Publicity Tips/Newspaper Closings? Ho-Hum Mar 17, 2009

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #442 March 17, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

Circulation: 41,750

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

"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.

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

Speakers: Hit the Continuing Education Market

Many of my friends who are professional speakers says it's harder
than ever to get paying gigs because companies are trimming their
training budgets, and meeting planners are bringing in industry
experts who are often willing to waive their fees.

It's time to tap into the lucrative market of continuing
education. Tom Antion is hosting a paid teleseminar called "CEU
Secrets Revealed: How to Sell Your Knowledge for Big Bucks in the
Continuing Education Market" at 9 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, March
19. His guest is Doug Bench, a former judge who retired from law
and started teaching continuing education classes for Florida
homebuilders. He's bringing in over 7 figures in revenue each
year, and he'll share all the ins and outs of selling your
knowledge as CEU credits both online and off.

If the time is inconvenient, sign up anyway because the first 200
registrants will get a copy of the CD.

Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/ako5x7

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

1. Newspaper Closings? Ho-Hum

2. Thanks for Taking My Survey

3. A Handy Twitter Formula

4. Backgrounders Educate Reporters

5. 'Window Shopping' for a Retirement Home

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


========================================
1. Newspaper Closings? Ho-Hum
========================================

Fewer than half of Americans surveyed by the Pew Research Center
say that losing their local newspaper would hurt civic life in
their community "a lot."

Even fewer, one in three people, say they would personally miss
reading the local newspaper a lot if it were no longer available.

Those are among findings of the latest weekly News Interest
Index, conducted March 6-9 by the Pew Research Center for the
People & the Press.

The survey also shows that more people say they get local news
from local television stations than any other source. About two-
thirds (68 percent) say they regularly get local news from
television reports or television station websites, 48 percent say
they regularly get news from local newspapers in print or online,
34 percent say they get local news regularly from radio, and 31
percent say they get their local news, more generally, from the
Internet.

You can read more about the survey and see all the results at
http://tinyurl.com/agy3h3

Close on the heels of the survey results was yesterday's
announcement by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer that it's stopping
the presses and experimenting with a web-only edition of the
paper. The 118,000-circulation daily is keeping only 20 of its
journalists to work on the online edition, and laying off 145
others.

An article in the Wall Street Journal says the smaller digital
edition will no longer be a catch-all of local and national news
and features. Instead, it will cover local events and publish
blogs and columns from staff, readers and prominent local
citizens. It also plans to link liberally to other news sources
in the Seattle area.

What does this mean for Publicity Hounds in Seattle? (If you live
elsewhere, pay attention. The same thing might happen to your
local daily newspaper.)

--Newspapers like the Post-Intelligence will be hungry for
content, including letters, opinion columns and even video.

--They might even start calling on "citizen journalists,"
including local bloggers, to report on news and events. No longer
will you have to genuflect before the media gatekeepers. Anyone
with a computer or a camera can report the news.

--Hounds no longer will be able to rely on their local
metropolitan paper for major publicity. Consider pitching your
local business journal, which is probably on more solid footing
than your local daily. And, of course, continue to pitch local TV
stations.

--If you're not on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or other social
networking sites where your target audience is gathering for much
of their news, start right now.


BL Ochman, a prolific blogger who creates social networking
campaigns for her corporate clients, says "the social media train
has left the station." She was my guest during a recent
teleseminar on "How to do Social Networking, Run a Business &
Still Have a Life."

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 how to chase after the train and hop
aboard at http://tinyurl.com/6kswbc


======================================
2. Thanks for Taking My Survey
======================================

If you want to know what your customers think of your products or
services, don't sit around and guess. Ask them.

That's what I did when I emailed the link to my Customer Profile
Survey to more than 50,000 Hounds this month.

The response was fabulous, and I learned that many of you who
took the survey are more patient that I'll ever be.

We chose the vendor for this survey after a lot of research. But
the company dropped the ball and threw so many technology
roadblocks in your way that many of you bailed out before
completing it. Some of you were "frozen" on a particular page and
couldn't move. Others couldn't make it onto the thank-you page to
get the code for $40 off their choice of products.

Scott Buffaloe, one of my customer service managers from Serenity
VA Services, and Jeanne Hurlbert, my wonderful consultant who
helped me write the survey, personally contacted dozens of Hounds
who emailed and called for help. We think we've resolved all the
problems but we want to be 100 percent sure. Please email Scott
at mailto:scott@serenityva.com if you had trouble using the
coupon, or Jeanne at mailto:hurlbert@optinetresources.com if you
have questions about the survey.

Just when we thought all the glitches were solved, the vendor's
entire system crashed one day last week. Miraculously, we have
retrieved all the survey results, and we're in the process of
analyzing them.

Why am I telling you this? Because 94 percent of the people who
took the survey ranked my customer service 8, 9 or 10 on a scale
of 1 to 10.

Part of good customer service, I believe, is to explain problems
that occurred, why they occurred, and what I'll do to make sure
they never happen again.

From time to time, I'll be asking you to take much shorter
surveys but I promise you I will not use the same vendor. Survey
Monkey, another popular survey service, doesn't quite fit our
needs. I'm curious about companies you recommend. If you survey
your customers regularly and you've found a great vendor, drop me
a line at mailto:jstewart@PublicityHound.com and let me know.


I'll be sharing some of the survey results through press
releases. If you take surveys, or you're thinking of taking them,
recycle the publicity over and over again. My ebook "How to be a
Kick-butt Publicity Hound" gives you hundreds of ideas on how to
generate buzz for whatever you're promoting and gives you an
excellent bird's-eye view of all your opportunities. The 2009
update includes seven new chapters on how to use social
media to promote.

Learn more about the book at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity/publicityhound.htm


===========================================
3. A Handy Twitter Formula
===========================================

Confused about what to tweet about on Twitter?

Do you hate those "what I ate for lunch" tweets and vow you'll
never write them, but you can't think of much else to say that
your followers would find interesting?

Here's a helpful tip from Perry Belcher, who accumulated more
than 52,000 Twitter followers in only 128 days. At the Live7
event hosted by Stompernet, the Internet marketing membership
group earlier this month, Perry shared his formula for the
content of his tweets:

--30 percent: Tips that help make people's lives better

--10 percent: Information that keeps them informed

--30 percent: Anything that makes people laugh (He says
http://www.Fark.com is a great site for humorous content)

--25 percent: Compliments and praise

--5 percent: What you're doing

Have you been writing most of your tweets about what you're
doing? If so, try this formula and see how much more quickly
people start following you.

Granted, this takes a little more time and discipline. But I'm
sure it's the reason Perry has been able to attract such a huge
following so quickly. You can follow him on Twitter at
http://Twitter.com/perrybelcher and you can follow me at
http://twitter.com/PublicityHound


Yes, you can use Twitter to promote. But you have to do it much
more subtly than the way you promote in other venues. Twitter
expert Warren Whitlock gives you the step-by-step process on "How
to Use Twitter to Amass an Army of Followers, Customers &
Valuable Contacts--and Promote." It's available as an electronic
transcript and your choice of CDs or MP3s. Publicity Hounds raved
about the two teleseminars I hosted with him several months ago
because his advice helped shorten their Twitter learning curve.

Read more about how to use Twitter to promote at
http://tinyurl.com/3lbcaw


=======================================
4. Backgrounders Educate Reporters
=======================================

If a complicated story is about to break within your industry,
consider hosting a backgrounder, a one-on-one meeting with a
journalist and others who might cover it.

The March 16 issue of PRWeek magazine says backgrounders are
particularly helpful in the health industry, where stories about
new drugs, diseases and devices can be difficult for journalists
to understand. Backgrounders help educate reporters who aren't
under the pressure of deadlines.

Radi Medical Systems, for example, invited a reporter from the
Wall Street Journal who wanted information about cardiology
procedures, to a hospital to watch a procedure and speak with
cardiologists.

AstraZeneca has been hosting media briefings on various cancer
topics the last few years.

Briefings also let companies control which reporters they speak
with and which spokespeople they provide.


You can also use briefings to educate the editorial boards of
newspapers because they're the ones who decide the positions that
the newspaper will take on certain issues. Sometimes an hour-long
briefing with a group of editors can help you gain their support
for a cause or issue you're promoting.

Afraid of meeting with a group of journalists? Don't be.

During a teleseminar I hosted, I explained exactly how to contact
them, ask for a meeting of the editorial board, what to take with
you and what to say. "How to Use Newspaper & Magazine Editorial
Boards" is 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 editorial boards and backgrounders at
http://tinyurl.com/5wh45


========================================
5. Window Shopping for a Retirement Home
========================================

This week, 10 Publicity Hounds have tips for Keri Gerlach, the
marketing director of Clement Manor, a retirement community in
Greenfield, WI. She's looking for ways to encourage families to
"window shop" now for long-term care for their aging parents.


From Barry Lebow:

"Look up http://www.seniorsrealestate.com which is the Senior
Real Estate Specialist website. It identifies Realtors who are
dedicated to working with Baby Boomers and their parents. Get a
list of members within, say, 50 miles of your location and invite
them for a special tour of your facilities. Work with the
Realtors who are in the field, create a program for them and
welcome their referrals. Make it easy for them to recommend you
by sponsoring a lunch, have a speaker on a subject relating to
seniors and real estate (will and trusts?). Keep them in the loop
and on your mailing list."


From Patricia C. Vener:

"Keri, have you heard of Eons? It?s an online social media group
for people over, I think, 50 or so. You'd be surprised at how
many early Baby Boomers are pretty computer-savvy.

"You might also look into those health fairs that are often
sponsored by newspapers, Chambers of Commerce, and other health-
oriented businesses.

Finally, offer an open house affair with a dinner (or coffee and
dessert) and a presentation, kind of like what the vacation
share companies do."


From Alan McBride:

"I worked for a radio station with a 55+ audience and we put on a
Seniors Expo. This involved all the retirement villages but it
would be just as easy to hold the event at yours. Invite funeral
parlous, local tour operators--in fact, anyone who provides a
service. Each person buys time on the radio over eight weeks and
gets a stall. Radio stations love you, providers love you. Even
invite Scouts and guides to generate goodwill to the elderly."


The Publicity Hound says:

Keri, how about using the Milwaukee Craigslist regularly to
attract the attention of Baby Boomers and others? You can share
tips on how to choose a retirement community, create short videos
and offer the links on Craigslist, and even do video interviews
with some of your residents. Nancy Mills, an expert on how to use
Craigslist, was my guest during a teleseminar and she shared all
of her time-saving tips on how to take advantage of the world's
giant classified ad bulletin board.

"How to Use Craigslist as a Global Publicity Tool" is 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 get started on Craigslist at http://tinyurl.com/geog2


The Publicity Hound says:

Read all the responses to this week's "Help This Hound" question
http://tinyurl.com/bgep5b


Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com and include your city and
state.


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

Mitchell Teplitsky of New York, NY writes:

"I am self-distributing a documentary to the home video and
institutional markets.

"I do my own PR, but as one-man band, it's too much. I'm thinking
of trying to find an intern or PR firm pro bono. The benefit:
They'll get to work with and learn how to independently market a
film (few can do it well).

"The movie tells the story of two women raised in different
worlds--an immigrant folk dancer from the Andes, and a modern
dancer from Queens, NY--who return to Peru to reconnect with
roots and an astonishing world of traditional dance and
celebration. You can learn more about it at
http://www.soyandina.com/

"Do your Hounds have any suggestions on where I might look? Are
there any sources you can recommend to find people?"


The Publicity Hound says:

Many companies and nonprofits are looking for PR interns this
time of year, so you'll be up against some stiff competition to
lure the right person.

My Hounds who have used interns will be able to offer some great
shortcuts. Hounds with tips for Mitchell can post them to my blog
at http://tinyurl.com/cecogs


But don't just hire an intern then send them off on their own.
They need guidance, training and mentoring. I can help. My
teleseminar series on "How to Help Your Boss or Client with a
Publicity Campaign" is an in-depth course on how to do
publicity--perfect for summer interns, virtual assistants, or
anybody who works in a PR capacity and needs help understanding
fairly quickly the best ways to promote any product, service,
cause or issue.

It's available as CDs, MP3s or electronic transcripts--all with
handouts. Read more about how to train your assistant at
http://www.Publicityhound.com/PHU_AssistantsCourse.htm


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

Dear God:

Why are there cars named after the jaguar, the cougar, the
mustang, the colt, the stingray, and the rabbit, but not ONE
named for a dog? How often do you see a cougar riding around?

We do love a nice ride! Would it be so hard to rename the
"Chrysler Eagle" the "Chrysler Beagle"?


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

Gardeners, USA Weekend wants photos of giant fruits, veggies
http://tinyurl.com/crkgkb


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


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Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," an ezine
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Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email
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=======================================================
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/How About a Little Good News? Mar 3, 2009

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #440
March 3, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

Circulation: 42,341

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

"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.

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

My Survey is Being Emailed Now:

During the next several days, you'll receive my Customer Profile
Survey. Complete it, and you'll get $40 off of any products or
services I sell, by March 13. Your name will also be entered in a
drawing for a Kindle 2, the new wireless reading device that
Amazon sells for $359. If the winner doesn't want the Kindle,
I'll send an Amazon gift certificate for that amount.

We're already tabulating responses, and the results are
illuminating. I'll share them with you in a few weeks once all
the surveys are tabulated.

If you've already completed yours, thank you! Your honest
feedback will help me improve this newsletter and every other
aspect of doing business with me.

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

1. How About a Little Good News?

2. It's Square Root Day

3. 3 Teleseminars to Help You

4. The Advantage of Freelancers

5. Ugly Patio Furniture

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


====================================
1. How About a Little Good News?
====================================

You and I aren't the only ones sick of bad news.

TV news producers are sick of it too. That's what my friend, TV
producer Shawne Duperon, told me a few days ago. We were talking
about the demise of the Rocky Mountain News, one of Colorado's
two biggest daily newspapers.

"Are things as bad in the TV industry as they are at newspapers?
"I asked her.

"It's not even the same conversation," she said. "Everything is
fine. But TV people are sick of all the gloom and doom.

"What does that mean to Publicity Hounds?

Pitch good news stories:

--My local newspaper had a story on Page 1 yesterday about how a
little small-town bank, where the bosses commute to work on foot,
is doing just fine, thank you, while bigger financial
institutions are grabbing bail-outs right and left. That bank
might never have received front-page publicity in a boom economy.
But today, it's the exception to the rule.

--Has your family found creative ways to skirt high grocery
bills? Are you and the kids cooking more instead of eating out
and, in the process, learning more about each other? If so, pitch
lifestyle reporters, bloggers, and explain your own story at your
blog.

--My friend opened The Chocolate Chisel, a gourmet chocolate shop
in my town of Port Washington, Wisconsin a few weeks ago. When I
asked her if she had second thoughts about opening in this
economy, she said no. While creating her business plan with her
partner, they researched the history of chocolate and learned
that it's one product that does well during bad times. People
might not be able to afford a $300 day at the spa, but a $10
sample pack of gourmet chocolates makes the world right again. I
told her that's a terrific angle she ought to pitch.

--Moore Oil Company in Milwaukee has its own economic stimulus
plan. President Scott Haag is offering employees $2,000 if they
buy a new car, or $1,000 for a used car. "It's just a gift.
There's no there's no payback," he said. "It's tough out there,
and a little positive news today goes a long way.

"Indeed. That story made it onto the local ABC station's news last
night.What good news story can you pitch? If you're having trouble
identifying it, you can learn all their inside secrets about what
TV stations want. Shawne Duperon was my guest during a
teleseminar on "How to Get on the Local TV News Tomorrow." We
recorded it and 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 get your story onto TV at
http://tinyurl.com/4zpuz

Learn three more ideas on how to piggyback your story idea onto
the economy by joining my "Friends of The Publicity Hound"
Facebook group at http://tinyurl.com/bawp2z

In the next day or two, I'll email the group with more ideas on
how to piggyback your story ideas onto the economy.


====================================
2. It's Square Root Day
====================================

Today is Square Root Day, a holiday celebrated on dates where the
day and the month are both the square root of the last two digits
in the current year.

For example, the last square root day was March 3, 2009 (3-3-09),
and the next square root day will be April 4, 2016 (4-4-16). The
final square root day of the century will occur on September 9,
2081 (9-9-81). Square root days fall on the same nine dates each
century.

Ron Gordon, a Redwood City, California high school teacher, first
created the day for 9-9-81. He's the official PR person and sends
press releases to media outlets around the world.

There's even a Facebook group devoted to Square Root Day at
http://tinyurl.com/d7gz39 and it has more than 2,600 members.
Many of them have written wall posts that explain how they're
celebrating.

For all you foodies, one suggested way of celebrating the holiday
is by eating square radishes, or other root vegetables cut into
shapes with square cross sections.

If you think this is silly, check out the mountains of publicity
Square Root Day has received throughout the world:
http://tinyurl.com/ak4hjs

Now quite smirking. Go over to Chase's Calendar of Events at
http://www.Chases.com and create your own holiday, or your own
day, week or month of the year by clicking on "Submit an Entry"
on the left side of the screen. You have until April 15 to submit
an entry for the 2010 printed edition.

Once you've created your day, use it as a springboard to pitch to
the media. When Dan Janal interviewed me about how to pitch, I
explained all the ways sources caught my attention with their
pitches when I worked as a newspaper editor. I shared them all in
the recording "Secrets of Perfect Pitching."

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 pitch the right way at
http://tinyurl.com/s3tyx


===================================
3. 3 Teleseminars to Help You
===================================

--"Media Star Power: How To Become a Celebrity and a Media
Darling All at the Same Time," with Tom Antion and Judy Jernudd.
Judy is a former Los Angeles talk show host who has interviewed
presidents, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Selleck, Tom Cruise, Regis
Philbin, Larry King, Barbara Walters and hundreds of other
superstars. At 9 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, March 5. This is a
paid teleseminar. Register at http://tinyurl.com/ako5x7


--"Best-seller Blueprint--How To Make Your Book An Almost Instant
Best-seller and Sell Tons of Copies Even if You're A Marketing
Novice," with Steve Harrison, Randy Gilbert and Peggy McColl. At
2 or 7 Eastern on Thursday, March 5. Register for this
complimentary call at http://tinyurl.com/ccdbb7


--"How to Create Your own Strong Economy This Year with Online
Information Marketing," with Alexandria Brown, The Ezine Queen,
on Thursday, March 5. Learn 5 ways to recession-proof your
business. Register for this complimentary call at
http://tinyurl.com/bnh627


=====================================
4. The Advantage of Freelancers
=====================================

How many freelance writers have you built relationships with this
past year?

How many freelancers are you trying to court this year?

Publicity Hound Pam Lontos of PR/PR at http://www.prpr.net says
getting to know freelancers has paid off big.

Her company pitched one if its clients, Dr. Kenneth Christian, a
psychologist and author of "Your Own Worst Enemy," to a writer at
Self Magazine a few years ago.

The writer, a freelancer, was going to interview Dr. Christian,
but the magazine decided to kill the story. The writer also wrote
for Parade magazine and decided to write the whole story for
Parade around Dr. Christian's new book. In fact, she needed more
sources so she ended up using another one of PR/PR's clients, Dr.
Pamela Brill, author of "The Winner's Way." The story skyrocketed
the ranking for both authors' books on Amazon.

Dr. Christian's new book jumped from 35,000 to 35. Dr. Brill's
book, which was available pre-sale, jumped to 300 before it was
even released."

Be helpful and give the media more story ideas and resources
than they ask for," Pam says. "You never know which small town
newspaper writer also writes for a major media outlet."

"Special Report #40:42 Publicity Tips for Authors and Small
Publishers" shows you how to target niche markets, position
yourself as an expert and pull the media and others to your
website. Only $10, and you can download it as soon as your order
has been approved. Read more about it at http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g


====================================
5. Ugly Patio Furniture
====================================

This week, four Publicity Hounds have tips for Jill Cranford of
Livermore, Colo., on how to publicize her "Ugly Patio Furniture"competition at http://tinyurl.com/auhj8e


From Tonya:

"I am a huge fan of design, especially green design and I have a
Google reader full of design blogs. I would recommend that Jill
put together a little blurb about the competition along with some
photos of her products, and submit them to different design
blogs. I have a bunch of them in a list if she'd like to email
me, but she can go to Google and type in 'design blog' and she
will find a ton of them."


From Hendry Lee:

"These competitions are all over the place within Twitter. Zappos
has done it successfully, as well as solopreneurs.

"Nothing allows you to interact with your target market more
directly than Twitter. With the power of retweets, your info
can go viral. Not to mention that it makes a good case study for
many bloggers to write about, increasing your publicity even
more."


The Publicity Hound says:

I love those ideas. Twitter expert Warren Whitlock shows you "How
to Use Twitter to Amass an Army of Followers, Customers &
Valuable Contacts--and Promote." My teleseminar series with him
is 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 all the ways you can use Twitter at
http://tinyurl.com/3lbcaw


Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question
http://tinyurl.com/apbzws

Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com and include your city and
state.


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

Colleen Schmid of Heathrow, Fla. writes:

"I've recently started a new business teaching families how to
start going green in their homes. I go through their homes and,
room by room, show them what things they can be doing to save on
power and water bills as well as removing toxins. I will also
begin showing small businesses how to do the same.

"Earth Day is on April 22, and I'm trying to come up with a big
idea to get media attention for my business. It's so critical
that we all become aware of what we're are doing to harm our
environment, waste precious resources and pollute. It's also
important to show people how living green saves them money and
takes care of our Earth.

"Can your Hounds thing of some powerful ways for me to tie my
business into Earth Day for some publicity?" Her website is at
http://green-colleen.com


The Publicity Hound says:

Some media people say they're suspicious about green pitches
which seem to be everywhere. So my Hounds need to come up with
some really clever angles for you, Colleen. Hounds with tips for
Colleen can post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/besbzg


==================================
7. Hound Quote of the Week
==================================

The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.- Andy Rooney.


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

Hiring a VA to book speaking gigs sends a bad message
http://tinyurl.com/akmxfv


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

WHERE TO SEE AND HEAR THE PUBLICITY HOUND:

March 6-8--Atlanta, Ga.
I'll be at the Stompernet Live 7 event. If you're going, let's
meet for coffee.


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

Publicity tips/Turbo-charge Your LinkedIn Profile Nov. 11, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #424 Nov. 11, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

Circulation: 50,931

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

"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: The Next Best Thing to Being There

If you're sick of traveling like I am, you can still sell tons of
books, speak as much as you want, teach to your heart's content,
and do it all in the comfort of your home or office--thanks to
telephone seminars.

Alex Mandossian sold 3,023 books in a single teleseminar. During
a separate call, he made $13,000 from the delivery room at Mt.
Sinai Hospital when his son was born. Learn how he did it, and
find out about the eight models for teleseminars during--what
else?--a teleseminar this Thursday, Nov. 13, when Steve Harrison
interviews Alex. Sign up here: http://tinyurl.com/5pvnvx

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

1. Turbo-charge Your LinkedIn Profile

2. Dominate Page 1 of Google

3. Video Camera Buyer's Guide

4. Retailers Turning to Facebook

5. Promoting a Temper Tantrum Book

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


========================================
1. Turbo-charge Your LinkedIn Profile
========================================

If you have a profile on LinkedIn, like every smart Publicity
Hound should, you can really impress visitors by taking advantage
of several new applications.

I haven't had time to experiment with them all, but I wanted to
let you know about six that are particularly powerful for anyone
who wants to promote their expertise or anything else on
LinkedIn:

--With just a few clicks, you can synch your Wordpress blog to
your profile, great for pulling in traffic to your blog and
letting visitors know which issues you think are important. Blog
Link, a separate application, lets you synch blogs that are
created on Typepad and other platforms.

--SlideShare lets you upload and display your own presentations,
check out presentations from your colleagues, and find experts
within your network. What a great way for consultants to share
their expertise!

--With a similar application called Google Presentation, you can
upload your PowerPoint presentation. Or use Google's online
application to embed a presentation on your profile.

--My Travel allows you to see where your LinkedIn network is
traveling and when you will be in the same city as your
colleagues. Share your upcoming trips, current location and
travel stats with your network. This is a super way for speakers
to pick up one or two more speaking engagements, or perhaps even
a consulting assignment, in a city where they're already booked.

--The Reading List from Amazon lets you share the books you're
reading with other LinkedIn members--a handy way to find out what
you should be reading by following updates from your connections
or people in your field.

Try a few of the apps that appeal to you, then start
incorporating them into your publicity campaign. Scott Allen, an
expert on LinkedIn, explained step-by-step directions on how to
use this site to promote any product, service, cause or issue. He
was my guest during two teleseminars in June called "How to Use
LinkedIn to Promote Anything--Ethically & Powerfully." The
classes sold out quickly, but they're available as handy
electronic transcripts and your choice of MP3 files or CDs.

Read more about how to promote the right way--and encourage your
LinkedIn connections to promote for you--at
http://tinyurl.com/5zvzyd

Thanks to Publicity hound Paul Furiga of WordWrite
Communications, LLC in Pittsburgh for letting us know about the
LinkedIn apps.


=========================================
2. Dominate Page 1 of Google
=========================================

How easy is it for people to find you if they're looking for
somebody with your expertise?

Go ahead. Try it yourself and see what happens.

Go to http://www.Google.com and search for "home schooling
expert" or "self-publishing expert" or whatever your expertise
happens to be, and see where Google places you on the list.
Expert, by the way, is the word most journalists use when they're
searching for sources to interview.

Now, do a search for "publicity expert." That's what I did just
now, and I dominate the first three positions for that keyword
phrase on Google's list--not by accident either.

The first two positions link to my website at
http://www.PublicityHound.com and the third links to my profile
at Expertclick: the Online Yearbook of Experts.

Mitch Davis of Expertclick encourages his clients who are experts
to use the word "expert" in their profile for that reason--so you
can beat your competitors on the all-important organic search
list of Google and other search engines.

Unlike pay-per-click ads, you don't pay for these coveted spots.
And for that reason, they can be far more valuable than paid ads
because Google is giving you its stamp of approval.

That's just one of the many benefits of an Expertclick
subscription. I've had mine for several years and it's paid off
handsomely by bringing traffic to my website and leading
journalists to me for interviews. You can also post up to 52
press releases per year at no additional per-release charge.

They're compiling the 2009 Yearbook right now, and you can save
$100 if you join by Friday, November 14, and another $100 if you
use this link:

https://www.expertclick.com/discount/publicity_hound


========================================
3. Video Camera Buyer's Guide
========================================

Another powerful way to pull traffic to your website is to create
videos for video-sharing sites like YouTube.

The search engines love video so much that they often reward your
videos with a high ranking on the organic search results when
people search for the same keywords you've used to tag your
videos.

But many Publicity Hounds don't know the first thing about video
equipment, and they're scared they'll end up spending way too
much on fancy equipment they don't need.

Don't ask me for recommendations because I'm not a techie. I use
the $150 Flip Video camera which works just fine for me. But you
might want something a bit more sophisticated. Check out Mike
Koenigs' cool video called "The Video Camera Buyer's Guide: What
to Buy and Where to Get It."

He takes you on a half-hour tour of many types of cameras, from
the Flip Video, all the way up to the HD "prosumer" models. He
even shows you which microphones to use and explains the must-
have accessories. And you can download the buyer's guide, a PDF
document you can take with you when you go shopping.

This is great stuff, whether you're trying to crank out a few
quick videos about your business for YouTube, or you're looking
to start a video business.

http://tinyurl.com/6qxa72


=========================================
4. Retailers Turning to Facebook
=========================================

About one in four U.S. retailers who are trying to ramp up online
holiday sales plans to create pages through Facebook to promote
their sites.

The survey by Shop.org, a unit of the National Retail Federation,
showed that of the retailers who responded, 43 percent are adding
videos of products and 33 percent are posting customer reviews.

That's a great idea, but you have to be careful about how you
promote on Facebook or you can annoy your friends who can report
you to the Facebook police. And the next thing you know, your
account is closed down. I know somebody who experienced that
nightmare a few weeks ago, and it took her days to convince
Facebook to reinstate her account.

The only place Facebook wants you to promote products is on your
Pages. You can include sales copy and photos and recruit "fans."

Do lots of people break the rules. Yep.

Do all of them get caught? Nope.

Is the chance worth taking? Not if you're smart.

In the new update of my ebook "How to be a Kick-Butt Publicity
Hound," which I co-wrote with Tom Antion, we included seven new
chapters on social networking, including a chapter on Facebook.
In it, we detail what happened to our friend whose account was
temporarily suspended, and what Facebook said she had to do to
play by the rules.

One of those new chapters also includes the transcript of a
teleseminar Tom conducted on everything you need to know about
how to use online video. Our proofreader just completed the book
a few days ago, and we haven't even had time to update the sales
page to show you all the new content. This is one of my most
popular products--sort of a one-stop-shop for anyone who needs
publicity. Claim it now at
http://publicityhound.com/publicity/publicityhound.htm


==========================================
5. Promoting a Temper Tantrum Book
==========================================

This week, four Publicity Hounds have tips on how Judy Colbert of
Crofton, Maryland, can promote her book, The Temper Tantrum
Handbook, to target audiences like day care providers and flight
attendants.


From Bruce Jones:

"This kind of subject makes for great 'how to' information for
parents. I would do some quick tips videos and post them on
YouTube and other video hosting sites. Put keyword text with
links to either your website or to Amazon in the description and
you will do very well. I have been using 'how to' videos on my
products, and customers love them."


From Cheryl Pickett:

"Sending a press release is literally the tip of the iceberg for
you. This sounds like a useful book and you certainly have lots
of options for groups to promote to, including ones you already
mentioned.

"For example, search for national associations of day care
providers, see what conferences they attend, and see if you can
speak or have a booth."


From Gail Sideman:

"Don't forget the power of social networking. Create a fan option
for Facebook members, and connect with moms on the variety of
social networks targeted to that group.

"Register for a Twitter account and link to moms, daycare
providers, babysitters and Mr. Moms. As you establish a following
of your own, post tips on how to deal with tantrums. You may post
links back to a page with more information about how to purchase
your book in those tweets."


The Publicity Hound says:

In-flight magazines might be interested in these same tips which
would be very helpful for moms dealing with their kids' temper
tantrums aboard airplanes. I just updated "Special Report 29: Fly
High with Publicity in the In-flight Magazines." It includes
contact information for 49 magazines, plus pitching tips and case
studies of Publicity Hounds who have gotten into these magazines.
Order the report at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/reports.html


Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com and include your city and
state.


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

Nancy Cavanaugh of Milwaukee, Wisconsin asks:

"I am a web designer at Cavanaugh Interactive who receives the
majority of my business via word of mouth. I've been a freelance
designer for more than 26 years, and in all that time I've never
seen the economic situation deteriorate so quickly. Because of
this, cash flow is poor and business is slow. Is there anything I
can do to get attention for my business quickly and cost
effectively?"


The Publicity Hound says:

As soon as I visited your website, Nancy, I noticed a problem,
and my suggestion should help you attract more business. I've
posted it in the comments section. Let's see what other ideas my
Hounds have. Offer your best tips for Nancy at my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/6lzg8e


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

You know you're a dog person when you like people who like your
dog and despise people who don't.


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

Twitterers, bloggers, ezine publishers: Your readers can compete
to win a $50 Amazon gift certificate:

Promote an ebook 26 ways--add to this list and you could win $50
http://tinyurl.com/64jkzq


Mac or PC--Which is better for creating videos?
http://tinyurl.com/5hxans


How to find social networking sites devoted to niche topics
http://tinyurl.com/5cwrsr


Writers association also for speakers, experts, entrepreneurs
http://tinyurl.com/59xung



WHERE TO SEE AND HEAR THE PUBLICITY HOUND:


Wednesday, Nov. 19--Teleseminar

"Write Like a Journalist: Media Wordsmiths Share Proven
Copywriting Secrets for Earning More Ink," 1 to 2:30 p.m.,
sponsored by Bulldog Reporter. Join me and three other panelists
for our best writing tips. Register at http://tinyurl.com/5cs6p7


Thursday, Nov. 20--Teleseminar

"How to Use Publicity To Become an Expert and Grow Your
Business," part of the Business Owner Super Conference. It's
already started, but you can still get in on the action at
http://tinyurl.com/633m83 A terrific training session for
business owners everywhere, with a line-up of top speakers.


Wednesday, Jan. 21--Teleseminar

Join me for the third annual smARTist telesummit where
photographers, jewelers. potters, painters, metalworkers,
woodworkers and other artists will learn all the secrets for
growing their art business. I'm presenting a session on how to
use social networking, from 2:45 to 4:30 p.m. Registration
details pending.


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

Publicity tips/How to Claim the #1 Spot on Google Sept 17, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #417 Sept. 23, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 50,820

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

"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.

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

Don't Miss Twitter Teleseminar and 2 Recordings:


--If you aren't Twittering yet, you're missing out on one of the
biggest publicity tools on the planet. Join me and Warren
Whitlock, co-author of The Twitter Handbook, for two 70-minute
teleseminars on how to use Twitter to promote. They're from 3 to
4:10 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, Oct. 13, and Tuesday, Oct. 14.
You can start signing up next week.


--If you're an expert who speaks on one of 17 topics, colleges
and universities want to hire you. If you missed last Tuesday's
teleseminar with James Malinchak, the king of the college
speaking circuit, you can learn more about it and listen to the
recording in which he shares the 17 topics that are in demand.
Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/43o9cl


--Tom Antion teaches you his (and my) three-part strategy--
public speaking, Internet marketing and success principles--to
position yourself as an expert and grow your business, including
the three biggest website mistakes. Download our interview at
http://tinyurl.com/4rpwer

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

1. How to Claim the #1 Spot on Google

2. Newspapers Eliminating Zoned Editions

3. Ping: Social Networking Time-saver

4. Advice for Friday's Debaters

5. Promoting Alternative Energy Research

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=========================================
1. How to Claim the #1 Spot on Google
=========================================

When news breaks in the TV advertising industry, journalists
Google "TV advertising expert" and, within seconds, find Adam
Armbruster's telephone number so they can call him for an
interview.

When news breaks in the toy industry, reporters can Google "toy
expert" and find Tim Walsh, who can talk about everything from
Hula-hoops to Wii, Nintendo's home video game console.

Both men have the coveted #1 spot on Google for their area of
expertise.

"When the new Bill Gates commercials came out recently, Fox News
called me and wanted an interview because they wanted to know if
I thought the commercials were a good tactic," Adam said. The
segment lasted about eight minutes.

Reporters from the Boston Globe, E Television, the Daily Globe &
Mail in Canada and other media have found him in the experts
database at Expertclick: The Online Yearbook of Experts.

"The Yearbook of Experts really turbo-charges the PR momentum of
what I'm doing," said Adam, who has had an Expertclick
subscription for only 18 months.

It includes his profile and contact information in the database,
which journalists search frequently, and the ability to post up
to 52 press releases a year with no additional per-release
charges.

Tim, the toy expert, credits Expertclick for his media hits.

"Anytime there's a toy safety recall, or a Cabbage Patch doll
anniversary, or a new hot game, they call me after finding me on
Expertclick," Tim said.

His biggest media hit was an appearance on CNBC's "The Big Idea"
with Donny Deutsch. Donny interviewed Tim for a segment on how to
be successful after you've been rejected. Several toy companies
rejected Tim's idea for a board game called TriBond in which
players have to guess what three seemingly unrelated things have
in common. So he manufactured it himself and sold 3 million
copies.

The Washington Post called Tim for a story on Wham-O's 60th
anniversary because he's the author of "WHAM-O Super Book:
Celebrating 60 Years Inside the Fun Factory," which will be on
book shelves in a few weeks.

KGO radio in San Francisco called him for an interview on Wii,
Nintendo's electronic game "and I've gotten a ton of smaller
media hits as well."

A trade publication even asked him to write an obituary for
Richard Knerr, WHAM-O's founder, who died in January at age 82.

"Expertclick isn't like a typical ad that you hope people find
and read," Tim said.

Sept. 30 is the deadline for Publicity Hounds to save $250 on the
price of an annual subscription, which is normally $995. Mitchell
Davis of Expertclick will let early birds save $150 if they
subscribe by Sept. 30, and an additional $100 if they mention The
Publicity Hound or use this link:
http://www.ExpertClick.com/Referral/Publicity_Hound


=========================================
2. Dailies Eliminating Zoned Editions
=========================================

Local daily newspapers, faced with mounting financial pressures,
are running out of things to eliminate.

This time, it's the zoned editions for local news that are taking
a hit. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recently eliminated all of
its zoned editions, which offered readers local news from the
counties where they live. The Atlanta Journal Constitution
eliminated its zoned editions in July.

Making these cuts means newspapers, forced to lay off workers to
lower their payroll, no longer have to staff outlying bureaus.

But what does it mean to Publicity Hounds who have relied on
local dailies for publicity? Here are four alternatives which you
should also consider even if your local daily still has zoned
editions:

--Think weeklies. If you view weekly newspapers as rinky-dink,
get over it, and start building relationships with local
reporters. See "Special Report #49: 17 Ways to Build Valuable
Relationships with Media People" at http://tinyurl.com/539tcf

--Think video. Newspapers are hungry for your video, even amateur
video, to use at their websites. The next time your group has an
event that the newspaper won't cover, cover it yourself, using an
inexpensive Flip Video camera, and offer the video to your local
TV stations, too. I've explained how to do this at
http://tinyurl.com/4e8j4o

--Think Craigslist. One of the reasons newspapers are dying is
because Craigslist's free classified ads have taken millions of
dollars in ad revenue from local dailies. So start posting your
news to the Craigslist nearest you. Be aware that Craigslist has
strict rules against posting the same item to more than one
category or to more than one list. See "How to Use Craigslist as
a Global Publicity Tool." Craigslist expert Nancy Mills explains
the correct strategies for using this worldwide community
bulletin board to publicize your events and other news at
http://tinyurl.com/geog2

--Remember that most dailies might welcome your news for their
online editions. So identify one editor or reporter as your key
contact, and start building the relationship.


=========================================
3. Ping: Social Networking Time-saver
=========================================

One of the biggest complaints about social networking is that it
takes too much time to post to multiple sites.

Ping to the rescue!

Go to http://www.Ping.fm and open an account. Then decide which
social networking sites you want to receive the information you
post to Ping. The sites include MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn,
Twitter, Jaiku, Delicious, Friendster, Plaxo and more than 20
others. (You must first create separate accounts at whichever
sites you choose.)

You can post your message using AIM, GTalk, iGoogle, Windows Live
Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, WAP, iPhone/iPod Touch, SMS or
email.

When I started using Ping, I included LinkedIn, but I'm removing
it from the list. That's because a lot of the personal
information I post on my Facebook and Twitter pages isn't
appropriate for LinkedIn, which is strictly for business
networking.

LinkedIn, by the way, is very different from many of the other
social networking sites. I've spent a lot of time the last few
weeks answering questions related to public relations, publicity
and even writing, so I can promote my expertise through my
answers.

Scott Allen, a social networking expert, explained how to use the
question feature and many other strategies to forge valuable
relationships with your LinkedIn contacts. The two teleseminars
we conducted sold out quickly.

We recorded them, and they're available as electronic transcripts
and your choice of either MP3 download links or CDs. Start
learning "How to Use LinkedIn to Promote Anything--Ethically &
Powerfully" at http://tinyurl.com/5zvzyd


=========================================
4. Advice for Friday's Debaters
=========================================

Friday's presidential debate, which promises a record TV
audience, offers a golden opportunity for experts to weigh in
with their advice beforehand, their comments during the debates,
and a critique afterward.

Here are some ideas on how to use the three presidential debates
and the vice presidential debate to promote your expertise.

--Experts in anger management can offer advice on how to not get
rattled when somebody is pressing your buttons.

--Speakers and speech coaches, share your tips on how to sound
your best when somebody asks you a question you least expect and
don't want to discuss. Every speaker has faced this problem. But
the presidential candidates must face it head-on.

--Bloggers, write about the debate this week. Tell your readers
you'd like them to weigh in with their immediate reactions during
the debate, and afterward, in the comments section at your blog.

--Twitterers, let your followers know you'll be tweeting your
immediate reactions throughout the debate and invite them to join
the conversation.

--Afterward, create a video that critiques the candidates and
comments on whatever topics tie into your expertise, like image
for image consultants and speech for speech coaches. Upload it to
dozens of video-sharing sites at the same time using Traffic
Geyser at http://tinyurl.com/3sgo6s which will save you hundreds
of hours waiting for each video to upload. Many users are getting
front-page Google listings in just a few hours when they use this
service.

--Contact your local TV stations and offer your commentary
afterward, whether you're a group of soccer moms or a staff of
political science professors.

Local TV will be looking for the local angle to this national
story, and TV producer Shawne Duperon has valuable tips on how to
convince your local stations to feature you on the news. She was
my guest during a teleseminar on "How to Get on the Local TV News
Tomorrow." Take a peek at what she discussed and get started
contacting your local stations today using Shawne's advice at
http://tinyurl.com/4zpuz


==========================================
5. Promoting Alternative Energy Research
==========================================

This week, three Publicity Hounds have tips for Mike Michaud of
Fannin County, Texas, on how he can promote a website on
alternative energy research in a non-partisan way.

From Loretta Lynn:

"Promote it on MySpace, Linked In, Facebook, the usual social
media outlets....You can use Twitter to blog about it." (See "How
to Use Facebook to Promote Your Business or Nonprofit" at
http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar/facebook.htm )


From Gail Sideman:

"Stock your website with facts, facts and more facts--not with
pages of copy, but quickly and concisely so that people can get
the idea quickly.

"Include case studies about why alternative sources of energy are
so necessary for the future of our country. Again, keep it
concise and highlight the benefits so the average Joe/Jane can
understand.

"To highlight the bipartisan aspect of this effort, gather
comments from people who represent both sides of the aisle about
the importance of the research and why they believe in it."


From The Publicity Hound:

Create Google Alerts at http://www.Google.com/alerts for specific
keywords, so that you know on a daily basis what is being
discussed online about this topic. The Alerts will lead you to
bloggers. Post comments at their blogs and let them know about
your campaign. See "How to Pitch the Best Bloggers & Create a
Publicity Explosion" at http://tinyurl.com/m7ymr


Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question
http://tinyurl.com/622sud


Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com and put Help This Hound in the
subject line. Include your city and state.


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

Jennifer Melnick Carota of Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania writes:

"I am an expert bargain shopper and 'give-ologist' known as the
Gift Therapist. I have a ton of fun teaching folks how find
fabulous gifts on a shoestring budget.

"I recently combined all of my bargain shopping tips and gifting
advice into my first book titled 'Shop Smart, GIVE MORE' and I
have been asked to speak about it next month at a regional
Women's Expo in the Pittsburgh area.

"I have purchased table space where I will sign my books
throughout the two-day event, but wondered if your Hounds had any
creative ideas on what other types of informational products I
could develop and sell at the Expo, as well as the upcoming gift
giving season.

"The event begins October 11. Yikes!"


The Publicity Hound says:

Yikes is right, Jennifer. Luckily, information products are among
the easiest to create because you can outsource the work to a
freelancer, and sell the products electronically, which requires
no up-front costs. I just wrote an article on "Outsourcing Tips
for Hiring Freelancers" at http://tinyurl.com/3lfklp

But electronic products probably won't sell very well at the
trade show. So let's see what other ideas my Hounds might have
for creative tchotches or other items you can create quickly to
sell. Hounds, post your best ideas to my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/4zxue7


==================================
7. Hound Story of the Week
==================================

"I know that dogs are pack animals, but it is difficult to
imagine a pack of standard poodles...and if there was such a
thing as a pack of standard poodles, where would they rove to?
Bloomingdale's?"

--Yvonne Clifford, American actress


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

Perez Hilton's 3 tips for a p~rofitable blog
http://tinyurl.com/4z2ok5


Colleges hungry for experts who speak on 17 topics
http://tinyurl.com/43o9cl


How do you promote your social networking profiles?
http://tinyurl.com/6f59nn


Tomato pie: A great way to get rid of all those tomatoes
http://tinyurl.com/5sr4vz


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

---

Publicity tips/The Perils of Friending Journalists Sept 9, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #415 Sept. 9, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 50,542

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

"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.

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

Don't Miss These 5 Deadlines & Events:

- -Publicity Hounds can still get $200 off the $1,195
registration fee for Ragan Communications' Social Media Summit
Sept. 10-12 in Chicago. Let me know if you're going so I can
meet you over coffee on Thursday or Friday. Register at
http://www.ragan.com/publicityhound

- -Learn why the college speaking circuit is one of the most
lucrative places for speakers, particularly if you speak on one
of about a dozen topics that are in demand. I'm hosting a free
teleseminar with James Malinchak, king of the college speaking
circuit, from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, Sept. 17.
See item #2 below.

- -Tom Antion will teach you his (and my) three-part strategy--
public speaking, Internet marketing and success principles--to
position yourself as an expert and grow your business. From 9 to
10 p.m. Eastern tonight, Sept. 9. See Item #3 below.

- -Steve Harrison repeats his teleseminar on Thursday, Sept. 11,
on how to get onto major TV and radio shows. Learn more at
http://tinyurl.com/5ah6ah

- -Stompernet received such overwhelming response last week to
its free offer of a set of DVDs called "Stomping the Search
Engines 2" and the premiere issue of "The Net Effect," its
journal on Internet marketing, that too much traffic crashed the
system. Not great PR for a company that teaches Internet
marketing, but proof that an irresistible offer can blow the roof
off anybody's best laid plans. You can still claim your DVDs and
journal at http://tinyurl.com/5au4lo

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

1. The Perils of Friending Journalists

2. Why College Speakers Aren't Worried

3. What Experts Do

4. Media Leads

5. How to Promote a Keepsake CD

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=========================================
1. The Perils of Friending Journalists
=========================================

Journalists have always hated being identified publicly as the
"friend" of a source.

"I'm not your friend," many insist. "I'm just trying to do my
job."

But that was 10 years ago, long before social networking sites
came onto the scene.

These days, if you're trying to get in front of a reporter at The
Washington Post, for example, and you know he has a Facebook
page, asking him to be your friend is as easy as a few mouse
clicks.

Easy and dangerous.

- -He can identify you as a spammer.

- -If he thinks your invitation is improper, and he's in a lousy
mood, he can put you on his blacklist and "out" you to other
journalists.

- -He can post a nasty comment about you. Or worse.

Journalists create Facebook pages as one way of taking advantage
of Web 2.0 tools. Facebook is a great place to look for sources.
They can friend other journalists. They can listen to and
participate in the online conversation. They also use Facebook
as a secondary distribution system for their work and link to
their articles, op-ed pieces, blogs and videos.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has directed its
journalists to avoid adding sources or contacts as Facebook
friends.

"It may compromise your work by letting friends see other friends
on your network," the policy document says. "It may also not be
in your interest to identify yourself as a 'friend' of a source
on their network."

You can read the entire policy at
http://www.insidethecbc.com/facebookpolicy

So what should you do if so see a journalist on a social
networking site and you want to connect? Here are three ways to
start building the relationship:

- -Publicity Hound Harry Hoover has compiled a list of
"Journalists Who Twitter" at
http://www.my-creativeteam.com/blog/?p=694
He suggests that if the journalist is on the list, you can follow
him or her and reply to their tweets when appropriate.
At some point, you can email them from Twitter and ask if
it's OK to invite them to be your friend on Facebook, and
connect with you on LinkedIn.

- -If the journalist has a page on LinkedIn, check to see if any
of their connections are also your connections. If so, you can
ask the connection to introduce you. If you are introduced, do
not pitch. Instead, offer yourself as a source who can provide
background, commentary, story ideas and anything else the
journalist needs. See "How to Promote Anything on LinkedIn,
Ethically & Powerfully," a series of two teleseminars I hosted
with LinkedIn expert Scott Allen, at http://tinyurl.com/5zvzyd

- -Can't find your favorite journalist at any of the social
networking sites? Google their name and see if they blog. If
so, read the blog and comment.

Let's see what other Publicity Hounds have to say about this
topic. Journalists, what's your policy of accepting friending
invitations from people you don't know?

Sources, have you made valuable contacts with journalists on
these social networking sites, or others? If so, how?

Post your comments to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/5769nf

If you're new to Facebook, or you've had a page for awhile but
you don't know all the insider tricks on how to use it to
promote, Jason Alba can help. He explained them all, including
an entire timeline on what to do on Facebook, and when, if you
have something to promote.

The two teleseminars are available as electronic transcripts plus
MP3s which you can download as soon as your order is approved.
Learn how to start using Facebook the right way at
http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar/facebook.htm


=========================================
2. Why College Speakers Aren't Worried
=========================================

Every time the economy takes a dive, professional speakers feel
the pinch.

Companies and nonprofits have less money to pay speakers, and
they invite experts who are often willing to speak at seminars
and conventions for free.

But the college speaking circuit is almost immune from that kind
of ripple effect. That's because colleges and universities pay
their speakers from sources like student activity fees, which
aren't affected by a bad economy.

James Malinchak, king of the college speaking circuit, says
Publicity Hounds who are experts on a wide variety of topics--
leadership, dating and relationships, and drug and alcohol abuse,
to name just a few--have a fabulous opportunity to expand their
business by adding colleges to their target market.

If you're hired to speak at a college, it also increases your
chances for publicity. Fraternity and sorority newsletters,
college newspapers and radio stations, even MySpace and Facebook
pages and groups, can multiply your exposure and spread the word
about your expertise.

James will be my guest during a free one-hour teleseminar at 3
p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, Sept. 17. He'll give you a peek
at the kind of material he'll be presenting at his College
Speaking Success Boot Camp Dec. 4-7 in Los Angeles. If you have
no interest in attending the boot camp, join us for the
teleseminar. You'll come away with several valuable lists that
will help you get started that day booking speaking engagements
at colleges.

You'll learn, for instance, what topics are most in demand and
why, which departments have the budgets to book you, who are the
people you must contact to get booked as a college speaker, and
why creating traditional marketing materials for colleges is a
huge waste of time and money.

Register for the teleseminar at http://tinyurl.com/6dpaud


=========================================
3. What Experts Do
=========================================

If you want to be an expert in your topic, or more of an expert
than you already are, read the free 12-page White Paper titled
"The Expertise Imperative" at
http://www.PublicityHound.com/expertise.pdf

The National Speakers Association published it several years ago,
and I refer Publicity Hounds to it often, regardless of their
occupation. Speakers, remember, come from a wide variety of
backgrounds. The White Paper is an excellent starting point for
anybody who wants to be an expert.

Expertise, it explains, isn't only about how much you know. It's
also about how much you do.

What, exactly, do experts do?

Coach and mentor. Create products. Write articles. Write
commercially-published books. Blog. Do media interviews.
Provide commentary for the media. Take leadership positions in
trade associations.

Speak for free or for fee. Accept invitations to lecture on
other people's teleseminars. Accept new clients every year.
Research new topics to stay at the forefront of their field.
Create a huge presence for themselves online.

The White Paper says experts also demonstrate their own ethics
and character by admitting mistakes and correcting errors
promptly, sharing credit and acknowledging others in the field,
and exhibiting the highest standard of behavior.

Unfortunately, the White Paper doesn't explain how to do much of
what it says you should do. That's where I relied on Tom Antion
to teach me. I was a member of his mentor program for several
years and learned his three-pronged strategy for growing a
business--public speaking, Internet marketing and success
principles he learned from his father.

He has graciously agreed to do a complimentary teleseminar with
me from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern Time tonight, Sept. 9, to explain
various aspects of that same business model.

The call will introduce Publicity Hounds to the type of content
he will present at this live event called "Fusion," Oct. 17-19,
in Los Angeles. Tom will do what he preaches on tonight's call:
under promise and over deliver. If you can't attend the live
event, you'll still come away with pages of notes you can start
implementing immediately.

Sign up for tonight's teleseminar at
http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar/fusion.htm

Learn more about the conference at http://tinyurl.com/5cefjt


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

- -Susan Reynolds of Literary Cottage needs stories from anyone
who attended Woodstock in 1969 for Woodstock Revisited, an
anthology to be published by Adams Media next spring. Adams
Media pays $100 and one copy of the book. "We are seeking 50
true stories (850-1100 words) written by people who attended the
1969 Woodstock Festival. This anthology will document the event
itself, but will also provide a portrait of America as that
tumultuous decade came to a close. Stories should be historical
within the context of 1969 and yet unique to your experience.
Stories must be TRUE, vivid, and substantive. You can write an
'as told to' story if you have friends or family who attended.
If you are not a writer, send me a narrative of your experience,
and I will help you craft your story. Please carefully review
the details and sample story provided on the 'Woodstock '69
Guidelines' page at http://www.literarycottage.com/woodstock.html
Deadline is Sunday, Sept. 14." Please email Susan immediately if
you'll be sending a story. Mailto:sreynolds@literarycottage.com


- -Kathy Gerschutz, an intern at WIMA-AM radio in Lima, Ohio, a
Clear Channel station, says the Mike Miller Morning Show is
looking for interview subjects, including showbiz updates, home
improvement guests, health experts, TV critics, child care
experts, pet experts, travel experts, odd news, personal finance
experts, book reviewers, management experts, someone who can
explain how stuff works, consumer experts, collectable experts,
food experts, economists, video game experts, music reviewers,
dating experts, and more. Pre-recorded interviews are three
minutes. "We'd prefer a weekly guest, though we would definitely
consider bi-weekly guests, and in some cases, one-time guests."
The target audience is men 35 to 40. The show broadcasts from 6
to 9 a.m. weekdays. Contact Kathy at
mailto:kathygerschutz@yahoo.com


Smaller shows like that one are great places to get experience
before you hit the big-time. But the competition for the big
shows is incredibly tough. Alex Carroll, who has done more than
1,000 radio interviews, was my guest during a teleseminar and
showed Publicity Hounds how to "Get Booked on Big Radio Shows in
the Top 20 Markets."

It's available as a CD. You can read more about how to get your
foot in the door at the mega-shows at http://tinyurl.com/asgyx


==========================================
5. How to Promote a Keepsake CD
==========================================

This week, three Publicity Hound have tips for Alaa el Ghatit of
Libertyville, Illinois, on how to promote LifeOnRecord, a service
that lets people capture and preserve their memories from any
phone. The recordings are available on a keepsake CD, and can
also be managed and played via his website, or downloaded into
iTunes.


From Linda Swisher:

"I'm a genealogist. Family historians are a natural target
market. You might also branch out into family and military
reunions, where members of a certain military unit can record
their recollections from wherever they are. How about high
school reunions? Print media include Reunions magazine,
Ancestry, Family Tree Magazine, etc."


From Cheryl Pickett:

"Since one use for your product is a wedding gift, do you do
cross-promotions with other professionals? Certainly wedding
planners should top your list, but also Djs, photographers,
florists. See if you can get on the recommended vendor or
networking lists where these people are. If you aren't doing it
already, pitch wedding bloggers, websites and magazines.

You could also promote general event planners as well. The great
thing is you aren't limited by location so the sky is virtually
the limit for you as to who you can contact in just these two
groups alone."


From The Publicity Hound:

"The Gift List--a service that provides contact information for
national and regional magazines, the top 250 daily newspapers,
news wires and syndicates, national television, and national
radio, as well as a list for web and blog outlets--is perfect for
product publicity for this CD.

"These media are HUNGRY for press releases and photos about
consumer products that make great gifts for Christmas, Mother's
Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day and Graduation Day. Learn
more about how to get into these gift guides at
http://tinyurl.com/9es8y


Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question at
http://tinyurl.com/64tgx7

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


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

Rik Feeney of Orlando, Florida writes:

"I need help from fellow Hounds on how to best promote my new
book, the Puppy Lover's Journal.

"It's made up of 104 lined journal pages with pictures of cute
little puppies of several different breeds on the bottom outside
corner of each page. Since it's a journal, you can write fond
memories of your puppy, personal notes about your life, shopping
lists for the grocery, or maybe even the next great romance
novel. I am also publishing a similar book titled the Kitten
Lover's Journal.

"My problem is cash flow, so I need ideas that use more sweat-
equity than cash from my wallet."

The Publicity Hound says: My Hounds don't discriminate, Rik, and
will give you great ideas for your kitten journal as well as your
puppy journal. Have a great idea for Rik? Post it to my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/6g6wx5


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

Thanks to Publicity Hound Barry Lebow of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
for this one:

A dog went to a telegram office, took out a blank form and wrote:
"Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof."

The clerk examined the paper and politely told the dog: "There
are only nine words here. You could send another ‘Woof’ for the
same price."

The dog replied, "But that would make no sense at all."


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

Authors, pitch issues & shows, not your books
http://tinyurl.com/5d7kvl


Why is 'the mic is always on' so difficult to understand?
Http://tinyurl.com/55bpa9


If you missed Oprah's guest booker, join her Thursday
http://tinyurl.com/5ah6ah


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

Publicity tips/Is Palin's Daughter Off-limits? Sept 2, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #414 Sept. 2, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/(Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 50,520

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

"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.

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

Don't Miss These Deadlines & Events:

- -Publicity Hounds can still get $200 off the $1,195
registration fee for Ragan Communications' Social Media Summit
Sept. 10-12 in Chicago. I'll be there, and I'd love to buy you a
cup of coffee if you're attending. Register at
http://www.ragan.com/publicityhound

- -A free teleseminar with Tom Antion, who will teach you his
three-part strategy of public speaking, Internet marketing and
success principles to position yourself as an expert and grow
your business. From 9 to 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 9. See Item
#3 below.

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

1. Is Palin's Daughter Off-limits?

2. Beware the New 'Public Record'

3. How to Earn Expert Status

4. Why Hounds are Internet Marketers

5. How to Promote a Book Signing

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

=========================================
1. Is Palin's Daughter Off-limits?
=========================================

When the news of GOP Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin's
pregnant 17-year-old daughter broke over the weekend, Barack
Obama was quick to issue an order to his campaign workers to
"back off."

Family members of candidates aren't fair game, he warned, adding
that his own mother gave birth to him when she was 18.

"We don't go after people's families, we don't get them involved
in the politics. It's not appropriate and it's not
relevant...And if I ever thought that it was somebody in my
campaign that was involved in something like that, they'd be
fired."

But what about the rest of us?

Should anti-abortion or abortion-rights advocates piggyback off
this news event to further their cause or issue?

What about opponents or proponents of condoms in schools? What
about churches? Abortion clinics? Adoption agencies? Roe v.
Wade backers and opponents? Parents groups?

Is the pregnancy fair game?

I say it is. So is the issue of Michelle Obama's feelings of
pride--or not--for her country, and the issue of Joe Biden's son
who is a high-priced federal lobbyist, an occupation Obama
disdains. But when it comes to the media shoving microphones in
the face of minor children, hands off.

What about you? Do you work for a company or agency that will be
piggybacking off the news of the pregnancy? Or have you decided
to let it rest?

If you're an author, speaker or expert whose topic or area of
expertise ties into this news, will you be writing press releases
or blogging about your opinions? Will you be offering yourself
as a source to the media? Why or why not?

Weigh in at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/5ho3tg

If you have a media spokesperson, or if you'll be training one,
make sure you know the difference between a media spokesperson
and an expert spokesperson. An expert spokesperson must be able
to do something that a simple spokesperson doesn't. Media
trainer Al Rothstein explained the difference, and discussed the
skills an expert spokesperson must have during a teleseminar I
hosted and recorded.

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 be an Expert Spokesperson the Media Love"
at http://tinyurl.com/rzcdd


=========================================
2. Beware the New 'Public Record'
=========================================

In the old days, you had to scour public records for any hint of
bad news in your history that the media might make public and ask
about during interviews.

That included things like drunken-driving arrests, lawsuits, and
transcripts of messy divorce proceedings.

Today, scouring the "official public record" of government
documents isn't enough.

Recordings of private conversations, videos of activities that
were never meant to be public, private emails, and even snippets
of information on social networking sites like MySpace have a way
of becoming part of the unofficial but very "public record"
within minutes.

Here are two examples we saw over the weekend:

- -Conservative blogs and, eventually, the mainstream media,
reported on a YouTube video of Don Fowler, former head of the
Democratic National Committee. Taken with a cell phone camera by
someone sitting behind him on an airplane, the video showed
Fowler commenting to his Democratic seat mate about the timing of
Hurricane Gustav and the opening of the Republican National
Convention:

"The hurricane is going to hit New Orleans about the time they
start. The timing is, at least it appears now, it will be there
Monday. That just demonstrates God is on our side." You can see
the video at http://tinyurl.com/6bznw4

- -Liberal blogs and the mainstream media reported on comments
made on Levi Townsend's MySpace page. He's the father of the
baby of 17-year-old Bristol Palin, the daughter of GOP vice
presidential candidate Sarah Palin. On his MySpace page, Levi
reportedly commented that he's a "redneck" and even though he's
"in a relationship," he doesn't want children. The page
apparently has been taken down. But you don't have to look far
to find that news. Here's a story from the New York Daily News:
http://tinyurl.com/63lgnp

So what's the lesson for Publicity Hounds?

- -You're safer assuming that any email you write will become
public. That includes jokes and anything else you forward to
others.

- -Don't say anything in a public place you don't want to show up
on YouTube.

- -Know what's on the social networking sites of your employees,
your children, or others associated with your company.

- -Know EVERYTHING that's said about you online. Set up a Google
Alert at http://www.Google.com/alerts Create one each for your
name, your website URL, and your company name. Tell Google you
want alerts daily, or as soon as the information appears.
Monitoring these alerts is time-consuming. But well worth it.
It's a task you can give to an assistant.

If you don't have an assistant, you can get one without hiring a
full- or part-time employee. The telephone and email make it
easy to use a virtual assistant--even one who lives several
thousand miles from you. Learn about where to find Vas, how much
you can expect to pay, and the types of tasks you can give them.

Cindy Greenway and Diana Ennen, both very successful Vas, were my
guests during a teleseminar I hosted on "How to Find a Virtual
Assistant to Help with 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 how to find a virtual assistant at
http://tinyurl.com/2e5875


=========================================
3. How to Earn Expert Status
=========================================

If you want to become a well-respected expert, here are five
powerful ways to make that happen:

- -Speak publicly on your topic, even if it's only local speeches
to Rotary and chamber of commerce groups. During the first few
years of my business, I relied almost exclusively on these
speaking engagements to find consulting clients. Depending on
your topic, you can, too.

- -Create a great website that pulls traffic like a magnet, with
dozens of free articles and other resources for visitors. Try to
capture every visitor's email address like I do with a box that
bounces down from the top of the screen. That box is called the
Hover Ad Generator and you can buy it at
http://tinyurl.com/2sa3u9

- -Create a huge presence elsewhere online. That includes
writing articles for article directory sites, blogging,
commenting at other people's blogs, and writing an ezine.

- -Create downloadable information products on your topic--
quickly and with no up-front costs. I can create a special
report in only a few hours and have it for sale at my website.
And it costs me nothing to produce.

- -Adopt a policy to always "under promise and over deliver."
Your customers will love you for it.

I've just described my business model, and many of you have
emailed me to say you like it and want specific instructions on
how to do one or more of what I've described above.

I wish I could take credit for it, but I can't. Tom Antion, my
first mentor, taught it to me. And he's graciously agreed to do
a complimentary teleseminar with me from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern
Time on Tuesday, Sept. 9, to explain various aspects of that same
model.

The call will introduce Publicity Hounds to the type of content
he will be presenting at this live event called "Fusion," Oct.
17-19, in Los Angeles. Tom will do what he preaches on this
call: under promise and over deliver. If you can't attend the
live event, you'll still come away with pages of notes you can
start implementing that same night.

Sign up for the Oct. 9 teleseminar at
http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar/fusion.htm

Learn more about the conference at http://tinyurl.com/5cefjt


=========================================
4. Why Hounds Are Internet Marketers
=========================================

Can you think of a good reason why you shouldn't be concerned
with Internet marketing? If so, let me know because I can't
think of one.

If you have a website, and most of you do, you or someone in your
office should know things like how much traffic you get and how
much of that traffic you can convert to customers.

Let's say you aren't selling anything. You're simply trying to
lure journalists to your website. You should know which colors
and graphic elements immediately turn off visitors. You can have
dynamite content, but if it's difficult to read, journalists will
bail out.

I want to give you the heads-up about a set of DVDs called
"Stomping the Search Engines 2.0" and an accompanying journal
called "The Net Effect" that the folks at Stompernet asked me to
review last week.

The product launch is tomorrow. They won't say how much they're
asking for it, but they call it "Liberty and Justice for All,"
whatever that means.

Here's a quick critique of the materials:

- -They call the 45-page publication (with only two full-page
ads) a journal. I hate that word because it makes it sound dry
and academic. I wish they'd just call it what it is: a damn good
magazine.

- -Several of the articles might bore you tears, like the one
about how search engines decide which pages get ranked at the
top. But unless the person managing your website knows this
stuff, you can't hope to compete.

- -A few articles will knock you off your chair, like the one
titled "Wanna be Broke? Then Maybe You Shouldn't Sell Cheap."
It explains why selling a bunch of inexpensive products can send
you to the poor house.

- -On several pages, the graphic artist slapped graphics on top
of print which makes some of the type difficult to read. So I
hope they clean up the graphics in future issues and keep the
content just as compelling.

- -The most valuable part of the magazine is at the end: a 14-
point checklist of things you should do based on the articles in
the review issue. Some you may have already done, but many of
them I still need to do.

- -The DVDs are excellent but some of the material may be too
advanced for people who aren't technically inclined. If that's
the case, then at least encourage your webmaster, who MUST know
this stuff, to buy it. The entire table of contents is at
http://tinyurl.com/5au4lo

When I learn more about this tomorrow, I'll send you a follow- up
email.


==========================================
5. How to Promote a Book Signing
==========================================

This week, five Publicity Hound have tips for Roz Wolf of Los
Angeles, California, on how to promote the book signing for "How
To Woo A Bi’aaatch: The Key To Attracting Females" by Brian
Zoozoo, a guide that speaks to a generation of single men and
curious women aged 18-35. She thinks the title is turning off
some journalists and she needs a way around that problem.

From Jennifer Melnick Carota:

"Why not do a signing at a local university where your target
audience already is? Develop MySpace and Facebook pages for your
book, choose regional friends accordingly and promote the heck
out of it online. Be sure to promote any giveaways like free
books or T-shirts that can also draw college students to your
event."

From Natasha Henry:

"Try to get in touch with Wendy Williams' booking agent. Wendy
Williams is a popular radio shock-jock in that area who recently
started her own TV talk show in NYC. When contacting her agent,
be sure to highlight your book’s title. Williams most recently
had Donald Trump’s notoriously raunchy Apprentice guest, Omarosa,
on her show to promote her book, "The Bitch Switch." You can put
a spin on your book in that it speaks more positively about
women, contrary to your book's title and contrary to what
Omarosa's book is about...Also mention that you would be a more
pleasant-mannered guest than Omarosa. YouTube has a snippet of
that show for reference."

From Ken Okel:

"The title will likely either make people laugh or cringe and
sometimes that keeps the media away. Any wacky morning radio
shows that might give you a segment? Any singles groups or
events you could partner with for publicity?"


The Publicity Hound says:

Don't forget about all the online event calendars. I blogged
about this and included several of the best sites at
http://tinyurl.com/6qhejc Those include Craigslist which, of
course, has its own list for Los Angeles.

Nancy Mills, a Craigslist expert, explained smart ways to promote
with Craigslist when she was my guest during a teleseminar on
"How to Use Craigslist as a Global Publicity Tool." 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 get started promoting on Craigslist at
http://tinyurl.com/geog2


Read all the responses to this week's "Help This Hound" question
at http://tinyurl.com/6cslfs

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


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

Alaa el Ghatit of Libertyville, Illinois, writes:

"I own a national service called LifeOnRecord which lets people
capture and preserve their stories and memories from any phone.
The most popular product is a keepsake CD that people will give
for birthdays, anniversaries and other events.

"Here's how it works. Someone planning the celebration will sign
up for a LifeOnRecord account. Friends and family all call a
toll-free number and leave stories, memories and well-wishes.
The recordings are all preserved onto a keepsake CD, and can also
be managed and played via our website, or downloaded into iTunes.
The web site is http://lifeonrecord.com/uniquegift.htm

"Much of my business comes from referrals and people coming from
the search engines. But I'm looking for other ways to reach
people who are looking for gift ideas for milestone birthdays or
anniversaries. What ideas do your Hounds have for spreading the
word?"


The Publicity Hound says:

If your product would make a perfect gift, subscribe to The Gift
List, a service that provides contact information for national
and regional magazines, the top 250 daily newspapers, news wires
and syndicates, national television, and national radio, as well
as a list for web and blog outlets.

These media are HUNGRY for gift ideas for things like Christmas,
Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day and Graduation Day.
Learn more about how to get into these gift guides at
http://tinyurl.com/9es8y


Hounds with ideas on other ways to promote these keepsake Cds can
post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/64tgx7


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

Actual classified ad that appeared in a weekly newspaper in Ohio:

FREE to a good home: Domestic tan male. Neutered and declawed.
Has shots.


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

Know bloggers' pitching preferences; avoid 'me too' emails
http://tinyurl.com/58v5wd


Prepare for an interview with a reporter these 8 ways
http://tinyurl.com/6gwmlt


Why trying to get a magazine column can be wasted effort
http://tinyurl.com/6qgbkf


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,
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=======================================================
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