Many of our authors might not be aware that
Infinity Publishing has partnered with
Eco-Libris to launch the “100 Tree Project.” With this project, Infinity’s authors have the option to make a $50.00 donation to plant 100 trees for each book they publish. In return, Eco-Libris will authorize Infinity to include an official Eco-Libris logo that reads “100 trees planted for this book” on the book cover. This will serve as a reminder of their commitment to improving the environment.
Eco-Libris, founded in 2007, is a green company working with publishers, authors, and bookstores across the world to “green up” the book industry by promoting green practices, endorsing green books, and planting a tree for every book published.
Eco-libris has agreed to highlight each Infinity book that has taken advantage of the “100 Trees Project” in their blog. This blog will also be linked in Infinity’s Publishing blog which means more publicity for the author!
Eco-libris is currently highlighting Good Management is Not Fire-fighting by Joe Quass
Click here to read the full article on Eco-libris!
Joe Cannon top selling Infinity author of Personal Fitness Training Books
"I've been with Infinity over 6 years and so far I've published 5 books with them. My books deal with personal fitness training, nutrition and dietary supplements. Let me share with you some of the ways I market my books to help you ramp up sales of your books.
I explain complex topics in simple language. If you write informational books and the reader has to think about what you are saying, you've lost them. I don't just repeat facts, I show people how to apply the facts to the real world. This brings the information to life.
I do a lot of public speaking. I am one of the people who certifies personal trainers. When people hear me speak, it makes them more likely to buy a book.
Remember, people do not buy products. People buy the benefits of those products. Show people the benefits of your books and it will help increase your sales.
I write about topics that no one is talking about. For example, Personal Fitness Training Beyond the Basics was one of the first books in America to alert people on the dangers of rhabdomyolysis, a serious condition resulting from too much exercise.
I choose fonts wisely. Everybody loves the "friendly font" I used in Nutritional Supplements What Works and Why. The font you choose will make the book more enjoyable to read.
My books answer people's questions. Before I start writing, I ask people what their questions are and I address those questions in my books. This helps the learning process and makes my books more user-friendly. I am also a big myth buster!
Because of the seminars I give, I've been fortunate that the organization I speak for uses some of my books as their official textbooks. In the back of each of my books is a summary of all of my other books.
Online marketing. All of my books are listed on my personal website Joe-Cannon.com. There, people can read a sample of each book and purchase them directly from me. I mail books out immediately when they are ordered. I am even faster than Amazon! That said, thanks to Infinity, all of my books are also on Amazon. If people leave a comment on Amazon, I write back to the commenter.
Why people buy a book from me, they also get an insert that has all of my other books listed.
I blog a lot! I have a fitness blog at my site Joe-Cannon.com and I also have a very large website called Supplement-Geek.com where I review the vitamins, herbs and other products people see on TV. You NEED TO BLOG! Anyone can get a free blog using either blogger.com or wordpress.com. I recommend paying for your own domain name and hosting it. Create your blog using WordPress.org (it's different than WordPress.com) which is free. Everyone can have a WordPress blog in less than an hour and it won't cost more than about $100. I also use Facebook and Twitter to drive people to my websites."
Jerry Harwood Top Selling Infinity author of: A Joke Book for Kids
"People have to know that something is available for sale and believe that they would enjoy usi ng it. Therefore, I have a magnetic, book related, sign on my car. I always carry a good supply of colorful business cards with a school calendar on the back, so I can quickly provide interested people with necessary information. I also try to always have several copies of my book with me just in case someone wants one immediately.
I'm always talking with, listening to, and interacting with children and parents wherever I find them. I also drive a school bus, so I have contact with kids every day, and I receive a lot of inspiration from these innocent youngsters who observe life and interpret it with a fresh view.
I visit schools and speak with students and other groups to discuss how I developed the jokes, how I drew the illustrations, and how I got the book published. When I speak with children, I try to make them understand that they have just as good a chance of making a difference in this world as anyone else, and if they are determined, they could become authors, teachers, or someone else who contributes something of value. I also tell them: "If you have a special talent or gift, make sure you develop it by taking classes or working with a master." If a child thinks he or she can do something great, then he or she should get to it, and never listen to people who tell you, "You're not smart enough or good enough."
A Joke Book for Kids has also been fantastically reviewed in the magazines: Kentucky Monthly and Kentucky Living.
Every month I e-mail a book related calendar to about five hundred friends with any news or messages that I want to deliver. I'm always eager to add new friends to my (calendar - emailing list). Anyone, who would like to receive a free monthly calendar with a few jokes and colorful pictures, can do so by sending an e-mail request to: jerryharwood@insightbb.com, or check out my web site at: www.ajokebookforkids.com."
Robert Pelton top selling Infinity author of Historic Cookbooks
Robert W. Pelton attributes his book marketing success on personally contacting Civil War and Revolutionary War historic sites by telephone in an effort to place his various books in book stores and gift shops all over the Southern States and those on the East coast. First find the market on the internet and determine if the site has a book store or gift shop. Put this data in a notebook marked with tabs from A to Z. When you've compiled a good number of potential markets for your book, start calling the sites and get the manager or other person who makes book purchases [on the phone]. Have a short elevator pitch regarding your book ready to go when you are trying to sell your book to the buyer. Practice this pitch in your spare time before starting to make those phone calls.
"Forget about sending out letters and flyers to these people. It simply doesn't work. They are apparently inundated with mail and will never even see your letter and picture of your book. I tried this marketing effort by sending out approximately 1,000 book queries a few years ago. Not only did I spend a lot of money on stationery and envelopes, but imagine what it cost me for postage alone. I received no more than three responses. Shocked? So was I!
Then I began to call these very same people - the store manager or buyer. I initially thought this would be rough. But the response was astounding! Overwhelming! Almost every person I talked to showed interest in the book or books I had to offer. Resulting sales were such that it rocketed me to being one of Infinity's top selling authors on not one but numerous of my titles. But remember I located my special niche and this was historic sites - museums and battlefields of either the Civil War or the Revolutionary War.
Every author should first try to determine his or her special niche and then go after it. At the Infinity authors' conference at Valley Forge, PA, a few years ago Mark Gregory made a comment to a group of us who were taking a tour of the publishing facilities. As we looked over the printing presses and other equipment, Mark picked up a stack of book jackets and said: "These are for Robert Pelton's various books. We print these jackets up ahead of time because we get orders for his books on an almost daily basis." I was stunned and ended up having my picture taken holding one of the colorful jackets."
We are pleased to announce that books by IP authors were finalists in the annual IPPY Awards program.
IPPY Finalist Kathy Gruver, Infinity author of The Alternative Medicine Cabinet
It's an honor to have my hard work and passion acknowledged by the IPPY as a finalist for The Alternative Medicine Cabinet in the Alternative Medicine category. Trying to squeeze 20 years of health experience into a book was definitely a challenge and it's a joy to know that my work is being appreciated. I'm hoping this sparks even more interest for people in exploring how natural health can help everyone avoid drugs and surgery! More information about the book and natural health can be found at www.thealternativemedicinecabinet.com and my weekly health tips at www.youtube.com/drkathygruver
IPPY Finalist Marc Little, Infinity author of Angels in the Midst
The recognition by the Indie Excellence Awards committee for ANGELS IN THE MIDST (Religion Fiction Category) is special because of the timing. The novel is the sequel to DON'T BLINK WHEN GOD CALLS and both follow the campaign trail and inauguration of Curt Felton, Jr., the first African American mayor of Forrestville, Florida. The backdrop and back stories are closely related to my former adopted hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, which ironically elected its first Black mayor in May 2011. Do I hear screenplay for HBO or the big screen for either book? Yes. I am proud to be one of Infinity's honored authors and I thank you for your professional guidance. My website is about.me/marclittle.com.
IPPY Finalist Mariana Williams, Infinity author of Stars or Stripes 4th of July
Mariana's novel was selected by the panel of judges as a 2011 IPPY Finalist in the Chick-lit category with her novel Stars or Stripes 4th of July. Mariana is currently vacationing in Europe and was unable to provide a blurb about her winning novel.
IPPY Finalist Bob O'Connor, Infinity author of The Life of Abraham Lincoln
Bob's novel was selected by the judges as a 2011 IPPY Festival in the 
history-non-fiction category with his book The Life of Abraham Lincoln. The book is a rare, never before published manuscript, written circa 1880 by a long time friend and personal body-guard to Abraham Lincoln. The book was found in The Huntington Library in California in 2008.
School's out for summer, and the traditional vacation time in the United States is finally here. After the winter months of the cold, nasty weather with gloomy days short on sunlight, now the days are thankfully longer and the sun is high in the sky. Like countless other folks, Infinity authors are looking forward to breaking briefly from the daily work routine and enjoying a change of scenery by getting away for a week, or at least a few long weekends to just enjoy relaxing in the sun while exploring the beauty of your temporary surroundings.
Some vacationers will trek to the seashore to bake in the sun and ride the waves, some will seek the coolness of the majestic mountains to play in tranquil fresh water lakes, more senior folks will seek the pampering comforts of a five-star luxury resort hotel, and others will visit places of historic interest; and a few folks will travel abroad to see the sights and experience different cultures overseas. Regardless of where you journey away to as a destination to celebrate your vacation, there's one true and certain fact-you're going to meet other folks vacationing too.
Vacations have a way of turning introverts into extroverts when they begin engaging in conversations with complete strangers. After you've exhausted the typical topics of where you're from, talking about the kids and grandchildren, and then the inevitable inquiry comes up about your work-what do you do when you aren't on vacation???
Now this is the moment of truth, you could get into briefly explaining what your job is with some of the less boring details, or you could boldly respond with the fact that you're a published author-which many folks will agree is more interesting to talk about than their day job. Many regular folks have a bit of wonderment about how authors have the creative ability to spin stories into an entertaining compelling read or logically and effectively explain the complex aspects of a nonfiction topic.
Eventually in the course of discussing your book the question will arise how they can get a copy of your book. Naturally you just happen to have a few copies with you that are available for purchase at a special vacation discount price. Indeed knock a few bucks off the cover price, and be sure to autograph it with a special reference to meeting them while on vacation. When they return home, they'll be able to brag about how they happened to meet a famous author during their vacation. This is book marketing at it's best!
- John Harnish