Publicity tips/Critique the prez January 31, 2006

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #279 - January 31, 2006
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.net (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 14,242

=====================================
"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

Subscribe to the RSS feed at
http://www.publicityhound.com/tipsoftheweek/
=====================================

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

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Attention Washington, D.C. Hounds:

If you're hoping to host The Publicity Hound on May 16, somebody already has beaten you to it. I'll announce final details next week for my public seminar called "Savvy Media Relations: How to Get Thousands of Dollars in Free Print, Broadcast and Online Publicity." If you're attending PMA University sponsored by the Publisher's Marketing Association May 16-18, or if you're attending BookExpo America May 19-21, come a few days early so you can see me in person. I'll be doing a half-day session the morning of May 16. Thanks to the many kind D.C.-area Hounds who responded. More details and sign-up information next week.
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In This Issue:
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1. Critique the Prez

2. Offer More Than a Client

3. Oprah's Apology

4. Author Resource Box

5. How to Market a Book for Writers

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


==================================
1. Critique the Prez
==================================

OK, all you speech coaches. This is the night you've been waiting for, so don't blow it.

President Bush will deliver his State of the Union address to Congress and people all across America at 9 PM Eastern Time. But this is YOUR night to shine, speech coaches.

That's because if you're smart, you'll offer to critique his performance for your local newspaper or TV station.

But check your political opinions at the door. Comment instead on his sincerity, passion, use of humor, diction and pronunciation (NUK-u-ler), storytelling, body language, and all the other things that make for a great or not-so-great speech. And while you're at it, how about critiquing Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine's rebuttal?

Hounds who aren't speech coaches can also get in on the action. Here are ways to piggyback onto the State of the Union address:

--Many newspapers will be doing follow-up stories on how readers in their circulation areas reacted to the speech. If you live in the Mountain or Pacific Time Zones, just call your local daily newspaper as soon as the speech is over. Ask for the city desk or the news desk, and offer your comments. Those o fyou in the Central and Eastern Time Zones can call the next day.

--If you're in a trade association, a labor union, or a group like the chamber of commerce, comment on how Bush's agenda will affect what your group is trying to do. Consider writing a letter to the editor or op-ed column.

--Topics like national security, making tax cuts permanent, health care, Medicare, and education will take center stage. How does Bush's stance affect you and your family, retirement, business, community or school?

--Bush will use tonight's speech to drive home the importance of the war in Iraq. This is a great time for anti-war protesters, peace churches, war supporters, military families or anyone else with a strong opinion to respond.

--If college students are planning to watch the president in places like the student union or their dorms, invite reporters to watch and record their reactions.

--Don't forget National Public Radio. NPR stations will probably devote significant news time to the Bush agenda during the next several days. So Hounds shouldn't overlook this opportunity to be on the air.

"How to Get Booked on National Public Radio" walks you through the NPR labyrinth and explains how to find out which shows are the best match for you. Publicist Lissa Warren has booked more than 100 of her clients on NPR stations and she shares her tips. They include the four things producers are looking for in the perfect guest, and the kinds of shows you should target if you're an emerging expert...these shows are ALWAYS looking for guests. It's available as a CD or electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order is approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/ayms6


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2. Offer More Than a Client
===============================

I swear I'm not making this up.

PR people actually call newspapers and ask journalists, "Can you help me get a client into your paper?"

As in, "My butt's in a sling, and I need a media hit--fast!"

As in, "I can't convince anybody else to write about this guy. Do you mind if we waste your time?"

As in, "I don't care what you write. Just write SOMETHING!"

Brandon Copple, managing editor of Crain's Chicago Business, says that's exactly what some PR people do.

"We won't do your job for you if you just give us a piece of news," he said. "You need to give us more than a client to interview. Tell me something we don't already know to pique our interest."

Copple and other journalists were guest speakers at a recent luncheon at The Publicity Club of Chicago. You can read about it at the Media Insider website

His most valuable tip?

"The important thing is getting on our radar," he said.

And how do you do that? One of the best ways is to read their articles, then comment on them. If you thought the article was slanted, say so. Did they miss an obvious source? Let them know. Do you have a different angle to offer? Suggest it.

I know 16 other ways to let them know you care about what they do, and I list them all in "Special Report #49: 17 Ways to Build Valuable Relationships with Media People." It includes tips on how to "research" the journalist's background and almost shock them with how much you know. All 17 tips for $10. Order at http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g


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3. Oprah's Apology
==================================

Good for Oprah for finally admitting she was wrong and standing up to James Frey, the author who embarrassed her by fabricating parts of his book "A Million Little Pieces," the story of his recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction. The book zoomed to top of the best-seller's list and sold 3.5 million copies after she chose it for her Oprah's Book Club pick.

This story still has legs, and it presents opportunities galore for Hounds to weigh in with their expert commentary and opinions. Here are some ideas:

--Do drug and alcohol counselors think Frey's disdain for 12-step programs will encourage more people to bypass treatment programs and white-knuckle it?

--What does this controversy mean for book publishers and authors? Frey's book, we learn, was never fact-checked because most publishers don't have a budget for that kind of research. Should books be fact-checked before they go to press?

--Do you think Oprah's staff should fact-check the books she promotes in Oprah's Book Club?

--If you bought the book, are you one of many who are asking for their money back? If you own a bookstore, are lots of customers demanding refunds?

--Does the flap over Frey's book in any way minimize Oprah's Book Club, or will authors be as eager as ever to have their book christened by the queen of daytime TV?

--Is lying accepted too freely in our society?

--Should this book, which portrays addiction as a tormenting hell, be required reading for teenagers?

If you're pitching one of these ideas, be sure to pitch other sources who would be willing to talk with the media. A pitch letter is a perfect way to do that. BL Ochman says pitch letters are far better than news releases because you can customize each letter for a particular journalist's needs. Her chatty pitch letters have landed her clients in top-tier media such as the Wall Street Journal and New York Times. "How to Write a Pitch Letter More Powerful Than a News Release" includes not only all her tips, but two samples of great pitch letters she wrote. This is available as a CD or electronic transcript you can download as soon as your order has been approved. Read more about it at http://tinyurl.com/6yd65


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4. Author Resource Box
===============================

A consulting client emailed me last week, complaining that she had spent hours submitting articles to online article directories, but they aren't resulting in any leads.

I told her to email me a sample article, and as soon as I looked at it, I spotted the problem. She had a wimpy, worthless resource box at the end of the article, with no call to action. The main reason Hounds should be submitting articles online is because, if done correctly, they draw traffic to your website. Then, once there, visitors can buy your products and services.

But without a "call to action" in the article, readers will end the article and start doing something else. Lead them by the nose and give them specific instructions. For example: tell them to sign up for your ezine, download a free special report, take a quiz, answer a survey, or read more free articles.

Christopher Knight, CEO of EzineArticles.com, says author resource boxes should include four key pieces of information and three optional items if you really want the article to do your selling for you. He also says there are three things you should never include in this box, or publishers will be less inclined to use the article.

Read his advice in the January/February issue of The Publicity Hound subscription newsletter. It also includes 19 "rules of the road" suggested by a panel of journalists who met in New York in October, fashion faux pas you must not make if you're appearing on TV, why you should banish the words "publicity" and "PR" from your vocabulary and concentrate instead on storytelling, an example of a pitch from a storyteller, a book that offers numerous case studies on marketing to Hispanics, how to attend f~ree monthly teleseminars featuring publicity tips, the network news program that wants your "good news" story, how PR people can manage their clients' expectations, and January/February story ideas. The newsletter is available as an electronic document and you can download it as soon as your order has been approved.

Order it for $10 at http://tinyurl.com/7adar

Or order a year's subscription (6 issues) for $49.95 at http://tinyurl.com/4mz3x


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5. How to Market a Book for Writers
================================

This week, four Publicity Hounds have tips for C. Hope Clark of Phoenix, Arizona, author of "THE SHY WRITER: An Introvert's Guide to Writing Success." She asked for tips on how to promote the book at http://www.theshywriter.com/ and the related affiliate program.


From Julie Hood:

"How about a 5- or 7-day email course to introduce your potential readers to The Shy Writer? You could include a couple juicy tips so your readers can’t wait for more."


From Rebecka Vigus:

"See about doing a virtual tour. Read Penny Sansevieri’s book "From Book to Best-seller" It tells how to do it there."


From Susan Weiner: "Visit and make comments on blogs aimed at aspiring and established writers. The comments must be useful. Put the URL for your book in your signature. You’re welcome to comment on my blog: http://susanghostwriter.blogspot.com/ Make a blurb about your new book part of your standard email signature block."


The Publicity Hound says: Start blogging. I checked my stats this morning and so far, during the month of January, I've had 1,639 unique visitors and 67,402 hits at my blog at http://www.publicityhound.net/ Not bad for a blog that I started back in April. I'm selling more ebooks, getting more links to my blog from other bloggers, and I'm having a ball. But don't start blogging unless you know how to use a blog to make money. Don Crowther's excellent ebook "Blogging for Business" shows you how to turn your blog into a cash register. Read more about it at http://tinyurl.com/7fjrk

Read all the responses to C. Hope Clark's question at http://publicityhound.net/?p=471


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6. Help This Hound
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Lauren Tarne of Dallas, Texas writes:

"I have a client who is a high-end helicopter charter service in New York City, obviously a very crowded local market. I am struggling to think of opportunities for him because they don't like doing free promo flights because of the high costs associated and they don't have any clients that are willing to speak about the experience because they are the kind of people who like to keep a low profile.

"They have a very specific target niche--people who make $200,000+, and I am trying to think of the best ways to publicize the service without the above elements. Do your Hounds have any ideas?"

The Publicity Hound says: No clients who are willing to talk to the media? No flights for journalists? This is a tough one, but my Hounds always say the tougher, the better. Hounds with ideas on how Lauren can promote her client can post them at my blog at http://publicityhound.net/?p=479


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7. Hound Joke of the Week
==================================

Dogs are better than kids. They eat less, don't ask for money all the time, are trained, usually come when called, never drive your car, don't hang out with drug-using friends, don't smoke or drink, don't worry about whether they have the latest fashions, don't wear your clothes and don't need a gazillion dollars for college. And if they get pregnant, you can sell the pups.


DOG JOKES & QUOTES EBOOK: 170+ G-rated dog jokes and quotes, perfect for a dog-lover, your favorite vet, or just for a few good laughs.

BONUS: Buy the ebook and you also get a compilation of the 50 best websites for dog humor.
http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/

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7. And at My Blog...
==================================

Here's what you can read in recent posts at my blog:

--What you can do to fight bias in the media
http://publicityhound.net/?p=478

--Don't leave this key fact out of press releases for your new book
http://publicityhound.net/?p=474

--Dan Poynter adds second ezine for authors
http://publicityhound.net/?p=473

--Archive of past issues of this newsletter
http://publicityhound.com/tipsoftheweek/


My blog at http://www.publicityhound.net/ has 20 categories so you can read only items on whatever publicity-related topics interest you. Click on the blue "Topics" bar on the right side.

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Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®:


February 10: Washington, D.C.

National Speakers Association Winter Workshop, concurrent session for staff on "How to Position the Boss as an Expert the Media Love," 4:30 to 5:45 p.m., Crystal Gateway Marriott. Details and registration at http://www.nsaspeaker.org/dc/online_schedule.shtml


February 14: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Association for Women in Communications, "How to Use the Media to Position Yourself as an Expert," noon to 1:15 p.m., Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago St.; $30 for members, $40 for future members, $20 for students. Register online at http://www.awcmilwaukee.org/register.htm before Feb. 10.


March 22: Waukesha, Wisconsin

2006 Micro Entrepreneur Expo, "How to Get F~ree Publicity," Part 1 from 5:30-6:15 and Part 2 from 8-8:45 PM, Waukesha Area Technical College; pre-registration $25 or $30 at the door (includes dinner). To register, call 262-695-3468.


May 16: Washington, D.C.

I'll be hosting a half-day public seminar called "Savvy Media Relations: How to Use Your Expertise to Get Thousands of Dollars in F~ree Publicity." More details next week. A great event for those attending PMA University or coming to D.C. a few days before BookExpo America.


May 17: Washington, D.C.

PMA University, Washington D.C. Convention Center. Robin Bartlett and I will present "Advanced Website Tricks to Pull More Traffic and Sell, Sell, Sell," 8:30-10:00 a.m. Sponsored by Publishers Marketing Association.


May 18: Washington, D.C.

PMA University, Washington, D.C. Convention Center. Penny Sansevieri and I will present "How to Turn Your Ezine into a Cash Machine." Sponsored by Publishers Marketing Association. 8:30-10:15 a.m. Details pending.

***If you're in the National Speakers Association or the Public Relations Society of America--or another business, marketing or PR group--and you want details on how to bring in The Publicity Hound to do a fund-raiser for your chapter, or you want me to host a teleseminar customized just for your group, contact me at mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=speaker_inquiry or call 262-284-7451.

***Attention Meeting Planners: If you're booking speakers for winter, spring or summer conferences or events, keep me in mind--even if you have a last-minute cancellation. I deliver high-content, interactive programs that are lots of fun. Call 262-284-7451 or mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=speaker_inquiry for details.

PERMISSION TO REPRINT: You may reprint any items from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week" in your own print or electronic newsletter. But please include the following paragraph:

Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," a free ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive free by email the handy list "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."
If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues.

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me you want to subscribe.

PRIVACY STATEMENT: The Publicity Hound® will never distribute your address to anyone. Period. Promise.

=======================================================
Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound®
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
U.S.A.
Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737

Publicity tips/The Pill-popping priest January 24, 2006

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #278- January 24, 2006
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.net (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 14,231

=====================================
"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"
Subscribe to the RSS feed at
http://www.publicityhound.com/tipsoftheweek/
=====================================

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

**********************************************
Attention Washington, D.C. Hounds:

Be the first in the District to host The Publicity Hound. I'm looking for a company, nonprofit or government agency to let me sponsor a half-day or full-day public seminar at your venue on Tuesday, May 16. Parking preferred but not essential. Must have easy access for those traveling via Metro trains and buses, or by taxi. If you host me, I'll make you an offer you can't refuse. Mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=HostingtheHound for details.
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In This Issue
================================

1. The Pill-popping Priest

2. Cozy up to Freelancers

3. Publicity Articles Wanted

4. Create an Experts Directory

5. How to Market Safety Products

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

==================================
1. The Pill-popping Priest
==================================

So much for the Rev. Daniel Webster, the pill-popping Episcopal priest, and his dysfunctional family.

NBC has canceled "The Book of Daniel," the Friday night drama that featured the Vicodin-addicted priest, his boozing wife, gay son and a bisexual aunt. Oh yeah. And don't forget Jesus.

What a shame. I never saw the show. But the Hound in me says this would have been a terrific opportunity for Episcopal churches all over the world to piggyback onto this TV show. They could have provided local commentary from their own parishioners, letters to the editor for their local newspapers, religion page features and radio talk shows comparing the fictional Webster family with the real Episcopal church. Already, Jim Naughton had created the Blogofdaniel.com website for the Diocese of Washington at http://blog.edow.org/weblog/

Pay attention to prime-time TV shows, and use every chance you can to piggyback your ideas onto these shows, particularly the most popular ones. Here are some ideas to get you started:

--Ice skating teachers should comment on what kind of training and rehearsals are needed for the celebrities featured on "Skating with the Celebrities." If we practice for four weeks straight under the watchful eye of a coach, just like they do, can we hoist our partner in the air, dance on ice and skate backwards? Has the show led to a renewed interest in figure skating?

--What about "Dancing with the Stars"? Most guys I know hate this show. But are women dragging their boyfriends and husbands to dance classes?

--The popular hit "Antiques Roadshow" leaves many of us dreaming of finding a fortune at a Saturday morning yard sale or in the pile of junk grandma left us. Antique store owners can offer tips on what we can learn about antiques and collecting from watching the show.

--"CSI," the Thursday night hit, can be the perfect springboard for forensics teachers to discuss whether actual crime seen investigators have jobs that bear any resemblance to the drama on CBS. Has this show led to more students seeking careers in forensics?

--I love all the cooking shows on PBS. But why does it always look so easy on TV? When I made a recipe recently for low-carb onion-olive bread featured on one of the shows, my kitchen looked like a disaster area. Chefs, cooking school teachers and foodies can offer tips on how the pros on TV stay organized and keep a clean workspace.

Once you have the tie-in and the angle, it's time for the pitch. But you must do it in 30 seconds or less. Publicity expert Raleigh Pinskey, a master when it comes to pitching, shows you "How to Create the Perfect 30-Second Pitch," available as a CD or electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order is approved. Listen to how she takes long, rambling, unfocused story ideas and turns them into 5- and 10-second pitches that are absolutely irresistible. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/6xghx


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2. Cozy up to Freelancers
===============================

When it comes to forming valuable relationships with media people who can help you, treat freelance writers with the same respect you would staff writers. Here's why they can be so valuable to your publicity campaign:

--If you pitch a freelancer, it's their job to tweak the pitch, flesh out the story, round up other sources and sell the story to the editor. All you have to do is interest them in your idea, then give them access to the sources they need to interview.

--Freelancers often work for a variety of publications. So if they write about you for one magazine, there's a good chance they'll return to you again in several months and use you for a similar story they're writing for another publication.

--They're often working on several stories at a time. So if you pitch an idea and it isn't a good fit for one story, it might be a perfect fit for another. Learn more about what freelancers want in this article at the Publicity Club of Chicago website at http://www.publicity.org/monthlynov04.htm

--Freelancers are fairly easy to spot. They usually receive a byline just like staff writers do. But at the end of the article, there's often a paragraph that identifies them as a freelancer and sometimes offers their email address.

Cozying up to freelancers is just one of 19 "rules of the road" suggested by a panel of journalists who met in New York in October. In the January/February issue of The Publicity Hound subscription newsletter, you'll learn the other 18 rules. The issue also includes articles on fashion faux pas you must not make if you're appearing on TV, why you should banish the words "publicity" and "PR" from your vocabulary and concentrate instead on storytelling, an example of a pitch from a storyteller, how to write the perfect author resource box at the end of an article, a book that offers numerous case studies on marketing to Hispanics, how to attend f~ree monthly teleseminars featuring publicity tips, the network news program that wants your "good news" story, how PR people can manage their clients' expectations, and January/February story ideas. The newsletter is available as an electronic document and you can download it as soon as your order has been approved.

Order it for $10 at http://tinyurl.com/7adar

Or order a year's subscription (6 issues) for $49.95 at http://tinyurl.com/4mz3x


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3. Publicity Articles Wanted
==================================

Bulldog Reporter, the f~ree daily news site for PR practitioners, wants articles for its Barks & Bites (I love that title) op-eds and PR Spotlights profiles.

Here’s what they're looking for:

--Opinions, perspectives and insight of PR leaders from the corporate side. These include short, pithy submissions on what it’s really like to practice PR on the ground level (and in the corporate suite) on a day-to-day basis. "We’re tired of polemics handed down from PR’s ivory towers," says Brian Pittman, director of content. "We want to give our readers a shot in the arm...a dose of reality from folks who don’t just write about, sell to or cater to PR--but who actually practice it."
--Articles should be 350-500 words, timely and controversial. Offer a strong opinion.

--Identify a problem or issue in the lead and include an example or anecdote in the body.

--Close with an explanation with what the insight means to the PR industry.

--Appeal to a broad section of the industry.

--Avoid self-promotional blather.

Email your submissions to Brian at mailto:bpittman@infocomgroup.com

This is a great way to gain exposure for your PR practice. Marcia Yudkin and I know of 23 other ways, and we explained them all during a teleseminar called "24 Ways to Attract Clients to Your PR Practice." It's available as a CD or a transcript that you can download within minutes after your order has been approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/8txj8


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4. Create an Experts Directory
===============================

If you have numerous experts within your company, nonprofit, government agency, trade association or other group, are you making it easy for the media to find them within seconds?
For most of you, I'll bet the answer is no.

Take a cue from colleges and universities, which publish annual "experts directories."
The directory is an inexpensive, spiral bound book with a heavy-stock cover that includes contact information for all their experts, arranged by category, from archaeology to zoology. When I worked as a reporter, I often kept these experts directories on my desk and referred to them on deadline when I was tracking down experts on a particular topic. Here are some tips for creating your own directory:

--Include all contact information, including cell phone numbers, beeper numbers and, if possible, home telephone numbers.

--Include email addresses

--Update the directory at least once every two years.

--Mail the directory to all your media contacts, and also post it at your website in "media room."
--Keep it simple. If you're on a tight budget, forget the spiral binding and just staple the pages.

--Make sure every expert agrees to interview with the media. Experts who don't know anything about interviewing or would make boring interviews should be media-trained.

After you send the directories, follow up with your media contacts but don't ask the tired question, "I'm just following up to see if you got our experts directory?" Instead, tell them you're calling to pitch one or two story ideas and suggest names of contacts within the directory who reporters could interview.

Following up with reporters requires brevity, patience, persistence and good timing. If your follow-ups are going nowhere and journalists seem to have just disappeared, you need to hear Jill Lublin's secrets on how to get through to them. "Failproof Ways to Follow Up with Reporters After Sending a Press Release or Story Pitch" gives you the step-by-step instructions on how to follow up, how many times to follow up and what to say when you finally get them on the phone. It's available as a CD or a transcript that you can download and be reading within minutes. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/bmyn7


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5. How to Market Safety Products
================================

This week, seven Publicity Hounds have ideas for Tracey Hawkins of Kansas City, Missouri. She owns a business that sells safety and security products--everything from pepper spray to fire extinguishers. She wants ideas on how to get more traffic to her website at http://www.safetyandsecuritysource.com/ and sell more products.


From Scott Kaul:

"For real estate brokers, you may want to consider teaching a class that’s been approved for continuing education. All brokers need education hours each year, and are looking for classes--particularly free ones. Since your business offers safety products, I’d imagine you could come up with a safety-related topic that would not only appeal to brokers but also be eligible for continuing education."


From Ted Fuller:

"Seniors are interested in your specialties. Develop programs for area senior centers where you could leave print material. Work with the Area Agency on Aging and the senior coalition (if one exists) for tie-ins. Your advice would make an interesting half-hour video for the public access channel, and the tape could be shown where seniors gather."


From Sandie Vega:

"One of the reasons that you aren’t selling much from your website is because the website does not portray a company that the average person would buy from. The color scheme make it very hard to read and it's not laid out in a way that is easy to navigate nor are there enough images on it. In order to get people to your site, they have to be able to find it."


The Publicity Hound says: Your topic is perfect for tip sheets, quizzes, Q&A features and other briefs that you can submit to magazines. "Briefs, Fillers & Quizzes: How to Write Them and Why Editors Love Them" shows you the nine types of briefs and gives you dozens of examples of how to use them. It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading within minutes. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/d74h7

Read all the responses at http://publicityhound.net/?p=461


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6. Help This Hound
===================================

C. Hope Clark of Phoenix, Arizona writes:

"I am author of THE SHY WRITER: An Introvert's Guide to Writing Success. The thrust of the book is 'Sell your words, not your soul' and it is designed for people who cringe at getting up in front of people. It helps them come up with alternatives to the public setting but it also helps them embrace it on the rare occasion they have no choice but to do it. When I talked to publishers, agents, and other writers about my book, I could not get away from the fact that to get a traditional contract, I had to be willing to travel, 'dance' on stage, and try to become a celebrity in order to sell the book. And I didn't want to.

"I have a web site at http://www.theshywriter.com/ and I advertise the book via http://www.fundsforwriters.com/, my writing resource business with newsletters that go out to 14,000 people. Now I'm seeking innovate ideas to advance further as well as find some partners who might be interested in an affiliate program. I already have a decent affiliate program with my library of ebooks. Any new ideas?"


The Publicity Hound says: Lots of writers get this newsletter. So do people who create info products like I do and sell them through affiliate programs. I know they'll have some helpful ideas on other ways to sell your book. Hounds with ideas can post them to my blog at http://publicityhound.net/?p=471

In the meantime, I wrote I wrote a special report on book marketing. It's called "Special Report #40: 42 Publicity Tips for Authors and Small Publishers" and it's at http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g


==================================
7. Hound Joke of the Week
==================================

Thanks to Carol Johnson of The Recruiting Network in Schaumburg, Illinois for this cost-effective solution for Hounds who work from home offices:

How to install an affordable wireless security system:

Go to a second-hand store and buy a pair of men's used work boots, a really big pair. Put them outside your front door on top of a copy of Guns & Ammo magazine. Put a dog dish beside it, a really big dish.

Leave a note on your front door that says something like "Bubba, Big Mike and I have gone to get more ammunition--back in half an hour. Don't disturb the pit bulls. They've just been wormed and they are a little edgy."


DOG JOKES & QUOTES EBOOK: 170+ G-rated dog jokes and quotes, perfect for a dog-lover, your favorite vet, or just for a few good laughs.

BONUS: Buy the ebook and you also get a compilation of the 50 best websites for dog humor.
http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/


==================================
7. And at My Blog...
==================================

Here's what you can read in recent posts at my blog:

--Pitch story ideas tied to retirement, living longer
http://publicityhound.net/?p=472

--31 ways to market with free publicity
http://publicityhound.net/?p=469

--Join me Jan. 25 for a free teleseminar on pitching problems
http://publicityhound.net/?p=463

--New to publicity? Start at bottom of media ladder
http://publicityhound.net/?p=470

--Archive of past issues of this newsletter
http://publicityhound.com/tipsoftheweek/

My blog at http://www.publicityhound.net/ has 20 categories so you can read only items on whatever publicity-related topics interest you.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®:

January 25 Teleseminar:

I'm the special guest for a free teleseminar on "Pitching Problems" sponsored by Wasabi Publicity at 1 PM Eastern Time. Sign up at http://www.publicityresults.com/


February 10: Washington, D.C.

National Speakers Association Winter Workshop, concurrent session for staff on "How to Position the Boss as an Expert the Media Love," 4:30 to 5:45 p.m., Crystal Gateway Marriott. Details and registration at http://www.nsaspeaker.org/dc/online_schedule.shtml


February 14: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Association for Women in Communications, "How to Use the Media to Position Yourself as an Expert," noon to 1:15 p.m., Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago St.; $30 for members, $40 for future members, $20 for students. Register online at http://www.awcmilwaukee.org/register.htm before Feb. 10.


March 22: Waukesha, Wisconsin

2006 Micro Entrepreneur Expo, "How to Get Free Publicity," Part 1 from 5:30-6:15 and Part 2 from 8-8:45 PM, Waukesha Area Technical College; pre-registration $25 or $30 at the door (includes dinner). To register, call 262-695-3468.


May 18: Washington, D.C.

PMA University. "How to Turn Your Ezine into a Cash Machine." Sponsored by Publishers Marketing Association. 8:30-10:15 a.m. Details pending.

***If you're in the National Speakers Association or the Public Relations Society of America--or another business, marketing or PR group--and you want details on how to bring in The Publicity Hound to do a fund-raiser for your chapter, or you want me to host a teleseminar customized just for your group, contact me at mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=speaker_inquiry or call 262-284-7451.

***Attention Meeting Planners: If you're booking speakers for winter, spring or summer conferences or events, keep me in mind--even if you have a last-minute cancellation. I deliver high-content, interactive programs that are lots of fun. Call 262-284-7451 or mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=speaker_inquiry for details.

PERMISSION TO REPRINT: You may reprint any items from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week" in your own print or electronic newsletter. But please include the following paragraph:

Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," a free ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive free by email the handy list "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."

If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues. You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me you want to subscribe.

PRIVACY STATEMENT: The Publicity Hound® will never distribute your address to anyone. Period. Promise.

=======================================================
Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound®
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
U.S.A.

Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737

Publicity tips/What Oprah wants January 17, 2006

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #277 - January 17, 2006
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.net (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 14,162

=====================================
"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"
=====================================

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

**********************************************

I Don't Want to Lose You:

At least one-third of the more than 14,000 people who subscribe to this newsletter never receive it. That's one of the perils of ezines. From the time it leaves my computer to the time it shows up on your screen, it has a chance of being kicked out at several points along the way, by things such as your Internet service provider or a spam filter. Don't risk dropping off my list. Subscribe to this newsletter through the RSS feed at http://tinyurl.com/9edbk

To subscribe, you first must download a free RSS reader.

The address above now serves as my newsletter archives, so you might want to bookmark it in case you've missed past issues.

***********************************************
================================
In This Issue
================================

1. What Oprah Wants

2. Forget the Cufflinks

3. Media Kits That Say "Read Me!"

4. TV Weatherpersons Day

5. How to Market a Saucy Calendar

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

==================================
1. What Oprah Wants
==================================

When Publicity Hounds think of ways to get onto "Oprah," they spend days and sometimes even weeks crafting the perfect pitch that will appeal to her producers.

Most of them, I'm guessing, probably miss a vital step that could save them a lot of time. They fail to visit her website and click on the "Be on the Show" link at http://www2.oprah.com/tows/intheworks/tows_works_main.jhtml

If they did, they'd know that right now, the Queen of Daytime TV, wants guests who:

--Are drowning in debt

--Have partners that are physically abusive

--Have children that have gotten into trouble on the Internet

--Are concerned about terrorism

--Have relatives living in Iraq or North Korea

--Are fans of clothing designer Marc Jacobs or shoe designer Jimmy Choo

--Have discovered that their children have been leading a secret life and are struggling with gambling, compulsive shoplifting or an eating disorder

--Are Katrina survivors or who have taken in Katrina survivors

--Make minimum wage

--Have a marriage built on lies

--Are nervous about saying their wedding vows

--Have wives that have let themselves go

Not exactly the kind of warm and fuzzy topics you'd want to be associated with on camera, right? Controversy sells, particularly on TV talk shows. And nobody knows that better than Oprah. If you can tie into these topics, you might stand a better chance of getting onto her show. So this website is worth bookmarking and checking periodically.

Susan Harrow, an expert on how to get onto "Oprah," says Oprah has four hot-button topics that you should try to tie into your pitch, and four things you should never, ever pitch. She explained them all and gave lots of practical advice for those who want to get onto "Oprah" during the teleseminar "How to Get Booked on Oprah." It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading within minutes after your order is approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/855eb


===============================
2. Forget the Cufflinks
===============================

If you're a guy, and your local TV station wants to interview you, how would you dress?

If you're in the corporate world, the logical assumption might be a dark suit, white shirt, red tie and gold cufflinks.

Sandy Dumont, also known as The Image Architect, says that would be a good choice, except for the cufflinks.

"For the average person, cufflinks can make you look snobby or too slick, like 'going to Vegas.' Keep your eyes open to see if they're acceptable in the industry or region you are approaching," she says.

Here in the Midwest, cufflinks would look out of place on TV, except if they're worn by CEOs.

As for suits, the darker the color, the higher the authority, Sandy says. That's why navy blue, charcoal grey and black are traditional colors for business suits. You can sign up for Sandy's fabulous monthly ezine "Image Tips" at http://www.theimagearchitect.com/

In the January/Februrary issue of The Publicity Hound subscription newsletter, Sandy lists seven other fashion faux pas you must not make if you're appearing on TV. The issue also includes articles on why you should banish the words "publicity" and "PR" from your vocabulary and concentrate instead on storytelling, an example of a pitch from a storyteller, how to write the perfect author resource box at the end of an article, a book that offers numerous case studies on marketing to Hispanics, how to attend f~ree monthly teleseminars featuring publicity tips, the network news program that wants your "good news" story, how PR people can manage their clients' expectations, and January/February story ideas. The newsletter is available as an electronic document and you can download it as soon as your order has been approved.

Order it for $10 at http://tinyurl.com/7adar

Or order a year's subscription (6 issues) for $49.95 at http://tinyurl.com/4mz3x


==================================
3. Media Kits That Say "Read Me!"
==================================

Back in September, just before McGraw-Hill published Maria Grace's book "Reel Fulfillment: A 12-step Plan for Transforming Your Life Through Movies," Maria worked with me to create a media kit that would scream "Read me!"

She joined The Publicity Hound Mentor Program, and I helped her with the eight items that needed to go inside the media kit so that she'd make it as easy as possible for the media to cover her.

Today, four months later, she's a media darling. Her impressive list of media hits includes The New York Times, Marie Claire magazine, the Orlando Sentinel, the Boston Herald, Publishers Weekly, the New York Daily News, plus dozens of radio interviews with stations all over the United States. You can read the entire list of media that have covered her at http://tinyurl.com/dftb7

Her media kit has the essential elements that authors MUST have, such as the standard news release, a mock book review, the book sell sheet, a catalog sheet and a sizzling bio. You can see two versions of the entire kit--one for print journalists and one for broadcasters--at http://tinyurl.com/a9vyo

In fact, her publicist at McGraw-Hill liked the media kit so much, that she's using it when she pitches the media on Maria's behalf.

Most authors who call me asking for help with their publicity campaigns miss this critical step. They want to start pitching reporters before the media kit is completed. In fact, many of them have no idea that they're supposed to create things like a sell sheet. And they're horrified when I suggest that they write their own mock book review.

"I'd never, ever write my own review," one of them said. "That would be unethical."

Not so. Most media people don't have time to read your book. And if they want to write about it, they need a quick summary of what it's about and how it will help their audience. The review provides that information. Many journalists, most of them ethical, will pick up the review verbatim and print it.

If you're writing your first book, or your next book, learn how to build a media kit that screams "Read me!" Dawn Josephson, who was my guest during a teleseminar last year, explained "How to Create Eye-opening Promo Pieces That Sell Books." It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download as soon as your order has been approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/d7tus


===============================
4. TV Weatherpersons Day
===============================

You can score a great publicity hit if you tie into TV Weatherpersons Day on February 5, which this year also happens to be Super Bowl Sunday.

I've been preaching about this for years because so many Publicity Hounds have told me it works. A few days before February 5, send your local TV weatherperson who will be on camera that day something that says "Happy TV Weatherpersons Day." It can be a sheet cake. Or a basket of bagels and cream cheese.

Or do what Cookies by Design franchisees have been doing. They send cookie bouquets. And as a result, their favorite weather people all over the U.S. have mentioned them on the weather segment. I blogged about this at http://publicityhound.net/?p=81

Since Feb. 5 falls on a Sunday this year, make sure you send the goodies to the person who will be on camera. At many TV stations, that's usually the weekend weather person.

February is bubbling over with other story possibilities. My friend, TV reporter Shawne Duperon, helped me list them all when we did a teleseminar called "116 WOW! Story Ideas from January through June." It's available as a CD, and it comes with a list of all the ideas that you can download and be reading within minutes after your order has been approved. Read more about what it includes at http://tinyurl.com/6k7zk


================================
5. How to Market a Saucy Calendar
================================

Judith Reppucci of Cape Cod, Massachusetts wants ideas on how to promote a calendar that features "saucy but discreet" photos of local male celebrities. The calendar is a fund-raiser for Wings for Falmouth Families, a group that helps Cape Cod families that have children experiencing a medical crisis.


From Sheri Rice Bentley:

"Have a calendar-signing event with guys from the calendar on hand to sign and sell copies any place where the calendars are being sold (local bookstore?). I would contact your local TV news producers as this would be a good visual to film, especially if the guys are big names in town. It would be a fun, feel-good feature for the news. And hold your calendar-signing on a Saturday or Sunday when news stations are desperate for good material."


From Carol Adams:

"This is a little out there, but if you could convince one of the men--say, Mr. February--to stand outside selling calendars in the Cape Cod cold wearing a suitably saucy-skimpy outfit, you might be able to get some good media coverage of his LACK of coverage. A picture is worth a thousand icicles hanging from his body, after all."


From Alan Stevens:

"Put the calendars on Ebay, arrange for a large bid to be made for one of them, and alert the media.

"Set up a photo-shoot with the businessmen’s dignity covered only by the calendars --and use the 'Buy now - imagine if there were fewer than 12 copies remaining.'

"Arrange an event on a weekend when the calendar subjects will be strolling around the town, fully clothed. The first out-of-towner to spot them all wins a prize--of course, all entrants need to buy a calendar."

Read all the responses at http://publicityhound.net/?p=453


===================================
6. Help This Hound
===================================

Tracey Hawkins of Kansas City, Missouri writes:

"I own a business that sells safety and security products--everything from pepper spray to door alarms, fire extinguishers and more. There is no clear leader in this field. I want to be the company known for safety and security products.

"I have a website at http://www.safetyandsecuritysource.com/ but don't get a lot of orders. However, I sell on Amazon.com and do quite well. My goal is to get more traffic to my website and sell more on my own. Safety and Security Source needs to be a recognized brand. I conduct free personal safety presentations and have become an expert for real estate agents and have products specifically for them. How would I also increase my seminar business to real estate companies throughout the United States?"

The Publicity Hound says: Let's sound the alarm for Hounds with ideas. If you have tips on how Tracey can target the real estate industry, and possibly other industries, post them to my blog at http://publicityhound.net/?p=461


==================================
7. Hound Joke of the Week
==================================

When dog food is "new and improved" and better tasting, who tests it?

DOG JOKES & QUOTES EBOOK: 170+ G-rated dog jokes and quotes, perfect for a dog-lover, your favorite vet, or just for a few good laughs.

BONUS: Buy the ebook and you also get a compilation of the 50 best websites for dog humor.
http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/


==================================
8. And at My Blog...
==================================

Here's what you can read in recent posts at my blog:

--Research media outlets before sending expensive press kits
http://publicityhound.net/?p=460

--D.C. panel explains how to do business with independent PR consultants
http://publicityhound.net/?p=459

--New to publicity? Target smaller media outlets first
http://publicityhound.net/?p=462

--Join me Jan. 25 for a free teleseminar on pitching problems
http://publicityhound.net/?p=463

--Archive of past issues of this newsletter
http://publicityhound.com/tipsoftheweek/


My blog at http://www.publicityhound.net/ has 20 categories so you can read only items on whatever publicity-related topics interest you.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®:

January 19: Kenosha, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Women Entrepreneurs Racine-Kenosha Chapter, "How to Organize Your 2006 Media Campaign and Get Thousands of Dollars in Free Publicity," 5:30 P.M., UW-Parkside, Union Building, Room 104, $19 for members and $24 for guests, including dinner. To register, call 262-632-7993.

January 25 Teleseminar:
I'm the special guest for a free teleseminar on "Pitching Problems" sponsored by Wasabi Publicity at 1 PM Eastern Time. Sign up at http://www.publicityresults.com/

February 10: Washington, D.C.
National Speakers Association Winter Workshop, concurrent session for staff on "How to Position the Boss as an Expert the Media Love," 4:30 to 5:45 p.m., Crystal Gateway Marriott. Details and registration at http://www.nsaspeaker.org/dc/online_schedule.shtml

March 22: Waukesha, Wisconsin
2006 Micro Entrepreneur Expo, "How to Get Free Publicity," Part 1 from 5:30-6:15 and Part 2 from 8-8:45 PM, Waukesha Area Technical College; pre-registration $25 or $30 at the door (includes dinner). To register, call 262-695-3468.

May 18: Washington, D.C.
PMA University. "How to Turn Your Ezine into a Cash Machine." Sponsored by Publishers Marketing Association. 8:30-10:15 a.m. Details pending.

***If you're in the National Speakers Association or the Public Relations Society of America--or another business, marketing or PR group--and you want details on how to bring in The Publicity Hound to do a fund-raiser for your chapter, or you want me to host a teleseminar customized just for your group, contact me at mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=speaker_inquiry or call 262-284-7451.

***Attention Meeting Planners: If you're booking speakers for winter, spring or summer conferences or events, keep me in mind--even if you have a last-minute cancellation. I deliver high-content, interactive programs that are lots of fun. Call 262-284-7451 or mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=speaker_inquiry for details.

PERMISSION TO REPRINT: You may reprint any items from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week" in your own print or electronic newsletter. But please include the following paragraph:

Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," a free ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive free by email the handy list "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."

If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues.

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me you want to subscribe.

PRIVACY STATEMENT: The Publicity Hound® will never distribute your address to anyone. Period. Promise.
=======================================================
Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound®
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
U.S.A.

Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737

Publicity tips/Oldest furnace contest January 10, 2006

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #276 - January 10, 2006
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®
Circulation: 14,112

=====================================
"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"
=====================================

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

**********************************************
I Don't Want to Lose You:

At least one-third of the more than 14,000 people who subscribe to this newsletter never receive it. That's one of the perils of ezines. From the time it leaves my computer to the time it shows up on your screen, it has a chance of being kicked out at several points along the way, by things such as your Internet service provider or a spam filter. Don't risk dropping off my list. Subscribe to this newsletter through the RSS feed at http://tinyurl.com/9edbk
To subscribe, you first must download a free RSS reader.
The address above now serves as my newsletter archives, so you might want to bookmark it in case you've missed past issues.
***********************************************

================================
In This Issue
================================

1. Oldest Furnace Contest

2. Give PR Clients What They Expect

3. Pet Food Recall

4. Media Leads

5. How to Market a Store for Men

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

==================================
1. Oldest Furnace Contest
==================================

I'm sitting here shivering in my Betty Boop pajamas, blue bathrobe and pink slippers, practically watching ice crystals form in my coffee mug.

As I write this, the clock here in Wisconsin says 6:30 a.m. We program the thermostat in our house so the temperature drops during the night and comes back up around 7 a.m., allegedly to save up to 25 percent on our heating bill. So it's the perfect time to tell you about the Oldest Furnace Contest, a clever marketing and publicity idea adopted by several furnace companies throughout the United States.

The concept is simple. Enter the annual contest, and if your furnace is the oldest, you win a free furnace. You can read about the contest sponsored by Wilkins Mechanical Services Inc. in an article printed in the Telegraph, the newspaper in Nashua, New Hampshire, at http://www.wmshvac.com/webapp/GetPage?pid=184

Why did the newspaper write a story about this? Because it's unusual. And it's fun. Furnaces seldom live past age 30. But this one, a cast-iron, "snowman" style steam boiler, beats 'em all at 135 years old.

Why not borrow this same idea for whatever it is you're peddling? Selling lamps? How about an Oldest Lamp Contest? Or even better, an Ugly Lamp Contest. If you own a lamp store, display the finalists in your front window with the names and photos of the customers who entered them. Can't you just hear everybody in town buzzing about your fun display?

At a newspaper where I worked, we had an annual "Ugly Tie Contest" and asked readers to submit their ugliest neckties. The winner, announced on Father's Day, won a gift certificate to a local men's clothing store. We displayed the top five ugly neckties on a posterboard in our lobby, and I'd often walk through the lobby and see visitors standing in front of the display howling with laughter.

The media love contests like these. And smart Publicity Hound use contests to promote what they're selling. "Special Report #18: Clever Contests That Will Tempt Reporters to Call" gives you all kinds of ideas for contests you can sponsor to generate publicity, build a buzz and brand your business. Learn about contests that generated national publicity and how other companies tied contests to their products and services. You can download the report and be reading it within a few minutes after your order is approved. Order at http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g

===============================
2. Give PR Clients What They Expect
===============================

When a meeting planner wants to hire me, or a PR firm wants me to train their staff on how to generate publicity, or someone says they want to join The Publicity Hound Mentor Program, the first question I ask is, "What, exactly, do you want me to help you do?"

Occasionally, somebody says, "I want you to get me on 'Oprah'." Or "I want our PR clients to end up in one of those fun features on the front page of The Wall Street Journal."

When I hear that, I know this won't be a good fit.

Michelle Tennant, a member of The Publicity Hound Mentor Program, knows the feeling. She's the owner of Wasabi Publicity, a boutique PR firm in Saluda, North Carolina. And she's heard her share of unrealistic expectations too.

Here's another one. You're a publicist and you have a 12-month contract with an author. You're two months into the project and the author is griping because her book hasn't gotten into any big national magazines yet. Michelle would tell you it's your own fault, if you never explained before the contract was signed that sometimes it takes up to six months or even a year for national magazines to bite, particularly since so many of them work six months out.

Addressing expectations before you sign the contract helps avoid those kinds of problems. In the January/February issue of The Publicity Hound subscription newsletter, Michelle writes about things that publicists and PR people must do to make sure that they can deliver exactly what clients expect.

The issue also includes articles on 19 "rules of the road" for Publicity Hounds suggested by a panel of journalists that met in New York in October, why you should banish the words "publicity" and "PR" from your vocabulary and concentrate instead on storytelling, an example of a pitch from a storyteller, how to write the perfect author resource box at the end of an article, a book that offers numerous case studies on marketing to Hispanics, how to attend f~ree monthly teleseminars featuring publicity tips, the network news program that wants your "good news" story, how to look like an expert on TV, and January/February story ideas. The newsletter is available as an electronic document and you can download it as soon as your order has been approved.

Order it for $10 at http://tinyurl.com/7adar

Or order a year's subscription (6 issues) for $49.95 at http://tinyurl.com/4mz3x

==================================
3. Pet Food Recall
==================================

If you read about the Diamond Pet Foods recall on the front page of the Jan. 2 issue of PR Week magazine, you'd walk away thinking the company did just about everything it could to deal with this crisis.

Its crisis plan included:

--A consumer alert and recall three days after a veterinarian in upstate New York alerted the company about treating three dogs with symptoms associated with liver disease. The dogs had eaten Diamond pet food. Seventy-six pets have died.

--Updates on its website at http://www.diamondpetrecall.net/

--An onsite call center where calls were coming in at the rate of 1,500 a day. Even though many customers couldn't get through, call center staffers say they returned every phone call.

--A news release issued December 22 that was picked up by major and local dailies, the Associated Press, ABC News and CNN's website.

--Alerts to Diamonds' distributors, who then contacted retailers.

An admirable job of managing a crisis?

Hardly, says blogger BL Ochman in a post yesterday at http://tinyurl.com/df4c7

BL says it's absolutely inexcusable that Diamond's website is not up to date because the problem has been known and getting worse since mid-December.

"The Diamond Pet Food website is not up to date and its servers seem to be overloaded, causing the site to go down regularly," she writes.

She also berates the company for not issuing a statement about the recall since December. Her suggestions:

--Apologize and assure the public that they're on top of the problem

--Start a recall information blog

--Put its executives online to help consumers up to the minute

--Bring in veterinarians who can advise consumers whose dogs may have eaten the
contaminated products

--Start a fund to cover the vet bills and death expenses of affected pets

If you're the victim of a product recall, multi-million-dollar lawsuit, a nasty rumor that spreads through the Internet, or a major accident, would you know how to manage the crisis? Crisis counselor Jonathan Bernstein is standing by to help. When I interviewed him on "How to Keep the Media Wolves at Bay," he suggested dozens of things you can do to keep a crisis from spinning out of control. They include things you should know about how reporters will try to loosen your lips and why you must not let journalists lead you into a trap. It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript you can download and be reading in minutes. Read more about it at http://tinyurl.com/b8wcy

===============================
4. Media Leads
===============================

--Irene Watson is looking for books to review for her new book review website called Reader Views at http://www.readerviews.com/ "As a new author, I struggled to get reviews. Considering there are over 200,000 books published yearly, most books don’t get the proper review they should. I gathered a team of reviewers throughout U.S. and Canada interested in a variety of genres and we are reviewing books." Read the submission guidelines at http://www.readerviews.com/Submissions.html

--Hospitality Briefings ezine wants articles of 500 to 1,000 words that explore and affect the entire hospitality industry, from hotels and resorts to meeting planning and travel. The ezine goes to 30,000 readers, so you'll get great exposure, and they'll even use your company logo and contact information. A content team reviews proposals and evaluates them on four criteria: relevance to today's hospitality professional, well-defined topic focus, timeliness of topic and overall article quality. Email your pitch explaining your article topic to editor Megan Southwick mailto:msouthwick@douglaspublications.com

If you're submitting articles online or offline, what would you do if an editor said he wanted your article for his 60,0000-circulation newsletter and he asked you to please not submit it to any other publications because he wanted to "scoop" his competitors? What would you do? Say yes, thus killing your chances of ever using that article again? Or pass up the chance to be in his publication?

Attorney Patricia Eyres knows exactly what you should do, and it's neither one of those two options. She explains it on "Legal Issues You Must Know When Writing Articles for Fee or for Free," a recording of a one-hour teleseminar I conducted with her. It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript you can download and be reading in minutes, as soon as your order is approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/dbc3p

================================
5. How to Market a Men's Store
================================

This week, six Publicity Hounds have tips for Kevin Jackson of Chicago, Illinois. He recently opened Manifold, a men's specialty store that sells skin and hair care products, accessories and home furnishings for men. He wants ideas on how to publicize the store.

Publicity Hound Jennifer Raaths of Chicago offers five terrific tips, including this one:

"Call WLS-TV. Ask for Darah Languido, the Morning Show 'Best of Chicago' producer. She is awesome to work with and this may be of interest to her. They love doing lifestyle segments. If she’s not interested, ask if their mid-day news producer would be."


From Publicity Hound Paula Harris:

"Since women tend to make many of the purchasing decisions, host a special ladies shopping night for Valentine’s Day so they can get the special person in their lives the right gift. You could donate a portion of the evening’s proceeds to a women’s related charity. Make sure you send out press releases announcing your event!"


From Jil Frederickson:

"There is a daily email newsletter called Daily Candy at
http://dailycandy.com/index.jsp?city=5&switch=1 that does city-specific shopping/dining/doing suggestions. The Chicago version is pretty cool. They highlight new stores, great places to get gifts, restaurants, etc. See if you can get them interested in an article about your new boutique. They did a piece on a friend’s studio and he received a lot of business from it."


The Publicity Hound says:

Send news releases about unusual products to special gift guides, such as Father’s Day sections, published by newspapers and magazines. Not sure which media to pitch? Check out the Gift List for Holidays, a handy subscription service that sells contact information for 250 newspapers, top magazines, even TV and radio stations that feature gifts. Read more about it at http://tinyurl.com/9es8y and be sure to check out the tips I wrote for this website on how to pitch gift guides. These journalists are HUNGRY for your news.

Then submit a brief--a short item about your store--to inflight magazines for airlines that serve Chicago. It’s great tourist information the magazines might be happy to include if they’re writing a larger article about Chicago. Or write a brief about products you sell that are perfect for men who travel. See "Special Report #29: Fly High with Publicity in In-Flight Magazines" at http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g Learn about the various types of briefs from "Briefs, Fillers & Quizzes: How to Write Them and Why Editors LOVE Them" at http://tinyurl.com/3294r

Read all the responses at http://publicityhound.net/prblog/?p=444

===================================
6. Help This Hound
===================================

Judith Reppucci of Cape Cod, Massachusetts writes:

"I do pro bono work helping a very small nonprofit organization, Wings for Falmouth Families, here on Cape Cod. The organization helps families which have children experiencing a medical crisis, and it's trying to raise money through a 'Ladies of Wickford'-style calendar featuring 'saucy but discreet' photos of prominent local men. It’s being sold at local bookstores and on the group’s website for $20.

"Printing problems delayed promotion, and although my news releases have managed to place column notices and articles in the local papers, we are far from our projected sales goals. My primary work as a freelance copywriter involves writing fund-raising letters, and I want to use the Chamber of Commerce to send an email blast to businesses, but the organization doesn’t seem to see the value. Do your wonderful Hounds have any other advice for a last-ditch sales effort?"

The Publicity Hound says: I'm not surprised that the stodgy chamber isn't interested in your
saucy calendar. But my fun-loving Hounds sure are! All Hounds with great ideas should post them to my blog at http://publicityhound.net/prblog/?p=453 But before you do, check out the names of the hotties shown in the calendar at http://www.wingsforfalmouth.com/calendar.php

==================================
7. Hound Joke of the Week
==================================

"You can't teach an old dog new tricks. OK, so don't train old dogs. Same with salespeople."

--Jeffrey Gitomer from his book The Patterson Principles of Selling at http://tinyurl.com/bo9ep


DOG JOKES & QUOTES EBOOK: 170+ G-rated dog jokes and quotes, perfect for a dog-lover, your favorite vet, or just for a few good laughs.

BONUS: Buy the ebook and you also get a compilation of the 50 best websites for dog humor.
http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/


==================================
7. And at My Blog...
==================================

Here's what you can read in recent posts at my blog:

--Attend Business Journal "Book of Lists" parties this month if you're invited, but don't use the party as a chance to pitch
http://publicityhound.net/prblog/?p=452

--A dazzling grand opening for a restaurant won't ensure a great restaurant review
http://publicityhound.net/prblog/?p=263

--Don't lay guilt trips on media that won't cover you
http://publicityhound.net/prblog/?p=449

--Never pay someone to review your book
http://publicityhound.net/prblog/?p=450

My blog at http://www.publicityhound.net/ has 20 categories so you can read only items on whatever publicity-related topics interest you.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®:


January 19: Kenosha, Wisconsin

Wisconsin Women Entrepreneurs Racine-Kenosha Chapter, "How to Organize Your 2006 Media Campaign and Get Thousands of Dollars in Free Publicity," 5:30 P.M., UW-Parkside, Union Building, Room 104, $19 for members and $24 for guests, including dinner. To register, call 262-632-7993.


January 25 Teleseminar:

I'm the special guest for a free teleseminar on "Pitching Problems" sponsored by Wasabi Publicity at 1 PM Eastern Time. Sign up at http://www.publicityresults.com/


February 10: Washington, D.C.

National Speakers Association Winter Workshop, concurrent session for staff on "How to Position the Boss as an Expert the Media Love," 4:30 to 5:45 p.m., Crystal Gateway Marriott. Details and registration at http://www.nsaspeaker.org/dc/online_schedule.shtml


March 22, 2005: Waukesha, Wisconsin

2006 Micro Entrepreneur Expo, "How to Get Free Publicity," Part 1 from 5:30-6:15 and Part 2 from 8-8:45 PM, Waukesha Area Technical College; pre-registration $25 or $30 at the door (includes dinner). To register, call 262-695-3468.


May 18: Washington, D.C.

PMA University. "How to Turn Your Ezine into a Cash Machine." Sponsored by Publishers Marketing Association. 8:30-10:15 a.m. Details pending.

***If you're in the National Speakers Association or the Public Relations Society of America--or another business, marketing or PR group--and you want details on how to bring in The Publicity Hound to do a fund-raiser for your chapter, or you want me to host a teleseminar customized just for your group, contact me at mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=speaker_inquiry or call 262-284-7451.

***Attention Meeting Planners: If you're booking speakers for winter, spring or summer conferences or events, keep me in mind--even if you have a last-minute cancellation. I deliver high-content, interactive programs that are lots of fun. Call 262-284-7451 or mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=speaker_inquiry for details.

PERMISSION TO REPRINT: You may reprint any items from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week" in your own print or electronic newsletter. But please include the following paragraph:

Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," a free ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive free by email the handy list "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."

If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues.

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me you want to subscribe.

PRIVACY STATEMENT: The Publicity Hound® will never distribute your address to anyone. Period. Promise.

=======================================================
Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound®
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
U.S.A.
Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737

Mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com

Publicity tips/Pitch poker, bridge stories January 3, 2006

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #275 - January 3, 2006
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.net (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®
Circulation: 14,046

=====================================
"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"
=====================================

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

**********************************************
I Don't Want to Lose You:

At least one-third of the more than 14,000 people who subscribe to this newsletter never receive it. That's one of the perils of ezines. From the time the ezine leaves my computer to the time it shows up on your screen, it has a chance of being kicked out at several points along the way, by things such as your Internet service provider or a spam filter. Don't risk dropping off my list. Subscribe to this newsletter through the RSS feed at http://tinyurl.com/9edbk To subscribe, you first must download a free RSS reader.

The address above will also serve as my newsletter archives, starting today, so you might want to bookmark it.
***********************************************
================================
In This Issue
================================

1. Pitch Poker, Bridge Stories

2. Fitness Month

3. Publicity for Musicians

4. Media Leads

5. How to Market a Book for Parents

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

==================================
1. Pitch Poker, Bridge Stories
==================================

When I called my sister on New Year's Eve to wish her a happy new year, I asked her what everybody was doing.

"The geezers are upstairs watching TV and Tim is in the basement with his buddies playing poker," she said.

Tim is my nephew. He and his buddies are 16.

Back when I was a kid, the geezers were in our basement playing poker, and the kids were upstairs watching the tube.

Poker is everywhere these days, from coffee shops to junior high cafeterias. The media go ga-ga over anything related to poker, and this is an ideal time to pitch this story.

Do employees play poker during their lunch hour in your cafeteria? Are there poker clubs at your high school or college? Do you belong to a neighborhood poker group? Do people play poker at the neighborhood YMCA or restaurant? Do you watch poker tournaments on TV? Do you wear sunglasses when you play?

While searching the Internet for poker stories, I found a USA Today article at http://tinyurl.com/djp4w It discusses the poker epidemic and the resulting concerns that students are getting hooked on this form of legalized gambling.

I also found another USA Today story from several weeks ago that explains how Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, both of whom are crazy about bridge and play it in tournaments and online, are investing $1 million to start a program to teach contract bridge in junior high schools. You can read the story at http://tinyurl.com/dx9tg They want the game of bridge, usually played by geezers, to become even more popular than bridge among youngsters because it teaches intellectual development and teamwork.

If you play bridge, you're automatically the local angle to this national story. When pitching, mention the Gates/Buffett tie-in. Tell the media whether you like the idea of bringing this into the schools. Discuss in interviews why you play bridge and the skills it has helped you develop. If you're a geezer, does bridge help keep your mind sharp? Consider writing an opinion column or a letter to the editor about poker or bridge. Don't forget to pitch columnists who write on youth or lifestyle issues.

Pitching columnists is just one of 19 "rules of the road" for Publicity Hounds, suggested by a panel of journalists that met in New York in October. They included reporters from The Wall Street Journal, Family Circle and NY1, New York's cable station. The tips are included in the January/February issue of The Publicity Hound subscription newsletter. The issue, available only as a PDF, also includes articles on why you should banish the words publicity and PR from your vocabulary and concentrate instead on storytelling, an example of a pitch from a storyteller, how a PR practitioner can manage client expectations, how to write the perfect author resource box at the end of an article, a book that offers numerous case studies on marketing to Hispanics, how to attend f~ree monthly teleseminars featuring publicity tips, what network news program wants your "good news" story, how to look like an expert on TV, and January/February story ideas.

Order it for $10 at http://tinyurl.com/7adar

Or order a year's subscription (6 issues) for $49.95 at http://tinyurl.com/4mz3x

===============================
2. Fitness Month
===============================

My Jazzercise instructor has already warned us to be braced for packed classes this month.

That's because this is the month when everybody tries to take off what they gained over the holidays. TV stations everywhere want to know about these stories.

Here's an almost guaranteed way to get your company on the local TV news. The tip comes from my friend Shawne Duperon, a TV news reporter in Michigan, who writes an excellent ezine that you can subscribe to at http://shawnetv.com/subscribe.html

"Create a game where your employees will lose 100 pounds in the month of January. Media will LOVE that story," Shawne says.

Here's my 2 cents worth: Piggyback off NBC's reality show "Biggest Loser" and award a prize to the employee who loses the most and keeps it off for 6 months. And be sure to pitch the story to your NBC stations or the local NBC affiliates. I'll bet you show up on the nightly news twice--once when you announce the contest and again when you announce the winner.

Other fitness-related ideas from Shawne: Any new health or fitness craze, stories on aging, fad diets, fast food, plastic surgery, and cooking healthy for your family, with an invitation for the TV cameras to come into your kitchen.

Don't forget healthy eating in company and school cafeterias.

Shawne and I came up with 116 story ideas that print and broadcast journalists will be looking for during the first half of this year. We discussed them all during a teleseminar called "116 WOW! Story Ideas from January through June." We recorded it and are offering as a CD. You can download the entire list and be reading it as soon as your order is approved and while you're waiting for the CD to arrive. Read more about what we discussed at http://tinyurl.com/6k7zk

==================================
3. Publicity for Musicians
==================================

When musicians email me asking for publicity tips, I share my best advice. Then I lead them to Bob Baker's website at http://tinyurl.com/9slw9

Bob is a writer, independent musician and former music magazine editor who is dedicated to showing musicians how to get exposure and publicity, connect with fans, sell more CDs, and book more gigs.

Here are four tips I found at his website and blog:

--Jimmie Vestal has written songs that reference certain restaurants and tourist attractions in the southeast United States, and even a gourmet steak sauce called Bald Head Diva. Of course, he makes these establishments aware of the exposure and tries to set up promotional opportunities with them.

--"I know a couple of radio disc jockeys in my town who have sandwiches or special meals named after them at certain eateries. Why couldn't you do that? Especially if you perform regularly at a particular coffee shop, bar or restaurant. For example, if your band is called Sweet Potato Sunrise, approach a manager with the idea of offering a Sweet Potato Sunrise omelette, or a Sweet Potato Sunrise latte, or a Sweet Potato Sunrise daiquiri. You get the idea. The special name would get you exposure at the establishment whenever it's open (hopefully, your item will be listed on the menu). Plus, you can use the unique promotional angle to get mentions in the local press."

--Add mystery to your next CD by announcing that there's a secret message to uncode within your lyrics, song titles or CD liner notes, a la "The DaVinci Code." Make a game out of it and you just might get an infectious buzz going.

You can read more great ideas at his blog at http://www.bob-baker.com/musicpromotionblog/


If you're a musician who's in the market for a publicist and you don't know how to find one, don't do anything until you read the special chapter for musicians in my ebook "How to Hire the Perfect Publicist." In fact, the book is the only resource you'll need to learn all about the various types of publicists, where to find them, how to interview them, how to work with them, and how to avoid the Publicist from Hell. Read more about the book at http://www.publicityhound.com/hireapublicist.html

===============================
4. Media Leads
===============================

--The publishers of Human Capital magazine are looking for "lessons learned" stories about your employee recognition programs. For example, what worked and what didn't? What were positive and negative employee reactions? Were there any unexpected reactions? If you have been involved in a recognition program that presented challenges, contact Betty Hintch, editor of Human Capital, at mailto:bhintch@douglaspublications.com or call 847-483-9406.


--"Between the Lines" is a new monthly ezine published by The Editorial Department, a full-service book publishing company. It offers "an insider's perspective on the craft of writing and the publishing scene." It is looking for interesting authors and publishers to interview, and it also accepts articles on several aspects of publishing. To submit articles or be interviewed, contact Lynne Zerance at mailto:lz@editorialdepartment.com Subscribe to the ezine at http://editorialdepartment.com/e-zine.html


If you're submitting articles to websites like "Between the Lines," you must know how to write and use the articles to market whatever you're selling. Otherwise, why bother? "How to Submit Online Articles that Pull Traffic to Your Website" features tips from marketing expert Sharron Senter, who gets as many as 100 sales leads a month from her online articles. In the CD or electronic transcript of this teleseminar, she explains the 2 things that writers do that drive editors crazy, 5 ways to sell your expertise within your article without selling your product or service, how to follow up on all those leads, and more. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/5zvga

================================
5. How to Market a Book for Parents
================================

This week, three Publicity Hounds have advice for Tim Martin of Corona, California. He asked for advice on how to help his friend, Rex Bowlby, market his book "Why Would I Want the Toy, When I Can Have the Box?...101 Ways to Make the Most of Your Children, With the Least from Your Wallet." It provides a treasure chest full of ideas on teaching and bonding with your kids using everyday items--such as a pile of dirt or a big cardboard box--that will stimulate their imaginations and creativity.


From Stacy Lytwyn Maxwell:

"Here’s one excellent radio source to consider: Faith Middleton, Producer/Host of The Faith Middleton Show on WNPR.

"WNPR’s website at http://www.wnpr.org/radiomiddleton.asp describes her as reporting 'on traditional mainstream journalism subjects,' and further explains, 'she also has developed a specialty' reporting on the achievements of ordinary people. She finds original ways to show that the qualities of our humanity are often as compelling and popular as what is wrong.
"I met Faith personally a number of years ago, and I can attest to the fact that she is one terrific (and I mean with a capital T) woman. She always has an available ear for new show ideas. An 'author who isn’t in it for the money' sounds just like the kind of person she looks for!"

(Also see "How to Get Booked on National Public Radio" at http://tinyurl.com/ayms6 )


From Kathy Podusky:

"Contact Lynn Badessa at Shoppingskills.com at http://www.shoppingskills.com/ She is a self-published author who sold 10K the first week off the press and then wrote a second book that just hit the shelves and is going gangbusters. She teaches a one-day class in Sarasota, Florida to authors who have what she calls pallets of books in their home--on how to sell them without any marketing plan. In no time, she shows them how to get them sold with flair and free PR every time."


From The Publicity Hound:

"Research magazines, and print and electronic newsletters read by parents. Write articles for those publications. At the end of the article, include a link to your website where parents can buy your book. Also, writing briefs is an excellent way to get into the big national magazines. Briefs include short articles of about 300 words, two- and three-paragraph items, quizzes, questions and answers, on a particular topic, a list of industry definitions, etc.
"Briefs, Fillers & Quizzes: How to Write Them & Why Editors Love Them" explains the various types of briefs and gives advice on how to do things such as write a cover letter that accompanies your brief. It's available as a CD or electronic transcript that you can download and be reading within a few minutes after your order is approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/3294r

Read all the responses at http://publicityhound.net/prblog/?p=439


===================================
6. Help This Hound
===================================

Publicity Hound Kevin Jackson of Chicago, Illinois writes:

"I recently opened Manifold, a men's specialty store that does NOT focus on clothes. Rather, it's a lifestyle concept that sells skin and hair care products, accessories (watches, belts, etc.) and home furnishings (bar accessories and the like) designed for men. I think this is a unique concept and would like to get the word out to the media in my market.

"I also plan to get customers involved in the community by offering specials in support of a different charity each month. For example, one month I'll provide a discount for customers who bring in old cell phones that can be donated to shelters. Another month, I might encourage people to bring in non-perishable food items that will be donated to the needy.

"In addition to fashion reporters at the newspapers and magazines, are there other opportunities for me to spread the word?"

The Publicity Hound says: You bet! Many of my Hounds--male and female--will love to tackle this one because it has so many great possibilities. Hounds with great ideas can post them at my blog at http://publicityhound.net/prblog/?p=444

My own suggestion is to get your products and store mentioned in all the special sections published for Father's Day and Graduation Day later this year. These journalists are hungry for information about great gifts. And you should start pitching those sections now. The Gift List is an online database, updated weekly, of newspapers, magazines, television shows, radio and news syndicates that will have gift guide features. The database contains detailed media information, including direct contact names, method of receiving suggested gifts, story themes, focus and deadlines. The contacts also indicate if the reporters are interested in featuring products year-round. They have a list specifically for you called "Moms, Dads & Grads." Learn more about it at http://tinyurl.com/9es8y

==================================
7. Hound Joke of the Week
==================================

Thanks to Publicity Hound Linda Culbreth for this one:

What's the difference between a dog and a cat?

You can call the dog by name and it will come to you. You can call the cat by name and it will say "Take a number."


DOG JOKES & QUOTES EBOOK: 170+ G-rated dog jokes and quotes, perfect for a dog-lover, your favorite vet, or just for a few good laughs.
BONUS: Buy the ebook and you also get a compilation of the 50 best websites for dog humor.
http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/
---------------------------------------------------------------
Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®:

January 19: Kenosha, Wisconsin

Wisconsin Women Entrepreneurs Racine-Kenosha Chapter, "How to Organize Your 2006 Media Campaign and Get Thousands of Dollars in Free Publicity," 5:30 P.M., UW-Parkside, Union Building, Room 104, $19 for members and $24 for guests, including dinner. To register, call 262-632-7993.


February 10: Washington, D.C.

National Speakers Association Winter Workshop, concurrent session for staff on "How to Position the Boss as an Expert the Media Love," 4:30 to 5:45 p.m., Crystal Gateway Marriott. Details and registration at http://www.nsaspeaker.org/dc/online_schedule.shtml


March 22: Waukesha, Wisconsin

2006 Micro Entrepreneur Expo, "How to Get Free Publicity," Part 1 from 5:30-6:15 and Part 2 from 8-8:45 PM, Waukesha Area Technical College; pre-registration $25 or $30 at the door (includes dinner). To register, call 262-695-3468.


May 18: Washington, D.C.

PMA University. "How to Turn Your Ezine into a Cash Machine." Sponsored by Publishers Marketing Association. 8:30-10:15 a.m. Details pending.

***If you're in the National Speakers Association or the Public Relations Society of America--or another business, marketing or PR group--and you want details on how to bring in The Publicity Hound to do a fund-raiser for your chapter, or you want me to host a teleseminar customized just for your group, contact me at mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=speaker_inquiry or call 262-284-7451.

***Attention Meeting Planners: If you're booking speakers for winter, spring or summer conferences or events, keep me in mind--even if you have a last-minute cancellation. I deliver high-content, interactive programs that are lots of fun. Call 262-284-7451 or mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=speaker_inquiry for details.

PERMISSION TO REPRINT: You may reprint any items from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week" in your own print or electronic newsletter. But please include the following paragraph:

Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," a free ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive free by email the handy list "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."

If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues.
You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me you want to subscribe.

PRIVACY STATEMENT: The Publicity Hound® will never distribute your address to anyone.
Period. Promise.
=======================================================

Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound®
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074 U.S.A.
Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737