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

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

Circulation: 50,749

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

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

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

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

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

Let Corporate Sponsors Promote You on Their Dime

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

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

See Item #2 below.

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

1. Avoid Spray-and-Pray Publicity

2. Let Corporate Sponsors Promote You

3. 'Buy My Stuff' Videos

4. LinkedIn Events

5. Promoting a Web Design Business

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

In that case, go after a corporate sponsorship.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Are you listening, speakers and authors?

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

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

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

Curious about how he does it?

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

This information is valuable in several ways:

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

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

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

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

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

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

He walks you step by step through the entire process of "How to
Use LinkedIn to Promote Anything--Ethically & Powerfully." It's
available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can
download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about how to start using LinkedIn the right way at
http://tinyurl.com/5zvzyd


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

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


From Meryl K. Evans:

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


From Efia Moore:

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

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


From Judy Vorfeld:

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


The Publicity Hound says:

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


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


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


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

Publicity Hound Susan Sogaro of Trumbull, Texas writes:

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

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


The Publicity Hound says:

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


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

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


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

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


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

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

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


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

WHERE TO SEE AND HEAR THE PUBLICITY HOUND:


Wednesday, Nov. 19--Teleseminar

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


Thursday, Nov. 20--Teleseminar

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


Wednesday, Jan. 21--Teleseminar

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


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

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

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

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

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


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

Publicity tips/Back Door to The Wall Street Journal Oct 13, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #420 Oct. 14, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

Circulation: 50,851

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

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

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

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

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

Not Too Late to Learn the Best Twitter Techniques

Yesterday's teleseminar on "How to Use Twitter to Amass an Army
of Followers, Customers & Valuable Contacts--and Promote" was so
packed with content that I emailed an 11-point summary of the
highlights to everyone who attended. There's still time to get in
on today's call at 3 p.m. Eastern Time, devoted to specific
strategies you can use to promote.

Register at http://tinyurl.com/3lbcaw and you'll get the MP3
downloads and electronic transcripts so you can listen to what
you've missed. You'll also receive the 11-point summary form
yesterday.

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

1. Back Door to The Wall Street Journal

2. Annoying Facebook Invitations

3. Pompous Press Release = Public Humiliation

4. Media Lead

5. Promoting Do-it-yourself Divorce

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=========================================
1. Back Door to the Wall Street Journal
=========================================

If you want publicity about your business in the Wall Street
Journal, you don't necessarily have to pitch.

You don't even have to know anyone at the paper.

All it took for the Rev. Thomas Harrison to get a story about his
business in the Wall Street Journal last week was forming a
strong relationship with the religion editor at his local paper,
the Tulsa World, one of the largest dailies in Oklahoma.

Rev. Harrison, who does publicity for churches, also is a secret
church shopper.

In the retail industry, secret shoppers report on whether the
stores they visit are clean and the employees friendly.

Pastors hire Rev. Harrison to report on what he finds during his
undercover visits. Did someone greet him when he arrived? Were
the restrooms clean? Was parking adequate? And what about the
sermons?

Churches, competing for more members during a time when nearly
half of American adults switch religion affiliations, are turning
to corporate marketing strategies such as focus groups, customer-
satisfaction surveys and product giveaways.

The story was a natural for the Tulsa newspaper. A reporter
interviewed him last year, wrote a front-page story, then sent
that story to the Associated Press, the giant wire service. AP,
in turn, distributed the story to its member papers. It has been
appearing all over the Internet ever since.

A Wall Street Journal reporter saw it and called Rev. Harrison
for an interview. The story appeared in Friday's Life & Style
section and online at
http://www.wsj.com/article/SB122358815744820497.html

"I got it the old-fashioned way of building relationships and
letting the folks at the local paper know what I'm doing," he
said. "I knew the religion editor and had been working with him
on other stories for my clients. I told him about the secret
shopper business and one day he called and said, 'We'll be there
in an hour for an interview.'"

The Wall Street Journal story has led to two TV appearances, two
radio interviews, another interview by a daily newspaper in
Oklahoma, and an article in the online version of USA Today on
Friday.

Opportunities like this one for getting into the Journal are a
long shot. But the lesson can't be repeated often enough: form
strong relationships with journalists, the "new media" like
bloggers and ezine editors, and anyone else who publishes
content.

Rev. Harrison, by the way, found his way into this ezine thanks
to a simple email he sent me last week telling me about the Wall
Street Journal article. Now THAT'S a Publicity Hound.

You'll find more tips in "Special Report #49: 17 Ways to Build
Valuable Relationships with Media People." Only $10. Order at
http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g

============================================
2. Annoying Facebook Invitations
============================================

Are you sick of seeing all those invitations from your Facebook
friends who are promoting teleseminars, book-signings, Internet
radio programs and who knows what else?

I am.

Are you vowing to never pester your Facebook friends again with
those invitations? If so, big mistake.

Creating events on Facebook and letting your friends know about
them is one of the most powerful strategies you can use in your
publicity campaign, and it can make the cash register ring.

Last week, I created an event for the teleseminar series "How to
Use Twitter to Amass an Army of Followers, Customers & Valuable
Contacts--and Promote." My assistant spent more than an hour
emailing the invitation to my 1,500 Facebook friends.

As soon as she did, I got 12 registrations at $77 each, for a
cool $924 just from that one promotion technique.

Here's another powerful feature on Facebook. Thousands of people
who are not your friends can see the invitation on the walls of
your mutual friends.

And if your friend responds to the RSVP, even more people can see
it, click through to the page where you're promoting your event,
and sign up. That's what happened to me last week. I described it
in step-by-step detail, complete with screen shots, at my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/4reos4

If you aren't on Facebook yet, what are you waiting for? Jason
Alba explained dozens of tips on how to use this wildly popular
social networking site during two teleseminars earlier this
summer on "How to Use Facebook to Promote Your Business Or
Nonprofit."

The training is available as electronic transcripts and your
choice of CDs or MP3s. Get started on Facebook today at
http://tinyurl.com/3zfdum


=============================================
3. Pompous Press Release = Public Humiliation
=============================================

Thanks to Publicity Hound Kerry Nesbit of Winston-Salem, N.C. for
tipping us off to this column in the New York Times in which tech
columnist David Pogue publicly humiliated Gunnar Optiks, a
company that sent him a pompous press release touting its "high
performance eye wear."

You can read the column at http://tinyurl.com/4oqndr

The column, by the way, opens with the writer's comments about a
previous column he wrote on technology tips. I encourage
Publicity Hounds everywhere to read those tips. They will save
you hundreds of hours of time.

Then read about the pompous press release. Can you imagine being
castigated like that? The next time you send a press release,
will the same thing happen to you?

Make sure it doesn't. Take my free 12-week email tutorial on "89
Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases at
http://www.PublicityHound.com/pressreleasetips/art.htm

If you don't have 12 weeks to learn, you can get the entire
course in an ebook for only $27 at
http://www.publicityhound.com/pressreleasetips/ebook.htm


=========================================
4. Media Lead
=========================================

Money Magazine is looking for families willing to discuss the
dollars-and-cents expenses involved in practicing their faith--
the cost of everything from religious schools and dietary
restrictions to tithing and faith-based investment limitations.
If interested, please email your name, contact information and
family photo, along with a brief summary of your salary, savings
and religion-related expenses, to
mailto:gmannes@moneymail.com?subject=ExpensePracticingFaith


When you respond to queries like these, or you send a press
release or story pitch, do you follow up? Journalists tell you
they never want you follow up. Truth is, they never want you to
follow up if you don't know what you're doing, and most people
don't.

Publicity expert Jill Lublin has specific step-by-step
instructions that will put you in good graces with journalists.
Read more about the teleseminar she conducted with me on
"Failproof Ways to Follow Up," available as a CD or electronic
transcript you can be reading as soon as your order has been
approved. Start following up the right way at
http://tinyurl.com/bmyn7


==========================================
5. Promoting Do-it-yourself Divorces
==========================================

This week, four Publicity Hounds have tips for Jackie Stanley of
Greensboro, N.C., an attorney who needs help promoting a new
website at http://www.ncdivorceschool.com/ It offers training
for North Carolina residents who want to handle their own simple
divorces.


From Carol Stevens:

"I would promote Divorce in an Economic Downturn. Feeling like
you have to put everything off until the economy turns around? If
you were thinking of getting a divorce, save on attorney fees and
learn how to go about it yourself."


From Rekaya Gibson:

"Do research on cities that have the highest divorce rates.
Target your efforts there first. You may want to consider
marketing on sites that provide wedding information. make sure
you get a MySpace page."


From Jay Hamilton-Roth:

"When someone is considering a divorce, finances become a big
issue. Having accountants able to refer your website (further
saving them money) is a big benefit to their clients."


The Publicity Hound says:

How about creating your own TV show on do-it-yourself divorces
and have it broadcast only in North Carolina? PR pro Robert Smith
explained "How to Get Your Own National TV Show for Less Than
$400 a Month" during a Teleseminar I conducted with him. You can
probably get your own statewide show for far less than $400 a
month."

Read more about how to create your own show at
http://tinyurl.com/y4by43


Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question
http://tinyurl.com/4uqrs6


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


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

Lisa Hoang of Honolulu, Hawaii writes:

"I am a professional child and family photographer. I own a
boutique, on location portrait studio that caters to high-end
clientele. I want my business to be talked about among the elite,
with my clients beginning a relationship with me from the time
their babies are born, or just before with maternity portraits.

"Being an ordinary Jane myself, what are some classy ways I can
become more established in this niche? My websites are Windward
Skies at http://www.windwardskies.com and Tiny Moments
Photography at http://www.tinymomentsphotography.com "


The Publicity Hound says:

Hounds, how about giving Lisa some terrific ideas for promoting
to an upscale clientele? Post your best ideas to my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/4a4yjv


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

"[My dog] can bark like a congressman, fetch like an aide, beg
like a press secretary and play dead like a receptionist when the
phone rings."

--Former U.S. Congressman Gerald Solomon

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

Sending Facebook event invitations, RSVPs is time well spent
http://tinyurl.com/4reos4


Hypertarget your message with MyAds on MySpace
http://tinyurl.com/3ljozx


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

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

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

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

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

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

Publicity tips/Mad as Hell? Let 'em Know Sept 30, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #418 Sept. 30, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/(Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 50,829

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

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

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

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

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

Don't Miss Twitter Teleseminar and a Recording:

- -If you aren't Twittering yet, you're missing out on one of the
biggest publicity tools on the planet. Join me and Warren
Whitlock, co-author of The Twitter Handbook, for two 70-minute
teleseminars on how to use Twitter to promote. They're from 3 to
4:10 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, Oct. 13, and Tuesday, Oct. 14.
You can sign up at http://tinyurl.com/44593x

- -Tom Antion teaches you his (and my) three-part strategy--
public speaking, Internet marketing and success principles--to
position yourself as an expert and grow your business, including
the three biggest website mistakes. Download our interview at
http://tinyurl.com/4rpwer and read about the 5 important things
he taught me.

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

1. Mad as Hell? Let 'em Know

2. Important Deadline Today

3. How to Build an Army on Twitter

4. Use LinkedIn to Get into Books

5. Promoting a Bargain Shopping Service

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=========================================
1. Mad as Hell? Let 'em Know
=========================================

I had to turn off the TV at 8:15 last night for fear my head
would explode.

After only three hours watching the aftermath of the ugly mess in
Washington, I couldn't stand to hear the commentators and
politicians screaming at each and pointing fingers.

Never mind how much we all lost in the stock market in September.
I just wanted to lock myself in a room and never come out.

So what should helpless Hounds do during a time like this? At
first, looking for the hidden publicity opportunity seems tacky.

But there's nothing wrong with venting constructively, just to
relieve the stress. And if it results in a publicity op, so be
it.

Here are some of my ideas:

- -Answer online polls like the one at
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26870760 on MSNBC.

- -I was fascinated by the first-person accounts--with photos of
people sharing their fears that their homes, jobs and life
savings will vanish--at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26410130/ Why
couldn't a trade association, nonprofit or chamber of commerce
ask for feedback from its own members and post comments at its
website or blog?

- -Let off steam in a video. Financial planners, you can lead
viewers from the video to your website where they can find more
articles, tips, calculators or anything else that will help them
make intelligent decisions about what to do with what's left of
their investments. Parenting experts, how about leading viewers
to a list of tips on how to explain to your kids what's
happening, and how it will affect them?

- -Local and national newspapers will be swamped with letters to
the editor and opinion columns. I'm betting that editors will
open up space in the print edition. So start writing.

- -I've seen a fair amount of ranting on social networking sites
like Twitter but not a lot of constructive tips.

- -Take your own survey among your blog readers, ezine
subscribers or your customers. What do the results show?

Here's what not to do:

- -Please, no petitions, particularly the ones sent via email
with instructions to "send this to everyone in your address
book." They're always ineffective, and they clutter inboxes.

- -Instead, regardless of how you feel about the bail-out, call
your representatives in Congress and vent. Public opinion is
running 3 to 1 against the bail-out, and commentators have cited
phone calls, not emails, from angry constituents as the Number
One reason the bill failed.

- -Maybe it's just me, but I hate snarky, vicious blog comments
left by people too cowardly to sign their real names.

What else are you doing to vent? Post your ideas to my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/3narfb


=========================================
2. Important Deadline Today
=========================================

It's time to celebrate when you capture the #1 position on Google
for your keyword or keyword phrase.

But Debra Holtzman has little time for champagne. That's because
her phone is ringing constantly with calls from journalists and
bloggers who find her in the top spot on the organic list when
they search for "child safety expert."

Guess what else they find?

They find Debra in positions #2 and #3 for the same keyword
phrase. Talk about dominating Google! It's almost impossible
for her competitors to gain any traction.

For Debra, capturing the first three spots on Google is possible
thanks to Expertlick: The Online Yearbook of Experts.

She ranks in the top two spots for her own websites. The #3
position is for her profile at Expertclick, the giant database of
experts that journalists search when they need background and
commentary from experts.

Her Google rank is responsible for interviews she has done with
dozens of top-tier media including NBC's "Today" show, Dateline
NBC, CNBC Asia Market Watch, MSNBC, Associated Press Radio, and
Parenting Magazine, Newsweek, Child Magazine, Star Magazine, Us
Weekly Magazine, USA Weekend Magazine, Reader's Digest, First For
Women Magazine, Boston Globe, Washington Post and Family Circle
Magazine.

Publicity Hound Cynthia D'Amour, who has the #1 spot on Google
for "leadership strategist," renewed her subscription for another
year this morning. Check out her fun photo on her profile page
at http://www.expertclick.com/19-3232

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

If you call Mitch and his staff at 202-333-5000, they'll take
your call personally and answer your questions. Don't miss out
and have to wait another year for an opportunity like this one.

If you get this newsletter late, call tomorrow morning and tell
him that. Mitch is a good guy and I'm sure he'll honor the
offer.


=========================================
3. How to Build an Army on Twitter
=========================================

Every day, messages flow into my email inbox that say "(Name) is
following you on Twitter!"

Usually, I have no idea who these people are. But they know me.
Or they want to know me.

After Twittering for less than a year, I have almost 1,000
followers--my own little tribe of Publicity Hounds who are
waiting to read about how I spent my weekend, or struggled with
the printer in my office, or found a way to solve somebody's
publicity problem.

Twittering has:

- -Sold many seats to teleseminars I've hosted.

- -Resulted in invitations to be included in people's books and
write articles for their websites.

- -Gotten me in front of people, and their own followers, who I
never could have reached on my own.

In many cases, Twittering is already far more important and
effective for some companies than sending press releases. If
you're not Twittering for whatever reason, you'll be choking on
your competitors' dust if you don't get on board quickly.

Join me as I interview Warren Whitlock, co-author of The Twitter
Handbook, for a two-part teleseminar series on Oct. 13 and 14 on
"How to Use Twitter to Amass an Army of Followers, Customers &
Friends."

Read more about what you'll learn and claim one of the 100 seats
at http://tinyurl.com/44593x

I'll be promoting this to my Twitter tribe, and I'm predicting a
sell-out, like the teleseminars I've hosted on Facebook and
LinkedIn.


=========================================
4. Use LinkedIn to Get into Books
=========================================

Smart Publicity Hounds look for every opportunity to get into
authors' books. I'm in almost 50 books about publicity,
marketing and small business, and I still get leads many years
after a book has been published.

Here's yet another way to get into a book: answer questions that
LinkedIn users ask at that site. Some of the questions are
posted by authors who are looking for people to interview for
their next book.

Last night, Publicity Hound Christine Louise Hohlbaum of Germany,
who is writing her next book, asked this on LinkedIn:

"For my chapter on expectation management for a book on our
relationship to time (St. Martin's Press), I am seeking detail-
rich anecdotes from people who have:

- -Successfully managed others' expectations or;

- -Unsuccessfully managed others' expectations and what you
learned from it

"How do you go about managing people's expectations? I'm not
just looking for the classic 'under promise and over deliver'
message, but more along the lines of how you effectively
communicate so as to avoid 'sticky situations' at the workplace,
in relationships, at home, with friends and family, etc. Thanks
so much in advance! I deeply appreciate your insights!"

If you'd like to answer her question, you can
mailto:christine@diaryofamother.com

Christine offers these instructions on how to ask your own
question and receive instant responses from a variety of experts:

- -Log into your LinkedIn.com account

- -Click on the drop-down box under the tab "Answers." Highlight
"Ask a Question."

- -Write your question in the top line. Add additional
information in the text box below.

- -Select the category to which your question pertains.
Reference whether it's for recruiting, promoting your services or
looking for a job.

- -Click "Ask Question" at the bottom.

- -Select the people in your network to whom the question should
go. At this point you can edit your email.

- -Send your question.

LinkedIn expert Scott Allen says the question-and-answer feature
is one of the most powerful ways to use LinkedIn. During the
teleseminars he conducted with me a few months ago, he explained
how he helped an author use the Q&A feature to generate immediate
support, within 48 hours, for a nationwide campaign she was
launching.

My LinkedIn teleseminars sold out, but we recorded them, and
they're available as electronic transcripts and your choice of
MP3s or Cds. Get started learning "How to Use LinkedIn to
Promote Anything--Ethically & Powerfully" at
http://tinyurl.com/5zvzyd


==========================================
5. Promoting a Bargain Shopping Service
==========================================

This week, 14 Publicity Hounds have tips for Jennifer Melnick
Carota, a gift expert from Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania. She needs
creative ideas for the types of information products she could
develop and sell at a women's expo, where she will be signing
copies of her book, Shop Smart, GIVE MORE."


From Burgundy L. Olivier:

"Look inside your own book. What tools do YOU use when you shop?
Shopping bags/totes? Retractable tape measures? Notebooks
filled with sizes, measurements, pattern names, colors, etc.?
Walkie-talkies? Calculators? Batteries in different sizes? A
spare light bulb? Pens on lanyards? Notepads? Magnifying
glass? Conversion charts? Digital cameras? Powdered drink
mixes in tiny packets?

"Draw from the 'tools required' in order to be a savvy shopper,
and focus on making these available to your shoppers. Sell
yourself, and the rest will follow."


From Margaret Vos:

"Why not introduce a side theme of giving to charities? This
could create a lot of goodwill and profile for you--and I'm sure
you already have a favorite charity you could link to, with
permission of course. Create a lot of positive associations and
potential sales by linking your 'giving' theme to the general
trade show, especially for women are trying to find gifts for
those family members or friends who have everything--and it would
truly be in the spirit of giving. Perhaps your local Breast
Cancer or Red Cross chapters would be a good start?"


From Stephanie Trahd:

"Why don't you collect email and physical addresses with the
promise that they will get something special in return--a
discount on your next product, a free tip sheet, first notice of
your next event/product, never before published guides, etc.

"All you need is an idea for the soon-to-be-released gift and a
sign-up sheet!"


The Publicity Hound says:

Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question
http://tinyurl.com/4zxue7

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


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

Dr. Shawn Messonnier, a veterinarian and award-winning author
from Plano, Texas, writes:

"I would love ideas from other Hounds on how to promote my new
line of certified organic pet shampoos.

"They're currently available online only at
http://www.drshawnspetorganics.com but should be available at
retail outlets sometime next year.

"I'd like to reach as many pet owners online to get a good jump
start. So far, I've promoted them on my radio show, in my
newsletter, by marketing to our current clients, and writing
articles and being interviewed for pet magazines.

"Hounds, can you help?"

The Publicity Hound says:

My two-legged Hounds love questions about the four-legged
variety, and I know they'll have lots of creative ideas to keep
pups and pooches smelling fresh and clean.


Let's see your best ideas at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/47ldtf


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

I pulled into a crowded parking lot and rolled down the car
windows to make sure my Labrador Retriever had fresh air. She
was stretched out on the back seat, and I wanted to impress upon
her that she must remain there. I walked to the curb backward,
pointing my finger at the car and saying emphatically, "Now you
stay. Do you hear me? Stay!"

The driver of a nearby car gave me a startled look.

"I don't know about you, lady," he said incredulously. "But I
usually just put my car in park."


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

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

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


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

How to choose your profile photo for social networking sites
http://tinyurl.com/4dpxc3


Can journalists and consumers find you on Google?
Http://tinyurl.com/4qkgsb


Writers, follow these 9 photography tips to sell your photos
http://tinyurl.com/4kb8q4


Pitching 'All Things Considered'? Pitch while the story is hot
http://tinyurl.com/3zvu3k


Inexpensive gifts will be in demand for holiday gift guides
http://tinyurl.com/4cpn72


Include special-interest weeklies in national publicity campaigns
http://tinyurl.com/3rpyu3


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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

Circulation: 50,520

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

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

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

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

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

Don't Miss These Deadlines & Events:

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

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

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

1. Is Palin's Daughter Off-limits?

2. Beware the New 'Public Record'

3. How to Earn Expert Status

4. Why Hounds are Internet Marketers

5. How to Promote a Book Signing

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

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

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

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

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

But what about the rest of us?

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

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

Is the pregnancy fair game?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read more about "How to be an Expert Spokesperson the Media Love"
at http://tinyurl.com/rzcdd


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

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

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

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

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

Here are two examples we saw over the weekend:

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

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

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

So what's the lesson for Publicity Hounds?

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

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

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

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

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

Cindy Greenway and Diana Ennen, both very successful Vas, were my
guests during a teleseminar I hosted on "How to Find a Virtual
Assistant to Help with Your Publicity Campaign." It's available
as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be
reading as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about how to find a virtual assistant at
http://tinyurl.com/2e5875


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

Here's a quick critique of the materials:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

From Jennifer Melnick Carota:

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

From Natasha Henry:

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

From Ken Okel:

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


The Publicity Hound says:

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

Nancy Mills, a Craigslist expert, explained smart ways to promote
with Craigslist when she was my guest during a teleseminar on
"How to Use Craigslist as a Global Publicity Tool." It's
available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can
download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about how to get started promoting on Craigslist at
http://tinyurl.com/geog2


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

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


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

Alaa el Ghatit of Libertyville, Illinois, writes:

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

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

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


The Publicity Hound says:

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

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


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


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

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

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


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

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

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


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

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


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


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


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

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

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


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

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


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

Publicity tips/Grade John Edwards' Interview Aug 12, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #411 Aug. 12, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/(Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 50,329

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

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

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

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

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

Facebook Teleseminars Sold Out:

The teleseminar series on "How to Use Facebook to Promote Your
Business or Nonprofit," which starts tomorrow, sold out this
morning. But sign up anyway. Even though you won't be able to
attend the event live, you'll still get copies of the MP3 files
and the electronic transcripts.

Learn more about how to get started using Facebook to promote at
http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar/facebook.htm


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

1. Grade John Edwards' Interview

2. Airlines Keeping Inflight Magazines

3. Time Running Out for Gift Guides

4. Publicity Summit Deadline Tomorrow

5. Promoting a Website for Musicians

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

=======================================
1. Grade John Edwards' Interview
=======================================

Put politics aside for a minute.

If you saw the interview that ABC's "Nightline" did with former
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards on Friday night,
tell us how you think he did from a PR standpoint.

I don't care if you think "he's only human" or that cheating on
his wife was "despicable."

Was the interview convincing? Will it put an end to this story?
Did his answers come across as honest? Was he justified in not
answering certain questions? ("Did you ever tell her that you
loved her?")

I'm asking because opinions from crisis counselors and other PR
pros seem to be all over the map. Crisis counselor Jonathan
Bernstein says on his blog:

"I think John Edwards did one heck of a job of 'packaging' his
confession of infidelity in a manner that will quickly put the
issue behind him--as long as there are no other skeletons in the
closet..."

PR guy Jerry Brown says he thinks Edwards blew it.

"He left at least two big loose ends that promise to keep the
story alive awhile longer:

"He offered to take a paternity test to prove Hunter's child
isn't his, but the test hasn't taken place and the mother says
there won't be one. That will keep the story alive awhile longer
and, without a paternity test, there will always be lingering
doubts. Out of Edwards' control? Perhaps. But he's had several
months to work on this issue.

"Hunter reportedly has received payments for some period of time,
up to $15,000 a month according to one report that claims the
payments were hush money to keep her quiet. Edwards says he
didn't make any payments to Hunter and that any payments that
were made were without his knowledge. If she was paid, who made
the payments, and why, promises to keep the story alive. If any
laws were broken, the story could become decidedly worse."

Hounds, what do you think? Weigh in at my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/58xg9x

P. S. Notice when the story broke: on a Friday. That's the best
day to break a bad news story. Did it work in Edwards' favor
that it also was the same day as opening ceremonies at the
Olympics?

Jonathan Bernstein, quoted above, knows every trick in the book
on how to deal with the media when the news is bad. And he
described his favorites during a teleseminar I hosted on "How to
Keep the Media Wolves at Bay." We recorded it, and it's
available as a CD or electronic transcript that you can be
reading as soon as your order is approved.

Learn how to keep the media wolves at bay at
http://tinyurl.com/b8wcy


============================================
2. Airlines Keeping Inflight Magazines
============================================

With additional fees for everything from extra luggage to
blankets and pillows, you'd think those glossy in-flight
magazines would be one of the first things to go as the airlines
cut expenses.

Not so, say major carriers.

The magazines provide much-needed advertising revenue. That's
good news for Publicity Hounds who are trying to target higher-
income, higher-educated audiences with their pitches.

Thanks to Publicity Hound Gail Sideman of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
for tipping us off to this article in USA Today, which discusses
all the reasons the magazines will remain, at least in the near
future: http://tinyurl.com/5puvbx

Do you know the kinds of products and services these magazines
love to feature? Do you know which magazines feature books and
which don't? Do you know how to deliver your pitches, and to
whom? Are you aware of the many smaller magazines on smaller
airlines that are just as open to your pitches as the bigger
publications?

If not, "Special Report #29: Fly High with Publicity in the
Inflight Magazines" will tell you. It includes pitching tips,
plus contact information for more than 40 inflight magazines.
Buy the report, only $37, today and you'll get our October 2008
update at no additional charge.

Learn more about how to start reaching these airline passengers
with a high disposable income today at http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g


=========================================
3. Time Running Out for Gift Guides
=========================================

If your consumer product would make a terrific holiday gift, pay
attention to a looming deadline.

At many magazines, which have long lead times for their holiday
gift guides, you must have your product in the hands of editors
by Labor Day weekend. That's because within the next few weeks,
many editors will decide which products they'll feature in those
sections.

Elizabeth Woodson, associate editor at Travel + Leisure, told
Bulldog Reporter that they're already planning their holiday gift
guide. "The point is to get stuff to us early. That means now,"
she said.

Also, if you want to get into gift guides, don't use the same
strategy you use for getting into other sections of newspapers or
magazines. Usually, journalists don't want to be inundated with
unsolicited products and accompanying press releases and photos.
They want you to pitch first. Then, and only then, will they
decide if they're interested. If they are, they'll contact you
and ask for a product sample.

Gift guide editors, however, need products early so they can
decide which ones they'll include in the sections. In most
cases, you can send products unsolicited.

Read more pitching tips in this Bulldog Reporter article:
http://tinyurl.com/5js8hp

Then read more about The Gift List, a subscription service that
provides contact information, story themes, product features,
deadlines, submission preferences, photo requirements and tips
from the editors at more than 250 top daily newspapers, news
wires and syndicates, national television, and national radio, as
well as a list for web and blog outlets.

Get started pitching gift guides BEFORE their deadline at
http://tinyurl.com/9es8y


=======================================
4. Publicity Summit Deadline Tomorrow
=======================================

Whenever readers see me discussing the National Publicity Summit
in New York City, a few Hounds email me and ask if I can point to
any success stories about people who have gotten great publicity
hits as a result of meeting face-to-face with journalists.

Yep.

- -Ron & Lisa Beres were booked on the "Today" show.

- -Steve Shapiro was the subject of a big story in "O the Oprah
Magazine" after meeting the writer who attended the Summit.

- -Lauri Loewenberg appeared on ABC's "The View" and "Good
Morning America."

- -Jim Vonmier got on the "CBS Evening News" and "The Early Show"
as a result of the training and contacts he got at the Summit.

- -Kelly McCloskey used what she learned to get booked on
"Oprah."

- -Barry Spilchuk was interviewed on Fox News Channel within just
five hours of meeting the producer at the Summit.

- -Sandy Clemmons got written up in Health Magazine, Money
magazine and TV Guide--all from meeting journalists face-to-face.
Even better, she says that since attending, her royalty checks
have increased over 700 percent.

Only 100 attendees will be admitted to this year's summit Oct.
22-25. Tomorrow is the last day to take advantage of the early-
bird pricing. Go here now to sign up for a free info packet that
tells you more about what you'll see, hear and learn--and who
you'll meet--at the National Publicity Summit:

http://www.NationalPublicitySummit.com/?10011


========================================
5. Promoting a Website for Musicians
========================================

This week, 10 Publicity Hound have tips on how Kevin Gardiner of
Tolland, Connecticut can raise awareness of his website at
http://www.TuneRooms.com to musicians ages 13 and up.


From Jonathan Bernstein:

"Write articles in your field of expertise and then 'place' them
on some of the scores of websites which catalog such articles for
use by other sites. That has been invaluable to my SEO effort."


From Christine Buffaloe:

"I work with a client who is a musician and author. She has a
wonderful page on MySpace.com and has created a following there.
These are the people you should be targeting. Start a MySpace
page. There's a place there just for bands and musicians."


From Jennifer Lizak:

"Reach out to your local music industry professionals, introduce
them to the concept, and hold an event or showcase.

"Hit up the music blogs--Pitchfork, Tiny Mix Tapes, Oh My
Rockness.

"Reach out to college freshmen. Did their high school band break
up when they went to different colleges? Perhaps your service
will allow them to keep the band together!"


The Publicity Hound says:

Kevin, start your own Facebook group for songwriters and
musicians. My teleseminar series this week on "How to Use
Facebook to Promote Your Business or Nonprofit" sounds perfect
for you. It's sold out, but sign up anyway. Even though you
can't attend the live event, I'll send you the MP3 audio links
and the electronic transcripts. Register at
http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar/facebook.htm


Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question at
http://tinyurl.com/6fgxc9


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


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

Larry Richards of Raleigh, North Carolina asks:

"Where can an author get accurate information about the many book
clubs and book discussion groups that exist in the U.S.?

"My book is titled The Blind Prophet, one of six books in my
Invisible War series, and it's a story about angels and demons.
It should be published the first of the year."

"Somebody suggested offering a free review book to the person
from these groups who selects the novels. But I can't find a
list anywhere. Can your Publicity Hounds help me?

The Publicity Hound says:

They sure can, Larry. Many authors and publishers read this
newsletter, and I know they'll be able to offer lots of
suggestions. OK, Hounds. Let's hear it. Where can Larry find a
list of book clubs, reading groups and other groups that might
want a free copy of his book? (Other publicity ideas will be
gladly accepted, too.)

Post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/68xzx6


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


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

Thanks to Publicity Hound Burgundy Olivier of Rayne, Louisiana
for this one:

What does a man do standing up...and a woman do sitting
down...and a dog do on three legs?

Shake hands.


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

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

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


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

Pompous elevator pitches turn off reporters and others
http://tinyurl.com/6dft25


Newspaper food sections shrinking, so pitch wisely
http://tinyurl.com/6mdq9q


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

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

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

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


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


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

Publicity tips/Facebook's Twilight Zone July 29, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #409 July 29, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 49,355

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

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

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

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

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

Facebook Training: You Asked for It, You Got It

Many of the more than 155 people who signed up for the teleseminar on "How to Use LinkedIn to Promote" or bought the products have asked for a similar teleseminar series on how to use Facebook.

I've lined up a fabulous guest expert, so mark your calendars for Aug. 13 & 14. See Item #1 below.

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

1. Facebook's Twilight Zone

2. When Doctors Shill for Pharmas

3. Why is Oprah Obsessed with This Topic?

4. Start Pitching Gift Guides

5. Promoting Natural Hair Care Products

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=======================================
1. Facebook's Twilight Zone
=======================================

When you use Facebook, do you ever feel like you've entered the Twilight Zone, or some strange planet from which there's no escape?

Ever feel like you're suffocating from information overload? I sure do.

But I don't get nearly as upset as Stacie Krajchir does. Facebook leaves her feeling so overwhelmed that she wrote "5 Reasons Why I want to Kick Facebook's A--" recently at the Huffington Post blog at http://tinyurl.com/6k4ofd. (An amusing column.)

Stacie can probably just abandon Facebook and it's no big deal.

But what about the rest of us who need to incorporate social networking sites like this one into our publicity campaigns, or publicity for our PR clients? After all, many of the friends we've accumulated on Facebook actually look forward to our messages. They love it when we write on their walls. They wait to see who has poked them, or who has sent them a virtual drink.

Help is on the way, Hounds.

Many of you have asked for a training session on Facebook, similar to the series I did last month with Scott Allen. I asked Scott if he could recommend a guest expert who can help us learn about Facebook.

Scott, it turns out, served as editor for the book "I'm on Facebook -- Now What??" Written two years ago by Jason Alba and Jesse Stay. Scott recommended Jason, and Jason agreed.

A lot has changed on Facebook since he wrote the book. Millions more people now have profiles--more than 60 million total, in fact--and techies have created hundreds of applications to use at the site.

Join me for a 70-minute teleseminar on Wednesday, Aug. 13, and Thursday, Aug. 14, on "How to Use Facebook to Promote Your Business or Nonprofit."

The first day, we'll present an overview of he site and the most important things you need to know. The second day will be devoted to actually promoting. If you don't have a profile yet at Facebook, we suggest you visit the site at http://www.Facebook.com, create one, take a look around and try to become familiar with the site. You'll be in a better position to ask questions during the teleseminars.

We could devote an entire week to Facebook. Because many of you are at various levels with Facebook--from not having a profile to feeling very comfortable on the site and using it to promote-- I've structured these sessions so we cover some of the basics for beginners, and lots of advanced content for more seasoned Hounds.

This is not a webinar. All you need is a telephone. But it would be very helpful if you can be in front of your computer and logged into the site during the calls so you can actually see what we're discussing.

Register for the teleseminars, which includes a copy of the MP3 audios and the edited electronic transcripts, at http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar/facebook.htm

The LinkedIn teleseminars sold out, and I expect these to sell out, too. Even if you can't attend, you can sign up any and listen to the recordings or read the transcripts when it's most convenient.


=======================================
2. When Doctors Shill for Pharmas
=======================================

Leigh Ann Hubbard, managing editor of MyFamilyDoctorMag.com, writes:

"Periodically, in response to a request, I'll get a quote from a doctor (via a publicist) that mentions a specific product. Inevitably, I Google the doctor and he or she has been or is on the payroll for the folks who make the product.

"There's no mention of conflict of interest in these emails, so it makes me mad, and I assume the publicists are trying to pull the wool over my eyes.

"Recently, that happened again. In email correspondence about it, in which I expressed my anger, the publicist actually defended the practice:

'Dr. [____] consults from time to time with the company as do many medical professionals for the pharma and OTC markets... As you know, Leigh Ann, many reputable practicing physicians consult with manufacturers from time to time to help them develop better products so people can be well.'

"I responded, 'Yes, I know that. And as you may know, it is then inappropriate for them to promote the companies they 'consult.'"

"Much to my amazement, she responded, 'I was not aware of that, to be honest with you, and not sure whose policy you are referring to--or perhaps some code of ethics I am not aware of. However, you see it all the time in the medical journals where researchers are in the pockets of pharmaceutical companies (disclosed of course) and surprise! The research makes the pharma drugs look good.'

"Have I really been getting these conflict-of-interest pitches simply because publicists don't know any better?

"Anyway, whatever the reason, this practice makes me never want to use the publicist--or any of his or her clients--again because I can't trust the person.

"It would be wonderful if you could address this. I know you have a large audience, and maybe there are publicists who truly don't know that this is absolutely unacceptable and insulting."

What do you say, publicists? Do these doctors need to hire new PR people? Or is what Leigh Ann experienced common PR practice within the medical community? If so, does it work? You can weigh in at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/5ofxom

Learn how to be the type of source journalists not only trust-- but treasure. "Special Report #49: 17 Ways to Build Valuable Relationships with Media People" tells you what to do and say if you want to stand heads above all the other PR people and self- promoters. The 17 things I teach you in this report are the same 17 things I valued in sources when I worked as a newspaper editor and reporter. Only $10. Order at http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g


=======================================
3. Why is Oprah Obsessed with This Topic? =======================================

"Does my butt look big in these jeans?"

Maybe the reason Oprah loves that topic is because women love it.

Think I'm kidding? Go to the Oprah website at http://www.Oprah.com and type the word "jeans" into the search box and see how many show segments fall into the butt-in-jeans category.

So, what if you want to get onto Oprah but your story pitch doesn't have anything to do with butts or jeans? How can you hope to compete with all the other wanna-be guests who are pitching stories in the beauty/makeover category?

Michelle Anton knows. She worked as a guest booker on Oprah and accepted and rejected hundreds of pitches from publicists and self-promoters. She'll be a guest on Steve Harrison's free 90- minute teleseminar on Thursday, July 31, at your choice of two times.

"The Three Big Secrets for Getting Booked as a Guest on Top National TV Shows" will feature Steve interviewing Michelle and other surprise guests who will teach you things unknown to 95 percent of all publicity-seekers.

On the call, you'll learn things like:

- -How to increase your odds of getting on Oprah, Fox News, CNN, Today Show and other top shows.

- -Understanding the mindset of national TV producers and what gets them to book you as a guest.

- -What you should send TV producers (and what you shouldn't).

- -An important lesson from one author who got on Oprah and saw sales soar as a result.

- -The most important question you must be able to answer to land a TV appearance.

- -The biggest mistakes to avoid when pitching TV producers (including ones that could get you black-balled forever!).

Once registered, you'll receive all the details back within five minutes.

Note: Steve usually doesn't offer replays of these calls. But sign up anyway just in case he changes his mind. If he does, he'll send you the link.

You can register for the call, which is free except for your normal long distance charges, at http://www.TVPublicityTeleseminar.com/?10011


=====================================
4. Start Pitching Holiday Gift Guides
=====================================

If you subscribe to leads services like ProfNet, PR Leads, or Help a Reporter Out, keep your eyes open for the many opportunities to get news about your consumer products into holiday gift guides.

Getting into these special sections is often a lot easier than getting into the regular news and feature sections of newspapers because gift guide editors are specifically looking for press releases and photos of products that make great gifts. In most cases, you don't need a clever hook or angle.

Just submit the information and--voila!--it ends up in a gift section that millions of newspaper or magazine readers might see.

The tough part is knowing exactly which publications are planning special gift sections. That's why I recommend the Gift List, a subscription service that provides contact information, story themes, product features, deadlines, submission preferences, photography requirements, cross-references and more for more than 250 top newspapers, all the major wire services, and television shows like Filter, The Look for Less, and, of course, MTV, "Ellen," "The View" and hundreds more.

You can even take a test drive to see how this service works: http://tinyurl.com/9es8y


========================================
5. Promoting a Design/Build Firm
========================================

This week, seven Publicity Hound have tips on how Teresa Berger of North Wales, Pennsylvania, the marketing director of Creative Contracting, Inc., can get more exposure in the community as a "premier design/build" firm in the Philadelphia area.


From Tanya Epstein:

"As marketing director for one of L.A.'s top architecture firms, I feel your pain, Teresa! I would lead with one of Joan's famous lists of ten: "Ten Ways Design-Build Can Save Construction Costs" using your boss' byline and contact info. Local trade and business journals can use those for sidebars in recession- conscious times, and they confer instant 'expert' status. Then develop a standard presentation and offer your (or his!) Services as a speaker to local organizations like Rotary Club, business breakfast clubs, and developer and real estate professional organizations."


From Harry Menta:

"Some of the easiest places to get an audience are at local chambers of commerce, trade associations and Rotary Clubs. It costs next to nothing to develop a nice 10- to 15-minute Power Point Presentation...If your company has an expertise like using green products or in design or doing restoration work on historical buildings, these are ways that you could get your boss some publicity."


From Jonathan Bernstein:

"You might want to consider investing in search engine optimization (SEO) work that would get you on the first page of a search for 'design firms Philadelphia.' Right now, even your home page's keywords are not geographically specific, hence they compete against every design firm in the country."


The Publicity Hound says:

How about suggesting that the boss create his own TV show or a series of shows to air only in the Philadelphia market? Robert Smith explains how he does it during the interview I conducted with him called "How to Get Your Own National TV Show for Less Than $400 a Month." (Your boss's show would cost far less than that.)

The interview is available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved. Read more about how to create your own TV show at http://tinyurl.com/y4by43


Read all the comments for last week's Help this Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/6brzyb


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

Dalia Wallach of New York, New York writes:

"My company has a line of specialty hair care products. Our Get Glow products nourish your hair with formulas that include vitamins, minerals and plant extracts.

"As your hair gets healthier, it starts to look better and you don't have to wash it as often which is better for your hair's health. Our products have wonderful scents and really make caring for your hair a more pleasurable experience.

"All we need is for more people to find out about us and experiment with our products. Our website is at http://www.GetGlow.com and we've gotten quite a bit of publicity in national magazines and the trades. What ideas do your Hounds have for spreading the word?"

The Publicity Hound says: How about it Hounds? What can Dalia do at the social networking sites? And what other online and offline publicity ideas can you suggest? Post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/6obj9l


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

Thanks to Deb Schmidt of Milwaukee, Wisconsin for this recycled oldie but goodie from one of the old Hollywood Squares shows:

Peter Marshall: "When you pat a dog on the head he usually wags his tail. What will a goose do?"

Paul Lynde: "Make him bark."

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

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

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


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

8 interview mistakes you don't want to make
http://tinyurl.com/6k5y8z


Hungry reporter gets a gourmet burger thanks to Twitter
http://tinyurl.com/6cuaam


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Circulation: 48,218

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See Item #1 below.

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

1. Use LinkedIn to Snoop and Promote

2. How to Become a Paid Speaker

3. Stricter Product Placement Rules

4. When Journalists say "No Thanks"

5. Musicians, Artists: Provide Commentary

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Video of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

Speakers can:

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

- -Sell products from the back of the room.

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

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

- -Catch the attention of journalists.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Product Placement: How to Get Your Consumer Product onto the
Sets of Movies & TV Shows" is available as a CD or an electronic
transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your
order has been approved.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/6gdevz


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The recording is available as a CD or an electronic transcript
that you can download and be reading as soon as your order has
been approved. Read more about what you'll learn at
http://tinyurl.com/5pbgzn


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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


The Publicity Hound says:

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

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

I interviewed Paul Furiga, former editor of The Pittsburgh
Business Times, and got him to share his best tips on how local
businesses can form strong relationships with business journal
staff and give them the kinds of stories they love. We recorded
"How to Use Business Journals to Tell Your Story" and it's
available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can
download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/q4rf7


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


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

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

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


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

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

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


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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

Publicity tips/How to Bury Bad News May 7, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #398 May 7, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 47,121

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

"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.

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

An Alternative to Pitching:

If you're one of the millions of frustrated Publicity Hounds whose pitches to the media have gone absolutely nowhere, keep reading.

Publicity Hound John Easton, who you have read about many times in this newsletter, has an alternative to pitching that will turn you into a media darling in your own community and attract a worldwide audience. It's video. And it will help put you miles ahead of your competitors who are too lazy or reluctant to learn it.

If you don't want to be bothered with video, then go ahead and stand in line behind all the millions of other people who are pitching.

But don't say I didn't warn you. See Item #2 below.

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

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

1. How to Bury Bad News

2. How Alpha Dogs Use Video

3. Explain How to Pamper Mom

4. For Internet Marketers Only

5. How to Promote an Organizing Service

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. At My Blog...


===================================
1. How to Bury Bad News
===================================

It could be a lawsuit against your company.

Or a health department violation against your restaurant.

Or a post at somebody's blog, written by a rabble-rouser who wants to drag your name through the mud and destroy your business.

If it's bad news and it's online, it could live online forever. Anybody who uses the search engines to research companies can find it. That is, unless you know how to bury it.

Enter Glen Selig who writes and distributes press releases for his clients to bury or "push down" the bad news on the organic search list. That's the list that appears on the left side of the screen when you type a keyword or keyword phrase into a search engine like Google.

"You still need something newsworthy to disseminate, but then it's about strategy and technique," says Glen of http://www.pressreleasepros.com

I'd go one step further and say you don't even need something newsworthy to write about. Let's say you sell jewelry. Three years ago, a consumer group incorrectly accused you of selling fake gems. Their accusations appeared online and kept popping up in the search engines when people typed certain keyword phrases related to gems.

Here's how you could bury it:

- -Write and distribute a press release about your new money-back guarantee.

- -Then write and distribute another release about how to buy gems.

- -And then another on what to do if people love wearing jewelry, but are allergic to certain types of metal.

- -And then another on the most popular types of gems.

- -And then another on what to look for when buying gems.

Get the idea?

You aren't writing these releases for journalists. You're writing them for consumers. If journalists find them, that's great. But the whole point of the exercise is to bury the bad news. Google and the other search engines usually give higher ranking to fresher information. The more press releases you distribute over time, the lower the bad news drops on the list.

"I help large and small companies use this secret weapon all the time," says Selig. "And it works like a charm."

He distributes his press releases through PRNewsChannel at http://www.prnewschannel.com,which sends press releases to search engines like Google, Google News, Ask.com, Yahoo and MSN.

You can hire someone like Glen to write and distribute press releases for you. Or you can do it yourself with help from my free email tutorial called "89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases." Sign up for the tutorial or buy the entire 12-week course in a handy ebook for only $27.

Learn more at http://www.PublicityHound.com/pressreleasetips/art.htm


====================================
2. How Alpha Dogs Use Video
====================================

In the world of four-legged dogs, "alpha dog" is the title bestowed upon the most dominant dog in the pack.

Certain privileges accompany that title, such as having first pick of food, female and resting place.

In the world of two-legged Hounds, an Alpha Hound is someone who dominates the competition by using strategies and tactics so clever that once the competition gets wind of it, they don't know how to begin playing catch-up.

Videographer John Easton says video is one of the most powerful ways to become the Alpha Hound of your industry or community. Last week, my jaw dropped as he was explaining some of the many ways he's using video to become a media darling in Charlotte, North Carolina where his video company is located.

For example, without even being asked, John attends public events sponsored by local newspapers and shoots video there. Then he turns over the edited video to the media outlets for use at their websites.

Journalists are word people. Many of them find video production very difficult. So they love John who does it for them. They remember him. And reporters call on him for background, commentary and story ideas when writing stories.

John says you don't need to be a videographer to do what he does. "This can be a huge opportunity for anybody who can turn around this kind of content quickly," he says.

If you don't want to get your hands dirty, John knows where to find inexpensive people who can help you forge these valuable relationships.

He will be my guest during a teleseminar at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, May 21, called "9 Clever Ways to Use Video to Become a Publicity Darling in Your Industry or Community." Everything he will share will be very different than the tips Mike Stewart passed along during the teleseminar he did with me several weeks ago. If you missed that one, you can listen to it at http://JoanandMikeStewart.com

Read more about the secrets John will discuss and how you can sign up. I'll be offering this as a CD, MP3 file or electronic transcript afterward. So if you can't make the live event, you can order the product later.

Register at http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar.htm


=========================================
3. Explain How to Pamper Mom
=========================================

When I turned on the TV yesterday, I saw a Milwaukee chef demonstrating how kids can whip up a gourmet breakfast for mom on Mother's Day, without having to use a knife.

It was an omelet, and he showed how to cut the cooked bacon with a scissors. The feature was part of the morning news segment and a perfect story leading up to Sunday.

What a clever idea, I thought. Why can't you do something similar?

- -A day spa can demonstrate how to give mom a foot massage.

- -A florist can show kids how to make a pretty arrangement of daffodils, tulips and other spring flowers in a simple vase.

- -A house cleaning company can provide tips on how kids can give mom a very special Mother's Day gift: a clean house.

I know you can think of more ideas. Once you've come up with one, pitch it to the local TV stations. But know how to find the right person in the newsroom who has the power to assign the story and get it onto the news.

Shawne Duperon explains how on "How to Get onto the Local TV News Tomorrow," one of my most popular products. Shawne explains how TV newsrooms operate, how to track down the "Queen Bee" of the newsroom, and ways to make your pitch so enticing that the Queen immediately assigns your story to a reporter.

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/localtvnews


========================================
4. For Internet Marketers Only
========================================

If you do business of any type on the Internet, you'll want to see the new Going Natural 3.0 video released by Stompernet.

This video isn't for everybody--only for those who sell online, or want to. If you've bought pay-per-click advertising in the past and didn't do as well as you expected, or if your eyes popped out of your head like mine did the first time I launched a pay-per-click campaign, this video is must-viewing.

You'll learn how an Internet marketer's website got dumped by Google--that's half his traffic, half his sales and half his business. With help from a smart friend, he went on to have his best six months ever, without a homepage listing in Google.

Do yourself a favor and give them your name and email address so you can stay in touch with them and see more videos like this one and the cool video on social media marketing earlier this year.

I was so bowled over by the social media marketing course I just completed through Stompernet that I joined Stompernet's membership program. I'm devouring what they're teaching, and taking advantage of the one-hour telephone calls with a different faculty member Monday through Thursday, plus private coaching. They're reopening membership, but only for a few days. So act now.

Take a look at the video: http://www.stompernet.net/jvp/aw.aspx?B=44&A=332


============================================
5. How to Promote an Organizing Service
============================================

This week, eight Publicity Hounds have tips on how professional organizer Debbie Jordan Kravitz of York, PA can market her virtual organizing and consultation programs.

From Bonnie Lowe:

"How about a series of funny YouTube videos?

"They don't have to be professional or expensive...You could show some funny consequences of being unorganized, and then end each video with a push to your website landing page that markets your service. Funny videos get lots of hits, and the good ones go viral. The potential return is huge."


From Biana Babinsky:

"Since you already identified your target market, how about going where they are? Chances are, they are hanging out at social networking sites!

"Join a few social networking sites, and start networking and participating in groups your target market participates in. This way, you'll meet more people in your target market AND your target market will get exposed to your knowledge and expertise.

"I also recommend a free gift that you can give away in exchange for a subscription for your newsletter."


From Leah Ingram:

"As a writer and blogger who focuses on green topics, I would write about your service if you could provide a green angle--assuming that getting organized offers environmental benefits. Not only could you pitch me but the other green blogs like Treehugger, or producers of the slew of green shows coming out on Planet Green, DIY Network and HGTV."


The Publicity Hound says:

Debbie, sponsor a contest and have people create videos showing them with their messy desks, offices, bedrooms, kitchens or cars. Then award a cool prize. I'll bet some of these videos would even go viral.


Read all the responses to this Help This Hound question at http://publicityhound.net/professionalorganizer


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


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

Milan Stevanovich of Detroit, Michigan writes:

"Michigan just passed a 40 percent rebate to companies filming movies and TV programs in the state. If you use Michigan companies and labor, you get a 40 percent instant rebate after production---big savings for number-crunching entertainment financiers.

"For the last three weeks, my associates and I have schmoozed a dozen Hollywood actors, producers, and those in charge of locating properties for shoots.

"My client owns 100 buildings in Detroit and eventually will have the lion's share of any studios built on his properties. Recently, production companies have been coming to us looking for investors for productions. The laws here make it incredibly competitive because of the rebates.

"How do we take advantage of this window of opportunity to be the epicenter of everything Hollywood in Michigan? How do we best get the word out that my associates are one degree of separation from the best locations, investors, suppliers and vendors at the epicenter of this new burgeoning industry in our great state?"

The Publicity Hound says:

OK, sharp Hounds. If you've been paying attention the last few weeks, you'll be able to come up with some powerful ways for Milan and his company to promote their state. I can think of three ways right now. Let's see how many you can think of. Post your best ideas to my blog at http://publicityhound.net/michigan


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

"I like driving around with my two dogs, especially on the freeways. I make them wear little hats so I can use the car-pool lanes."

- -Monica Piper, author


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

Video tour of your website will impress journalists, others
http://publicityhound.net/videotour


Artists, photographers: Comment on Miley Cyrus photo
http://publicityhound.net/mileycyrus


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

Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound


May 21: Teleseminar on Video

Learn "9 Clever Ways to use Video to Become a Publicity Darling in Your Industry or Community" with guest expert John Easton, a videographer and media darling in Charlotte, NC. Register at http://www.Publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm


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