Publicity tips/Pitch holiday controversy December 5, 2006

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #322 - Dec. 5, 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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Attention Experts:

If you're trying to position yourself as an expert in your field, you should be cranking out press releases that offer helpful advice and comment on controversial topics. This is one of my NewYear's resolutions for my own business. But press release distribution can get expensive. That's why I recommend a subscription-based service that lets you write and distribute 52 press releases a year and be included in an experts database that's searched by journalists.

The end-of-the-year deadline is nearing for the 2007 Yearbook of Experts, with free use of News Release Wire. Double the regular Publicity Hound discount of $100, and lock in 20 percent off their full price of $995 when you enter: "20 percent off by Publicity Hound" in the special offer box at http://www.Experclick.com/create Or call their office at 202-333-5000 and ask for the 20 percent off Publicity Hound special. You can save on large size listings, too.
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In This Issue
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1. Pitch Holiday Controversy

2. The Beauty of Snow Storms

3. Selling Art on eBay

4. Media Lead

5. Promoting an Ebook on Fit Families

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

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1. Pitch Holiday Controversy
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The traditional media, as well as new media like bloggers, are looking for controversial holiday stories.

If you're willing to jump into the fray, consider pitching these:

--Children 10 and younger are pestering their parents to buy them cell phones for Christmas. But does a 10-year-old need one? Retailers, parenting experts, telecommunications companies, safety experts and others can weigh in. PC World published anarticle on this topic at http://tinyurl.com/tjvpx

--Regifting. Lots of people are doing it without apology or embarrassment. Etiquette experts and others can comment on whether regifting is tacky or practical, and tips to follow if you're regifting. For example, a friend regifted a book to me a few years ago. Not a problem. But she was apparently unaware that her mother, who gave her the book as a gift several years earlier, wrote a personal message to my friend on a blank page in the front of the book. (See the cover story on regifting in the Nov. 24-26 issue of USA Weekend magazine)

--Gift cards. Some people are insulted when they receive them. But I love getting them. Any practical tips to pass along about the types of gift cards that are OK and those that are tacky? Or is the whole idea repulsive? By the way, the Better Business Bureau warns gift-givers about the scam in which thieves "steal" balances from gift cards--thus making the gift-cards you give to others worthless. You can read about it at http://tinyurl.com/y7yhl9

--The "keep the Christ in Christmas" squabble is raging once again. Radio talk shows, especially, love this topic because it generates heat and makes blood boil on both sides of the debate.

--The office party. Should women wear clothing to the office party that they wouldn't wear to work? How much booze is too much booze? Career experts and others can share horror stories about how people have put their jobs in jeopardy because of the way they've acted at this annual event. Is there any way to recover if you've made a pass at your boss while drunk?

--Annual brag letters. Do you cringe when you receive a "year in review" letter from someone? Or do you appreciate the update? Are these letters inconsiderate, or a practical way of staying in touch? Etiquette experts can offer guidelines for writing them. Anyone who has received them can weigh in.

If you're pitching a story to the media, or serving as an expertsource on these topics or others, don't just have a transaction with the media. Turn it into a relationship. In the interview I did with George McKenzie, I looked back on my 22 years working in four newsrooms and shared the most helpful things that my sources did to build relationships with me and other journalists on my staffs.

You'll learn how to get a journalist's attention, offer your expertise, and stay on their radar screens again and again without looking like a pest. This is my very favorite interview. It's called "Get Free Publicity in Print" and it's also available as an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order is approved.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/4kpmx


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2. The Beauty of Snow Storms
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The first snow storm in the Midwest on Friday closed schools, snarled traffic, caused numerous power outages and canceled flights for people like Publicity Hound Robert Smith, a PR guy in Rockford, Illinois.

But Robert couldn't have been happier. The Chicago Bureau of Forbes magazine had called him only 20 minutes after he emailed this note to about 300 reporters in Chicago, where snow canceled several hundred flights at O'Hare.

Subject: Re: Weather-related business stories

Dear Journalist,

If you need weather-related stories with a business angle, please email us today.
Do you need anything in particular?

Story ideas:

--How to avoid having bad weather hurt your sales and your business. Interview leading experts and business owners who do better when the weather is bad. (They don't own weather-related companies.)

--Strategies companies use to keep their employees who fight through horrible weather in a good mood.

Warm Regards,

Robert Smith
815-633-3375

"Of course, I have clients who tie in to those story ideas," Robert told me. "I use your strategy of asking the media 'How canI help you?' However, I tied it into the weather since airports are shut down."

I've been preaching for years that most Publicity Hounds miss the chance to do what Robert did: piggyback stories off the weather. It's a topic the media cover 365 days a year. Yet most Hounds don't think about weather tie-ins. So people like Robert get al lthe publicity.

That's why I wrote "Special Report #37: How to Tie Your Product, Service, Cause or Issue to the Weather" and included tips on who to call, how to pitch, enticing little extras to offer with your story, and sneaky ways to promote your product or service during floods, snowstorms and heat waves without making your pitch sound like a free commercial. Only $10. Order at http://tinyurl.com/yna28c

By the way, if Robert's name sounds familiar, it's because he's the expert I interviwed recently on "How to Get Your Own National TV Show for Less Than $400 a Month." Stop waiting to be"discovered" by the networks. Instead, start creating your own national TV show with very little effort or budget. Read more about what you'll learn on this CD or electronic transcript at http://tinyurl.com/y4by43


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3. Selling Art on eBay
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When artist Susan Greaves of Redding, California saw that someone bought a Persian rug on eBay about about seven years ago, she told herself she'd never buy something that expensive without seeing it up close.

But that gave her an idea. If somebody would buy a Persian rug without actually being able to see it in person, they'd buy her oil paintings.

So she started offering them for sale on eBay, both as "Buy Now" items, and at auctions.

Her hunch was right. People started bidding and buying. In fact, a floral painting brought in a high bid of $800. The winning bidders? Senator and Mrs. John Edwards.

"With eBay, an artist can rope in all kinds of shoppers," she told me.

Today, eBay serves as a valuable strategy in Susan's marketing toolbox, and other artists selling everything from photos to jewelry can have the same good fortune.

Susan will be sharing more eBay strategies tonight during the free pre-conference call leading up to the weeklong smARTist Tele-summit 2007 in January. Join us tonight from 7 to 8 p.m. Eastern Time to hear her talk more about how she sells art on eBay.

Susan is joining me and 10 other art and marketing experts during the January tele-summit, which will be conducted entirely by telephone and hosted by art marketing expert Ariane Goodwin.

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

If you can't make it on tonight's free call, you can still have access to the post-event recording online and get 61 smart marketing tips for artists. But only if you sign up at http://snipurl.com/SusanGreavesEbay

Want to learn more about the January event? Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/ymcvu8


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4. Media Leads
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--Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D. and Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. are writing a book about Boomer women's relationships with their children. "We have a lot of material about college-age 'kidults' and beyond, but need more data about issues with teenagers. Canyour readers help by sharing some of their challenges? Your readers could go to http://hermentorcenter.com/ and click on Newsletter Library to see the length and flavor of the stories." Or email your thoughts about life with teenagers or boomerangs in about 300 words, to mailto:Mentors@HerMentorCenter.com byDecember 15.

--Author Yvonne Perry is writing a book about stem cell research. "I've received no response from letters, phone calls and emails I've sent trying to gather information from key people and organizations about this topic. I'm looking for direct contacts for an interview with the Christopher Reeve Foundation; Michael J. Fox Foundation; Senator Bill Frist; Former First Lady Nancy Reagan or sons Ron and Mike Reagan; Gov. Howard Dean, M.D., Chairman of the Democratic National Committee; Ken Mehlman, Chairman of the Republican National Committee; Jo Ann Davidson, Co-Chairman, Republican National Committee; and incoming Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Email contacts to mailto:write_on_yvonne@comcast.net

The Publicity Hound says: Contact Any Celebrity at http://tinyurl.com/lorvx lets you take a 7-day test drive for only $1. They provide contact information for celebrities, politicians and sports figures, as well as for their "inner circle" such as publicists and agents.

--Mary Castillo is writing an article about friends who may not think their newly pregnant buddy is mom material. "It's a controversial subject that everyone whispers about. I want to assure readers that sometimes we have good reason to wonder what our friends were thinking, and other times when people can surprise us. I'd like to talk to experts as well as people with good common sense and a wealth of experience. This is for her blog called "How to Survive Your Best Friend's Baby" http://bestfriendsbaby.blogspot.com/ The blog is the basis for a non-fiction book proposal. Mailto:MaryCast@yahoo.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 an Ebook on Fit Families
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This week, eight Publicity Hounds have advice for Howie Jacobson of Durham, North Carolina on how he can promote and distribute a free ebook he wrote called "Uncle Howie's Fit Family Gift Guide 2007."


From Lois Carter Fay from www.MarketingIdeaShop.com:

"You can try working with the home-school associations. People who home-school their children seem to be more likely to look at alternative materials to educate their children. Perhaps you could co-brand the ebook with the home school association and get them to distribute it for you."


From Camie:

"Approach some of the kid-friendly gyms (ie. Little Gym, My Gym) and ask if they can include information about the ebook in their next eNewsletter. Even though December's may have gone out already, January is a perfect time for resolutions. These gyms are everywhere, and I'm sure the gyms are always looking for healthy information to juice up their eNewsletters."


From Garth Gibson:

"Find an enemy against family that's in the public view. Two old favorites come to mind. Madonna and Britney Spears. You could target a family newsletter focused on how to manage being famous and become a good parent all at the same time. I don't think there's a single newsletters like that.

"Madonna report/release:
8 Foods From Malawi Madonna Should Be Feeding Her Adopted Child

"Britney report/release:
Oops! 2 Parenting Techniques Britney Should Never Forget To Use On Her Naked Ambition Tour


The Publicity Hound says: See "Special Report #50: How to Piggyback onto Celebrity News to Promote Your Product, Service, Cause or Issue" at http://tinyurl.com/3sa3j


Read all the responses at http://tinyurl.com/y6xl39


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6. Help This Hound
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Teri Arnold of Chesapeake, Virginia writes:

"I work for a small local non-profit organization that helps people with severe developmental disabilities find employment. Our clients are people who most other people think either belong in institutions or in day programs where they literally do nothing all day long.

"With us, they earn a wage, gain independence, self-esteem and have a purpose in life. On top of that, it's good for the companies who employ the people we serve. People with severe disabilities desperately want to work, have a great work ethic and happily perform assembly-line type jobs most people do not want.

"I have had good success with local print media and some local TV and radio. I would love to get some national exposure for our life-changing, positive programs. Nothing we do is controversial or typically in the news. Any ideas on how to come up with a good hook?"

The Publicity Hound says: If you primarily serve the localc ommunity, national publicity isn't all that necessary. On the other hand, being able to show potential donors and others that USA Today wrote about you gives you enormous credibility. Hounds with great ideas on how Teri can get national publicity for her agency can post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/yf72wv


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7. Hound Joke of the Week
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This is from one of the older "Hollywood Squares" TV 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/


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8. And at My Blog...
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Media bias: God isn't welcome in the newsroom
http://tinyurl.com/yhglna


Publicists' tips booklet deadline Dec. 31
http://tinyurl.com/y6skyw


Media relations checklist for 2007
http://tinyurl.com/y33jr3


Press releases: Put 'em on steroids
http://tinyurl.com/yf2dpw


Forbes.com wants reader-generated content
http://tinyurl.com/yk8rn9


Tech trends podcast: What's hot in 2007
http://tinyurl.com/yhrjpv


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

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


March 17, 2007: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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

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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."

If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues. You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me you want to subscribe.


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