

6. The Publisher will add the Authors book to Amazon and over 5,000 other Websites and promote it to over 600 Bookstores.

7. The Author will be interviewed by a Staff Reporter on Google Hangouts, with the video promoted on the Publishers Website, Authors Website, YouTube, and over 40 Social Network Channels.

8. The Book will be promoted through Strategic Internet Marketing Systems (SIMS), Live Events, Interviews, Media Reviews, Blogs and Book Clubs.

Books will be available in Digital, Hard and Soft Cover!

At this point most people are looking at what it is going to cost to do all this.

• With the ability to Print-On-Demand we are able to cut out the printing and storage costs that were usually associated with Publishing.

• Distribution to online retailers is being designed into the back end of our site with a 1-click submission process. Cutting out thousands of hours manually submitting them to each site.

• The majority of our Marketing is utilizing Free Resources that are readily available.

• Staff Readers will be paid $.20 per page up to 500 pages, or $100 per book.

• Staff Editors will be paid $.50 per page up to 500 pages, or $250 per book.

• Staff Reporters will be paid $250 per interview.

• Then there are other misc. expenses that add up to around $100 per book.

• Then my fee of $300 per book plus a small 2% commission on every copy sold.

So let's just say $1,000 for any book up to 500 pages. You can't self publish for that price, and any big Publisher is going to take over 10% of the profits.

Cover design is available for an extra Graphic Artist Fee, which we will be able to negotiate due to volume combined with other Authors on our roster. We will also be able to negotiate lower Paid Advertising on Websites and Social Media using the same volume discounts.

My goal is to utilize the same technology to also make this program available to Musicians and Film Producers at about the same rates.

Keeping costs down and profits up. That is why we call it Alpine Sage.