Publicity Tips/Rate Cards are for Dummies Mar 10, 2009
The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #441 March 10, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
Circulation: 42,004
==========================================
"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.
******************************************
If You Missed Taking My Survey:
If you took my customer profile survey, a thousand thank-yous. So
many of you are using your $40 coupons to order products that
it's gotten to the point where the post office clerks hate to see
my customer service people walk through the door.
If you tried to take the survey but the screen froze up or you
bailed out because of other technical glitches, you can try again
using this link. We've fixed the glitches and the survey will let
you pick up where you left off:
http://www.PublicityHound.com/customerprofilesurvey.htm
If you took it but still haven't used your $40 coupon, you have
until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, March 13, to do so.
Problem taking the survey? Email Scott, my customer service
manager, at mailto:scott@serenityva.com
In the next few weeks, I'll be digging into the data and your
comments to see what you like, what you don't like, what you
want, and where I can improve.
Your support, suggestions, ideas and loyalty make my job the best
in the world. And for that, I'm grateful--and one doggone happy
Hound.
*****************************************
================================
In This Issue
================================
1. Rate Cards are for Dummies
2. Use Twitter Hash Tags for Publicity
3. Promote Social Networking Sites Offline
4. Another Oversized Check--Ugh!
5. How to Promote 'Going Green'
6. Help This Hound
7. Hound Joke of the Week
8. And at My Blog...
========================================
1. Rate Cards are for Dummies
========================================
As newspapers march toward the graveyard, smart Publicity Hounds
see the parade as a golden opportunity to buy advertising at
dirt-cheap prices.
At Stompernet's Internet marketing conference in Atlanta over
the weekend, publicity expert Don Crowther reminded us that rate
cards are for dummies. Never, ever pay the full ad rate listed on
the card.
"Always negotiate," Don says.
Desperate newspapers will sometimes accept a rate far below
what's on the card. Or they'll make you pay the full rate but
give you two ads for the price of one.
Another way to save, Don says, is to buy remnant ads.
When newspapers or magazines have extra ad space at the last
minute because another advertiser has pulled out, they might let
you have it at bargain-basement prices. Don says he has bought
remnant ads in the New York Times for 10 percent the price on the
rate card.
If you're buying a remnant ad, you'll be expected to provide the
copy for it almost immediately, and you'll also have no control
over where the ad is placed.
Don's rate card tips work equally well for college newspapers
which, by the way, have a very loyal readership among an audience
that doesn't read daily and weekly papers. Since the start of the
current school year, daily newspapers at several major colleges
have cut back their publication schedule to one edition a week--
usually on Friday--because of weak advertising.
Everybody wants publicity you don't have to pay for. But when you
have to buy an ad in the traditional media, check out "Special
Report #48: Smart Tips for F~ree, Cheap and More Effective Ads."
It give you lots of value advice for only $10. Read more about it
at http://tinyurl.com/dhe7r4
======================================
2. Use Twitter Hash Tags for Publicity
======================================
If you're planning a special event like an industry convention or
a speaking engagement, even a teleseminar, invite the Twitter
community to buzz about it.
At the opening session, announce from the stage that audience
members who tweet about the event should use a hash tag, and then
tell them what it is.
A hash tag is the character # followed by a short word that
describes the event, or a particular topic, on Twitter.
For example, at the Stompernet Internet marketing event I
attended over the weekend, audience members were asked to mark
their tweets by typing "#Stompernet" within each one.
That makes it easy for other attendees, and even people who
didn't attend the event, to go to Twitter's search box at
http://search.Twitter.com and type in "#Stompernet" and find all
the tweets about the event.
You might be asking: Why would Stompernet want the rest of the
world to take advantage of information at an event that only
members and their guests can attend?
Here's why:
--It creates interest in their membership site. I guarantee that
if you search for all the "#Stompernet" tweets and read them, you
will find at least three tips you can start using today to
increase your bottom line. Membership is currently closed, but if
you go to http://tinyurl.com/a6j4pw and give them your email
address, they'll notify you when it opens.
--Of the 500+ people who attended the Stompernet event, many
tweeted about it. Each of those people has an army of followers.
Some of those followers might think the tips are so valuable that
they're worth "retweeting," thereby exposing millions more people
to Stompernet.
--No more whining that "The Daily Tattler didn't cover our event,
boo-hoo." By using hashtags, you turn your entire audience into
journalists and let THEM report on the event for you. Often,
their reach on Twitter will be far greater than the reach of many
top-tier media outlets like CNN and the New York Times. Plus,
those tweets live online forever, just waiting for the search
engines to find them.
There are lots more ways to use hash tags for publicity. Tell us
how you use them by adding comments to my blog post at
http://tinyurl.com/cjr3ot
===========================================
3. Promote Social Networking Sites Offline
===========================================
Don't get so caught up tweeting on Twitter, uploading videos to
YouTube and finding friends on Facebook that you forget to let
the offline world know where they can find you at these sites.
The next time I order business cards, I'm adding this to the back
of the card:
Follow me on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/PublicityHound
Connect with me on LinkedIn at
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound
Be my friend on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joan_Stewart/541605146
You can also add your "how to find me" social networking
information to printed brochures, paper and plastic bags,
receipts, invoices, catalogs, calendars, books, print
newsletters, stationery, postcards, handouts, product packaging,
annual reports, print media kit, CD and DVD labels, notepads and
print advertising.
I'm also adding those phrases to the bottom center of every page
at my website, along with all my other contact information.
Social networking leaving you overwhelmed? Join the crowd. Learn
time-saving tricks and tools on "How to do Social Networking, Run
a Business & Still Have a Life." BL Ochman, a giant in social
networking circles, explained how during the teleseminar I hosted
with her a few months ago.
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 her tips at http://tinyurl.com/6kswbc
===================================
4. Another Oversized Check---Ugh!
===================================
If I see one more oversized cardboard check in a local newspaper
or on TV or at somebody's website...I'll...I'll...
I'm not sure what I'll do, but it won't be pretty.
Please stop planning those schmaltzy check-passing ceremonies,
shooting photos of oversized checks and then offering the photos
to the media.
And while you're at it, no more boring ribbon-cutting events with
those giant cardboard scissors. You can do better.
As for ground-breaking ceremonies, nobody is breaking much ground
these days for new construction projects. But if you do, please
don't subject your audience to the equally monotonous
groundbreaking ceremony. You know the kind---a dozen suits in
hard hats, all lined up from left to right, each one posing with
a foot on the spade.
Need I say more?
Dan Collins has created dozens of fun, exciting events that
really generate buzz for Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Md.
He explains how you can take his own ideas and apply them to
whatever you're promoting. "Fun Alternatives to Boring Ground-
breakings, Ribbon-cuttings and Check-passings" is available as a
CD or electronic transcript.
Read more about how to banish these cliche events forever, even
if your boss insists that you "do what you're told," at
http://tinyurl.com/7cl6z
====================================
5. How to Promote 'Going Green'
====================================
This week, six Publicity Hounds have tips for Colleen Schmid of
Heathrow, Fla. on how she can promote her consulting business
that shows homeowners and companies how to "go green." She asked
for ideas on how she can tie in to Earth Day on April 22.
From Joel Prunty:
"Being green is a popular story line already. How about twisting
it into a St. Patrick's Day story? That way, you don't have to
compete with all the other green Earth Day stuff."
From Jeff Rutherford:
"Many politicians from the right and the left are seeing the
wisdom in going green. Why not try to coordinate with a local
politician--you'll go through their home, accompanied by a
reporter from a local TV station or newspaper, of course, and
discuss all the ways that they could improve their homes to go
green.
"If you get turned down by local politicians, what about other
local community leaders?"
From Meryl K. Evans:
"How about using Twitter to provide one green tip per day,
building up to the big reveal on Earth Day? After all, one tip
per day is doable for families and doesn't overwhelm them. With
each tip, they'll think, 'Oh, is that all it takes? I can do
that.'
"Then put all the tips in one blog post or article to distribute
in its entirety on Earth Day."
The Publicity Hound says:
Colleen, how about pitching your story on March 20, the first day
of spring? Demonstrate how people can go green while doing their
spring cleaning. Many local TV stations have those morning
news/feature shows that would welcome this story. Check out TV
producer Shawne Duperon's tips on "How to Get on the Local TV
News Tomorrow." It's available as a CD or electronic transcript
you can be reading as soon as your order is approved.
Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/4zpuz
Read all the answers to last week's Help This Hound question at
http://tinyurl.com/besbzg
Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com and include your city and
state.
==================================
6. Help This Hound
==================================
Keri Gerlach of Greenfield, WI writes:
"I'm the marketing director for Clement Manor, a retirement
community at http://www.ClementManor.com
"My biggest challenge is a limited budget and limited resources
targeting long-term care and assisted living. Not many folks are
out there touring facilities until they have to, and given the
economy, most are waiting even longer to sell their homes.
"More specifically, I'd like ideas on how to encourage families
to ‘window shop’ now so that when the time comes for their
parents, they've done their homework and have an idea about what
facility they might choose. The sons and daughters we are seeing
are in their mid-60s."
The Publicity Hound says:
OK, so where do people in their mid-60s hang out? How about it,
Hounds? How should Keri be directing her marketing efforts? Any
niche social networking sites for over-50 people in Wisconsin?
Share your best ideas at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/bgep5b
==================================
7. Hound Joke of the Week
==================================
Buy a dog a toy and it will play with it forever. Buy a cat a
present and it will play with the wrapper for 10 minutes.
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...
==================================
How to use Twitter hash tags for promotion, publicity
http://tinyurl.com/cjr3ot
---------------------------------------
WHERE TO SEE AND HEAR THE PUBLICITY HOUND:
March 16--Teleseminar on Internet Marketing
I'll be Marilee Tolen's guest from 8 to 9 p.m. Eastern Time for
her teleseminar series "Introduction to Internet Marketing" for
nurses, healers, coaches and holistic professional solopreneurs.
If this is your niche, and you're tired of running after the next
client, this is the training session for you. It starts Feb. 23.
Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/dl3xhm
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
Labels: BL Ochman, don crowther, earth day, stompernet, Twitter
posted by Publicity-Hound @ 8:32 AM
links to this post
