Publicity tips/10 offbeat questions March 7, 2006

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #284 - March 7, 2006
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®
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In This Issue
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1. 10 Offbeat Questions

2. How to Snag a Celebrity

3. Pitching InformationWeek

4. Publicity Leads

5. How to Promote a Webzine for Gays

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

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1. 10 Offbeat Questions
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I'm going to ask you three questions and I want you to take as much time as you need to think about each one before you answer. Here we go:


--If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be? And why?

--If you were on a desert island, what three CDs would you take along, and why?

--If you won the lottery today, describe your life six months from now.

Canadian journalist Gregg McLachlan suggests reporters ask interview subjects those three questions, and seven others.

"The answers can't be rehearsed beforehand," Gregg says. "Your subject will have to look to his/her inner self to answer. It may take a minute. There may be silence for an extended period. That's OK. That's exactly what we want. We want the subject to dig deep for an answer."

Gregg, who has almost 20 years of journalism experience, launched his website, NewsCollege, in February. It includes a wide variety of tips for media people in Canada, the United States, Caribbean, Malaysia, Europe, South Africa and South America.

In his article at http://newscollege.ca/p48.htm, he encourages reporters to stray from the standard "name, rank and serial number" questions during interviews so they can really get to know their subjects.

His 10 questions are exactly the kind you need to be braced for if a reporter is interviewing you. Don't mention the first thing that comes into your head. Really take time to think about it, and don't be shy about asking the reporter, "Can I have a few minutes to think about this? It's such a good question that I want a little time to develop my answer."

As Gregg said, the reporter will probably be grateful you're taking the question seriously.

If you're doing a taped TV interview, you can even ask the reporter to turn off the camera for awhile until you have time to collect your thoughts.

Al Guyant, a former newspaper reporter, says Publicity Hounds need to know the differences between reporters at newspapers, magazines, TV stations, radio stations, Internet news sites and news services. He also says you must know all the trick questions they'll use to get you to spill the beans or say something you might regret saying. When he was my guest during a teleseminar called "Dangerous Hidden Secrets of Print & Broadcast Reporters," he outlined the strengths and weaknesses of each type of reporter, and explained how to hold your ground with each. It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript you can be reading as soon as your order is approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/g54jk

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2. How to Snag a Celebrity
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Hoping to book a big-name celebrity for your next special event?

It's not as easy as it sounds. One thing must remember is that for celebrities, time is their most precious commodity.

That's one of several tips from Rita Tateel, president of The Celebrity Source in Hollywood, California whose company recruits celebrities for special events.

Rita says a famous actor might have a commercial agent, talent agent, business manager, personal manager, personal publicist, film publicist, accountant, lawyer and a few personal assistants. Then there's the actor's family, friends and relatives.

"They all want a piece of the celebrity's time, so the last thing you want to do is have them feel like you are wasting it," she says.

That means if you're asking celebrities to appear at your function, allow them to arrive just before they are needed, and allow them to leave after they've fulfilled their duties. You'll score extra points with the celebrity if you're providing limo service so they don't have to worry about traffic, directions or parking.

Her other tips for working with celebrities are in the March/April issue of The Publicity Hound subscription newsletter. The newsletter also includes 9 ways to customize one press release, how to follow up with reporters, 4 new magazines and a new technology column to add to your media list, how to write killer blog posts and comments, an inexpensive subscription service where you can have access to pitching tips for 149 magazines, where to learn what's hot at Los Angeles radio stations, where to get a free manuscript critique and a free book marketing newsletter, and how to be a guest on an Atlanta talk radio show. All for only $10.

Order the March/April issue for $10 at http://tinyurl.com/rg7zs

Or save time ordering individual issues and get a year's subscription for $49.95 at http://tinyurl.com/co57d


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3. Pitching InformationWeek
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Rob Preston, the new editor in chief of Information Week, feels a sense of urgency in showing readers how consumer products are starting to drive their jobs.

"We are going to be upping our coverage a notch in the sense of urgency and depth," Preston said. "That is going to be the overall tone we bring to every piece of content."

This article at The Navigator website offers tips on what Preston is looking for and the best way to get your technology news into his magazine. Read more about it at http://navigator.bacons.com/current/Rob_Preston.asp

Make sure, however, that when you're contacting journalists, you aren't wasting their time with long, rambling pitches. "How to Create the Perfect 30-second Pitch" shows you how trim your story pitches from a minute to 15 seconds by including only the pertinent facts journalists need to know. Nobody pitches better than Raleigh Pinskey, who walks you step-by-step through the finer points of communicating with the media. It's available as a CD or electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order is approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/6xghx


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4. Publicity Leads
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--OverTime Magazine, an elite business and lifestyle publication that serves readers with a household income of $1.5 million, is looking for items to distribute in gift bags for 25 VIP guests and female professional athletes at The Billies dinner benefit gala featuring Sir Elton John. The Billies is scheduled for April 20 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel and recognizes media excellence in women's sports and physical activity. OT is looking for exclusive and unique items--everything from cosmetics to spa treatments to apparel. Send your gift bag pitches and, if you have them, low-resolution photos, to Anjie Delgardo at mailto:adelgardo@ot-magazine.com.


--Are you a mom author looking for publicity for your book? Mom Writer’s Talk Radio, the premier online talk radio show for writing moms, is starting a Mom Writer’s Blog Tour. Blog tours, which have been gaining in popularity among authors, are a way for writers to gain publicity without spending a dime. The author sends information to a group of bloggers. Some bloggers simply post promotional materials from the author, such as press releases and summaries, while others choose to interview the authors. The blog tour, which launches this month, will include 30 bloggers. Each member will be required to post on their assigned day and all involved will have the opportunity to get books donated by the authors on the tour. Bloggers who would like to be a tour stop or authors who are interested in being promoted on the tour should contact Alana Morales at mailto:Alana@MomWritersTalkRadio.com or 877-871-1744. Visit her website at http://www.momwriterstalkradio.com/

If you're not blogging yet, you could be missing out on thousands more website visitors each month. In February, I had 10,745 hits to my blog--and I sold lots of ebooks as a result. Don Crowther's excellent ebook "Blogging for Business" presents a convincing case of why you need to spend only 10 minutes a day blogging, then you can reap the benefits of all that website traffic. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/7fjrk


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5. How to Promote a Webzine for Gays
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This week, three Publicity Hounds have advice for Tom Wray of Chicago, Illinois. Tom publishes a webzine for gays and wants to boost readership. He wants to encourage groups to send him their news releases but has no budget for promotion.

From Pat Luebke:

"In regard to encouraging companies and organizations to send you news releases, I’d go out there and ask yourself. I’d just go from site to site--tourist bureaus, museums, hotels, whatever and write a note asking to be added to their media list. Include a sentence or two about your site, and you’ll very quickly have lots of news."

From Nina:

"How about having local DJs at gay nightclubs talk your site up while they’re spinning tunes, or even asking the club manager to let you hand out uniquely designed post cards? Finally, if you have a local gay health clinic that offers free STD testing or any other health services, see if they are looking for ways to advertise themselves and maybe you can promote for each other."


From The Publicity Hound:

"Tom, you’d be smart to invest your time posting items to Craigslist at http://www.craigslist.org/

"My recent teleseminar with Nancy Mills on 'How to Use Craigslist as a Global Publicity Tool' at http://tinyurl.com/geog2 explains how to do this. But if I were you, I wouldn’t publicize the website. Instead, publicize the fact you are looking for news about certain topics, and encourage people to send their news to you. Then slip in a reference to your website.

"Craigslist has lists for several cities in the region you serve: Chicago, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Madison, Detroit, Indianapolis, etc."


Read all the comments at
http://publicityhound.net/?p=507#comments


Tom could also review books at Amazon.com that tie into his topic. Reviewers are able to include their website URL in their review, and this will help drive traffic to his website. In fact, this strategy is good for almost anybody. Randy Gilbert explains how to do this on the CD called "How to Make Amazon a River of Gold (for Authors, speakers and Consultants)." Read about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/7u76e

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6. Help This Hound
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Louise Epic of Calgary, Alberta, Canada writes:

"I’m looking for some ideas to incorporate in an awareness and product publicity program for custom insoles or foot beds. This product is unique in two ways: made of a special technology where, after heating them in the oven and imprinting your foot, provide a custom fitting; and competitive price point. The company has asked for one or two creative guerilla PR initiatives and I was hoping your readers might have some suggestions.

"To date, the company has an impressive list of high profile testimonials (well-known athletes, celebrity chefs, etc), success stories, excellent retail distribution, online sales and athlete/sport event sponsorships. Work/military represents about half of sales. Sports/medicine represents the other half. The owner really likes the idea of including an education component and using a long-standing debate between foot experts on 'what orthotic products are best’ to raise the profile of this product. Do your Hounds have any other ideas? Our website is at http://www.yoursole.com/."


The Publicity Hound says:

You're certainly on the right track using all those testimonials, but I know my Hounds will have lots of other ideas on how to publicize your soles. Hounds with great ideas can post them to my blog at
http://publicityhound.net/?p=521

How about writing articles on food care and orthotics for online article directories? On the CD or electronic transcript titled "How to Submit Online Articles That Pull Traffic to Your Website," Sharron Senter walks you step-by-step through the entire process of how to write articles and submit them but, more importantly, how to follow up on all the sales leads you'll start getting as a result. You can read more about it at http://tinyurl.com/5zvga


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7. Hound Joke of the Week
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The other day I saw two dogs walk over to a parking meter. One of them says to the other, "How do you like that? Pay toilets!"


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

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


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8. And at My Blog...
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PR people think AP stylebook is still important
http://publicityhound.net/?p=520

Attend business journal meetings on how to use the paper as a prospecting toolhttp://publicityhound.net/?p=519

Know when it's OK to use stock photos in your PR campaign
http://publicityhound.net/?p=518

Learn the strategy behind promoting your product, service, cause or issue to Craigslist
http://publicityhound.net/?p=517

To improve your pitches, think like a freelance writer
http://publicityhound.net/?p=515

***If you missed my recent teleseminar on "How to Use Craigslist as a Global Publicity Tool" you can order the CD or electronic transcript at http://tinyurl.com/jmkg3

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Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®:

March 22: Waukesha, Wisconsin

2006 Micro Entrepreneur Expo, "How to Get F~ree Publicity," Part 1 from 5:30-6:15 and Part 2 from 8-8:45 PM, Waukesha Area Technical College; pre-registration $25 or $30 at the door (includes dinner). To register, call 262-695-3468.


May 16: Washington, D.C.

I'll be hosting a half-day public seminar called "Savvy Media Relations: How to Use Your Expertise to Get Thousands of Dollars in F~ree Publicity." Don't miss out on the early bird sign-up. Read all about it at http://www.Publicityhound.com/washingtondc.htm


May 17: Washington, D.C.

PMA University, Washington D.C. Convention Center. Robin Bartlett and I will present "Advanced Website Tricks to Pull More Traffic and Sell, Sell, Sell," 8:30-10:00 a.m. Sponsored by Publishers Marketing Association. Register at http://www.pma-online.org/pmau2005/1.cfm


May 18: Washington, D.C.

PMA University, Washington, D.C. Convention Center. Penny Sansevieri and I will present "How to Turn Your Ezine into a Cash Machine." Sponsored by Publishers Marketing Association. 8:30-10:15 a.m. Register at http://www.pma-online.org/pmau2005/1.cfm

***If you're in the National Speakers Association or the Public Relations Society of America--or another business, marketing or PR group--and you want details on how to bring in The Publicity Hound to do a fund-raiser for your chapter, or you want me to host a teleseminar customized just for your group, contact me at mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=speaker_inquiry or call 262-284-7451.

***Attention Meeting Planners: If you're booking speakers for winter, spring or summer conferences or events, keep me in mind--even if you have a last-minute cancellation. I deliver high-content, interactive programs that are lots of fun. Call 262-284-7451 or mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=speaker_inquiry for details.


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