Fit to print | A conversation with Clay Hurtubise, founder of Raven House Publishing Co. in Westbrook
Photo/Heidi Kirn
Clay Hurtubise
Founded: May 2009
Employees: Two, part-time
Startup costs: $25,000
Projected revenue, year one: $13,000
Projected revenue, year two: $35,000
Contact: 838-4652
35 Overlook Drive, Westbrook
www.ravenhousepublishing.com
What is Raven House Publishing and what makes your business unique?
It’s unique in that it’s a new approach to publishing. Most publishing houses, especially the on-demand ones, once you publish you’re pretty much on your own. We use the terminology being “part of a flock,” because when you join Raven House, you become part of our website. So you get your own bio page and if you produce a book, you can market a promotional item such as a T-shirt or a toy alongside it. We’re trying to make Raven House Publishing a site that’s not just for the artist who wants their work published, but also a destination for people who are shopping for books and products along those lines. We don’t have a physical store. Our books are in Longfellow Bookstore, Borders and other independent bookstores in Brunswick and the greater Portland area.
Why did you decide to launch this business?
Frustration with the publishing industry. And I like the creative aspect of it. I like getting to work with authors to see their dreams become a reality. I wrote a book and I went the traditional route of trying to get it published and I got about 50 rejection letters. I could tell no one had gotten past the second paragraph of my query. In this market, unless your name is Stephen King, it’s tough to get recognized. I thought there should be another mechanism to get your book out there, so I came up with the idea that authors would become part of a community.
How do you market your business and what marketing strategies have been the most effective?
The most effective thing so far has been blogging and word of mouth. I have a blog and I use Gather and Triond, which are writing groups, to make contacts. We have a collaborative marketing approach for our authors, so when someone buys something from us, we ship it out along with a brochure that markets other Raven House items like books and artwork. We market Raven House Publishing Co. as a business on the web, but we market books more traditionally, based on the book and its content. We bought the rights to a mailing list and we mail cards out to 1,400 independent bookstores nationwide. We have a lot of competition and we can’t just send e-mail and expect it to be read, but the postcards we put out are well designed and have a higher art value. We also join groups and send submissions to the Library Journal as well as reaching out to local papers and libraries to set up book signings and events. It’s very individualized; it really depends on the author and the book.
How did you finance this business?
Personal savings and, after I got started, I got a small business loan from Gorham Bank.
What have you learned running this business that you’d share with others starting a new venture?
Don’t give up. Take advice from successful people. I ask them what their strategies were or what they found the most difficult and how they got started. Most of it is stubborn blind determination to keep going and forge ahead. You need to develop plans and all that, but more than anything you need to stick with it and seek out people who can provide you with answers to the problems you encounter.
What’s been the biggest challenge running this business and how have you overcome that challenge?
The biggest challenge was finding someone who could do the printing. I did a lot of research and then followed up to find the best way to get everything produced. The challenge is to find someone who can put out a quality product for a decent price. Developing the website was also a big challenge. Launching a decent website that’s interactive where people can make payments and buy things is expensive.
What are your goals for the future of your business?
I want Raven House Publishing to be the premier Northeast publishing company that breaks the mold and becomes a destination for authors to submit work and for people to shop.
Interview by Mercedes Grandin
New Ventures profiles young businesses, 6-18 months old. Send your suggestions and contact information to editorial@mainebiz.biz.
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