Publicity tips/This Drives TV Producers Crazy August 5, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #410 Aug. 5, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 50,043

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

"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.

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

Facebook Teleseminar Will be Sold Out

With more than a week to go before next week's teleseminar series on "How to Use LinkedIn to Promote," more than half the seats have been sold. And I expect this teleseminar series to be sold out. If you have a previous commitment and can't attend, sign up anyway at http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar/facebook.htm You'll receive the MP3 audio and the electronic transcripts.

If you think Facebook is just for kids, see Item #2 below.

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

1. This Drives TV Producers Crazy

2. Facebook Group Coolest of the Cool

3. 12 Ways to Sell Social Media to Your Boss

4. Party Publicity Perfect for the Web

5. Promoting Natural Hair Care Products

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

=======================================
1. This Drives TV Producers Crazy
=======================================

It's one of the biggest mistakes self-promoters make when they try to get onto a local or national TV talk show. And it drives producers and guest bookers crazy.

People send press kits, copies of their books, samples of their products, galley proofs, photos, Cds and DVDs.

They send obnoxious tchotchkies, invitations that include handfuls of glitter or confetti, and press releases inside big boxes that are wrapped to resemble gifts, or inside cardboard tubes that are impossible to open.

They even send food that turns stale by the time it reaches the intended recipient.

What do you suppose goes on in the minds of the producers when they receive it? And what do you suppose happens to all that stuff?

My friend, Steve Harrison, created a neat little video that will help you see what life is like through a producer's eyes. It will also tell you the Number One secret about how to get national publicity for a book, product or service.

Take a look: http://www.TheBigSecretToGettingPublicity.com/?10011


============================================
2. Facebook Group 'Coolest of the Cool' ============================================

They're known simply as "The Bill Sobel Breakfasts" and if you live or work near New York City, they're a cool way to network with cool people.

So says Bill, who refers to himself as the "chief connections officer." He's a master networker and a consultant who connects people who market products, technologies and services for media and entertainment.

A former TV executive, he hosts the breakfasts in Midtown Manhattan about once a month, primarily for those in the media and entertainment industries. But anybody can come.

Each breakfast is a two-and-a-half-hour schmoozefest with big- name speakers like:

- -Bob Pittman, "the father of MTV."

- -Bill Rassmussen, the founder of ESPN.

- -Jeff Price, president of Sports Illustrated digital media.

- -Fred Seibert, former president of Hanna Barbera

- -David Poltrack, executive vice president and chief research officer of CBS Inc.

(Hounds, are you paying attention?)

If you're a member of Bill's breakfast bunch and buy a ticket for $30, or you're a non-member who pays $50, and you want him to introduce you to one of the big wigs, "I'll do it in a heartbeat."

He started hosting the breakfasts in June 2006 as a place where executives in the media and entertainment industries could meet with peers, share ideas and develop friendships with the goal of assisting each other in reaching the next level or their personal goals. To keep track of his followers, Bill started a Yahoo group. When he heard about Facebook last year, he created a Facebook group called "New York Media Information Exchange Group."

Here's what happened when he started posting information about upcoming breakfast speakers to his Facebook page:

"The floodgates opened. It was as if I had a faucet that hadn't been turned on in years," he said. "The email addresses I had accumulated suddenly went from a few hundred to a few thousand."

And as a result, attendance at the breakfasts jumped.

Learn how you, too, can promote your events, books, speaking engagements, or any other service or product on Facebook. Jason Alba will be my guest expert during two teleseminars Aug. 13 and 14 on "How to Use Facebook to Promote Your Business or Nonprofit." I expect this series to be sold out. Register at http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar/facebook.htm


============================================
3. 12 Ways to Sell Social Media to the Boss ============================================

Some people still don't get it.

They think social media sites like LinkedIn and Twitter are a colossal waste of time.

They want to maintain "total control" over what people are saying about their brand online. (Psssst: There is no such thing as total control online.)

They still think it's far more effective to use traditional media like newspapers, magazines, TV and radio for publicity. But they fail to understand that all four industries are seeing lower advertising revenues due in large part to competition from the Internet. And they're cutting staff like never before.

Unfortunately, many of the people who don't understand social media marketing are bosses. Please don't give up on trying to convince your boss.

Check out Chris Brogan's list of "Twelve Ways to Sell Social Media to Your Boss" at http://tinyurl.com/5ujkgw

Then plan to meet me at Ragan Communications' Social Media Summit Sept. 10-12 in Chicago. I worked out a special arrangement with Ragan. Publicity Hounds get $100 off the price of registration, plus another $100 off for early-bird registration if you use this link: http://www.ragan.com/publicityhound

See you in Chicago! Be sure to let me know if you're going and we'll make plans to have coffee.


=======================================
4. Party Publicity Perfect for the Web
=======================================

Black-tie charity fund-raisers. Employee picnics. Corporate holiday celebrations. Anniversary parties for your business.

Regardless of what you're celebrating, shoot video and offer it to your local weekly or daily newspapers. They're under tremendous pressure to produce video for the web and, truth be told, they usually despise covering these kinds of events. I know I did when I worked as a newspaper reporter.

Thanks to videographer John Easton of Charlotte, North Carolina, for tipping us off to this interview he did with Dave Enna, the senior producer of the Charlotte Observer's Web partner, Charlotte.com.

It gives you a good idea of kinds of videos that make perfect content for the web. Read the entire interview at http://www.customerflypaper.com/?p=53

Then learn how to create videos, without spending a fortune on high-fangled equipment you don't know how to use. John was my guest during a teleseminar on "9 Clever Ways to Use Video to Become a Media Darling in Your Industry or Community." We recorded it, and it's available as a CD, or as an electronic transcript or MP3 that you can download as soon as your order has been approved.

Learn how to become a media darling right now at http://tinyurl.com/5pbgzn


========================================
5. Promoting Natural Hair Care Products ========================================

This week, seven Publicity Hounds have tips on how Dalia Wallach of New York, New York, can get more consumers to experiment with her line of specialty hair care products called Get Glow.


From Yvette Stanton:

"How about offering free samples to some of the best salons in your local area, to get started?...Also, have you considered the angle of travelers' toiletries? With the new liquids and gels regulations on airlines, if you have a small enough bottle, you could corner the market in travelers' needs. If, as you say, you'll have to wash your hair less, a mini bottle could potentially last a whole 2- to 3-week vacation, and certainly a short business trip. To promote these sizes, get your product into hotels and airline magazines." (See Special Report #29: Fly High with Publicity in the Inflight Magazines at http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/reports.html)


From Yves Marie Danie Baptiste:

"Develop a profile on sites like Ryze, Facebook and LinkedIn. You can share your expertise there." (See "How to Use LinkedIn to Promote Anything--Ethically & Powerfully" at http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar/linkedin.htm )


From Candy Taylor Tutt:

"Both men and women whose hair gets exposed to chlorine will benefit from your product. Contact health clubs/gyms that have swimming pools. If your shampoos come in a small size they might stock them for their clients!"


Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/6obj9l


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


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

Kevin Gardiner of Tolland, Connecticut writes:

"I am the president of Tune Rooms at http://www.tunerooms.com which is a social network for musicians that lets users to collaborate in virtual song-writing sessions.

"Since we launched our site, we've received overwhelmingly positive feedback. But the main gripe is that we don't have enough users. I need to figure out how to grow the community base.

"Can your Hounds suggest some ways that we can raise awareness of our site to musicians ages 13 and up, at all skill levels, so they can visit the site and collaborate? I believe in our product, but the size of the community is what will make Tune Rooms most useful for musicians."


The Publicity Hound says:

What a fun idea! I'll bet being a musician can get pretty lonely, especially when you have writer's block. Hounds with great ideas can post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/6fgxc9


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

Thanks to Jurek Leon from Willetton, Western Australia for this one:

Two drunks were about to board the train at 10 p.m. when they saw the sign "Dogs must be carried."

"Hold it," one of them said. "Where are we gonna get a dog at this time of night?"


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

McDonald's iced coffee showing up on TV news desks
http://tinyurl.com/5nf9hl


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/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,
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 Worst TV Talk Show Guest Ever April 1, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #392 April 1, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 44,041

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

"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.

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

Hiring a VA or a Summer Intern?

Smart PR agencies and publicists are interviewing right now for summer interns to help with clients' publicity campaigns. These assistants can do everything from writing press releases and updating press kits to doing online research and tracking down bloggers.

If you're hiring an intern or a virtual assistant to help with any aspect of publicity, don't spend weeks training them before they start producing results. Let me train them for you.

"How to Help Your Boss or Client with a Publicity Campaign" is a graduate-level course for assistants, virtual assistants and interns. It gives them dozens of tools and resources that many professional PR people don't know about. And it walks them step-by-step through more complicated tasks that most people would never think of turning over to an assistant. Things like article writing and search engine optimization.

Read more about what I can teach your assistant at http://www.publicityhound.com/PHU_AssistantsCourse.htm

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

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

1. The Worst TV Talk Show Guest Ever

2. When 'Oprah' Features Your Competitor

3. Book Waiver Forms

4. 'The Office' Returns

5. Promoting Garage Sale Signs

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. At My Blog...

===================================
1. The Worst TV Talk Show Guest Ever
===================================

When Madonna appeared on "The Late Show with David Letterman" on March 31, 1994, her coarse language made the episode the most censored in American network television talk-show history.

It also resulted in some of the highest ratings of Letterman's late-night career.

Three year's later, when Farrah Fawcett appeared on Letterman's show, either drunk or stoned or both, Letterman made the most of the interview, interjecting comments like "time to get into a 12-step program" into the conversation, without her even realizing he was making fun of her.

Then there's Adam Green, a singer/songwriter and member of the now-defunct band Moldy Peaches, who appeared on "Total tv," a late-night German TV talk show, recently.

After host Stefan Raab introduced him, Green sauntered onto the stage, beer bottle in hand, then jumped onto the couch next to Raab's desk and almost landed on his head. Swigging from the bottle periodically, he gave one of the oddest interviews I've ever seen.

At one point, he joked about serving in Iraq. He sat on the host's lap and kissed him. Then he threw the beer bottle at a member of the production crew. He missed, and the bottle shattered on stage. Green ranks right up there as one of the worst TV talk show guests ever.

Judge for yourself by watching the video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=XfBIz-NyQFY

Celebrity guests can often get away with disobeying one of the commandments that no other guest can break on a TV talk show: Never, ever embarrass the host.

Embarrassing the host also means:

- -Holding up your book on camera and pitching it

- -Hogging the spotlight and not letting the host control the conversation

- -Continuing to talk when it's time for a commercial break

If you're trying to get onto TV talk shows, know what's expected of you before, during and after the show. Know the 6 traits every talk show host is looking for. Know how to avoid the "freeze and squeeze" mistake that can make you sound like you're 10 years old. And the nine other commandments you must follow during taped interviews.

TV personality Connie Dieken explained them all during an interview she 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 "How to be a TV Talk Show Host's Dream Date" at http://publicityhound.net/cdtvtalkshowdreamdate


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2. When 'Oprah' Features Your Competitor
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If you're dying to get onto "Oprah," one of the worst things that can happen to you is having Oprah pass you over in favor of one of your competitors.

Unless you're Santosh Krinskey of Lotus Brands, a company in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin that sells neti pots. A neti pot is a miniature watering can that resembles an Aladdin's lamp. People like me, who are susceptible to sinus infections, use neti pots regularly to keep sinus passages clean.

Fill the pot with a homemade mixture of salt water. Hang your head over a sink. Shove the pot's long spout up one nostril. Turn your head to one side and let the water flow through your sinus cavity and drip out the other nostril. It sounds gross and uncomfortable, but it works.

Last April, Santosh didn't see the "Oprah" segment on nasal irrigation, in which she featured a neti pot from one of his competitors. But within hours after the show was broadcast, he was deluged with orders.

He air-freighted 300,000 pots immediately. Two months later, he started ordering 220,000 pots a month for the rest of the year from his Chinese supplier.

But it didn't end there. The neti pot show was aired again in November and December last year, resulting in another tidal wave of sales. Santosh estimates he sold 750,000 neti pots as a result or his competitor's publicity.

That's probably because many people still aren't familiar with neti pots. So when they saw the Oprah segment, they didn't go shopping for a particular brand.

If your competitor ends up on "Oprah" and is hawking a certain book or another product that appears, you probably won't be as lucky as Santosh. Susan Harrow shows you how to tilt the odds of being on the show in your favor. My interview with her called "How to Get Booked on Oprah" includes advice on how to tap into Oprah's hot-button topics. Susan explains what producers are listening for when they hear your pitch and the little "extras" that will make Oprah's producers more interested in you.

The interview 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://publicityhound.net/cdoprah


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3. Book Waiver Forms
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If an author asks to interview you and write about your business for a new book, don't be a pain in the neck.

Give a great interview. When the author sends you a waiver form that explains who gets rights to the information and how the publisher can use it, read it. Unless there's a major problem with what the publisher wants, sign the form without a lot of fanfare or complaining.

Some people raise such a huge stink over these forms that the "negotiations" last for weeks. The interview subject assumes the role of editor and even asks for a rewrite. In some cases, the deadline lapses, and the frustrated author is forced to leave the complainer out of the book.

Publicity Hound Shelley Hunter, who helped research and write the new book "The Million-Dollar Idea in Everyone" by Mike Collins, tipped me off to this problem. Wiley published the book, but it was her job to obtain the author waiver forms from business people mentioned in it.

"While most professionals faxed back signed waivers immediately with a note of thanks, a few made the process very difficult--asking for changes to the standard waiver, insisting on seeing the completed manuscript before signature, withholding permission unless we'd change non-essential words, and so forth.

"Some delayed so long that we had no choice but to scramble and replace their stories. One woman even withdrew permission because she didn't want to contribute to a book authored by a man (I'm not kidding!)"

Ironically, Shelley says, the people who created the most fuss were those whose businesses are relatively new. The more experienced entrepreneurs returned their waivers without issue.

Getting into books is part of building a publicity platform. The more books you're in, the more TV and radio shows you're on, the more newspapers and magazines you're in, the bigger your platform. And the bigger your platform, the greater the chance that a major publishing house will publish your book. But don't even think of seeking a publisher unless you already have a huge platform.

"How to Create a Publicity Platform That Leads to a Six-Figure Book Advance" walks you step-by-step through the process of building platform so you have an edge over the thousands of other authors who are courting publishers.

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

Read more about what you'll learn at http://publicityhound.net/cdbookadvance


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4. 'The Office' Returns
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Attention product placement watchers.

NBC's hit series "The Office" returns at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, April 10.

The show is known for, among other things, its liberal use of branded products on the set. Some companies--like Staples, Sandals Resorts, Hewlett-Packard, Gateway and Cisco, for instance--pay big bucks to get their brands in front of viewers.

If you have a consumer product that you want to get onto a popular TV show or onto the set of a movie, you don't necessarily have to negotiate expensive product placement agreements like those companies have. Often, production coordinators will accept all kinds of products, from bottled water to artsy jewelry, and place them on the set for free.

Amy Bates Stumpf and Rebecca Lightsey, both experts at product placement, explained during an interview I conducted with them "How to Get Your Consumer Products onto the Sets of Movies & TV Shows" that the hard part is getting through to the right person.

They explained how the magic of technology can place your product onto sitcoms that have been in syndication for several years, how to build relationships with set designers, the types of products that are most in demand on the sets of TV shows and movies, and how to track down and pitch the correct people who have the power to get your products on the screen.

The interview 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://publicityhound.net/cdproductplacement


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5. Promoting Garage Sale Signs
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This week, 10 Publicity Hounds have tips on how Nycole Pederson of Eden Prairie, Minnesota can promote her company's chic, funky, sassy garage/yard sale signs.


From Lisa Romeo:

"Find all the mom/parent bloggers in a group of targeted cities/suburban regions, as well as those whose topics touch on real estate, moving, home renovation, etc. and give away signs to those folks."


From Julie Parvis:

"Have you considered placing a classified ad on eBay? There are several categories that accept ads where you might fit in. Under specialty services, there are sub-categories such as printing & personalization, artistic services or graphic & logo design.

"Or under business & industrial, there's a sub-category called office printing & shipping. There are ads there for banners, etc. Look through the ads and see where you think you might fit. Not all categories are allowing classified ads yet."


From Kathleen Lisson:

"I suggest holding an online contest to select a design for your newest garage sale sign. Have contestants submit digital photos of their signs and post the finalists on your site with a readers’ poll that will determine the winner.

"Send details of the contest to garage sale/home organization/life coach bloggers and also send localized releases to the media markets of each of your finalists, complete with a digital picture of the local finalist’s sign.

"I watch a show on cable called Clean House. It’s all about garage sales and home organization. Could you donate a few signs to their efforts?"


The Publicity Hound says:

How about creating short videos that show you creating the signs, and posting them to video-sharing sites like YouTube? The search engines give high ranking to videos, and they'll pull traffic into your website. Start creating videos today, with help from the 2-CD set "How to Make a Fortune using Video, Even if You Don't Have a Computer." Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/y3b6wj


Read all the responses at http://publicityhound.net/helpthishound/garagesalesigns


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


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6. Help This Hound
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Natasha Henry of Laurel, Maryland writes:

"I'm a communications writer for a federal credit union in Maryland. Earlier this year, we launched a year-long savings campaign in which members who make monthly deposits into their accounts get a chance to win several thousand dollars in cash prizes through monthly and quarterly drawings. When members continue making deposits every month, they have a chance to win a $20,000 cash prize in December of this year.

"I'm interested in learning what type of affordable publicity ideas your Hounds would have for a campaign of this type. I'd like to present some low-cost promotional ideas and pitches to see if any of them can be done.

"Our level of media coverage is typically within local newspapers, national trade journals and local TV news station coverage. However, we have been mentioned in one national paper to my knowledge, which was the Wall Street Journal, on the topic of employee wellness programs. "

The Publicity Hound says:

Tying children into your campaign--specifically, how to teach children to save money, would be one angle. Let's see how many more ideas my Hounds can come up with. Hounds with great ideas for Natasha can post them to my blog at http://publicityhound.net/blogcreditunion


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7. Hound Joke of the Week
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Cat's motto:

No matter what you've done wrong, always try to make it look like the cat did it.


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

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

Http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/


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8. At My Blog...
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Publicity plan should target blogs and ezines
http://publicityhound.net/blogezines


Promote your expertise with these five tips http://publicityhound.net/blogpromoteyourexpertise


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Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound


April 22: Shorewood, Wisconsin

"Savvy Media Relations: How to Get FREE Online & Offline Publicity," 8:30 to noon, and "The New Rules of Press Releases: How to Write Them for Consumers, Not Only for Journalists," 1 to 3:30 p.m.; North Star, 4515 W. Oakland Ave., sponsored by the Shorewood Business Improvement District. Tickets are $75 each or $65 for two or more persons. To register, contact Barb Caprile at barb@shorewood.com or 414-962-7008.


April 30: Teleseminar

"How to Create a Media Plan," part of the teleseminar series "Intro to Internet Marketing" for health professionals. Perfect for doctors, nurses, spa owners, holistic health counselors, massage therapists, etc. Register at http://publicityhound.net/introinternetmarketing


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