Our 2024 Workshops

Michael Johnson has almost 40 years of experience in the blend between technology, publishing, and distribution. He has worked on digital database and content projects around the world.

In his role at Benetech he works directly with publishers, conversion houses, technology platforms, retailers, and educational institutions to help them understand and implement processes that allow for fully accessible content to get from authors all the way through to the end reader.

Workshop Description:

This session will cover a wide range of beginner level information regarding accessible digital content. Attendees will learn about what is meant by Born Accessible, why accessibility is important, how to properly do accessibility in your publishing house, and the current market and legal forces around accessibility.

Who should attend?

Everyone will benefit from this session. Every aspect of the publishing process from securing manuscripts to making the end sale is impacted by accessibility. There are acquisitions, editiorial, technical, operational, sales/marketing, and P/L aspects involved.

Larry Bennett, Executive Director, North America, manages North America for French technology company Nord Compo.

Nord Compo is a leading supplier of composition and digital services to book publishers worldwide.

Workshop Description:

If you’re an audiobook consumer, you’ve probably noticed big quality differences in the books you’ve listened to. As you probably know, the large publishers invest heavily in the production of an audiobook by a best-selling author or celebrity. They use a top-quality studio, an experienced voice over artist, along with a director, producer, etc. How can smaller publishers-with smaller budgets--achieve that level of quality without resorting to production budgets that all but guarantee zero profits. This master class provides a step-by-step guide to the production of a high-quality audiobook, from the casting to the narration, through post-production and sound engineering. We will show before and after examples of each step in the process, to illustrate the potential pitfalls and ensure the highest quality. And finally we’ll touch upon a distribution option that maximizes your exposure and your revenue. Once you are able to produce the highest quality audiobooks affordably, and get them distributed to a ravenous global audiobook market, you are ready to take off!

Who should attend?

Editors, Marketers, Production, IT

Kris Kliemann, President of Kliemann & Co, a consulting firm that advises publishing companies on strategic approaches to licensing rights, permissions and other copyright and intellectual property for maximum reach and revenue. High focus on integration of digital solutions into the rights business.

Kris spent 37 years working in the rights departments for a number of major US and global publishing companies prior to opening her consulting company in 2016.

Workshop Description:

Topics will include the value in investing in rights management, engaging all functions with a publishing company around the role of rights in their business, and empowering long term growth via licensing rights out.

This workshop will be a combination of presentation and Q&A. Bring you rights management questions!

Who should attend?

Heads of houses, finance, rights, editors, marketers

Dan Heffernan is Vice President & Chief Product Manager at AdvantageCS – an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based company serving the publishing industry since 1979. Dan is responsible for sales, marketing, and product direction at this 80-person software and services company. With a world-wide portfolio of clients, Dan has had roles in sales, marketing, operations, project management and business development. He also served as co-chair for the International Committee on EDI Standards, a committee within the EDItEUR organization.

Workshop Description:

This session will make the distinction between subscription systems for publishers and generic subscription billing platforms for box subscriptions and other non-publishing applications. What are the unique things that publishers of digital content, magazines and books require and what should one watch for in the selection process? What gaps exist in subscription billing platforms that will haunt you if you overlook them? The software developers will claim that their system will be able to meet all your needs, but how much development will be required?

This workshop will involve participation from the audience by answering questions about specific capabilities that they may or may not require if they sell subscriptions.

Who should attend?

subscription product managers, marketers, customer service, IT and finance.

Sponsored by Silver Workshop Sponsor

Color House Graphics

David Hetherington is the Vice President – Global Business Development for PCPA Adjunct Member & Platinum Sponsor Books International. They are a leading provider of US and International book manufacturing, print and digital distribution services for the book publishing industry.

Workshop Description:

This session will consider steps organizations can take to make their business more resilient in a time of crisis - most businesses wait until a crisis is upon them to react rather than adapting plans and programs to make their business more likely to weather the storm!

Subjects that will be discussed include structural and operational changes to improve cash flow, migrating from fixed cost to variable cost operations, technology options to increase resilience, and scanning the business landscape for risks and opportunities.

Who should attend?

Heads of house, finance, risk managers, production, supply chain managers, corporate counsel, board members

Mike Wise has been a sales representative with Versa Press for the last 19 years and just recently joined the sales management team.

Mike is looking forward to joining everyone at this year’s Annual Conference and presenting our workshop on cover and dust jacket production.

Workshop description:

This workshop will provide examples of the various cover and dust jacket finishing options available at your printer. The discussion will include cost comparisons between the various finishes. There is such a wide range of cover and jacket embellishments available in our industry these days that this review with an emphasis on production operations will be very helpful to attendees.

In addition, there will be a panel of designers who will be invited to speak to current trends they’re seeing and the Versa Press leader will offer input on the production side.

Who should attend?

Designers, production, purchasing, editors and marketers.

Ken Brooks is president of Treadwell Media Group, a publishing operations and strategy consulting firm focused on the higher education and trade publishing sectors.

Workshop description:

Explore the fusion of technology and faith-based publishing through prompt engineering. Attendees will grasp the fundamentals of prompt creation and adaptation tailored for Christian publishing. By workshop's end, participants will have engineered their own prompts, unlocking innovative content strategies for their respective domains.

1. Prompt Creation Lab: Attendees will be given sample texts from various Christian publications and be guided through creating tailored prompts. 2. Feedback Rounds: After designing prompts, participants will share their creations in small groups, providing and receiving feedback.

3. Prompt Challenge: Attendees will be presented with real-world publishing scenarios where they'll apply prompt engineering to devise content solutions. 4. Tech Insights: While not a coding class, there will be a brief hands-on segment allowing attendees to test their prompts in an AI interface, experiencing firsthand the output quality and relevance.

Who should attend?

While the workshop is designed to be inclusive for various functional areas, it is particularly beneficial for those in editorial, production, operations/supply chain and marketing.

Tom Thatcher, Executive Director of The Elemental Group, is a former Pastor, Professor, and Provost with 3 decades of experience as a teacher, administrator, grant-writer, author/editor, curriculum writer, and mentor.

He has worked with over 100 churches, denominational agencies, schools, and not-for-profits, has supported the launch of over a dozen new organizations (including 2 consulting groups and 3 congregational resource centers), and has secured over $6.5mil in grants for a variety of ministries.

A founder of EG, he particularly enjoys supporting the launch of new initiatives and the resolution of impossible problems

Workshop description:

This workshop will help participants assess whether fundraising and grant writing could expand their revenue base to support current activities and resource new initiatives. Discussion will center on 3 key questions:

1) Why would people give you free money?

2) How can you become more “fundable”?

3) How do you work with fundraisers and grant writers?

Participants will leave with a 1-page document that identifies

1) 1-2 projects (current or potential) that might attract donations/grants;

2) 1-3 things they could do to make their organization more fundable.

Who should attend?

Fundraising/development staff, Executive Directors, Board members, Finance Marketing/Communications, Acquisitions editors

Derek Altom is the director of events and development at D6 Family Ministry in Nashville, Tennessee. Derek and his wife, Jennifer, have been married over 18 years. Together they live in Hermitage, Tennessee with their four boys (Stephen (18), Larry (16), Josiah (11), and Silas (8)) and their two dogs, Peyton Manning and Phoebe. He enjoys watching his boys play sports, reading a good book, spending time at the lake with family and friends, and watching Indianapolis Colts football and Indiana Hoosiers basketball.

Dr. Ron Hunter Jr. Ron Hunter serves as Executive Director & CEO of D6 Family Ministry in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the co-founder and Director of the D6 Conference. He earned his Ph.D. in leadership, and his distinct approach touches new arenas through his creativity and vision. Previously, he served for eleven years in ministry in Florida and Tennessee and was co-owner of a full-service advertising agency. Ron is also the author of several books focused on creative leadership and ministry. Ron is a popular speaker, teacher and consultant. He serves as adjunct professor at Dallas Baptist University. He has been married to his college sweetheart Pamela since 1987, and they have two adult kids, Michael and Lauren.

Workshop description:

We all know that exhibiting at conferences is a must, but what about offering conferences for your customers? Learn how hosting a conference can be a key strategy for growth, product enhancement, and sustainability. Warning, do conferences is not for the faint of heart.

Who should attend?

Heads of house, finance, marketers, sales, service, events managers and curriculum developers

Workshop description:

Explore how understanding metadata can drive book sales, reveal untapped revenue in rights deals, and streamline production for increased profits.

Topics considered include how better metadata leads to better sales opportunities. How sales data combined with metadata helps understand what readers want. How good metadata helps highlight a book's value for different deals opening up more income opportunities beyond book sales. How tracking production costs linked with metadata-driven sales forecasts can lead to enhanced decision making.

Ultimately using metadata, sales, rights, and cost data together drives smarter decisions, and can lead to improved profitability and competitive advantages.

Who should attend?

This workshop should appeal to all areas of the workforce as it focuses on tangible benefits and enhanced decision-making through simplified data analysis.

Mich Hancock is the founder of TedX-St. Louis as well as a digital marketing firm, 100th Monkey.

Workshop description:

This workshop will help attendees understand the differences between a regular speech and a Ted Talk. Mich will provide examples and insights on how to make your next presentation more engaging.

Come with your questions about how to up your speaking talent!

Mich will speak for 20-30 minutes then open up the rest of the hour for Q&A and even listening to short snippets of a presentation or two and providing feedback for anyone who wants to volunteer in advance.

If you want to volunteer, please contact PCPA Executive Director Beth Lewis by no later than April 1, 2024.

Curtis Key is

Vice President of Business Development at Books International. He oversees digital fulfillment, eCommerce solutions, and data operations. But, in this workshop, he is partnering with D2C marketing experts from Supadü.

Workshop description:

In 2022, approximately 64% of consumers worldwide made regular purchases directly from the brands they know and trust. And in the retail space overall, online sales constituted 26.5% of overall retail sales in 2022. Thus, as direct-to-consumer sales continue to grow post-pandemic, publishers are faced with a growing need to have an effective e-commerce solution that meets consumer expectations. This workshop will help participants gain a better understanding of the various components required to operate a successful e-commerce site. From product pages, to building an online community through digital marketing on direct and social channels to drive engagement and sales, to the customer check-out process.

We will begin with a 15-20 minute presentation followed by Q&A, and will be offering digital guidebooks for everything presented in the workshop.

Who should attend?

Marketers, Sales, Service, Design, IT, and Operations.

Jannis Baltuttis, Presales Consultant, knk Group

is an accomplished presales consultant at knk, driven by his passion for technology and its potential to empower publishers and media companies in emerging markets. With a primary focus on North American and Canadian publishers, Jannis specializes in Editorial, Rights and Royalties, Digital Subscriptions (Paid Content & Databases), Order Management, and Finance. As a dedicated sparring partner, he collaborates with publishing and media companies to intimately understand the challenges they are facing, and to seek innovative solutions that help them modernize their offerings and streamline their operations.

Workshop description:

Micro royalties are small, often fractional payments made to content creators or rights holders based on the microtransactions and usage of their intellectual property.

In this workshop, you’ll learn practical strategies for streamlining micro royalties, automating processes in an online database system, and eliminating manual processes. We'll also explore the complexities of managing them within larger frameworks and offer tips on simplifying tasks, including reutilizing content for automatic content creation.

This workshop will offer an interactive learning experience.

Who should attend?

Royalties Managers, Contract Managers, Heads of House, finance, IT, and Legal Counsel.

Brandie Herrell is the Sales Representative for the Southeast US at Friesens Corporation.

She personally oversees titles printing from Hachette, Chalice Press, Lifeway Christian and many more esteemed, PCPA publishers.

Workshop description:

Color Management is a very important element in the design and printing of books and publications. Friesens would like to provide a color management workshop to allow PCPA attendees to test how well they see color with the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue test. The FM 100 Hue test has been the printing and design industry’s primary tool for determining how accurately an individual can discern color for over 60 years. We would provide the opportunity for participants to take the test and receive a scoring result. This test will allow PCPA members to see how well they perceive color and if they have any targeted areas of color deficiency. Also, during the workshop, Friesens’ Prepress and Color Specialist, Brad Schmidt will speak to the importance of color management. He’ll be a wonderful resource, as he is very good at educating on this topic and he’s extremely thorough. Plus, Brad will provide us w/ valuable tips and tricks on color.

Who should attend?

Designers, production, illustrators, and marketers

Workshop description:

Struggling to get eyes and ears on all of the great content you’ve created?

You are not alone.

This workshop will give you practical trade tips on how to get your content in front of more people. From engaging influencers & bloggers, to podcasting, to partnering with websites, and more… you will walk away inspired and equipped to get your message out to a larger audience in a way that draws people into what you have to say.

The presentation includes a fun, engaging PowerPoint presentation and plenty of time for Q&A to ask specific questions on how to market and advertise your content more effectively.

Who should attend?

This workshop is geared toward marketing and PR teams and will also be helpful for editorial staff looking to understand how the marketing team promotes the finished product.