Publicity tips/Vanishing PR Clients Feb 3, 2009

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #436 Feb. 3, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

Circulation: 43,345

==========================================

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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http://www.publicityhound.com/tipsoftheweek/

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

1. Vanishing PR Clients

2. Grade Your Facebook Profile

3. Get Out of the Pile

4. Beware of the Shock Jocks

5. Formula Five Sweetens the Deal

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


===================================
1. Vanishing PR Clients
===================================

On the message boards, PR pros and publicists are lamenting the
fact that the lousy economy has forced companies to slash their
budgets for PR like never before.

In some cases, their client base has dried up completely.
Projects they were counting on this year have been canceled. And
they have no fresh leads coming into the funnel.

If you want to avoid that happening to you, here are four tips on
how to pull in PR prospects and convert them to clients:

--Hit the public speaking circuit and talk about how companies
can use traditional and social media to promote when lots of
other companies, paralyzed with fear, are doing nothing to market
themselves. Explain the value of the publicity and what happened
as a result of that front-page story you got for your client in
the local business journal, or that two-minute interview with the
local TV station.

--If you're looking for local clients, and you're a member of the
Chamber of Commerce, start shooting video of chamber events all
over town, and offer it to the chamber for use on their website.
The chamber will let its members know, and turn you into a star.
Also submit the video to local newspapers and TV stations, for
their websites. Guess who the chamber will recommend when a
company calls asking for a referral to a good PR person?

--Create a presence on the social networking sites. Use the
question-and-answer feature on LinkedIn to promote your expertise
and answer questions about PR. Create a group of fans on Facebook
and share PR tips with them regularly. On Twitter, refer your
followers to interesting articles and tips about PR and
publicity.

--Form alliances with local delivery services and ask them to
drop off your brochure with each package they deliver. If you
must, bribe the driver with a $20 bill. You never know who might

be looking for a PR person.


That last tip is courtesy of Illinois publicist Robert Smith, who
built his PR business from scratch in 1998, in part, by forming
alliances with a local shipping company and actually paying the
drivers to drop off his brochures. He has resorted to lots of
other off-the-wall tactics, like buying and selling leads, to
acquire clients.

He explained them all when he was my guest during a teleseminar
last summer on "How to Make an Extra $100,000 a Year as a
Publicist--Even in a Bad Economy." We recorded it, and it's
available as a CD, MP3 or an electronic transcript that you can
download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about Robert's ideas (some of them really wacky but
effective) at http://tinyurl.com/PRclients


=======================================
2. Grade Your Facebook Profile
=======================================

If you're on Facebook, find out how well your profile stacks up
against the profiles of the millions of other Facebook users.

Go to http://facebook.grader.com

It's a fun little application that will instantly calculate your
"grade" based on things like how many friends you have, the power
and reach of those friends, how many groups you have joined, how
many wall posts you've written, and whether the information is
complete.

There's one problem with the grader, however.

It doesn't accurately reflect the appeal of the thumbnail bio
that appears under your photo. An app like this one can't
possibly determine whether or not you sound interesting. That's
up to the reader to decide.

After you've graded yourself, go back and review your thumbnail
bio. Does it encourage your target audience to connect with you?
Does it convey a little about your personality? Does it encourage
visitors to friend you and stay to read more?

What about your bio on LinkedIn? I can't count the number of bios
I see on that site that are as potent as sleeping pills, even
though LinkedIn users can use as much space as they need to
describe themselves.

As for Twitter, few profiles I see actually make me smile or
visit the person's website.

Join social networking expert Nancy Marmolejo and me on
Wednesday, Feb. 11, during a 70-minute teleseminar called "Can
Your Social Networking Bio Pass the 10-Second Test?" We'll
explain the key elements of your profiles on the major sites like
Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter and explain the three traffic-
killing mistakes that even the professionals are making.

Nancy will make over the bio of one lucky participant. Read more
about what you'll learn and register for the session at
http://tinyurl.com/blvdby

While you're there, check out Publicity Hound Judy Lederman's
incredibly clever Twitter bio.


========================================
3. Get Out of the Pile
========================================

It's the Number One Secret of Publicity Hounds who want big-time
publicity.

And it starts with getting out of the pile.

"The pile" refers to the mountain of boring press releases,
bulging media kits, books with chintzy covers that scream "self
published!", product samples in hard-to-open packages, folders,
catalogs, brochures, videos and other unsolicited junk that
people send to newspaper editors and TV show guest bookers.

Journalists HATE digging into the pile each day because so much
of what's there is awful.

So how do you get out of the pile?

One of the very best ways is to meet journalists face to face at
an event they're attending with one purpose in mind--to find
interesting people to write about in their newspapers and
magazines or feature on their radio and TV programs. A face-to-
face meeting lets them hear the enthusiasm in your voice and see
the sparkle in your eye as you're delivering your 15-second
pitch.

Steve Harrison's National Publicity Summit has been introducing
journalists at top-tier media to Publicity Hounds who have
interesting stories to tell. As a result:

--Ron & Lisa Beres were booked on the "Today" show.

--Steve Shapiro was the subject of a big story in
"O the Oprah Magazine" after meeting the writer
at the summit.

--Lauri Loewenberg appeared on ABC's "The View" and
"Good Morning America."

--Jim Vonmier got on the "CBS Evening News" and "The Early Show"
as a result of the training and contacts he got at the summit.

--Kelly McCloskey used what she learned to get booked
on "Oprah."

--Barry Spilchuk was interviewed on Fox News Channel within
just five hours of meeting the producer at the summit.

--Sandy Clemmons was written-up in Health Magazine, Money
Magazine and TV Guide--all from meeting journalists
face-to-face at the summit.

Only 100 attendees will be admitted and the early-bird
registration deal goes away after Wednesday,
February 11. If you're interested in joining, go here now:
http://www.thebigsecrettogettingpublicity.com/?10011

If you're not interested in attending, watch Steve's video anyway
and learn about two other great ways to meet journalists face to
face.


=======================================
4. Beware of the Shock Jocks
=======================================

Before pitching a radio show, research the show and know what
you're getting into.

Publicity Hound Kristie Tamsevicius, a work-at-home expert, is
downright proud of the mountains of favorable publicity she
generates each year in the week leading up to "Doing Business in
Your Bathrobe Day" on Feb. 9.

Until yesterday.

A guest booker for WKLS-FM in Atlanta called Kristie and invited
her to be a guest on the morning drive-time show to talk about
her special holiday.

"When I called in and heard heavy metal music, I wondered what I
was in for," she said.

She soon found out when "Giant Brian," the host, welcomed her and
asked the standard questions. Then he took a call from "Bruce"
who threw Kristie a curve and started talking about some yucky
topics she would rather have not discussed. Kristie details the
whole ugly episode at her blog at http://tinyurl.com/dzzsqt

"I should have done more homework about the station before the
interview," she writes. "I asked about the audience and
demographics...should have insisted on getting info about the
host and their website to research."

Lesson learned.

If this ever happens to you, and you need information quickly on
a particular radio show or media outlet, ask your Twitter
followers. I'm astounded at how quickly my own followers answer
questions I throw out, or retweet the questions to their
followers. You can follow me on Twitter at
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Kristie, by the way, encourages work-at-home Hounds to piggyback
onto "Do Business in Your Bathrobe Day." Red Deer College in
Canada is using her holiday to promote its classes for
entrepreneurs. Two professors are even sponsoring a contest in
which work-at-homers can submit YouTube videos of themselves in
their bathrobes. Is that fun or what?


Despite Kristie's bad experience, big radio shows can be a gold
mine for Publicity Hounds. Alex Carroll has done more than 1,264
radio interviews, grabbed more than $4.5 million worth of free
radio airtime and raked in $1.2 million in direct sales in the
process. He was my guest expert during a teleseminar called "Get
Booked on Big Radio Shows in the Top 20 Markets" and he revealed
the step-by-step process involved in identifying the biggest
shows, pitching them, and then being the kind of guest who hosts
invite back.

It's available as a CD. Read more about how to get onto the
biggest and best shows at http://tinyurl.com/asgyx


==========================================
5. Formula Five Sweetens the Deal
==========================================

If you've been on the fence about Stompernet's Formula Five, the
business-building program I've been raving about, and price was a
factor, you'll want to know about several new enticements that
really sweeten the deal and make it well within the budget of
almost any business.

People said they love the idea behind the program but can't
commit to paying for it all up front.

Here's how Stompernet responded:

--They've lowered the price.

--They're offering a new payment plan that spreads payments over
12 months.

--They're adding a sixth module on how to create products,
regardless of whether you're a chiropractor, window cleaning
company, Internet marketer or a publicist.

You can read more about it here:
http://tinyurl.com/PaulLembergFormulaFive


Formula Five will be available for just a few more days, and then
the shopping cart closes down, so grab yours now. I've reviewed
the entire product and give it my highest recommendation.

P.S. If you've already purchased FormulaFive, Stompernet
is going to be rewarding you with some really sweet extras that
you're going to love.


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

Yikes! I accidentally wiped out my entire blog last week,
including the Help This Hound question from Michele Lessirard of
Vero Beach, Fla.

But my webmaster, Jason Saeler, backs up my blog weekly and had
the entire thing back online within minutes.

I'm using last week's question again this week in case you wanted
to contribute an idea but couldn't find the post--or the blog.

Michele writes:

"I have been blogging for more than seven years at New Moon
Journal http://www.newmoonjournal.com and my blog
http://newmoonjournal.blogs.com

"Now, there's a high-profile Harry Potter-type author named
Stephanie Myer who's written a series of vampire novels. One
best-seller is New Moon. Of course, I am competing now for search
engine optimization with her New Moon book and soon-to-be movie.
The New Moon Journal is an astrology blog dedicated to creativity
and personal growth using the lunar cycles for power, healing and
problem solving.

"How can I use this name recognition and ride on the coattails of
her book. Is it possible?"


The Publicity Hound says:

It sure is. The many authors, publishers and book publicity
experts who read this newsletter can post their best ideas to my
blog at http://tinyurl.com/dmzml4


Here's my idea. Go over to Amazon.com and review Stephanie's
books, which will let you link back to your blogs. You can also
create "best of" lists dealing with your topic and all kinds of
other content to attract the attention of her readers.

Randy Gilbert and Don Mitchell are all over that website and pull
in tons of traffic to their own sites as a result. They were my
guests during a teleseminar on "How to Make Amazon a River of
Gold (for Authors, Speakers & Experts)."

It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can
download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about how to piggyback off the popularity of other
best-selling authors or products at http://tinyurl.com/7u76e


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

Who needs cats?

Dogs will look at you intensely and try to understand every word
you utter. Cats will ignore you and go to sleep.

When you come home from work, your dog will be pleased and lick
your hand. Cats will still be cross at you for going out to begin
with.

Dogs will give you unconditional love until the day they pass on.
Cats will make you pay for every mistake you've made since the
day they arrived at your home.


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...
===================================

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PR, marketing, comms article writers: Submit to Cision ezine
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WHERE TO SEE AND HEAR THE PUBLICITY HOUND:


Monday, Jan. 26--Teleseminar Replay

Listen to the replay of "Boost Your Biz with a Blog," the
teleseminar I hosted on Jan. 26 with Denise Wakeman and Patsi
Krakoff, aka The Blog Squad. They explained how to draw more
traffic and boost more sales from a blog. You can hear the replay
at http://blogsquad.audioacrobat.com/download/bizblog_012609.mp3


Wednesday, Feb. 11--Teleseminar

"Can Your Social Networking Profile Pass the 10-Second Test?"
with Nancy Marmolejo. From 4 to 5:10 p.m. on the telephone. All
participants will receive the electronic transcript, the MP3
recording and a one-hour webinar on the same topic that goes into
even greater depth on how to write social networking bios.
Register at http://tinyurl.com/blvdby


March 6-8--Atlanta, Ga.

I'll be at the Stompernet's Live 7 event. If you're going, let's
meet for coffee.



PERMISSION TO REPRINT:

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

Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," an ezine
featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity.
Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email
the handy cheat sheet "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® respects your privacy and has a strict anti-
spam policy. Read my privacy policy at
http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm

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

Publicity tips/The Spitzer Scandal, Mar 11, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #390 March 11, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog) The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 43,792

=====================================

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

Receive this ezine direct to your desktop http://www.publicityhound.com/tipsoftheweek/

=====================================

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me that you want to subscribe. If you didn't subscribe, you can unsubscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of the newsletter.

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.

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

To SMARTS students:

If you are part of the SMARTS social networking coaching program and you're going to the Stompernet conference in Atlanta April 4, 5 or 6, please email me and let me know. Mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=SMARTS

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

1. The Spitzer Scandal

2. March Madness

3. Turn One Product into Three

4. Newspapers: Online vs. Offline

5. Promoting a Book on Military Wives

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. At My Blog...


=================================
1. The Spitzer Scandal
=================================

Just a few hours after the news broke about New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's hiring a high-priced prostitute, authors were all over national TV news shows commenting on the story.

And savvy book publicists were working the phones this morning, trying to get their clients onto shows like MSNBC's "Hardball" with Chris Matthews, "Hannity & Colmes" on FOX, and "Larry King Live" on CNN.

You don't have to be an author to find your way onto these national shows, or even local news shows in your own community. Here are some ideas on how to piggyback onto the Spitzer scandal and take advantage of the 24-hour news cycle:

- -What implications does the scandal have for the presidential campaign? Does Hillary Clinton, another woman who was wronged by her political husband, have anything to gain or lose in her race for delegates? Spitzer supports her candidacy.

- -Was Spitzer's minute-long press conference, with his wife by his side, appropriate? Or has he already put her through enough? Should he have stood behind the microphone alone? Crisis counselors and PR practitioners, how would you have advised Spitzer?

- -How does a wife forgive a husband who has put her through this? Therapists, mental health experts, marriage counselors and ministers can offer their thoughts.

- -Why do so many politicians, from former presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton to former Congressman Larry Craig and former New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey, have secret lives? If your book or area of expertise ties into this topic, let the media know.

- -The Number One question the last 24 hours seems to be "How could Spitzer have been so stupid?" Experts will be debating this one for months, so comment on your blogs and in op-ed columns.

- -Should history's oldest profession be legalized?

You'll find lots more ideas in this article at the Huffington Post website: http://publicityhound.net/spitzerreaction

Now that you have an idea, learn how to pitch it. Publicity Hound Julie Languille followed all the pitching tips I recommended in "Special Report #7: How to Write the Perfect Pitch Letter That convinces an Editor to Write About You" and scored a Page 1story in the Wall Street Journal. The report is $10. Order it at http://PublicityHound.net/SpecialReports


====================================
2. March Madness
====================================

This is the month to use the phrase "March Madness" in your pitches, even though the stories you're pitching have nothing to do with basketball or the NCAA tournament.

For example:

- -It's been March Madness for weather-watchers, like the blizzard that dumped two feet of snow on Ohio over the weekend. If you can tie your story to the crazy weather, "March Madness" is a great phrase to slip into the pitch.

- -Spring break is under way for many students at colleges and universities. I think the "March Madness" theme is a perfect fit.

- -If you're a Wall Street expert and you're commenting on the market's tumble this month, work that phrase into your pitch.

- -Ditto for the mortgage crisis.

If you can't think of any tie-ins to March Madness, that's OK. TV producer Shawne Duperon teamed up with me to brainstorm dozens of story ideas for the first half of the year. "116 WOW! Story Ideas from January through June" includes something for everybody. We encourage you to steal the best ideas and use them in your publicity campaign.

It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://publicityhound.net/116storyideas


====================================
3. Turn One Product into Three
====================================

If you create information products, don't make the big mistake that most information marketers make.

They create one product. Then they fail to understand all the ways they can turn that product into two additional products, or three, or four, or even five, with just a little more work.

For example, let's say you've written a book that sells for $25 in the bookstores. Why not create a spiral-bound workbook that ties into the topic of your book and that you can sell at your website?

For a third product, host a teleseminar, record it and sell it as a CD or MP3 file. But don't just offer the audio. Hire an inexpensive transcriber and offer the product as a downloadable PDF for all those people who prefer to learn by reading and not by listening.

Cathy Stucker, the Idea Lady, is an absolute genius when it comes to figuring out ways to tweak, retool, reposition, and slice and dice content into related products quickly and easily.

She was my guest during a teleseminar last week called "How to Turn Content into Cash" and shared lots of her tricks on how she turns one product into multiple products.

Many people on the call had questions about what technology she uses to make it happen, specific vendors she uses when creating products, and what she does to save time. You can listen to the recording at http://www.PublicityHound.net/contentcall

Another tip: Both of us made a special offer you'll want to know about, but it expires tomorrow night.


====================================
4. Newspapers: Online vs. Offline
====================================

If you're pitching reporters who write for daily newspapers, are you spending most of your time pitching the ones who write for the print versions?

Or have you taken the time to research whether different reporters write for the online versions?

This article by Scott Karp, president and CEO of Publish2 Inc., should be must reading for everyone who pitches newspaper reporters. He writes:

"Newspapers used to see the web as a complement, a value add to the print edition. Now they have to flip the equation. The web is at the center, and the print newspaper must add value, as a complement."

Read the entire article here: http://publicityhound.net/printversusonline

Now, work online reporters and editors into your media plan. If you don't have a plan, or you don't know where to start, let me and my team of experts help you. The training course "How to Create a Media Plan" walks you step-by-step through the process, gives you more than 200 story ideas you can use in your own campaign, and tells you which social media sites are the best ones to incorporate into the plan.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://www.PublicityHound.com/mediaplan.htm


========================================
5. Promoting a Book on Military Wives
========================================

This week, 13 Publicity Hounds have advice for Marna A. Krajewski of Wakefield, Rhode Island on other markets beyond just the military that she can target for her next book titled "HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE HANDLERS: Celebrating the Lives of Military Wives."


From Linda Swisher:

"How about spouses of law enforcement officers, who also have esprit de corps (many are also ex-military or in the Guard/Reserves); veterans organizations and auxiliaries, base exchanges or card/bookstores near major posts, companies whose large international workforces frequently relocate, and moving companies (sell in quantity to movers specializing in military relocation--they can give the book as a good-bye or welcome gift)."


From Stephanie Trahd:

"Piggyback your press releases onto the Lifetime TV show 'Army Wives.' There is definitely a wider market for you, as evidenced by the intense popularity of that show. 'Civilians' are very curious and still romanticize Army life."


From Jenni Hilton:

"Another popular TV show that features military wives is 'The Unit.' You could offer expert advice about a problem featured in one of the shows and pitch your book. Blogging about military wife life might also help. Find stories in newspapers that are relevant and include links. Women’s magazines are always interested in your story as a woman and, more specifically, a military wife. What about writing tips for moving frequently and meeting new people, and contacting Welcome Wagons and other groups as well?"


The Publicity Hound says:

Using the tips above, how about reviewing books at Amazon.com that deal with themes such as the military and relocating?

Randy Gilbert and Don Mitchell explain many of the 17 ways to use Amazon.com to market yourself--even at pages where your competitors' books are listed! I interviewed them during a teleseminar on "How to Make Amazon.com a River of Gold (for Authors, Speakers and Consultants)."

It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://publicityhound.net/amazonriverofgold


Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=HelpThisHound


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

Angie Dzalamanow of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina writes:

"I am the public relations manager for Sylvan Dell Publishing, a children’s book publisher committed to exciting children’s imaginations with artistically spectacular science, math and nature themed stories. We’re doing fairly well at securing reviews for our 29 titles with key trade publications, regional parenting magazines and bloggers, but we would like to create a bigger buzz and score some national attention.

"In the back of every book, we include a ‘For Creative Minds’ educational section with fun facts, crafts and other educational activities. We also offer free supplemental parent/teacher resources on our website, including 30-80 cross-curricular teaching activities, child-friendly learning links, audio readings, interactive quizzes and a bi-monthly e-newsletter.

"However, our books are first and foremost fun-to-read picture books, and we want parents and educators to understand that there doesn’t need to be a strict line between educational and entertaining.

"The public relations team consists of me and two interns, and our budget is limited. We need some creative, affordable ideas for media kits and pitches, but we’ve yet to think of that ‘big idea’ we need to garner national media. Help from your Hounds would be greatly appreciated!"


The Publicity Hound says:

Your books make me wish I were a kid again. Hounds, let's help Angie and her interns reach parents and kids all over the world. Post your best publicity ideas at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/2lsp74


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

Two fleas are coming out of the movie theater and it's raining very hard outside.

One flea says to the other flea, "What should we do? Walk or wait for a dog?"


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. At My Blog...
=================================

Free ebook can help you promote your business or nonprofit http://publicityhound.net/freeebook


Marketing in a down economy? This webinar can help http://publicityhound.net/marketinginadowneconomy


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

Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound


March 27: Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

"Red Hot Tips to Set Your Publicity Campaign on Fire," Menomonee Falls, Sussex and Germantown Business to Business Networking Breakfast; networking and breakfast from 7:30 to 8, presentation from 8 to 8:45 a.m. Tickets are $15. Guests welcome. For reservations, call Diane Henning at the Menomonee Falls Chamber at 262-251-2430.


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

Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," an ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive 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® respects your privacy and has a strict anti-spam policy. Read my privacy policy at http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm

=======================================================
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/Why I'm Crying Elephant Tears, Aug 7 2007

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #358 Aug. 7, 2007
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 33,589

=====================================

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"
Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityhound.com/tipsoftheweek/

=====================================

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me that you want to subscribe. If you didn't subscribe, you can unsubscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of the newsletter.

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.

*******************************************************
TELESEMINARS FOR HOUNDS:

Here are two teleseminars you'll want to know about, both on Thursday:

--Listen to Steve Harrison's "Seven Things You Absolutely Must Know to Get Publicity in Major Magazines and Newspapers" at 2 or 7 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, August 9. The 90-minute call will explain the three biggest mistakes most people make trying to get publicity in magazines and newspapers. You'll also learn how to understand the mind set of top magazine writers and editors, how a woman was so good at getting advance publicity her book hit the New York Times Best Seller List BEFORE her publication date, an incredibly simple strategy for scoring an Associated Press story about you that runs in dozens of newspapers across the United States, how to contact journalists, and how to spin a small story into a much larger feature for yourself. Steve has offered this call in the past, and I know you'll come away with some good tips." Read more about it at http://www.freepublicity.com/printpublicitycall/?10011


--"Pitching Holiday Gift Guides: Editors Show How to Get Products in Front of Millions of Shoppers," 1 PM Eastern on Thursday, Aug. 9, sponsored by Bulldog Reporter's PR University. The winter holiday shopping season is make or break time for many companies with seasonal gift-oriented products to sell. That's why so many PR pros start working this summer to finagle their products into the media's most credible holiday shopping guides and product reviews pages. Get an inside look at the secrets of scoring valuable coverage in the nation's top holiday gift guides--from the very editorial gatekeepers who decide what runs and what doesn't. They'll outline what they're looking for and when, this year's hottest items and how best to position your product for optimal placement in front of millions of holiday shoppers. Register at http://tinyurl.com/2bpyxv
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================================
In This Issue
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1. Why I'm Crying Elephant Tears

2. Keep Your Message Clear

3. 6 Ways to Attract More Clients

4. Promote a Book with a Contest

5. Making a Website Ready for Visitors

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


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1. Why I'm Crying Elephant Tears
======================================

I love getting Hound success stories from readers like you.

But sometimes I cry big, fat elephant tears when I learn about missed opportunities, or how people who generated fabulous publicity didn't follow up.

Publicity Hound Sue Lowery of Chattanooga, Tennessee saw a short news item on one of her local TV stations about how the Bliss spa in Dallas, Texas pampered an elephant the day before it was making its Dallas debut at the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus.

She said the news clip showed a spa worker giving the elephant a facial by slathering mashed avocado all over its face. The worker also used an oversized nail file to give the elephant a pedicure.

Curious, Sue started searching for the story online and found a shortened video clip at the Dallas Morning News website at http://tinyurl.com/2x33bj She sent me the link.

I watched it this morning, and got all excited that I had stumbled upon a great story. I Googled the Dallas Bliss, found the website, but saw that the only phone number listed was the one to call for reservations. I was hoping to reach the manager and ask her how the story originated, then congratulate her on a brilliant publicity coup.

Silly me.

I reached what sounded like an answering service, or perhaps the woman who takes reservations for the entire Bliss chain of spas. She said there was no way to reach the manager, and the only thing she could do was send her an email on my behalf.

When I asked for the manager's email address, she wouldn't give it to me. So I patiently dictated the message. She asked me to wait while she proofread it.

This, my dear Hounds, is called making somebody jump through hoops to give you publicity. Had I been a working journalist, I would have given up long before then. I patiently explained to the woman who answered the phone that I send this newsletter to more than 30,000 people, and this was a chance for the spa to get even more publicity. She didn't seem impressed.

What can Publicity Hounds learn from this lesson?

--Make sure your front-line employees understand the importance of media inquiries. Give them an emergency telephone number they can use if the media call on deadline. Better yet, include the emergency number at your website.

--When you get a fabulous media hit, include it at your website. Most local and network news people will gladly let you use the clip. I found nothing at the Dallas Bliss site--not even a mention.

--The Bliss Press Room included several press releases which I didn't have time to open. I couldn't find the name or phone number of a media contact anywhere on the site. Put contact information--including a shipping address, phone number and email address--in an easy-to-find place on your homepage.

--I got callbacks from Vollmer PR, the local firm in Dallas, which pitched the idea, and from the Bliss national PR person who told me they won't put the media contact phone number on the homepage because they get "flooded with calls." (I thought lots of calls were a good thing, not a bad thing.) Besides, she said, the national media all know how to contact them, which I find difficult to believe.

She asked if I wanted to be added to their media list. Uh, no thanks.

Tips on how to make it easy for the media to find you, plus thousands of helpful suggestions on how to make your company media-ready, then build strong relationships long after the interviews are over, are in "How to be a Kick-butt Publicity Hound," my most popular ebook. We've even added an entire lengthy chapter on blogging. Read more about what you'll learn at http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity/publicityhound.htm


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2. Keep Your Message Clear
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When you interview with the media, you always risk working with a reporter who doesn't understand your key point, or the most important thing you want to communicate.

Crisis counselor Lou Hampton of the Hampton Group in Washington, D.C. offers these six handy phrases to use during interviews:

--"The key point is..."

--"The bottom line is..."

--"The one thing people need to realize..."

--"Let me repeat that, because it's such a critical point..."

--"One trend we see..."

--"What is especially exciting/surprising/unexpected..."

The phrases are included in Lou's deck of Mem-cards, a package of 26 cards, each featuring a media tip for Hounds who interview. Use the cards as handy reference tools while you're waiting in the green room on the "Today" show. They also make great gifts for clients--even if you're on a budget. The cards are $9.97 per deck until August 31.

Read more about them at http://www.hamptongroup.com/meetthemediacards.htm


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3. 6 Ways to Attract More Clients
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Lots of people are complaining that business is flat during these slow days of summer. If you're among them, consider these six ideas for attracting more clients:

--Create a short presentation on how people can solve the most pressing problem that ties into the product or service your company sells, or the cause or issue your nonprofit addresses. Then hit the speaking circuit in your town. Dozens of service clubs are looking for luncheon and dinners speakers. This is what I did when I started my consulting business, and many people in my audiences hired me to help with their PR.

--Write articles for article directory sites like http://www.ezinearticles.com/.Make sure the author resource box links to your website. Be sure to capture email addresses at your site. I do with Hover Ad Creator, powerful HTML coding that makes the sign-up box at my website bypass spam filters. Learn more about it at http://www.marketingtips.com/hover/t/827664

--Start blogging. The search engines love timely, content-rich blogs, particularly on niche topics. The more you blog, the more traffic you'll get.

--If you sell anything that helps people generate publicity, consider joining The Publicity Hound's Resources List at http://www.publicityhound.com/resources.htm This is where I send callers when they want to know who I recommend to help them write press releases, proofread their copy, or contact the media on their behalf.

--Swallow your pride, call former clients and tell them you need more work.

--Go to the Craigslist in the city closest to where you live at http://www.craigslist.org/ and start posting tips on this f~ree community bulleting board. Then link to your website. See "How to Use Craigslist as a Global Publicity Tool" at http://tinyurl.com/geog2

If you're a PR practitioner or a publicist, you'll want to know about the 24 ideas I brainstormed with Marcia Yudkin on how to bring more clients through the door. They're on a handout that accompanies the CD and electronic transcript called "24 Ways to Attract Clients to Your PR Practice," and you can download it as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/8txj8


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4. Promote a Book with a Contest
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Dorothy Molstad, marketing manager for Voyageur Press in St.Paul, Minnesota, deserves a doggy treat for a clever idea she's using to promote their book "Green Bay Packers: The Complete Illustrated History." It hits bookstores next week.

Knowing I'm a Packers fan, she asked permission to send me the book. It arrived with a hand-written note that said:

"I'll bet you'll find many Packer fans read your newsletter if you print something about the book. I'll send a copy to the most distant fan who responds."

If you're a Packers fan in a distant land, email Dorothy and tell her how many miles you live from me at 3434 County KK, PortWashington, Wisconsin. Mailto:dmolstad@mbipublishing.com?subject=PackersContest

The coffee table book sells for $29.95 and includes some interesting photos from yesteryear.


If you're an author whose book has been on the market for several months and your sales have stalled, give 'em a jump-start. Publicist Lissa Warren knows how, and she explains how she boosts sales for her own clients' books on the CD or electronic transcript called "How to Revive a Dying Book Marketing Campaign." Too many authors give up after less than a year, but the most successful ones use many of the ideas she mentions.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/67bhu


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5. Making a Website Ready for Visitors
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This week, seven Publicity Hounds have tips for Nancy Mills, on how she can improve The Spirited Woman website at http://www.thespiritedwoman.com/ by August 11. That's the day that Six Apart, a blogging company, will feature her site as Website of the Day.


From Valerie Hayes:

"I’m concerned that the sign-up box for your newsletter may get lost on the page. Consider enlarging or repositioning it to make it more noticeable."


From Stacey Kannenberg:

"I would profile a highly spirited woman on that day!! I would run a campaign starting today to tie into six degrees of separation to see who your readers already know--people who are a few degrees away to find your amazing spirited lady to profile. Not only will this help you find other spirited women to profile, but it will empower your existing base to help you find some truly amazing people and share the path. For example, I know a producer at the 'Rachael Ray' show...so we are two away from Rachael Ray!"


From Jim Labadie:

"Videotape yourself with a crystal clear message for all those visitors to see first thing on the 11th. Who are you? How do you help them? Why should they subscribe to your newsletter? Besides just looking around, what specific action do you want them to take? Video is such a powerful way to deliver a concise message. And it shouldn’t be like your other video where they have to click multiple times to watch it. It should be like an embedded YouTube video where they click on the video and the message plays."


The Publicity Hound says: Jim's suggestion to offer video is easier than you might think. Tom Antion, my mentor, has created a helpful set of two CDs. Learn how to create high-end infomercials on a low-end budget, how speakers can create their own videos to use in their marketing campaign, and how to create screen-capture videos right on your computer and sell them as info-products. Read more about it and see the cool videos Tom created himself at http://tinyurl.com/y3b6wj


Read all the responses to this Help this Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/37nlvh


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

Carol Bloom Stevens of Rye Brook, New York writes:

"My husband, Mark Stevens, wrote a book called 'God Is a Salesman: Learn from the Master' which will be published by Hachette at the end of this year.

"We are looking for a Christian faith-based PR firm to get the word out to the churches across the country to buy this book. Grace Hill Media does this for movies like Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ." We are seeking specialists in the book publishing industry.

"We're also looking for creative ideas from other Hounds on how our own PR firm, MSCO, can promote this to consumer and business media."

The Publicity Hound says: Lots of authors and book publishers read this newsletter, Carol, and I'm sure you'll get lots of ideas. Here's my own:

Any author who wants to create a buzz for a book on just about any topic should head over to Amazon.com, a high-traffic website that offers 17 opportunities to promote your books, CDs and other products--even on your competitors' product pages. Mark can review other books and even provide a "Top 10" list of his favorite sales strategies or tips. Randy Gilbert and Don Mitchell explain all the other ways to use Amazon to promote.

They were my guests when I interviewed them on "How to Turn Amazon.com into a River of Gold." It's available as a CD or electronic transcript. You can download the handout with all 17 ideas as soon as your order has been approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/7u76e


Hounds with ideas for Carol can post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/yvlbcq


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

Restaurant reviewers report on dirty restrooms
http://tinyurl.com/3d6nxp


Online games, quizzes great for website promotion
http://tinyurl.com/38gmnu


Fortune Small Business wants to know your financials
http://tinyurl.com/2agmkw


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Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®


August 14: Norfolk, Virginia

9 a.m. to noon: "Savvy Media Relations: How to Get Free Print, Broadcast & Online Publicity." 1:30-4 p.m.: "The New Rules of Press Releases: How to Write Them for Consumers, Not Only for Journalists." Each session is $97. Or attend the entire day for $147, and save $47. Register at http://www.PublicityHound.com/norfolk.htm


August 15: Virginia Beach, Virginia

I'll be spending the day with Internet marketing expert Tom Antion, my mentor, in his office, learning the latest strategies for Internet marketers. It's the annual daylong training session for members who join the Internet Association of Information Marketers at the highest level. If you earn most of your revenue through Internet marketing, you can join at the Outer Circle level, then meet us at Tom's place for this day of training. This one day alone is worth 50 times more than the price of membership. Or if you're just starting out, join for $15 a month. Learn more about the association at http://tinyurl.com/54dp6


September 11: Brookfield, Wisconsin

Association for Volunteer Administration of Southeastern Wisconsin, keynote presentation on "Savvy Media Relations: How to Get Thousands of Dollars in FREE Online and Offline Publicity," 9:45 a.m., University of Phoenix Metro-Milwaukee Campus, 20075 Watertower Blvd. $30 for AVA/SEW and IAVCmembers, $40 for non-members. Deadline August 31. Learn more at http://www.ava-sew.org/content/blogcategory/5/4/or call Kay Bloesl at 414-571-1327 to register.


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

Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," an ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive 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® respects your privacy and has a strict anti-spam policy. Read my privacy policy at http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm

=======================================================
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/Valentine's Day Quiz February 13, 2007

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #333 - Feb. 13, 2007
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 28,665

=====================================
"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"
Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityhound.com/tipsoftheweek/
=====================================

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me that you want to subscribe. If you didn't subscribe, you can unsubscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of the newsletter.

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.

*****************************************
A Note to My Hounds:

--I'm out of the office this week. If you have a pressing question, I won't answer it until I return on Feb. 19, so thanks for your patience.

--I still need to hear from anyone who has used MySpace or YouTube to generate publicity or sell their products and services. Your success story might be part of a special information product on this topic, as well as articles that will appear online and offline. Please include details on the specific media outlets that found you on MySpace or YouTube, or details on how you've used either website to generate more business for your company, nonprofit or government agency. I want to hear only from people who generated publicity or p~rofits from either website.
Please be specific and name the media outlets that covered you.

Email MySpace success stories to Mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=MySpaceSuccess

Email YouTube success stories to Mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=YouTubeSuccess
*****************************************
================================
In This Issue
================================

1. Valentine's Day Quiz

2. 'American Idol' Angles

3. Write Book Reviews

4. Research Keywords

5. Promote an Automotive Association

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

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1. Valentine's Day Quiz
==================================

Quizzes are a fun way to generate publicity and involve people in your topic. That's why the media love quizzes.

To prove how much fun they can be, I'm offering a challenging Valentine's Day quiz. I took it recently while attending a cooking class on how to whip up a romantic dinner. The instructor used it to keep us busy during the times when she was stirring the risotto or the hollandaise sauce.

If you win, you get $100 to do with as you please. Treat yourself to a spa day. Or indulge in chocolates. Or enjoy a night on the town, courtesy of The Publicity Hound.

Here are three sample questions:

--Who was the famous actress who was rumored to have bathed in 350 bottles of champagne?

--Approximately, how many bubbles are there in a bottle of champagne?

--Who drank 50 goblets of chocolate to please his harem of women?

The correct answers will be the ones my cooking instructor provided. So please don't quibble about exactly how many bubbles are in a bottle of champagne. Deadline for entries is 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 14, Valentine's Day.

Take the quiz at http://tinyurl.com/2saj85

The winner will be announced in next week's newsletter. In case of a tie, I'll draw the winning entry from a hat.

Now that you know how much fun quizzes can be, I want you to start creating them. They are among the nine types of briefs the media love, and a great way to get into national magazines. Learn more about "Briefs, Fillers & Quizzes: How to Create Them & Why Editors Love Them." It's available as a CD or electronic transcipt 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/d74h7


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2. 'American Idol' Angles
==================================

"American Idol" is still at the top of the TV ratings and shows no signs of dropping.

That means smart Publicity Hounds will find ways to piggyback their topic onto this show. When the show debuted, publicist Pam Lontos of PR/PR created a pitch for her client, a telecommunications expert.

"In the pitch, we talked about how 'American Idol' was using telephone technology so the viewers could vote by phone," Pam said. "The real hook behind the story was about the fairness of voting by phone because the lines would often be tied up."

Because it was such a timely topic, a USA Today reporter called the client and used him as a source in a Lifestyle cover story about "American Idol" and voting by phone. By tying the client's expertise to a hot TV show, Pam developed a great hook and created fabulous publicity. (You can sign up for her publicity ezine at http://www.prpr.net/ and get more publicity ideas once a month.)

Music publicity expert Bob Baker generated national publicity a few years ago when he distributed a press release explaining how "American Idol" is doing a great disservice to aspiring musicians and the public at large by distorting perceptions of how the music business really works. The show, he explained, sends an outdated message of "dependence" on the industry vs. the more realistic "independence" that artists have today to control their own careers.

Many of you can probably come up with all kinds of other angles that tie into your topic.

But you don't have to piggyback only onto "American Idol." If you can, tie your idea to famous celebrities. I know cosmetic surgeons who regularly dispense "advice for the stars." And image consultants who critique the best and worst of the red carpet events. And relationship experts who are quick to piggyback onto celebrity divorces.

Special Report #50 shows you "How to Piggyback onto Celebrity News to Promote Your Product, Service, Cause or Issue." Order at http://tinyurl.com/3sa3j


==================================
3. Write Book Reviews
==================================

Publicity Hounds who want to create a huge presence online should be writing book reviews and posting them at places like Amazon.com and EzineArticles.com, the giant online articles directory.

Christopher Knight, who owns EzineArticles.com, says that last month, articles in the Book Reviews category received seven times the amount of traffic per article than articles in the main category of Shopping & Product Reviews, and two times more traffic than the average of all articles in the same main category.

He offers a list of helpful tips on how to write book reviews at his blog at http://tinyurl.com/yvmrcb

Why are book reviews so powerful? For several reasons.

People who buy books read reviews to determine whether they should spend time and money on certain titles. Also, if your review includes relevant keywords, the search engines will find them. That means people who don't know you will find your review and, if they like what they read, they might end up at your website.

Don Mitchell and Randy Gilbert have turned Amazon.com into a veritable goldmine of leads by writing book reviews and posting all kinds of other information there.

"How to Make Amazon a River of Gold (for Authors, Speakers and Consultants)" explains their step-by-step process, and you can follow in their footsteps, even if you aren't a published author.

It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/7u76e

=================================
4. Research Keywords
=================================

Every smart Publicity Hound should be paying attention to keywords--in your press releases, in copy at your website, in Google pay-per-click ads and in articles you're posting to online article directories.

Many of you have used Overture's f~ree Keyword Suggestion Tool.

And it used to be a terrific little way to do some quick keyword research in a hurry. But the tool no longer works.

Amateurs guess at which keywords customers are using to find them. But true professionals know. That's why I recommend a subscription to Wordtracker, one of the very best keyword programs.

Andy and Mike Mindel created Wordtracker in 1999 to answer a fundamental question in the search engine industry:


"What are people searching for on the Web?"

Wordtracker helps press release writers, website owners and search engine marketers identify keywords and phrases that are relevant to their or their client's business and most likely to be used as queries by search engine visitors.

Marketers can also determine how many competing sites are using those keywords, and they can identify the phrases that have the greatest traffic potential.

Take a test-drive at http://tinyurl.com/3697mp


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5. Promote an Automotive Association
====================================

This week, seven Publicity Hounds have tips for Marcus Simmons of Southfield, Michigan. He wanted ideas on how to promote the Motown Automotive Professionals, a start-up nonprofit that offers no-cost automotive vocational training for socially and economically deprived youths.

From Susan Yancy:

"Most housing authorities have employment initiative programs to help people on subsidized housing improve their economic futures. You might consider partnering with the local housing authority to provide this training to their residents."


From Peg Kelley:

"One of the difficulties facing small automotive shops as dealers take over more and more of the services for post-sale cars is finding competent and reliable mechanics/technicians. You might create an opportunity for these smaller shops to sponsor students or contribute to scholarships that will allow them to have first interview rights upon graduation."


From Garth Gibson:

"The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy in Washington came out with the top 12 Green Cars. You can piggyback onto this news by creating the First Green Mechanics!

"Green Mechanics: Specially trained on car waste disposal procedures and prevention that best protect the environment.

--Wear mechanics clothing designed as earth-friendly

--Use tools made from earth-friendly products

--Trained to make Green Cars run even better

"Partner with Green Car dealers seems like a win/win for publicity."


The Publicity Hound says: Pitch a story about what you’re doing to Crain's Detroit Business. The hook? The labor shortage, of course. Explain how the local auto industry will benefit from your trained mechanics. You can also offer a "tip sheet" to the media titled "8 tips for hiring a top-notch auto mechanic."

See "How to Use Business Journals to Tell Your Story," in which Paul Furiga teams up with me to share our best secrets on how to get into your local business journal or a business magazine.

We're both former business journal editors, so tap into our brains. Read more about what you'll learn from this CD or electronic transcript at http://tinyurl.com/q4rf7

Read all the responses at http://tinyurl.com/2htmxa


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

Chris Kelley of Emigrant, Montana writes:

"I’m a publicist, and Andrew Field, the founder and CEO of PrintingforLess.com, the world’s largest commercial online printer, is one of my clients.

"More than 50,000 customers nationwide--mostly small- and mid- sized businesses--annually visit our website at http://www.prinintingforless.com/ for affordable, full-color marketing materials such as business cards, brochures, postcards, newsletters, letterhead and so on.

"Andrew now wants to become the first national brand name in the printing industry. He was runner-up in the national Best Bosses of the Year contest and has generated substantial publicity, including stories in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. All this has helped, but he wants the Printingforless.com name to be to the printing industry what Kinko’s is to the copying industry.

"Can your Hounds help?"


The Publicity Hound says: They sure can, Chris. They'll be able to give you lots of ideas to promote the business, as well as provide tips on how to recycle the publicity you've already generated. C'mon, Hounds. Help Chris make the client happy. Post your best ideas to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/3dcxxc


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

My dog chewed the tongue on one of my new, very expensive running shoes.

I hoped to save my investment, so I took the shoes to a shoe repair shop. I placed them on the counter and told the man, "My dog got hold of this."

The repairman picked up the shoe, looked it over, and placed it back down on the counter.
"Well, what do you recommend?" I asked.

He looked at me and replied, "Give your dog the other shoe."


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®

March 8, 2007: PR University's Bulldog Reporter Teleconference

"PR Writing--Top PR Wordsmiths Analyze Proven Press Releases to Reveal Best Practices for Writing Compelling Copy That Reaches Millions," 1 p.m. Eastern. Want to improve your press releases and boost media pickup fast? I'm part of a panel of wordsmiths that will deconstruct some of the year’s best releases and personally hand you the keys to duplicating their successes. Details pending.


March 17, 2007: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

"Savvy Media Relations: How to Get Free Print, Broadcast and Online Publicity." 8 a.m. to noon. Learn more at http://www.nsapittsburgh.com/calendar.htm


May 12, 2007: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Florida Speakers Association: "The New Rules of Press Releases: How to Write Them for Consumers, Not Only for Journalists." 9 a. m. to noon. "Sleeping with the Competition: How to Collaborate with Other Speakers to Create Profitable Products and Programs."
2 to 4 p.m. For more information, call 561-630-7766 or visit http://www.florida-speakers.org


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

Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," an ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive 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.

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