Publicity tips/Use LinkedIn to Snoop and Promote July 8, 2008

The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week
Issue #406 July 8, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/(Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 48,218

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

"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.

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

How to use LinkedIn to Promote Anything--Ethically & Powerfully

Are you accumulating dozens, maybe even hundreds, of contacts on
LinkedIn, and then not sure what to do with all those names?

Social networking expert Scott Allen knows. And he'll walk you
step-by-step through the entire process of how to use all those
names to promote whatever you're selling. Join us for two 70-
minute teleseminars on a topic every serious business person must
know.

See Item #1 below.

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

1. Use LinkedIn to Snoop and Promote

2. How to Become a Paid Speaker

3. Stricter Product Placement Rules

4. When Journalists say "No Thanks"

5. Musicians, Artists: Provide Commentary

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Video of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

=======================================
1. Use LinkedIn to Snoop and Promote
=======================================

In the old days, spying on your business competitors was next to
impossible without hiring a private investigator.

These days, however, social networking sites are an open door to
snoop on the competition quickly and easily. But be forewarned
that you might not like what you find.

Take LinkedIn, the popular business networking site, for
instance. If you're spying on somebody who works for a competing
company and is working hard to position herself as an expert in
your field, one of the first places to look is at LinkedIn.com,
the business networking site. Type her name into LinkedIn's
search box near the top of the screen. If your competitor has a
profile on LinkedIn, you'll be able to learn all kinds of
interesting tidbits about her.

Now scroll down a little and look for the sub-head that says
"Questions & Answers." You can see at a glance her areas of
expertise. You might also find something called "best answers"
which refers to the number of times she has provided an answer to
a question asked by another LinkedIn user and those users have
flagged her answer as a "best answer."

You can also see exactly how many questions she has posted to the
LinkedIn community, and how many people answered them and started
building a relationship with her.

How many best answers did she provide in each area of expertise
on her bulleted list? How many does your LinkedIn profile say
you provided?

If somebody came to LinkedIn looking to do business with somebody
in your industry and they compared your profiles, who would they
be more inclined to view as the expert? You or her? If her
LinkedIn profile shows far more expertise than yours does, who do
you think would get the new business?

If the answer is her, she has done an outstanding job promoting
herself on LinkedIn.

But wait! She has only 148 connections. You have 589. Doesn't
that count for something?

Not necessarily. What I've described so far is what social
networking expert Scott Allen says is a good example of how fewer
but better connections can give your competitor the edge. It can
also mean new contracts for her, new joint venture partners, and
lots of new introductions to top decision-makers on LinkedIn.

Next week, during two 70-minute teleseminars, Scott will explain
"How to Use LinkedIn to Promote Anything--Ethically and
Powerfully." Everyone who registers will receive the MP3 audio
and the electronic transcript afterward, so if you can't make the
live call, that's OK, you can study the information later. I've
already sold more than half of the 100 seats available, and I
don't know of any other product like this one on the market.
Because most people sign up within a day or two of the event, I'm
expecting this one to be sold out.

Learn how to start using LinkedIn today to snoop, promote and
stand miles above your competitors at
http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar/linkedin.htm


=======================================
2. How to Become a Paid Speaker
=======================================

If you're trying to become an expert in your field, one of the
things you should be doing is speaking to audiences about your
topic.

Speakers can:

- -Earn an additional source of revenue from speaking fees.

- -Sell products from the back of the room.

- -Generate far more publicity than if they didn't speak to
audiences.

- -Leave the event with dozens and sometimes hundreds of email
addresses, and then market to those audience members who have
given you permission to do so.

- -Catch the attention of journalists.

- -Catch the attention of bloggers who need content and expert
sources.

- -Be invited to submit content for other people's books, simply
because they speak on the topic.

- -Be invited to submit articles for industry-specific trade
journals, newspaper and magazine editorial pages, and online
article directories.

Yes, the world is glutted with speakers, many of whom are
struggling to make a name for themselves. So you'll be competing
with them all, even the ones who speak for free.

This Thursday, my friends Steve Harrison and James Malinchak will
team up to present a free teleseminar on "What You Need To Know
To Make $2,500.00 a Day (or More) As a Public Speaker Without
Being Famous!"

James, who has made a 7-figure income for himself on the college
speaking circuit, will explain how you can find companies and
organizations that already have a budget to pay speakers like you
quite handsomely, even if you're not famous or well-known in your
field.

He'll explain why you should never accept less than $2,500.00 to
give a speech--even if you're a complete unknown with an
"ordinary topic," and what to do to get it easily. He'll list
the five critical steps for landing paid speaking gigs when you
don't have a lot of time to market yourself.

The teleseminar is being presented at 2 p.m. Eastern Time and
again at 7 Eastern. Seating is limited, so sign up right now at
http://www.SpeakerTrainingTeleseminar.com/?10011


===========================================
3. Stricter Product Placement Rules
===========================================

Thanks to digital video recorders like TiVo, we don't have to sit
through all those annoying commercials anymore.

That's why companies are clamoring to get their products placed
onto the sets of TV shows.

Hewlett-Packard put its computers in the U.S. production of The
Office, for instance, and cast members on The Sopranos could be
seen frequently drinking Tropicana orange juice and eating Honey-
Combs cereal.

Now, the FCC is considering whether it should create a stricter
set of rules for product placement. Current rules call for
disclosure only at the end of a show. But the rules might change
so that viewers can be notified of product placements as soon as
they come into view.

The agency has asked commissioners for their opinion on the
stricter rules, but a vote hasn't been scheduled. There's no
indication whether the rules would apply to paid placements or
unpaid placements.

Unpaid placements can be just as lucrative for companies.
Production companies need things like bottled water and even bug
spray while they're shooting. If you donate those products for
use on the set, they sometimes will stay there, even during
shooting, and show up during the program or movie.

Amy Bates Stumpf says you have to jump through a lot of hoops to
make that happen. But if you know who to contact and how to
pitch your products, millions of people can see them. Amy was my
guest during a telephone seminar last year on whom to pitch,
when, and how to work with them.

"Product Placement: How to Get Your Consumer Product onto the
Sets of Movies & TV Shows" 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 what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/6gdevz


=====================================
4. When Journalists Say "No Thanks"
=====================================

What do you do when you pitch a journalist about an event you'll
be sponsoring or participating in, and the journalist isn't
interested?

Do you move on to the next name on your media resource list and
hope somebody take the bait?

If so, you've skipped an important step. You should be making
notes in your media plan about whether the media outlet you're
contacting accepts online video. If you aren't sure, ask.

Many do, even newspapers and magazine which traditionally have
been interested in stories only for print. They're hungry for
user-generated video for their websites. And when you provide
it, sometimes the most amazing things happen.

When you shoot, say, a two-minute video about an event you've
sponsored--one they weren't interested in covering--that video
could end up not only at their website, but on TV.

It happed to John Easton when he wanted local TV stations to
cover a story about an Australian production company filming a
segment at his son's school. Nobody was interested. So he shot
video himself and provided it to local media and TV stations.
Those same TV stations ended up airing it. Local newspapers also
posted the video at their websites. Even the school district,
which didn't shoot its own video, used it!

You don't need a fancy camera or skills as a videographer.
During a teleseminar I conducted with him several months ago on
"9 Clever Ways to Use Video to Become a Publicity Darling in Your
Industry or Community," John said an inexpensive Flip Video
camera can do the trick.

The recording 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 what you'll learn at
http://tinyurl.com/5pbgzn


========================================
5. Musicians, Artists: Provide Commentary
========================================

Musicians and artists frequently email me, asking how they can
promote on a shoestring budget.

One of my tips is to provide commentary about breaking news
events in their industry.

A perfect example occurred last Tuesday when singer Rene Marie
was asked to sing the National Anthem before Denver Mayor John
Hickenlooper's annual State of the City address.

Instead, she surprised everyone and sang "Lift Ev'ry Voice and
Sing," which is also known as the "black national anthem." It
raised a huge stink, and Denver's politicians criticized her on
local and national TV and radio shows. Bloggers threw more
gasoline on the fire.

This would have been an excellent chance for musicians to
generate some local publicity by calling their local TV stations
and offering a comment about whether the criticism was justified.
This controversy broke just three days before the Fourth of July.

Artists, if you keep your eyes and ears open, you'll find lots of
opportunities like this one for you, too. Examples:

- -When somebody criticizes public art for being in poor taste.

- -When taxpayers object to funding any type of public art.

- -When artists stage publicity stunts to call attention to their
artwork.

Remember, the media love controversy. And local media love
providing "the local angle" to national stories.

Musicians, learn dozens more publicity tips on how to promote. I
interviewed music publicity expert Bob Baker who explained "Do-
it-Yourself PR Tips for Songwriters, Musicians & Bands on a
Budget" at http://tinyurl.com/mqsug

Artists, learn "How Artists Can Sell More Artwork through Online
& Offline Publicity," an interview Ariane Goodwin did with me.
It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can
download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/yvewm8


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

Last week, Michelle Suter of Frisco, Texas submitted a Help This
Hound question, but I failed to give the link where Hounds can
post answers. So I'm including the question again this week.
You can respond at http://tinyurl.com/6jb7z5

"Our company, Administaff, is a professional employer
organization that serves as a full-time human resources
department for small and medium-sized businesses.

"We have had a great deal of national marketing, yet my best
clients are small business owners in the Dallas/Fort Worth area
who have from seven to 50 employees. How do I take our "big" PR
and marketing message and localize it so my prospects get our
message in a way they can relate to?

"I feel as though they don't understand that 'Small Business is
Good for America, and Administaff is Good for Small Business.'"

Their website is at http://www.administaff.com


The Publicity Hound says:

Post your best ideas for Michelle at http://tinyurl.com/6jb7z5

Here's my idea. You need to find your way into the Dallas
Business Journal which, I'll bet, lots of local business people
read. Landing a story, or even an opinion column, in this paper
will really put your business in the spotlight. Get your hands
on a copy of their editorial calendar and check to see which
topics they'll be writing about that are a perfect fit with the
type of information you can offer as an expert source.

I interviewed Paul Furiga, former editor of The Pittsburgh
Business Times, and got him to share his best tips on how local
businesses can form strong relationships with business journal
staff and give them the kinds of stories they love. We recorded
"How to Use Business Journals to Tell Your Story" 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 what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/q4rf7


And speaking of errors, I made another one last week. I stated
here that Friday, July 13, is "Dress Up Like a Cow Day,"
sponsored by Chik-fil-A restaurants which will give a free meal
to anyone who enters the restaurant dressed like a cow. It's
actually Friday, July 11.


================================
7. Hound Video of the Week
================================

I love this short video which proves that many dog owners do,
indeed, look like their dogs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=642qxehEcGg


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

Add social media links to your EzineArticles.com profile
http://tinyurl.com/5tpr2a


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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PRIVACY STATEMENT: The Publicity Hound® respects your privacy and
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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 Social Media Myth Jan 15, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #381 Jan. 15, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 39,213

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

"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.

********************************************
Save the Dates:

Jan. 15 -- Publicity Hounds, this is your chance to learn about social media marketing and submit questions to one of the foremost experts. Join Don Crowther and me for a free one-hour telephone seminar on "Social Media Marketing: PR on Steroids" at4 p.m. Eastern Time today. See Item #1 below.

Jan. 16 -- Join Daniel Hall and me for a free one-hour telephone seminar from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time. "Speakers Cruise Free:Trade Your Talents for Free Luxury Cruises" will explain how to turn your hobby or expertise into a cool presentation you can offer to cruise ship lines that are looking for experts to entertain and educate their passengers. Register at http://www.speakerscruisefree.com/hound See Item #3 below.

Jan. 17 -- Last day to register for the second annual smARTist Telesummit 2008, an art career conference that will teach artists how to turn their art passion into a successful business. I'm one of the presenters. Details and registration at http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/aftrack.asp?afid=642363

Jan. 17 -- Authors, listen to a free one-hour teleseminar as Steve Harrison interviews Matthew Bennett on how the self- published author sold 5 million books to one company--and how you can too. Stop selling them piecemeal and start selling them by the truckload. Register at http://www.freepublicity.com/mattbennett/?10011

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

1. The Social Media Myth

2. A 4-Word Mention in Family Circle

3. Speak on Cruise Ships

4. Wanted: Videos of Women Authors

5. Promoting Fitness for Boomers

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

======================================
1. The Social Media Myth
======================================

I signed up for the social media coaching being offer by the guys at StomperNet, and I can hardly wait for the first teleseminar on Monday.

Many of you have emailed me to rave about the 50-minute video and the special report they're offering to whet your appetite and give you a taste of what we'll be learning. If you missed it, you can catch it here: http://www.stompernet.net/jvp/aw.aspx?B=25&A=332

Several of you, however, are still buying into the social media myth that sites like MySpace, Facebook and YouTube are only for kids with tattoos and tongue rings.

Wrong.

A Sept. 12 article in the New York Times explains that a new wave of capital is pouring into social media sites that target Boomers and offer news, commentary, photo-sharing and discussion forums on subjects like dating, fitness and health care. Most of the 78 million Baby Boomers (roughly three times the number of teen- agers), are Internet users with computer skills.

Sites like Eons, Rezoom, Multiply, Maya's Mom, Boomj and Boomertown are attracting a graying audience that has lots of disposable income. I'll bet many of these people have stopped subscribing to newspapers and even some magazines--the same publications you're targeting in your publicity campaign.

Unlike younger people who jump from one trendy site to the next, graying Internet users might be more likely to linger in one spot online--a potentially profitable characteristic that's catching the attention of investors.

Don Crowther of StomperNet, who created the video I'm recommending, knows more about social media marketing than anybody I know. I twisted his arm late yesterday and he agreed to do a free teleseminar with me from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern Time today.

I know it's short notice, but if you can possibly join us, we'd love to have you. He'll talk about how to use social media sites to earn top great search engine rankings and pull tons of traffic to your website.

You can even post your question on the sign-up form here: http://instantTeleseminar.com/?eventid=1628391 .

========================================
2. A 4-Word Mention in Family Circle
========================================

This is for all you Hounds who are determined to get a cover story or another big feature in a national magazine.

Sometimes all it takes is just a four-word mention about your business to generate a rush of traffic to your website.

That's what I got--just four little words--in the January issue of Family Circle magazine. I wrote about it at my blog and suggested five more ways I can piggyback off this minuscule mention. You can read it here: http://tinyurl.com/23pdae

Many of the tips I suggested there are among the hundreds I shared when I hosted the teleseminar series "How to Create a Media Plan" back in October. We recorded it and it's available as CDs, MP3s or electronic transcripts. Read more about the stellar line-up of experts and what they shared at http://www.PublicityHound.com/mediaplan.htm


=========================================
3. Speak on Cruise Ships
=========================================

It was Fourth of July week and stage hypnotist Victor Maranto would leave in just four days on a nine-day vacation cruise.

Armed with a step-by-step list of instructions on how to get booked as a speaker on the cruise, he called the woman who works with speakers and ended up in her voicemail.

"I started singing to her on her voicemail," he said. "I kept chanting her name. Then I laughed and hung up. Fifteen minutes later, she calls back and says, 'What can I do for you?"'

He had no presentation planned but pitched seven ideas for programs. She told him he wouldn't be able to hypnotize any of the passengers but that she wanted to hire him to present on the last day. They settled on a program called "Take Action Now: How to Unlock Your Mind's Hidden Power."

It all happened so quickly that Victor actually had to create the presentation on-board. He used a friend's Power Point slides and substituted his own bullet points.

He had postcards about the presentation printed and took them with him. But he wouldn't know until he boarded the ship exactly when he would speak, so he left the time and date blank. Once he knew that information, he filled it in, then recruited his kids to distribute the postcards to passengers.

The day of the presentation, Victor taught one woman how to overcome her fear of crossing bridges. He instructed other passengers on how to muster enough confidence to perform Karaoke.He even videotaped the presentation and now has a video that he can show other cruise ships that need speakers.

Victor followed Daniel Hall's instructions to the letter because Daniel is the expert on how to cruise for free in exchange for presenting a program. You can too. Join us for a one-hour teleseminar from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time tomorrow, January 16, called "Speakers Cruise Free: Trade Your Talents for Free Luxury Cruises." You don't even have to be a professional speaker.

If you have a hobby you're passionate about, you can turn it into a free vacation. Register for the teleseminar at http://www.speakerscruisefree.com/hound


=========================================
4. Wanted: Videos of Women Authors
=========================================

Starting Jan. 28, the Women for Hire website at http://www.womenforhire.com/ will feature a video interview with a nonfiction woman author on a topic of interest to women.

Topics can include workplace, lifestyle, health, etc. The video will appear on the homepage. They will feature an excerpt from the book as well as a link to Amazon.

They will shoot the video for authors in New York City, and the shoot will take no more than a half-hour. For authors outside Manhattan, they'll provide straightforward instructions on how to shoot your own video and submit it.

Send the title, a short synopsis, brief author bio, why women would buy your book, the target audience, publication date, and confirmation that the author is willing to do a video to Rachel Chase, Women for Hire. Mailto:Rachel@WomenforHire.com.

The WomenForHire.com website has 250,000 unique visitors each month as well as 300,000 professional women who subscribe to their newsletters. They are looking for authors who will provide valuable inspiration, information or advice.

If you want to shoot your own video, learn about the best equipment to buy, and video tips and tricks. See http://tinyurl.com/y3b6wj


============================================
5. Promoting Fitness for Boomers
============================================

This week, four Publicity Hounds have tips for Darcy Silvers of Bristol, Pennsylvania on how a friend near Philadelphia can promote a fitness business for Boomers. It focuses on aerobics and weight training.


From Gail Sideman:

"IHRSA (International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association), ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine), Club Fitness Industry and dozens of other organizations release statistics and case studies about fitness training for Boomers, which make up the industry’s fastest growing demographic. Use those stats and facts, along with clients’ success stories, to help pitch angles whether they’re for traditional or social media outlets."


From Garth Gibson:
"Develop an exercise program for the presidential candidates that helps them keep fit during their campaign. Then let the press know about it."


From Becky Williamson:

"Darcy's friend should offer to give talks in his areas of expertise to local Rotary Clubs, Lions Clubs and Kiwanis Clubs.Folks in his target market will be in these groups. These groups normally don't pay for speakers, but by giving public talks he'll begin carving his niche as a local expert. In addition, he may be able to collect email addresses."


The Publicity Hound says:

Post fitness tips to the Philadelphia Craigslist. I'll bet more people read Craigslist than the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Read all the responses to this Help This Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/3dxdoe


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

Gail Sideman of Milwaukee, Wisconsin writes:

"I'm what the business calls a veteran publicist and media relations professional who has landed quality hits, and believes she does a good job in explaining how a PR or publicity campaign works to those who have never been involved in one.

"I outline the fact that an online newsroom is necessary and why, and that a foundation and reputation must be built before reporters have enough trust to include or feature the client in a big story. I also explain the differences between public relations and advertising.

"Despite all of this and making sure potential clients know what they’re getting into before they sign on the dotted line, I have found that some people, two or three months into the effort, maybe while we're still trying to build a quality online press room, question why I have not been able to score that 'big story' for them.

"How do other media relations professionals deal with complaining clients after they’ve already explained the industry to them and they’re working diligently to do things in step?"


The Publicity Hound says:

I've experienced this same problem, and it will be interesting to hear how other publicists deal with it. Hounds with helpful tips for Gail can post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/3yprya
If you know how to handle impatient clients, but you have too few clients, I know of two dozen ways to bring more business through the door. Marcia Yudkin brainstormed the ideas with me, and we presented them during a teleseminar called "24 Ways to Attract Clients to Your PR Practice." It's available as a CD or electronic transcript that you can download a few minutes after your order has been approved.

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


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

Thanks to the dozens of Publicity Hounds who have sent me this one.

If we were only taught by dogs, we would learn stuff like:

--When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

--Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

--Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

--When it's in your best interest -- practice obedience.

--Let others know when they've invaded your territory.

--Take naps and stretch before rising.

--Run, romp and play daily.

--Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

--Avoid biting, when a simple growl will do.

--On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

--On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

--When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

--No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout...run right back
and make friends.

--Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

--Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you've had enough.

--Be loyal.

--Never pretend to be something you're not.

--If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

--When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.


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

Whole Foods magazine will feature only its own products
http://tinyurl.com/37k4mb


Family Circle blurb leads to huge traffic spike
http://tinyurl.com/23pdae

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

Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound:


January 15: "Social Media: PR on Steroids"

Join Don Crowther and me for a free one-hour telephone seminar from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern Time on how to use social media sites like MySpace, Facebook and YouTube in your publicity campaign.Don't miss this one. Sign up at http://instantteleseminar.com/?eventid=1628391


January 16: "Speakers Cruise Free"

Join Daniel Hall and me for a free one-hour telephone seminar from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time called "Speakers Cruise Free: Trade Your Talents for Free Luxury Cruises." He will explain how to turn your hobby or expertise into a cool presentation you can offer to cruise ship lines that are looking for experts to entertain and educate their passengers. You don't even have to be a professional speaker. If you teach arts and crafts, play bridge, or offer classes on how to use a computer, for example, you could be just the person they're looking for. Sign up for the teleseminar only if you want to participate live and be able to ask questions. If you can't make the call, I'll include the link in this newsletter so you can listen to it later. Sign up for the live call here: http://www.speakerscruisefree.com/hound


January 21: 2008 smARTist Telesummit

I will teach artists "The New Rules of Press Releases: How to Write Them for Art Buyers and Collectors, Not Only for Journalists" from 1 to 1:45 p.m. Eastern Time. Register for the entire telesummit at http://tinyurl.com/3x35vr


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

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

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


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

PRIVACY STATEMENT: The Publicity Hound® respects your privacy and has a strict anti-spam policy. Read my privacy policy at http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm

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

Publicity tips/Don't Drink from Hotel Glasses Dec 11, 2007

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #376 Dec. 11, 2007
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 37,023

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

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

Need help with publicity?
See the resources list at
http://www.publicityhound.com/resources.htm


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

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.

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

Save the Dates:


December 13: Product Placement Teleseminar

If you sell a consumer product, from something as simple as bottled water to something as lavish as diamond-studded jewelry--don't miss the telephone seminar I'm hosting at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, December 13, with product placement experts Amy Bates Stumpf and Rebecca Lightsey. They'll share all the secrets of how to get your consumer product onto the sets of TV shows and movies. Register for the teleseminar at http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar.htm See Item #3 below.


January 8: Artists, Don't Miss This One

Learn how to sell more artwork without wasting tons of time on dry business stuff and the wrong marketing strategies. Join Ariane Goodwin for a one-hour teleseminar at 7 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, Jan. 8. Three experts will give away their best marketing advice on how to succeed without sacrificing your artistic voice or wasting tons of time on dry business stuff. It's a preview to her 2008 smARTist telesummit on artist marketing, and I'm a guest presenter who will talk about press releases. Register for the entire telesummit at http://tinyurl.com/3x35vr. Or, to sign up for the Jan. 8 preview call, click on that link, then click on "Register" at the top of the page. See Item #2 below.

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

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

1. Don't Drink from Hotel Glasses

2. Recycle Your National Media Hit

3. Send Your Product to Hollywood

4. Attract More PR Clients

5. Promoting Compassionate Friends

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week


======================================
1. Don't Drink from Hotel Glasses
======================================

The next time you stay in a hotel, you'll think twice about drinking out of the glasses and coffee cups if you watch the four-and-a-half-minute video at http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a7f_1194813218

It's an I-team investigation from a TV station, presumably in Atlanta, Georgia. The team took hidden cameras into guest rooms at three major hotels--Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn and Sheraton Suites. In all three instances, housekeepers never used soap and water to clean dirty drinking glasses and coffee cups.

The Holiday Inn simply rinsed the glasses under running water in a dirty sink and left them to dry.

At the Embassy Suites, a housekeeper put a used glass inside the dirty sink, sprayed a blue liquid on it, and then dried it with a cloth. She held it up to the light to make sure it looked squeaky clean.

At the Sheraton Suites, a housekeeper also used spray from a bottle to clean a glass, then picked up the guest's used washcloth from the sink, smelled it, and wiped the glass with the washcloth. As for the rubber gloves on her hands, well, you'll have to watch the video to learn where those gloves had been just before they touched the drinking glasses.

I don't know when this report was first aired. But what's so remarkable about it is that in all three cases, when asked to comment, the hotel management never fessed up to any wrongdoing, even though they were caught on camera and admonished by the local health officials. A spokesperson from the Sheraton refused to comment, saying "It's too controversial an issue."

Let's see how media-savvy my Publicity Hounds would be in a situation like that one. Put yourself in the place of any one of those three hotels. Pretend you're the spokesperson. Then go over to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/28aqm9 and post a comment, telling me what you'd say--or whether you'd say anything at all--in response.

Your comment won't appear until next week, when I compare your answers with advice from crisis counselors. And I'll award a very cool prize to the Hound whose response comes closest to the response from the crisis experts.

Clarence Jones, a former TV and newspaper investigative reporter, says that in cases like the one above, attorneys will almost always advise clients not to comment. He was my guest during a teleseminar called "In a Media Crisis, Your Lawyer Will be Wrong," available as a CD. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/zu7td


========================================
2. Recycle Your National Media Hit
========================================

When a major newspaper, magazine or niche publication prints a story about you, or when you're featured on a national network newscast, recycle that publicity by letting your local media know about it.

Mystic Pop magazine, which features articles about holistic living and spirituality topics, wrote about surrealistic artist Mickie Bellah of Austin, Texas, and included photos of her oil paintings, in its November/December issue.

Mickie wrote a press release about the media hit and distributed it through PRWeb. More than 500 people have viewed the release online at http://tinyurl.com/34rd8m. She also sent it to media in Austin.

Directions, a magazine about the Texas "hill country," saw the release, called her, and then featured a photo of one of her oil paintings on the masthead page of the magazine along with a short blurb.

"I took advantage of your free tutorial '89 Ways To Write Powerful Press Releases' and picked up a lot of excellent tips, including the one about publicizing national media hits," Mickie said.

Sign up for the tutorial at http://www.PublicityHound.com/pressreleasetips/list.htm

Then check out PR Web's services at http://snipurl.com/PRWebDistribution

Artists like Mickie who want to keep the publicity machine cranking on all gears should sign up for Ariane Goodwin's smARTist Telesummit, an outstanding training program that will teach them how to build an entire business around their artwork. I'm one of the guest experts, and I'll be teaching artists how to write and distribute press releases just like Mickie did. In fact, I'm going to use the example above in the course. Learn more about the telesummit at http://tinyurl.com/3x35vr


=========================================
3. Send Your Product to Hollywood
=========================================

If you're willing to pay big bucks, your product can be the star of an entire episode of a popular TV program.

For example, writers for the NBC hit comedy "The Office" wrote a script in which the folks at Dunder Mifflin paper company exchanged "Secret Santa" gifts that were supposed to be worth no more than $20. Controversy erupted when the boss contributed a video iPod worth about $400 for the gift exchange.

"It may be the most creative half-hour commercial for Apple ever, but the viewers are not put off because it's pure entertainment, "says Amy Bates Stumpf, an expert on product placement.

It's also an extreme example of the expense that some companies will go to just to get their products in front of consumers.

On the other end of the spectrum, even if you have a tiny budget for product placement, or no budget at all, your product could end up on the set of a TV show or movie.

Decorating a set takes thousands of objects, from bath products to kitchen appliances, from lamps to artwork. Everything from fashion accessories to food are necessary parts of a set, and product placement coordinators are responsible for locating thousands of items over the course of production.

Take bottled water, for instance. Movie sets need bottled water--lots of it--for the actors and actresses and the many staff members who work months at a time on the production. If you're willing to donate your brand of water during the entire production schedule, the producers might agree to film an actor or actress drinking your water, and include the clip in the final version of the movie.

But how do you get through to the right people to even pitch your product? And who's in a better position to do the pitching--the person who created the product, or their PR person?
Learn how Publicity Hounds can get product placements large and small, and take even small placements and publicize them after-the-fact for more exposure.

Amy will team up with Rebecca Lightsey, publicity director for a product placement company, during a 70-minute teleseminar at 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, December 13, called "How to Get Your Consumer Product onto the Sets of Movies and TV Shows." Sign up at http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar.htm You can order the CD, MP3 file or electronic transcript next week.


=========================================
4. Attract More PR Clients
=========================================

If you work at a PR agency, or you're a sole proprietor PR pro, one of the very best ways to attract clients is to teach PR in your own community or online.

--Teach adult education classes through your local school district.

--Offer to teach public relations for a niche audience, like small businesses, through your local college or university.

--Call your chamber of commerce, offer a half-day workshop for members, charge the chamber a flat fee and let them keep any revenue over and above that.

--Teach a free course on how to write press releases or how to do media interviews. Sell your products from the back of the room.

--If you have email addresses of people who will let you market to them, offer a free telephone seminar on how to do one aspect of a publicity campaign.

Once you use these venues to position yourself as an expert, you'll have more business than you can handle. Truth is, many people just don't have the time or inclination to manage their own publicity campaigns. And they're willing to hire somebody like you to do it.

Publicity expert Marcia Yudkin teamed up with me to present "24 Ways to Attract Clients to Your P.R. Practice," a teleseminar that we recorded and are making available as a CD or electronic transcript. Each comes with a list of 24 ideas that we've used to successfully pull clients into our own practices.

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


============================================
5. Promoting Compassionate Friends
============================================

This week, six Publicity Hounds have ideas on how Wayne Loder of Milford, Michigan can promote The Compassionate Friends/USA. It's a national self-help bereavement organization with a mission to assist families toward the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child of any age and to provide information to help others be supportive. The second week in September of 2008 has been designated as the first "Compassionate Friends Week" and he'll be helping local chapters promote it in their own communities.


From Linda Swisher:

"National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions, and its member hospitals, would be a natural place to contact. NACHRI apparently publishes 'Children’s Hospitals Today,' in which you might advertise. It's at http://www.childrenshospitals.net/"


From Leyla Farah:

"Because your organization focuses on the loss of children, something that you might consider is asking people to submit digital photographs of their loved ones that can be assembled into a dynamic online image grid or 'quilt.' The idea of a quilt evokes childhood and memory in very positive ways, and allows for individual expression within a cohesive whole.

"It would make a great story for both national and local press because it’s so visual, and local chapters could generate large-scale graphics that would each be slightly different, but within the same theme."


From Michelle Meacham:

"I bet there’s even a celebrity out there who would be willing to align himself/herself with Compassionate Friends. Eric Clapton quickly comes to mind, since the loss of his young son is quite well known."


The Publicity Hound says: I was going to suggest the celebrity angle, too. Contact Any Celebrity, a subscription service, provides contact information for more than 54,000 celebrities, agents, managers and publicists. Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/lorvx


Read all the responses to this Help This Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/3adgay


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

Kammy Thurman of Laurel, Montana writes:

"I hope your Hounds can help our photography studio, Anchor Photography, at http://www.anchorphotography.net/. We’ve been in business several months and we want to become the most recognizedstudio in our area.

"That will be tough because we’re up against studios that have been in business for 30 to 50 years, and more. I am trying to think of ways to use publicity because the other studios don’t do this, and I know it would build visibility fast. I’m just trying to think of ways to that aren’t blatant advertising."


The Publicity Hound says:

Most of the ideas that my Hounds will suggest, Kammy, won't have even a tiny whiff of advertising. They'll be publicity tactics and strategies so solid, that your competitors won't know what hit 'em. Hounds with ideas for Kammy can post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/yptul3


Jeff Zbar, the 2001 U.S. Small Business Administration's Journalist of the Year, knows all the ways to catch the media's attention. He explained them when he was my guest during a teleseminar called "The Fastest, Cheapest, Easiest Ways to Publicize Your Small Business" at http://tinyurl.com/3tbbp


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

Top 10 things heard at Fido's office Christmas party:

10. "Wow! Check out the hot poodle with Rover."

9. "So I says to him, throw in toilet bowl privileges, and you
got yourself a deal."

8. "Look, I gotta go chase a cab..."

7. "Hey you--cat! You work here?"

6. "Not the Macarena again! Somebody cut off the boss' bar
tab..."

5. "Did you see the neat photocopies of Bowser's rear end?"

4. "Hey, good lookin'. Wanna swing by the ol' doghouse later?"

3. "Who ordered the hot dog pizza with everything?"

2. "Dead Cats--We're Still for 'Em!"

1. "Gainesburgers? Who catered this disaster?"


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

BONUS: Buy the ebook and you also get a compilation of the 50 best websites for dog humor.

http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/


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


Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound:


Dec. 13: Write Like a Journalist Teleseminar:

I'll be one of four guest experts on Bulldog Reporter's 90-minute teleconference "Write Like a Journalist: Newsroom Vets and PR Wordsmiths Reveal How to Write Compelling, Credible Copy That Sells" at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. Come with your questions. Register at http://tinyurl.com/2vuku4


December 13: Product Placement Teleseminar

"How to Get Your Product onto the Sets of Movies & TV Shows," 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Product placement experts Amy Bates Stumpf and Rebecca Lightsey will share the secrets of product placement. Register at http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar.htm


January 21: 2008 smARTist Telesummit

I will teach artists "The New Rules of Press Releases: How to Write Them for Art Buyers and Collectors, Not Only for Journalists" from 1 to 1:45 p.m. Eastern Time. Register for the entire telesummit at http://tinyurl.com/3x35vr If you want a taste of what you'll be learning, you can register for a one-hour teleseminar at 7 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, Jan. 8. Three experts will give away their best marketing advice on how to succeed without sacrificing your artistic voice or wasting tons of time on dry business stuff. To register for that call, click on the link above, then "Register" at the top of the page.


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

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

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


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

PRIVACY STATEMENT: The Publicity Hound® respects your privacy and has a strict anti-spam policy. Read my privacy policy at http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm

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

Publicity tips/Those Annoying Follow-up Calls Nov. 27, 2007

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #374 Nov. 27, 2007
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 36,108

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

Need help with publicity?
See the resources list at
http://www.publicityhound.com/resources.htm


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

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.

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

Save the Dates:

December 3:
Learn "How To Write and Publish a Book, Quicker and Easier Than You Ever Imagined" during a free 90-minute teleseminar at 9 PM Eastern Time on Monday, December 3. Authors, don't miss this one. Sign up at http://tinyurl.com/3ck3xv and see Item #2 below.


January 8:
Artists, learn how to sell more artwork without wasting tons of time on dry business stuff and the wrong marketing strategies. Join Ariane Goodwin for a one-hour teleseminar at 7 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, Jan. 8. Three experts will give away their best marketing advice on how to succeed without sacrificing your artistic voice or wasting tons of time on dry business stuff. It's a preview to her 2008 smARTist telesummit on artist marketing. Sign up at http://tinyurl.com/3x35vr and see Item #4 below.

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

1. Those Annoying Follow-up Calls

2. A Publishing Disaster? Hardly

3. How to Get Onto TV Talk Shows

4. How to be a Star in a YouTube World

5. Promoting a Charitable Giving Campaign

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


======================================
1. Those Annoying Follow-up Calls
======================================

Before you make your next call to a journalist to follow up on something you sent, read the article at http://tinyurl.com/343etg

It was written by Washington Post humor columnist Gene Weingarten, and it's a perfect example of what it's like to be on the receiving end of those annoying follow-up calls from PR people.

I know. I took calls like that during my 22 years in the newspaper industry, and they drove me crazy.

Here are some quick tips for following up:

--Journalists say they hate follow-up calls. Truth is, they hate follow-up calls like the ones Gene Weingarten writes about. If you follow up to offer an additional piece of information only for that journalist, or to suggest an idea for a photo to accompany your earlier story pitch, the journalist might welcome your call.

--Never, ever follow up to ask journalists if they received your press release and if they know when it will be printed. They won't drop what they're doing to talk to you, and they'll quickly brand you as a pest. (Why do PR firms keep doing this?)

--You may have to follow up as many as seven times, using a combination of phone and email, before you hear back. If, after seven follow-ups, you hear nothing, stop calling and emailing.

--If you follow up and hear nothing, never assume the journalist isn't interested. Sometimes, a reporter will print your email message, toss it into an "ideas" folder, then return to it two years later on a slow news day.

Author Jill Lublin interviewed journalists for their best suggestions on following up, and she discussed them during a teleseminar I conducted with her called "Failproof Ways to Follow Up." It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/bmyn7

Thanks to Publicity Hound Meredith Hamilton of Expert Communications in Clearwater, Florida, for letting us know about the Washington Post article.


========================================
2. A Publishing Disaster? Hardly
========================================

C. Ben Bosah, the Ohio man whose publishing fiasco was described in the Wall Street Journal and in this newsletter last week, takes exception of my characterization of his publishing mis-steps as a "disaster."

Publishing his wife's book "Letters to My Sisters: Plain Truths and Straightforward Advice from a Gynecologist," he says, "has been one of my most rewarding ventures in my life and I enjoyed it so thoroughly I am going to do other books next year."

Behm says he has discovered new outlets not traditionally targeted by booksellers, either at the retail or the wholesale level.

"I have forged new relationships and built a network that will be invaluable for my future efforts in publishing," he said. "The book has changed many lives. If your view of success, or lack of, is based on monetary terms, I have completely recouped my initial investment and am presently enjoying 'the long tail, just as muchas I enjoy oxtail.'

"A more apt title for your story may have been A (bumbling) Publisher Finds Success with Debut Book."

The publicity he received in the Wall Street Journal for this book may have been even better than any book review. He got it because he was willing to do something many of us are afraid to do. That is, discuss our mistakes and what we've learned from them.

If you're thinking of writing a book, don't fall into the traps above. And don't do what most authors do: spend two or more years writing the book. Join me for a complimentary 90-minute teleseminar at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, December 3.

My special guest is Adam Witty, who will explain "How To Write and Publish a Book, Quicker and Easier Than You Ever Imagined." More than 500 Publicity Hounds listened in several weeks ago when Adam and Tom Antion delivered a content-rich teleseminar on how to sell books online. I was inundated with emails from happy Hounds who loved their tips. And this call will be equally valuable. Register for this complimentary teleseminar at http://tinyurl.com/3ck3xv


=========================================
3. How to Get onto TV Talk Shows
=========================================

Want to be on national TV?

Get yourself a copy of Steve Harrison's directory/database of top shows. His "Harrison's Guide to the Top National TV Talk & Interviews Shows" gives you key contacts and "how to get booked" info for 259 top shows including Oprah, Good Morning America, Today, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Larry King Live, Bloomberg TV and many more.

In February, Steve will be releasing a brand-new, 100 percent updated edition of his directory/database. To celebrate, through Friday, November 30 at 6 p.m. Eastern Time, he's offering the March 2007 directory to be shipped now, and then will ship you the newest edition as soon as it's published. Go here now to grab your copy:
http://tinyurl.com/kfrzv


=========================================
4. How to be a Star in a YouTube World
=========================================

Attention all you struggling artists, or anybody else looking for an inexpensive, easy way to expand your business.

Today's Wall Street Journal includes an article on creative ways businesses are using video to market their products and services.

Valentina Trevino, for example, a 29-year-old Chicago artist and film-maker, regularly posts videos on YouTube, showing how she created a painting. At the end of her clips, she includes a link to eBay where viewers can buy the featured piece.

So far, as a result of her YouTube videos, she has sold 49 paintings from $500 to $1,000 each.

Video has proven to be a successful marketing tool for two reasons. First, it costs nothing to post to a video-sharing site. Second, it's a creative, personal touch that seldom shows up in traditional ads.

If you want to start using video in your business and you're unsure of how to start, check out the two-CD set "How to Make a Fortune Using Video...Even if You Don't Have a Computer" at http://tinyurl.com/y3b6wj

If you're a starving artist who needs to sell more paintings or artwork, join me for Arianne Goodwin's smARTist telesummit, a series of teleseminars that will show you how become recognized, exhibited, and paid what you're worth. I'm one of the guest presenters. This year's January telesummit attracted artists from eight countries and was so successful that Ariane is presenting it again next year.

You can get a sneak peek during a free one-hour call at 7 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, Jan. 8. Three experts will give awaytheir best marketing advice on how to succeed without sacrificing your artistic voice or wasting tons of time on dry business stuff and the wrong marketing strategies.

Sign up at http://tinyurl.com/3x35vr


============================================
5. Promoting a Charitable Giving Campaign
============================================

This week, five Publicity Hounds have ideas for Harry Hoover of Charlotte, North Carolina. He wants tips on how to promote his "Holiday for Charity" promotion that encourages people to ask for charitable donations in their name in lieu of gifts.


From Stephanie Chandler:

"I recently learned about http://goodsearch.com/, a search engine that donates 50 percent of its revenues to charities and schools. The engine is powered by Yahoo and revenues are derived from advertisers. Perhaps they would be interested in forming a strategic alliance with you?"


From Janet Huey:

"If you’ve been able to track some of the charities that have benefited from your efforts in the past, tie in with their publicity to expand even more."


From The Publicity Hound:

"I wonder what the etiquette consultants have to say about this. Why not Google them, and then email them, tell them what you’re doing, and suggest they use that as fodder for their blogs, newspaper columns, newsletters or whatever."


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


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

Walt Shiel of Lake Linden, Michigan writes:

"Our publishing company has just started working with a local nonprofit foundation that operates an outstanding nature park with miles of beautiful trails and three miles of waterfront land--all of which will soon be connected to the local university's cross-country ski trails. We are casting about for ideas to publicize and promote this free, local resource. Besides providing an excellent recreational outlet for local citizens, we want to come up with some ideas that would feed into the area's broader tourism goals.

"We are in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and tourism and outdoor recreation are our meat and potatoes. We are considering some events to spark media interest beyond just our local print and broadcast media. Also, a website with maps, information, nature guides, and maybe a web cam.

"We just began brainstorming this, and any and all suggestions will be appreciated."


The Publicity Hound says:

It sounds like a winter wonderland, Walt, and I'm betting my Hounds will have some creative ideas for promotion. OK, Hounds, let's help send lots of skiers and other nature lovers to the U.P. If you have an idea, post it at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/2nqmxs


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

Thanks to Publicity Hound Carol Johnson of Schaumburg, Illinois for this one:


A lawyer's dog, running unleashed, ran into the butcher shop and stole a roast. The butcher went to the lawyer's office and asked, "If a dog running unleashed steals a piece of meat from my store, do I have a right to demand payment for the meat from the dog's owner?"

"Absolutely," the lawyer says.

"Then you owe me $8.50. Your dog was loose and stole a roast from me today."

The lawyer, without a word, writes the butcher a check for $8.50.

The next day the butcher opens the mail and finds an envelope from the lawyer: $200 due for a consultations.


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

Fiskars word-of-mouth campaign a success
http://tinyurl.com/3xn9r7


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

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

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

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


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

PRIVACY STATEMENT: The Publicity Hound® respects your privacy and has a strict anti-spam policy. Read my privacy policy at http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm

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

Publicity tips/The incredible shrinking newsroom January 9, 2007

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #328 - Jan. 9, 2007
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.net (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 27,446
=====================================
"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"
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Did You Open My Gift?

More than 2,000 people already have downloaded my new ebook "The Best of The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week of 2006," a compilation of the top 24 tips that evoked the greatest response from readers last year.

It's my holiday gift to you, and there's still plenty of time to offer it to your own clients and customers, and mention it in your own ezine and blog.

Read more about it at http://tinyurl.com/yysrnk and find out how to download last year's "Best of 2005" ebook.
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In This Issue
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1. The Incredible Shrinking Newsroom

2. Oprah's Magazine

3. The Heat Wave

4. So You Want to Write a Book?

5. How to Promote Embroidery Books

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


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1. The Incredible Shrinking Newsroom
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You probably don't pay much attention to this, but many major newspaper companies are slashing staff like never before.

Declining circulation and ad revenues are forcing management to lay off editors, beat reporters, newsroom clerks, photographers and anyone else who they can do without.

During the telephone seminar I conducted yesterday for people in The Publicity Hound Mentor Program, I identified the incredible shrinking newsroom as one of 10 trends that will affect the way we manage our publicity campaigns this year.

Here's what newspaper layoffs mean to you:

--Don't be surprised if you pitch a story to a newspaper and an editor says, "I like the idea. Do you think you can write it yourself?" If that's what you hear, don't get huffy and think, "Why is she asking ME to do HER job?" Instead, get to work writing a balanced article that sounds much like an article a reporter at that publication would write. (If you're in my Mentor Program, I'll show you how, and I'll serve as your personal writing coach.)

--The physical newspaper is shrinking too. So don't forget online versions of newspapers and magazines. Some of these have their own editors, and you need to know who they are. If an article about you is posted online, it usually lives there forever. But the shelf life of a print newspaper totals about 24 hours.

--The phrase "How can I help you?" ranks right up there as perhaps the most important question you can ask a journalist, particularly one who must cover additional beats to make up for the staff shortage.

--Newspapers will rely on freelancers to replace staff writers. So find out which freelancers cover your industry, and get to work building relationships with them.

--Newspapers will be more inclined to accept good-quality photos that can accompany your story. Learn how to take them.

--Pitching succinctly and convincingly is more important than ever. Launch into a rambling pitch while talking to a reporter on the phone and you'll likely hear a "click" on the other end.


Raleigh Pinskey, the master at turning long, boring pitches into tempting 10-second pitches, explained how to do it a during a telephone seminar I conducted with her. "How to Create the Perfect 30-Second Pitch" is available as a CD or electronic transcript you can be reading as soon as your order is approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/6xghx

On the fence about whether to join The Publicity Hound Mentor Program? Read about all the benefits at http://www.publicityhound.com/mentorprogram/intro.html I have two more openings in the program.


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2. Oprah's Magazine
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Is it worth it to wait around for a year or two to get into O, The Oprah Magazine? Or is it smarter to pitch your story idea and, if the editors aren't interested, move on?

Just ask Stephen Shapiro, BJ Gallagher, Dr. Annabelle Volgman and Jeanine Fitzmaurice, all of whom have seen their profiles skyrocket since being in the magazine.

--Stephen Shapiro, author of "Goal-Free Living: How to Have the Life You Want NOW!," says his article in O magazine helped springboard him into Entrepreneur, Investors Business Daily and Family Circle. His speaker bookings increased dramatically. Tom Peters listed him as a "cool friend." And he's shooting a pilot for a TV show.

--BJ Gallagher, author of "Yes Lives in the Land of No," had been trying to attract the attention of a high-powered agent forever. She said: "Just last month, the agent signed me to an exclusive contract representing my next book. Did my O article make her more inclined to say 'yes' to my book proposal? Undoubtedly."

--The volume of patients in Dr. Annabelle Volgman's cardiology program at Rush University Medical Association expanded substantially after she was featured in Oprah's magazine. "O put the program on the map," says publicist Chris Rush.

--Jeanine Fitzmaurice of Design-her Gals, whose company also was featured, notes: "It's sort of like winning the Academy Award. It's definitely a distinction that validates your product like no other publication."

What do these people and their publicists know that you don't know? They know it takes a year, sometimes two, before an editor at the magazine decides to assign a writer to your story. So unless an editor tells "no," don't give up like most others do. This will give you a huge advantage over everyone else who's pitching.

Still, it takes a lot more than just waiting.

You must know exactly what kind of content the magazine publishes. You must know whom to pitch. And you must be sure your pitch is compelling. Then there are all the little extras that can accompany your pitch.

Susan Harrow's new ebook called "Get into O Magazine" includes in-depth interviews with prestigious publicists who regularly get their clients in O; case histories of authors, entrepreneurs and non-profits like you (yes, some just starting out); insidersecrets; hot tips; "off the record" comments; and simple strategies they've used.

Susan is offering the ebook along with other popular products and programs from more than 20 marketing and publicity experts, including me. Learn how to get publicity in every area, whether you're publicizing a speaking engagement or trying to make your next book a best-seller.

The pri*ce goes up Thursday and the event ends Friday, January12. Learn more here: http://tinyurl.com/y54x9y

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3. The Heat Wave
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If you live anywhere in the U.S. except Denver, you may be experiencing a winter with record warm temperatures and little snow.

The media are searching for every angle to this story--from an absence of snowmen to the many species of birds that are staying at home instead of migrating south.

Here are ways to piggyback your story onto the heat wave:

--Remember your TV weather people. They're always looking for fun, interesting "warm winter" news items for the weather segment of the nightly news.

--How does the warmer weather and lack of snow affect your business, particularly if you're a cold-weather business like a ski lodge? What are you doing differently to lure customers?

--I've seen people at the mall wearing shorts in January--a rare sight in Wisconsin. What are you seeing in your neck of the woods? Can you photograph it and offer the photo to your local newspaper?

--How have warm temperatures affected your utility bills? Call your local TV stations if you have last year's and this year's utility bills and can compare them.

--How has warmer weather affected the travel and tourism industry?

Just look around you for lots more ideas. TV reporter Shawne Duperon explains in step-by-step detail how to pitch stories like these to your local TV stations. The teleseminar I conducted with her called "How to Get on the Local TV News Tomorrow" tells you how to identify the "Queen Bee" in every newsroom--the person who decides what gets on the air and what doesn't. It's available as a CD or electronic transcript that you can download as soon as your order is approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/yjrktx


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4. So You Want to Write a Book?
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Self-publishing expert Dan Poynter says everybody has a book inside them just waiting to be written.

If the idea for a book lives inside you, here are several things you should write before you write your book:

--Articles for online article directories

--Reviews of other books for sale at Amazon.com

--A blog

--Comments at other people's blogs

--Letters to the editor of newspapers and magazines

--An electronic newsletter

--Opinion columns

Why? Because it's all part of building your publicity platform. If you want a major publisher to publish your book, or if you choose to self-publish and hope to sell lots of books, you'd better have a strong platform from which to launch it. That means attracting a huge audience of people who already know, like and trust you, and are more willing to buy your book than someone who doesn't already know you.

Susan Harrow, who wrote the O Magazine ebook mentioned above, also advises authors on exactly how to build platform. Major publishers, in particular, usually choose authors who already have platform simply because they have a ready-made audience.

She shares more great tips on "How to Build a Publicity Platform That Leads to a Six-Figure Book Advance," available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order is approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/mplyp


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5. How to Promote Embroidery Books
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This week, three Publicity Hounds have tips for Yvette Stanton of Sydney, Australia, who wants advice on how to market two embroidery books.


From Garth Gibson:

"Can you use the books to teach men how to embroider and maintain their manhood? Certain men may want to embroider to give their wives a special present she wouldn’t expect.

"Maybe you can use embroidery to teach kids with attention problems how to focus on one task at a time.

"Maybe there is a Ukraine population in Australia you could teach traditional Ukrainian embroidery to. I think these things might get you and your book in the news."


From Lois Carter Fay of MarketingIdeaShop.com:

"Create a viral marketing project. Offer one of your simpler projects (one chapter of your book) as a stand-alone, free product. Encourage people to download it and share it. Include a link to your website and possibly a special offer for the book within it."


From The Publicity Hound:

Women who would buy your embroidery books probably buy other books on embroidery. So one of the best ways to reach these buyers is to head over to Amazon.com and start reviewing embroidery books written by your competitors.

Not only can you post book reviews that link back to your website, you can also post lists, articles and other things that will really position you as an embroidery expert.

Don Mitchell and Randy Gilbert explain how to do this on the CD and transcript they produced with me called "How to TurnAmazon.com into a River of Gold." You can learn more about it at http://tinyurl.com/vroek

Read all the responses at http://tinyurl.com/yk5gaw


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6. Help This Hound
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Lisa Tomlinson of Oakland, California writes:

"I have a greeting card, stationery and gift items company that features fine art reproductions of extraordinarily unique mixed-media collage originals created by my brother, Jon Tomlinson. I don't have a bricks-and-mortar shop, but our office and warehouse operations are run out of a 4,000-square-foot facility.

"Our products are sold to retailers, museums and galleries for resale and on our website directly to consumers at http://www.gottagetup.net/main/index.html and our target audience is women ages 18 to 75.

"I would like to get some advice and suggestions from your members on how to promote my business more effectively."


The Publicity Hound says: Lisa and anyone else who sells any kind of artwork, from lawn furniture to jewelry to photographs, should listen to the f*ree teleseminar I'll be doing at 7 p.m. EasternTime this Thursday, January 11, with art marketing expert ArianeGoodwin. I'll be talking about how artists can create online and offline publicity for their artwork. It's a preview of the longer session I'll be doing as part of the smARTist TeleSummit 2007 later this month.
Sign up for Thursday's call at http://tinyurl.com/yxopuo or sign up for the entire telesummit at http://tinyurl.com/ymcvu8

In the meantime, Hounds with advice for Lisa should post it at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/y89ugk


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7. Hound Joke of the Week
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Thanks to Dan Poynter of Santa Barbara, California for this one:

"If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went."

--Will Rogers


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

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


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8. And at My Blog...
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EzineArticles.com adds 16 sports categories
http://tinyurl.com/yzj9s9


David Lawrence Show pitching tips
http://tinyurl.com/yjcofd

Press release from NASA:
8 thing you can learn
http://tinyurl.com/yzoxva


On my blog at http://www.publicityhound.net/, I've made it easy for you to find what you're looking for by dividing my posts into more than 20 categories. Look under the "Topics" arrow on the right side of the blog to find the category you need.

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Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®

January 22, 2007:

Attention Artists--Frustrated that your art "business" is nothing more than an expensive hobby? Wondering about how to become recognized, exhibited, and paid for your art? Feel like there's too much competition, too few buyers and not enough energy left at the end of the day to market like you need to?

You're not alone. That's why Ariane Goodwin will be hosting the global smARTist TeleSummit 2007, a week-long teleconference in January with a dozen art-career experts telling artists everything they need to know about marketing, from exactly when and how to sneak up on a museum for an exhibition, to which presentation materials mark you as a creative professional and which ones scream "amateur." I'm presenting from 2 to 2:45 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, Jan. 22. For complete information on how you can participate, go to http://tinyurl.com/ymcvu8 Spaces are already filling up fast.


March 17, 2007: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

"Savvy Media Relations: How to Get Print, Broadcast and Online Publicity." 8 a.m. to noon. Details pending.

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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."

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

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Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound®
3434 County KK
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Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737