Publicity Tips/Like Rats on a Sinking Ship Apr 7, 2009

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #445 April 7, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

Circulation: 41,324

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

Receive this seine 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.


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

Social Media Teleseminar Tomorrow, April 8:


Puzzled about the return on investment you'll get by
participating in social media?

David Mathison, once an unknown author, has one success story
after another to share about what has happened to him as a result
of joining the conversation at sites like Twitter, Facebook and
LinkedIn.

While writing his book "Be the Media: How to Create and
Accelerate Your Message...Your Way," he spent time on those sites
and others and has one success story after another to share with
you.

David will join me for a complimentary teleseminar from 3 to 4
p.m. Eastern Time tomorrow and explain how to use social media to
create a huge following and sell more books, products or
services. Only 200 people will be able to participate. Register
at http://www.Publicityhound.com/teleseminardavemathison.htm

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

1. Like Rats on a Sinking Ship

2. Google Measures Your Influence

3. Let 'em Know You Twitter

4. Before You Write a Nonfiction Book...

5. Advice for Twitter 'Unfollowers'

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=================================
1. Like Rats on a Sinking Ship
=================================

Those newspaper and magazine journalists you're pitching are
grumpier than ever.

You'd be grumpy, too, if you had an ax hanging over your head.

The 2009 PRWeek/PR Newswire Media Survey shows that half of the
2,174 journalists surveyed this year are considering careers
outside of journalism.

Doug Elfman, entertainment columnist at the Las Vegas Review-
Journal describes the situation like this:

"I know several people who have changed careers or have
considered changing their careers because they don't want to feel
like rats on a sinking ship anymore."

That confirms what I'm hearing from my friends in the newspaper
business.

PRWeek's survey results also show:

--70 percent of journalists are working harder this year than
last.

--They're taking on more work on the Web, where publishers
feel they have the best chance of recouping lost revenues.

--At magazines like Teen Vogue, journalists produce numerous
daily online-only items and blog posts to tide over readers
between issues.

--The number of journalists who have a social networking profile
has increased from 54 percent last year to 77 percent this year.
Many of them say they look for story ideas, sources and other
information on sites like Facebook and Twitter.


What this means to you:

--Pay attention to a newspaper's or magazine's website, not only
the printed edition. You might find many more opportunities for
publicity online than offline.

--The emphasis on the Web means journalists are no longer "print
journalists" or "broadcast journalists." They are all "multi-
media journalists." So think "multi-media" when you pitch by
offering a video clip for a newspaper's or TV station's website.

--If you're obsessed with generating publicity in traditional
media, you need to have a presence on the social networking
sites, where many journalists hunt for stories.

--Position yourself as a helpful source who's willing to go the
extra distance. Many journalists are still confused about how to
use sites like Facebook and Twitter. If you can help them by
showing them, in step-by-step detail, how to do something like
search Twitter by topic, you could score points.


If you're creating video for, let's say, your local newspaper,
you can recycle it in other ways for additional publicity.
Videographer John Easton does it all the time in Charlotte, North
Carolina, and the local chamber of commerce and TV stations love
him. During a teleseminar I hosted, he explained how you can do
what he does without fancy equipment or much techie know-how. "9
Clever Ways to Use Video to Become a Publicity Darling in Your
Industry or Community" is available as a CD, MP3 or electronic
transcript that you can download as soon as your order has been
approved.

Read more about how to use the power of video for publicity at
http://tinyurl.com/5pbgzn


=================================
2. Google Measures Your Influence
=================================

If you're one of the many people who thinks Twitter is a waste of
time and you refuse to participate, please reconsider.

Rumors have been circulating that Google is interested in buying
Twitter, the micro-blogging site that lets users send messages of
no more than 140 characters to everyone who follows them.

For now, it's nothing more than gossip. But if there's a nugget
of truth to the rumor, here's how it could affect you.

Google, the granddaddy of search engines, already measures your
influence.

Let's say you sell dog toys and somebody types "dog toys" into
the Google search box. Google will rank your site on the left
side of the screen according to several factors. One of the
biggest is whether your site includes those keywords in the title
bar, description, meta tags and copy on your website.

Another factor is how many other influential websites link to
yours.

It gives high ranking to videos, too. When Google bought YouTube
for $1.65 billion in October 2006, that was the company's way of
screaming "We think videos are important."

Same with Twitter.

If Google buys Twitter, chances are good that one of the factors
it will use to measure your influence is your Twitter presence,
how often you tweet and how often you join the conversation.

If your competitors are on Twitter but you're not, what kind of
message do you think that will send to Google?

At Stompernet's Internet marketing seminar in Atlanta last month,
several speakers predicted that the search engines will place a
greater emphasis on your influence in the social networking
world.

Already, you can measure your influence on Twitter with a variety
of tools and applications. One of them is Twitalyzer at
http://twitalyzer.com/twitalyzer/index.asp

Type in your Twitter name, and it will grade your impact and
success in social media according to several factors: relative
influence, signal-to-noise ratio, generosity, velocity and clout.

Compare your score to the scores of your competitors.

If you ranked really low, you can boost your score by
understanding all the ways you can join in the conversation and
be helpful to the people who follow you. Warren Whitlock
explained how to do this, and he gave dozens of tips when he was
my guest during a teleseminar on "How to Use Twitter to Amass an
Army of Followers, Customers & Valuable Contacts--and Promote."

We recorded it and it's available as a package of electronic
transcripts and your choice of CDs or MP3s that you can download
immediately. Read more about what you'll learn at
http://tinyurl.com/3lbcaw


=========================================
3. Let 'em Know You Twitter
=========================================

Hardly a day goes by when the mainstream media isn't reporting on
Twitter. It's obvious many journalists and broadcasters are still
confused about the value of this site.

If you Twitter, particularly for business, and you're seeing a
return on your investment, offer yourself as a source for this
story. Explain what has happened to you since you started
Twittering, how many followers you have, how much time you spend,
how many valuable contacts you've made, and how many clients or
customers you've generated.

Consider pitching this story to your local business journal,
daily and weekly newspapers, TV stations and even your trade
journals.

How about offering a short list of three or four Twitter tools or
apps you use that save you time and help keep you organized? I
blogged about a cool directory that separates all these tools by
category. You can find it at http://tinyurl.com/cwcnwq


===========================================
4. Before You Write a Nonfiction Book...
===========================================

Don't write one word until you've made a long list of all the
ways you can use that book as a springboard to other products and
services.

Too many authors view the book as the end product. Then, if the
book doesn't sell, they're stuck.

Smart authors use their books as calling cards. The book
"upsells" readers to a variety of other products and services.

After working with more than 9,000 authors over the last 20
years, Steve Harrison has learned that the most successful
authors simply do seven key things differently than poor authors.

Some of them are very famous bestsellers, like the creators of
the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and Rich Dad Poor Dad.

Others are happily not-so-famous but quietly raking in high six-
figure and even seven-figure annual incomes without ever being on
Oprah or hitting any bestseller list.

To learn what wildly successful authors know that poor authors
don't, join him for a free 75-minute telephone seminar at 7 p.m.
Eastern Time tonight, April 7. There's no cost to participate in
the call (except for your normal long distance charges) so go
here now and sign up:

http://www.freepublicity.com/RichAuthorSecrets/?10011


========================================
5. Advice for Twitter 'Unfollowers'
========================================

This week, eight Publicity Hounds have tips for Dan Janal of
Shorewood, Minn., owner of PRLeads.com. He subscribes to
Qwitter.com at http://UseQwitter.com and wants advice on what to
do when the service notifies him that one of his Twitter
followers has "unfollowed" him.


From David Kadavy:

"For me, it's not about reciprocity, it's about genuine
relationships and useful information. Follow that principle and
you'll know when it's right to unfollow someone."


From Gail Sideman:

"I have a small follower base compared to many of those with whom
I have Twitter relationships, but can say that all I choose to
follow are valuable minds in their industries or are lots of fun.
If they unfollow me, I'm not going to analyze why. You can't
please everybody, especially in a base as broad as social media."


From Meryl Evans:

"I signed up for Qwitter a long time ago and forgot about it.
Suddenly, it hit me with a bunch of unfollowers. Obviously, the
service was flaky. Nonetheless, I unsubscribed to the service
after that. It's just not worth getting hurt or emotional about
those who stop following you."


Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question
http://tinyurl.com/cnb3b2

I'm running low on HTH questions. Send your own Help this Hound
question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=HelpThisHound and include your city and state.


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

Karen Nardella of Conway, N.H. writes:

"I am a sole proprietor who owns the Emporium Consignment Outlet
and Home Staging Center, a consignment shop for high-end
furniture in Conway, N.H.

"I sell gently-used, high-quality, brand-name furniture such as
Ethan Allan, and I pay the owner 55 percent of the sale. All the
furniture is no more than 10 years old.

"With the sagging economy, what's the best way on a very tight
budget to spread the word about what I'm doing? I need to attract
the attention of people who have furniture to sell as well as
people who can't afford new furniture. What tips can your Hounds
share with me, either through traditional marketing channels or
by generating publicity?"


The Publicity Hound says:

The bad economy presents all kinds of great tie-ins to your
pitches. Let's see how many ideas my Hounds can suggest. If you
have a great idea for Karen, post it to my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/dyscmt


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

Dogs have owners. Cats have staff.


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

Massive Twitter directory lists tools, apps galore
http://tinyurl.com/cnnz6n


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

Where to See & Hear The Publicity Hound:


April 8, 2009

Teleseminar with David Mathison on how to use social media to
sell books and other products. 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern.
http://www.Publicityhound.com/teleseminardavemathison.htm


Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound


Friend me on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joan_Stewart/541605146


Connect with me on LinkedIn:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound


Permission to Reprint:

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

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

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

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

Privacy Statement:

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

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

Publicity Tips/No Bio? No Thanks Mar 24, 2009

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #443 March 24, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ Blog)

Circulation: 41,708

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

"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.

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

It's Tuesday, and I'm Here to Stay:

Eight out of 10 Publicity Hounds who took my customer profile
survey want this newsletter to stay just as it is--delivered
every Tuesday instead of a sliced and diced version with tips
scattered throughout the week, like I was considering doing.

So Tuesday it is.

I've been publishing for eight and a half years and still going
strong--thanks to the helpful Hounds who share their success
stories, questions, publicity tips and, of course, dog jokes.

Next week, I'll announce the lucky winner of the Kindle 2.

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

1. No Bio? No Thanks

2. Meet Mr. Tweet

3. 10 Dead or Dying PR Tactics

4. Top Search Term: Craigslist

5. Where to Find Pro Bono PR Interns

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=================================
1. No Bio? No Thanks
=================================

Almost two-thirds of the people who use Twitter don't have a bio
or a link listed on their profile, the 160-character description
just under their avatar.

So what's the big deal?

Does having a bio and website link in your Twitter profile really
make a difference in the number of followers you have?

Absolutely.

The Hubspot Internet Marketing Blog has crunched the numbers and
says that users with a bio have over eight times more followers,
on average, than users without a bio. Users with a link have over
7.5 times as many followers as users without.

Power users (Twitter users with high Twitter grades) are even
less likely to follow you if you don't have a bio and link.
Users with a bio have over 15.5 times more power followers than
those without a bio. Users with a link have over 22 times more
power followers than without.

You can check out all the findings at http://budurl.com/f52e

I didn't see anything about the quality of the profiles, but I'm
betting that the typical Twitter user who reads somebody else's
bio and sees nothing remotely interesting is gone in a flash
without ever clicking "Follow."

What a shame. Another potential follower--maybe even a customer--
lost forever. It doesn't have to be that way.

Social networking expert Nancy Marmolejo says your bio should
communicate immediately what you do, who your target audience is,
and how you can help people. Mix in some fun and people will
practically be begging to be part of your tribe.

During a teleseminar last month, Nancy gave tips galore on how to
customize your bios for different social networking sites so you
turn visitors into clicks and clicks into customers. "Can Your
Social Networking Profile Pass the 10-Second Test?" is available
as a CD, MP3 or electronic transcript that you can read as soon
as your order is approved.

Read more about how to get started writing a sizzling bio that
really pulls 'em in and makes 'em want to stay at
http://budurl.com/xcqh


=================================
2. Meet Mr.Tweet
=================================

Here's a way to build followers quickly on Twitter without
resorting to those obnoxious black-hat tricks that some of the
slimy Internet marketers are using--and even selling.

Meet Mr. Tweet, your new best friend, at http://mrtweet.net/

He's your personal networking agent who helps you expand your
network. To do that, he helps you regularly:

--Find relevant followers by recommending you to them.

--Discover great people relevant to your current needs.

--Improve your Twitter usage via useful statistics.

Just go to the website and click on the blue bar that says
"Follow Mr. Tweet." Since I started using him last week, I've
gained several hundred followers.

Now then, if you want to know the tactics that underhanded
Twitterers are using to add thousands of followers every day,
read blogger Chris Cree's step-by-step instructions--and his
warning--at http://budurl.com/gametwitter

I wouldn't stoop that low and prefer, instead, the five steps of
Twitter success: Follow. Reply. Retweet. Share. Repeat.


Warren Whitlock says that retweeting other people's tweets is
one of the best ways to encourage them to retweet yours--
especially if you're planning to introduce a new product or
service or you're launching a book, and you want the world to
know.

The power of retweeting was one of dozens of tips he shared
during the teleseminar on "How to Use Twitter to Amass an Army of
Followers, Customers & Valuable Contacts--and Promote." It's
available as electronic transcripts and your choice of CDs or
MP3s.

Read more about other ways to build your Twitter tribe and win
their loyalty at http://budurl.com/la38


===========================================
3. 10 Dead or Dying PR Tactics
===========================================

If you work in PR, you might be discouraged to learn that you're
spending the better part of your day on what Steve Mullen
identifies as "10 Dead or Dying PR Tactics."

He's a social media PR blogger who stirred up a controversy
recently with his list:

--Newspaper-based media relations strategy

--Deskside reporter meetings

--Media packets

--Video news releases

--Audio news releases

--Media Map

--Blast faxing

--Mailed newsletters

--Bacon's Media Guides

--Mailed reporter pitches

You can read his reasons, at http://budurl.com/mn5s

I agree with most of his choices except for mailed newsletters.
With postage skyrocketing, fewer businesses are using them.

That means top-quality newsletters packed with helpful content
can really attract attention.

My vote for the one PR tactic I wish would make the list but it
refuses to go away: those ubiquitous ground-breaking, ribbon-
cutting, check-passing photos. Will somebody please slay these
ugly dinosaurs?

No self-respecting Publicity Hound would even THINK of resorting
to them, particularly those who hear PR guy Dan Collins' ideas
for cool media events and clever publicity stunts that attract
far more attention the cliche photos.

"Fun Alternatives to Boring Ground-breakings, Ribbon-cuttings &
Check-passings" is available as a CD or electronic transcript
that you can be reading as soon as your order is approved. Read
more about your clever options at http://budurl.com/9pyj


=======================================
4. Top Search Term: Craigslist
=======================================

For the first time in three years, searches for "Craigslist," the
world's largest classified ad bulletin board, surpassed
"MySpace."

Hitwise Intelligence says "Craigslist" searches increased 105
percent for the week ending March 14, compared with the same week
last year.

The economic downturn, it says, is responsible.

That's easy to understand. People are hunting for jobs, used
cars, gently used furniture and who knows what else.

All those extra eyeballs means this is the ideal time to use
Craigslist as part of your publicity campaign.

The Community category is my favorite for publicity. Its sub-
categories include activities, artists, groups, pets, events,
musicians, local news, politics, volunteers and classes.

The Services category includes "Small Biz Ads" and "Gigs" which
are idea for people looking for clients and customers.

But remember, you can only post to the Craigslist closest to
where you live. And you can't post the same message to more than
one category, or Craig can throw you off the list.

Nancy Mills, an expert on how to use Craigslist in all sorts of
clever and creative ways, says the writing style of a Craigslist
post should be very different than the standard press release.
She explained why when she was my guest during a teleseminar on
"How to Use Craigslist as a Global Publicity Tool."

It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can
download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved.
Read more about how to get started using Craigslist as one of
your most valuable publicity tools at
http://budurl.com/craigslistnumberone


========================================
5. Where to Find Pro Bono PR Interns
========================================

This week, three Publicity Hounds have tips for Mitchell
Teplitsky of New York, NY, who is distributing a documentary film
himself. He is looking for suggestions on where he can find
interns or PR firms that do pro bono work.

From Kathy Magrino:

"Contact NY/NJ colleges and universities to promote and advertise
the internship opportunity."

From Bruce Jones:

"I don't know much about PR internships but I would make a
comment on the existing promotional videos. They don't say 'buy
me.' People need to be told what to do.

"YouTube can be a very effective way to promote your products. At
the end of the video, which maybe is a little too long, it should
tell people that to purchase or for more info, they should go to
http://www.soyandina.com

"The same thing on the other clips. Just having a web address
isn't enough. I have also found that different video hosting
platforms get very different results and audiences. Once the
video is done, put it up on 10 or more."


The Publicity Hound says:

Bruce is right. But posting on more than just a few of these
video sites can eat up your life because uploading takes such a
long time. Shave hundreds of hours off the task with Traffic
Geyser. With just one click, it uploads to dozens of sites. Learn
more about it at http://budurl.com/lpxg


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


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


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

Linda Foirmichelli of Concord, NH and Jennifer Lawler of
Lawrence, KS write:

"We're both well-established writers who offer e-courses in our
areas of specialty. Linda offers a class for magazine writers on
how to break into magazines, starting April 13,and Jennifer
offers one for book authors on how to write a book proposal,
starting May 4.

"We both have been offering our e-courses for a few years and
have happy customers who can give testimonials and describe how
our courses offer results. However, we're finding it tougher and
tougher to get the word out about our e-courses.

"We both blog (Linda’s blog has more followers than Jennifer’s,
which she just started a few weeks ago). We both belong to
writers' groups and contribute to their online forums, but of
course if we're too sales-y in our approach, our posts get
deleted. We're on LinkedIn and Facebook. What are we missing?"


The Publicity Hound says:

You can pretty much kiss traditional media good-bye because both
classes are starting soon, and you'll miss many of the deadlines.
That leaves online publicity.

Hounds with quick tips for Jennifer and Susan can post them to my
blog at http://budurl.com/avpt

Here's my idea:

If you aren't Twittering yet, start today and link to tips at
your blogs or websites that tie into your courses. From the tips,
link to the registration pages. Use the search box at
http://search.twitter.com to search for freelancers, writers,
authors and anyone else who's an ideal candidate for the courses.
Follow them, retweet their tweets, and then send them a direct
message asking that they retweet one of your tweets that promotes
the tips.

Courses like these are ideal to promote on LinkedIn, too, but you
need a long lead time so you can plant the seed, so to speak, by
asking a question about a topic that ties into your course, and
then letting everyone who answers the question know about what
you're offering.

This has to be done very carefully, however. Scott Allen, one of
the foremost experts on LinkedIn, laid out an entire campaign he
designed for a friend on how she could promote something she was
sponsoring. His ideas started drawing immediate response within
48 hours.

He outlines the entire campaign in step-by-step detail and gives
you your own timeline on exactly what to do on LinkedIn, and
when, if you want to promote something. Read more about "How to
Use LinkedIn to Promote Anything--Ethically & Powerfully" at
http://budurl.com/fft3


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

Cat's motto: "No matter what you've done wrong, always try to
make it look like the dog did it." -- Unknown


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

4 ways I censor myself in social media circles
http://budurl.com/rxmk


Pitching Hispanic radio? Tie your pitch to the geographic area
http://budurl.com/ntns


Want your own radio show? Discover how on Thursday
http://budurl.com/cxkw


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

Where to See & Hear The Publicity Hound:


Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Friend me on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joan_Stewart/541605146

Connect with me on LinkedIn:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound


Permission to Reprint:

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

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

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

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

Privacy Statement:

The Publicity Hound® respects your privacy and has a strict
Privacy Policy which you an read 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/Enhance Your Pitch with Video Feb 24, 2009

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #439 Feb. 24, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

Circulation: 42,491

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

"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.

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

1. Enhance Your Pitch with Video

2. Target College Blogs

3. Blogrolls: Publicity Gold

4. Meet Journalists Face to Face

5. Promoting Home & Garden Shows

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


========================================
1. Enhance Your Pitch with Video
========================================

Too many Publicity Hounds are obsessed with generating coverage
in the printed versions of newspapers and magazines.

They forget that newspaper circulation is plummeting and that
things aren't exactly rosy in the magazine industry, either.

If you can make it into your local daily newspaper,
congratulations. But what about the thousands of people who have
stopped subscribing because they can read much of the content
online and not have to pay?

If your story shows up in the printed newspaper, but not at the
paper's website, you're missing the chance to be in front of all
those people who read it online.

Entice editors to publish your story in the printed and online
editions by offering them video at their website. For example:

--Let's say you're a fashion consultant. You can pitch a story
about how Casual Friday has resulted in slobs in the workplace,
and then offer a short video that shows the Top 10 Casual Friday
Fashion Mistakes. Editors will be happy to put the video at their
website and refer to it from the story in the printed edition.

--An author publicizing a recipe book for children can offer the
food editor a video that shows a child making a peanut butter and
jelly roll-up, with help from mom or dad.

--A manufacturer who's pitching a business story can offer video
that shows a product in various stages of completion, sort of a
mini version of the popular show "How it's Made" on the Science
Channel.

Print journalists love video because they're under immense
pressure to provide multi-media at their websites. Multi-media
draws visitors, and that means more people reading paid ads. So
be sure to mention video in your pitch. Lots of other Publicity
Hounds aren't using video. If you do, you'll set yourself apart
from the crowd.


Publicity Hound John Easton, a videographer, has turned into a
media darling in his own community of Charlotte, North Carolina
by cranking out videos whenever he can--for use at newspaper
websites and the local Chamber of Commerce websites, among
others.

He says you don't have to be a video professional like he is to
endear the media. With an inexpensive Flip Video camera and a few
tricks up your sleeve, you can generate mountains of publicity
far and above what every else is getting.

John explained all his tricks during a teleseminar last year on
"9 Clever Ways to Use Video to Become a Publicity Darling in Your
Industry or Community." We recorded it, and it's available as a
CD, MP3 or electronic transcript that you can download as soon as
your order has been approved. Read more about what you'll learn
at http://tinyurl.com/5pbgzn


==============================================
2. Target College Blogs
==============================================

If you're publicizing something that appeals to a college
audience, the school's newspaper and campus TV and radio stations
should be on your targeted media list.

Don't forget about the blogs associated with those media.

I picked up a copy of The Marquette Tribune, the campus paper
published by Marquette University in Milwaukee. Inside, I found
four URLs leading to the newspapers blogs. They are devoted to
student government, music and entertainment, Greek life, and club
sports. Most of them accept comments.

I'm guessing that some college students who don't read
traditional newspapers also don't read their college paper but,
instead, search for information online, including these blogs.


Including college newspapers in your publicity campaign is one of
the thousands of tips featured in the 2009 update of my ebook
"How to be a Kick-butt Publicity Hound." When co-author Tom
Antion and I updated it late last year, we added six new chapters
on social media.


This is one of my most popular learning tools because it gives
Hounds an overall view of hundreds of publicity tools and
resources, and gives specific strategies on how to use them. Our
eight new chapters include tips and strategies for using video,
MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, photo-sharing sites, and
social bookmarking. If you're late getting started with social
media, this ebook explains in easy-to-understand terms how to
incorporate these sites into a publicity campaign.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/2a3dp9


========================================
3. Blogrolls: Publicity Gold
========================================

Authors, if you want more reviews for your books, pay attention
to this tip.

Publicity Hounds everywhere, if you're trying to generate
publicity among the blogging community, and you blog, this tip
applies to you, too.

It's courtesy of Rebecca Morgan, who publishes the excellent
SpeakerNetNews ezine for speakers at
http://www.SpeakerNetNews.com

Rebecca says that since so many newspapers are discontinuing
their book review sections, Hounds need to think creatively about
ways to publicize their books.

She suggests that you hunt down bloggers who mention your blog in
their blogroll. The blogroll is the list, usually in the right or
left margin, that links to all the blogs they find interesting.

I've seen my blog listed on dozens, maybe even hundreds, of
blogrolls that deal with marketing, publicity, books and
promotion.

Rebecca suggests that you ask bloggers who list you in their
blogroll to review your book.

"You already know they are your fans. Send them an advance copy.
When they review it, put a link on your site to the review and
tell your readers to check it out."

She also suggests:

--Add a quote from their review on your book description page
with a link to the full review.

--Ask other bloggers or sites that focus on your book's topic for
a review, even if your site isn't on their blogroll.

--Offer five f~ree books to their site to use as awards for a
contest they may want to run. Thus your book's title stays in
front of key buyers.

--Provide bloggers with a jpg of the book cover to post with the
review.

--If you have an affiliate program, invite them to join so they
earn commissions from orders coming from their readers. Many of
these folks will also invite you to appear as a guest on their
podcasts or Internet radio shows.

Her ideas could work for many other products, not just books. To
find blogrolls that mention your blog, you can use
http://blogsearch.google.com or http://www.Technorati.com


P.S. If you list me in your blogroll and want to review the 2009
edition of "How to be a Kick-butt Publicity Hound," or if you're
a blogger or ezine editor who wants to review the book, let
Christine Buffaloe, my customer service manager, know.
Mailto:Chris@serenityva.com


Authors, if your book sales have fallen flat, do NOT give up and
start writing your next book. That's a big mistake. Instead,
start applying the same strategies that book publicist Lissa
Warren uses when her clients' book sales hit the skids. She
details them all during the teleseminar we conducted on "How to
Revive a Dying Book Marketing Campaign." It's available as a CD
or electronic transcript that you can read as soon as your order
has been approved.

Read more about how to jump-start dying book campaigns at
http://tinyurl.com/67bhu


==========================================
4. Meet Journalists Face to Face
==========================================

More than 100 journalists from media outlets large and small will
meet Publicity Hounds face to face at the National Publicity
Summit April 22-25 in New York.

The journalists will sit across from authors, speakers,
consultants, experts and others who will be pitching their ideas
to get onto shows like "48 Hours," ABC's "The View," Fox News and
the "Today" show.

Hounds will be delivering succinct, 10- or 15-second pitches and
including all the enticing little "extras" that encourage a media
person to say "tell me more."

Each year, only 100 people are accepted at the summit so that
each can have enough face time with journalists.

In years past, the summit has produced dozens of success stories
that include:

--Ron & Lisa Beres's appearance on the "Today" show.

--Steve Shapiro's big write-up in "O the Oprah Magazine" after
meeting the writer at the publicity summit.

--Barry Spilchuk's interview on the Fox News Channel within just
five hours of meeting the producer at the summit!

--Sandy Clemmons's stories in Health Magazine, Money Magazine and
TV Guide, all from meeting journalists face to face at this
event.

You'll have to complete an application before you're accepted.
Visit http://www.NationalPublicitySummit.com/?10011 for all the
details.


==========================================
5. Promoting Home & Garden Shows
==========================================

This week, eight Publicity Hounds have tips on how Lori Feldman
of St. Louis, Mo. can promote home & garden shows in four cities
throughout the United States.


From Jeff Rutherford:

"There has been so much media coverage of the impact of the
economy on people’s day-to-day lives, why not pitch reporters on
the idea that more people will be gardening this year? It's
relatively low-cost fun, and some of those people may very well
be growing their own food. You could offer spokespeople from the
show as experts on the power of gardening--to help feed people
and promote family bonding."

From Holly Miller:

"Get in touch with your local Master Gardeners, Cooperative
Extension Office, and any regional government groups that promote
water conservation, beautification, or storm water management
through rain gardens. For examples, see http://www.hrwet.org,
http://www.hrclean.org, and http://www.hrstorm.org.

"Additionally, check http://www.meetup.com for environmental or
gardening groups in your target area. You'll be amazed at how
many resources there are for finding your target audience. And,
a give-away targeting a specific green initiative wouldn't hurt.
Think about free rain barrels or installation of a rain garden."

From Catherine McVicker:

"Get a garden center to contribute the creation of a pint-size
victory garden for four people as a prize. They get publicity at
the show, get to put a sign at the street like painters do, and,
hopefully, get word of mouth exposure as the family of four eats
its way through the garden produce during the summer."

The Publicity Hound says:

These ideas are fabulous. The first one, about promoting
gardening during a bad economy, is perfect for TV because there
will be so many great visuals at the show. I'd pitch it to local
TV stations a day or two before the show opens in each city. If
you can find local people who preserve their garden vegetables,
that would be a great local tie-in.

TV producer Shawne Duperon gave step-by-step directions on how to
contact local TV newsrooms and pitch ideas when she was a guest
on my teleseminar "How to Get on the Local TV News Tomorrow."

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/yjrktx


Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question at
http://tinyurl.com/atm843


Send your own Help This Hound question to
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com


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

Jill Cranford of Livermore, Colo. writes:

"My company, Stone2Furniture, which makes outdoor furniture from
stone, is having an Ugly Patio Furniture Contest at
http://www.stone2furniture.com/contest.htm and we'll be giving
away a set of our stone furniture valued at $4,100.

"So here I am with the rules drawn up, and it's live on our
website and in the Media Room. I sent out 130 snail-mail flyers
and emails to editors.

"My next step is getting it to the local news channels. But I am
wondering if I am missing a step? I haven't heard from any
editors. I know this will be fun but I'm just not sure how to
launch it."

The Publicity Hound says:

I love these "ugliest" contests and other journalists do, too!
Sometimes a photo can tell a story far better than a press
release or a brochure. You already have two photos of entries at
the link above. The photo that shows the ugly patio table made
out of two rubber storage containers will really attract a lot of
attention when you're pitching this story.

I'm leaving it up to my Hounds to offer suggestions on how to use
that photo, and any other ideas they have on how to promote your
contest. Hounds, you can post your ideas to my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/apbzws


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

Today is Mardi Gras Day.

To celebrate, Jeanne Hurlbert of Baton Rouge, La., shares this
video of the Mardi Gras Dog Parade, an annual event where she and
her family "throw beads and dog treats and have a great time."
(If the video won't load, come back in an hour or so because too
many people might be trying to watch it.)

http://tinyurl.com/d2am2b

Jeanne is the survey consultant I hired to help me create the
survey that you'll be getting from me soon.

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

Increase your web sales: 27 ways to get 'em to buy
http://tinyurl.com/bmdfo7


More publicity for Dallas hardware store after Bush visits
http://tinyurl.com/blaz7p


Real estate magazine needs expert articles
http://tinyurl.com/cz8vpu


A journalist's tips for pitching story ideas about your business
http://tinyurl.com/agzdkf

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


WHERE TO SEE AND HEAR THE PUBLICITY HOUND:

March 6-8--Atlanta, Ga.

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


March 16--Teleseminar on Internet Marketing

I'll be Marilee Tolen's guest from 8 to 9 p.m. Eastern Time for
her teleseminar series "Introduction to Internet Marketing" for
nurses, healers, coaches and holistic professional solopreneurs.
If this is your niche, and you're tired of running after the next
client, this is the training session for you. It starts Feb. 23.
Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/dl3xhm


PERMISSION TO REPRINT:

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

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

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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The
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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/It's Not About You Jan 14, 2009

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #433 Jan. 14, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

Circulation: 43,767

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

"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
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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.

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

Teleseminar: Build a Better Blog

Attention bloggers, or those who are just creating a blog. Learn
proven tips on how to drive thousands more visitors to your blog,
sell your products and services there, and write compelling posts
that build a loyal customer following and position you as an expert.

Here's the best part. You don't have to be a techie. Join me as I
interview Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff, aka The Blog Squad,
during a free teleseminar called "Boost Your Biz with a Blog"
from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, Jan. 26. Register at
http://www.blogsquadteleseminars.com/joan/

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

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

1. It's Not About You

2. The Power of Surveys

3. Sell Books by the Truckload

4. Create Your Own Holiday

5. Promoting a Book on Marriage

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


===================================
1. It's Not About You
===================================

Trusting the wrong doctor almost killed motivational speaker
Edward Leigh of Cleveland, Ohio.

In 1997, at age 39, Edward started having abdominal pains. His
doctor prescribed Pepto-Bismol. The doctor then performed a
sigmoidoscopy, which came back normal.

During the next two and a half years, his condition worsened and
included nausea, dizziness and rectal bleeding. His doctor
recommended that Edward continue with over-the-counter
medication.

When his symptoms became so severe that he collapsed on the
bathroom floor, he sought help from another doctor who ordered a
colonoscopy. The diagnosis: Stage III Colon Cancer.

The initial test he had, a sigmoidoscopy, is a partial colon exam
that views only the left portion of the colon. The complete colon
exam, the colonoscopy, found his right-sided tumor.

After his surgery and chemotherapy, Edward joined the Colon
Cancer Alliance and later joined a colon cancer listserv via the
Association of Cancer Online Resources.

In March 2000, when "Today" show host Katie Couric was creating
her series called "Confronting Colon Cancer" following the death of
her husband from that disease, Katie's producer contacted the
Colon Cancer Alliance seeking people who had been diagnosed
and survived.

Edward stepped forward.

"The producer interviewed me, checked back with Katie who was
the decision maker, and she said 'Bring him to New York.' A week
later, we did the taping and I was part of Katie's week-long series
that won a Peabody Award."

From there, the publicity snowballed to include:

--An appearance on "Mystery Diagnosis" on the Discovery Health
Channel which is now being repeated on the Learning Channel.

--An interview with Montel Williams in March last year. You can see
it at http://tinyurl.com/9xsvy3

--Numerous requests for speaking engagements and consulting for
the health care industry. Today, Edward teaches doctors how to
communicate better with their patients. He also helps patients
become their own health care advocates.

He said he uses many of the tips he reads in this newsletter to
pitch media large and small. Even though he has a compelling
story to tell, he follows his own advice when pitching.

"Don't be focused on your own agenda. You have to be focused on
your topic and the media outlet's audience when you're talking to a
producer. It's not all about you. If you make it all about you, that's a
death sentence as far as the media is concerned."

Ditto when the cameras are rolling. TV talk show host Connie
Dieken, who also hails from Cleveland, says that if you're bombing
on the air, producers will cut the interview short and hustle you out
of the studio--pronto--before you can do any more damage.

But why take that chance?

Know exactly how to endear yourself to the host and the producers
and get invited back. Connie explained how when she was my
guest during a teleseminar on "How to be a TV Talk Show Host's
Dream Date." 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/3z7ut

Edward, by the way, says he'll be glad to answer colon questions
from Publicity Hounds if you contact him at
mailto:Edward@EdwardLeigh.com


===================================
2. The Power of Surveys
===================================

If knowledge is power, then surveys are like a giant jackhammer in
your marketing toolbox.

You can take a fun, controversial or timely survey and report results
to the media and to consumers.

Or, you can do what I'm doing and survey your customers to see
what else they need from you that you're not currently providing.
That survey should be ready for you in a few weeks, and I'll even
reward you with some cool stuff to encourage you to complete it.

Business consultant Paul Lemberg says too many business
owners are obsessed with chasing down new leads when they
should be spending some of that time also figuring out how to sell
more products and services to their existing customers. That's one
of his five formulas for any business that wants to double its
business this year: sell more stuff to the same people.

During last week's teleseminar on "5 Ways to Double Your
Business in 2009," Paul explained that you don't need an elaborate
survey like the one I'm creating. Instead, one phone call to just one
customer can result in valuable information that can lead to new
products and services.

In fact, he suggests just one short question and he tells you
exactly how to word it. About 200 people joined us on last week's
call and heard Paul's other valuable advice on how to raise prices in
a meltdown economy, one task to do at the beginning of every day
that will make your business soar, and a really clever way to reward
your customers for bringing you new leads, without breaking the
bank.

You can read more about his tips and listen to the replay at my
blog at http://tinyurl.com/9fzrq9

Paul's Formula Five series of videos and checklists will be available
soon from Stompernet at http://tinyurl.com/a6j4pw where you'll find
an entire series of videos on this program, and dozens of take-away
tips you can start using today.


========================================
3. Sell Books by the Truckload
========================================

Too many authors try to sell books the hard way. They look for
10,000 customers so they can sell 10,000 books.

It's sometimes a lot easier to sell all those books--or even 100,000
books--to only one customer.

How? By searching for companies that typically buy books in mass
quantity and give them away as free "premium incentives" to
encourage people to buy their products. Many of these same
companies:

--Give away the books as thank-you gifts to people who buy other
products and services.

--Use the book to thank members or subscribers who renew.

--Rely on the book to help train their employees.

Matthew Bennett has used this simple strategy as an unknown,
self-published author to sell more than 5 million books.

He has written books on health, pets, fitness and inspiration and
then sold them in quantity to companies like Disney, Reebok,
NBC, Abbot Labs, Pfizer, US Healthplans and Subway.

Steve Harrison is hosting a free one-hour teleseminar with Matthew
on Thursday, Jan. 15, at your choice of two times. If you cannot
make either call, find someone who can listen and take notes for
you.

Matthew will share his tips on how he sold more than 80,000
copies of an inspirational book in just one phone conversation.
He'll also explain how you can tie in with major charities like the
March of Dimes and the American Heart Association to sell
truckloads of books and raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for
charity. You'll also learn the three things you absolutely must arm
yourself with before ever pitching your book.

Like most free teleseminars, Steve is hoping that after you listen to
the call, you'll buy their consulting services to learn how to do this
in detail. So just sit back, relax and listen.

Click here to continue reading about what you'll learn and to sign
up: http://www.freepublicity.com/mattbennett/?10011


=======================================
4. Create Your Own Holiday
=======================================

If you haven't created your own holiday, or your own day, week or
month of the year, you're missing out on the chance to generate
tons of print, broadcast and online publicity.

Take a look at some of the cool holidays that members of the
National Speakers Association have created. I found this list in the
current issue of NSA's Speaker magazine:

--Steve Hughes created "Be Kind to Lawyers Day" the second
Tuesday in April.

--Laura Stack created "National Leave the Office Earlier Day" on
June 2 to promote her book, Leave the Office Earlier. It coincides
with her birthday. Problem is, so many media outlets want to
interview her that she ends up working 12 hours on her birthday just
to accommodate them all.

--Publicity Hound Michelle Nichols created a wildly successful
nationwide campaign to promote National Hug Your Kids Day, the
third Monday in July. She convinced Clear Channel Outdoor to
donate 135 digital billboards, eight Gannett newspapers to run
"Citymoms.com" contests, and three Major League baseball teams
to announce it on their Jumbotrons.

--Publicity Hound Carol Copeland has christened June as Student
Safety Month.

--Marilee Driscoll has designated October Long-Term Care Planning
Month.


What are you waiting for? Now, it's your turn.

If you're on LinkedIn, you can use that popular social networking
site to actually promote your holiday, just like Michelle Nichols did.
Scott Allen, an expert on LinkedIn, critiqued Michelle's LinkedIn
campaign and made several suggestions which she used.
They resulted in instant feedback from the LinkedIn community
within only 48 hours.

Scott explained her campaign when he was my guest during a
teleseminar on "How to Use LinkedIn to Promote Anything--
Ethically & Powerfully." It's available as electronic transcripts and
your choice of MP3s or CDs. Read more about how to launch a
publicity campaign on the world's largest business networking site
at http://tinyurl.com/5zvzyd


==========================================
5. Promoting a Book on Marriage
==========================================

This week, 11 Publicity Hounds have tips for Sheryl P. Kurland of
Orlando, FL, author of Everlasting Matrimony: Pearls of Wisdom
from Couples Married 50 Years or More. She needs new ideas to
stimulate sales of the book in time for Valentine's Day.


From Lisa Lockwood:

"Announce your book in a press release on PR Web. I'm self-
published and landed a spot on The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch
just by announcing that I was launching my book tour."


From Cheryl Pickett:

"I suggest you check out the book The Daughter-in-Law Rules at
http://www.thedilrules.com. Author Sally Shields lists some of the
publicity success she's had with her self-published book, and you
share a similar audience. I also know she'd be willing to share more
help if you contacted her."


From Bonnie Lowe:

"Can you jump on the 'bad economy' bandwagon? Are there any
stories in your book that might show readers how to be romantic
without spending much money? Could you do a press release on
'How to spend less on your Valentine without looking cheap' or
something like that, and tie it into your book?"


The Publicity Hound says:

Sheryl, if you could round up a few couples who would be willing to
be interviewed, this would make a great segment for National Public
Radio. Go to the NPR site at http://www.npr.org and use the search
box at the top of the screen to search for words like "marriage" and
"matrimony" and see what you find. You can listen to many of the
shows in the archives before you pitch the producers.

But before you do, follow Lissa Warren's tips on how to navigate the
NPR labyrinth because it can get confusing. Lissa, a book
publicist, has successfully pitched dozens of her clients to NPR,
and she shared all her secrets during a teleseminar I conducted
with her on "How to Get Booked on National Public Radio."

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 need to get onto NPR at
http://tinyurl.com/ayms6

Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question
http://tinyurl.com/832mpk

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


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

Pegine Echevarria of Jacksonville, Fla. writes:

"I am launching a licensed training program called 'White Guys Are
Diverse Too!'

"I want to capture the interest of corporate and government chief
diversity offers, chief learning officers and senior leadership of large
corporations who can purchase this program to spread the word to
their employees.

"The topic is controversial. In large organizations, Diversity and
Inclusion (D&I) programs are part of everyone's training.
However, white guys tend to walk out of D&I programs thinking they
are excluded and not valued for the unique individualized impact
that they bring.

"'White Guys Are Diverse Too!' celebrates the diversity among white
guys, the value they bring to their organizations and teams along
with how managers can engage, motivate and inspire their white
male team members.

"I need ideas, help to get the word out that 'White Guys are Diverse
Too!' The website at http://www.WhiteGuysAreDiverse.com
offers a no-obligation special report. Can you give me some no
cost/low cost ideas?


P.S. I've spent my life savings on this product. It has to reach the
masses.


The Publicity Hound says:

See the fabulous movie "Gran Torino" in which Clint Eastwood
plays the racist Walt Kowalski, a tough, gruff, crotchety old man
who hates everybody who isn't white--or at least thinks he does.

Start writing press releases and articles and using the social
networking sites to write about "What Would Walt Kowalski Do?"
and then tie it into your training. Piggybacking off celebrities and
red-hot movies (this one is a contender for several Oscars) is a
fabulous way to pull in traffic from the search engines.

My "Special Report #50: How to Piggyback onto Celebrity News to
Promote Your Product, Service, Cause or Issue" gives you lots
more ideas. Only $10. Order at http://tinyurl.com/gy6bd


Hounds with other ideas for Pegine can post them to my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/829jv3


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

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

--Yvonne Clifford, American actress


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

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

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


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

Why lowering your prices can ruin your business
http://tinyurl.com/9fzrq9


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

WHERE TO SEE AND HEAR THE PUBLICITY HOUND:


Wednesday, Jan. 21--Teleseminar

Join me for the third annual smARTist telesummit where
photographers, jewelers, potters, painters, metalworkers,
woodworkers and other artists will learn all the secrets for growing
their art business. I'm presenting a session on how to use social
networking, from 2 to 2:45 Eastern Time on Wednesday, Jan. 21.
Register for the telesummit at http://tinyurl.com/5axy3x


Monday, Jan. 26--Teleseminar

"Boost Your Biz with a Blog," from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern on Monday,
Jan. 26. Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff, aka The Blog Squad,
will explain how to draw more traffic and boost more sales from a
blog. You'll also learn about the biggest mistakes bloggers make
and how they sabotage their own success. Register at
http://www.blogsquadteleseminars.com/joan/


PERMISSION TO REPRINT:

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

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

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

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

PRIVACY STATEMENT:

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

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

Publicity tips/Don't Let Blog Content Confuse You Jan 6, 2009

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #432 Jan. 6, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

Circulation: 43,872

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

"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.

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

Still Time to Download 'Best of 2008' Ebook

More than 3,000 Publicity Hounds have claimed their copy of "The
Best of The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week of 2008," the free
ebook that's my holiday gift to you. Lots of Hounds have tweeted
about it on Twitter, shared it on Facebook, and encouraged their
followers to claim their copy. It isn't too late to regift it.

Please use this link when sharing the book with your own readers,
followers and connections: http://tinyurl.com/Bestof2008Tips And if
you'd like to download the "Best of" books from previous years, you
can do so at http://tinyurl.com/bestofebooks

Thanks to all of my loyal Publicity Hounds for your continued
support. You make my job the best in the world.

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

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

1. Don't Let Blog Content Confuse You

2. How About a Little Good News?

3. How Could I be So Dumb?

4. Beware of this Twitter Scam

5. Promoting a Christmas Tree Accessory

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=====================================
1. Don't Let Blog Content Confuse You
=====================================

If you're an expert, you'd better be cranking out lots of content in
these formats:

Blogs. Ezines. Twitter posts. Facebook notes. Articles at article
directory sites. Articles at your own website.

Yet some Publicity Hounds are easily confused about what kinds of
topics to write in which types of formats, particularly when writing
for their blogs.

Over the weekend, Publicity Hound Michele Nightengale, who
teaches bricks-and-mortar businesses how to market online, told
me she's going to start blogging. But she's confused about the
difference between content for her blog and content for articles at
her website.

"I can't seem to differentiate them in my mind," she said. "The
ideas for my articles page and my blog are identical. I can only
think to post my articles on my blog. How do you treat them
separately and without too much duplicate content?"

She's right. There's a lot of overlap. Here's how I differentiate the
two:

Articles posted at article directory sites like
http://www.EzineArticles.com generally focus on helping people solve
a particular problem. The structure of these articles can follow various
formats. But in general, they offer solutions to a problem. And
they're about 500-700 words. Examples:

--TV Publicity: 6 ways to find your way onto the local evening news

--Inflight magazines: 8 topics editors love to write about

--Hiring a publicist? Know the 4 ways they charge for their services

--Public service announcements have these 6 elements

Almost everything else, I told her, is fodder for a blog. Think of
blogging as journaling, or keeping a business diary. It usually
includes much more opinion than how-to articles do. And the
writing can be a little more personal and informal. You can use a
blog to:

--State an opinion on a topic.

--Comment on somebody else's blog post or article and link to it.

--Comment on something happening in the news.

--Offer a quiz for a reader.

--Present a question from a reader and then offer the answer.

--Present a case study.

--Disagree with somebody else's position on a topic, and explain
why.

--Discuss something in your personal life that relates to something
in your professional life.

--Review a book, home study course or other product you've
bought.

--Comment on a service you have used.

The ideas for blog content are endless. If you're still short on ideas,
create several Google Alerts at http://www.Google.com/alerts for
topics you want to blog about.

Google will then email you as often as you wish and let you know
what articles, videos, news stories and other content about those
topics appear online.

I'll address the topic of avoiding duplicate content in an upcoming
issue of this newsletter. But in general, you don't want to use
identical content at your website, blog and article directory sites.

If you're new to blogging, or if your current blog isn't generating the
traffic or sales you had hoped, you'll learn some quick tips from
Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff, aka The Blog Squad, during a
f~ree teleseminar from 4 to 5 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 26. It's called
"Boost Your Biz with a Blog" and Denise and Patsi will explain how
they differentiate blog content from all the other kinds of content
they produce. You'll also learn about the biggest mistakes bloggers
make and how beginning bloggers can sabotage their own
success.

Register at http://www.blogsquadteleseminars.com/joan/


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

All those bad news stories about the economy that the media love
will soon turn into old news. And when the economy worsens this
year, as predicted, that old news will be downright depressing.

It's time to start thinking about a few good news ideas to pitch.
TV producer Shawne Duperon offers these ideas:

--Credit unions in four Midwestern states are generating fabulous
publicity in top-tier media outlets like USA Today by pledging $10
billion in loans to car buyers and teaming with General Motors to
offer special deals to boost car sales. You can read the USA Today
story at http://tinyurl.com/9lyes7

--How are retailers using tough times as an asset to sell products?
Some car companies launched new campaigns that guarantee if
you buy a car and lose your job within the year, you can return the
car. How effective will strategies like this be?

--How are you making the most of the economic downturn in your
business? Are you investing more in marketing? If so, let the media
know.

--Are you in an industry or niche that, so far, has been unaffected?
Many Internet marketers, for example, particularly those who sell
training on how to build a business, are reporting increased sales,
and have the shopping cart statistics to prove it.


If you have little good news to report but you still want to pitch, let
Shawne and me help you. We brainstormed "116 WOW!
Story Ideas from January through June" when we teamed up for a
teleseminar for Publicity Hounds. We recorded it, and it's available
as a CD complete with a handout of all 116 ideas. You can
download the handout as soon as your order has been approved.

There's something for everybody, and you can borrow all of our
ideas, starting today, by going to http://tinyurl.com/6k7zk


========================================
3. How Could I be So Dumb?
========================================

If you've already made a list of the top five or six goals you want to
achieve this year in your business, make sure they're the types of
goals in which you can measure their success.

I have five goals for this year. Each one, if achieved, will help me
build my business by at least 15 percent. If I succeed at them all,
I'll double my business.

All five are recommended by Paul Lemberg, a business coach who
created the Formula 5 system, a package of videos, checklists,
worksheets and mastermind coaching groups that provide ongoing
support. I've been devouring all of it the last several weeks, and I
already have the wheels in motion to survey Publicity Hounds in the
next few weeks about what they want and need--a technique that
will shorten my learning curve even more.

Several times during the course, when Paul explained a great
strategy, I slapped my palm against my forehead and asked out
loud, "Why am I not doing this? How could I be so dumb????"

One of the most valuable tips I learned is that the onslaught of
emails I'm receiving from business people offering cut-rate prices on
their products and services is, for them, the quickest way to the
poor house. In fact, raising prices, even in a meltdown economy, is
one of the fastest ways to success.

Interested? If not, move onto the next item. If so, here are two ways
to learn more about each of the five Formula 5 elements:

--Watch the first of three Stompernet videos that explains more
about Formula 5 and offers startling results of what can happen
when you raise the price of an ebook by a paltry $7, from $47 to
$54: http://tinyurl.com/PaulLembergFormula5

--Get direct access to Paul during a f~ree teleseminar I'm hosting
with him from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, January 8.
He'll explain the five elements of Formula 5 in more detail, and you
can even email questions to us during the call.
Sign up at
http://www.Publicityhound.com/teleseminar/formulafive.htm

Don't miss this one. And for heaven's sake, don't fall into the trap of
lowering your prices without understanding the consequences.


===================================
4. Beware of this Twitter Scam
===================================

Are you receiving strange email messages from people referring
you to photos and other posts about you at Twitter.com?

I am. The messages are a scam.

Here's how it works. This particular scam sends out emails
resembling those you might receive from Twitter if you get email
notifications of your Direct Messages. The email says something
like, "Hey! Check out this funny blog about you..." and provides a
link. That link redirects to a site masquerading as the Twitter front
page. Look closely at the URL field. If it's different than Twitter's
URL at http://Twitter.com, leave the site immediately.

Do not enter your username or password. If you do, the scam
artists can use that information to send out direct messages on
your behalf which could trick your followers. Read this post at
Twitter's blog to find out what else you should do if this happens to
you:
http://blog.twitter.com/2009/01/gone-phishing.html


Not Twittering yet because the site is too confusing? Join the
crowd. Most of us who Twitter felt the same way when we started.

But don't give up on what has become one of the most powerful
communication and promotion tools for business. Learn in step-by-
step detail how to navigate the site, and how to adopt smart
strategies that will save you hours of time.

Twitter expert Warren Whitlock explained "How to Use Twitter to
Amass an Army of Followers, Customers & Valuable Contacts--and
Promote." It's available as electronic transcripts and your choice of
MP3s or CDs. Read more about the power of Twitter at
http://tinyurl.com/3lbcaw


==========================================
5. Promoting a Christmas Tree Accessory
==========================================

This week, five Publicity Hounds have tips for Shannon Hein of Fort
Collins, Colorado, who needs ideas on how to promote "Branchies,"
a product that helps you hang heavy objects on your Christmas
tree.


From Shirley George Frazier:

"My suggestion is to 'branch out' to other reasons for people to buy
Branchies: Easter ornaments, gardening tools, every day uses, etc.

"If you only focus on Christmas buying reasons, you won't sell all
year long, and that's a disservice to a great product and customers
who'll benefit every day."


From Dale W. Hutchings:

"I think your target market for these giant ornaments is not the
typical homeowner, but the commercial market. These massive
ornaments would look so much better on the giant trees that are
put up every year in city parks, government offices, large bank
lobbies, and shopping malls, among other venues. I would
recommend that you target the commercial market through a
holiday decorative contest."


From Barbara:

"For Christmas next year: send some to major consumer magazine
editors in June or so. If they like them, they may feature them in
the Christmas issues of their magazines. There are always articles
about gift giving and how to decorate for the holidays."


The Publicity Hound says:

Send a press release and generic photo showing garden tools used
as ornaments to gardening magazines. Send a press release and
photo showing heavy sports-related ornaments like football helmets
to sports magazines. Just change the ornaments in each photo to
match the needs of various niche audiences. Your goal is to make
every magazine editor say "Aha! this is PERFECT for our readers."

And don't forget to create videos that demonstrate how to trim a
tree with Branchies. Videographer John Easton shows you dozens
of ways to use quick videos to promote what you're selling. He
explained them all during the teleseminar on "9 Clever Ways to Use
Video to Become a Publicity Darling in Your Industry or
Community." We recorded it and it's available as a CD, MP3, or
electronic transcript.


Read more about how to start using video at
http://tinyurl.com/5pbgzn


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


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

Publicity Hound Sheryl P. Kurland of Orlando, FL writes:

"With Valentine's Day just around the corner, which is a logical tie-
in to my product, I need some new, exciting, low-cost ideas prior to
the holiday to stimulate Valentine's Day book sales.

"I'm the author of the self-published Everlasting Matrimony:
Pearls Of Wisdom From Couples Married 50 Years Or More, an
elegant coffee-table book in which I interviewed 75 couples married
50+ years. The first run was published four years ago.
You can learn more about it at
http://www.everlastingmatrimony.com/. My background is
Marketing/PR, so I've done just about everything---all on my own
and on a shoestring budget.

"What can I do that I haven't already done to get big publicity a few
weeks before Valentine's Day, using Valentine's Day as the tie-in,
obviously, to significantly stimulate book sales? Shows like
"Today," "Good Morning America," etc., won't talk to me because
I'm self-published. Also, I am not interested in teleseminars,
teaching a course, or creating CDs to sell."


The Publicity Hound says:

I spoke with Sheryl and told her the long list her media successes
at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/832mpk is obviously missing social
networking.

She told me she's starting to Twitter. How about giving Sheryl some
quick tips on traditional media she might pursue, in addition to
some ideas on how to pull traffic from the social networking sites.
She doesn't yet have a Facebook profile but could create one fairly
quickly.

Also, we'd like to hear tips from self-published authors on how to
get onto the big morning TV talk shows. Eli Davidson, a member of
The Publicity Hound Mentor Program, is self-published, and she
appeared on the "Today" show, so I know it can be done.

Post your ideas to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/832mpk


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

"Dogs have no money. Isn't that amazing? They're broke their entire
lives. But they get through. You know why dogs have no money?
No pockets."

--Comedian Jerry Seinfeld


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

Write an unsolicited testimonial for additional publicity
http://tinyurl.com/7qlp2v


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

WHERE TO SEE AND HEAR THE PUBLICITY HOUND:


Thursday, Jan. 8--Teleseminar

"Formula Five: 5 Ways to Double Your Business in 2009" with my
guest expert Paul Lemberg. From 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time, he will
explain five ways every business person can double their business.
This is perfect for anyone who is frightened by all the gloom-and-
doom talk about the bad economy. This is a free teleseminar.
Register at
http://www.Publicityhound.com/teleseminar/formulafive.htm


Wednesday, Jan. 21--Teleseminar

Join me for the third annual smARTist telesummit where
photographers, jewelers, potters, painters, metalworkers,
woodworkers and other artists will learn all the secrets for growing
their art business. I'm presenting a session on how to use social
networking, from 2 to 2:45 Eastern Time on Wednesday, Jan. 21.
Register for the telesummit at http://tinyurl.com/5axy3x


Monday, Jan. 26--Teleseminar

"Boost Your Biz with a Blog," from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern on Monday,
Jan. 26. Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff, aka The Blog Squad,
will explain how to draw more traffic and boost more sales from a
blog. You'll also learn about the biggest mistakes bloggers make
and how they sabotage their own success. Register at
http://www.blogsquadteleseminars.com/joan/


March 6-10--Atlanta

I'll be at the Stompernet convention in Atlanta from Thursday until
Sunday. Let me know if you're attending and we'll have lunch.


PERMISSION TO REPRINT:

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

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

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

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

PRIVACY STATEMENT:

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

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

Publicity tips/Twitter Leads to TV Publicity Dec 30, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #431 Dec. 30, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

Circulation: 44,446

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

"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.

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

Did You Download My Holiday Gift to You?

More than 2,500 Publicity Hounds have already downloaded my "Best of the Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week of 2008," the free ebook that's my holiday gift to you. Lots of Hounds are tweeting about it on Twitter and offering the book to their followers, too. Yes, I am encouraging you to regift it.

You can claim your copy here. Please use this link when sharing the book with your own readers, followers and connections: http://tinyurl.com/Bestof2008Tips And if you'd like to download the "Best of" books from previous years, you can do so at http://tinyurl.com/bestofebooks

Thanks to all of my loyal Publicity Hounds for your continued support. May you have a safe and happy New Year.

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

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

1. Twitter Leads to TV Publicity

2. 5 Formulas for Doubling Your Business

3. Wanted: Your Opinions & Ideas

4. How to Get Corporate Sponsors

5. How to Find a Ghostwriter

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


===================================
1. Twitter Leads to TV Publicity
===================================

This is for all you Twitter naysayers who think you're far too busy, or too important, or too disinterested to participate on Twitter, the red-hot social networking site.

Twitter, it turns out, is attracting the attention of many journalists and broadcasters who are actually using it to look for sources for their stories and guests for their shows. For patient Publicity Hounds on Twitter, that means big-time media hits in traditional media outlets if you're following these journalists and you can provide what they need. You can find a list of journalists who Twitter at http://tinyurl.com/a8xsqo

Rebecca Shapiro, an artist in Portland, Oregon, landed her own spot on a popular TV show in Portland as a result of Twitter.

It all started several weeks ago when one of Rebecca's Twitter buddies told her that "AM Northwest," the most widely watched morning TV show in Oregon, was looking for somebody to come to the studio and tape a segment demonstrating how children can make inexpensive holiday gifts. Rebecca, who teaches crafts in addition to working as an artist, responded immediately, and the producers said yes.

During the segment, she demonstrated how kids can make votive candle holders, gift tags, and a pinch pot made with Sharpie markers. The producers loved it.

"Now, they want me to submit ideas for a series of segments for 2009," Rebecca said.

Her second media hit as a result of Twitter occurred about six weeks ago when her 5-year-old daughter bundled up in a snowsuit to go out to play and got stuck crawling through the cat door. Rebecca tweeted about it. One of her followers is Stephanie Stricklen, a producer for "Live at 7," a TV show on Channel 8 in Portland. When Stephanie saw Rebecca's tweet, she replied and asked her to submit a photo of her daughter in the snowsuit so Stephanie could put it on "Live at 7."

But that's not all. Rebecca's biggest Twitter success has been building relationships with art galleries and submitting her artwork to the well-respected Tinku Gallery in Toronto, which has a huge presence on Twitter and elsewhere online.

"The gallery owner sent out a call for artists, and I never would have known about it had it not been for Twitter," Rebecca said.

If you've been reluctant to Twitter, it's finally time to join the millions of Twitterers who are making valuable connections, friends and joint venture partners on this site.

Warren Whitlock, one of the most well-respected Twitterers, was my guest during a series of teleseminars on "How to Use Twitter to Amass an Army of Followers, Customers & Valuable Contacts--and Promote."

The recording is available as electronic transcripts and your choice of Cds or MP3s. Learn more about how to start building a huge following on Twitter at http://tinyurl.com/3lbcaw

If you're an artist, you can hear my presentation on social networking, part of the 2009 smARTist teleseummit. Register at http://tinyurl.com/5axy3x and learn how to grow your art business.


========================================
2. 5 Formulas to Double Your Business
========================================

Have you noticed the gazillion emails from authors, Internet marketers, coaches, consultants, publicists and others who are lowering their prices so drastically that they're practically giving away the store?

Business coach Paul Lemberg says that if you're selling refrigerators, or other consumer durables, dropping your prices might make sense during tough economic times.

But if you're selling books, information products, consulting services or coaching programs--even publicity services like writing press releases or pitching the media on a client's behalf--lowering your prices is the quickest way to see your revenues plummet.

That's because a higher profit margin is critical to becoming more profitable. And you can increase profit margin only two ways. You can cut expenses. Or, you can take the counter- intuitive step of raising your prices, even in competitive markets and even in a bad economy.

Increasing profit margin is one of five formulas that Paul says are critical to growing your business during 2009.

In fact, by increasing business just 15 percent in each of the five areas, the "compounding effect" will double the size of your business in a short time. Formula Five, a 15-week coaching and study program with five distinct modules, will be released Jan. 15 through Stompernet, the membership site for Internet marketers.

Stompernet asked me to review the product, and even though I haven't completed all five modules, I've already started following a series of action steps to grow my own business. I'll explain some of what I'm doing during a free teleseminar from 3 to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8. But you'll mostly hear from Paul, who will explain all five formulas and how to integrate them into your business. You can sign up for the teleseminar at http://www.Publicityhound.com/teleseminar/formulafive.htm

In the meantime, you can see testimonials from a beta test group, and sign up for a series of three free Stompernet videos that explain more about how to use Formula Five to grow your business. The first video will arrive via email on Monday, Jan. 5. Go to http://tinyurl.com/PaulLembergFormula5 to sign up for the videos.

Formula Five is brilliant--so you and I don't have to be. Hope to see you on the call Jan. 8.


===================================
3. Wanted: Your Opinions & Ideas
===================================

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to keep in closer touch with all of you and regularly ask for your opinions and ideas (this is one action step recommended in the Formula Five strategy mentioned above).

I want to know about how satisfied you are with my products and services, improvements you'd like to see in this newsletter, what you need that I'm not providing, and other issues that will help me help you.

I'm putting a system in place to survey you regularly, and you'll even be rewarded for completing each survey. The first survey should be ready in a few weeks.

In the meantime, jot a few notes to yourself and be ready to share them with me when the first survey arrives.

Let's make 2009 our best year ever, and let's help each other to make it happen.

Surveys--not the customer surveys I'm referring to above, but surveys on fun, controversial or compelling topics--are a powerful publicity tool. One of my favorites was the survey the Iams pet food company took about eight years ago in which it asked its customers about their relationship with their pets. The survey showed that more than 93 percent of those surveyed admitted saying "I love you" to their pets. Results were publicized several weeks before Valentine's Day, a brilliant PR move.

The updated edition of my ebook "How to be a Kick-butt Publicity Hound," gives you lots of ideas on how to use surveys and other tools such as quizzes, briefs and contests to generate publicity for just about any product, service, cause or issue.

The 2008-2009 edition includes seven new chapters on social networking and social media marketing. Read all about the book at http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity/publicityhound.htm


===================================
4. How to Get Corporate Sponsors
===================================

This is a quick reminder that Steve Harrison is hosting today's teleseminar on "How to Get Major Companies And Nonprofits To Sponsor The Promotion of Your Book, Product or Service" at 7 p.m. Eastern Time.

If this time is inconvenient for you, ask someone to listen and take notes for you.

Even speakers, authors and experts who have very niched topics are in a perfect position to find corporate sponsors--if the people who are already in your target market want or need the products or services that company provides.

Brendon Burchard, an author and speaker, has figured out some really ingenious ways to land corporate and non-profit promotional sponsorships and use them to fund his marketing efforts, and he'll explain them on today's call.

To discover how you can use his methods to promote your own book, product or business, you can sign up for today's call at http://www.SponsorshipTrainingTeleseminar.com/?10011

Here's just some of what you'll learn:

* What to do step-by-step to get a major company to sponsor your national promotional tour and pay for everything!

* Why the current economic downturn means more big companies and non-profits sponsoring authors, speakers and entrepreneurs--even if they're not famous.

* A website you can use to find potential sponsors and promotional partners.

* The "secret phrase" which gets big nonprofit organizations to endorse your book and promote it to their members.

* The title of the BEST person to contact with your proposal and why you should never send one written in Microsoft Word.

* The Number One fatal mistake to avoid when trying to land a sponsorship deal with a Fortune 500 company.

* How to write a short proposal that gets huge companies to sponsor you--even if you're an unknown, self-published author (HINT: there are five elements and he'll reveal all five on the call.)

Again, to sign up for the call, go here now: http://www.SponsorshipTrainingTeleseminar.com/?10011


==========================================
5. How to Find a Ghostwriter
==========================================

This week, six Publicity Hounds have tips for Nancy Wurtzel of Thousand Oaks, California, whose client, a physician, needs a ghostwriter for a book on brain health for Baby Boomers.

From Dorothy Pedersen:

"Look for a writer who has (a) a successful track record with published books, (b) a good track record of meeting, or beating, deadlines, and (c) who has a personality that's a good match with yours, your client, and the physician."

From Linda Adams:

"Try contacting the American Independent Writers (formerly Washington Independent Writers). It's the largest regional writing organization in the United States and is primarily made up of freelancers. They have a job bank for writers at http://washwriter.org/ It's a little hard to find. Look in the right column."

From Madisen Harper:

"I know a number of people, including myself, who have had great success finding ghost writers on http://www.Elance.com.

"You can post a job, get writing examples and receive competitive quotes. I've been impressed at the quality of writing and range of expertise."

The Publicity Hound says:

Elance.com and some of the other freelance sites like it are great for outsourcing projects like ghostwriting. But make sure you understand how these sites work, and what to do to ensure you're getting the best freelancers available. A low bid often means you're getting what you pay for. Trust me. I've made this mistake.

Leili McKinley, one of my business coaches, is an expert at outsourcing work. She was my guest during a teleseminar on "Outsourcing Secrets: How to get the Best Quality, Price & Teamwork from Freelancers." It's available as a CD, or as an MP3 or electronic transcript that you can download as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about how to hire freelancers at http://tinyurl.com/7r793b

Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/994lwl

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


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

Shannon Hein of Fort Collins, Colorado writes:

"I am helping a friend promote Branchies, a product she invented that lets people hang heavy objects on their Christmas trees. It's at http://www.Branchies.com

"They attach easily to the trunk of your Christmas tree and support very heavy and bulky ornaments. They are a great way to transform your tree using themes you've never been able to create before. For example, you can decorate your tree with your favorite football helmets if you want!

"Of course, Christmas is over, but we want to get a jump on promoting this next year. What ideas do your Hounds have for promoting Branchies?"

The Publicity Hound says:

I'm using this question this week because many Christmas trees are still up, and they might help spark some great ideas from my Hounds. If you have a suggestion for Shannon, you can post it to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/8k25hc


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

A New York City yupette was shopping in an upscale pet center.

"I want a dog of which I can be proud," she told the salesman. "Does that one have a good pedigree?"

"Miss," declared the clerk, "if she could speak, she wouldn't talk to either one of us."

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

Obama inauguration donors: Pitch to your local media
http://tinyurl.com/6wnkd2


Artists, learn the 10 qualities of a marketing plan
http://tinyurl.com/6w3t2o

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

WHERE TO SEE AND HEAR THE PUBLICITY HOUND:

Thursday, Jan. 8--Teleseminar

"Formula Five: 5 Ways to Double Your Business in 2009" with my guest expert Paul Lemberg. From 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time, he will explain five ways every business person can double their business. This is perfect for anyone who is frightened by all the gloom-and-doom talk about the bad economy. This is a free teleseminar. Register at http://www.Publicityhound.com/teleseminar/formulafive.htm


Wednesday, Jan. 21--Teleseminar

Join me for the third annual smARTist telesummit where photographers, jewelers, potters, painters, metalworkers, woodworkers and other artists will learn all the secrets for growing their art business. I'm presenting a session on how to use social networking, from 2 to 2:45 Eastern Time on Wednesday, Jan. 21. Register for the telesummit at http://tinyurl.com/5axy3x


PERMISSION TO REPRINT:

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

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

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

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

PRIVACY STATEMENT:

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

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

Publicity tips/A Publicity Miracle Dec 9, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #428 Dec. 9, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

Circulation: 50,513

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

"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.

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

Announcements:

--Publicity Hounds have chosen Patricia Reszetylo the winner of
the $50 Amazon.com gift certificate for her idea of promoting an
ebook by hosting teleseminars that tie into the topic of the
book. You can see all the ideas at http://tinyurl.com/64jkzq
Thanks to everyone who voted.


--If you're new to the publicity game, here's a must-attend
teleseminar, join Steve Harrison for a free teleseminar on
Thursday, December 11, on "Practical Ways To Get More F~ree
Publicity In Top Magazines, Newspapers And On Radio/TV Shows," at
2 or 7 p.m. Eastern. He isn't recording it so if you can't
attend, recruit someone to listen and take notes for you. The
teleseminar includes a handout that will be available on
Thursday. Sign up at http://tinyurl.com/6cfrsn

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

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

1. A Publicity Miracle

2. Be the Expert in a Niche

3. Oprah Does it Again

4. PR Tips for Nonprofits

5. How to Promote Medical Guides

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=====================================
1. A Publicity Miracle
=====================================

One of the best ways to generate publicity is to be willing to
discuss your business problems and ways you are trying to solve
them, even if the solutions are so bizarre that people think
you're nuts.

For years, the real estate industry has known about the practice
of burying a St. Joseph statue upside down in your yard if
you want to sell your house.

In the mid-90s, my husband and I were so desperate to sell our
four-bedroom Colonial in Pennsylvania that had been on the market
for 14 months that we, too, buried a statue. Several weeks later,
we received three offers in one day and sold the house. I wrote
about it this week in my blog at http://tinyurl.com/6rkm75

I'm not alone.

The St. Joseph practice is so widespread that an entire industry
has been built around this superstition. Do a search for "St.
Joseph statue" and you'll find Phil Cates' website at
http://tinyurl.com/5lhyrg at the top of the list.

Phil, who has been in the real estate industry for 22 years, now
works full time selling a "St. Joseph Statue Home Sale Kit" that
includes a complementary online listing of the house you're
trying to sell. His website includes more than $2.7 billion in
real estate listings--all from people who have bought his home
sale kits.

"We've polled people who have bought our statues and 50 percent
of the real estate agents don't even tell their sellers that
they're burying it," Phil says. "And 50 percent of the sellers
don't tell their real estate agents they're burying the statues."

That means two St. Joseph statues, not one, are buried in
thousands of yards throughout the world.

This year alone, Phil has racked up publicity for his company in
more than 44 media outlets, blogs and social networking sites,
including the Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, the
Dallas Morning News and Consumer Reports.

If you're a real estate agent or a home-seller willing to discuss
your experiences with the St. Joseph statue, publicity is almost
yours for the asking, particularly since the housing market is so
dismal. If you're pitching this fun story to TV stations, be sure
to have your own St. Joseph statue as a prop. You can get just
the statue or the entire kit at http://tinyurl.com/5lhyrg

Real estate agents, I know dozens of other ways to generate
publicity, and I shared them all during the interview I did with
real estate coach Jim Gillespie, available as a CD.

Read more about how to stop relying exclusively on expensive
newspaper classified ads at http://tinyurl.com/56waoa


=========================================
2. Be the Expert in a Niche
=========================================

A super way to promote your expertise within a niche and generate
publicity is to write a content-rich report that walks people
through the steps of how to solve a problem.

You can give it away if you wish and offer it to journalists who
write about topics within that niche.

Or sell the report for a low price. I sell 52 special reports on
all aspects of free publicity for only $10 each at
http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g

But what if you don't have a website, a shopping cart, or email
addresses from people who have given you permission to market to
them? What if you don't want the hassle of creating a website,
processing the payments or delivering the product?

Problem solved.

Lynn Terry, who I met in Stompernet, the membership site for
Internet marketers, has figured out a way for anyone to sell
practically any product without email subscribers, without a
website and without a shopping cart--even in super-competitive
niches.

You only need two things: an email address and a PayPal account.

It's an easy seven-step process that she explains thoroughly in
her 13-page report called "Easy 7-Step Fast C*ash Strategy."
You'll also learn how to sell the product quietly before you
launch it, so you can get feedback and testimonials from happy
customers in time for the official launch.

It's perfect for:

--Consultants who want to promote their expertise within a niche.

--Authors who want to create a quick product that upsells people
to their printed book or ebook. Or create it as a spin-off
product for people who buy the book.

--Speakers who want speaking engagements in a particular
industry.

--Small-business owners who can explain a problem, and the
solution, that relates to a product or service they sell. The
report can generate leads that turn into paying customers.

--Publicists and PR agency owners who want more clients. Show how
much you know by concentrating on one aspect of PR. You can sell
the report from your blog and on the social networking sites, or
simply use Lynn's seven-step formula.

In some cases, you can create the report and start selling it in
well under a week. And if you have questions, go over to Lynne's
discussion forum where she'll be happy to help you.

The report is a steal at only $10, and she's offering it
exclusively to Publicity Hounds. Read more about it at
http://www.fastcashstrategy.com/PHprivateoffer.htm


========================================
3. Oprah Does it Again
========================================

If your Christmas list includes a Kindle, that nifty hand-held,
wireless portable reading device that has access to more than
200,000 books, sorry.

You'll have to wait until February to get one because they've
sold out. Blame Oprah Winfrey for the delay.

Amazon was confident that it had enough Kindles in stock for the
2009 holidays, but then along comes Oprah in late October,
christening the Kindle as her "favorite new gadget" on her TV
show, and then gushing about it at her blog at
http://tinyurl.com/5p9hlx

Now, the shelves are bare.

That's what happens when the most powerful woman celebrity
endorses your product. Just ask the numerous authors whose books
have catapulted to the top of the New York Times Best Seller list
after Oprah chose them for her book club.

And that's why authors, speakers, experts, nonprofits and
millions of others are hankering to get onto her show.

Did you know, however, that one of the best ways to get the
attention of Oprah's producers is to first get mentioned in O,
the Oprah Magazine? If you can get into the magazine, it's almost
as though you've already passed inspection, and her TV producers
will be more inclined to take a second look when they get your
pitch.

Or they might hand-pick you for the show, based on the story they
read in the magazine.

That's what happened to Genevieve Piturro. She's the founder of
The Pajama Program, a charity that gives new pajamas to needy
children.

Genevieve first appeared in O Magazine, and then on the TV show
two years ago. That one segment resulted in more than 32,000
pairs of pajamas being raised for charity. Producers at Oprah &
Friends XM radio booked Piturro for an interview on the radio
show--so it was a triple whammy in Oprah Land.

Sometimes it works the other way around. You can get onto the TV
show first, and then appear in the magazine. But because
competition for the TV show is so intense, it's often better to
try to get into the magazine first.

Read about the 12 topics the editors love at
http://tinyurl.com/6c6nsc

Then grab Susan Harrow's ebook "Get into O Magazine" at $100 off
the regular price, now through Dec. 18. But you must use this
coupon code: oprah

Susan explains how at http://tinyurl.com/fuxmn


=========================================
4. PR Tips for Nonprofits
=========================================

Publicity Hound Bob Crawshaw from Australia has come up with a
creative way to market his business, help his community and give
a special holiday gift to the nonprofit world:

"We deal a lot with community groups and to help them out, we're
compiling a list of practical PR tips for challenging times. We
intend to circulate this f~ree to community groups in the next
couple of weeks.

"We've started out with some ideas in our latest post. You're
invited to add to this list. And in return, we'll share the
gathered ideas with you (or groups you nominate) before
Christmas."

Publicity Hounds can contribute ideas for low-cost PR tools and
tactics at http://tinyurl.com/6y56jz


If you don't want to wait to see what will be added to his list,
Paul Hartunian has dozens of tips on how nonprofits can generate
publicity, even on a shoestring budget. He shared them during the
teleseminar on "Failproof Publicity Tips for Your Nonprofit."
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/29dba


==========================================
5. How to Promote Medical Guides
==========================================

This week, four Publicity Hounds have tips for Winthrop Morgan of
Bethesda, Maryland, on how to raise awareness of a government
agency's comparative effectiveness summary guides for clinicians.


From Karen Cook:

"I have been creating a ton of podcasts and downloadable books
and seminars, even yoga classes for this generation of web-savvy
clients. We have found that it creates a buzz passed on by email
and Twitter/Facebook type applications. After the initial cost of
digitizing it, it's free advertising. You can attach these links
to every piece of correspondence."


From Bruce Jones:

"I would say produce some quick video guides and place them on
the popular web video hosting sites with links back to the
government sites. Promote that people can download them as PDF
files. You don't even have to use a camera. You can create four
or five slide presentations in PowerPoint and save them as a
movie, add a little music or see if you can read the copy into
your computer. Make sure you use keywords in the description and
title and add a link back to your website."

"Do an email blast to as many health sites as you can, offering
free publications that they can place on their site. Everyone is
looking for content.

"Set up a website with the copy of each book on a page, plus the
PDF download. Google loves good relevant copy."


From Paulette Ensign:

"Start by giving those PDFs and MP3s to every relevant
professional association for the association to provide to its
members. This is viral marketing at its finest, and costs zip!
The associations will be delighted, too, since they are always
looking for more member benefits to provide, as inexpensively as
possible. It doesn't get more inexpensive than free.

"The same is true for every relevant publication and website, for
each of them to use as bonuses to bring more traffic. "Visit our
site and get a free..."


The Publicity Hound says:

Winthrop, you should be reaching out to bloggers who write about
medical issues. They would love to know about your resources. See
"How to Pitch the Best Bloggers & Create a Publicity Explosion"
at http://tinyurl.com/m7ymr


Read all the responses to this week’s “Help This Hound question
http://tinyurl.com/65dltt


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


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

Publicity Hound Erin Portman of Austin, Texas writes:

"I am a freelancer and have a ton of media contacts. My New
Year's resolution this year was to find a better way to track and
capture information about the media I work with. Excel
spreadsheets are getting old. Also, I should note that I use a
Mac, which may be limiting in some instances.

"I’d be interested to hear about how other Publicity Hounds keep
track of their media contacts."


The Publicity Hound says:

This is a great question because a media contact list is an
important part of any media plan. Hounds with tips for Erin can
post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/5vf9pq


Time's a wastin' if you haven't created your media plan for 2009.
Wait until next year and you might miss opportunities to get into
the spring issues of national magazines. My training program "How
to Create a Media Plan" comes with a half-hour of telephone
consulting. Let me critique your media kit, your online press
room or your press releases, or give you creative ideas to work
into the plan. Read more about how to create a plan that keeps
you on track, month by month:
http://www.publicityhound.com/mediaplan.htm


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

"If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs
I have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons."

--James Thurber


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

Can't sell your house? Bury St. Joseph for an offer & publicity
http://tinyurl.com/6rkm75


How to persuade newspaper editorial boards
http://tinyurl.com/5keakz


How to get Google juice from your LinkedIn profile
http://tinyurl.com/5wxnz9


When radio/TV talk show guests cancel, hosts need fill-ins
http://tinyurl.com/6cfpch



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

WHERE TO SEE AND HEAR THE PUBLICITY HOUND:

Wednesday, Jan. 21--Teleseminar

Join me for the third annual smARTist telesummit where
photographers, jewelers, potters, painters, metalworkers,
woodworkers and other artists will learn all the secrets for
growing their art business. I'm presenting a session on how to
use social networking, from 2 to 2:45 Eastern Time on Wednesday,
Jan. 21. Register for the Virtual Opening Day Reception from 7
to 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, Dec. 4. It's a free
teleseminar leading up to the telesummit, in which all the
speakers offer a few of their best tips. Register for Thursday's
free call at http://tinyurl.com/5haqs5 or for the telesummit at
http://tinyurl.com/5axy3x

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

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

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

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

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

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

Publicity tips/Avoid Spray-and-Pray Publicity Nov 18, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #425 Nov. 18, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

Circulation: 50,749

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

"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.

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

Let Corporate Sponsors Promote You on Their Dime

Of all the questions I receive each year from Publicity Hounds
who have a product or service to promote, one of the most
frequent is "How do I land a corporate sponsorship?"

I don't have a step-by-step guide on how to do that, but author
and speaker Brendon Buchard does, and he'll tell you about it
during a free teleseminar tomorrow.

See Item #2 below.

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

1. Avoid Spray-and-Pray Publicity

2. Let Corporate Sponsors Promote You

3. 'Buy My Stuff' Videos

4. LinkedIn Events

5. Promoting a Web Design Business

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


========================================
1. Avoid Spray-and-Pray Publicity
========================================

If you're guilty of any of the following, you could end up with a
publicity campaign that falls on its face:

--To reach journalists that write about your area of expertise,
you rely primarily on a list of media contacts you've bought from
a company, without knowing whether the contact information is a
month old, or a year old, or whether the journalist receiving
your pitch is dead or alive.

--You use the "spray and pray" method of distributing press
releases. You spray the same one-size-fits all release to a
variety of journalists and bloggers, and then pray that one of
them bites.

--You use the same "spray and pray" approach with pitches,
spraying the same pitch to everybody without bothering to
customize it for different audiences.

--You know you're supposed to post comments at other people's
blogs. But you don't know how to make them sound like anything
other than "Visit my website. I have something to sell to you."

--You don't know about the secret weapon that can penetrate TV
and radio newsrooms and get you on the air. Instead, you keep
spraying and praying.

--You "spray" your press releases and pitches to everyone at the
same time. You're unaware that you can sometimes get onto TV the
same day you pitch but that if you want that same story in a
national magazine, you must sometimes pitch six months before the
magazine hits the newsstands.

--You rely primarily on press releases to get big publicity hits.

--You think the word "media" refers only to newspapers,
magazines, TV and radio stations.

--If you're an author, you foolishly pitch your book.

Do any of these sound familiar? If so, I'm betting you don't know
how to create a media plan, also known as a publicity plan.

A well-thought-out plan tips you off to journalists and bloggers
who are hungry for the kind of content you provide. It will help
you know, instantly, which TV stations you should be pitching
TODAY so you can get onto tomorrow's shows and which magazine you
should be pitching TODAY so you can get into the May issue.

A good plan also includes lots of ideas you can pitch during the
months when there's absolutely nothing happening at your business
or nonprofit and the idea well is dry. It includes evergreen
story ideas that will work just as well next year as they did
five years ago.

I conducted a series of eight teleseminars that explain how NOT
to make the types of mistakes I've described above and how to
create a 12-month media plan that targets your message like a
laser to the audiences that want and need to hear your message.

It's called "How to Create a Media Plan," available as CDs or
electronic transcripts, and it comes with a half-hour of
consulting which you can use now or later. Let me help you devise
a strategy that will get you maximum exposure. We can even
brainstorm story ideas that are irresistible.

Read more about how to create a 12-month media plan at
http://www.publicityhound.com/mediaplan.htm


=========================================
2. Let Corporate Sponsors Promote You
=========================================

Let's say you don't have the time or the inclination to create
the kind of media plan I've mentioned above. You'd rather have
somebody else do most of the work, but you can't afford a PR
firm.

In that case, go after a corporate sponsorship.

Brendon Buchard, an author and speaker, has figured out some
really ingenious ways to land corporate and nonprofit
promotional sponsorships and use them to fund his marketing
efforts.

--Sony, for example, featured his company on a website with more
than 5 million visitors for free. That allowed him to quickly
build a mailing list of more than 30,000 people.

--Brendon knows the magic phrase you must use to quickly convince
nonprofits to publicize your book or product to their thousands
or millions of members.

--His corporate sponsorships have been responsible for the
publicity he has gotten on ABC World News, Oprah & Friends,
National Public Radio and 63 major radio stations. (The company
pays its PR firm or uses internal PR staff to get him media
exposure.)

--Corporate sponsors have made it possible for him to receive
$500,000 in advances for his second book.

--He has figured out how to get major companies like Wachovia,
Coke and Toyota to promote and sponsor his books, publicity, and
speaking tours.

Are you listening, speakers and authors?

If you can convince a company to pay you to travel around the
country speaking about your topic, you don't have to join the
chorus of thousands of other speakers who are all pitching
meeting planners. All you have to do is mention the company's
product or service during your presentation and let your
audiences know about the corporate sponsor arrangement.

In other words, you're using somebody else's influence, somebody
else's contacts and somebody else's money.

But Brendon says the process most people use to do what he does
is hit and miss, at best. They don't know the right people to
approach within a company or nonprofit. They don't know the five
elements they must include in their written proposal. And they
don't know about the website they can use to find potential
sponsors and promotional partners.

Curious about how he does it?

Listen to him explain during a free teleseminar tomorrow with my
friend, Steve Harrison. You can choose from two times: 2 p.m.
Eastern or 7 p.m. Eastern.

Sign up here and Steve will send you the handout and details for
tomorrow's call: http://tinyurl.com/5eosqa


========================================
3. 'Buy My Stuff' Videos
========================================

We've all seen them, and we hate them.

Mike Koenigs calls them "Buy My Stuff" videos, and they're all
over the Internet.

You click on a video thinking you'll see something funny, or
inspiring, or helpful. It turns out to be an author or a business
owner hawking a book or a widget and leading you to a sales page
where you can place the order.

"Buy My Stuff" videos have their place. But the correct place to
use them is never in front of the prospect when you're connecting
with them for the first time.

Videos can be so incredibly powerful to your publicity campaign
because Google sometimes indexes them within minutes after they
appear at a video-sharing site. So why waste your time on "buy my
stuff" videos that send prospects running from you?

Mike has a strategy he calls the 10 x 10 x 4 formula that shows
you exactly when you can use your "buy my stuff" video and what
you must do first. He explains it in a 20-minute video, and once
you see it, you'll understand why his method is so much better.
It establishes you as a credible expert and authority who
educates, informs, entertains and builds rapport with your
prospective audience so they feel a sense of connection with you
and, eventually, buy your stuff.

He'll send you the link to the video in exchange for your name
and email address. The video explains, by the way, that asking
for the prospect's name and email address is part of his
strategy.

Go to http://tinyurl.com/6ay5ab and learn how, and when, to use
"buy my stuff" videos.


=========================================
4. LinkedIn Events
=========================================

LinkedIn has a new application that's perfect for Publicity
Hounds who are speaking, attending or exhibiting at a live event.

It's called LinkedIn Events and it appears on the right side of
every LinkedIn user's homepage (log into your LinkedIn account
and scroll down on your homepage).

It lets you know about live events you might be interested in
attending. LinkedIn chooses which ones to display, based on the
information you've included in your profile. Unfortunately, it
doesn't let you submit information about your own events, and it
doesn't include events like teleseminars and webinars.

You can watch a short video that demonstrates how it works at
http://tinyurl.com/642j7t

This information is valuable in several ways:

--The application shows which other LinkedIn users within your
network are attending the event, a great heads-up if you want to
make plans beforehand to connect with any of them at the event.

--You can search for events by industry, date and location.
Speakers can use this functions to search for events that would
fit perfectly with their topic and area of expertise.

--It lets you announce to your contacts whether you are speaking,
exhibiting or attending the event.

The application is in beta, and judging from comments to the blog
post at the link above, it has several bugs. But it's one more
way to spread the word about your expertise.

Don't just create a LinkedIn profile and let it sit there
gathering dust. Make sure you know all the ways to connect with
your contacts.

Social media expert Scott Allen was my guest during two
teleseminars earlier this summer in which he created for us an
entire timeline of everything you should be doing on LinkedIn
several months before you're launching a product or sponsoring an
event. Scott says the secret is not to promote directly to your
contacts but, instead, to encourage them to let their contacts
know what you're doing. In other words, ask for their help and
they'll oblige.

He walks you step by step through the entire process of "How to
Use LinkedIn to Promote Anything--Ethically & Powerfully." 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 start using LinkedIn the right way at
http://tinyurl.com/5zvzyd


==========================================
5. Promoting a Web Design Business
==========================================

This week, 10 Publicity Hounds have tips for Nancy Cavanaugh
of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a web designer who needs quick ideas to
boost sales at her website, Cavanaugh Interactive, at
http://www.cavanaughinteractive.biz/


From Meryl K. Evans:

"Contact business and nonprofit organizations to offer to speak
to their members at no charge. Be sure the presentation adds
value. 'How to turn visitors into customers' sounds like a good
one for you." Do a good job presenting it and the members might
prefer to have you do the work for them."


From Efia Moore:

"It seems like your website is lacking a theme. Sure, everything
is neat and easy to navigate, but what is it that makes your site
stand out above the rest?

"Also, if you're an interactive design company, where is all the
Web 2.0 stuff? If I can't Digg you, add you to my RSS feeds, or
get your Twitter updates, what's the point of calling yourself
interactive?"


From Judy Vorfeld:

"The purpose of the first page above the fold is to connect with
the visitor. Instead of the two graphics in the middle column
(which are totally impersonal and not valuable enough to be near
the top of the home page), consider some text that addresses the
issues potential website owns have and show how you can make
their life a lot better."


The Publicity Hound says:

Even though you offer tips in the margins, your website cries out
for free articles. This is one of the first things visitors look
for, and it's a great way to build your expertise. If you have
difficulty writing, use the template I've provided that comes
with the CD or the electronic transcript on "How to Write How-to
Articles." You can use the same template over and over again.
Read more about what I taught during this teleseminar:
http://tinyurl.com/dnxhb


Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question
http://tinyurl.com/6lzg8e


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


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

Publicity Hound Susan Sogaro of Trumbull, Texas writes:

I am an Italian Diorama artist, and my handmade, three-
dimensional Nativities include town scenes which have homesteads,
vendors, shops and market scenes. Our art and gift shop caters to
Italian art lovers in the U.S. and crafts range from the Dioramas
to small travertine coasters and ceramic boxes and tiles.

I can't find anyone in the Houston area doing the same work and
would really like to get the word out there about my artwork,
with very limited resources. We invested all our savings in
setting up the company. Do your Hounds have any suggestions on
how to promote the artwork and our online store? You can find us
at http://www.shsartandgift.com,
http://www.youtube.com/susansogaro and
http://www.susansogaro.blogspot.com/


The Publicity Hound says:

With the Internet, you should be thinking far beyond attracting
potential buyers only in the Houston area. Many of my Hounds do
just that, and some of them are artists. Hounds with great ideas
for Susan can post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/6hycv8


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

Thanks to Publicity Hound Elaine Grassbaugh of Columbus, Ohio for
this one:


Who is your REAL friend, your spouse or your dog?

If you're not sure, just try this experiment. Put your dog and
your spouse in the trunk of the car for an hour. When you
open the trunk, who is really happy to see you?


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 AND HEAR THE PUBLICITY HOUND:


Wednesday, Nov. 19--Teleseminar

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


Thursday, Nov. 20--Teleseminar

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


Wednesday, Jan. 21--Teleseminar

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


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/When the Boss Wants a Pile of Clips Nov 4, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #423 Nov. 4, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

Circulation: 50,904

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

"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 do Social Networking, Run a Business & Still Have a Life:

This is the teleseminar many of you have been begging me to
offer.

If you didn't know any better, you'd think that BL Ochman, one of
the most prolific and well-respected bloggers and social
networkers, does social networking 24/7, but she doesn't. Join
us on Thursday, Nov. 6, for a 70-minute teleseminar and hear her
explain how she rations her time, uses a variety of social
networking tools, and still manages to set aside a huge chunk of
her schedule each day for client projects. She'll also explain
how she'll use social networking to launch a new business--tips
many of you can use to promote your existing businesses.

Register at http://tinyurl.com/6kswbc

See Item #1 below.

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

1. When the Boss Wants a Pile of Clips

2. Election Follow-up Stories

3. Headline Lessons from Cosmo

4. Help for Writers

5. Promoting T-shirt Websites

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


========================================
1. When the Boss Wants a Pile of Clips
========================================

A new member of the Publicity Hound Mentor Program was lamenting
yesterday about what a difficult time she's going to have
convincing her bosses that she needs to spend her time on the
social networking sites.

She's in corporate PR, and the bosses feel more comfortable
measuring her success with a pile of clippings.

Sound familiar? If so, tell your boss about the Newspaper Death
Watch blog at http://www.NewspaperDeathWatch.com/

My friend, former business journal editor Paul Furiga of
Pittsburgh, told me about the blog last week. Newspaper junkie
and technical writer Paul Gillin created it and keeps track of
the layoffs, firings, downsizings, rightsizings and capsizings at
newspapers throughout the U.S.--in addition to the huge
circulation declines.

It isn't unusual to hear media watchers predict that newspapers,
as we know them, won't exist 10 years from now. Read Paul
Gillin's excellent summary at
http://www.newspaperdeathwatch.com/about/
why newspapers are in such big trouble.

Traditional journalism is being replaced by a whole new army of
people, he says, and "for the first time in history, ordinary
citizens have the means to publish to a global audience cheaply
and easily."

Part of that trend is called social networking, and smart
Publicity Hounds are already figuring out ways to incorporate it
into their publicity campaigns. The biggest impediment is time
and the utter confusion that results when you're trying to
determine which of the more than 200,000 social networking sites
are best for your business.

BL Ochman, one of my favorite bloggers and a social media expert,
will be my guest during a teleseminar at 4 p.m. Eastern Time on
Thursday, Nov. 6, called "How to do Social Networking, Run a
Business & Still Have a Life." Hear her explain how she rations
her time, uses a variety of social networking tools, and still
manages to set aside a huge chunk of her schedule each day for
client projects. She'll also explain how she'll use social
networking to launch her new business--a website that lets pet
owners upload photos of their pets, then customize them with
captions and doodles and have them printed on T-shirts.

If you have another commitment, that's OK. You'll receive the MP3
recording. This session is almost full and I'm expecting all 100
seats to be taken by Thursday afternoon. When they're gone,
they're gone.

Register at http://tinyurl.com/6kswbc

If you want in-depth coaching on how to use these sites, see if
you're a good candidate for The Publicity Hound Mentor Program at
http://www.publicityhound.com/mentorprogram/intro.html


========================================
2. Election Follow-up Stories
========================================

Here are ideas to consider using tomorrow, the day after an
historic election:

--People love "Top 5" and "Top 10" lists. If you blog, create a
list like "The Top 10 Things the New President Should do Before
Inauguration Day." Post a tweet leading people from Twitter to
the blog.

--People who support the losing candidate, particularly in an
election this close and contentious, often feel anger, depression
and a loss of control. Therapists and psychologists, offer your
best tips on how to deal with those feelings.

--In families that are split apart by politics, what's the best
way to deal with a gloating spouse, or kids who say "I told you
so"?

--A host of tax issues, from school levies to proposed sales tax
increases, are on ballots throughout the U.S. If the one you're
supporting doesn't pass, what happens next?

--Remember that newspaper websites are hungry for video. Shoot
video of election eve parties or interviews showing reactions to
the election outcome.

--Nonprofits everywhere are really feeling the pinch of a bad
economy. Comment on how the election outcome affects your ability
to recruit volunteers, raise money and stay afloat.


If you can't find your way into a regular news story, how about
writing a letter to the editor? "Special Report #4: How to Write
Crisp, Compelling Letters to the Editor that Promote Your
Product, Service or Favorite Cause" gives you step-by-step
instructions on how to craft the best letters. Only $10. Order
at http://publicityhound.com/publicity-products/reports.html


=========================================
3. Headline Lessons from Cosmo
=========================================

Writing a headline can be a real struggle, particularly after
you've spent more than three hours writing an article and you
don't have a creative cell left in your brain.

Cosmopolitan magazine to the rescue.

Its incredibly naughty headlines are among the best on the
planet. They're all formula headlines, and the same formulas
appear over and over again in that magazine and thousands of
others.

Check out this short video I created that shows you how to adapt
Cosmo headlines---or headlines from any consumer magazine---for
your own articles, blog posts and website copy:
http://tinyurl.com/68t77a


If you find that writing articles is as difficult as writing the
headlines, you might be interested in the teleseminar I conducted
on "How to Write How-to Articles." It comes with a handout that
includes a template for a how-to article. You can use the
template over and over again, regardless of your topic.

Read more about how to start writing articles more quickly at
http://tinyurl.com/dnxhb


=========================================
4. Help for Writers
=========================================

Writing can be a pretty lonely occupation. Just ask any
freelancer or author.

Freelance writers work in a highly competitive market that's
getting more crowded by the hour, as newspapers and magazines
continue to lay off thousands of reporters, editors and
columnists.

In addition to cranking out content for their own blogs,
articles, websites and social networking sites, writers usually
have to struggle to find the next paying gig.

As for authors, many of them devote entire years to writing a
book--in between consulting assignments and speaking engagements.
And that's AFTER they've spent months crafting the perfect book
proposal and even more months shopping it around to publishers.

Help is on the way.

The International Association of Writers offers information and
support in the areas of literary agents and publishing contracts,
self-publishing and print-on-demand, ebooks, article syndication,
speaking, media, book promotion, freelance writing, blogging and
business, as well as a myriad of special offers on everything
from books to press releases to writing conferences.

It was created by Fern Reiss, the "Expertizing" expert who's an
excellent writer, one of the smartest business people I know, and
a savvy Publicity Hound. I'm on her contributors' panel, and
you'll see a variety of articles and audio lessons from me on
everything from traditional publicity to growing your writing
business through social media marketing.

Her site formally launches in a few weeks and if you register
now, for only $149 a year, you'll get two of my special reports
of your choosing. Just use promo code "JS" when you sign up at
http://www.associationofwriters.com/Benefits.php

Even if you're not a writer, this is an inexpensive way to
publicize almost any business.


==========================================
5. Promoting T-shirt Websites
==========================================

This week, six Publicity Hounds have tips for Andrea Ayers
of Boulder, Colorado and Michelle Pratt-Lienhart of Webster, New
Hampshire on how to attract attention and generate publicity and
interest for their T-shirt companies.


From Meryl Evans:

"Contact bloggers who reach your audience and offer to send a
free T-shirt in exchange for a photo of them wearing it or
something creative (like a dog wearing it). Also, offer up the
shirts in online contests with the right sites."


From Sheridan Bushnell:

"I loved the simple but profound messages at the Tees for Change
site. How about adding a customized feature to expand your
consumer base i.e. 'Live Mindfully,' 'Laugh Often,' 'Choose
Happiness,' 'Play Golf' or 'Go Sailing.'

"You could then market to golf, sailing, skiing magazines and
resorts."


From Bruce Jones:

"My basic comment on the Just Be site is that it isn't clear that
the site is selling T-shirts. You have to get that info right on
the home page, real clear. Have some pictures of people wearing
the shirts there and also at the top of the blog."


The Publicity Hound says:

Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question
at http://tinyurl.com/6l4oy5

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


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

Judy Colbert of Crofton, Maryland writes:

"I'm launching my latest book, Temper Tantrum Common Sense
Handbook.

"It contains information gathered from experts and websites,
including suggestions on how to prevent tantrums, how to stop
them, and how to live with them.

"It will be great for parents, family members, baby sitters,
daycare operators, flight attendants, and others who love and
care for children in the tantrum age. It may surprise you to
learn that most daycare operators and workers receive maybe three
hours of instruction about tantrums. Teachers, flight attendants,
and others don't receive any!

"My first promotion will be distributing a release through
ExpertClick.com and a number of journalists and others who have
told me to let them know when the book is ready.

"I'd sure like suggestions from your Hounds on anything special I
should be doing after that. Is there a central operation for
providing instruction information for daycare center operators
and others who deal with children in this age range? Is there a
company (baby food, diapers) that might be interested in a gift-
with-purchase offer to parents who buy their products? Some
other mass market I'm missing?"


The Publicity Hound says:

You have a great topic and you can really target your requests
for joint ventures. Let's see what ideas my Hounds can suggest.
Hounds with ideas for promoting the temper tantrum handbook can
post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/5pstln


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

A minister called on a family that had just moved into a house in
his parish.

"Good afternoon and welcome to our parish," the minister said. "I
understand you are related to the Bradleys next door."

"Yes, that's right," the lady replied. "Our beagle is their
beagle's full brother."


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

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

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


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

(Twitterers, can you tweet about this first one?)

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


Pitch an entire segment for the morning TV talk shows
http://tinyurl.com/62mgz3


Product publicity is easier if you can get into gift sections
http://tinyurl.com/64v9sl

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

WHERE TO SEE AND HEAR THE PUBLICITY HOUND:


Nov. 20--Teleseminar

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



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/Social Networking Can Consume You Oct 21, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #421 Oct. 21, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

Circulation: 50,863

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

"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 do Social Networking, Run a Business & Still Have a Life:

This is the teleseminar many of you have been begging me to
offer.

If you didn't know any better, you'd think that BL Ochman, one of
the most prolific and well-respected bloggers and social
networkers, does social networking 24/7, but she doesn't. Join us
on November 6 for a 70-minute teleseminar and hear her explain
how she rations her time, uses a variety of social networking
tools, and still manages to set aside a huge chunk of her
schedule each day for client projects. She'll also explain how
she'll use social networking to launch a new business---tips many
of you can use to promote your existing businesses.

Register at http://tinyurl.com/6kswbc

See Item #1 below.

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

1. Social Networking Can Consume You

2. Great Tip for Getting onto TV

3. The Voice of GOOG-411

4. The Big Lie About Self-publishing

5. Promoting a Photography Studio

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=========================================
1. Social Networking Can Consume You
=========================================

I go over to Twitter, call up the profile of somebody I'm
following, and I see she's posted 6,698 tweets to my piddly 108.

So I call her on the phone and ask her how many hours a day she
spends on Twitter. I know it isn't 24 because she sometimes
tweets that she's headed off to bed. How many, then? Ten? Twelve?
Twenty?

When she tells me she spends about an hour and a half throughout
the entire day, I'm stunned.

We start talking about Facebook. She says she relies so heavily
on Twitter posts and Facebook email to communicate with her
friends and followers, that she seldom relies on traditional
email anymore. In fact, if you want to communicate with her, go
find her on Twitter or Facebook.

Her blog about online PR campaigns is one of my favorites. She
writes occasionally about her client projects, and I often sit
here and wonder, "When does she have time for clients, let alone
sleeping and eating?"

Meet BL Ochman, one of my heroes--a prolific writer and blogger
who calls 'em like she sees 'em. Many longtime Publicity Hounds
know her name because I've written about her here, and she's been
a guest on several of my teleseminars, including one of my most
popular on how to write a pitch letter that's more powerful than
a press release at http://tinyurl.com/6yd65

On Twitter, I've seen her beg for help when a plumbing problem
almost flooded her kitchen. She isn't above appealing to her
1,738 followers and asking for advice on whether to take on a
client project.

She gripes, rightly so, about press releases she hates. She tells
us when she picks apples and takes her dog, Benny Bix Ochman, a
Labradoodle, for walks in Central Park. She even tweets to tell
us about her acupuncture treatments. Even though we've met only
once, I know more about her life than I know about the lives of
many of my friends.

Oh yeah. She also does social bookmarking, another form of social
networking. And she says Benny "gets better Google juice than
most corporations" because she writes about him so frequently.

One of the most perplexing problems Publicity Hounds face is
learning how to budget our time in the world of social networking
and not let it swallow us whole. That's why I invited BL to
be my guest during a teleseminar Nov. 6 on "How to do Social
Networking, Run a Business & Still Have a Life."

Many of you have asked for this topic, and BL is the perfect
person to teach you. Read more about what you'll learn, and then
register for one of the 100 seats, at http://tinyurl.com/6kswbc


============================================
2. Great Tip for Getting onto TV
============================================

This idea won't work for run-of-the-mill businesses.

But if you have an unusual book title, company name, or product
or service, it can get you onto the TV news in your local
community. It's courtesy of John Kremer's excellent Book
Marketing newsletter at http://www.bookmarket.com/tips.htm

Bobbie Lee, author of Straight Man's Pocket Guide to Picking Up a
Hottie, wrote the following note to John:

"Your book recommends making contacts every day. So I never miss
a chance to put my card advertising my book somewhere when I can!

"I saw a Fox station reporter van one day in my neighborhood and
put one on their windshield. They gave it to an Executive
Producer who produces a segment called 'Pillow Talk' during the
news in the morning and they invited me on to talk about my book.
Thanks for your inspiration.

"You can check out my appearance on my local Fox station on
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7n9r4bgYMPw"


A business card tucked under the windshield. That's all it took.

If you're lucky enough to get on the air, the more difficult
challenge is persuading the TV station to mention your website.
One of the best ways is to offer viewers something for free at
your website--in exchange for a name and email address.

Can't think of anything? I have dozens of ideas and examples and
I list them all in "Special Report #51: 55 Free Things You Can
Offer to Generate Publicity or Capture People's Email Addresses."
Only $10. Order at http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g


=============================================
3. The Voice of GOOG-411
=============================================

You'll never pay for directory assistance again once you start
using GOOG-411, the free service from Google that gives you a
phone number, information about the business you want to call,
and even driving instructions.

As you watch the clever video that explains the service at
http://www.google.com/goog411/ note:

--How Google packed a lot of content and creativity into a 91-
second video.

--The fun challenge at the end to "find the voice of Google."
This is a reminder for Publicity Hounds to issue your own
challenge to your customers or followers to "find the voice"
associated with your company, from your radio ads to the recorded
greeting people hear when they call your company. How about
turning it into a contest?

--Google invited viewers to post their comments regarding the
"find the voice" challenge at YouTube at
http://www.google.com/goog411/ The video has had more than 3.4
million views and has amassed more than 700 comments.


Video ranks right up there as the Number One way to pull massive
amounts of traffic to your website quickly. It's also a powerful
way to generate attention from traditional media, which might not
be interested in covering your events. Publicity Hound John
Easton, a videographer, was my guest expert during a teleseminar
on "9 Clever Ways to Use Video to Become a Publicity Darling in
Your Industry or Community."

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/5pbgzn


=========================================
4. The Big Lie About Self-publishing
=========================================

One of the fiercest debates among authors and publishers centers
on whether your book is any good if you self-publish.

Purists keep perpetuating the big lie: That self-published books
lack credibility.

It's a ridiculous argument.

Just ask Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen. When they shopped
their first Chicken Soup book to publishing houses many years
ago, they received several dozen rejection letters. Refusing to
give up, they published the book themselves.

It was so successful that the two have since self-published an
entire series of more than 100 Chicken Soup titles that have sold
more than 100 million copies. Add to that a variety of licensed
products such as calendars, greeting cards, nutritional
supplements, and even dog food.

My friend, Steve Harrison, will interview Jack Canfield tonight
at 7 p.m. Eastern and ask him about the other strategies he's
used to become a super-successful best-selling author and
internationally renowned speaker. The call is 90 minutes, and
it's free. Your usual long-distance rates apply.

You will learn:

--How Jack went from an inner city public school teacher to a
best-selling author and speaker.

--Jack's advice if you need revenue within 30 to 60 days.

--How to systematically create word-of-mouth marketing for your
book.

--Jack's insider advice on how to get started as a professional
speaker.

--How the Law of Attraction can help you create a best-selling
book.

Sign up now at http://tinyurl.com/5n2pwm


==========================================
5. Promoting a Photography Studio
==========================================

This week, nine Publicity Hounds have tips for Lisa Hoang of
Honolulu, Hawaii, a professional child and family photographer
who caters to elite clientele. She would like some classy ideas
on how to become more established in this niche. Her websites are
Windward Skies at http://www.windwardskies.com and Tiny Moments
Photography at http://www.tinymomentsphotography.com


From Kelly Watson:

"Get testimonials from other high-end customers and display them
prominently on your website. If you have a blog or an email
newsletter, you can also subtly 'name-drop' important customers
by displaying the work you've done for them or describing a
problem that you've solved for them.

"Potential customers will see that you've got a roster of high-
end clientele, and soon they'll be clamoring to join the list."



From Lori Green LeRoy:

"Consider donating your services to a silent auction for a Junior
League or other social benefit. Often, you can submit marketing
materials and examples of photos. The promotion at the event
would be great, and you could get excellent word-of-mouth
exposure from the person that 'wins' your services."


From Fiona Ingram:

"I live in South Africa and a local photographer came up with a
great idea. Start an album that draws the client back constantly.
For example, do the wedding pics, and add on a good price for
their anniversaries, the pregnancy, right up until the first baby
(and beyond). The baby album idea was to actually give
the client a stunning baby album and bring them back each month
so they capture the year's progress in great pics. You can extend
this to school first days etc. The 'hook' to draw them back will
be a growing record of their family, beautifully photographed.
You can also offer to do separate copies for proud mums, dads and
grandparents."


The Publicity Hound says:

Lisa, how about trying to get onto the local TV talk shows? You
can offer tips for parents who want to get the most out of a
photo shoot if they're having photos taken for their holiday
greeting cards. Yes, you specialize in photographing babies, and
you can certainly mention that during the show. But the greeting
card angle is timely, and it just might get you on the air.

Producers are looking for six traits in the ideal talk show
guest. Connie Dieken, a TV talk show host in Cleveland, explains
what they are and "How to be a TV Talk Show Host's Dream Date." .

It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can
download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved.
Read more about how to get onto talk shows and wow producers so
they invite you back: http://tinyurl.com/3z7ut


Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question
http://tinyurl.com/4a4yjv


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


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

Jeff Elliot of Cedar Rapids, Iowa writes:

"I am a manager at Planet X, a family entertainment center in
Cedar Rapids, Iowa featuring mini golf, bumper cars, space bikes,
space ball, rock climbing and arcade games. We serve food and
cater to many birthday parties and corporate events.

"Do your Hounds have any clever ideas on how we can celebrate our
10th year anniversary in January 2009? We're planning our
anniversary celebration all of next year. Our website is at
http://www.planetxfuncenter.com "


The Publicity Hound says:

Anniversaries lend themselves beautifully to publicity, as
long as you don't rely on the same old tired ideas. I can think
of several really fun publicity ideas for this one. Let's see how
sharp my Hounds are today. Hounds with great ideas can post them
at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/6okmne


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

Thanks to Dan Poynter, the self-publishing guru from Santa
Barbara, California, for sharing these great photos of "upside
down dogs." They made me laugh:

http://upsidedowndogs.com/


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

Life coaches: Offer tips on weathering the economy
http://tinyurl.com/6kcyas


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 AND HEAR THE PUBLICITY HOUND:

Nov. 6 -- Teleseminar

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



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/Mad as Hell? Let 'em Know Sept 30, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #418 Sept. 30, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/(Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 50,829

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

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

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

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free
publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their
reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more
products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

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

Don't Miss Twitter Teleseminar and a Recording:

- -If you aren't Twittering yet, you're missing out on one of the
biggest publicity tools on the planet. Join me and Warren
Whitlock, co-author of The Twitter Handbook, for two 70-minute
teleseminars on how to use Twitter to promote. They're from 3 to
4:10 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, Oct. 13, and Tuesday, Oct. 14.
You can sign up at http://tinyurl.com/44593x

- -Tom Antion teaches you his (and my) three-part strategy--
public speaking, Internet marketing and success principles--to
position yourself as an expert and grow your business, including
the three biggest website mistakes. Download our interview at
http://tinyurl.com/4rpwer and read about the 5 important things
he taught me.

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

1. Mad as Hell? Let 'em Know

2. Important Deadline Today

3. How to Build an Army on Twitter

4. Use LinkedIn to Get into Books

5. Promoting a Bargain Shopping Service

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=========================================
1. Mad as Hell? Let 'em Know
=========================================

I had to turn off the TV at 8:15 last night for fear my head
would explode.

After only three hours watching the aftermath of the ugly mess in
Washington, I couldn't stand to hear the commentators and
politicians screaming at each and pointing fingers.

Never mind how much we all lost in the stock market in September.
I just wanted to lock myself in a room and never come out.

So what should helpless Hounds do during a time like this? At
first, looking for the hidden publicity opportunity seems tacky.

But there's nothing wrong with venting constructively, just to
relieve the stress. And if it results in a publicity op, so be
it.

Here are some of my ideas:

- -Answer online polls like the one at
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26870760 on MSNBC.

- -I was fascinated by the first-person accounts--with photos of
people sharing their fears that their homes, jobs and life
savings will vanish--at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26410130/ Why
couldn't a trade association, nonprofit or chamber of commerce
ask for feedback from its own members and post comments at its
website or blog?

- -Let off steam in a video. Financial planners, you can lead
viewers from the video to your website where they can find more
articles, tips, calculators or anything else that will help them
make intelligent decisions about what to do with what's left of
their investments. Parenting experts, how about leading viewers
to a list of tips on how to explain to your kids what's
happening, and how it will affect them?

- -Local and national newspapers will be swamped with letters to
the editor and opinion columns. I'm betting that editors will
open up space in the print edition. So start writing.

- -I've seen a fair amount of ranting on social networking sites
like Twitter but not a lot of constructive tips.

- -Take your own survey among your blog readers, ezine
subscribers or your customers. What do the results show?

Here's what not to do:

- -Please, no petitions, particularly the ones sent via email
with instructions to "send this to everyone in your address
book." They're always ineffective, and they clutter inboxes.

- -Instead, regardless of how you feel about the bail-out, call
your representatives in Congress and vent. Public opinion is
running 3 to 1 against the bail-out, and commentators have cited
phone calls, not emails, from angry constituents as the Number
One reason the bill failed.

- -Maybe it's just me, but I hate snarky, vicious blog comments
left by people too cowardly to sign their real names.

What else are you doing to vent? Post your ideas to my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/3narfb


=========================================
2. Important Deadline Today
=========================================

It's time to celebrate when you capture the #1 position on Google
for your keyword or keyword phrase.

But Debra Holtzman has little time for champagne. That's because
her phone is ringing constantly with calls from journalists and
bloggers who find her in the top spot on the organic list when
they search for "child safety expert."

Guess what else they find?

They find Debra in positions #2 and #3 for the same keyword
phrase. Talk about dominating Google! It's almost impossible
for her competitors to gain any traction.

For Debra, capturing the first three spots on Google is possible
thanks to Expertlick: The Online Yearbook of Experts.

She ranks in the top two spots for her own websites. The #3
position is for her profile at Expertclick, the giant database of
experts that journalists search when they need background and
commentary from experts.

Her Google rank is responsible for interviews she has done with
dozens of top-tier media including NBC's "Today" show, Dateline
NBC, CNBC Asia Market Watch, MSNBC, Associated Press Radio, and
Parenting Magazine, Newsweek, Child Magazine, Star Magazine, Us
Weekly Magazine, USA Weekend Magazine, Reader's Digest, First For
Women Magazine, Boston Globe, Washington Post and Family Circle
Magazine.

Publicity Hound Cynthia D'Amour, who has the #1 spot on Google
for "leadership strategist," renewed her subscription for another
year this morning. Check out her fun photo on her profile page
at http://www.expertclick.com/19-3232

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

If you call Mitch and his staff at 202-333-5000, they'll take
your call personally and answer your questions. Don't miss out
and have to wait another year for an opportunity like this one.

If you get this newsletter late, call tomorrow morning and tell
him that. Mitch is a good guy and I'm sure he'll honor the
offer.


=========================================
3. How to Build an Army on Twitter
=========================================

Every day, messages flow into my email inbox that say "(Name) is
following you on Twitter!"

Usually, I have no idea who these people are. But they know me.
Or they want to know me.

After Twittering for less than a year, I have almost 1,000
followers--my own little tribe of Publicity Hounds who are
waiting to read about how I spent my weekend, or struggled with
the printer in my office, or found a way to solve somebody's
publicity problem.

Twittering has:

- -Sold many seats to teleseminars I've hosted.

- -Resulted in invitations to be included in people's books and
write articles for their websites.

- -Gotten me in front of people, and their own followers, who I
never could have reached on my own.

In many cases, Twittering is already far more important and
effective for some companies than sending press releases. If
you're not Twittering for whatever reason, you'll be choking on
your competitors' dust if you don't get on board quickly.

Join me as I interview Warren Whitlock, co-author of The Twitter
Handbook, for a two-part teleseminar series on Oct. 13 and 14 on
"How to Use Twitter to Amass an Army of Followers, Customers &
Friends."

Read more about what you'll learn and claim one of the 100 seats
at http://tinyurl.com/44593x

I'll be promoting this to my Twitter tribe, and I'm predicting a
sell-out, like the teleseminars I've hosted on Facebook and
LinkedIn.


=========================================
4. Use LinkedIn to Get into Books
=========================================

Smart Publicity Hounds look for every opportunity to get into
authors' books. I'm in almost 50 books about publicity,
marketing and small business, and I still get leads many years
after a book has been published.

Here's yet another way to get into a book: answer questions that
LinkedIn users ask at that site. Some of the questions are
posted by authors who are looking for people to interview for
their next book.

Last night, Publicity Hound Christine Louise Hohlbaum of Germany,
who is writing her next book, asked this on LinkedIn:

"For my chapter on expectation management for a book on our
relationship to time (St. Martin's Press), I am seeking detail-
rich anecdotes from people who have:

- -Successfully managed others' expectations or;

- -Unsuccessfully managed others' expectations and what you
learned from it

"How do you go about managing people's expectations? I'm not
just looking for the classic 'under promise and over deliver'
message, but more along the lines of how you effectively
communicate so as to avoid 'sticky situations' at the workplace,
in relationships, at home, with friends and family, etc. Thanks
so much in advance! I deeply appreciate your insights!"

If you'd like to answer her question, you can
mailto:christine@diaryofamother.com

Christine offers these instructions on how to ask your own
question and receive instant responses from a variety of experts:

- -Log into your LinkedIn.com account

- -Click on the drop-down box under the tab "Answers." Highlight
"Ask a Question."

- -Write your question in the top line. Add additional
information in the text box below.

- -Select the category to which your question pertains.
Reference whether it's for recruiting, promoting your services or
looking for a job.

- -Click "Ask Question" at the bottom.

- -Select the people in your network to whom the question should
go. At this point you can edit your email.

- -Send your question.

LinkedIn expert Scott Allen says the question-and-answer feature
is one of the most powerful ways to use LinkedIn. During the
teleseminars he conducted with me a few months ago, he explained
how he helped an author use the Q&A feature to generate immediate
support, within 48 hours, for a nationwide campaign she was
launching.

My LinkedIn teleseminars sold out, but we recorded them, and
they're available as electronic transcripts and your choice of
MP3s or Cds. Get started learning "How to Use LinkedIn to
Promote Anything--Ethically & Powerfully" at
http://tinyurl.com/5zvzyd


==========================================
5. Promoting a Bargain Shopping Service
==========================================

This week, 14 Publicity Hounds have tips for Jennifer Melnick
Carota, a gift expert from Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania. She needs
creative ideas for the types of information products she could
develop and sell at a women's expo, where she will be signing
copies of her book, Shop Smart, GIVE MORE."


From Burgundy L. Olivier:

"Look inside your own book. What tools do YOU use when you shop?
Shopping bags/totes? Retractable tape measures? Notebooks
filled with sizes, measurements, pattern names, colors, etc.?
Walkie-talkies? Calculators? Batteries in different sizes? A
spare light bulb? Pens on lanyards? Notepads? Magnifying
glass? Conversion charts? Digital cameras? Powdered drink
mixes in tiny packets?

"Draw from the 'tools required' in order to be a savvy shopper,
and focus on making these available to your shoppers. Sell
yourself, and the rest will follow."


From Margaret Vos:

"Why not introduce a side theme of giving to charities? This
could create a lot of goodwill and profile for you--and I'm sure
you already have a favorite charity you could link to, with
permission of course. Create a lot of positive associations and
potential sales by linking your 'giving' theme to the general
trade show, especially for women are trying to find gifts for
those family members or friends who have everything--and it would
truly be in the spirit of giving. Perhaps your local Breast
Cancer or Red Cross chapters would be a good start?"


From Stephanie Trahd:

"Why don't you collect email and physical addresses with the
promise that they will get something special in return--a
discount on your next product, a free tip sheet, first notice of
your next event/product, never before published guides, etc.

"All you need is an idea for the soon-to-be-released gift and a
sign-up sheet!"


The Publicity Hound says:

Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question
http://tinyurl.com/4zxue7

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


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

Dr. Shawn Messonnier, a veterinarian and award-winning author
from Plano, Texas, writes:

"I would love ideas from other Hounds on how to promote my new
line of certified organic pet shampoos.

"They're currently available online only at
http://www.drshawnspetorganics.com but should be available at
retail outlets sometime next year.

"I'd like to reach as many pet owners online to get a good jump
start. So far, I've promoted them on my radio show, in my
newsletter, by marketing to our current clients, and writing
articles and being interviewed for pet magazines.

"Hounds, can you help?"

The Publicity Hound says:

My two-legged Hounds love questions about the four-legged
variety, and I know they'll have lots of creative ideas to keep
pups and pooches smelling fresh and clean.


Let's see your best ideas at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/47ldtf


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

I pulled into a crowded parking lot and rolled down the car
windows to make sure my Labrador Retriever had fresh air. She
was stretched out on the back seat, and I wanted to impress upon
her that she must remain there. I walked to the curb backward,
pointing my finger at the car and saying emphatically, "Now you
stay. Do you hear me? Stay!"

The driver of a nearby car gave me a startled look.

"I don't know about you, lady," he said incredulously. "But I
usually just put my car in park."


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

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

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


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

How to choose your profile photo for social networking sites
http://tinyurl.com/4dpxc3


Can journalists and consumers find you on Google?
Http://tinyurl.com/4qkgsb


Writers, follow these 9 photography tips to sell your photos
http://tinyurl.com/4kb8q4


Pitching 'All Things Considered'? Pitch while the story is hot
http://tinyurl.com/3zvu3k


Inexpensive gifts will be in demand for holiday gift guides
http://tinyurl.com/4cpn72


Include special-interest weeklies in national publicity campaigns
http://tinyurl.com/3rpyu3


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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

Circulation: 50,542

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

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

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

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free
publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their
reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more
products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

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

Don't Miss These 5 Deadlines & Events:

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. The Perils of Friending Journalists

2. Why College Speakers Aren't Worried

3. What Experts Do

4. Media Leads

5. How to Promote a Keepsake CD

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


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

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

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

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

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

Easy and dangerous.

- -He can identify you as a spammer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

What, exactly, do experts do?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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


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


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

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


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

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


From Linda Swisher:

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


From Cheryl Pickett:

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

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


From The Publicity Hound:

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

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


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

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


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

Rik Feeney of Orlando, Florida writes:

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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


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

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


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


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


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

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

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


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

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

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

Publicity tips/Grade John Edwards' Interview Aug 12, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #411 Aug. 12, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/(Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 50,329

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

"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 Teleseminars Sold Out:

The teleseminar series on "How to Use Facebook to Promote Your
Business or Nonprofit," which starts tomorrow, sold out this
morning. But sign up anyway. Even though you won't be able to
attend the event live, you'll still get copies of the MP3 files
and the electronic transcripts.

Learn more about how to get started using Facebook to promote at
http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar/facebook.htm


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

1. Grade John Edwards' Interview

2. Airlines Keeping Inflight Magazines

3. Time Running Out for Gift Guides

4. Publicity Summit Deadline Tomorrow

5. Promoting a Website for Musicians

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

=======================================
1. Grade John Edwards' Interview
=======================================

Put politics aside for a minute.

If you saw the interview that ABC's "Nightline" did with former
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards on Friday night,
tell us how you think he did from a PR standpoint.

I don't care if you think "he's only human" or that cheating on
his wife was "despicable."

Was the interview convincing? Will it put an end to this story?
Did his answers come across as honest? Was he justified in not
answering certain questions? ("Did you ever tell her that you
loved her?")

I'm asking because opinions from crisis counselors and other PR
pros seem to be all over the map. Crisis counselor Jonathan
Bernstein says on his blog:

"I think John Edwards did one heck of a job of 'packaging' his
confession of infidelity in a manner that will quickly put the
issue behind him--as long as there are no other skeletons in the
closet..."

PR guy Jerry Brown says he thinks Edwards blew it.

"He left at least two big loose ends that promise to keep the
story alive awhile longer:

"He offered to take a paternity test to prove Hunter's child
isn't his, but the test hasn't taken place and the mother says
there won't be one. That will keep the story alive awhile longer
and, without a paternity test, there will always be lingering
doubts. Out of Edwards' control? Perhaps. But he's had several
months to work on this issue.

"Hunter reportedly has received payments for some period of time,
up to $15,000 a month according to one report that claims the
payments were hush money to keep her quiet. Edwards says he
didn't make any payments to Hunter and that any payments that
were made were without his knowledge. If she was paid, who made
the payments, and why, promises to keep the story alive. If any
laws were broken, the story could become decidedly worse."

Hounds, what do you think? Weigh in at my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/58xg9x

P. S. Notice when the story broke: on a Friday. That's the best
day to break a bad news story. Did it work in Edwards' favor
that it also was the same day as opening ceremonies at the
Olympics?

Jonathan Bernstein, quoted above, knows every trick in the book
on how to deal with the media when the news is bad. And he
described his favorites during a teleseminar I hosted on "How to
Keep the Media Wolves at Bay." We recorded it, and it's
available as a CD or electronic transcript that you can be
reading as soon as your order is approved.

Learn how to keep the media wolves at bay at
http://tinyurl.com/b8wcy


============================================
2. Airlines Keeping Inflight Magazines
============================================

With additional fees for everything from extra luggage to
blankets and pillows, you'd think those glossy in-flight
magazines would be one of the first things to go as the airlines
cut expenses.

Not so, say major carriers.

The magazines provide much-needed advertising revenue. That's
good news for Publicity Hounds who are trying to target higher-
income, higher-educated audiences with their pitches.

Thanks to Publicity Hound Gail Sideman of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
for tipping us off to this article in USA Today, which discusses
all the reasons the magazines will remain, at least in the near
future: http://tinyurl.com/5puvbx

Do you know the kinds of products and services these magazines
love to feature? Do you know which magazines feature books and
which don't? Do you know how to deliver your pitches, and to
whom? Are you aware of the many smaller magazines on smaller
airlines that are just as open to your pitches as the bigger
publications?

If not, "Special Report #29: Fly High with Publicity in the
Inflight Magazines" will tell you. It includes pitching tips,
plus contact information for more than 40 inflight magazines.
Buy the report, only $37, today and you'll get our October 2008
update at no additional charge.

Learn more about how to start reaching these airline passengers
with a high disposable income today at http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g


=========================================
3. Time Running Out for Gift Guides
=========================================

If your consumer product would make a terrific holiday gift, pay
attention to a looming deadline.

At many magazines, which have long lead times for their holiday
gift guides, you must have your product in the hands of editors
by Labor Day weekend. That's because within the next few weeks,
many editors will decide which products they'll feature in those
sections.

Elizabeth Woodson, associate editor at Travel + Leisure, told
Bulldog Reporter that they're already planning their holiday gift
guide. "The point is to get stuff to us early. That means now,"
she said.

Also, if you want to get into gift guides, don't use the same
strategy you use for getting into other sections of newspapers or
magazines. Usually, journalists don't want to be inundated with
unsolicited products and accompanying press releases and photos.
They want you to pitch first. Then, and only then, will they
decide if they're interested. If they are, they'll contact you
and ask for a product sample.

Gift guide editors, however, need products early so they can
decide which ones they'll include in the sections. In most
cases, you can send products unsolicited.

Read more pitching tips in this Bulldog Reporter article:
http://tinyurl.com/5js8hp

Then read more about The Gift List, a subscription service that
provides contact information, story themes, product features,
deadlines, submission preferences, photo requirements and tips
from the editors at more than 250 top daily newspapers, news
wires and syndicates, national television, and national radio, as
well as a list for web and blog outlets.

Get started pitching gift guides BEFORE their deadline at
http://tinyurl.com/9es8y


=======================================
4. Publicity Summit Deadline Tomorrow
=======================================

Whenever readers see me discussing the National Publicity Summit
in New York City, a few Hounds email me and ask if I can point to
any success stories about people who have gotten great publicity
hits as a result of meeting face-to-face with journalists.

Yep.

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

- -Steve Shapiro was the subject of a big story in "O the Oprah
Magazine" after meeting the writer who attended the Summit.

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

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

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

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

- -Sandy Clemmons got written up in Health Magazine, Money
magazine and TV Guide--all from meeting journalists face-to-face.
Even better, she says that since attending, her royalty checks
have increased over 700 percent.

Only 100 attendees will be admitted to this year's summit Oct.
22-25. Tomorrow is the last day to take advantage of the early-
bird pricing. Go here now to sign up for a free info packet that
tells you more about what you'll see, hear and learn--and who
you'll meet--at the National Publicity Summit:

http://www.NationalPublicitySummit.com/?10011


========================================
5. Promoting a Website for Musicians
========================================

This week, 10 Publicity Hound have tips on how Kevin Gardiner of
Tolland, Connecticut can raise awareness of his website at
http://www.TuneRooms.com to musicians ages 13 and up.


From Jonathan Bernstein:

"Write articles in your field of expertise and then 'place' them
on some of the scores of websites which catalog such articles for
use by other sites. That has been invaluable to my SEO effort."


From Christine Buffaloe:

"I work with a client who is a musician and author. She has a
wonderful page on MySpace.com and has created a following there.
These are the people you should be targeting. Start a MySpace
page. There's a place there just for bands and musicians."


From Jennifer Lizak:

"Reach out to your local music industry professionals, introduce
them to the concept, and hold an event or showcase.

"Hit up the music blogs--Pitchfork, Tiny Mix Tapes, Oh My
Rockness.

"Reach out to college freshmen. Did their high school band break
up when they went to different colleges? Perhaps your service
will allow them to keep the band together!"


The Publicity Hound says:

Kevin, start your own Facebook group for songwriters and
musicians. My teleseminar series this week on "How to Use
Facebook to Promote Your Business or Nonprofit" sounds perfect
for you. It's sold out, but sign up anyway. Even though you
can't attend the live event, I'll send you the MP3 audio links
and the electronic transcripts. Register at
http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar/facebook.htm


Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question at
http://tinyurl.com/6fgxc9


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


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

Larry Richards of Raleigh, North Carolina asks:

"Where can an author get accurate information about the many book
clubs and book discussion groups that exist in the U.S.?

"My book is titled The Blind Prophet, one of six books in my
Invisible War series, and it's a story about angels and demons.
It should be published the first of the year."

"Somebody suggested offering a free review book to the person
from these groups who selects the novels. But I can't find a
list anywhere. Can your Publicity Hounds help me?

The Publicity Hound says:

They sure can, Larry. Many authors and publishers read this
newsletter, and I know they'll be able to offer lots of
suggestions. OK, Hounds. Let's hear it. Where can Larry find a
list of book clubs, reading groups and other groups that might
want a free copy of his book? (Other publicity ideas will be
gladly accepted, too.)

Post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/68xzx6


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


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

Thanks to Publicity Hound Burgundy Olivier of Rayne, Louisiana
for this one:

What does a man do standing up...and a woman do sitting
down...and a dog do on three legs?

Shake hands.


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

Pompous elevator pitches turn off reporters and others
http://tinyurl.com/6dft25


Newspaper food sections shrinking, so pitch wisely
http://tinyurl.com/6mdq9q


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/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/Facebook's Twilight Zone July 29, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #409 July 29, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 49,355

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

"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 Training: You Asked for It, You Got It

Many of the more than 155 people who signed up for the teleseminar on "How to Use LinkedIn to Promote" or bought the products have asked for a similar teleseminar series on how to use Facebook.

I've lined up a fabulous guest expert, so mark your calendars for Aug. 13 & 14. See Item #1 below.

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

1. Facebook's Twilight Zone

2. When Doctors Shill for Pharmas

3. Why is Oprah Obsessed with This Topic?

4. Start Pitching Gift Guides

5. Promoting Natural Hair Care Products

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=======================================
1. Facebook's Twilight Zone
=======================================

When you use Facebook, do you ever feel like you've entered the Twilight Zone, or some strange planet from which there's no escape?

Ever feel like you're suffocating from information overload? I sure do.

But I don't get nearly as upset as Stacie Krajchir does. Facebook leaves her feeling so overwhelmed that she wrote "5 Reasons Why I want to Kick Facebook's A--" recently at the Huffington Post blog at http://tinyurl.com/6k4ofd. (An amusing column.)

Stacie can probably just abandon Facebook and it's no big deal.

But what about the rest of us who need to incorporate social networking sites like this one into our publicity campaigns, or publicity for our PR clients? After all, many of the friends we've accumulated on Facebook actually look forward to our messages. They love it when we write on their walls. They wait to see who has poked them, or who has sent them a virtual drink.

Help is on the way, Hounds.

Many of you have asked for a training session on Facebook, similar to the series I did last month with Scott Allen. I asked Scott if he could recommend a guest expert who can help us learn about Facebook.

Scott, it turns out, served as editor for the book "I'm on Facebook -- Now What??" Written two years ago by Jason Alba and Jesse Stay. Scott recommended Jason, and Jason agreed.

A lot has changed on Facebook since he wrote the book. Millions more people now have profiles--more than 60 million total, in fact--and techies have created hundreds of applications to use at the site.

Join me for a 70-minute teleseminar on Wednesday, Aug. 13, and Thursday, Aug. 14, on "How to Use Facebook to Promote Your Business or Nonprofit."

The first day, we'll present an overview of he site and the most important things you need to know. The second day will be devoted to actually promoting. If you don't have a profile yet at Facebook, we suggest you visit the site at http://www.Facebook.com, create one, take a look around and try to become familiar with the site. You'll be in a better position to ask questions during the teleseminars.

We could devote an entire week to Facebook. Because many of you are at various levels with Facebook--from not having a profile to feeling very comfortable on the site and using it to promote-- I've structured these sessions so we cover some of the basics for beginners, and lots of advanced content for more seasoned Hounds.

This is not a webinar. All you need is a telephone. But it would be very helpful if you can be in front of your computer and logged into the site during the calls so you can actually see what we're discussing.

Register for the teleseminars, which includes a copy of the MP3 audios and the edited electronic transcripts, at http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar/facebook.htm

The LinkedIn teleseminars sold out, and I expect these to sell out, too. Even if you can't attend, you can sign up any and listen to the recordings or read the transcripts when it's most convenient.


=======================================
2. When Doctors Shill for Pharmas
=======================================

Leigh Ann Hubbard, managing editor of MyFamilyDoctorMag.com, writes:

"Periodically, in response to a request, I'll get a quote from a doctor (via a publicist) that mentions a specific product. Inevitably, I Google the doctor and he or she has been or is on the payroll for the folks who make the product.

"There's no mention of conflict of interest in these emails, so it makes me mad, and I assume the publicists are trying to pull the wool over my eyes.

"Recently, that happened again. In email correspondence about it, in which I expressed my anger, the publicist actually defended the practice:

'Dr. [____] consults from time to time with the company as do many medical professionals for the pharma and OTC markets... As you know, Leigh Ann, many reputable practicing physicians consult with manufacturers from time to time to help them develop better products so people can be well.'

"I responded, 'Yes, I know that. And as you may know, it is then inappropriate for them to promote the companies they 'consult.'"

"Much to my amazement, she responded, 'I was not aware of that, to be honest with you, and not sure whose policy you are referring to--or perhaps some code of ethics I am not aware of. However, you see it all the time in the medical journals where researchers are in the pockets of pharmaceutical companies (disclosed of course) and surprise! The research makes the pharma drugs look good.'

"Have I really been getting these conflict-of-interest pitches simply because publicists don't know any better?

"Anyway, whatever the reason, this practice makes me never want to use the publicist--or any of his or her clients--again because I can't trust the person.

"It would be wonderful if you could address this. I know you have a large audience, and maybe there are publicists who truly don't know that this is absolutely unacceptable and insulting."

What do you say, publicists? Do these doctors need to hire new PR people? Or is what Leigh Ann experienced common PR practice within the medical community? If so, does it work? You can weigh in at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/5ofxom

Learn how to be the type of source journalists not only trust-- but treasure. "Special Report #49: 17 Ways to Build Valuable Relationships with Media People" tells you what to do and say if you want to stand heads above all the other PR people and self- promoters. The 17 things I teach you in this report are the same 17 things I valued in sources when I worked as a newspaper editor and reporter. Only $10. Order at http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g


=======================================
3. Why is Oprah Obsessed with This Topic? =======================================

"Does my butt look big in these jeans?"

Maybe the reason Oprah loves that topic is because women love it.

Think I'm kidding? Go to the Oprah website at http://www.Oprah.com and type the word "jeans" into the search box and see how many show segments fall into the butt-in-jeans category.

So, what if you want to get onto Oprah but your story pitch doesn't have anything to do with butts or jeans? How can you hope to compete with all the other wanna-be guests who are pitching stories in the beauty/makeover category?

Michelle Anton knows. She worked as a guest booker on Oprah and accepted and rejected hundreds of pitches from publicists and self-promoters. She'll be a guest on Steve Harrison's free 90- minute teleseminar on Thursday, July 31, at your choice of two times.

"The Three Big Secrets for Getting Booked as a Guest on Top National TV Shows" will feature Steve interviewing Michelle and other surprise guests who will teach you things unknown to 95 percent of all publicity-seekers.

On the call, you'll learn things like:

- -How to increase your odds of getting on Oprah, Fox News, CNN, Today Show and other top shows.

- -Understanding the mindset of national TV producers and what gets them to book you as a guest.

- -What you should send TV producers (and what you shouldn't).

- -An important lesson from one author who got on Oprah and saw sales soar as a result.

- -The most important question you must be able to answer to land a TV appearance.

- -The biggest mistakes to avoid when pitching TV producers (including ones that could get you black-balled forever!).

Once registered, you'll receive all the details back within five minutes.

Note: Steve usually doesn't offer replays of these calls. But sign up anyway just in case he changes his mind. If he does, he'll send you the link.

You can register for the call, which is free except for your normal long distance charges, at http://www.TVPublicityTeleseminar.com/?10011


=====================================
4. Start Pitching Holiday Gift Guides
=====================================

If you subscribe to leads services like ProfNet, PR Leads, or Help a Reporter Out, keep your eyes open for the many opportunities to get news about your consumer products into holiday gift guides.

Getting into these special sections is often a lot easier than getting into the regular news and feature sections of newspapers because gift guide editors are specifically looking for press releases and photos of products that make great gifts. In most cases, you don't need a clever hook or angle.

Just submit the information and--voila!--it ends up in a gift section that millions of newspaper or magazine readers might see.

The tough part is knowing exactly which publications are planning special gift sections. That's why I recommend the Gift List, a subscription service that provides contact information, story themes, product features, deadlines, submission preferences, photography requirements, cross-references and more for more than 250 top newspapers, all the major wire services, and television shows like Filter, The Look for Less, and, of course, MTV, "Ellen," "The View" and hundreds more.

You can even take a test drive to see how this service works: http://tinyurl.com/9es8y


========================================
5. Promoting a Design/Build Firm
========================================

This week, seven Publicity Hound have tips on how Teresa Berger of North Wales, Pennsylvania, the marketing director of Creative Contracting, Inc., can get more exposure in the community as a "premier design/build" firm in the Philadelphia area.


From Tanya Epstein:

"As marketing director for one of L.A.'s top architecture firms, I feel your pain, Teresa! I would lead with one of Joan's famous lists of ten: "Ten Ways Design-Build Can Save Construction Costs" using your boss' byline and contact info. Local trade and business journals can use those for sidebars in recession- conscious times, and they confer instant 'expert' status. Then develop a standard presentation and offer your (or his!) Services as a speaker to local organizations like Rotary Club, business breakfast clubs, and developer and real estate professional organizations."


From Harry Menta:

"Some of the easiest places to get an audience are at local chambers of commerce, trade associations and Rotary Clubs. It costs next to nothing to develop a nice 10- to 15-minute Power Point Presentation...If your company has an expertise like using green products or in design or doing restoration work on historical buildings, these are ways that you could get your boss some publicity."


From Jonathan Bernstein:

"You might want to consider investing in search engine optimization (SEO) work that would get you on the first page of a search for 'design firms Philadelphia.' Right now, even your home page's keywords are not geographically specific, hence they compete against every design firm in the country."


The Publicity Hound says:

How about suggesting that the boss create his own TV show or a series of shows to air only in the Philadelphia market? Robert Smith explains how he does it during the interview I conducted with him called "How to Get Your Own National TV Show for Less Than $400 a Month." (Your boss's show would cost far less than that.)

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 how to create your own TV show at http://tinyurl.com/y4by43


Read all the comments for last week's Help this Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/6brzyb


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

Dalia Wallach of New York, New York writes:

"My company has a line of specialty hair care products. Our Get Glow products nourish your hair with formulas that include vitamins, minerals and plant extracts.

"As your hair gets healthier, it starts to look better and you don't have to wash it as often which is better for your hair's health. Our products have wonderful scents and really make caring for your hair a more pleasurable experience.

"All we need is for more people to find out about us and experiment with our products. Our website is at http://www.GetGlow.com and we've gotten quite a bit of publicity in national magazines and the trades. What ideas do your Hounds have for spreading the word?"

The Publicity Hound says: How about it Hounds? What can Dalia do at the social networking sites? And what other online and offline publicity ideas can you suggest? Post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/6obj9l


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

Thanks to Deb Schmidt of Milwaukee, Wisconsin for this recycled oldie but goodie from one of the old Hollywood Squares shows:

Peter Marshall: "When you pat a dog on the head he usually wags his tail. What will a goose do?"

Paul Lynde: "Make him bark."

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

8 interview mistakes you don't want to make
http://tinyurl.com/6k5y8z


Hungry reporter gets a gourmet burger thanks to Twitter
http://tinyurl.com/6cuaam


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/Facebook Makes the Cash Register Ring July 22, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #408 July 22, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/(Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 48,851

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

"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.

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

Sell Books by the Truckload:

If you're an author, and you're selling most of your books
through book stores, you're doing it the hard way.

If your title is a good fit, and you know what you're doing, you
can sell 5,000, 10,000 books or more to corporate buyers--many of
whom give away books as special premiums along with other
products and services they're selling.

Sign up for a free teleseminar to learn how you can unload
thousands of books.

See Item #3 below.

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

1. Facebook Makes the Cash Register Ring

2. LinkedIn Also Makes the Cash Register Ring

3. Sell 120,000 Books with One Phone Call

4. How to Make News When There's No News

5. Internet Help for the Blind

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=========================================
1. Facebook Makes the Cash Register Ring
=========================================

This is for the Publicity Hound who aren't convinced that social
networking can be profitable.

I promoted last week's teleseminar series "How to Use LinkedIn to
Promote Anything--Ethically & Powerfully" by creating an event on
my Facebook page. My assistant then invited my 1,028 friends. At
$77, I wasn't sure how many Facebook friends would attend, but it
was definitely worth it.

Fifty-four people RSVP'd to tell me that they were attending, or
had already signed up. That's $4,158 in registration fees just
from Facebook! Something else started to happen. My Facebook
event started to grow legs.

Warren Whitlock, one of my Facebook friends, wrote on my wall:

"I found out about this from the Kim Beasley day celebration at
Twitter. http://www.Twitter.com/kbeasley

"I'm sharing the event with my LinkedIn subscribers and many
authors that have been asking about LinkedIn.com when I teach
publicity at http://BookMarketingStrategy.com.

"I'll be sharing this event for sure."

You can see what this wall post looks like here:
http://tinyurl.com/6qcrv4

Kim Beasley, The Blog Queen, who Warren referred to, has more
than 400 followers on Twitter, and I have no idea how many of
those people signed up after reading her tweet.

If I still haven't convinced you that sites like Facebook make
the cash register ring, you can listen to social media success
stories galore at The Social Media Summit Sept. 10-12 in Chicago,
sponsored by Ragan Communications. I attended Ragan's
"Unconference" on social media last year in Chicago. I made great
contacts, came back with hundreds of tips to share with you,
blogged about it while there, and learned about how to
incorporate social media into my own marketing campaigns.

At this year's summit, you'll learn about Web 2.0 strategies such
as podcasts, message boards, video and wikis. The conference
includes one track for internal communications and a separate
track for external and marketing communications. Curious about
what Web 3.0 might look like? You'll get a sneak preview.

I hope to see you there. This conference is so important that I
worked out a special arrangement with Ragan. Publicity Hounds
save $100 on the $1,195 registration, plus an additional $100 if
you take advantage of the early-bird registration, which has been
extended to this Friday. To get $200 off and pay only $995, you
must use this link: http://www.ragan.com/publicityhound

Let me know if you're going to the conference. Maybe we can have
a cup of coffee between sessions.


============================================
2. LinkedIn Also Makes the Cash Register Ring
=============================================

If you want to use LinkedIn to promote, here's step Number One.

This sounds like a no-brainer, but you must have a profile at the
website--preferably a darn good one.

Do nothing more than that and the cash register can start
ringing. It did for my friend, crisis counselor Jonathan
Bernstein.

"I landed one of my best clients--Craigslist--because the person
searching for a firm like mine looked at LinkedIn first," he
says.

If a multi-million-dollar company needs the kinds of products or
services you provide, and searches at LinkedIn, will it find you
there right now?

Once that you've created your profile, it's time to start making
connections with other LinkedIn users. This is an ongoing
process, but not to be taken lightly. Social networking expert
Scott Allen cautions that if you're asking somebody to connect
with you, they'd better know you, or could be digging a hole for
yourself.

"If you send out invitations to connect with people and five
people say they don't know you, your account is going to be
suspended and you're going to get a letter from LinkedIn
explaining their connection policy and asking you to adhere to it
and warning you that if you get more in the future, you'll have
your account locked," he said last week, during the first of two
teleseminars on "How to Use LinkedIn to Promote Anything--
Ethically & Powerfully."

His other tips on how to promote include:

--Give at least as much as you take. Instead of always asking
questions on LinkedIn or asking for connections, take the time to
answer questions that other LinkedIn users ask. Offer lots of
helpful advice.

--85 quality connections that include people who already know,
like and trust you are much better than 585 connections
consisting mostly of people who barely know you.

--Let's say you're hosting a live event and you want to use
LinkedIn to help fill seats. But many people would have to travel
by plane. You should be using the question-and-answer feature at
LinkedIn and asking a question that ties into the topic of the
event months before the event. This plants a seed in your
readers' minds that you care about this topic, that they can find
helpful advice related to the question or problem, and that
you're the go-to person who can help solve this particular
problem.

During the second teleseminar on Thursday, Scott created an
entire timeline that explains what you should be doing on
LinkedIn, and when, to promote. As of today, more than 150 people
have signed up for the teleseminar series, or to get the MP3
audios and electronic transcripts, a steal at only $77.

Read more about what it includes at
http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm

You'll receive the MP3 audio download links immediately. The
electronic transcripts should be ready in about 10 days.


==========================================
3. Sell 120,000 Books with One Phone Call
==========================================

Dr. Neil Baum, author of the book Marketing Your Clinical
Practice, tried lots of different ways to promote and distribute
the book--but most of them didn't work and he ended up
frustrated.

Then he thought that perhaps a big pharmaceutical company might
want to buy his book in mass quantity and give it away to doctors
as a gift. Pharmaceutical companies have very strict regulations
on what they're allowed to give to doctors. But giving them
educational products wasn't problem.

So Dr. Baum contacted the Bayer company and asked if they'd like
to give his book away to their customer doctors as a way of
showing appreciation for their patronage. Within a week, Bayer
bought more than 120,000 copies of his book and sent it to
doctors throughout the U.S. Today, his book is on the shelf of
virtually every medical clinic in the U.S.

And it all happened from just one phone call.

These kinds of deals happen all the time. But few authors
understand the step-by-step process of how to make that happen.

Matthew Bennett, a self-published author who's relatively unknown
to the general public, has had even greater success than Dr.
Baum. He has sold more than 5 million books in quantity to
Fortune 500 corporations including Disney, Reebok, NBC, Abbott
Labs, Pfizer, US Healthplans, Subway and many others.

Want to learn how he does it--and how you too can get started
selling your books by the truckload to big companies?

You're invited to a free telephone seminar tomorrow--Wednesday,
July 23--to hear my friend, Steve Harrison, interview Matthew
about his methods for the proven system for selling tons of
books. Register here:
http://www.freepublicity.com/mattbennett/?10011


========================================
4. How to Make News When There's No News
========================================

Here's a quick trick for creating news when there's absolutely
nothing new to pitch.

Be willing to talk about your business problems and how you
solved them.

Pick up any business journal and you'll see company after company
mentioned, usually because they've figured out ways to solve a
problem, whether it's delivering the product faster to customers,
or finding and keeping great employees, or how to enter a new
market that's already crowded with competitors.

But these stories don't only play well in business journals.
They're great for general interest magazines, daily and weekly
newspapers, and television, particularly if you have enticing
visuals.

This tip is one of more than a dozen I'll be sharing Thursday
during Bulldog Reporter's teleseminar on "Evergreen Magic for PR:
Media Masters Show How to Make News When There's No News."


We'll talk, for example, about editorial hot buttons: pegging
your story to rumors, future trends, features, divisive issues,
dramatic hooks and other sure-fire ways to supercharge your hit
ratio, even when you're not breaking news.

Four other panelists will join me, and moderator Brian Pittman
will make sure we move things along quickly so we can squeeze in
everybody's tips. Don't miss this one! Sign up at
http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?Clk=2488570


========================================
5. Internet Help for the Blind
========================================

This week, 10 Publicity Hound have tips on how Marcus Simmons,
president of the Motown Automotive Professionals, can get around
the image registration on websites. He's blind and his screen-
reader can't decipher images.


From Carol E. Dunsworth:

"I am including a link to a report describing the work of Prof.
Jonathan Lazar of Towson University, his Towson University
student Jonathan Holman and their two collaborators from the
University of Notre Dame: http://tinyurl.com/5e896x

"Abstract \CAPTCHAS are widely used by websites for security and
privacy purposes. However, traditional text-based CAPTCHAS are
not suitable for individuals with visual impairments. We proposed
and developed a new form of CAPTCHA that combines both visual and
audio information to allow easy access by users with visual
impairments."


From Linda Swisher:

"The people who brought you CAPTCHAS recommend reCAPTCHA for
those with visual disabilities.
http://recaptcha.net/whyrecaptcha.html"


From Barbara:

"I, too, am blind. I've used Internet courses offered by
YahooGroups and some on Google. I use the JAWS screen reader. If
the site has a moderator, contact them via email. They can
register you. Sometimes they have an alternative audio sign-in.
But, these have a lot of static and you may have to braille the
numbers as they come in as they run to 7 or 8 characters. Your
best bet, if no moderator is noted, would be to contact the
organization putting on or sponsoring the course and tell them
you need assistance to register for the course. All of the
courses I've taken have been willing to aid me in signing up for
their course."


Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question at
http://tinyurl.com/62trrn


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


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

Teresa Berger of North Wales, Pennsylvania writes:

"As marketing director for Creative Contracting, Inc., a
Philadelphia-area design/build remodeling firm, it's my
responsibility to get the company and its ownership more exposure
in the community. The owner wants me to get him in front of more
people, and find outlets for giving seminars and speeches to
consumers, business networking organizations and others.

"With a tight marketing budget and limited resources, how can I
work toward positioning the organization and owner as the premier
design/build firm in the area? Any innovative, cutting edge
suggestions from Hounds?"


The Publicity Hound says:

Here's my tip about how to get speaking engagements before
business groups. Get a copy of the Philadelphia Business Journal
and look in the back of the newspaper, where the calendar of
events is listed. Look for groups that are featuring speakers.
Call the number listed and ask for contact information for the
program chairman who books speakers. This is how I got dozens of
speaking engagements when I started my business.

You should also try to get your boss mentioned in The Business
Journal. Paul Furiga, former editor of the Pittsburgh business
Times, shares dozens of ideas on how to get in front of editors
and reporters who have the power to give you thousands of dollars
in publicity.

I interviewed him, and it's available as a CD or electronic
transcript that you can be reading as soon as your order is
approved. Read more about "How to Use Business Journals to Tell
Your Story" at http://tinyurl.com/q4rf7


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

"You may have a dog that won't sit up, roll over or even cook
breakfast, not because she's too stupid to learn how but because
she's too smart to bother."

--Rick Horowitz, Chicago Tribune

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

Campaign fun: Put yourself in this election video
http://tinyurl.com/6qt8zj


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/Don't Discuss Social Media, Do It July 15, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #407 July 15, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/(Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 48,851

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

"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.

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

LinkedIn Teleseminars Sold Out:

The two teleseminars on "How to Use LinkedIn to Promote
Anything--Ethically & Powerfully" on Wednesday and Thursday of
this week are sold out.

Even though you cannot attend the live calls, you can still sign
up anyway and I'll send you the MP3 audios within 24 hours after
Thursday's call. I'll send you the edited electronic transcripts
in about two weeks.

Sign up to receive both at
http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar/linkedin.htm

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

1. Don't Discuss Social Media, Do It

2. Jesse, the Mic is ALWAYS on

3. Will You be Ready if Oprah Calls?

4. Journalists' Green Fatigue

5. Promoting a Staffing Service

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

=======================================
1. Don't Discuss Social Media, Do It
=======================================

Response to the two teleseminars I'm hosting this week on how to
use LinkedIn to promote has been overwhelming.

All 100 seats have been sold and I closed registration this
morning. You can still sign up to receive the MP3 audio and
electronic transcripts, however, at
http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar/linkedin.htm

Anybody who has a LinkedIn profile must know how to squeeze every
last drop of networking out of every single connection. Or, as
many people on LinkedIn have sadly discovered, that long list of
names you've collected is...well...nothing more than a long list
of names.

Many of the 100 people who will be on tomorrow's call own a
business or work for PR firms. For them, LinkedIn is a no-
brainer.

Social networking is a much harder sell, however, in large
companies, based on some of these comments I've heard:

"Our boss wants total control over our image."

(Tell the boss there is no such thing as total control over your
image. Just ask Dell computers, Wal-Mart or any other company
that's been skewered by bloggers and in online discussion
groups.)

"We'd rather spend our efforts getting stories in The New York
Times and USA Today."

(Guess where many of those reporters search for sources? On
social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn, and at
blogs.)

"We've decided that this isn't where we want to spend our time."

(Too bad. Your clients, vendors, shareholders, competitors and
hundreds of potential customers spend lots of time using social
media and Web 2.0 to connect with their key audiences, often with
great results.)

Popular blogger and internal communications expert Steve
Crescenzo says that two years ago, everybody was talking about
Web 2.0 and social media. Today, the smart companies have
stopped talking about it and they're DOING it.

"I talk to hundreds of communicators every year in my seminars
and consulting work, and go into dozens of companies. And I can
tell you this: The time for big talk and theories about social
media is over," Steve says. "The time to actually use these
tools to dramatically improve how you communicate is now."

Steve is conference organizer for The Social Media Summit Sept.
10-12 in Chicago, sponsored by Ragan Communications. I attended
Ragan's "unconference" on social media last year in Chicago and
it was fabulous--sort of an unstructured, free-flowing day in
which so many tips and ideas were bouncing around that I couldn't
type my notes fast enough.

This year's Social Media Summit will include example after
example of how companies are using podcasts, message boards,
social networking sites, video, widgets and other Web 2.0
applications to get closer to their key audiences. You'll even
get a peek at Web 3.0.

The conference includes one track for internal communications and
a separate track for external and marketing communications.

I'll be there and I hope you'll be, too.

I worked out a special arrangement with Ragan. Publicity Hounds
save $100 on the price of registration, plus an additional $100
if you register by Friday using this special link:
http://www.ragan.com/publicityhound

See you in Chicago!


=======================================
2. Jesse, the Mic is ALWAYS on
=======================================

How could the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a master at playing the media
like a fiddle, not know the mic was on last week when he made
that repulsive comment about castrating Barack Obama?

One of the very first things you learn in Media Training 101 is
that if you're mic'd, always assume it's on and never say
anything you wouldn't say off the air.

I heard at least two radio talk show hosts say they're convinced
that Jackson knew darn well the mic was on and that his comments
would be picked up and aired.

How about it, Hounds? Did Jackson know the mic was on? Post
your comment to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/6fo7ff


=======================================
3. Will You be Ready if Oprah Calls?
=======================================

If Oprah called this afternoon, or Larry King, or the "Today"
Show, and wanted to book you for an appearance later this week,
would you be scurrying around at the last minute trying to find a
media trainer?

What about that New York Times reporter you've been pitching for
two years? If he called to interview you tomorrow, would you be
ready?

If Oprah called, would you be practicing your sound bites between
making travel arrangements to Chicago and shopping for something
to wear on the big day?

Here's a quick tip from Jess Todtfeld, president of Media
Training Worldwide, who worked as a producer on "FOX & Friends"
for seven years:

One way to craft great sound bites is to use rhetorical
questions. Reporters like rhetorical questions because they
break up the structure of their stories. And during broadcast
interviews, they make viewers really think.

Examples:

"Are you better off today than you were four years ago?"

"Are we going to face a possible bankruptcy next year?"

"Why has the governor betrayed the faith of the voters?"

The one thing all of these questions have in common, Jess says,
is that they aren't real questions. They aren't expressions
uttered by someone seeking new information. They're rhetorical
questions, meaning they're simply a way of making a point in the
form of asking a question. The question doesn't have to be
answered in order for the point to be made.

Jess knows at least a dozen other ways to create compelling sound
bites. He'll arm you with all of them and give you valuable on-
camera experience and a critique during PR Leads' daylong media
training on Friday, Aug. 1, in New York City. This session is
perfect for speakers attending the National Speakers Association
convention that weekend in New York and for anybody else who will
be in the area.

I spoke at an event with Jess two years ago and I watched him
work his on-stage magic with members of the audience. This
promises to be a fun, information-packed session with practical
experience in front of a camera. But only 20 people can attend.

Sign up for "Media Training for Experts and Authorities
Workshop--From Sound Bites to Messages That Make The Media Take
Notice" at http://www.mediatrainingforexperts.com/publicityhound/


P. S. Dan Janal, president of PR Leads, the sponsoring company,
is attending the media training as a student. He's publishing a
book soon on how to negotiate, and he says he needs to learn
sound bites for his many upcoming media interviews.


=====================================
4. Journalists' Green Fatigue
=====================================

When Bulldog Reporter invited me to be a guest panelist on the
July 24 teleseminar designed to help Publicity Hounds create news
when there is no news, I jumped at the chance.

I wrote three pages of notes and reviewed them yesterday with the
three other guest experts who will be on the panel with me.
During the call, I learned something fascinating.

Always-cynical journalists are becoming increasingly suspicious
of story ideas tied to the green movement. That could be because
PR people are bombarding the media with them.

"Everybody wants to be the next Al Gore," said one panelist, a
corporate PR person who says she's been meeting increasing
resistance from journalists when pitching green stories.

If you're pitching them, too, you'd better know what you're
talking about, have facts to back up your claim, and make the
angle unusual enough.

We'll discuss this topic in more depth next week. We'll also
explain how to get into the news, front and center, when there's
absolutely nothing happening at your business that's remotely
exciting.

We'll talk, for example, about editorial hot buttons: pegging
your story to rumors, future trends, features, divisive issues,
dramatic hooks and other sure-fire ways to supercharge your hit
ratio, even when you're not breaking news.

Sign up for "Evergreen Magic for PR: Media Masters Show How to
Make News When There's No News" at
http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?Clk=2488570


========================================
5. Promoting an Admin Staffing Service
========================================

This week, three Publicity Hound have tips on how Michelle Suter
of Frisco, Texas can promote her HR company, Administaff, a
professional employer organization that serves as a full-time
human resources department for small and medium-sized businesses.


From Meryl K. Evans:

"Sign up for a NeighborsGo.com account, if you haven't already
and post events, blog entries, and stories on it. If they find
your story compelling, they will publish it in the Dallas Morning
News local edition. Plus, you reach other people from the DFW
area."


From Stephanie of JJ Keller:

"Our company has a great number of HR products and our biggest
success have come via the SHRM Annual Conference as well as the
state/local chapter conferences that are held annually throughout
the company. Perhaps attending some of these smaller events will
allow you to localize your message in different areas. It's less
overwhelming than the large SHRM show and you're reaching
organizations more within your target (7-50 employees) because
these organizations can afford to travel to conferences within
their state versus halfway across the country."


From The Publicity Hound:

Outsourcing is a hot topic these days. So pitch different angles
to different business reporters in your area. Because of the bad
economy, companies are laying off full-time employees and
outsourcing their work. What trends are you noticing among your
clients? What kinds of tasks are most frequently outsourced?
What about unusual tasks that many companies feel should remain
in-house? Can you do those, too? Be ready to talk about
problems your company has experienced and how you have overcome
them.

"How to Use Business Journals to Tell Your Story," a recording of
a teleseminar I hosted with Paul Furiga, former editor of the
Pittsburgh Business Times, is packed with ideas on how to form
strong relationships with business reporters who need the kind of
news you can offer. It's available as a CD or an electronic
transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your
order has been approved.

Read more about how to get your news into prestigious business
journals at http://tinyurl.com/q4rf7.


Read all the responses to this week's "Help This Hound" question
at http://tinyurl.com/6jb7z5


I'm running low on Help this Hound questions. Send yours to
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=HelpThisHound
and include your city and state.


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

Marcus Simmons, president of the Motown Automotive Professionals,
asks:

"I want to broaden my presence in the digital world and need to
enroll in various online courses.

"Since I'm blind, I can't write down the characters in the image
on the registration page, because my screen-reader can't decipher
images. Do your Hounds have any suggestions around this
problem?"


The Publicity Hound says: This is a tough one. I remember
reading something about this several months ago but I can't
remember the solution. Hounds, any ideas for Marcus? If so,
post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/62trrn


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

Why it's great to be a dog:

1. No one expects you to take a bath every day.

2. If it itches, you can scratch it.

3. There's no such thing as bad food.

4. A rawhide bone can entertain you for hours.

5. You can lie around all day without worrying about being fired.

6. You don't get in trouble for putting your head in a stranger's
lap.

7. You're always excited to see the same people.

8. Having big feet is considered an asset.

9. Puppy love can last!


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

Social networking tips and success stories
http://tinyurl.com/596qr9


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/What You Don't Know About LinkedIn July 1, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #405 July 1, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/(Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 48,019

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

"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.

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

1. What You Don't Know About LinkedIn

2. Is Your Video Driving Away Customers?

3. "Today" Show Tips

4. "Dress Like a Cow" Day

5. Promoting a Book on Suicide

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

=======================================
1. What You Don't Know About LinkedIn
=======================================

Some people collect LinkedIn connections like they collect
pennies in a big, empty mayonnaise jar.

They add them one by one, watching the pile of names grow bigger
and bigger. They keep track of how many connections they've
made. And they feel pretty darn good when their list grows to

100. ..300...500 names and beyond.

People who don't know any better view their LinkedIn connections
like the rainy fund inside the mayonnaise jar. They'll use
LinkedIn when it's time to job-hunt. But until then, their list
of contacts just sort of sits there.

That's because in the world of social networking, people have
heard that they should never ever use LinkedIn to promote.

Don't tell that to Scott Allen, an expert in social media and
social networking. Since creating his LinkedIn profile four
years ago, he has used LinkedIn to:

- -Close a 5-figure consulting deal with a company that found him
at that site.

- -Find an agent for his first book, "The Virtual Handshake:
Opening Doors and Closing Deals."

- -Collect feedback from 100 contacts who read the draft of The
Virtual Handshake. Of those, about 80 had never met Scott face
to face. Yet he established such a strong connection with them
on LinkedIn that they took the time to not only read his book but
provide valuable comments.

- -Generate media opportunities. How many? "I've lost count,"
he says.

- -Find joint venture partners.

- -Connect with authors who interview him and quote him in their
books.

Scott calls that promoting. Not the in-your-face, obnoxious kind
that most of us hate. But the smart, subtle, savvy kind that
makes it easy for people to find him if they need the kind of
help and information he can offer.

Scott goes the extra mile on LinkedIn by answering questions from
other LinkedIn users whenever he can. He has more than 500
connections and an impressive 61 recommendations, almost all of
them absolutely glowing.

He stresses, however, that someone on LinkedIn with only 70 or 80
really strong connections can make them go a lot farther than
somebody with 500 names of people who they barely know.

Scott says Publicity Hounds who aren't using LinkedIn to promote
are missing a huge opportunity. He'll be my guest during two
teleseminars from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 16,
and Thursday, July 17, called "How to Use LinkedIn to Promote
Anything Ethically and Powerfully."

This series is limited to the first 100 people who register.
Afterward, I'll sell the recording as a CD, electronic transcript
or MP3 audio. On July 16, Scott will explain how to build an
impressive profile, use LinkedIn to position yourself as an
expert and do all the little extras on LinkedIn that most other
people don't bother doing--things that can really make you stand
out from the pack and get found by the search engines.

On July 17, he'll walk us step-by-step through the entire process
of how to use LinkedIn to promote. He'll even share case studies
of LinkedIn members who have done just that, with great success.

If you haven't built your LinkedIn profile yet, this teleseminar
series if for you. Even if you've been using LinkedIn for
several years, we guarantee you'll learn far more than you know
already. Register at
http://www.Publicityhound.com/teleseminar/linkedin.htm


========================================
2. Is Your Video Driving Away Customers?
========================================

Here's a common mistake people make when shooting amateur video.

They place the camera too low, and then point it upward, toward
the subject's face.

When I watch that kind of video, I feel like I'm in kindergarten
and the teacher is cowering over me, preaching. If you've
created the video to try to sell me something, sorry, but you've
just killed the sale.

Media coach Susan Harrow agrees. She says camera angles are just
one of several variables that can instill confidence in your
viewers, or make them recoil. Other factors include things like
the type of clothing you're wearing and even something as simple
as the backdrop.

If you're shooting video at home or in your office, and you
aren't careful about where you're standing, it might look like
you have a plant, a tree, a lampshade or even antlers, growing
out of the top of your head.

Another important factor is how comfortable you look. Some
people look so stiff that I'm afraid they'll crack if they move a
muscle.

Susan, who coaches people for TV appearances, says the first
three seconds of a video are critical to catching the attention
of a big-shot TV producer as well as a customer with a credit
card. She has evaluated hundreds of videos in the past 17 years
for everyone from Fortune 500 CEOs to celebrity chefs and
Internet millionaires. She's prepped clients for appearances on
"Oprah," "Larry King Live" and "60 Minutes."

And now she's ready to critique you during her "10-minute speed
session" for $99. She'll grade your sound bites and clothing and
provide valuable feedback on how well you connect with your
audience and whether you look authentic. If you're using your
video to sell something, she'll give you tips on how to put
viewers in a buying mood.

Read more about what the "speed session" includes at
http://tinyurl.com/3rfssn


===========================================
3. "Today" Show Tips
===========================================

Landing a spot on the "Today" show is no easy task.

But Publicity Hound Eli Davidson got a four-minute interview on
the show last Thursday morning by following a tip she learned in
The Publicity Hound Mentor Program. Ask other TV producers who
have booked you if they know of other shows that might want you
as a guest, and then ask if they'd be willing to contact the
other producer on your behalf.

That's what she did after appearing on Dr. Phil's "Decision
House" TV show. The "Today" show took the bait, and she got the
phone call she was waiting for.

Eli, an author and coach, discussed how she turned her life
around after losing her business, marriage and health, all within
18 months. She was $88,000 in debt but dug out. Today, she
coaches others on success strategies and turnaround techniques.

Other pointers she passes along for getting onto a show like
"Today":

- -Study the show closely. She noticed that hosts Kathy Lee
Gifford and Hoda Kotb both had dark tans. So to avoid looking
like a ghost next to them, she got a spray tan.

- -Talk in sound bites. "Men talk like they're laying bricks,"
she said on the show. "Women talk like we're tossing salad."

- -Offer props. She took a glue gun and a hair barrette to help
tell the story of the successful company she started to get back
on her feet.

- -Encourage friends and relatives to comment on the video that's
posted online. Producers pay attention to the number of comments
and might be swayed to invited you back if the video triggers a
big reaction. Comment on her video and she'll be more inclined
to comment on yours, or review your book, when it's your turn.

"How to Get Booked on the Morning TV Talk Shows" explains dozens
more tips on how to get onto the big morning shows. 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/ab86x

And then find out whether you're a good fit for The Publicity
Hound Mentor Program at
http://www.publicityhound.com/mentorprogram/intro.html


=====================================
4. "Dress Like a Cow" Day
======================================

Thanks to Publicity Hound Lisa Solomon for this one.

If you walk into any Chick-fil-A restaurant on Friday, July 13,
fully dressed like a cow, you'll get a Chick-fil-A Meal
absolutely free.

The publicity stunt, staged for the fourth year in a row at the
almost 1,400 stores, results in phenomenal publicity.

Last year, the Chick-fil-A restaurant in Hendersonville, N.C.
hosted a herd of 350 cow-spotted customers from summer camps, day
care centers and preschools. Another group of ambitious college
students calling themselves "The Herd" set out on a "cattle
drive" from Knoxville, Tenn. To Atlanta, Ga. On a mission to
visit 30 Chick-fil-A restaurants in one day.

In 2007, the Chick-fil-A "Eat Mor Chikin" Cows were recognized as
one of America's most popular advertising icons in a public vote
sponsored by Advertising Week and became the newest members of
New York's Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame.

But you don't need to be a billion-dollar company like Chick-fil-
A to benefit from these fun publicity stunts. Create your own
special day.

"Special Report #45: How to Generate National Publicity from Your
Own Holiday (or Day, Week or Month of the Year)" gives you lots
of ideas on how small companies can create their own special
days. Only $10. Read more about how to get started at
http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g


========================================
5. Promoting a Book on Suicide
========================================

This week, eight Publicity Hounds have tips on how Patricia
"Trish" Gallagher of Worcester, Pa. Can promote the book "Don't
Jump! Out of the Shadows" about depression and suicide. It was
written by her husband, who tried unsuccessfully to commit
suicide by jumping from a building.


From Michelle Meacham:

"Patricia and John - congratulations, and thank you, for taking
on this worthy but very misunderstood issue. Have you tried
collaborating with the National Institute of Mental Health at
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/ and the Depression and Bi-polar Support
Institute at http://tinyurl.com/ynbq47 A particular angle you
might want to focus on in your promotional materials is
referencing important figures throughout history who have
suffered from depression, including Abraham Lincoln, Winston
Churchill, Billy Joel, J.K. Rowling, Michelangelo, and many, many
other intelligent and creative people."


From Gabriele Pallin:

"I recommend making a podcast and read that part from your book--
which might make others who want to jump THINK and hopefully
prevent it. You could then upload the podcast to iTunes on your
own blog, which makes you web-visible...Hearing your voice makes
it a more grabbing, moving experience. I would then contact all
the suicide hot lines and prayer lines."


From Dana Smith:

"The first step is to clarify your goals and create an online
presence. I recommend a blog-based website which is much easier
to create and will allow for interaction with others. You could
even ask readers to share their stories on the blog and use some
of those stories in the book, with permission.

"Also, I recommend creating a marketing and publicity plan for
the book as soon as possible."


The Publicity Hound says:

A publicity plan is imperative because without one, you'll be
missing lots of opportunities for coverage. "How to Create a
Media Plan" walks you step-by-step through the entire process and
even includes a handy "fill in the blanks" template for a media
plan, complete with a handy list along the side of several dozen
publicity opportunities to job your brain. Read more about how
to create a media plan at
http://www.PublicityHound.com/mediaplan.htm


Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question at
http://tinyurl.com/44vt26


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


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

Michelle Suter of Frisco, Texas writes:

"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:

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


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

An older, tired-looking dog wandered into my yard. I could tell
from his collar and well-fed belly that he had a home and was
well taken care of.

He calmly came over to me. I gave him a few pats on his head.
He followed me into my house, slowly walked down the hall, curled
up in the corner and fell asleep.

An hour later, he went to the door, and I let him out.

The next day he was back, greeted me in my yard, walked inside
and resumed his spot in the hall and again slept for about an
hour. This continued off and on for several weeks.

Curious, I pinned a note to his collar: "I would like to find out
who the owner of this wonderful, sweet dog is and ask if you are
aware that almost every afternoon your dog comes to my house for
a nap."

The next day he arrived for his nap, with a different note pinned
to his collar: "He lives in a home with six children, two under
the age of 3. He's trying to catch up on his sleep. Can I come
with him tomorrow?"


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

Story idea for this week: Freedom from (fill in the blank)
http://tinyurl.com/4c777n


Best Twitter tools and resources
http://tinyurl.com/4yvxow


If you work in PR, you should be reading snarky Gawker
http://tinyurl.com/3jkds9


Working with a virtual assistant? Follow these 4 golden rules
http://tinyurl.com/4us7up


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/What Tim Russert Taught Us June 17, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week Issue
#403 June 17, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/(Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 47,359


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

"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 Date:

June 18: Teleseminar

Business coach Leili McKinley shows you "Outsourcing Secrets: How
to Get the Best Quality, Price and Teamwork from Freelancers."
3-4:10 p.m. Eastern Time. Register at
http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm See Item #4 below.


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

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

1. What Tim Russert Taught Us

2. Facebook and The Life Changing Box

3. Tie Story Ideas to the Weather

4. Get Rid of Work You Hate to Do

5. Promoting Nursing Homes

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=====================================
1. What Tim Russert Taught Us
=====================================

After almost five days of non-stop tributes to Tim Russert, none
was as fascinating as the five-year-old article I found last
night titled "How to Beat Tim Russert" at
http://www.slate.com/id/2085153/

Jack Shafer, who writes the press column for the online magazine
Slate, dissected in step-by-step detail the strategy that any
guest can use to disarm Russert, the toughest interviewer in
broadcast journalism.

The article explains how David Duke, one-time grand wizard of the
Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, threw Russert off guard when he
appeared on the show in March 1999 during his Louisiana campaign
for a seat in the House of Representatives.

"Unable to stick it to Duke with his time-proven techniques,
Russert sputtered, steamed, and almost boiled over," Shafer
wrote.

But few other politicians have come even close to rattling him.
Here's what Tim Russert taught Publicity Hounds about
interviewing:

- -Know your interviewer inside and out. If you agree to an
interview and you have time, research clippings and past shows so
you know what to expect. I suggest you even call other people
who have been the subject of interviews by that reporter and ask
questions like "What was the worst thing about the interview?"
And "What was the biggest surprise?"

- -Anticipate all the tough questions. Shafer's suggestion to
have somebody on your staff prepare a mock interview and compose
answers for the most challenging questions you can imagine is the
same advice every good crisis counselor recommends.

- -Know what has been written about you and what hasn't,
particularly sensitive information in public records like nasty
divorce proceedings, lawsuits, or arrests for things like driving
while under the influence. Be ready to concede those issues if
you must, and then move on.

- -Put reporters on the defensive. Russert seldom fell for this
trick, but your run-of-the-mill beat reporter for your daily
newspaper certainly might. If reporters ask questions that
include inaccurate facts or unfair assertions, call them on it
and challenge them. Reporters aren't the only ones who are
allowed to ask questions. You can, too. But only if you
understand how the game is played.

- -If the interviewer asks you a question you don't understand,
feel free to interrupt. And don't answer until you understand it
completely. "Too many of Russert's guests allow him to fling
enormous, mattress-sized paragraphs at them that are far too
complicated to answer on television," Shafer writes. "Interrupt
him when a question needs clarification. Interrupt him when he's
startled you with something fresh. Interrupt him back when he
interrupts you. Interrupt him for the hell of it. It drives him
crazy, and when he's crazy, he loses his place in the script, his
face goes a tad red, and he loses his momentum."

I'm guessing that crisis counselor Jonathan Bernstein would
describe Tim Russert as a "media wolf." Jonathan knows media
wolves very well and makes a living helping his clients confront
them, or stay out of trouble so they don't see the wolves at
their doorsteps.

"How to Keep the Media Wolves at Bay," a recording of a one- hour
interview I did with Jonathan, explains the tricks of his trade
and what to do and say when you're confronted by a media wolf.
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.

Find out how to disarm the media wolves at
http://tinyurl.com/b8wcy


=====================================
2. Facebook and the Life Changing Box
=====================================

Here's an unusual promotion and an interesting way to use a
Facebook application to build the buzz about, presumably, a new
product.

The Life Changing Box is possibly the first big-ticket,
promotional Facebook app. You have a chance to win 20 prizes
with values ranging from $400 to $14,000, including a 52-inch
super- big flat screen TV, home theaters, tickets to exclusive
baseball games, domestic and international trips, and more.

The game resembles Hot Potato in reverse. But the potato is a
box, and inside each box is a prize. The goal is to be in
possession of the box when it opens, thus winning the prize.

There are 10 boxes total and the game lasts four weeks. To gain
possession of a box, participants use a currency called a
"Touch." All players get 24 touches per day. Each Touch enters
the player into a round.

Part of the fun of Facebook is the option to invite your friends
to install an application you enjoy. If someone you invited into
the game wins a prize, you win the exact same prize.

But you must be extremely patient to understand out how this
works. And you'll have to endure the headache-inducing white
print on a black background on the social media press release
that explains the game at http://lifechangingbox.smnr.us. (If you
can't figure it out, please don't ask me to explain it).

You can start playing the game by visiting my Facebook page at
http://tinyurl.com/4cwjbu. Then tell your friends about it. By
the way, the Facebook site has been down several hours today. If
you can't get to my page, try again later today.

Internet marketing expert Don Crowther says Facebook is one of
seven social media marketing sites where everyone should have a
presence. If you're pitching only traditional media, you're
missing a huge opportunity to use online tools like Facebook to
promote. Learn about the other six websites Don recommends. His
interview is included in the eight-part series "How to Create a
Media Plan," available as a series of Cds, MP3 audios on a CD, or
electronic transcripts. Each comes with handouts that include a
fill-in-the-blanks template for a media plan.

Read more about how you can take the pain out of creating a media
plan at http://www.publicityhound.com/mediaplan.htm


=====================================
3. Tie Story Ideas to the Weather
=====================================

Flooding in the Midwest. Wild fires in California. Snow in the
Northwest. Scorching heat on the East Coast.

And it’s still only spring.

This is the time to pitch weather stories. If you sell or give
away a product or service to help people cope with the weather,
let the media know. They’re hungry for any tie-in.

Several years ago, after terrible flooding in the Midwest, the
president of a Minnesota company that sells dehumidifiers called
a local drive-time radio show on a popular Milwaukee station. It
was during a week when homeowners had bought every small engine
and generator in the state, which they used to remove water from
basements. On that afternoon, there wasn’t a generator to be
found anywhere in Wisconsin.

For at least 10 minutes, the host interviewed the company
president who explained how his machine works. The host even
repeated the company’s toll-free phone number several times. I
remember thinking, "Now THAT’S smart!"

What story idea can you pitch to help people cope? My "Special
Report #37: How to Tie Your Product, Service, Cause or Issue to
the Weather" offers lots of ideas for piggybacking onto weather
news, explains how to pitch these story ideas to the media and
shares tips on the little "extras" you can offer the media to
convince them to cover you. Only $10.

Get started today pitching great weather stories by going to
http://tinyurl.com/yna28c


=====================================
4. Get Rid of Work You Hate to Do
=====================================

I hate balancing my checkbook every month, so I outsource it to a
small business consultant who also prepares quarterly reports for
my accountant.

I would never think of spending my precious time transcribing a
teleseminar so I can sell it as an electronic transcript. So I
hire a freelancer to do it for me, and another freelancer to edit
it.

Customer service can eat up hours of time, yet I'm fanatic about
customer service. So that's one of the tasks my virtual
assistant manages.

And when it's time to create a new product, I'll sometimes farm
out the work to a freelance writer. I've even outsourced press
releases and articles that carry my byline.

Identify successful businesses and chances are good the owners
outsource work they hate doing, don't have time to do, or lack
the talent and skills to do.

If you're not outsourcing, you're missing a powerful strategy
that's the next best thing to cloning yourself. But outsourcing
is filled with land mines.

How do you know a writer you've hired hasn't plagiarized somebody
else's work? How do you know whether freelancers are any good
before you hire them? How do you avoid a lawsuit from a
freelancer who claims that you owe him a percentage of all sales
from the ebook he wrote for you?

Leili McKinley, an expert at outsourcing, has made mistakes just
like I have. She'll be my guest on a teleseminar at 3 p.m.
Eastern Time tomorrow, June 18, called "Outsourcing Secrets: How
to Get the Best Quality, Price and Teamwork from Freelancers."
If you can't make the live call, sign up anyway because you'll
get a copy of the MP3 audio to listen to at your convenience.

Start benefiting from outsourcing right now by signing up for the
call and for Leili's five free outsourcing tips via email at
http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar.htm


=====================================
5. Promoting Nursing Homes
=====================================

This week, three Publicity Hounds have story ideas for Lisa
Cupolo of Ballston Spa, New York. She wants to pitch her local
business journal but isn't sure what business-related ideas to
suggest.


From Scott Anthony:

"A story on how 'green' you are would be timely. Use angles like
ways you are energy-efficient while transporting patients, and
using more efficient light bulbs. Do you use biodegradable
plates and napkins and environmentally friendly detergents?"


From Kim Duke, The Sales Diva:

"What are the costs behind living wills and what are the steps
necessary to implement them?...Even hard core business reporters
will still spin other ideas. For example, are any of the doctors
or nurses involved in 'Doctors Without Borders' or other similar
non-profits?

"What are the upcoming trends in health? A great resource is
http://www.trendwatching.com"


The Publicity Hound says:

How do you find and keep good employees? Business journals
frequently write about recruitment and retention.

Attend events the newspaper is sponsoring. Get to know reporters
and editors and ask them "What do you see as the biggest issues
in health care this year?" If their answer fits in with a story
you can contribute to, let them know. Then share your thoughts
on emerging trends.

Paul Furiga, former editor of The Pittsburgh Business Times, says
attending business journal events is a powerful way to start
building relationships with reporters and editors. He was my
guest during a teleseminar on "How to Use Business Journals to
Tell Your Story."

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.
Learn the easiest ways to land a coveted spot in a business
journal at http://tinyurl.com/q4rf7.


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


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

Tracy Arceo of Gretna, LA writes:

"I am a publicist for Pelican Publishing Company. The publicists
have been presented with a challenge and we're having trouble
coming up with ideas.

"Our company has two rather large series of books. One series is
based on the classic children’s poem "'Twas the Night Before
Christmas," each book with a spin specific to a genre, region or
occupation.

"The other series is based on the classic recipes and dishes of
some of the major cities in the South such as New Orleans,
Charleston and Savannah. We have been asked to come up with some
form of promotion for each of these series.

"Do your Publicity Hounds have any suggestions on what we can do
to generate interest in each of these groups of books?"


The Publicity Hound says:

OK, Hounds give this one your best shot. What would you do if
you were on Tracy's team? Remember that she needs to be pitching
Christmas ideas right now if she wants the Christmas books
mentioned in national magazines, which often have long lead
times.

As for the cookbook series, how about suggesting some really fun
ways to promote? How can she use videos to publicize these
books? How can she use social networking to build a buzz? How
about a contest? Post your best ideas to my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/4orekj

I think the cookbooks are ideal for the morning TV talk shows
like the "Today" show and "Good Morning, America." Can't you
just see the author teaching Diane Sawyer how to whip up a pan of
jambalaya?

Competition to get onto these shows is less intense if you know
what you're doing. I interviewed book publicist Lissa Warren,
who has placed dozens of her clients on these shows. "How to Get
Booked on the Morning TV Talk 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.

Learn how to get through to the producers whose audiences need
what you're offering at http://tinyurl.com/ab86x


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

Thanks to Publicity Hound Sophie Wajsman for this one:

"The noblest dog is the hot dog because it feeds the hand that
bites 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/


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

Unusual weather a chance to pitch weather stories
http://tinyurl.com/6avrs6


Dairy Queen joins Girl Scouts to create Thin Mint Blizzard
http://tinyurl.com/6hjmeu


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

Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound


June 18: Teleseminar on Outsourcing

Business coach Leili McKinley shows you "Outsourcing Secrets:
Your Guide to Getting the Best Quality, Price and Teamwork from
Freelancers." 3-4:10 p.m. Eastern Time. Register at
http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar.htm


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/Give Bloggers a Scoop June 10, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #402 June 10, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 46,929

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

"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:

June 11: Teleseminar

PR whiz Robert Smith explains "How to Earn An Extra $100,000 This Year as a Publicist, Even in a Bad Economy." 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time. Register at http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm


June 18: Teleseminar

Business coach Leili McKinley shows you "How to Outsource Almost Any Part of Your PR Campaign or Your Business." 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time. Register at http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm See Item #2 below.

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

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

1. Give Bloggers a Scoop

2. The Big Myth of Outsourcing

3. Wal-Mart's Online Classifieds

4. Media Lead

5. Promoting a Wardrobe Survey

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=========================================
1. Give Bloggers a Scoop
=========================================

If you write and distribute press releases online, you're in an ideal position to give bloggers a scoop.

Before you distribute the release, simply email your favorite blogger with a "heads up" that you'll be posting the release later that day. Explain the essence of the release, or just give it to them.

A blogger who knows the information is exclusive to him or her will give it better play. (If you're a publicly held company, make sure you abide by SEC regulations and safe harbor statements.)

I blog, and I prefer that people who pitch me send the release in the body of an email instead of attaching it, or asking if I'm interested in seeing it.

This tip is among several from four tech bloggers, shared by blogging expert Sally Falkow via Bulldog Reporter's Daily Dog newsletter at http://www.infocomgroup.net/falkow/?p=198

Other tips worth flagging:

- -In a Web 2.0 world, graphics are vitally important so have plenty of images from which to choose.

- -Make it easy for bloggers to get the data. Create a section on your website with information, images and multi-media for bloggers.

- -Video that bloggers can't use on their blogs is useless. Offer them the code so they can embed the video. An easy way to do that is to upload the video to YouTube and use the coding that YouTube provides.

- -Make it easy for bloggers to get the data. Create a section on your website with information, images and multi-media for bloggers.

- -Don't embargo news to bloggers--by the time the embargo is up they've moved on to other news and forgotten it.

"How to Pitch the Best Bloggers & Create a Publicity Explosion," one of my most popular teleseminars, is available as a CD or electronic transcript that you can be reading as soon as your order is approved. Stop relying only on traditional media and start tapping into the incredible power of blogs to spread your message. Learn how at http://publicityhound.net/cdpitchbestbloggers/


========================================
2. The Big Myth of Outsourcing
========================================

Several weeks ago, when I started writing about the importance of outsourcing work in your PR campaign, several Publicity Hounds wrote to tell me they'd love to farm out work to others, but they just can't afford it.

Outsourcing, they said, is too expensive. Let's explode that myth right now.

You don't need a huge budget--or any budget--to persuade other people to work for you. One of the best resources for free or inexpensive labor is in your own community: at your local college, university or tech school.

Once you've identified a job that needs to be done, like writing a how-to article or producing a video, call the department that teaches that skill and ask a professor to assign it as a class project. Or ask the instructor to identify the brightest students who might be willing to take on the project for extra credit.

Students, particularly seniors, are eager to work on projects that they can eventually add to their portfolios and show prospective employers during job interviews. You might also find an instructor or a teaching assistant who would be willing to work for you for free or next to nothing.

Projects you can outsource include:

- -Press releases

- -Creating your online press room

- -Researching journalists who you'll include in your publicity plan or media plan

- -Administrative work

- -Creating information products or reports you can offer at your website in exchange for someone's email address

- -Photography

- -Managing your social networking requests

- -Writing, editing and proofreading

- -Transcription

- -Graphics and artwork

- -Updating your website

- -Blogging

Now that you've identified tasks you can outsource, learn what you must do before you assign the work. Leili McKinley, an outsourcing expert, will be my guest during a teleseminar on outsourcing from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, June 18.

"Outsourcing Secrets: Your Guide to Getting the Best Quality, Price and Teamwork from Freelancers" is for anyone who can't do it all and needs help growing their business.

Register and watch the video to find out how to get five free outsourcing tips from Leili: http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar.htm


==============================================
3. Wal-Mart's Online Classifieds
==============================================

Craigslist, the world's largest community bulletin board, and Ebay's popular Kijiji have a new competitor.

It's Wal-Mart's new f*r*ee online classifieds which debuted two weeks ago at http://WalMart.Oodle.com/. The giant retailer is partnering with Oodle.com, a classified ad website.

Classifieds are f*r*ee to buyers and sellers. You can post ads in six categories: cars, real estate, for rent, job, items for sale, and tickets. You can also search for items by city.

Walmart.com classifieds says it reaches more than 5 million consumers each month through a network of sites including newspapers, portals such as Lycos, and online communities such as Military.com.

If what you're selling fits into one of the six categories, you'd be crazy not to advertise here.

But don't forget good old Craigslist which can be a publicity gold mine if you know how to use it. Nancy Mills, a Craigslist expert, explains "How to Use Craigslist as a Global Publicity Tool," a one-hour interview that will explain the smartest ways to use Craigslist to promote your product, service, cause or issue--and follow the Craigslist rules so you aren't banned from the site forever.

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.

Learn what other smart Craigslist posters have learned at http://tinyurl.com/geog2


=======================================
4. Media Lead
=======================================

- -Freelance writer Leah Ingram is looking to develop relationships with responsive and reliable media relations staff at medical centers, hospitals and health systems that also have an emergency room. "I am searching out stories for a new magazine from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). These stories are about real-life people who ended up in the ER because of an accident or health condition along with the ER doc who treated the person. Here's the catch: The docs must be ACEP members. Additionally, I'm look to hear about ER stories that have appeared in local papers or that people know about from a personal connection. We've already covered a skateboarding accident, heart attacks and aneurysms, so please don't pitch me stories on those three topics." Mailto:leah.ingram@comcast.net

If you do PR for a hospital, check out "How to Make Hospital PR an Easy Pill to Swallow," an interview I did with Dan Collins, chief media officer at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can be reading as soon as your order is approved. Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/lr6qf


=============================================
5. Promoting a Wardrobe Survey
=============================================

This week, seven Publicity Hounds have tips on how Merri Cvetan of Big Bend, Wisconsin, an interior decorator, can promote a fun survey to find out the relationship between a woman's wardrobe and the colors she decorates her home with.


From Nika Stewart, The Designers' Success Coach:

"Why not do a joint venture with a local women's clothing store? You could even put on an event relating to the survey, i.e. on the event day, each customer who comes into the store and purchases an item of clothing gets an analysis of their ideal home style (based on the clothing they chose). You can pass out printed copies of the survey to everyone who comes by the store, and tell them to enter their results on your blog to receive two $10 gift certificates--one for your design services and one for the clothing store."


From Donna Cook:

"I would do more to update your blog--great ideas, but you need much more visual information--you are a designer!!! Show it off on your blog. Have some links on your blog, and offer some little contests there for people who post comments."


From Kathleen Lisson:

"The local radio stations in my area have a segment where the DJ asks a 'question of the day,’ and listeners call in with their opinions. Perhaps radio stations in the Big Bend, WI area would want to ask 'Does your wardrobe match your home decor?' And tie the story in to your website."


The Publicity Hound says:

This survey screams for a video. Once you've created it, be sure to share it with your local newspapers, magazines and TV and radio stations for use at their websites. John Easton explained how during the teleseminar "9 Clever Ways to Use Video to Become a Publicity Darling in Your Industry or Community." It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order is approved.

Learn more about John's secrets at http://tinyurl.com/66xshb


Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/6bq6ns

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


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

Lisa Cupolo of Ballston Spa, New York writes:

"I handle public relations and marketing for four rehabilitation and nursing home facilities that offer pediatric through geriatric care.

"I'm looking for story ideas that I can pitch to the local business journal. The newspaper only focuses on hard business stories as opposed to human interest stories. For example, the health reporter will write stories related to how health facilities, such as hospitals, are surviving within the trying times of the health care industry.

"I also see several articles published in this particular publication regarding our competitors. Readers are decision makers as far as the health care needs of their families. That's why we're targeting the business journal."

Their website is at http://www.northwoodshealth.net/


The Publicity Hound says:

Hounds, when offering ideas for Lisa, remember that business journals want multiple-source stories. They seldom write a story about a business without input from other sources. Post your best ideas for Lisa at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/3wd6vv


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

Thanks to Publicity Hound Viveca Stone-Berry of DogCaptions.com, where you can find wonderful dog greeting cards.

"His ears were often the first thing to catch my tears."

- -Elizabeth Barrett Browning


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

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

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


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

New social networking site for New Age, spiritual communities
http://tinyurl.com/6czaeo


Why few journalists comment at blogs or in forums
http://tinyurl.com/5bgvj2


Crisis at your company? Consider embedding reporters
http://tinyurl.com/5peguq


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

Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound


June 11: Teleseminar for Publicists

PR whiz Robert Smith explains "How to Earn An Extra $100,000 This Year as a Publicist, Even in a Bad Economy." 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time. Register at http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm


June 18: Teleseminar on Outsourcing

Business coach Leili McKinley shows you "Outsourcing Secrets: Your Guide to Getting the Best Quality, Price and Teamwork from Freelancers." 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time. Register at http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar.htm


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/Grade Your Press Release June 3, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #401 June 3, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 46,792

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

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

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

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

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

Save the Dates:

June 11: Teleseminar

PR whiz Robert Smith explains "How to Earn An Extra $100,000 This Year as a Publicist, Even in a Bad Economy." 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time. Register at http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm See Item #3 below.

June 18: Teleseminar

Business coach Leili McKinley shows you "How to Outsource Almost Any Part of Your PR Campaign or Your Business." 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time. Register at http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm

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

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

1. Grade Your Press Release

2. How to Mimic a Star Reporter

3. For Energetic Publicists Only

4. Do Criminals Use Twitter?

5. Promoting a Dawg Art Exhibit in Michigan

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. At My Blog...


=========================================
1. Grade Your Press Release
=========================================

Wouldn't it be great if you could write a press release, run it past a press release expert and then, within a few seconds, know whether the release passes or fails?

Here's the next best thing. It's called the Press Release Grader, a nifty piece of software that not only assigns your press release a grade of 1 to 100, but tells you exactly what you must do to improve it.

It was created by Hubspot, a Cambridge, Massachusetts company that helps small businesses have a huge presence online so that people in their target market can find them, and convert a higher percentage of prospects into customers.

Simply cut and paste your press release into the window at http://www.pressreleasegrader.com/, complete the form and click on "Grade Press Release." Within seconds, you'll see your score and a list of suggested improvements.

The grader deducts points for:

- -Not having an "About Us" section on your press release. I could quibble with this, but it's a minor point in an otherwise cool tool.

- -No links high in the release.

- -Not using "###" at the end of the release, the universal code for "the end."

- -Incorrect use of anchor text. That is, the words on the page that link to a website.

- -Gobbledygook words like "flexible," "scalable" and "robust."

It even tells you whether the readability level of your press release is "graduate school" or one of several lower levels.

Before you start, watch the video on that page for a better understanding of how it works. When Hubspot grades your release, it gives you a full report that you can email to other members of your team.

I'll be incorporating this tool into my free email tutorial "89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases" at http://www.PublicityHound.com/pressreleasetips/art.htm

Thanks to Publicity Hound Debra Helwig of Athens, Georgia for alerting me to this one.


========================================
2. How to Mimic a Star Reporter
========================================

If you're a member of your local Chamber of Commerce and the only thing you have to show for it is the receipt for your annual dues, don't even think about dropping out.

Because you're a smart Publicity Hound, you have an opportunity right at your fingertips to be a star in the organization and generate so much publicity for yourself that all the other members will be green with envy. Nonprofits, this applies to you, too.

Here's what you do.

The next time the chamber has an event that the local media won't cover, act like a reporter and cover it yourself. Buy an inexpensive Flip video camera and interview people at the event.

If it's a routine chamber breakfast meeting with a speaker, interview the speaker after the presentation for a segment of two to three minutes. At the same breakfast, create another short video. Ask the chamber president to provide a brief infomercial of upcoming chamber events like the annual golf outing or street festival.

At bigger events, like the annual awards banquet, interview the Business Person of the Year. If you really want to create a stir, choose a controversial topic that chamber members are buzzing about. Interview one person on each side of the issue. You've just created two more videos.

Import the videos into your computer, which takes a minute or two, edit them, upload them to your website, give the chamber the link to the videos, and then watch what happens.

The chamber will probably email all its members and tell them to go to your website. Many of those members will share the link with their friends. The link will end up in the next chamber newsletter. And who knows where else.

And here's the best part. You can offer that same video to the local newspapers, magazines and TV and radio stations for use at their websites. Print media, in particular, are hungry for user- generated video, even if it's of events that they decided not to cover.

That's what videographer John Easton does in Charlotte, North Carolina. He covers local business events and uploads them to his blog at http://www.eastonsweb.wordpress.com/ or to his own streaming video channel, sort of like his own TV station, at http://www.broadcastcharlotte.com/ and then he offers the video to local media.

Too busy to fuss with all these details? John says every community is teaming with people who you can hire for next to nothing to shoot and edit the video for you. He explained how to find them when he was a guest on a teleseminar I conducted recently on "9 Clever Ways to Use Video to Become a Publicity Darling in Your Industry or Community." We recorded it, and the interview is available as a CD, electronic transcript or MP3 audio.

Learn how to start covering your own community's news right now, or find somebody to do it cheaply, by going to http://tinyurl.com/66xshb


==============================================
3. For Energetic Publicists Only
==============================================

I can hear some of you publicists groaning already.

During next week's teleseminar, when Robert Smith describes the wild strategies he uses to pull in so many potential clients that he has to refer some of them to other publicists, one of you will complain, "You expect me to do WHAT?"

Consider this fair warning.

Robert doesn't like doing what all the other publicists are doing. So he dreams up unconventional ideas on his own, like recruiting drivers for an overnight delivery service to hand- deliver his brochures when they drop off packages at businesses.

He's the PR equivalent of Willie Sutton, but in a good way. Sutton said he robbed banks because that's where the money is. Robert knows where the clients are, and he'll do just about anything to find them. If they're a good fit, he'll close the deal.

I knew him back when he was a frustrated bill collector who wanted to learn how to write press releases just for grins.

When he told me that, I thought he was crazy. But here he sits today with a full-time staff of eight and four sub-contractors. In 10 years, he's gone from a net worth of zero to more than $1 million.

If you're not prepared to entertain off-the-wall ideas about how to grow your business or work incredibly hard to find new clients, you'd be wise not to sign up for the call.

As for the rest of you, join us from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, June 11, for "How to Earn An Extra $100,000 This Year as a Publicist, Even in a Bad Economy."

This teleseminar is perfect for publicists, PR practitioners, wanna-be PR people, and even virtual assistants whose clients are in PR.

Everyone who attends gets a copy of the MP3 recording to listen to afterward. I expect this session to be packed, and seating is limited, so sign up today: http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm

And please make sure your seat belts are securely fastened.


========================================
4. Do Criminals Use Twitter?
========================================

Maybe it's just me.

But I fear that one day soon, criminals will discover that Twitter is one of the best places to find empty houses vulnerable to a break-in, or tweets that make it easy for them to commit far more serious crimes.

At Twitter.com, I expect to see lots of details about what people are doing in their jobs because using Twitter for business and publicity is just plain smart. (See "Special Report #52: How to Use Twitter for Business to Network, Promote, Sell, Recruit & Profit" at http://tinyurl.com/4tyl76 for ideas.)

But I'm amazed at some of the personal details people include. Like announcing they're closing up the house and leaving for two weeks in the Florida Keys. Or visiting San Francisco for a three- day conference. Or saying good-bye to their cabin on the southeast corner of such-and-such a lake and heading back home.

Last week, I was guilty of tweeting that I'd be in Las Vegas for two days, but our house wasn't vacant at the time. Had it been empty, I wouldn't have let the world know that.

With the number of social networking sites multiplying daily, it wouldn't take a savvy criminal long to put two and two together and go hunting for our profiles and...well...you know the rest. Just look what the slime balls have been able to accomplish with phishing and identity theft.

What about you? Do you police yourself so you don't share too much information? Do you know of guidelines anywhere that discuss the kinds of details we should or shouldn't include in our tweets?

Or am I just being paranoid?

Join in the conversation at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/5sge6v


=============================================
5. Promoting a Dawg Art Exhibit in Michigan =============================================

This week, seven Publicity Hounds have tips on how Lynne Scheible of Big Rapids, Michigan can promote the Year of the Dawg so that people will come to Big Rapids and the surrounding area to see bulldogs that are artistically designed by local artists.


From Nancy Stephen:

"Make sure you're talking to the local, regional and state tourism offices. Make sure you've got pictures that they, too, can post and use on their website."


From Kim Stezala:

"Have Ferris State tie in with the event and promote it with alumni. Perhaps alumni could vote for their favorite dawg."


From Cheryl Pickett:

"Once you get the sponsors together, how about putting together a joint flyer including special events or offers beyond those that your group is planning? The goal would be to increase the likelihood of visitors going into the stores instead of just walking by to view the dawgs. You could also post a downloadable version on everyone's websites or include it with maps."

"Example: A salon could offer a coupon for a massage/pedi for dawg tired feet after all the walking around town. A restaurant couuld offer a special on their hot dawgs."


The Publicity Hound says:

Start pitching this story to the gazillion pet bloggers. Why not ask them to ask their readers to vote, based on photos of the dawgs? See "How to Pitch the Best Bloggers & Create a Publicity Explosion" at http://tinyurl.com/m7ymr


Read all the responses to this Help This Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/6m9hmc

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


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

Merri Cvetan of Big Bend, Wisconsin writes:

"As an interior designer, I'm always looking for ways to drive people to my website at http://www.mecdesignstudio.com and business.

"I am creating a fun survey to find out the relationship between a woman's wardrobe and the colors she decorates her home with. I will offer a designer notebook to one or two entries.

"It won't be scientific, but I think the results should be interesting and garner some publicity. I can post the questionnaire on my site and at a few blog sites as well as Craigslist. Any other suggestions on how to get it to women across the country?"


The Publicity Hound says:

Have you seen the new movie "(Fill in the blank) and the City?" I haven't seen it, but can you tie into the characters' wardrobes and how they decorate? That movie could be one of the summer's biggest hits, and your online press releases, articles, blog posts and other content that refers to the survey could pull in a lot of traffic from SATC fans who are googling.

Hounds, let's hear your ideas. Post your best comments to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/6bq6ns


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

Thanks to Dan Poynter of Santa Barbara, California for sharing these Canine Letters to God.


Dear God: Why do humans smell the flowers, but seldom, if ever, smell one another?


Dear God: When we get to heaven, can we sit on your couch? Or is it still the same old story?


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

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

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


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

How long before criminals start monitoring Twitter?
Http://tinyurl.com/5sge6v


The Musician's Guide to Brides includes press release tips
http://tinyurl.com/5lw7w3


Promote artwork with video using these 11 tips
http://tinyurl.com/5rjb7v


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

Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound


June 11: Teleseminar for Publicists

PR whiz Robert Smith explains "How to Earn An Extra $100,000 This Year as a Publicist, Even in a Bad Economy." 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time. Register at http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm


June 18: Teleseminar on Outsourcing

Business coach Leili McKinley shows you "Outsourcing Secrets: Your Guide to Getting the Best Quality, Price and Teamwork from Freelancers." 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time. Register at http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar.htm


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/Look Who's Twittering May 20, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #399 May 20, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 46,751

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

"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:

May 21: Teleseminar

Videographer John Easton explains "9 Clever Ways to Use Video to Become a Publicity Darling in Your Industry or Community." 3-4 p. m. Eastern Time. Register at http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm

June 11: Teleseminar

PR whiz Robert Smith explains "How to Earn An Extra $100,000 This Year as a Publicist, Even in a Bad Economy." 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time. See item #3 below. Register at http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm

June 18: Teleseminar

Business coach Leili McKinley shows you "How to Outsource Almost Any Part of Your PR Campaign or Your Business." 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time. See next week's newsletter for sign-up details.

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

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

1. Look Who's Twittering

2. I Hate When This Happens

3. PR People: Thrive in a Bad Economy

4. Share Your Best Tips on How to Save

5. Promoting 'Say Something Nice' Sunday

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. At My Blog...


===================================
1. Look Who's Twittering
===================================

Don't complain that you're too busy to twitter.

Dell, H&R Block, Jet Blue, Comcast, Southwest Airlines and other mega-companies have made time to join the Twittosphere. You should, too.

I've been twittering for several months at http://Twitter.com/PublicityHound and have found it's not only a fabulous publicity tool, it's fun.

The free microblogging service lets you create a page at Twitter.com, and then check in throughout the day and report on what you're doing. Each message, or tweet, is limited to 140 characters.

Twitter started primarily as a social networking service for personal use. Daily, scores of business people are becoming addicted to it. Twitter, it seems, is the new online crack.

Because tweets are so short, twittering takes far less time than what you have to invest in many other social networking tools.

Even better, it can produce incredibly powerful, instant results. Businesses and nonprofits large and small continue experimenting with dozens of ways to use Twitter. Here are just a few of them:

- -As a crisis communications tool. The American Red Cross uses Twitter to announce disaster news. During this year's tornadoes, tweets listed emergency shelters in several states, led followers to Flickr photos that showed tornado damage, and invited tornado survivors to report in as being "safe and well."

- -To announce new products and services.

- -To promote articles and blog posts.

- -To follow journalists who Twitter and learn what they think is important.

- -To respond to media coverage, good or bad.

- -To monitor what others are saying about you and your brand.

- -To share with your followers interesting tips, helpful suggestions, great articles or humorous blog posts.

- -To monitor customer service problems and respond within minutes. If used correctly, Twitter can be more powerful than those annoying and expensive customer service call centers.

So how about shaving just 15 minutes a day off the non- productive, energy-sucking, time-wasting task of reading and responding to your email? Use those 15 minutes, instead, spaced throughout the day, to Twitter.

"Special Report 52: How to Use Twitter for Business to Network, Promote, Sell, Recruit & Profit" includes 10 pages of examples, tips and resources. Learn how to enhance your Twitter experience and make it dovetail with other social networking tools like Facebook.

Start building customers for life by ordering the special report, only $10, at http://publicityhound.com/publicity-products/reports.html

P. S. My special reports are usually only five pages, but we had so much fun with this one, we couldn't stop writing!


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2. I Hate When This Happens
=======================================

I'll bet you've done this, too.

You want to see where your website ranks in the search engines, So you type one of your most important keywords into Google and hit "enter," hoping to see your website URL in that lofty position at the top of the organic list on the left side of the screen.

The page no sooner appears and your eyes are darting back and forth, up and down, frantically searching. But the only websites you're seeing are that darn Wikipedia, Amazon.com, and the sites owned by the Bad Guys, a.k.a. your competitors.

Your heart starts pumping faster as you click onto Page 2. When you don't see your website there either, you're left wondering, "What did I do wrong?"

The Internet marketing experts at Stompernet will tell you exactly what you did wrong, right down to the last little detail. They're offering a free competitive analysis report of your own website as well as those owned by the competition.

Until the end of the week, you can order the reports--up to five per day--at http://www.stompernet.net/jvp/aw.aspx?B=44&A=332

You'll even find a video at that site right now that gives you step-by-step instructions on how to go about fixing all the errors that are dragging down your ranking.

While you're there, check the comments from people who have already seen the video and read their own reports.

Then think about what will happen if your competitors check up on you but you fail to check up on them.

Go there now: http://www.stompernet.net/jvp/aw.aspx?B=44&A=332


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3. PR People: Thrive in a Bad Economy
==========================================

I first met Robert Smith about 10 years ago when he was working as a frustrated bill collector, looking for a fun hobby to offset his boring day job.

He called and asked my advice about writing press releases.

We've kept in touch on and off since then. When he called again last week, my chin dropped as he explained what he's been up to. The term "fast learner" doesn't even begin to describe what he's accomplished.

Robert manages his own PR agency based in Rockford, Illinois and has a full-time staff of eight and four sub-contractors. In 10 years, he's gone from a net worth of zero to more than $1 million.

Here's how he does it:

- -He pays a paltry $67 a week to have his own half-hour TV show on the leased access channel in Chicago--and rakes in PR clients who see him on the air.

- -He swings deals with guys who drive delivery trucks by persuading them to drop off one of his brochures with each package they deliver to a business customer. In return, the drivers get a commission on any PR clients who call Robert and sign a contract.

- -He buys and sells leads. If a small-business client has only $1,000 to spend on a publicity campaign, far less than the kinds of projects Robert takes on, he sells the lead to a budding PR practitioner who is hungry for the work.

Robert will be my guest during a teleseminar from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, June 11 on "How to Earn An Extra $100,000 This Year as a Publicist, Even in a Bad Economy."

This teleseminar is perfect for publicists, PR practitioners, wanna-be PR people, and even virtual assistants whose clients are in PR.

Everyone who attends gets a copy of the MP3 recording to listen to afterward. I expect this session to be packed, and seating is limited, so sign up today: http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm

By the way, the photo of Robert on the sign-up page was taken for the cover of Dr. Phil's magazine. He'll explain how that happened, too.


========================================
4. Share Your Best Tips on How to Save
========================================

Everywhere I look, experts are offering advice on how to save money while food and gasoline prices go through the roof.

Here are two great tips to help you save at the grocery store:

- -During each trip to the supermarket, the average shopper makes $10 worth of impulse purchases. Solution: Make fewer trips.

- -One of the biggest money-wasters is letting food sit in the refrigerator so long that you can't even tell what it is. Solution: Make better use of leftovers and eat produce quickly.

I also heard three great tips about how to save on gasoline, courtesy of a guy who works for one of the big oil companies.

- -Buy gasoline in the morning, when it's still cold. That's because warm gasoline expands. The pumps are not set for temperature change, so one gallon can actually be less than a gallon.

- -Buy it when your tank is half empty. The more air in your tank, the more gasoline tends to evaporate.

- -Never buy gasoline when you see big tanker trucks at the station or you could end up with gasoline that has dirt and other debris that's been stirred up by the recent delivery.

What are your best tips for your own customers? Pitch them to the local and national media.

And make them do double- and triple-duty by posting them at your blog, at Twitter, in articles you post at article directory sites, and at your own website.

How about offering your tips via briefs, fillers and quizzes? I show you how on the CD or electronic transcript "Briefs, Fillers & Quizzes: How to Create Them and Why Editors LOVE Them."

You can download the transcript as soon as your order is approved. Read more about how to start using briefs as a valuable publicity tool at http://publicityhound.net/briefs


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5. How to Promote 'Say Something Nice' Sunday ============================================

This week, four Publicity Hounds have tips on how Mitch Carnell of Charleston, South Carolina can promote "Say Something Nice Sunday."


From Kim Duke:

"I think this would be a great topic for John Tesh to cover on his international radio show. Throughout his show, he reads quips from magazines, unusual tips and he definitely does spread the word about unusual ideas--and I think 'Say Something Nice Sunday' would fit his mandate. Contact him at http://www.tesh.com"


From Cheryl Pickett:

"How about encouraging churches that have an announcement type sign out front to put the info there? Hopefully, people will end up seeing the message all over town. Don’t forget to contact any radio or TV community calendars as well."


The Publicity Hound says:

Rally churches all over the world as quickly as you can to post this item to their local Craigslist at http://www.Craigslist.org. Don't post it yourself to every list or you'll violate the rules. See "How to Use Craigslist as a Global Publicity Tool" at http://tinyurl.com/geog2


Read all the responses to last week' Help This Hound question at http://publicityhound.net/help-promote-say-something-nice-sunday/

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


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

Mary Ammons of Nashville, Tennessee writes:

"We had a successful launch of a book on physical and financial fitness (authored by celebrity Jack LaLanne and financial advisor Matthew J. Rettick) in New York and have had a great run with television on shows like the Today Show, Fox Business, etc.

"But we're having trouble garnering more exposure for Matt. He’s almost become Jack’s shadow or 'the other author.'

"I'm also having trouble promoting the two topics (finance and health) with the print media. Even journalists understand that you have to have both physical and financial fitness to enjoy a great retirement, which is the full topic. But they don't know where to quite fit it in to their beats, or they've covered it recently.

"I've pushed the fact that this is a unique book because it's basically Planning for Retirement 101. I've also had what feels like a million ideas shot down.

"The book is titled Fiscal Fitness: 8 Steps to Wealth and Health from America’s Leaders of Fitness and Finance. We're on the third printing and need to keep generating press, but, again, I'm having trouble pitching to the print media. Help!"


The Publicity Hound says:

I suspect your topic is too broad. Break it down by pitching story ideas and tips on narrow sub-topics to specific section editors and beat reporters. Also, you'll find some terrific tips on the CD or electronic transcript "How to Revive a Dying Book Marketing Campaign" at http://tinyurl.com/67bhu


Hounds, let's hear your best ideas for Mary. Post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/545r96


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

A tail is a dog's PR department. A smile is yours.


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

Bad landing pages, resource boxes can confuse article readers
http://tinyurl.com/48bhgx


NPR Books Watch Contest goal: Get more authors on NPR
http://tinyurl.com/4sj7bj


Newest occupational hazard: Death by blogging
http://tinyurl.com/5heabv


Blog comments position you as an expert, pull traffic
http://tinyurl.com/5fazfp


Google Friend Connect brings social media to any website
http://tinyurl.com/657co2


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

Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound


May 21: Teleseminar on Video

Learn "9 Clever Ways to use Video to Become a Publicity Darling in Your Industry or Community" with guest expert John Easton, a videographer and media darling in Charlotte, NC. Register at http://www.Publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm


June 11: Teleseminar for Publicists

PR whiz Robert Smith explains "How to Earn An Extra $100,000 This Year as a Publicist, Even in a Bad Economy." 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time. See item #3 below. Register at http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm


June 18: Teleseminar on Outsourcing

Business coach Leili McKinley shows you "How to Outsource Almost Any Part of Your PR Campaign or Your Business." 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time. See next week's newsletter for sign-up details.


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/Banish the Blog-writing Blues May 13, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #398 May 13, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 47,066

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

"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.

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

The Kennel Club is Alive and Well:

Send me to the doghouse without my dinner for falling behind on my weekly emails to members of The Kennel Club.

I created the club a few years ago as a way to offer Hounds one additional publicity tip each week, and a special offer like a discount coupon for my products or a deal on products I am discontinuing.

If you've joined the club, you'll hear from me again at the end of each week--I'll shoot for Thursday. Membership is free.

Join the club at http://www.publicityhound.net/kennelclub You'll see an opt-out link at the bottom of each message. See you Thursday.

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

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

1. Banish the Blog-writing Blues

2. Why Print Journalists Hate Video

3. Piggyback Off 'Hug Your Kids' Day

4. How do You Twitter for Business?

5. How to Promote Detroit to Hollywood

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. At My Blog...

===================================
1. Banish the Blog-writing Blues
===================================

If I had to choose only one strategy that would help Publicity Hounds pull more traffic to their websites, establish themselves as experts, build a loyal following and sell more products and services, I'd choose blogging--without hesitation.

My own blog at http://www.PublicityHound.net is on track to pull in more than 20,000 unique visitors this month alone. Not all of them are staying, of course, but those who are read my blog posts and sometimes end up at my website where they sign up for this newsletter. Others buy products, and call for consulting services.

Some follow me for several months or years, and then join my mentor program at http://www.publicityhound.com/mentorprogram/intro.html

My blog has also led to invitations to be a guest expert on other bloggers' teleseminars and radio shows, provide commentary for newspaper and magazine articles, and even write for a 140,000- subscriber ezine.

Other bloggers aren't as fortunate.

After blogging for only a month or two, they bail out, frustrated because their blogs aren't pulling traffic. That's like starting a work-out routine at the gym on Monday, and calling it quits by Friday because you haven't developed six-pack abs.

Many bloggers complain that their biggest problem is finding enough content to write about, or enough time to write it.

I find content everywhere. The best place is in my own email, where readers ask questions and pass along articles of interest. As for the time crunch, I force myself to make time to blog almost every day.

Other bloggers lament the fact that nobody comments at their blogs. Once way I encourage comments is by commenting at other blogs. That lets bloggers discover me and comment at my blog.

If you suffer from the blogging blues, more help is on the way.

Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff, aka The Blog Squad, are presenting two 90-minute teleseminars next week, designed to help struggling bloggers find more time to write, create cornerstone content, find sources for ideas, create compelling headlines, and persuade readers to take action.

If you're already blogging with less-than-spectacular results, or you're planning to blog, don't miss these two sessions on "Better Business Blog Writing" at 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, May 19, and Wednesday, May 21. Read more about how to get out of the blogging rut at http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=2401308


====================================
2. Why Print Journalists Hate Video
====================================

Several weeks ago, I wrote about AngryJournalist.com, a blog that accepts anonymous comments from journalists about what gets under their skin.

One theme stood out among all the others: The increasing demands that bosses place on them to generate multi-media. Print reporters, in particular, are grousing about having to write articles for the print publication as well as video for the newspaper's website.

That's because creating video can feel unnatural to people who write for a living. Reporters, many of whom are already doing double- and triple duty because of shrinking newsrooms, have little time to learn another medium.

All the more reason, John Easton says, to create video for them. John, a videographer in Charlotte, North Carolina, produces so much video for his local media that they ought to put him on the payroll.

That's OK, he says. His efforts have generated more business for his company, more coverage in local newspapers, and requests from other media outlets to partner with him.

John says you don't have to be a video expert like he is to become a media darling. His strategies are particularly powerful for companies and organizations that sponsor events but sometimes find it impossible to convince local media that the events are worth covering.

During a teleseminar next week, John will teach Publicity Hounds "9 Clever Ways to Use Video to Become a Publicity Darling in Your Industry or Community." If you've been creating video for several years, or just getting started, don't miss this information- packed hour. As John will explain, you don't need a lot of fancy equipment or a lot of know-how.

Everyone who registers for this teleseminar will receive a copy of the MP3 recording. Seating is limited. Register at http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm


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3. Piggyback Off 'Hug Your Kids' Day
=========================================

Lots of Publicity Hounds hate it when they create their own day, week or month of the year, and then see other people piggyback onto it for publicity.

Not Michelle Nichols, a former writer for BusinessWeek.com, who created National Hug Your Kids Day on July 21.

Michelle is inviting Hounds everywhere to generate publicity for their own companies or organizations by tying into Hug Your Kids Day. Already, she has generated lots of interest.

"A Realtor in Reno had 1,000 pens made that say 'National Hug Your Kids Day, July 21' with her name, company and phone number," Michelle said. "A nonprofit consulting company in Maryland is sponsoring an event. An expert on happy post-divorce families in Red Bluff, California is putting together an event. A luxury toy company may have its mother cat stuffed animal be its 'spokescat' for the day."

She asks, however, that the events and other promotions encourage parents to hug their own kids, not other people's kids. And she'll even send a copy of her new book, "Hug Your Kids Today! 5 Key Lessons for Every Working Parent," as a thank-you to Hounds who participate.

Learn more about her project at http://www.HugYourKidsToday.com and email Michelle at mailto:Hugs@HugYourKidsToday.com

If you don't have your own day, week or month of the year, you're missing out on lots of opportunities to use it as a springboard to promote your product, service, cause or issue. "Special Report #45: How to Generate National Publicity from Your Own Holiday (or Day, Week or Month of the Year)" guides you on how to create your own holiday--for free--and then promote it dozens of different ways. Only $10. Order at http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/reports.html


========================================
4. How do You Twitter for Business?
========================================

I'm in love with Twitter, the free social networking and microblogging service that lets you send updates as often as you wish to whoever is following you at http://www.Twitter.com

Each update, limited to only 140 characters of type, can include information on whatever you're doing on a particular day. Although I occasionally include personal updates, I try to concentrate on writing about solutions I've found to business problems, products I'm creating, and things I'm learning.

Lots of Twitterers are still experimenting with how to use Twitter for business purposes. I've been collecting the best examples and compiling them into a special report which should be ready in a few weeks.

I want to include as many Hounds as possible in the report. If you Twitter for business, let me know what you discuss--and the results. Has Twitter helped you build a following for a niche product or service? Or helped you collect email addresses? Or brought readers to your blog? Or simply given you a chance to show more of your personality to followers who eventually might do business with you?

I've seen some clever business uses for Twitter. For example, I blogged about how Publicity Hound Harry Hoover has compiled a big list of journalists who Twitter and turned it into a wiki for PR people. You can read more about that at http://publicityhound.net/twitterwiki

Even Business Week reporter Stephan Baker is writing about Twitter via a series of tweets, which he started this afternoon. His article will discuss the growth of Twitter and whether those of us who are wild about it right now will still be using it in a year or two. You can follow the story at http://summize.com/search?q=%23bwstory

Now, it's your turn. Tell me how you use Twitter for business. If I use your example, you'll get a copy of the special report gratis.

Email your response to mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=HowIUseTwitter

You can follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/publicityhound


============================================
5. How to Promote Detroit to Hollywood
============================================

This week, three Publicity Hounds have tips on how Milan Stevanovich of Detroit, Michigan can promote Detroit as a great, inexpensive place to shoot a movie and turn it into the epicenter of everything Hollywood in Michigan.


From Leah Ingram:

"I just put 'movies filmed in Michigan' into Google and came up with a huge list of well-known films shot in the Great Lakes State, including 'Dreamgirls.' I would think that 'showing' the great locations your client has is an excellent way to entice filmmakers. Therefore, I would recommend doing walk-through filming--and posting a video online--of the various buildings he owns. If any of them appeared in well-known movies like 'Dreamgirls,' all the better."


From Shel Horowitz:

"First thing I’d do is put together a really spiffy website that addresses any questions and concerns, shows (as Leah recommends) clips from movies shot in Michigan as well as locations where shooting could take place, stresses the economics not only of the rebate but that other than winter energy costs, *everything* is going to be much cheaper in Michigan than Hollywood, with none of the hassles of shooting abroad.

"Design the site to fill the needs of a Hollywood mogul who’s never thought about Michigan at all. You might be able to get some state Tourism Department dollars to help on this. Have sections on investors, on the skilled labor pool, the works.

"Then drive traffic to the site with postcards, social networking campaigns, emails, phone calls, blog, media publicity, and a six- degrees campaign aimed at producers. There’s a lot of information on how to do this in my fifth book, 'Grassroots Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World.'"


The Publicity Hound says:

I sound like a broken record. But if you aren't blogging about your topic, Milan, start now. It's a fabulous way to pull traffic to your website. In a market as niched as yours, you might run out of things to write about. If so, you'd be a perfect candidate for The Blog Squad's "Better Business Blog Writing" teleseminars next week at http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=2401308


Read all the responses to this week’s Help This Hound question at http://publicityhound.net/michigan


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


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

Mitch Carnell of Charleston, South Carolina writes:

"Last year, we celebrated the first Say Something Nice Sunday on the first Sunday in June. This is now an annual event.

"We want churches and denominations of all faiths to join in. This is a Sunday when people will say nothing negative about any other Christian or Christian group or organization. It originated from my little book, Say Something Nice; Be a Lifter.

"We have put together an ecumenical group to promote this. It started at First Baptist Church of Charleston, the Charleston Baptist Association, the South Carolina Baptist Convention, the Charleston Atlantic Presbytery and CBF of South Carolina. Next year, we will sponsor a poster contest with middle and high school students.

"We are looking for ideas to get individuals and churches involved. We've provided some ideas for them at http://www.fbcharleston.org/SSN-Web-Page.html Can your Hounds help with other suggestions?"


The Publicity Hound says:

Mitch has less than four weeks to promote this. So give it your best shot, Hounds. How can he promote this special day online?

Post your best ideas to my blog at http://publicityhound.net/saysomethingnice


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7. Hound Joke of the Week