Publicity tips/Aging parents & you June 26, 2007

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #352 June 26, 2007
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

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Need Help with Landing Pages?

Many of the landing pages at my website--pages where I am asking for someone's email address or where I'm trying to sell something--are missing two critical components.

That's what I learned after hosting the June 14 webinar called "Six Simple Steps for Landing Pages" with Internet marketing expert Mark Widawer. The webinar ran far past the one hour we had set aside, but stick with it to the end, particularly if pages at your website aren't converting visitors into customers:

http://www.PublicityHoundTemplate.com/replay
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In This Issue
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1. Aging Parents & You

2. How Not to do Media Relations

3. Extreme Makeovers

4. Amnesty Debate Heats Up

5. How to Raise Money for an Artist

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

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1. Aging Parents & You
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USA Today and ABC News are devoting this week to exploring the challenges of caring for elderly parents.

The newspaper kicked off the series yesterday with seven articles devoted to the topic. You can read more about the series at http://tinyurl.com/2yuhea Last night, ABC's "World News with Charles Gibson" aired a story on nursing home alternatives.

Are you Hounds thinking what I'm thinking?

How about piggybacking onto this series and pitching your own stories related to coping with elderly parents? Since many broadcasters "rip and read" stories from papers like USA Today, they will be well aware of the series. So will newspapers in the Gannett chain, the parent company of USA Today. The bloggers are probably also discussing this series.

Here are ideas to get you started, based on the stories that will be appearing in USA Today this week:

--Today, the newspaper features articles on how to balance work demands with caregiving, and tips on negotiating with employers for time off. How is your company helping employees with elderly parents? Do you offer related perks that are part of a recruitment and retention strategy?

--Tomorrow, the newspaper will report on navigating sibling relationships when giving care, the rise of multigenerational households, and how to avoid scams targeting your parents. The scam angle, in particular, is worth piggybacking onto. If you know of scams in your particular state, pitch the idea.

--On Thursday, USA Today will focus on the risks of long-term-care insurance, how and whether to get a long-term-care policy, and what to do when a parent has Alzheimer's or dementia. Financial planners, insurance companies and experts in the medical community can offer background and commentary on these topics.

--Friday's installment will feature articles on planning ahead for retirement and elder care, and how to spend down assets to pay for care. Financial planners, retirement experts, authors, speakers and others who can address these issues can pitch story ideas.

--If you like the series, don't like it, or have your own two cents to add, write a letter to the editor of USA Today. I'm guessing they will be devoting a lot of space on their editorial pages to readers' reactions to this series.

When pitching media in your own community, it's OK to mention the USA Today series, and offer your own experiences as "the local angle."

If the topic of aging parents doesn't fit into your area of expertise, there are lots of other ways to generate publicity by being the local angle. "Special Report #35: How to be the Local Angle to National Stories" gives you many ideas on how to find opportunities for piggybacking off regional, national and international stories. Only $10. Order at http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g


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2. How Not to do Media Relations
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Freelance writer Patricia Luebke of New York, New York shares this example of media relations gone bad:

"I'm writing an article on sun protection for a recreational dive magazine.

"A friend had told me that Rit (the dye people) have a product that you put in the washing machine and it adds sun protection to your clothes. It turns out it's approved by the Skin Cancer Foundation so it works, and I wanted to include it in the article.

"I found the SunGuard (the name of the product) website, and you could only submit a question via a form, and I added MEDIA REQUEST in all caps."

About 10 minutes later, Patricia received this reply, undoubtedly sent via an autoresponder:

"Dear Patricia,

"All media requests are handled by our corporate office. Phoenix Brands, 300 Atlantic Ave, 11th Fl, Stanford, CT 06901.

"I hope this information is helpful.

"Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of further assistance.

"Joan - RIT Customer Service"

Patricia then told me:

"Gee, maybe I can dust off a typewriter, type them a letter, walk to the mailbox and wait a few days for it to be delivered, and then wait for them to write me back. I am thinking that their 'customer service handbook' needs updating as I imagine she looked under the Ms for 'Media Requests' and found this answer.

"And no, it wasn't helpful."


The Publicity Hound says: Amen.

RIT has probably alienated so many media people that there's little I can do to help them. As for the rest of you who truly care about media relations, check out "Special Report #49:17 Ways to Build Valuable Relationships with Media People" so they keep coming back to you again and again for background, commentary, story ideas and interviews. Only $10. Order at http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g

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3. Extreme Makeovers
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Thanks to Publicity Hound Paul Holley of Racine, Wisconsin for alerting me to an article in the Racine Journal Times.

It's about a group of local small businesses and medical personnel that donated or discounted their services for three months to improve the image of one lucky person chosen through an application process.

The theme of this year’s Dream Team Makeover was "The Bridal Edition." You can read about the bridal makeover at http://tinyurl.com/2gxc39

What a great publicity idea for small businesses and medical practices in any community! And the story is custom-made not only for newspapers but TV.

If your small business isn't getting the publicity you think you deserve, it isn't because the business is small. It's probably because you can't think of enticing story angles, or you're unaware of how much the media really love stories about small business.

Jeff Zbar, who was named a Journalist of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration, gives you the inside scoop on the kinds of small-business stories that get instant headlines and coverage by TV and radio. He was my guest during a teleseminar called "The Fastest, Cheapest, Easiest Ways to Publicize Your Small Business." The CD and electronic transcript each include Jeff's "shotgun list" of marketing ideas.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/3tbbp


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4. Amnesty Debate Heats Up
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The U.S. Senate voted today to revive a stalled immigration overhaul that would offer a path to citizenship to millions of illegal immigrants.

The Senate voted 64-35 to resume debate on the bill, which ties tough border security and workplace enforcement measures to a plan to legalize an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants and create a temporary worker program sought by business groups.

The measure still must overcome another make-or-break vote as early as Thursday that will also require the backing of 60 senators. And there is no guarantee that it will ultimately attract even the simple majority it needs to pass.

I can't think of any other recent issue that has had such opposition from both sides of the aisle.

Many voters--Democrats, Republicans and even folks in the middle--are furious. Supporters, however, including President Bush, say this bill is the last chance for immigration reform.

It's an opportune time for businesses, unions, Hispanic groups, party activists, and anybody who feels strongly about the bill's failure or passage to contact media outlets and bloggers and state their views.

Because this issue is generating so much heat, it's perfect for TV talk shows. If you want to get in the limelight, check out "How to be a TV Talk Show Host's Dream Date," available as a CD or electronic transcript. TV personality Connie Dieken explains the 6 traits that hosts are looking for and the Number 1 most important thing you must do to get invited back.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/3z7ut


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5. How to Raise Money for an Artist
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This week, 15 Publicity Hounds have ideas for artist Jennie Rosenbaum of Melbourne, Australia who is trying to raise money to cover expenses for a trip she will be taking to Canada, where a gallery will feature her paintings.


From Tom Reitz:

"Talk to both the Australian and Canadian embassies. Many countries have funding opportunities so they can share their culture around the world."


From Alyson B. Stanfield:

"Consider doing what Karen Bubb of Boise, Idaho did when she wanted to go to China. She sold shares in her trip! For each $32 share, the shareholder received a hand-pulled stock certificate (doubled as a thank-you note), a handmade postcard sent to them from China, and a 6×6 encaustic painting. For $32! And, she got an awesome newspaper article, a magazine article or two (one by me), and sold far more shares than she needed for her trip."


From Stacey Apeitos:

"I also live in Melbourne and am originally from America. I travel to the States regularly and always undertake work there, so I can claim at least part of the trip on taxes. (Maybe this is an option for your husband, too?) This coming visit, I’ve lined up speaking engagements with a couple of arts councils. In the past, I’ve taken or taught classes. Aussies love fundraising trivia nights, which can be very profitable. You could run an auction on the night, too. Finally, I have to say I love Alyson Stanfield’s idea! Very cool."


Artists who want unusual ideas for marketing should check out the recording of a one-hour teleseminar I did with art marketing expert Ariane Goodwin. It's called "How Artists Can Sell More Artwork through Online and Offline Publicity." It's available as a CD and an electronic transcript.

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

Read all the responses to this Help This Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/2es72l

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6. Help This Hound
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Nellie Lamers of Reeds Spring, Missouri writes:

"The Tri-Lakes TCRC is one of 10 Telecenter Network sites in Missouri. Our greatest benefit is in bringing education and technology to rural areas that otherwise would not have access to it. We need help getting folks to sign up for classes/events and telling people about the other things we offer:

--ITV (interactive video teleconferencing) services

--Degree programs/classes from other colleges/universities across the state that give people in our rural area the chance to take those classes without traveling the great distances to the campuses

--Continuing education programs for law enforcement officers, emergency medical providers, etc.

--Training events given by University of Missouri Extension specialists as well as other providers

--Free public access computers

--Computer classes on topics like Microsoft Office and eBay tutoring sessions

"We also rent the facilities to people in the community who need a place to do presentations. Our website is at http://telecenter.missouri.edu/reedsspring/ Can your Hounds offer some ideas that will help us spread the word?"

The Publicity Hound says:

Many of my Hounds are tied in some way to audio/visual presentations, and many of them are professional speakers who I'm sure have lots of ideas on how to promote what sounds like a terrific facility. If you have tips for Nellie, you can post themat my blog at http://tinyurl.com/2875c8


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7. Hound Quote of the Week
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Thanks to Lois Carter Fay of MarketingIdeaShop.com for this one:

"The problem with all those drug ads on TV is I always think I have the disease. Yesterday, I was convinced I had heartworm."


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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Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®


June 27: Teleseminar

"Promote Your Music: Tips, Tricks & Secrets of the Pros," 3 to 4 PM Eastern Time. Join me and media consultant Scott G., owner of G-Man Music & Marketing and a recording artist, who successfully markets his music around the globe and creates media campaigns for artists, organizations and corporations, from the American Cancer Society to Zenith. Tess Taylor, president of the National Association of Record Industry Professionals, will moderate this teleseminar. $39.95 for non-members. Register at http://tinyurl.com/37drvy


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