(last edited on September 20, 2014 at 2:30 pm)
This may be premature, but I don’t care! Amazon’s warehouse has received the first batch of nice offset-printed Emergent Task Planner Pads! I just ordered a pad to see how they are packaging them, along with other necessities in the form of fountain pen ink and NPH. The store page is filled out with the barest of information and terrible images, but it’s a start!
The pads went to press a couple weeks ago after I settled on a new color scheme of blue and orange, which you can see here in the press check photo I took:
I tried to strike a balance between a businesslike-yet-exciting blue and a call-to-action orange. Hopefully, people like them. They are the same price as before, $12.50 for a shrink wrapped, top-glued pad of 75 sheets.
I’m still figuring out how to configure the Amazon stuff properly, but if you’re running out of pre-printed pad sheets you can now buy the Emergent Task Pads on Amazon.com.
And now the interesting work now begins: how the heck do you market your own product. I will write more later about the experience of setting up Fulfillment By Amazon and working with the printer to create the beginnings of a turn-key system. I’m starting with about $2000, left from the first run of pads, to bootstrap a business. This is surprisingly nerve-wracking.
Pre-Printed Emergent Task Planner Pads (Version 2)
Sold in shrink-wrapped pads of 75 sheets
available on Amazon.com
11 Comments
What is that color wheel/bridge, where can I get one?
I ordered them as soon as I read your blog. I didn’t have option of ordering more than 1 pack at a time, so I ordered 3 times, meaning I want 3 packs of them for starters. From the picture (above) the colors are gorgeous. I will let you know how and when they arrive. I’m Amazon “prime” member with free 2nd day mailing, so that is what I selected (of course).
Congratulations on Amazon run.
Stephen: The color swatch thing is a Pantone Color guide. There are several kinds of them; the one here is the one that belongs to the printer to verify that the Pantone colors I specified match what’s coming off the press.
Lynn: Thank you! To order more than one, you just specify the quantity in the cart, and then they’re bundled into one shipment. Of course if you have Prime, then it really doesn’t matter :D
It arrived! The packaging is fine, the forms are beautiful, pleasing to the eye. They only sent me 1 package (when I was unable to change to the right amount, I ordered 3 separately, but guess that didn’t go through).
Was to go, congratulations. Your forms have a life of their own, and this week I printed out task trackers, needing to create one for five projects. I seem to be heading towards more paper, less digital, somehow my current system is not doing so well in terms of being “trusted”
Great job on the task planner, mine just came into day. It looks really nice, I look forward to using it.
Lynn: EXCITING! You’re the first complete design-print-fulfill-customer cycle!!! :-) I picked up the 28 leftover pads from the printer yesterday and had a good look at them again, and I might adjust some weights slightly, but overall I’m pretty happy with them. Thanks for ordering them!
Greg: Sweet, I’m glad you like them, and I really appreciate the report that you received yours :-)
I use the Levenger Circa system but I love your stuff and am working on incorprating it into my “system”. In the future, perhaps you might/could consider creating some forms that would work with existing organizers. I would love to have your beautiful orange and blue forms all over my Circa Jr.
Thanks and good luck with orders.
Hey David, count me in for 1 pad! I still have the original pdf you posted, but hey, I wanted to show my appreciation for all your excellent tips. Think of this as me throwing a few bucks in your tip jar. Hope you can buy yourself a cup of coffee after Amazon takes their cut.
Hi David,
Amazon won’t ship the pads to me in The Netherlands. :-(
Is there another way to obtain them?
Kind regards,
Arnout
Hey, I’ve recently discovered your site and as a future teacher this and everything else seem like an amazing tool for my students and I. I really like the NPH Dr. Horrible purchase above. There is one update I would like to see is a version in French as I am French Second Language teacher but that is simply a suggestion. If you are interested in producing a French version I would be happy to send you a translation. Just shoot off an e-mail.
Ashley
Hi David,
I would love to be the kind of uber-motivated type that smashes out daily tasks and makes spectacularly regular progress, despite the machinations of the workplace and the dynamic nature of my role/s/ss/sss.
I really enjoy your perspective, and would be the first to sign up for “The Whole 9 Yards”…a dvd/cd on which I could purchase every single downloadable pdf form, and also detailed instructions on how to utilise them all.
Keep up the good work mate,
Brad