Facility Services

Though the early stage of cookbook production is undoubtedly the most exciting, it requires a generous amount of patience and hard work. Wimmer Cookbooks responds to this challenge, by providing all publishers with the following services and opportunities.

• Publishing Consultant. Each publisher works with a personal publishing consultant to manage all aspects of planning, development and marketing. This includes, but is not limited to, defining theme and storyline, identifying selling features and target markets, collecting and testing recipes, and maintaining budget guidelines.
• Cookbook Instruction Manual. We provide new publishers with a complete “how to” workbook that covers each step in the cookbook publishing process — from organizing committees and editing recipes to understanding distribution and locating free publicity.
• Custom Financial Analysis. Once an outline is in place, consultants identify the publisher’s expected ROI by analyzing the estimated production and marketing costs of each book.
• Cookbook Workshop. The workshop is a one-on-one session with your personal publishing consultant that focuses on creating a marketable, high-quality product. Emphasis is placed on storyline, recipe collection, introductory design, and manuscript submission.

Once a storyline is established and recipe collection is well underway, there are numerous design decisions to be made. These choices regard artwork, typesetting, layout and design, and determine the overall appearance of the book.

• Publishing Coordinator. From selecting cover art to determining page design, a personal publishing coordinator guides each publisher through the production process. Expert in printing and design, the coordinator reduces the need for extensive edits, and, ultimately, ensures the book progresses in a timely manner.
• Nutritional Analysis. Wimmer Cookbooks has access to nutritionists to evaluate any and all recipes the publisher chooses to analyze.
• Graphic Design. Coordinators assist publishers with the design and application of cover art graphics or photography — inserts, and the layout of both recipe and text pages.
• Indexing. An accurate and user-friendly index is crucial for the success of any cookbook. To ensure Wimmer publishers receive a solid, marketable book, our designers generate a cross-referenced index for every cookbook published.
• Professional Recipe Editing. Wimmer publishers have the option of having their recipes professionally edited by professional recipe editors. The recipe editor will make all of the recipes consistent in the style determined by the publisher.

Long before a cookbook is printed, publishers must identify selling features, target markets and opportunities for promotion. And then, once the book is printed, the publisher must consider additional, more specific means of selling — such as cooking demonstrations and trade show exhibitions.

Needless to say, the marketing aspect of the cookbook business can be a bit intimidating. Wimmer Cookbooks simplifies this process, by offering a range of marketing strategies, solutions and assistance.

• Cookbook Marketing Manual. We provide new publishers with a workbook that explains the importance of effective marketing, introduces recent industry trends, and offers resources for obtaining critical marketing information and research.
• Digital Department. Since Wimmer Cookbooks is part of a large, commercial printing company, we have a digital department skilled at producing high quality, low quantity digital promotional and marketing pieces for our publishers. We can design and produce as little as one of any item — e.g., posters, order forms, invitations, note cards, bookmarks, flyers, stickers, post cards, gift cards — or as many as several thousand for a competitive price.
• Cookbook Marketing Workshop. The marketing workshop is a one-on-one session with your publishing consultant that concentrates on marketing trends, operational training, and strategies to increase sales. Topics include, but are not limited to, direct, wholesale and distributor sales, internal marketing, press kits, and media relations.
• Internet Visibility. The Wimmer Cookbooks website is an informational tool, as well as a sales and marketing resource for customers, retailers and buyers who wish to learn more about cookbook publishing.