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/Be Like the Gabby Cabby Mar 18, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #391 March 18, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 43,546

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

"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.

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

I Lost My Dog:

I lost Bogie on Sunday night. And, of course, I figured out a way to tie it into a few publicity tips for you. The whole story about two horrible hours of my life is at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/2n5l9j

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

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

1. Be Like the Gabby Cabby

2. AngryJournalist.com

3. An Idea for Computer Geeks

4. For Health Professionals

5. Promoting a Book for Children

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. At My Blog...

=================================
1. Be Like the Gabby Cabby
=================================

Radio talk show host Wayne Kelly says that if you've been booked as a guest on talk radio, forget about being politically correct.

Wayne says far too many guests try way too hard to sanitize their interview responses so that they don't offend listeners.

"I hate these interviews," he says.

I do, too, and I change the channel when I hear somebody trying to be overly polite.

Wayne co-hosts a morning drive-time show on KBS Radio in British Columbia, Canada. He offers these three tips for being the kind of guest who gives a prickly interview and gets invited back:

- -Be the kind of personality listeners can get excited about.

- -Give more information than anyone who has ever talked about your topic.

- -Have an opinion and say it LOUD (yes, I'm shouting).

One of his favorite talk show guests is Peter Franklin, aka The Gabby Cabby, a street-smart, Bronx-born cab driver who broadcasts news about New York City to over 300 million listeners in 71 countries around the world.

Wayne has been interviewing the Gabby Cabby on his radio show for eight years and even conducted one interview from inside Gabby's cab. Wayne knows that those interviews will always make somebody mad--so mad that if they're driving in their car listening to the radio, they'll pull over and whip out their cell phone and call the station.

In the world of talk radio, that's the goal.

Listen to Wayne's four-and-a-half-minute interview with Gabby, who weighs in on the current crop of presidential candidates. If you've already chosen your favorite candidate, and you're from a red state or a blue state, I guarantee you won't like what you hear. Go to http://publicityhound.net/gabbycabby and click on the arrow under the photo.

You can sign up for Wayne's free publicity tips at http://www.onairpublicity.com/ezine.shtml

Once you know how to interview, it's time to start pitching. Radio talk show host George McKenzie was my guest on a telephone seminar called "How to Get onto Drive-time Radio Shows." He explained how to "play the game" when you pitch TV and radio talk show hosts, the one word to never use in your pitch, how producers create programs, whom to call when pitching a radio station, and an example of a great pitch.

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

Read more about what you'll learn at
http://publicityhound.net/drive-timeradio


====================================
2. AngryJournalist.com
====================================

The next time a journalist hangs up on you, or yells "no thanks" into the telephone, or refuses to answer your emails, she might be more than just busy.

She might also be angry. Really angry.

At what?

Her lousy pay. Her horrible work schedule. Her editor who cow- tows to the advertising department. And bad PR people who make twice as much money as she does.

AngryJournalist.com is for "the underpaid, overworked, frustrated, (expletive deleted) off, and ignored media professionals to publicly and anonymously vent their anger."

It offers an inside look at the hundreds of things that journalists snipe about.

From Angry Journalist #2269:

"I'm a photographer or a photojournalist. Not a camera lady, photo lady or camera girl."

From Angry Journalist #2172:

"I contacted a pastor to do a story about his church’s expansion and he said the earliest he could meet with me was Tuesday. Please, give me a break, I'm sure you could find 20 minutes out of your day before then to talk to a journalist so I can do a puff piece on your stupid church."

From Angry Journalist #2185:

"I'm angry because my editor has a crush on a photographer I work with and he let’s (sic) this guy get away with all kinds of (expletive deleted)."

Warning for the easily offended: Many posts at this site include profanities and four-letter words.

Even though journalists are angry, they still need trustworthy sources and compelling stories. "Special Report #49: 17 Ways to Build Valuable Relationships with Media People" explains all the ways to bring a little joy into their lives and get a great print or broadcast story. Only $10. Order at http://publicityhound.net/SpecialReports


====================================
3. An Idea for Computer Geeks
====================================

Within the last few years, several school administrators or teachers in Wisconsin have been caught visiting adult websites while using school computers.

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

If you're a website developer, a computer geek or somebody who knows how computers work, and you see a story like this in your own community, it's a great chance to promote your expertise by offering your commentary to the local media and including advice in your blog and in online articles.

Most people know that if they simply clear the history of websites they've visited, it's usually difficult for a computer user in their household or company to follow the footprints. But computer experts will tell you that that isn't enough. An expert knows where to look to follow the trail.

Share your information by creating a quiz on how computer users can cover their tracks, or on how computers work. A quiz is one of nine types of briefs that can get you fabulous media publicity, particularly in national magazines, and pull traffic to your website.

A teleseminar I conducted explains all nine forms of briefs and how to use them to promote a product, service, cause or issue. It's called "Briefs, Fillers & Quizzes" 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://publicityhound.net/briefs


====================================
4. For Health Professionals
====================================

Attention doctors, nurses, health educators, healers, spa owners, massage therapists, nutritionists, health care business owners, network marketers, and even stay-at-home moms.

Learn how to build a thriving Internet business and pull journalists and other customers to you, even if you already make significant revenue offline.

Marilee Tolen, a graduate of The Publicity Hound Mentor Program, is presenting a series of teleseminars called "Intro to Internet Marketing" for health professionals. You can take the course over the phone on five consecutive Wednesdays starting April 2.

She'll cover dozens of topics, including affiliate commission, and explain how health professionals can earn money selling other people's products and services. Marilee, by the way, created a two-minute video on how women can "wear" essential oils in a neat charm bracelet, as well as on how to make their business cards smell nice by using the oils in a fancy business card holder.

She earns commission selling essential oils for another company. So she sent the link to the video to about 3,000 people who have given her permission to email them. Within one hour, she earned commission on a $400 sale from somebody who saw her email, watched her video and bought essential oils. You can see the video at http://snipurl.com/viewaromathxjewelry or see the entire line of jewelry at http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?Clk=2299239

I'm one of the guest experts who will be teaching during Marilee's course. At 7 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, April 30, I'm presenting a one-hour session on "How to Create a Media Plan," with specific examples for health professionals and lots of story ideas they can steal from me.

Sign up for the entire course before it's sold out:
http://publicityhound.net/healthprofessionals


========================================
5. Promoting a Book for Children
========================================

This week, eight Publicity Hounds have tips on how Angie Dzalamanow of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina can promote picture books for children that include science, math and nature themed stories.

From Cheryl Stroup:

"I immediately thought of the home schooling community. Many, many resources for home schooling parents or sending a sample book or book list to the well-traveled home schooling resource sites could prove beneficial. Word of mouth is the best press you can get and from what I've seen, the home schooling community is a worthy ally.

From Yvette Stanton:

"I suspect that these sorts of books are likely to be purchased by grandparents for their grandchildren. As a grandparent, who could pass up something that will entertain AND educate the grand kiddies? I suggest you work on getting reviews into seniors media--newspapers, blogs, websites."

From Garth Gibson:

"Identify media/celebrity with children on the way and send them a book. I know, for example, that Penelope Cruz is very into having a family right now.

"I think TV’s Al Roker has a book review for kids that he does on air, so send him a book."

The Publicity Hound says:

If you're trying to contact celebrities or work them into your media plan, here are two great resources. ContactyAnyCelebrity at http://publicityhound.net/contactanycelebrity/ sells a database that will help you contact 54,565 celebrities worldwide. It includes contact information for more than 7,000 celebrity representatives and over 4,000 entertainment companies with phone, fax and email addresses--all cross-referenced and cross- linked so you can find who you need fast.

Also, my "Special Report #50: How to Piggyback onto Celebrity News to Promote Your Product, Service, Cause or Issue" gives you lots of ideas of how to tie celebrities to your publicity campaign and pull tons of traffic to your website from all the surfers who are Googling celebrities' names. Only $10. Order at http://publicityhound.net/SpecialReports

Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/2lsp74

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 Sharon Dotson of Houston, Texas writes:

"I am working with two other publicists to promote identical twins Anabel Stenzel and Isabel Stenzel Byrnes, 35, of Redwood City, CA, who between them have survived three lung transplants.

"Half Japanese and half-German, the sisters were born with cystic fibrosis and were not expected to live to adulthood, yet they have defied the odds. Cystic fibrosis is rare in people of Asian descent, and as daughters of a Japanese mother, their risk was supposed to be minuscule.

"Their father, a German physicist who loved statistics, calculated the odds when the twins were diagnosed with CF as infants: he and his wife had a 1 in 200 chance having identical twins, and the odds of having half-Japanese twins with CF were roughly 1 in 1.8 billion.

"Their recently-published autobiography, 'The Power of Two: A Twin Triumph over Cystic Fibrosis,' has been well-received with small mentions in People, Publishers Weekly and USA Today. Last month, Reuters published a very nice feature on the Stenzels.

"Our job is to pitch national shows including Ellen, Rachael Ray, Montel, Oprah and the 700 Club. We also pitched half-Japanese Today show host Ann Curry. Other news hooks are Donate Life Month, Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month and in July, the U.S. Transplant Games where the Stenzel twins will be among those competing.

"Thus far, we've scored zero on big-time TV shows. We're aiming high, but we're sure Anabel and Isabel have a message that could knock the socks off a broad segment of the media. Do you think your Publicity Hounds could throw in some new ideas?"

The Publicity Hound says:

What a great story, Sharon. I know my Hounds are already thinking of some super ideas on how to promote your clients. I noticed you never mentioned anything about online publicity. So I hope my Hounds include tips for scoring publicity online as well as offline when they post their best ideas to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/2dxlgr


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

"My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to 99 cents a can. That's almost $7 in dog money." -- Joe Weinstein

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 to find a lost dog or a lost (fill in the blank)
http://tinyurl.com/2n5l9j


Sploggers bring traffic, so why the complaining?
Http://tinyurl.com/2ajdbo


Health pros: Learn Internet marketing from the experts
http://tinyurl.com/yu3eeh


Media bias helped Spitzer's rise to power
http://tinyurl.com/2xw3y9


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

Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound

March 27: Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

"Red Hot Tips to Set Your Publicity Campaign on Fire," Menomonee Falls, Sussex and Germantown Business to Business Networking Breakfast; networking and breakfast from 7:30 to 8, presentation from 8 to 8:45 a.m. Tickets are $15. Guests welcome. For reservations, call Diane Henning at the Menomonee Falls Chamber at 262-251-2430.

April 22: Shorewood, Wisconsin

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

April 30: Teleseminar

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Publicity tips/How Not to Pitch a Reporter Dec. 25, 2007

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #378 Dec. 25, 2007
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 37,327

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me that you want to subscribe. If you didn't subscribe, you can unsubscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of the newsletter.

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

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

My Gift to You: The Annual "Best of" Ebook

I've compiled the best 28 tips from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week" from this past year and created a handy ebook you can download at http://tinyurl.com/32avtz

Review the ebook when you need an idea to jump-start your publicity campaign.

Many thanks to all of you loyal Publicity Hounds who read this newsletter, contribute to it, and comment on it. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and all my best for the coming year.

--Joan

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

1. How Not to Pitch a Reporter

2. Pay-per-placement Pros and Cons

3. More on Dirty Hotel Glasses

4. Media Leads

5. How to Become a Newspaper Columnist

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


======================================
1. How Not to Pitch a Reporter
======================================

The next time you send an email pitch to a reporter, take an extra minute or two to send the email to yourself first so you can see what it looks like on the screen.

Laura Lorber, the Wall Street Journal's assistant news editor for WSJ.com, blogged about an email she received from an unidentified PR person.

The email message, apparently the victim of Microsoft Word’s quirky email editing, shows that the pitch accidentally includes at least one paragraph of information on a separate topic that had been part of an earlier release. Rather than starting from scratch, the writer took the old release and edited it to conform to the new topic. Problem is, all the original copy that the writer edited out shows up on the screen.

Yikes.

The pitch is typical of many I see--and quickly delete. See if you don't agree. You can read the entire email at http://tinyurl.com/2kw72u

Laura, by the way, says she was inundated with pitches from Publicity Hounds who read here Dec. 5 that she was looking for story ideas on how small business use public relations. She's still sorting through all the emails.

Dan Janal of PRLeads.com asked me to share my best pitching tips during an interview we conducted call "Secrets of Perfect Pitching to Reporters." I discussed the one word you must never use in a pitch, things you can do to sweeten your pitch and encourage a reporter to write about you, and how to avoid major mistakes when pitching by phone.

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/s3tyx


========================================
2. Pay-per-placement Pros and Cons
========================================

It's called pay-per-placement and it works like this.

Rather than paying a publicist or PR firm a retainer, regardless of whether they generate publicity for you, you pay for every placement they help you get.

No publicity equals no fee.

But if they pitch you to a national TV show like "Good Morning, America" and you end up on the show, the fee can be upwards of $10,000.

Let's say several newspaper and magazine journalists see the show and ask you for interviews. Depending on how the pay-per-placement contract is written, you'll have to pay the publicist an additional fee for each of those articles.

Pay-per-placement, one of the most controversial forms of PR services, isn't for everybody, particularly those on a shoestring budget. Critics say there's no justification for the outrageous fees. But advocates argue that it makes publicists work that much harder.

I've heard journalists complain that overly-aggressive pay-per-placement publicists can make pests out of themselves. I've also heard editors say they love PPP publicists who have pitching down to a science and will never waste the journalist's time pitching lousy story ideas.

The article at http://tinyurl.com/2f7v24 is a good example of how pay-per-placement is getting good results for the CEO of a Colorado gift basket company.

If you're hiring a publicist, don't interview any candidates until you know the right questions to ask, and you understand how they charge for their services.

My ebook "How to Hire the Perfect Publicist" walks you step-by-step through the entire process. It includes a list of questions to ask all potential candidates, shows you how to rank them, how to choose the best one, and how to work with your publicist. The ebook also explains the four ways publicists charge for their services, and the pros and cons of each one.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://www.publicityhound.com/hireapublicist.html


=========================================
3. More on Dirty Hotel Glasses
=========================================

More Publicity Hounds have responded to the items you've read here the last few weeks on the Atlanta TV station's I-team report about dirty hotel glasses than any other item in recently memory.

An observation:

I half-expected the PR departments at Embassy Suites, Sheraton Suites and the Holiday Inn in Atlanta to email me and explain improvements they've made to their housekeeping as a result of the I-team video. (If you missed it, you can see it at http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a7f_1194813218)

After all, don't savvy Publicity Hounds create Google Alerts at http://www.Google.com/alerts so they know what people like me are saying about them online, and then follow up with journalists and bloggers to tell their side of the story? Don't they try to do damage control? So far, I haven't heard from anybody representing those hotels. Amazing.

A warning:

All you hotel PR people, don't be surprised if your hotel is the target of an I-team investigation like the one in Atlanta. When a story like that one uncovers wrongdoing, you can bet that one or more other stations will do an identical I-team story.

Creating Google alerts, and responding to bad news stories, are integral to your 2008 media plan. I discussed both of those topics and hundreds of others during my teleseminar series "How to Create a Media Plan." It comes with detailed handouts, including a fill-in-the-blanks template for a 12-month plan. Start laying the groundwork right now for next year's publicity campaign.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://www.PublicityHound.com/mediaplan.htm


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

--Mildred Culp, who writes The WorkWise syndicated column, needs sources to comment about job hunting tactics. No newspaper columnists, please. mailto:workwise@comcast.net


--The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is looking for writers and photographers to participate as unpaid citizen journalists. It is looking especially for bloggers who can write about topics such as pets. "We want you to blog about anything you're passionate about: Hobbies, neighborhoods, sports, news, leisure activities...the list goes on. We can give your blog a home on one of the top-20 news sites in America and we'll give you the independence to say what you mean." Mailto:blog@seattlepi.com with your idea, your resume, a writing sample, and a link to your current blog (if you have one). We respond to every request, so contact us today." Thanks to book marketing guru John Kremer for this media lead.


============================================
5. How to Become a Newspaper Columnist
============================================

This week, six Publicity Hounds have tips on how Kelly Moore of Des Moines, Iowa can turn her job as an unpaid blogger for a local magazine into a paying job as a newspaper columnist.


From Sarah Adams:

"I think you could use the upcoming primary to your advantage! If your numbers are as good as they seem, you could offer interviews to the many candidates on the topics of parenthood (and talk about guilt over the constant travel of a campaign). What about Chris Dodd who, I believe, moved his children to Iowa public schools? Great move, and I’m sure he would love to talk about that commitment to Iowa!


From Lois:

"The largest publisher of home, garden and niche magazines has its corporate headquarters in Des Moines. Meredith Corporation (Better Homes & Gardens) publishes Parents magazine. You might as well start at the top.

"Get the name of the editor from the masthead and pitch your idea to her. She is probably already aware of the local magazine, so be sure to mention your experience there."


From Brannan Vines:

"I just looked at your blog and I love it!

"Since your readers are your strongest ally, why not involve them? Post a short message explaining that you’re passionate about what you’re doing, list the reasons why, and then tell them you need their help to go global (regional, national, etc). You could either (1) ask them to post their reasons for supporting you, loving your blog, etc, (2) ask them to send you an email to the same effect and just include a few of the best in your blog or (3) set up a survey form asking them to rate, on a scale of 1to 10, how likely they would be to read a daily column that you wrote. Then you could take that feedback to the editors of the daily paper (or, like Lois suggested, to the editor of parents)...I’m the publisher of a South Carolina local newspaper and that approach would be most convincing to me. It would make the decision almost a no-brainer."


Read all the responses at http://tinyurl.com/2vkjod


The Publicity Hound says:

Kelly, before you pitch the editor for your own column, boost traffic to your blog by posting comments at other popular blogs on parenting. I teamed up with Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff and explained "How to Pitch the Best Bloggers & Create a Publicity Explosion." You can read more about the strategy of posting comments before directly pitching at http://tinyurl.com/m7ymr


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

Nicka Stewart of Middletown, New Jersey writes:

"I started an organization with a partner last May. The Decorators' Alliance of North America offers professional affiliation, certification and continuing education for interior decorators. DANA is dedicated to the personal and professional growth of its members. We offer resources, educational opportunities, industry discounts, and networking programs. Our website is at http://www.DecoratorsAlliance.com

"We have several hundred members, but there are many thousands of decorators who are still unaware of us. This is the first group devoted specifically to professional decorators (not licensed designers), and is open to all fields of home fashion (window treatment designers, home stagers, interior re-designers, organizers, etc.). We know that many other decorators will profit from DANA, as well. We just need to get the word out!

"Can your Hounds help?"


The Publicity Hound says:

Your group has lots to offer, Nicka, and the secret of promoting it is to direct your message to your niche audience. Hounds with ideas on how Nicka can do that can post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/38xorv


=================================
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 Iusually 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...
================================

Chicago media expand opportunities for commentary
http://tinyurl.com/38fb9f


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

Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound:


January 21: 2008 smARTist Telesummit

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


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

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

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


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

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

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

Publicity tips/The College Exam Nightmare Sept 11, 2007

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #363 Sept. 11, 2007
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 35,411

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

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


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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me that you want to subscribe. If you didn't subscribe, you can unsubscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of the newsletter.

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

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

"How to Help Your Boss or Client with a Publicity Campaign"

Dozens of you have asked about how to buy the audio recordings or electronic transcripts of my weeklong training program for assistants, virtual assistants and interns. The audios are available as MP3 files and CDs.

Read more about what you and your assistant will learn at http://tinyurl.com/yvwdje This series is also perfect for small-business owners who want to manage their own publicity campaigns.
*******************************************************
================================
In This Issue
================================

1. The College Exam Nightmare

2. Article Rights

3. Eliminate Publicity Grunt Work

4. Donate a Prize for Publicity

5. Promoting a Fashion Design Competition

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


======================================
1. The College Exam Nightmare
======================================

Did you ever have the nightmare in which you're taking a final exam for a college course, and it suddenly dawns on you that you've never attended one class?

Or how about the bad dream in which all your teeth fall out?

Or the one in which you're going about your business, usually at work or in a public place, and realized you aren't wearing any clothes?

Dream expert Lauri Lowenberg of http://www.thedreamzone.com/ says those nightmares and others are good for us because they teach us a lesson about something that deserves our attention.

Lauri used her "nightmares are good for you" pitch at the National Publicity Summit in New York City three years ago, and immediately caught the attention of a booker for "The View."

On October 29, 2004, she was a guest on the Halloween episode in which Meredith Vieira and Company wore costumes and talked about spooky stuff like bad dreams.

At the publicity summit, Lauri also successfully pitched a story to the Hackensack Journal in New Jersey. A producer at ABC's "Good Morning America" read it and booked her for that show on November 29, 2004.

Her publicity campaign suddenly grew on its own, like a giant snowball rolling downhill. CNN's Anderson Cooper interviewed her twice, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent, interviewed her once.

What can national publicity like that do for you?

"Right now I'm in Toronto, filming a pilot for The Discovery Health Channel, which will air in November," Lauri said last night from her hotel room. "It's my own show called 'The Dream Zone' and it will go to series in January. The National Publicity Summit was the launching pad that got me to this point. It was the best thing I've ever done for myself."

As of last night, the summit only had 14 seats left for its October 24-27 event. That's when you'll get to personally meet more than 100 producers and journalists who do stories and shows for many of America's biggest media outlets like the "Today" show, CNN, "Montel," Fox News, "O" the Oprah Magazine, Time magazine, "Fox & Friends," "48 Hours," ABC's "20/20," Alternative Medicine, USA Weekend, "Dateline NBC," Inc., Health magazine, Entrepreneur, MSNBC, Family Circle and many more top outlets.

All those media were represented at the last summit and most of them are expected back. Steve Harrison, who is hosting the summit, is also adding new producers and journalists.

Registration closes Sept. 18, a week from today. Don't miss out and then kick yourself later when you read other success stories like Lauri's in this space. Learn more about the summit at http://www.NationalPublicitySummit.com/?10011


========================================
2. Article Rights
========================================

You know you're a Publicity Hound when a newspaper, magazine or an influential website asks you to write an article on a particular topic.

Smart Hounds usually say yes. But what happens when, several months later, an even more influential publication wants to print the same article?

Some Hounds are stumped and don't know what to say. So they email me and ask, "Is that OK? Can somebody else reprint it?"

It all depends on what kind of an agreement you made the first time. Smart Hounds always maintain the copyright, unless they're receiving a freelance fee, in which case the publication usually buys first rights, some rights, or all rights.

If they buy all rights, you cannot give someone else permission to reprint the identical article because it isn't yours anymore. You can, however, rewrite it so that it's different enough from the first one, and then offer it to someone else.

I receive so many questions on the topic of articles and reprint rights that I asked intellectual property attorney Patricia Eyres to be my guest during a teleseminar called "Legal Issues You Must Know When Writing Articles for Fee or for Free."

Patricia mentioned, for example, that Publicity Hounds who automatically reprint an article written about them at their websites are violating copyright. You shouldn't reprint it without first getting permission. And if the article appeared in a major publication like the New York Times, you might be surprised that the newspaper wants several thousand dollars for reprint rights.

Avoid sticky situations like these, and others, by knowing your rights before you start writing and negotiating. The teleseminar is available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order is approved.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/dbc3p


=========================================
3. Eliminate Publicity Grunt Work
=========================================

If you're frustrated that you don't have time to implement all the great ideas you see here, consider hiring a virtual assistant to eliminate most of your grunt work by helping with chores like:

--Creating Google Alerts for specific keywords and keyword phrases, and then flagging you to the high-page-rank blogs that are writing about your topic, so you can post comments.

--Posting articles to article directory sites

--Proofreading your articles, press releases and website copy

--Researching media outlets that want your story ideas

--Regularly reading the blogs of journalists who you want to get in front of

--Submitting your press releases to press release distribution services

--Updating copy at your website, particularly in your online press room

--Updating your media contact lists

--Uploading videos to sites like YouTube.

--Researching podcasts that might welcome you as a guest

--Finding ways to recycle publicity

--Looking for book reviewers

--Finding content for your ezine and blog

--Ordering reprints of articles

--Doing keyword research

That just might free you up to write articles, start a blog, get onto the speaking circuit, or take a long weekend or even an extra vacation.

Sound intriguing? "How to Find a Virtual Assistant to Help with Your Publicity Campaign" explains where to look for a VA, how to hire one, and tips for smooth sailing all the way. It's a recording of a teleseminar I conducted with VAs Cindy Greenway and Diana Ennen, 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/23lgpf


======================================
4. Donate a Prize for Publicity
======================================

There's a clever promotion under way at ProBlogger, one of the top blogging sites that's dedicated to showing bloggers how to add income streams to their blog.

The blog is celebrating its third anniversary, and Darren Rowse is asking readers to donate significant prizes--everything from cash to iPods--and generate some great publicity.

Call me nuts, but I'm donating $300 and participating for one selfish reason. His blog has a Google page rank of 6, which is very good. It was ranked the Number One blog for bloggers at http://tinyurl.com/yr7clu according to four factors, so he has a huge following.

That means that if Darren chooses my prize, then links to my blog, that one link will go a long way toward helping boost the page rank at my blog from 5 to 6. One of the things Google and the other search engines also consider in ranking websites and blogs is the number of bloggers who link to sites that link to me. The more links to ProBlogger, the better it is for me and others to whom Darren links. His contest is already generating alot of buzz online, and I want to get in on the action and in front of all those other bloggers.

If you do, too, learn more about the prizes he's looking for at http://tinyurl.com/yvzpkv Deadline is this Friday.

If you don't feel like donating, you can still get in front of influential bloggers and generate links from them, but only if you know how to play the game. That means you can't pitch bloggers the same old way you pitch traditional media. Learn the tricks of how to catch a blogger's attention and win a valuable link back to your own blog or website. "How to Pitch the Best Bloggers and Create a Publicity Explosion" is available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/m7ymr


==========================================
5. Promoting a Fashion Design Competition
==========================================

This week, Brenda Rogerson of Highland, Michigan received seven responses to her question about how to generate more contestants for the American Sewing Expos' Baby Lock Passion for Fashion design contest inspired by Project Runway. The event is Sept. 28 in New York.


From Shonika Proctor:

I just searched 'Baby Lock' and I didn’t see your event listed on the highly ranked pages found under that term. The three sites listed below all have a dedicated event, blog or announcement link which appears to be to be used as a resource or feature an event such as yours. Contact these websites with the details about your contest. Offer to share photos of some of the contest entries that can then be posted on their websites and ultimately help to sell more Baby Lock machines (be sure to get permission from the contestants first). Here are the three sites:
http://www.babylock.com/
http://www.jennys-sewing-studio.com/Babylock.asp
http://www.quiltingbee.com/products/machines/BabyLock.html


From Alice Hohl:

"See if you can find a Facebook or MySpace page for the fashion majors at your local college, and post the information there."


From Linda Merrill:

"The blogosphere is the way to go. There are hugely popular fan websites dedicated to Project Runway. Specifically http://www.bloggingprojectrunway.blogspot.com/ and http://www.bravissimoblog.blogspot.com/ They attract a wide readership of Project Runway devotees, including designers, stitchers, etc. Plus, just Google "Project Runway" blogs. There many people whose blogs include Project Runway with other shows or fashion-related items."

Read all the responses at http://tinyurl.com/2w95vv


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

Jim Labadie of North Palm Beach, Florida writes:

"Our company has launched what we feel is the best tasting snack bar on the planet. It's called Prograde Cravers, and we literally sold out of our first shipment in just nine hours after we put them up for sale!

"You can see all the video testimonials we have from our recent debut at a fitness industry seminar at our website at http://tinyurl.com/3xfojy. Our Prograde Nutrition products are only available via fitness professionals, so it only made sense to let them try them first."

"I've got numerous ideas on how to promote the bars:

--Put the video testimonials on YouTube
--Perfect Halloween candy because they are 100 percent organic and less than 200 calories
--Holiday gift guides

"I'd really love some extraordinary ideas. The bars are so nutritious and taste so amazing we want to be sure they keep selling out. We want to be sure the entire U.S. and Canada knows about them and tries one. What ideas can your Hounds offer that will help us reach that goal?


The Publicity Hound says:

Send a sample snack bar to bloggers who write about anything related to food, fitness or nutrition. But first, make sure your website has a photo of the health bar so if they write about it, they can show their readers what it looks like. I wanted to use a photo at my blog and searched and searched at your site, but came up empty. See "How to Use Photos & Graphics in Your Publicity Campaign" at http://www.publicityhound.com/publicityphotos.htm

Hounds with ideas for Jim can post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/37qrfg


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

Thanks to Publicity Hound Jeff Haebig of Rochester, Minnesota for this one:

A nursery school teacher was delivering a station wagon full of kids home one day when a fire truck zoomed past.

The children saw the Dalmatian sitting in the front seat of the fire truck and started to discuss the dog's duties.

"They use him to keep crowds back," said one youngster.

"No," said another, "he's just for good luck."

"I know!" said a third... "They use him to find the fire hydrant!"


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

Canadian magazines have their own blog
http://tinyurl.com/yrcop5


Company anniversary? Get onto the speaking circuit
http://tinyurl.com/yvcynq


Cockroach Hall of Fame museum still generating publicity
http://tinyurl.com/2z92tz


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

Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®


September 12: Germantown, Wisconsin

Menomonee Falls Rotary Club, noon, "How to Generate Thousands of Dollars in Free Print, Broadcast and Online Publicity," Lohmann's Steak House, W183 N9609 Appleton Ave. To attend, you must come as a guest of a current Rotary member.


September 18: Teleseminar

"How to Use FREE Publicity to Drive Tons of Traffic to Your Web Site," 8 p.m. Eastern Time. This is part of Michelle Nightengale's four-part teleseminar series for speakers, coaches, consultants, trainers, programmers, designers, and personal assistants on simple, effective marketing strategies to breathe life into your business and multiply your client base and profits in six months or less. Sign up at https://paydotcom.com/r/18572/JoanStewart/1612861/ where you can also listen to the unedited 65-minute round table call that previewed the entire series.

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

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

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


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

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

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

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #360 Aug. 21, 2007
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 34,424

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

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

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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me that you want to subscribe. If you didn't subscribe, you can unsubscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of the newsletter.

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

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

While I'm Gone...

I will be out of the office Aug. 20-24. If you have a customer service problem you need solved, please contact Christine Buffaloe, my customer service manager, at mailto:serenityva@wi.rr.com or call 262-238-0868.

Also, Chris has solved the problem many of you PayPal customers have experienced with not being able to download your electronic documents after your order has been approved. The entire ordering process should be smooth sailing from now on.

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

1. Mattel's Toy Recall

2. A Tip for Grant Recipients

3. A Fun Event for Food Pantries

4. The Shrinking Newsroom

5. Promoting a Book on Hawaii

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week


======================================
1. Mattel's Toy Recall
======================================

Mattel's second toy recall in less than two weeks presents publicity opportunities galore for smart Hounds:

--Pediatricians and other medical experts can offer advice on what parents can do if they think their children have been exposed to hazardous toys.

--How do you take toys that have been recalled away from children without resulting in temper tantrums from them and long explanations from you?

--Can your company, agency or school offer other alternatives to entertain kids? What about simple home-made toys you can make yourself?

--How can parents best protect their kids against dangerous toys and jewelry? Consumer experts can comment.

--Should we be more suspicious than ever of anything with a "Made in China" label? Let journalists know if you have manufacturing experts who can comment on this topic.

--If your company makes things that are used by children, what kinds of safety regulations do you follow?

--Mattel did a lousy job of damage control when this crisis hit. If you're a crisis counselor or PR expert, what do you think the toy maker should have done?

--Mattel has warned that it could announce more recalls. That has led some experts to question the fate of the Mattel brand in the wake of the bad news. Branding experts should offer comment on how this crisis might affect Mattel.


When a crisis like this hits, will journalists be able to find your experts who can comment? One of the first places they look is Expertclick: The Online Yearbook of Experts at http://tinyurl.com/f5evn Publicity Hounds get $100 off the subscription price.


========================================
2. A Tip for Grant Recipients
========================================

Thanks to Publicity Hound Beth Bilderback, public relations specialist for Nauticus, a marine science center in Norfolk,Virginia.

She was in the audience on Tuesday when I presented my "Savvy Media Relations" workshop, and she passed along this great publicity tip for anyone who receives grant money:

"This summer, we received a hefty grant to fund two oceanography camps for two separate groups of 10th-graders. One requirement was that the students put together a PowerPoint presentation detailing all of their marine biology activities throughout the week and show it on the last day of the camp.

"For one of these last days, we invited both the board of the funding organization and a local reporter, who sent a photographer to follow the kids on their field trip that afternoon so they could get a good visual.

"It was win-win all around. The granters got to see the very real return on their investment. The students were delighted at the attention (parents were of course also invited). The hard work of all who put the camp together was recognized, and the media highlighted a really successful partnership.

"We ended up getting an article on the front page of the local news section. Lesson: Don’t just announce that you've received grant money. Follow up with a happy ending."


That's great advice, Beth. OK, Hounds. If you've put grant money to good use, let the media know the rest of the story.


Nonprofits think they face a more difficult time than businesses generating publicity, but that isn't necessarily so. Paul Hartunian knows lots of tricks that nonprofits can use to get media attention. He explained them all during a teleseminar I conducted with him called "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


=======================================
3. A Fun Event for Food Pantries
=======================================

During Tuesday's session in Norfolk, I came up with a great idea for Jan Cline who works for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia.

The foodbank gets a fair share of publicity for routine news events, he said, like when the agency really needs donations. But he wanted an idea for something really different that would catch the media's attention.

Here's what I suggested. Have a fun competition between several local chefs. Take five of the same items from your food pantry, like a can of pork and beans, a box of macaroni and cheese, a can of tomato soup, a jar of black olives and a loaf of bread. Then ask each chef to cook a dinner using those items.

Offer the recipes to your local newspaper's food columnist. You can even turn it into a fund-raiser, sell tickets, and serve samples of the chefs' creations.


More great tips involving food are on the CD and electronic transcript called "Publicity Tips for Restaurants, Chefs & Foodies." It comes with a list of all 51 ideas that you can download as soon as your order has been approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/clr26


======================================
4. The Shrinking Newsroom
======================================

Are you paying attention to the layoffs taking place at newspapers of every size, all over the U.S.?

If not, you'll probably be very aware of them the next time you call or email a reporter or editor and don't receive an answer.

Getting a callback was difficult enough even 10 and 20 years ago. Today, however, newsrooms are leaner than ever. Declining readership and advertising, coupled with the millions of dollars in classified ad revenue that has been taken away from newspapers by online bulletin boards like Craigslist, are resulting in massive layoffs.

Editors are relying more on freelancers. And staff writers who still have their jobs are often shuffling multiple beats--sometimes not very well.

I'm writing an article for PR Tactics, the newspaper published by the Public Relations Society of America, and I'm looking for Publicity Hounds to quote in my article.

Is the problem of gaining access to journalists getting worse at your local papers? What tips or tricks can you pass along on how to encourage journalists to call you back? Have you been successful in meeting busy journalists for lunch or coffee? If so, how did you get them to say yes?

Mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=BusyJournalists

I may follow up with a phone interview sometime next week.

In the meantime, let the newspapers' loss from Craigslist be your gain. Craigslist is still one of the very best tools for Publicity Hounds, regardless of what you're promoting. You'll find separate lists for cities all over the world, and dozens of sub-categories where you can post news about classes, events, fund-raisers, new products and services, politics, real estate and lots more. You'll even find discussion forums for whatever topic floats your boat.

But before you start posting, you must know the rules and understand how to develop a publicity strategy that pays big dividends. Nancy Mills explains how 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 what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/geog2.


==========================================
5. Promoting a Book on Hawaii
==========================================

This week, seven Publicity Hounds have tips for Karma Bennett of Ulysses Press. She wants advice on how to promote a new edition of the book Hidden Hawaii, which focuses on the places locals love instead of the same tired tourist traps. She's concerned that book reviewers won't pay much attention to a new edition.


From Michael Draper:

"I would recommend keeping each book separate and focused on a new market. It is best to have more products for sale. It will help make you look like the real experts on Hawaii. There is a separate market for each book, and a market that would buy both books. When you release your new book, it will be reviewed as a new book. But I would make sure that the new book is tailored for that different market and not just a redo."


From Andrea Kinney:

"Why not partner with travel agencies to help promote the series? I am a travel specialist who specializes in culinary travel and I am always looking for the genuine aspects of any destination. Offer the books to travel specialists for a free or reduced rate in return for advertising in their newsletters and on their websites. I’m already excited to check out the series for myself!"


From Kellee White:

"I got so much use out of my first copy of Hidden Hawaii. I am thrilled to know it is being updated! Try to get the news into Daily Candy Travel at http://www.dailycandy.com/ They love things like this."


The Publicity Hound says:

National Public Radio is the perfect publicity opportunity for authors. Go to the NPR website at http://www.npr.org/ and use the search box on the top of the homepage to search for travel-related programs. Then pitch the producers on a fun program that ties into the book.


Book publicist Lissa Warren has lots of other tips to pass along on "How to Get Booked on National Public Radio," available as a CD or electronic transcript. She's booked dozens of her clients on NPR shows. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/ayms6


Read all the responses to this Help this Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/2l97no


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

Julie Ann Kodmur from St. Helena, California writes:

"How do you get American writers and, of course, families, interested in Shawnigan Lake School, a Canadian boarding school at http://www.sls.bc.ca/?

"I’ve been doing publicity for the wonderful school where my step-son goes and now find that we need some fresh ideas. The school is frankly a cousin of Hogwarts---uniform Tudor architecture in all the buildings on campus which slope down to a lake, then bordered by a forest and a huge 'great hall' dining room with fireplaces. The faculty are not only very intelligent but enormously empathetic and caring.

"We’ve thought of having J.K. Rowling come to do a reading or present an award. We’ve thought of having the Headmaster write some op-ed pieces for U.S. papers.

"We’re trying to 'junket' some writers up to the campus to shadow some students and go back to their U.S. papers and write up the experience. Do your Hounds have any fresh ideas for publicity?"


The Publicity Hound says:

Many Hounds who read this newsletter do PR for schools, colleges and universities, so I know they'll share some of their best tips. If you have an idea for Julie Ann, post it to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/2hu4o9


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

Thanks to Dan Poynter of Santa Barbara, California for this one:

Terrier + Bulldog = Terribull, a dog that makes awful mistakes

Bloodhound + Labrador = Blabador, a dog that barks incessantly

Collie + Malamute = Commute, a dog that travels to work

Deerhound + Terrier = Derriere, a dog that's true to the end.

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 Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®

September 11: Brookfield, Wisconsin

Association for Volunteer Administration of Southeastern Wisconsin, keynote presentation on "Savvy Media Relations: How to Get Thousands of Dollars in FREE Online and Offline Publicity," 9:45 a.m., University of Phoenix Metro-Milwaukee Campus, 20075 Watertower Blvd. $30 for AVA/SEW and IAVC members, $40 for non-members. Deadline August 31. Learn more at http://www.ava-sew.org/content/blogcategory/5/4/or call Kay Bloesl at 414-571-1327 to register.


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

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

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


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

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


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

Publicity tips/This Retirement Party Rocks Aug.14, 2007

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #359 Aug. 14, 2007
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 34,416

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

"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. This Retirement Party Rocks

2. Freelancers: Your Secret Weapon

3. Sell What You Know

4. What Media Bias Means to You

5. Promoting 'God is a Salesman' Book

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


======================================
1. This Retirement Party Rocks
======================================

What? Call a newspaper and ask an editor a cover a retirement party?

You've got to be kidding. Unless, of course, the party has a fun little twist that compels not only print reporters, but the TV news crews to show up.

On Monday next week, friends and associates will gather in North Texas to honor legendary TV weatherman Troy Dungan, who is retiring after 31 years as a forecaster for WFAA-TV.

My friend Jeff Crilley, a reporter for FOX News in Dallas, discussed the party in his latest newsletter, and said the theme is Troy's signature bowtie.

"We'll have a giant bowtie cake, and everyone who attends will be asked to wear a bowtie to share a little sunshine with someone who's been sharing it with us for the last three decades," Jeff wrote. "If you have a bowtie, wear it. If not, don't worry. We'll be handing out paper bowties at the door. My forecast for the luncheon is a full house."

Of course the TV cameras will be there because Troy is one of their own. But the paper bowtie idea is one you can tweak or steal the next time you have a major retirement at your company or organization and you want the media to cover it.

How about asking well-wishers to come with their homemade paper airplanes to celebrate the retirement of an executive who's an amateur pilot? Or paper flowers for someone whose hobby is gardening?

Not elaborate enough for your VIP?

Then how about hosting a progressive dinner? Include the retiree's favorite dishes at different homes, or choose multiple restaurants. You can even transport the guests from place to place on a trolley or bus, or in limos.

The point is, if you want media coverage, make the party fun and visual. Shawne Duperon, a TV producer and reporter in Michigan, says it's important to paint a visual picture of the event when you pitch.

Her advice on how to track down the Queen Bee in every TV newsroom--the person who decides which stories will be covered-- and other tips on how to make your story irresistible for the cameras, are on the CD or electronic transcript "How to Get on the TV News Tomorrow." Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/4zpuz


========================================
2. Freelancers: Your Secret Weapon
========================================

PR people spend huge amounts of time pitching the most influential writers at top-tier media outlets, and too little time finding freelancers who already have built strong relationships with those same newspapers and magazines.

Finding freelancers isn't always easy. But once you know who they are, they can be your secret weapon to publicity. Here are four reasons why pitching freelancers is critical to a PR campaign:

--The vast majority of freelancers sell stories to several media outlets. So if they interview you for one story on a certain topic, and you've helped make their job easy, they'll probably return for another interview for a different article they're selling to a different publication.

--Most freelancers already are well-known by the media outlets they write for. They don't have to put up with the gatekeepers like you do. They can deal with assignment editors and reporters directly.

--If you have a great story idea, all you have to do is pitch the freelancer, who's usually easier to talk to and much more responsive than staff members. It's now THEIR job to pitch the journalists and follow up.

--Freelancers can't pay their bills unless they're continually pitching ideas and selling stories. That means they need great sources just like you to keep the ideas flowing.

On Wednesday, some of best, brightest and PR-friendliest freelancers will explain their inside tips, techniques and practical methods for breaking into some of the biggest publications with your story ideas during a 90-minute telephone seminar sponsored by Bulldog Reporter.

The veteran contributors and the influential publications they write for are:

--Eileen Gunn, Contributor, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, U.S. News & World Report, Worth, Smart Money, Business 2.0, Working Mother, Self, Glamour, Parents and The New York Post.

--Helen Chang, Contributor, Time, BusinessWeek, San Francisco Chronicle.

--Dave Lieber, Columnist, Ft. Worth Star Telegram; Contributor, The Philadelphia Inquirer Sunday Magazine, INSIDE magazine; Stringer, The New York Times.

--Aliza Sherman-Risdahl, Contributor, Entrepreneur, Home Business, Minority Engineer, Professional Woman, SBResources.com, SLNN.com, WomenEntrepreneur.com.

--Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell, Freelance Committee Chair, Society of Professional Journalists; Contributor, Associated Press, World, Entrepreneur, The Kansas City Star.

That's five people who write for more than two dozen publications and websites. It would take me months, maybe even years, to get the inside track on all those journalists.

Read more about the teleseminar and how you can take a major shortcut working with freelancers at http://tinyurl.com/ywghf5

=======================================
3. Sell What You Know
=======================================

When I left the newspaper business 13 years ago--burned out, disillusioned and hankering to start my own business--corporate consulting seemed the only option.

That meant I never got paid unless I found a company that needed my services. If I worked, I got paid. It was that simple.

But the work/get paid, work/get paid, work/get paid cycle became tiring and frustrating, particularly when there was no work and no pay.

It wasn't until a few years later that I stumbled upon a business model that seemed so much easier, and a heck of a lot more fun. I could sell what I knew--not by providing a service but by creating information products on how to generate publicity, then market them at my website and via this newsletter.

I learned how to create audio cassette tapes, ebooks, CDs, tips booklets, special reports, in-depth training materials, workbooks, videos and more. And the best part was that I didn't have to constantly hunt for people to buy them.

People simply found me, either by typing words and phrases into a search engine and landing at my websie, or finding an article I'd written and posted online, or hearing about about me through a friend.

The orders started coming in, many at 3 or 4 in the morning while I was sleeping, from people I didn't even know.

Work/get paid, work/get paid, work/get paid suddenly turned into work...get paid, get paid, get paid, get paid...

Today, much of my revenue comes from selling products, many of which are created through telephone seminars that people love attending. No crowded airports. No smelly hotel rooms. No lousy meals on the road--for them or for me.

If you hate your corporate job, building an information empire might be just the alternative you've been looking for. Or if you love your day job, but your brain is like an encyclopedia of knowledge on a certain topic or hobby you love, creating info products could be another revenue stream for you.

Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer have helped more people make more money in the information business than anyone else on the planet.

In 2006, Dan's Platinum Members and private clients combined sold well over $200 million dollars of books, tapes, courses, newsletters, seminars and coaching.

Dan and Bill are hosting a free 70-minute teleseminar on Thursday, August 16, on "The Easiest Way to Acquire a Million Dollars by Leveraging What You Know." You can listen either at 2 p.m. or 8 p.m. Eastern.

Register at http://www.dankennedyspecialoffer.com/getinnow/tribar


======================================
4. What Media Bias Means to You
======================================

Publicity Hound Kathi Petersen of Asheville, North Carolina points out the results of a poll that shows more than half of Americans say U.S. news organizations are politically biased, inaccurate, and don't care about the people they report on.

You can read the article at http://tinyurl.com/ypce8a

She writes: "Thought you might want to address this with fellow Publicity Hounds. Does this impact the way the public perceives our news?"

I'm not quite sure what she's asking, but the public has always been skeptical of the media, at least as long as I've been around, and it seems to be getting worse.

Does that mean Publicity Hounds are spending less time trying to get stories placed in the traditional media? Not really. But the smart ones are including influential bloggers, podcasters, ezine editors and non-traditional media among those who they contact with story ideas.

Smart Hounds also know how to deal with biased reporters, or those with a grudge or an agenda. They go into every interview with a level playing field and know how to answer angry, difficult, hostile questions.

Crisis counselor Jonathan Bernstein explains "How to Keep the Media Wolves at Bay" on a CD or electronic transcript that you can download as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about how to deal with the media wolves at http://tinyurl.com/b8wcy


==========================================
5. Promoting 'God is a Salesman'
==========================================

This week, three Publicity Hounds have tips for Carol Bloom Stevens on how to promote her husband Mark's book "God is a Salesman: Learn from the Master."


From Janet Huey:

"Many hosts of conservative talk shows are religious, and while they are inundated with books, it can't hurt to promote to them. Here's an example: Dan Patrick of KSEV here in Houston is a main host and owner of the station. In addition, he is a state senator and has written a Christian book and plugged Mel Gibson's movie quite a bit. In a market this big, an on-air interview with another author about how the book came to be could be a big hit."


From Cheryl Pickett:

"I'd recommend a page on Shoutlife which is a Christian version of MySpace, as well as offering articles or excerpts to the many Christian newsletters and blogs that are out there."


From The Publicity Hound:

"Pitch influential bloggers who write about religion, and those who write about sales. Start your research by going to Technorati.com and doing a search for 'sales blogs' or 'religion blogs.' When you find one, offer to send the blogger a book."

See "How to Pitch the Best Bloggers & Create a Publicity Explosion" at http://tinyurl.com/m7ymr

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


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

Karma Bennett of Ulysses Press writes:

"The publishing house where I work was founded with our travel series, the Hidden Guides. The first book, Hidden Hawaii, was, at the time, the only book on Hawaii that actually reviewed and compared the various beaches of the islands.

"Now we are giving the books a whole new look which emphasizes the hidden aspect of the series: the places that locals love, rather than the same tired tourist traps. The trick is that book reviewers don't like to review new editions, so I am looking for a good side-door angle. The original author will not be able to fly to Hawaii for the new edition as we are a small company and the airfare would be expensive.

"I would love to hear what your fellow Hounds can come up with to kick off this series with a bang."


The Publicity Hound says:

Interesting reviewers in your book the second time around is indeed difficult. But there are so many more ways to generate publicity for this series. Hounds can post their best ideas to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/2l97no


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

"You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, 'My God, you're right! I never would've thought of that!' " -- Dave Barry


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

Website traffic eluding you? Free White Paper has tips
http://tinyurl.com/2x7pco


Airlines magazine to feature best Road Warrior on cover
http://tinyurl.com/3aqc2y


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

Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®


August 14: Norfolk, Virginia

9 a.m. to noon: "Savvy Media Relations: How to Get Free Print, Broadcast & Online Publicity." 1:30-4 p.m.: "The New Rules of Press Releases: How to Write Them for Consumers, Not Only for Journalists." Each session is $97. Or attend the entire day for $147, and save $47. Register at http://www.PublicityHound.com/norfolk.htm


August 15: Virginia Beach, Virginia

I'll be spending the day with Internet marketing expert Tom Antion, my mentor, in his office, learning the latest strategies for Internet marketers. It's the annual daylong training session for members who join the Internet Association of Information Marketers at the highest level. If you earn most of your revenue through Internet marketing, you can join at the Outer Circle level, then meet us at Tom's place for this day of training. This one day alone is worth 50 times more than the price of membership. Or if you're just starting out, join for $15 a month. Learn more about the association at http://tinyurl.com/54dp6


September 11: Brookfield, Wisconsin

Association for Volunteer Administration of Southeastern Wisconsin, keynote presentation on "Savvy Media Relations:How to Get Thousands of Dollars in FREE Online and Offline Publicity," 9:45 a.m., University of Phoenix Metro-Milwaukee Campus, 20075 Watertower Blvd. $30 for AVA/SEW and IAVC members, $40 for non-members. Deadline August 31. Learn more at http://www.ava-sew.org/content/blogcategory/5/4/or call Kay Bloesl at 414-571-1327 to register.


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

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

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


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

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

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

Publicity tips/Why I'm Crying Elephant Tears, Aug 7 2007

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #358 Aug. 7, 2007
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 33,589

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

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

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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me that you want to subscribe. If you didn't subscribe, you can unsubscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of the newsletter.

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

*******************************************************
TELESEMINARS FOR HOUNDS:

Here are two teleseminars you'll want to know about, both on Thursday:

--Listen to Steve Harrison's "Seven Things You Absolutely Must Know to Get Publicity in Major Magazines and Newspapers" at 2 or 7 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, August 9. The 90-minute call will explain the three biggest mistakes most people make trying to get publicity in magazines and newspapers. You'll also learn how to understand the mind set of top magazine writers and editors, how a woman was so good at getting advance publicity her book hit the New York Times Best Seller List BEFORE her publication date, an incredibly simple strategy for scoring an Associated Press story about you that runs in dozens of newspapers across the United States, how to contact journalists, and how to spin a small story into a much larger feature for yourself. Steve has offered this call in the past, and I know you'll come away with some good tips." Read more about it at http://www.freepublicity.com/printpublicitycall/?10011


--"Pitching Holiday Gift Guides: Editors Show How to Get Products in Front of Millions of Shoppers," 1 PM Eastern on Thursday, Aug. 9, sponsored by Bulldog Reporter's PR University. The winter holiday shopping season is make or break time for many companies with seasonal gift-oriented products to sell. That's why so many PR pros start working this summer to finagle their products into the media's most credible holiday shopping guides and product reviews pages. Get an inside look at the secrets of scoring valuable coverage in the nation's top holiday gift guides--from the very editorial gatekeepers who decide what runs and what doesn't. They'll outline what they're looking for and when, this year's hottest items and how best to position your product for optimal placement in front of millions of holiday shoppers. Register at http://tinyurl.com/2bpyxv
********************************************************
================================
In This Issue
================================
1. Why I'm Crying Elephant Tears

2. Keep Your Message Clear

3. 6 Ways to Attract More Clients

4. Promote a Book with a Contest

5. Making a Website Ready for Visitors

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


======================================
1. Why I'm Crying Elephant Tears
======================================

I love getting Hound success stories from readers like you.

But sometimes I cry big, fat elephant tears when I learn about missed opportunities, or how people who generated fabulous publicity didn't follow up.

Publicity Hound Sue Lowery of Chattanooga, Tennessee saw a short news item on one of her local TV stations about how the Bliss spa in Dallas, Texas pampered an elephant the day before it was making its Dallas debut at the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus.

She said the news clip showed a spa worker giving the elephant a facial by slathering mashed avocado all over its face. The worker also used an oversized nail file to give the elephant a pedicure.

Curious, Sue started searching for the story online and found a shortened video clip at the Dallas Morning News website at http://tinyurl.com/2x33bj She sent me the link.

I watched it this morning, and got all excited that I had stumbled upon a great story. I Googled the Dallas Bliss, found the website, but saw that the only phone number listed was the one to call for reservations. I was hoping to reach the manager and ask her how the story originated, then congratulate her on a brilliant publicity coup.

Silly me.

I reached what sounded like an answering service, or perhaps the woman who takes reservations for the entire Bliss chain of spas. She said there was no way to reach the manager, and the only thing she could do was send her an email on my behalf.

When I asked for the manager's email address, she wouldn't give it to me. So I patiently dictated the message. She asked me to wait while she proofread it.

This, my dear Hounds, is called making somebody jump through hoops to give you publicity. Had I been a working journalist, I would have given up long before then. I patiently explained to the woman who answered the phone that I send this newsletter to more than 30,000 people, and this was a chance for the spa to get even more publicity. She didn't seem impressed.

What can Publicity Hounds learn from this lesson?

--Make sure your front-line employees understand the importance of media inquiries. Give them an emergency telephone number they can use if the media call on deadline. Better yet, include the emergency number at your website.

--When you get a fabulous media hit, include it at your website. Most local and network news people will gladly let you use the clip. I found nothing at the Dallas Bliss site--not even a mention.

--The Bliss Press Room included several press releases which I didn't have time to open. I couldn't find the name or phone number of a media contact anywhere on the site. Put contact information--including a shipping address, phone number and email address--in an easy-to-find place on your homepage.

--I got callbacks from Vollmer PR, the local firm in Dallas, which pitched the idea, and from the Bliss national PR person who told me they won't put the media contact phone number on the homepage because they get "flooded with calls." (I thought lots of calls were a good thing, not a bad thing.) Besides, she said, the national media all know how to contact them, which I find difficult to believe.

She asked if I wanted to be added to their media list. Uh, no thanks.

Tips on how to make it easy for the media to find you, plus thousands of helpful suggestions on how to make your company media-ready, then build strong relationships long after the interviews are over, are in "How to be a Kick-butt Publicity Hound," my most popular ebook. We've even added an entire lengthy chapter on blogging. Read more about what you'll learn at http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity/publicityhound.htm


========================================
2. Keep Your Message Clear
========================================

When you interview with the media, you always risk working with a reporter who doesn't understand your key point, or the most important thing you want to communicate.

Crisis counselor Lou Hampton of the Hampton Group in Washington, D.C. offers these six handy phrases to use during interviews:

--"The key point is..."

--"The bottom line is..."

--"The one thing people need to realize..."

--"Let me repeat that, because it's such a critical point..."

--"One trend we see..."

--"What is especially exciting/surprising/unexpected..."

The phrases are included in Lou's deck of Mem-cards, a package of 26 cards, each featuring a media tip for Hounds who interview. Use the cards as handy reference tools while you're waiting in the green room on the "Today" show. They also make great gifts for clients--even if you're on a budget. The cards are $9.97 per deck until August 31.

Read more about them at http://www.hamptongroup.com/meetthemediacards.htm


=======================================
3. 6 Ways to Attract More Clients
=======================================

Lots of people are complaining that business is flat during these slow days of summer. If you're among them, consider these six ideas for attracting more clients:

--Create a short presentation on how people can solve the most pressing problem that ties into the product or service your company sells, or the cause or issue your nonprofit addresses. Then hit the speaking circuit in your town. Dozens of service clubs are looking for luncheon and dinners speakers. This is what I did when I started my consulting business, and many people in my audiences hired me to help with their PR.

--Write articles for article directory sites like http://www.ezinearticles.com/.Make sure the author resource box links to your website. Be sure to capture email addresses at your site. I do with Hover Ad Creator, powerful HTML coding that makes the sign-up box at my website bypass spam filters. Learn more about it at http://www.marketingtips.com/hover/t/827664

--Start blogging. The search engines love timely, content-rich blogs, particularly on niche topics. The more you blog, the more traffic you'll get.

--If you sell anything that helps people generate publicity, consider joining The Publicity Hound's Resources List at http://www.publicityhound.com/resources.htm This is where I send callers when they want to know who I recommend to help them write press releases, proofread their copy, or contact the media on their behalf.

--Swallow your pride, call former clients and tell them you need more work.

--Go to the Craigslist in the city closest to where you live at http://www.craigslist.org/ and start posting tips on this f~ree community bulleting board. Then link to your website. See "How to Use Craigslist as a Global Publicity Tool" at http://tinyurl.com/geog2

If you're a PR practitioner or a publicist, you'll want to know about the 24 ideas I brainstormed with Marcia Yudkin on how to bring more clients through the door. They're on a handout that accompanies the CD and electronic transcript called "24 Ways to Attract Clients to Your PR Practice," and you can download it as soon as your order has been approved.

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


======================================
4. Promote a Book with a Contest
======================================

Dorothy Molstad, marketing manager for Voyageur Press in St.Paul, Minnesota, deserves a doggy treat for a clever idea she's using to promote their book "Green Bay Packers: The Complete Illustrated History." It hits bookstores next week.

Knowing I'm a Packers fan, she asked permission to send me the book. It arrived with a hand-written note that said:

"I'll bet you'll find many Packer fans read your newsletter if you print something about the book. I'll send a copy to the most distant fan who responds."

If you're a Packers fan in a distant land, email Dorothy and tell her how many miles you live from me at 3434 County KK, PortWashington, Wisconsin. Mailto:dmolstad@mbipublishing.com?subject=PackersContest

The coffee table book sells for $29.95 and includes some interesting photos from yesteryear.


If you're an author whose book has been on the market for several months and your sales have stalled, give 'em a jump-start. Publicist Lissa Warren knows how, and she explains how she boosts sales for her own clients' books on the CD or electronic transcript called "How to Revive a Dying Book Marketing Campaign." Too many authors give up after less than a year, but the most successful ones use many of the ideas she mentions.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/67bhu


==========================================
5. Making a Website Ready for Visitors
==========================================

This week, seven Publicity Hounds have tips for Nancy Mills, on how she can improve The Spirited Woman website at http://www.thespiritedwoman.com/ by August 11. That's the day that Six Apart, a blogging company, will feature her site as Website of the Day.


From Valerie Hayes:

"I’m concerned that the sign-up box for your newsletter may get lost on the page. Consider enlarging or repositioning it to make it more noticeable."


From Stacey Kannenberg:

"I would profile a highly spirited woman on that day!! I would run a campaign starting today to tie into six degrees of separation to see who your readers already know--people who are a few degrees away to find your amazing spirited lady to profile. Not only will this help you find other spirited women to profile, but it will empower your existing base to help you find some truly amazing people and share the path. For example, I know a producer at the 'Rachael Ray' show...so we are two away from Rachael Ray!"


From Jim Labadie:

"Videotape yourself with a crystal clear message for all those visitors to see first thing on the 11th. Who are you? How do you help them? Why should they subscribe to your newsletter? Besides just looking around, what specific action do you want them to take? Video is such a powerful way to deliver a concise message. And it shouldn’t be like your other video where they have to click multiple times to watch it. It should be like an embedded YouTube video where they click on the video and the message plays."


The Publicity Hound says: Jim's suggestion to offer video is easier than you might think. Tom Antion, my mentor, has created a helpful set of two CDs. Learn how to create high-end infomercials on a low-end budget, how speakers can create their own videos to use in their marketing campaign, and how to create screen-capture videos right on your computer and sell them as info-products. Read more about it and see the cool videos Tom created himself at http://tinyurl.com/y3b6wj


Read all the responses to this Help this Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/37nlvh


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

Carol Bloom Stevens of Rye Brook, New York writes:

"My husband, Mark Stevens, wrote a book called 'God Is a Salesman: Learn from the Master' which will be published by Hachette at the end of this year.

"We are looking for a Christian faith-based PR firm to get the word out to the churches across the country to buy this book. Grace Hill Media does this for movies like Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ." We are seeking specialists in the book publishing industry.

"We're also looking for creative ideas from other Hounds on how our own PR firm, MSCO, can promote this to consumer and business media."

The Publicity Hound says: Lots of authors and book publishers read this newsletter, Carol, and I'm sure you'll get lots of ideas. Here's my own:

Any author who wants to create a buzz for a book on just about any topic should head over to Amazon.com, a high-traffic website that offers 17 opportunities to promote your books, CDs and other products--even on your competitors' product pages. Mark can review other books and even provide a "Top 10" list of his favorite sales strategies or tips. Randy Gilbert and Don Mitchell explain all the other ways to use Amazon to promote.

They were my guests when I interviewed them on "How to Turn Amazon.com into a River of Gold." It's available as a CD or electronic transcript. You can download the handout with all 17 ideas as soon as your order has been approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/7u76e


Hounds with ideas for Carol can post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/yvlbcq


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

Dogs are better than kids. They eat less, don't ask for money all the time, are trained, usually come when called, never drive your car, don't hang out with drug-using friends, don't smoke or drink, don't worry about whether they have the latest fashions, don't wear your clothes and don't need a gazillion dollars for college. And if they get pregnant, you can sell the pups.


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

Restaurant reviewers report on dirty restrooms
http://tinyurl.com/3d6nxp


Online games, quizzes great for website promotion
http://tinyurl.com/38gmnu


Fortune Small Business wants to know your financials
http://tinyurl.com/2agmkw


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

Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®


August 14: Norfolk, Virginia

9 a.m. to noon: "Savvy Media Relations: How to Get Free Print, Broadcast & Online Publicity." 1:30-4 p.m.: "The New Rules of Press Releases: How to Write Them for Consumers, Not Only for Journalists." Each session is $97. Or attend the entire day for $147, and save $47. Register at http://www.PublicityHound.com/norfolk.htm


August 15: Virginia Beach, Virginia

I'll be spending the day with Internet marketing expert Tom Antion, my mentor, in his office, learning the latest strategies for Internet marketers. It's the annual daylong training session for members who join the Internet Association of Information Marketers at the highest level. If you earn most of your revenue through Internet marketing, you can join at the Outer Circle level, then meet us at Tom's place for this day of training. This one day alone is worth 50 times more than the price of membership. Or if you're just starting out, join for $15 a month. Learn more about the association at http://tinyurl.com/54dp6


September 11: Brookfield, Wisconsin

Association for Volunteer Administration of Southeastern Wisconsin, keynote presentation on "Savvy Media Relations: How to Get Thousands of Dollars in FREE Online and Offline Publicity," 9:45 a.m., University of Phoenix Metro-Milwaukee Campus, 20075 Watertower Blvd. $30 for AVA/SEW and IAVCmembers, $40 for non-members. Deadline August 31. Learn more at http://www.ava-sew.org/content/blogcategory/5/4/or call Kay Bloesl at 414-571-1327 to register.


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

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

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


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

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

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

Publicity tips/The incredible shrinking newsroom January 9, 2007

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

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

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

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

Read more about it at http://tinyurl.com/yysrnk and find out how to download last year's "Best of 2005" ebook.
******************************************

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

1. The Incredible Shrinking Newsroom

2. Oprah's Magazine

3. The Heat Wave

4. So You Want to Write a Book?

5. How to Promote Embroidery Books

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=====================================
1. The Incredible Shrinking Newsroom
=====================================

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

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

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

Here's what newspaper layoffs mean to you:

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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


==================================
2. Oprah's Magazine
==================================

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Still, it takes a lot more than just waiting.

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

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

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

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

==================================
3. The Heat Wave
==================================

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


=================================
4. So You Want to Write a Book?
=================================

Self-publishing expert Dan Poynter says everybody has a book inside them just waiting to be written.

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

--Articles for online article directories

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

--A blog

--Comments at other people's blogs

--Letters to the editor of newspapers and magazines

--An electronic newsletter

--Opinion columns

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

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

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


==================================
5. How to Promote Embroidery Books
==================================

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


From Garth Gibson:

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

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

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


From Lois Carter Fay of MarketingIdeaShop.com:

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


From The Publicity Hound:

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

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

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

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


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

Lisa Tomlinson of Oakland, California writes:

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

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

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


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

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


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

Thanks to Dan Poynter of Santa Barbara, California for this one:

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

--Will Rogers


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

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


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

EzineArticles.com adds 16 sports categories
http://tinyurl.com/yzj9s9


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

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


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

---------------------------------------------------------------
Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®

January 22, 2007:

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

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


March 17, 2007: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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

PERMISSION TO REPRINT: You may reprint any items from "ThePublicity 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 ThePublicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me you want to subscribe.

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

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

Publicity tips/Pan for gold at Amazon December 12, 2006

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #323 - Dec. 12, 2006
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
>http://www.PublicityHound.com
>http://www.PublicityHound.net (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 26,775

=====================================
"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 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 Journalists Critique Your Pitches:

Fern Reiss of Expertizing.com, one of the smartest Publicity Hounds I know, has a Rolodex of hundreds of journalists that would make anybody envious. She's willing to introduce you to them and is launching a program so they can review your pitches, critique them and consider covering you.

"They're ready to hear your news--and have agreed to consider you for their pieces, or to tell you why your pitch was inappropriate for their publication. At worst, you'll learn why your pitches aren't succeeding--valuable information in formulating new publicity strategies--and make contact with hundreds of new journalists that you can approach again. At best, you'll get coverage in dozens of top publications."

The journalists cover a variety of beats and areas, ranging from high-tech to health, but the primary focus will be on journalists covering business such as those from Inc. magazine, Fortune, BusinessWeek and Harvard Business Review, plus lifestyle journalists at magazines like Glamour, Redbook and Reader's Digest. Every four to six weeks, she'll introduce you to a literary agent. This fee-based service includes pitching tips, interviews with the journalists before you pitch, and complete contact info so you can be in touch with them even after the program ends.

Learn more at >http://www.expertizing.com/forum.htm And please tell Fern I sent you. She'll take good care of you. Promise.

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

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

1. Pan for Gold at Amazon

2. A Press Release Journalists Love

3. Go in Style

4. Media Lead

5. Promoting a Job Service

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

==================================
1. Pan for Gold at Amazon
==================================

If you're trying to position yourself as an expert, hop on over to Amazon.com and start panning for gold.

The popular website where you can buy everything from books to wireless telephone service is one of the best places on the Internet to promote your expertise, get in front of a targeted audience of buyers, and really flaunt your stuff--even if you aren't selling anything. That's because Amazon gives you 17 ways to show what you know.

Just ask Don Mitchell. The management consultant ranks as theNumber One non-fiction book reviewer on Amazon. He's so well-known by business authors that he's flooded with galleys and new books from eager publishers who literally beg him to offer his comments.

"I feel a little bit like the fellow at Sutter's Fort in California in the 1840s when he happened to bend down and spot this big gold nugget," Don said.

He started writing short book reviews on Amazon about 10 years ago, when his first book was published, and he was having such great response from Amazon customers that he kept writing reviews.

"Gradually, funny things started to happen. I started getting contacts from people who would ask me serious business questions. After a few emails back and forth, I would start to get clients this way. Who would have thought that a management consulting firm would attract CEOs of large companies through writing book reviews on Amazon? It was the first tip-off to me that there was something really going on there."

Indeed.

He even reviewed his competitors' books. And not all the reviews were positive. But that's what helps build the buzz online, and draw traffic to the review.

Because Amazon lets you create a profile for yourself and link back to your website, that translates into controversy and buzz that draws more traffic. And more big-contract consulting assignments for people like Don.

Amazon also lets you post articles. So you can recycle all those how-to articles that you've been writing for online article directories and your own website, and post them on relevant book pages on Amazon that tie into the same topic.

Is that cool or what?

Don met Randy Gilbert years ago on the Amazon website and the two have become experts at how to use Amazon to promote yourself and your business. They let me grill them about their Amazon strategy and how they use it to create sales leads. I recorded the interview and it's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order is approved.

This is an update of an earlier interview we did four years ago, because so much has changed at Amazon since then. Read more about what you'll learn at >http://tinyurl.com/ycl38b


=================================
2. A Press Release Journalists Love
==================================

Whenever I hear a journalist talking about a particular press release, she's usually making fun of it because the writing is so lame.

But when a magazine editor emails me and begs me to read a press release that's so incredibly clever, I just have to share it with you.

Thanks to Publicity Hound Leigh Ann Hubbard of Colorado Springs, Colorado, managing editor of "My Family Doctor: The Magazine That Makes Housecalls" for pointing out the fun press release at >http://tinyurl.com/ygfoxx It promotes an online gourmet food store.

"I thought it was brilliant," she said. "The quote from the'cart-weary customer' is awesome, too. As a journalist who wades through dozens of press releases a day, I appreciate the occasional humorous one. It catches my eye."

I'm not suggesting that if you have an online store that you can parrot the opening of this press release. Rather, I offer it only as an example of how to use humor in a release and really catch the reader's attention.

Here's betting that 9 out of 10 other writers would have written something like this:
"Net-gourmet.com, a cutting-edge, multi-platform solution provider for blah-blah-blah...today announced blan-blah-blah...."

The writer would have followed with a B.S. quote from the CEO about how "delighted" and "pleased" they are to blah-blah-blah...

Yuck.

If you need more ideas on how to inject humor into press releases, write them for consumers as well as journalists, and turn crummy releases into fabulous ones, sign up for my f*ree press release writing course called "89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases" at >http://tinyurl.com/ydwtdw It's an intensive 89-day course that's the equivalent of getting a master's degree in press release writing and distribution.

If you don't have 89 days to spend learning, find out what David Meerman Scott has to say about "The New Rules of Press Releases" at http://tinyurl.com/ndwfo


=================================
3. Go in Style
==================================

Thanks to Publicity Hound Kathi Petersen for calling this one to my attention.

If you're visiting New York City for the holidays and you've just gotta go, stop in at the Charmin Restrooms at Broadway & 46th Street on Times Square.

It's a swanky storefront that offers the ultimate bathroom experience with 20 clean and comfortable deluxe restrooms--complete with fully-staffed attendants who clean the stalls after every use. Other amenities include two baby-changing stations, stroller parking, seating areas, tourist information, and even aroma therapy.

An estimated 15.3 million people will visit the Big Apple this holiday season--a city that's notorious for its lack of public restrooms. The Charmin potties are open until December 31, giving thousands of people the chance to try Charmin Ultra bathroom tissue.

Gigunda Group, Inc. created the branding campaign, with PR assistance from MS&L, a public relations firm. Gigunda's Tim Collins, senior account executive, says the New York Times has written five stories on the campaign, USA Today has written three, and the restrooms were featured on "Good Morning, America" and the "Today" show, as well as many other top-tier media outlets.

But here's what really makes The Publicity Hound smile.

Employees at the restrooms track every visitor and make note of where they live. Then the PR folks contact the media outlets in some of those towns and pitch "the local angle" to the Times Square story. That means even more publicity in hundreds of small newspapers and on TV stations all across America. You can check the Flush-o-Meter at >http://tinyurl.com/yb6d5k to see how many people have visited from your state or country. (If you're at work, turn down your speakers.)

If you can't afford a high-budget campaign like this one, you can at least learn some valuable lessons about how to stage special events. I love the use of humor, the Flush-o-Meter, and the interactive "Roll Toss Game" for people who can't make it to New York.

Debra J. Schmidt, who planned and hosted dozens of creative special events when she worked at a Milwaukee TV station, teamed up with me to record 6 CDs on "How to Plan & Promote Sizzling Special Events." It's also available as an electronic transcript, and each package includes 15 can't-do-without checklists for event planners, from things you must know if you're serving alcohol to an event budget work sheet so you don't spend more than you have. Read more about what you'll learn and download three sample checklists at >http://tinyurl.com/46jzg


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

--Terri Benincasa is writing a book called "Is That My Light at the End of the Tunnel?" She says "it's for and about Baby Boomers and details the way we’ve taken our great ideas of the 60s and 70s to dysfunctional extremes, resulting in many of the societal problems we all experience today--and how to fix them." She's looking for Boomers born between 1946 and 1964, or the child, parent or friend of a Boomer, who is aware of how the Boomer's ideas and values of the Boomer years have affected who they are today, and how and why they've lost those ideals. Mailto:terri@baccinc.com

If you're a journalist looking for sources, an author gathering information for your next book, or a broadcaster who needs certain kinds of guests, send your media lead to mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=MediaLead If you're a broadcaster who charges guests for sponsorships, or guests have to pay to be on your show, that doesn't qualify as the kind of media lead I'd include here.


==================================
5. Promoting a Job Service
==================================

This week, eight Publicity Hounds have ideas for Teri Arnold of Chesapeake, Virginia. She needs help promoting a small local non-profit that helps people with severe developmental disabilities find employment.


From Carolyn Chambers Clark:

"Consider writing a weekly developmental disabilities article on one of the major educational web sites: Bellaonline.com, Suite101.com, etc. It’s easy to build up your circulation to 100,000 viewers in a year and millions if you keep at it. The more articles you write, the more traffic you pull in. Each of these web sites has 'Contact us' or 'Looking for writers' at the top of their home page."

(The Publicity Hound says: "How to Write How-to Articles for Newspapers, Magazines & Trade Journals" at >http://tinyurl.com/dnxhb includes a handy template on how to write these articles.)

From Nancy Froio:

"What if your organization initiates an annual award, national and/or local, for the companies that are being blessed with your services. Like a good neighbor award, or along those lines. You could hold a fundraiser luncheon, presentation, and invite the media."

From John Easton:

"I would canvass some of the firms that currently support you. Some of the larger firms may have internal or outsourced PR resources that, if politely prompted, may initiate a campaign to promote the work their organization is doing with you. I have done this with great success with our local chamber of commerce. My time courting the press is limited, so my relationships are not as deep as those who do this for a living."

Read all the responses at >http://tinyurl.com/yf72wv

Paul Hartunian offers dozens more ideas on "Failproof Publicity Tips for Your Nonprofit" at >http://tinyurl.com/29dba


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

Elaine Grassbaugh of Columbus, Ohio writes:

"Agriculture colleges across the U.S. are experiencing low enrollment rates, especially in the area of horticulture. This is mainly due to the cost of a 4- or 5-year bachelor's degree. Also, many two-year community colleges now offer this major. How can a department in a major land grant university, Ohio State, attract these students back to their four-year programs by increasing enrollment in these horticulture departments? Do your Hounds have any specific ideas for ways to publicize what we offer?


The Publicity Hound says: I know there are lots of PR people from college and universities among the ranks of my Hounds. So lets hear those great ideas. You can post them to my blog at >http://tinyurl.com/w7yb5 Also see "Special Report #15: Publicity Tips for Schools, Colleges & Universities" at >http://tinyurl.com/olqx4

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

Top 10 Things Overheard at Fido's Office Christmas Party:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. "Dead cats - we're still for 'em!"

1. "Gainesburgers again? Who catered this disaster?"


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

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

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

Publicity tips for construction trade mags
>http://tinyurl.com/ym9xae

Stuart Elliot, NYT ad columnist, offers tips
>http://tinyurl.com/ydwfah

Writing tip: Make statistics come alive
>http://tinyurl.com/ybwqrn


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

---------------------------------------------------------------
Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®

January 22, 2007:

Attention Artists--Frustrated that your art "business" is nothingmore than an expensive hobby? Worried about how to becomerecognized, exhibited, and paid for your art? Feel like there'stoo much competition, too few buyers and not enough energy leftat the end of the day to market like you need to?

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


March 17, 2007: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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


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® will never distribute your address to anyone.

Period.

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