The Awards Program
Is Open!
***********************
Watch for our award-winning products at these fine conferences:
Aug. 30 - Sept. 3
Beijing Int'l Book Fair
Beijing, China
Sept. 29-30
Illinois Library Assn
Peoria, IL
Oct. 6-10
Frankfurt Int'l Book Fair
Frankfurt, Germany
Oct. 10-13
ABC Kids Expo
Las Vegas, NV
Oct. 17-19
New England Library Assn
Hartford, CT
Oct. 24-27
PA Library Assn
State College, PA
Nov. 2-5
NY Library Assn
Sarasota Springs, NY
Nov. 10-12
MI Library Assn
Acme, MI
Nov. 12-15
CA Library Assn
Sacramento, CA
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MCA Webstore Open 24/7 |
Resources For New Honorees
Download the Honoree Checklist For Success and Sample Media Release
Learn about using the MCA Honoring Excellence Logo
Use these approved statements to promote your award-winning product
Marketing / Promotional Offers
2010 Exhibit /Conference Dates
Check out what your fellow Honorees are experiencing with the MCA Marketing Programs
Education
Learn how to use book awards to boost your book sales
Learn how to make the most of Amazon Advantage
Special Resources for Indie Pubs, Self Publishers and Self-Promoting Authors and Artists
Webinar Portfolio - COMING SOON!
News
Benefits / Special Offers
Miscellaneous
Everything You Need To Know About BookExpo America (BEA)
2010 Exhibit / Conference Dates
Put your book/product in the hands of thousands of buyers, acquisition librarians and educators!
With help from our friends at Combined Book Exhibit (CBE) and Association Book Exhibit (ABE), we are pleased to announce these special exhibit offers reserved exclusively for our distinguished Alumni. NO membership fees are required, and the MCA Alumni Rate represents as much as 40-46% off the published show price in most cases.
When you exhibit at any of these conferences, your book/product will be displayed face out. Plus, your book/product information will be included in the show catalog.
For shows where the MCA Showcase is on-site, professionally designed signage will clearly identify the section as the Mom’s Choice Awards Showcase featuring MCA award-winning publishers, producers, manufacturers, authors and illustrators.
SPECIAL NOTE: for these shows, as long as you are an MCA award-winning, publisher, producer, manufacturer, author, illustrator, etc., you may register ANY book/product in your collection. This is a great way to showcase new products/titles!
The shows are listed below in order of the deadline. Reservations, catalog content and display items are needed by the deadline date listed. Click any event to learn more or to register.
Special Resources for Indie Pubs, Self-Publishers and Self-Promoting Authors and Artists
Indie Pubs, Self Pubs and Self-Promoting Authors, Learn About The IBPA Advantage
Expand Distribution / Establish Relationships with Wholesalers
Get listed In Baker & Taylor's Database (Public Library & Retail Wholesaler)
Learn about Ingram's Submission Guidelines (#1 Retail Wholesaler)
Submit your title to Quality Books Inc. (Public & K-12 Library Wholesaler)
Submit your title to Follett (Education & Public Library Wholesaler)
Get The #1 Online Retailer To Offer Your Book/Product
Sign up for the Amazon Advantage
See also: Making the most of Amazon Advantage
See also: More tips for generating buzz on Amazon
Sign up for the Amazon Marketplace
Get Major Bookstores To Offer Your Book/Product
Note: before you submit, it's best to establish a relationship with Baker & Taylor or Ingram first.
See above for details.Become a Vendor of Record for Barnes & Noble
Get your book/product in Borders
Get your book/product in Books-A-Million
Get Independent Bookstores To Offer Your Book/Product
Be sure your title is listed in the American Booksellers Association eCommerce database. You can check by going to the ABA Shop page: http://www.indiebound.org/zip.php, enter your zip code, pick any store and search for your title. If your title doesn’t come up, email the following information to ABA at addabook@bookweb.org, and they will add it for FREE: ISBN, Title, Author, Publisher
Pub. date, Binding type, Price, BISAC code or genre.Miscellaneous
Get your book/product included in the Cricket Magazine Catalog
Submit your book/product to Renaissance Learning (Accelerated Reader)
Get your book reviewed by Midwest Book Review
Publishers, Publicists and Book Marketing Pros:
Learn how to use book awards to boost your book sales. (Courtesy of The Jenkins Group, Inc.)
Tip! At your first opportunity, update your online content to include news about your award!
Be sure to update your product pages at Amazon.com and BN.com.
Use the MCA Honoring Excellence logo to promote your award-winning product:
Honorees are permitted to use the MCA Honoring Excellence logo. Two licensing tiers are available:
Tier 1: The MCA Image Pack For Marketing / Promotional
The MCA Tier 1 Image Pack is available for a small one-time licensing fee of $25. The Tier 1
Image Pack contains both medium resolution and web images--everything you need to promote your status as a Distinguished Honoree on your website and in your promotional/marketing collateral. A Tier 1 License is publisher/manufacturer specific. Only one per company is required.Contents: 4 Distinguished Honoree web banners, the MCA Honoring Excellence logo in 4-color, grayscale, gold and silver. The logos for print are 150 dpi CMYK jpg at 2". The logos for web are 72 dpi RGB at 2". For high resolution images, order the MCA Tier 2 Image Pack (see below). Use the MCA Webstore and get the Tier 1 Image Pack instantly (24/7).
Tier 2: The MCA Image Pack For Product Packaging
In order to reproduce the MCA Honoring Excellence logo on your book cover or product packaging,
a Tier 2 License is required. A Tier 2 License is product specific. The one-time licensing fee is $500, and a License Agreement is required. Contents: 4 Distinguished Honoree web banners, the MCA Honoring Excellence logo in 4-color, grayscale, gold and silver. The logos for print are 300 dpi CMYK jpg at 5". The logos for web are 72 dpi RGB at 5". Other file types are available upon request. Use the MCA Webstore to order the Tier 2 Image Pack. An MCA Associate will contact you shortly upon receipt of your order to arrange for the Tier 2 License Agreement.
Use these MCA-approved statements to promote your award-winning product:
Tip! The MCA does not require that honorees use the year of the award or the specific category
or subcategory. In fact, honorees are encouraged to use statements modeled after the fiveexamples above. Your status as an award-winner is timeless. Therefore, the year does not
matter and will only "date" your product over time. The inclusion of the category is optional,
but may limit your audience appeal from a promotional perspective. Slight variations of the
examples given are acceptable. If you have a question about what is or is not acceptable,
please contact us.
Did you know the library channel is one of the most lucrative channels for book publishers, CD/DVD producers, software producers and game producers? It’s true! Discounts are generally lower than those seen in the retail channels and returns are few and far between.
And while retailers are severely impacted by the down economy,
libraries are enjoying a revival.
The Mom’s Choice Awards® offers its Distinguished Alumni several cost-effective marketing programs that will put your product information in the hands of thousands of acquisition librarians (the librarians making product selections and purchasing decisions). Created by our team of big-idea thinkers, designers, technologists and producers these proven programs area great way to showcase your Mom’s Choice Award-winning product.
OFFER 1: Mom’s Choice Awards® Public Library eCatalog
This digital eCatalog is produced quarterly and emailed to approximately 5,000 public library systems in the US. The email list is provided by The Library Resources Group. All emails are confirmed opt-in subscribers, and all subscribers are qualified librarian decision-makers. Space is limited and available on a first-come basis. The cost to participate is $300 per title. Multi title discounts are available. See the MCA Webstore for details.
See A Sample
Issues Deadlines
Spring (March) Jan 15th
Summer (June) April 15th
Fall/Holiday (Sept) July 15th
Winter (Dec) Oct 15th
OFFER 2: Mom’s Choice Awards® K-12 Library eCatalog
This digital eCatalog is produced four times a year and emailed to approximately 5,000 K-12 library systems in the US. The email list is provided by The Library Resources Group. All emails are confirmed opt-in subscribers, and all subscribers are qualified librarian decision-makers. Space is limited and available on a first-come basis. The cost to participate is $300 per title. Multi title discounts are available. See the MCA Webstore for details.
See A Sample
Spring 2009Issues Deadlines
Spring (Apr/May) Feb 15th
New School Year (Aug/Sept) June 15th
Fall (Oct/Nov) Aug 15th
Winter (Feb/Mar) Dec 15th
OFFER 3: Mom’s Choice Awards® Customized Library eCampaign
We can help you reach more than 80,000 decision-makers in all segments of the library marketplace. Customize your campaign by selecting your criteria:
The all-inclusive fee includes a full-color email designed with links to your website, and statistical reporting. The mailing list is provided by The Library Resources Group. All emails are confirmed opt-in subscribers, and all subscribers are qualified librarian decision-makers. Campaigns are scheduled on first-come basis. The cost to participate varies on the size of the campaign. There is a 5,000 email minimum = $625 plus $0.13 for additional email addresses. See the MCA Webstore for details.
With help from our friends at American Booksellers Assn. (ABA), we are pleased to present these special offers reserved for our distinguished Alumni.
OFFER 1: MCA IndieBound eCatalog (Electronic)
This digital eCatalog is produced quarterly and distributed to all ABA member stores. The all inclusive fee includes the email list rental and a full-color product listing. The email list is provided by ABA. The cost to participate is $200. Multi title discounts are available. See the Alumni Webstore for details. Space is limited and available on a first-come basis.
See A Sample
Summer 2009Issues Deadlines
Spring (March) Jan 15th
Summer (June) April 15th
Fall/Holiday (Sept) July 15th
Winter (Dec) Oct 15th
OFFER 2: MCA IndieBound eReviews (Electronic)
This electronic listing is produced monthly and emailed to all ABA member stores (via the ABA Advance Access program). This is a great way to offer ABA members an opportunity to review your award-winning book/product for purchase or for the purpose of nominating your title for the IndieBound List (formerly Book Sense Picks). The all inclusive fee includes the email list rental and a full-color product listing. All inquiries or requests for review copies will be sent directly to you. The email list is provided by ABA. The cost to participate is $50. Space is limited and available on a first-come basis. Deadline = 15th of each month. See the Alumni Webstore for availability.
See A Sample
Spring 2009
This innovative program links schools and libraries with award-winning visiting authors, illustrators and performing
artists. Ten MCA Honorees are invited to participate in the beta trial. Participants will earn the following: a lifetime listing on the MCA Conex Landing Page, a lifetime customized Profile Page and a customized eAd sent to up to 2,000 librarians and/or media specialists in a geographic area as designated by the Participant. Additional email addresses may be added for an additional fee. Participants may determine the content and the delivery date of the eAd. Participants are asked to provide specific feedback (positive or constructive) at the end of the beta period. The email database is managed by The Library Resources Group. All emails are confirmed opt-in subscribers, and all subscribers are qualified decision-makers. Statistical reporting is provided. The introductory all-inclusive fee is $300. Interested parties will contact the Participants directly for details and scheduling. Space is limited. See the Alumni Webstore for availability.
See the MCA Conex Landing Page (Under construction)
See the Email Counts By Library Type and State
Save $100 Off Premium National Targeted Media Release Services from Jenkins Group, Inc.
Are you looking to tell the world about your award-winning book/product/service without breaking the bank? Access to quality and up to date media resources can be overwhelmingly expensive…..until now, thanks to our friends Jenkins Group Inc. (JGI)! JGI has kindly offered to discount their National Targeted Media Release Service from $695 to $595 for our distinguished Alumni.
JGI uses a unique “discovery” process to determine the appropriate news angle and market segment for your book/product/service. Then, their team of professional marketers, copywriters and editors will craft your media release—including that catchy headline you’ve been trying to think of. Upon your approval the release is sent along with your book/product/logo image to a targeted list of 500-800 leading media sources best matched for your book/product/service. Contacts include editors, reporters, columnists and syndicated writers. And! The contact list--complete with contact names, phone numbers, fax numbers, email addresses and direct mail addresses—is yours to keep for follow up and future use. To give you a comparison—a mass media distribution service (such as PR Newswire) will generally charge $500 for a standard press/news release with a book/product image. That fee DOES NOT include copywriting services or a contact list. To get discount, order here.
Get 10% Off Marketing Solutions From The Librarian’s Yellow Pages
The Librarian’s Yellow Pages offers customized marketing solutions for your product. To learn more about their offerings, please visit LYPonline.com. Be sure to tell them you’re an MCA Honoree, and you’ll earn 10% off their products and services. Sorry, the 10% discount cannot be combined with another offer.
Get 15% off Webiob services (interactive online books, product trailers, and other services)
Tip! Children’s Book Publishers check out this example to see what Webiob can do for your
award-winning title! Be sure to click to “Game” tab to see the IOB Coloring Page and Memory
and Matching Game! To get your discount, be sure to tell them you’re an MCA Honoree.
Get 50% off the review fee for the Dove Foundation’s Family Approved Seal
Tip! The MCA and the Dove Foundation share an aligned mission of helping parents make intelligent
choices concerning the entertainment they select for their families. Submit your product for review by
December 31st, and you'll earn 50% off the review fee (normally $50 to $100). Simply follow the
submission instructions. In your cover letter, be sure to reference that your product is a recipient of the
Mom’s Choice Awards®.
Get 25% off the membership fee for Book Central Station:
Book Central Station is a comprehensive database of companies providing professional services to the book industry: printers, reviewers, editors, designers, publicists, distributors and others. Members benefit from reviews and ratings posted by others who have used a supplier in the past. This valuable resource helps publishing professionals make informed decisions and save thousands of dollars. Sign up today, and use Promo Code BCS010 to get the discount.
Get 25% off John Kremer’s best-selling book 1,001 Ways To Market Your Book
Do you want to know how to make your book a bestseller without breaking the bank? John Kremer is the industry expert for book marketing. Learn about strategies that took Deepak Chopra from a vanity press author to being on the New York Times bestseller list eight times and helped Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, authors of Chicken Soup for the Soul, rise to bestseller status. Click here to order your copy of this valuable resource.
Get $10 off Beyond the Bookstore™
With this Publishers Weekly book by book marketing expert Brian Jud, you’ll learn how to sell your books to non-bookstore markets, more profitably and without returns. The book comes with a companion Marketing Planning CD-ROM™ that includes templates for planning and tracking sales and expenses. Order your copy today, and use Promo Code MCA10 to get the discount.
Get 15% discount off radio and TV station databases, mailing labels, or email campaigns from Radio Mall
Looking for strategic marketing solutions to put your book/product information in the hands of thousands of program directors and/or general managers? Our friends at Radio Mall offer a wide variety of marketing solutions customized to your needs. Learn more about their portfolio of offerings. To get the discount, be sure to mention that you’re an MCA Honoree in the comments box on the check-out page, or call Dave at 800.759.4561.
Get 34% off the Insider’s Guide To Large Quantity Book Sales- America’s #1 special market sales resource
This innovative 146-page PDF publication reveals the most effective strategies in gaining attention for your book and getting it sold! Click here to learn more. To get the discount, order here.
Get 15% off YourPubSite.com hosting and web design services
Publishers of all sizes need a presence on the web. YourPubSite.com offers self publishers and small independent presses easy-to-manage, professional websites at an affordable cost. Click here to learn more and to see sample sites. To get the discount, order here.
Get a FREE initial consultation with award-winning composer to discuss your project's production needs
AMADO MUSIC – A San Diego, California based Music and Multimedia Production Company, specializing in original children’s music, animation post-scoring, voiceover casting and multimedia production services. Principle Composer Marti Amado (graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Music), and her team have created original music and audio for clients in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Nashville, San Diego and Europe, including: LEGOLAND’s Pirate Shores Attraction, The Odyssey TV Network, (starring The Muppets), Warner Brothers Films, Universal Music Publishing, “Entertainment Tonight,” Chevrolet, Sears, Big Sisters, Bumblebee Publishing and many others. A talented pianist and singer, Marti has worked with top artists including: Jewel, Kenny Rogers, Rita Coolidge and Michael Bolton. Office: 858.451.9582 / Cell: 760.877.0619 / Email: marti@amadomusic.net / Internet: www.amadomusic.net
The Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA – formerly PMA) is a great organization dedicated to advancing the professional interests of independent publishers. To this end, IBPA provides cooperative marketing programs, education and advocacy within the publishing industry. If you’re NOT a member of IBPA, we strongly encourage you to consider joining. To learn more about IBPA, please visit their website.
For over 35 years, CRICKET Magazine Group has delighted and entertained young readers. The company offers fourteen different kid's magazines spanning ages from toddlers to teens and focusing on Literature & Imagination, History & Culture, and Science & Ideas. The company has won virtually every award given to kids' literary magazines and has been praised by many, including the Los Angeles Times, who call their magazines “ad-free, with high-quality pages and top-notch writing and illustrations."
CRICKET Magazine Gives Special Consideration To MCA HonoreesOur friends at CRICKET Magazine Group have agreed to give special consideration to MCA Honorees for inclusion in their product catalogs: online, consumer print and institutional print. To be considered, please send two samples of your MCA award-winning product to:
Mandy Sano
Carus Publishing
30 Grove Street, Suite C
Peterborough, NH 03458
603-924-7209 X260
Be sure your product samples feature the official MCA award seal, and send supporting marketing collateral or a media kit. Terms are negotiated individually, but typical terms are 50% discount—publisher/manufacturer pays shipping to New Hampshire.
Get Reviewed by Midwest Book Review
The Midwest Book Review (MBR) was founded in 1976 by highly respected James A. Cox, Editor-In-Chief. MBR is an online monthly publication aimed at librarians, booksellers, as well as the general reading public. Its mission is to promote literacy, library usage, and independent publishing. Click here to learn more about the organization.
Sorry, galleys are not accepted at this time. This is a complimentary service.
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What Is Baker & Taylor?
Baker & Taylor is a leading full-line distributor of books, videos, music, games and services to libraries, retailers, and other resellers. Baker & Taylor has been in business for over 176 years and has developed long-term relationships with major suppliers, including book publishers, movie studios, and music labels, shipping more than 1 million unique ISBNs (SKUs) annually. Baker & Taylor maintains one of the largest combined in-stock book, video, and music inventories in the United States, with approximately 385,000 titles in inventory and over 1.5 million titles available for order. Learn more about Baker & Taylor by visiting their website: www.btol.com
Why Should I Partner With Baker & Taylor?
The library channel is one of the most lucrative channels for book publishers and CD/DVD/game producers. Discounts are generally lower than those seen in the retail channels and returns are few and far between. Baker & Taylor is also a large supplier to the retail channel.
Most acquisition librarians and retailers will not order directly from a publisher/manufacturer but rather from their distributor, wholesaler or jobber. Baker & Taylor is the leading supplier to the library channel in the US and a large supplier to the retail channel. And, unlike most major wholesalers, Baker & Taylor is happy to work with small publishers/manufacturers. To give your book/product the best possible exposure in this channel, you’ll want to establish a relationship with Baker & Taylor. While it will require a bit of paperwork and a setup fee, the process is fairly simple….please read on for more information.
What Should I Expect For Terms?
Terms vary, but for small publishers terms are generally 55% discount off list; books are 100% returnable; publisher pays inbound freight; 90 day net payment.
How Do I Get Set Up?
First, we recommend that you join IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Assn.). It’s a great organization dedicated to advancing the professional interests of independent publishers. To this end, IBPA provides cooperative marketing programs, education and advocacy within the publishing industry. IBPA members earn a discount off the Baker & Taylor setup fee, and IBPA can assist you with the setup process if needed. To learn more about IBPA, please visit their website.
Then complete the Baker & Taylor setup form and fax it to the number shown at the top of the form.
TIP! Be sure your product has an ISBN number before you submit your application.
Someone from Baker & Taylor Publisher Relations will be in contact with you. Baker & Taylor will ask you to complete their Vendor Profile Questionnaire (B&T will supply this) and return it to them along with a check for the setup fee of $75.00 for the Standard Package or $245 for the Partner Package (discounted rates for IBPA members). The Standard Package is generally a good fit for most small publishers, but Baker & Taylor Publisher Relations will assist you in determining the best package for your company.
Follett FAQ
For more than 130 years, Follett has been helping to inspire and empower those who want to learn. Today, Follett generates more than $2.3 billion in annual sales by providing universities, libraries and schools and school districts with a wide range of educational tools and services that fuel the learning process and spark the imagination. In fact, through their seven business units, they touch the lives of millions of students ranging from adults taking classes on college campuses and in cyberspace to grade school children surfing the Internet in their school library. Learn more about Follett by visiting their website: www.follett.com/about.cfm
Why Should I Partner With Follett?
The educational channel is one of the most lucrative channels for book publishers and CD/DVD/game producers. Discounts are generally lower than those seen in the retail channels and returns are few and far between.
Most acquisition librarians, educators and media specialists will not order directly from a publisher/manufacturer but rather from their distributor, wholesaler or jobber. Follett is a leading supplier to the educational channel in the US. And, unlike most major wholesalers, Follett is happy to work with small publishers/manufacturers. To give your book/product the best possible exposure in this channel, you’ll want to establish a relationship with Follett.
What Should I Expect For Terms?
Terms vary, but for small publishers terms are generally 50-55% discount off list; books are 100% returnable; publisher pays inbound freight; 90 day net payment.
How Do I Get Set Up?
For submission guidelines, contact:
Gail Wieczorek
Acquisitions Department
Follett Library Resources, Inc.
1340 Ridgeview Drive
McHenry, IL 60050-7048
815-759-1700 x3363
815-759-9831 fax
Gail.Wieczorek@flr.follett.comTIP! Be sure your product has an ISBN number before you submit your product for consideration.
Making the Most of Amazon Advantage
Reviews & Product Page Updates
Our friends at Amazon, feels it is more appropriate for MCA reviews to be posted as “Editorial Reviews” rather than “Customer Reviews.” Editorial Reviews are posted higher on the product page and are considered to have more influence than Customer Reviews.
Click here to see an example.
But, because Editorial Reviews are posted by the Amazon Advantage account owner, we are unable to post them on your behalf.
The instructions for posting your MCA Editorial Review follow:
Login to Amazon Advantage.
1) From the left-hand navigation, select “Update Item Content”
2) On the next page, find the MCA award-winning item and click the ASIN
3) On the next page, in the “Book Title” field add (Mom's Choice Awards Recipient)
4) Scroll down to one of the “Review” boxes, and copy and paste the following:
(Your item name here) is a recipient of the prestigious Mom's Choice Award. The Mom's Choice Awards honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; and Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of the Mom's Choice Awards. Parents and educators look for the Mom s Choice Awards seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book/product has been honored by this distinguished award.
5) In the “Source” field, type “Mom’s Choice Awards”
6) Scroll down to the bottom of the page. Click “Preview Results”
7) On the next page, click “Edit” if changes are needed. Otherwise, click “Submit.”
You should see your updates posted in 5-6 business days.
More Tips For Generating Buzz On Amazon:
1) Sign up for AmazonConnect
AmazonConnect is Amazon's special program for authors and artists where they can create and maintain a blog on Amazon.com. Your blog is given prime placement on the detail pages of your books and CDs and your own special blog page. Click here to see an example.
Sign up for AmazonConnect.
2) Become a reviewer for Amazon. When you post a review, your name and title is posted
(i.e. Chariss Walker, award-winning author of Make A Joyful Noise).3) Ask everyone you know to post a review on your Amazon product page
4) Submit your book to Midwest Book Review (MBR). MBR also posts reviews on Amazon.
5) Update your email signature block—an example follows:
Chariss K. Walker
Award-winning author and speaker
Read my blog (add link)
Visit my website (add link)
Follow me on Twitter (add link)
Connect with me on FaceBook (add link)
Make A Joyful Noise
Give a brief synopsis….recipient of the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award.
Buy it on Amazon (add link).