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

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

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"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"
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Let Journalists Critique Your Pitches:

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

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

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

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

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In This Issue
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1. Pan for Gold at Amazon

2. A Press Release Journalists Love

3. Go in Style

4. Media Lead

5. Promoting a Job Service

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

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

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

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

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

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

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

Indeed.

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

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

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

Is that cool or what?

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yuck.

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

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


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3. Go in Style
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Thanks to Publicity Hound Kathi Petersen for calling this one to my attention.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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


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


From Carolyn Chambers Clark:

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

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

From Nancy Froio:

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

From John Easton:

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

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

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


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6. Help This Hound
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Elaine Grassbaugh of Columbus, Ohio writes:

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


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

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7. Hound Joke of the Week
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Top 10 Things Overheard at Fido's Office Christmas Party:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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8. And at My Blog...
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Publicity tips for construction trade mags
>http://tinyurl.com/ym9xae

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

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


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

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Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®

January 22, 2007:

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

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


March 17, 2007: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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


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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."

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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) Fax: 262-284-1737