The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #321 - Nov. 28, 2006
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.net (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 25,584

=====================================
"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 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.

*************************************************
Attention Publicists:

People are forever asking me to refer them to a good publicist. I hate making referrals because the most important thing between a client and a publicist is chemistry. So how could I possibly know which clients would be the best fit?

Now there's a way I can get you in front of potential clients, spending less of your time and money to reach them. The answer is a simple yet incredibly powerful vehicle. It's a Tips Anthology booklet to use in your marketing efforts. The booklet can be a product you sell, while helping you become the consummate media darling yourself.

Here's the best part. Paulette Ensign, the Tips Booklet Queen, will do almost all the work for you. She served as my coach when I published my owns tips booklets several years ago, and she was largely responsible for showing me how to get a 3-line mention in the popular Kiplinger Letter, a business newsletter, that resulted in more than $10,000 in single copy and bulk sales for my booklets.

Interested? See if a Tips Anthology booklet fits your marketing plans:
http://snipurl.com/PublicistsAnthology
*************************************************

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

1. Create Your 'Top 10' Lists

2. Holiday Decorations

3. Advertising Trinkets

4. Media Leads

5. Promoting a Book on Anxiety

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


==================================
1. Create Your 'Top 10' Lists
==================================

They're popping up everywhere this time of year.

They're short, punchy lists of "the best" or "the worst." The number doesn't even have to be 10. Your list can include 5 items. Or 7. Or 9.

Here are end-of-the-year lists I found by doing a quick Google search:

--The Top 5 books on public relations, as published in the Wall Street Journal last week.

--The Top 10 Green Projects of 2006, courtesy of the American Institute of Architects.

--The Top 10 Best Blogs, as chosen by MarketingSherpa.com.

--The Top 10 Best Jobs according to Money magazine.

--Golf's Best and Worst of 2006, as chosen by MSNBC.com.

--Best and Worst Dressed Celebrities of 2006, according to People magazine.


Whatever product, service, cause or issue you're promoting, I'll bet all of you can create lists just like these.

Between now and January 1, you'll see these lists everywhere. That means smart Publicity Hounds will start creating lists, then pitch them to their media contacts, bloggers, ezine editors and anyone else who has the power to create a buzz.

Several Publicity Hounds emailed me recently asking if these lists can substitute as press releases.

Yes, they can. You can distribute them just like a press release and even use the online press release distribution services like Expertclick.com at http://tinyurl.com/f5evn and PR Web at http://tinyurl.com/y24hfy

For more tips on other kinds of short items like these that the media love, see "Briefs, Fillers & Quizzes." I explain the various kinds of briefs, how to write them and how to distribute them.

Read more about what you'll learn from this CD or electronic transcript at http://tinyurl.com/d74h7


==================================
2. Holiday Decorations
==================================

This is also the time of year when local TV stations and newspapers start featuring the prettiest houses and companies that are all decked out for the holidays with lights, garland, bows, and anything that moves, blinks or makes noise.

Every year, it seems, holiday decorations become bigger, brighter and gaudier.

If you have an interesting story to tell about how many lights you used, or how long it took you to decorate, or an employee contest that ties into holiday decorations, let the media know.

And don't be shy about explaining what went wrong during the decorating process, and sharing how much it costs each month on your utility bill to keep the holiday spirit alive. These little details really add spice to stories.

"How to Get on the Local TV News Tomorrow" walks you through the process of how to identify the Queen Bee in your local TV station's newsroom--the person who makes all the decisions on which stories are covered that day. Once you've found the Queen, TV Reporter Shawne Duperon explains how to make your pitch irresistible and how to stay on the Queen's radar screen so the station covers you again and again. It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript.

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


==================================
3. Advertising Trinkets
==================================

When I think of advertising trinkets, I think of things like plastic pens, refrigerator magnets and matchbooks.

Not exactly the kinds of items that make a lasting impression with your clients.

But did you know that smart companies are using things like laser pointers, voice recorders, tool kits, garment bags, disposable cameras, computer travel bags and even fortune cookies as part of their marketing and publicity campaigns?

For example, the Sugar Ray Youth Foundation fund-raiser called "A Day with Sugar Ray" included several higher-grade advertising specialties in a tennis tournament. As an appropriate memento, tennis racquet covers were used to hold the materials contained in press kits and distributed among the media. Each contributor received a glass ashtray imprinted with a photo of the famed Sugar Ray with a child, and his appeal for support.

Participants received a Plexiglass photo illuminator holding the same photo. The promotion helped the foundation raise about $30,000.

The November/December issue of The Publicity Hound newsletter tells you where you can find hundreds of examples of how smart companies and nonprofits used these advertising specialties in their promotional campaigns. In fact, you can even search the site by industry, so you can see what your competitors are doing.

The issue also includes articles on how to get contact information for celebrities, including celebrity endorsements for your book; how an entrepreneur piggybacked off the YouTube sale; how to promote a special event through public speaking; a new magazine devoted to breast cancer; where to find great headlines for your how-to articles; how to use MySpace as a publicity tool; tips for writing a creative one-page bio; where to download a free White Paper on pitching; how to pitch Men's Health magazine; and November and December story ideas. All for $10. Order at http://tinyurl.com/vwowp


=================================
4. Media Leads
=================================

--Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff, aka The Blog Squad, are looking for someone who wants to become an Internet marketer and learn the most they can in 13 weeks. They will mentor their "ideal client" for 15-20 minutes a week, for 13 weeks, as part of their pilot radio show "Blogging and Beyond" on the VoiceAmerica Channel. "For 13 weeks we will work with our ideal client and help them set up a blog, a newsletter, shopping cart, autoresponders, and other tools for using the Internet to market their business." The ideal client must meet a list of criteria. You can learn more at http://snipurl.com/BlogSquadIdealClient This is a fabulous opportunity for anyone who wants to copy The Publicity Hound's business model of creating multiple streams of revenue in the comfort of your home or office.


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.


==================================
5. Promoting a Book on Anxiety
==================================

This week, five Publicity Hounds have promotion ideas Carolyn Chambers Clark of Englewood, Florida, author of the book "Living Well with Anxiety: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You That You Need to Know."


From Gail Sideman:

"Pitches may be made with a health or lifestyle focus. I envision B-roll with women in rushing frenzies exhibiting what we've long called 'nervous habits.' I’d then offer that reporter someone who has used the book’s tips for anxiety reduction to talk about how much better she feels after using these approaches. Another topic may be the title of the book, ‘Living Well With Anxiety.’ After all, consumers want to know if it’s realistic to live WELL with anxiety."


From Jocelyn Murray:

"Find out if your local gym will promote your book to its members. Better yet, speak to the yoga instructors there to see if they’ll read it and recommend it. Many people work out at the gym as a great way to reduce anxiety and stress in their lives, so you may find an audience there."

From Stephanie Callahan:

"As a professional organizer, I see a number of individuals that struggle with anxiety. There is a group called the National StudyGroup on Chronic Disorganization (http://www.nsgcd.org/) The organization has teleclasses that are offered to Professional Organizers and other related professionals (doctors, therapists, counselors, etc.) Check out the site and contact the program director. They may be interested in you conducting one of the teleseminars. Also, consider communicating to the number of professional organizers that are members of the National Association of Professional Organizers (http://www.napo.net/)"


The Publicity Hound says: The best techniques for publicizing this book are many of the same techniques authors use when book sales level off, about six months after publication. Book publicist Lissa Warren faces this problem with her authors, too. And she has a list of things she does to start drive sales back up. She explains them all on "How to Revive a Dying Book Marketing Campaign," available as a CD or electronic transcript. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/67bhu

Read all the responses at http://snipurl.com/AnxietyBook


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

Howie Jacobson of Durham, North Carolina writes:

"I teach parents how to raise healthy children in a crazy and busy world, and be a good role model. I've written a free 27-page guide called 'Uncle Howie's Fit Family Gift Guide 2007.' It includes helpful information about the four cookbooks that can change your life, the best meditation CDs on the planet, three great healthy snacks for kids, how to get really clean drinking water, and how to train yourself to wake up earlier.

"I want to encourage people to download the ebook at http://fitfam/home/unclehowie/ and pass it along to friends. Can your Publicity Hounds give me some ideas on how to spread the word online and offline about my ebook and really reach parents who need this kind of advice?"


The Publicity Hound says:

You bet! In fact, I think the ebook would be a perfect holiday gift for parents who need exactly this kind of help. And anyone reading this newsletter can pass it along to their own clients and friends. How about other ideas, Hounds? How can Uncle Howie promote his ebook? Post your comments to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/y6xl39


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

The Family Dog

The family's dog was bought to guard
Chained to a post in a chilly backyard
Housed in a shed that was airless and dark
And every few weeks had a run in the park

When boredom set in with no fun and no work
One day it broke loose and went quietly berserk
Pa couldn't fathom just why it went wild
As it flattened his wife and snarled at his child

The police were called in to sort out the mess
And the whole sorry tale was revealed in the press
The Rescue Society was really annoyed
So the dog was re-homed, and the owners destroyed


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

Company anniversary?
Use this clever publicity hook
http://tinyurl.com/uxcp5


Black Friday or Jack-ass Friday?
http://tinyurl.com/y2kgyx

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. Click on the "Topics" arrow on the right side of the blog to find the category you're looking for.
---------------------------------------------------------------

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 whenand 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 FREE Print, Broadcast and Online Publicity." 8 a.m. to noon. Details pending.

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 followingparagraph:

Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," a free ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive free 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.

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

Publicity tips/Can a purse make you sick? November 21, 2006

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #320 - Nov. 21, 2006
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 25,007

=====================================
"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 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.

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

Why I'm Thankful:

I have the best job in the world, thanks to the more than 20,000 of you who take the time to read this newsletter, call and send emails, respond to the "Help This Hound" queries, offer your great ideas, teach me things I didn't know--and even tell me when I'm wrong. When I bow my head and say the blessing before the feast on Thanksgiving Day, you'll be in my heart, right up there near the top of the list of all the reasons I'm thankful and eternally grateful. Have a safe, happy and healthy Thanksgiving, wherever you live.

--The Publicity Hound

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

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

1. Can a Purse Make You Sick?

2. Borat in Balloons

3. Recycle Your Publicity

4. Media Leads

5. Promoting a Press Release Course

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


==================================
1. Can a Purse Make You Sick?
==================================

When I discovered a big splotch of dried chocolate ice cream on the bottom of my Coach purse last week, I was mortified.

How long has THAT been there, I wondered. And how many people have seen it and said nothing?

The next day, I read the first item in Marilee Tolen's ezine, titled "Can Your Purse Make You Sick?" And suddenly the dried ice cream didn't seem that bad.

Marilee, a member of The Publicity Hound Mentor Program, calls herself "The Home Spa Lady" and teaches you how to turn your bedroom, bath and kitchen into a spa. Her ezine referred to an article she had read that discusses the germs, bacteria and other nasties that attach themselves to the bottoms of women's purses--and sometimes end up on our kitchen tables, where many of us routinely routinely drop them.

Nelson Labs in Salt Lake City tested the bacteria type and count on the average purse. Almost all the purses tested were high in harmful bacteria like Staph Aureous, Pseudomonas and E-Coli. In one sampling, four out of five purses tested positive for salmonella.

But the worst finding was--yikes!--fecal contamination. Many women put their purses right on the floor when visiting a restroom, or in the seat of a supermarket shopping cart, where babies in diapers sit. You can read the rest of her article and her helpful tips on how to keep purses germ-free at http://www.homespaladytips.blogspot.com/

The article really caught my attention. What forced me to read it? It was the headline: "Can Your Purse Make You Sick?"

That's called a formula headline, and it's the kind of headline you often see on the covers of big magazines.

That got me thinking. Many Publicity Hounds can use a variation of that same headline in their own press releases, blogs, ezines, articles, columns, letters to the editors or even direct-mail pieces. A health expert could write an article titled "Do Video Games Make Your Kids Sick?" A chiropractor could write one titled "Does Your Office Chair Make You Sick?"

Here's how to find formula headlines and turn them into your own.

Stand in front of a magazine rack with a notebook and a pen. Or visit Magazines.com at http://www.magazines.com/ Then click on a few magazine covers. Look for headlines that catch your attention. Can you remove a word or two and substitute your own words to conform to your own topic?

If so, you've just come up with a fabulous headline that can really capture the attention of an editor, or a TV producer who's looking for a talk TV show guest.

Small business expert Sharron Senter's how-to articles are so compelling that they actually generate 30 to 100 sales leads a month. She posts her articles to online article directories, where editors and publishers can pick them up and reprint them, or where consumers can find them through the search engines, and click through to her website.

Before you start posting your own articles, make sure you understand all the rules and little tricks to drive traffic to your website. My interview with Sharron is available on the CD or electronic transcript called "How to Submit Online Articles That Pull Traffic to Your Website." Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/5zvga

Ready to get really serious about your publicity campaign in 2007? I can help you identify great story ideas, start your own ezine or blog, or turn a lackluster article into one that editors are vying for. Learn more about The Publicity Hound Mentor Program at http://tinyurl.com/n22hn


==================================
2. Borat in Balloons
==================================

When Russian-born balloon artist Irina Patterson of Miami, Florida noticed that the movie "Borat" was quickly becoming a hot box office hit, she figured out a way to piggyback onto the publicity.

"I took advantage of the 'Borat' craze by posting a balloon art parody on Borat on my blog at http://tinyurl.com/yz98s8

"It was picked up by the media and other blogs and the traffic on my blog increased twenty-fold. It took only a few hours to see the results. It's a good example of what a newsworthy blog post can do."

She mentioned the blog item as part of her pitch to the Miami Herald. They loved it, and assigned a reporter and photographer to cover her. It was the fourth time she has appeared in that newspaper.

Not only that, but as a result of the online and offline publicity, Irina, who dresses in unique balloon art couture and serves as an entertaining host, even got a few paying gigs. By the way, she says she's open to collaborative PR projects with other creative Publicity Hounds. "I have my own media contacts, and I'm able to engage them successfully and get media coverage for the events that I am a part of." Call her at 786-301-2456 or email at mailto:thetrader@comcast.net

Have Irina and I convinced you that you're leaving sales leads and money on the table if you aren't blogging? Confused about where to start? Don't be. You can have your own blog up and running, and your first entry posted, within half an hour.

BL Ochman, one of my favorite bloggers, explains how in a recording of a teleseminar I hosted called "Blogging 101: How to Use Weblogs for Publicity." If you order by midnight Eastern Time tonight, November 21, I'll add to the package my new CD called "How to Pitch the Best Bloggers and Create a Publicity Explosion"at http://tinyurl.com/m7ymr

Read more about what you'll learn on Blogging 101 at http://tinyurl.com/4n8ok


==================================
3. Recycle Your Publicity
==================================

How many times have you generated publicity, then failed to recycle that one media hit into four or five more hits?

John Easton, CEO of Eastonsweb Multimedia, wrote last week to tell me about a missed opportunity he noticed.

He was watching a program about tanning leather on "Modern Marvels" on the History Channel. The program prominently featured Prime Tanning, Inc. in Berwick, Maine.

"I went to the Prime Tanning website and there's no mention of the fact that they were on Modern Marvels," John said. "I see so few people making use of their press coverage, especially television coverage. Getting featured on a TV show is great, but if you don't do anything else, the promotional opportunity ends when the show goes off the air."

He's right.

A very polished TV production about your company could cost up to $20,000 to produce. So why not take advantage of a newscast or a TV show that costs you nothing?

"Contact the station, get usage permission and let your customers and prospective customers know through all the means at your disposal such as your website, blog, newsletter, trade association, etc.," he adds.

Don't forget including a mention in your email signature that says something like, "As seen on 'Modern Marvels' on the History Channel." Then link to a video clip at your website, or the article, or ask permission to reprint an article or post a video clip at your own website.

Top-tier publications like the New York Times charge astronomical fees for reprint rights. TV stations and even national shows, however, will often let you post a clip of your appearance on their show at no charge.

"Special Report #13: How to Recycle Your Publicity (for Serious Publicity Hounds Only)," gives you lots of ideas on how to generate multiple hits from one story. $10. Order at http://tinyurl.com/3sa3j


=================================
4. Media Leads
=================================

--Diana Stockdale, a mother of eight and grandmother of 18, is researching creative yet affordable ways to stay in touch, especially with children, for a book she's writing. "Our high-tech world offers endless opportunities to reach families and friends," she says. She wants people to share their ideas about how they stay in touch with those they love. To be considered for inclusion in the book, contact her at 13 Mill Brooke Drive, St. Peters, MO. 63376 or at mailto:dimi8@aol.com?subject=Staying_in_Touch


--Fred Hueston and Lyna Farkas of the "Growing Your Business" radio show are writing a book, and they're looking for stories from business people, entrepreneurs and others. For example, can you tell a story about a unique and successful way you networked? Are you flexible in setting goals and, as a result, did you get something better than you thought you'd get? Submit your story of any length to mailto:Info@growingyourbusiness.net If they use your story, they'll include a link to your website. Deadline is December 1.


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=Media_Lead 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.


==================================
5. Promoting a Press Release Course
==================================

Talk about teaching an old Hound new tricks. I was overwhelmed with the great ideas and offers to help me promote my free email course "89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases" at http://tinyurl.com/y7yekt

Thirteen Hounds responded to last week's query with enough suggestions to keep me busy for months. Thanks to you all.


From Denise Barnett:

"If you’d be interested in submitting an article for our Winter InnTouch trade publication, we’d love to share this info with our members! I believe our lodging property members would find it very beneficial as well."


From Danielle Westerman:

"What about promoting your course among university PR students and their professors? There are hundreds of PR/journalism programs across the country. Your course might be a great supplement to their classes. There’s also the Public Relations Student Society of America."


From Anthony Ingram:

"Post info on your course at places such as Craigslist.com and local places such as Kaboo.com (for individual cities) and places such as YourHUB.com (for individual cities)."


The Publicity Hound says: Thanks, Anthony. I had forgotten about Craigslist. I'm going to listen to the CD I recorded with Nancy Mills called "How to Use Craigslist as a Global Publicity Tool." You can read more about it at http://tinyurl.com/geog2

Read all the responses at http://tinyurl.com/y4n9zh


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

Carolyn Chambers Clark of Englewood, Florida writes:

"I've written the book 'Living Well with Anxiety: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know.'

"Anxiety can take over our world, causing dizziness, stammering, heart palpitations, trembling, shaking, unreasonable fears, panic attacks that seem like heart attacks, obsessive thoughts and behaviors, discomfort in confining or public places, and other distressing symptoms in social, work, or school situations.

"The book is useful for everyone who wants to minimize anxiety and enhance peace and calm. It includes conventional psychiatric and psychological approaches, client anecdotes, and ways to use nutrition, herbs, environmental changes, exercise, stress-reduction measures and an Anxiety Success Plan."

A sample chapter and Table of Contents are at http://www.carolynchambersclark.com/id30.html


The Publicity Hound says: What a perfect week to be mentioning a book about anxiety. Anxious Hounds, or those who are too cool to get rattled, can post their best ideas to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/tl8gu


================================
7. Hound Quote of the Week
================================

"Dogs never talk about themselves but listen to you while you talk about yourself, and keep up an appearance of being interested in the conversation."

--Jerome K. Jerome, English humorist


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

Photo tips: It's a camera, not a gun
http://tinyurl.com/y3c56d


Get 20 hours of free virtual assistance
http://tinyurl.com/y7tmve


Build blog traffic with these 10 tips
http://tinyurl.com/yxcmfm


Public Radio International
producer shares pitching tips
http://tinyurl.com/yx9y3q

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. Click on the "Topics" arrow on the right side of the blog to find the category you're looking for.
---------------------------------------------------------------

Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®

March 17, 2007: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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

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," a free ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive free 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.

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

Publicity tips/Create a national TV show November 14, 2006

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #319 - Nov. 14, 2006
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.net (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 24,252

=====================================
"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 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.

*********************************************
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 one of the presenters, and I've already got a boatload of ideas and terrific examples to share from successful artists who are publicity machines. The smARTist TeleSummit 2007 will be held Jan. 18-19 and Jan. 22-26. But you can join us tonight from 7 t o8 PM Eastern Time for a free "Virtual TeleSummit Opening Reception Party" to meet the keynote speakers and get a sneak peek at what’s in store for the main event in January. Learn more about tonight's event and download a free gift "61 smARTips" at http://tinyurl.com/yxopuo Even if you can’t make it, sign up and you’ll have access to the post-event recording online!

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

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

1. Create a National TV Show

2. Host a Media Panel

3. Follow Up, Follow Up, Follow Up

4. Media Leads

5. Marketing a Music Education Program

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

==================================
1. Create a National TV Show
==================================

How would you like to have a national TV show, in 20 markets throughout the U.S., for only $400 a month?

Don't have $400 to spend? That's OK. You can have the show anyway and actually make money on it by selling sponsorships.

Still interested? Read on.

The show can help you drum up more business--from people who watch the show and from guests, like CEOs, who you invite onto the show to interview and who are so impressed with you that they hire you for a consulting project.

If you're a speaker, you can create shows and air them in cities where you'll be holding public seminars.

If you're an author, you can create a show that reaches 1 million people a month or more--a way to entice publishing houses to publish your book, now that you already have a platform.

Author and PR practitioner Robert Smith of Rockford, Illinois had his own business show in seven markets. He interviewed a variety of business people, including CEOs, charged them if they wanted him to promote their products on the show, and ended up with more consulting assignments, more money in his pocket from the sponsorships, and more book sales.

Robert discovered a little-known secret that the cable TV companies wish you didn't know about. It's called leased access programming and it's required by law. Here's how it works:

Unlike the public access channel, which lets anyone in the community create and air their own show for free, leased access lets anyone from any community buy inexpensive air time for a show they've already created. In some markets like Cincinnati, Ohio, you might pay only $79 to air a half-hour show. In even smaller markets, you might pay as little as $9 for 30 minutes.

Many people who buy leased access create the standard infomercials. But Robert thinks it's far more effective to create an actual TV show in which you're the host. This builds your celebrity status. Then you can weave information about your own products and services into the script.

You can also invite guests onto the show, interview them, then charge them a sponsorship fee if they want you to hold up their book, or talk about their product or service. A chef can do cooking demonstrations. A dog trainer can teach people how to train their dogs, etc.

Before you start, be aware of the hoops the cable companies will make you jump through before your program airs. For example, many cable companies require you to have a million-dollar insurance policy, and waivers from people whose products you'll be promoting.

Robert has figured out a way to deal with those annoyances. He explains how he does it, and how you can too, during the interview I conducted with him called "How to Create a National TV Show for Less Than $400 a Month." It's available as a CD or electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved. Each is $39.95.

Order the CD: http://tinyurl.com/yzu6b6

Order the electronic transcript: http://tinyurl.com/sugjb

If you're not interested in your own TV show, but you want to learn more about how to use video so you can embed video into your press releases, or you want to create video products (even if you don't have a computer), check out Tom Antion's 2-CD set at http://tinyurl.com/y3b6wj


==================================
2. Host a Media Panel
==================================

When Colin Hutt wanted to call attention to his Milwaukee marketing communications firm earlier this year, he searched for an idea that would attract not only the media, but companies that were in a position to hire him.

His firm, Primum Marketing Communications, was already making a name for itself in the red-hot biotech industry. So he invited journalists from throughout Wisconsin who cover biotech, most of whom already knew him, to appear on a media panel and explain to interested companies what kinds of stories they want to cover.

He invited the Wisconsin Biotech & Medical Association to co-sponsor the event and promote it to their members. He charged $10 per person.

"Because we organized the event, the registration fees came to us," Colin said. "Not only did we further our position as experts in the complex biomedical industry, we also covered our expenses and made a little profit."

He even got creative with the location and asked a biomedical incubator facility in Madison to host the event. "They have brand new high-tech facilities--perfect for the image we wanted to convey," he said. "They were eager to increase their visibility and champion the industry, so they didn't charge us for using their large meeting room and A/V equipment."

More than 60 industry executives, marketing and communications professionals came to hear journalists from four newspapers, a magazine and a TV station talk about the kinds of tips and trends they're looking for.

Everybody won. The journalists where thrilled that they had dozens of sources and story ideas. The biotech companies knew exactly what the journalists were looking for. And Colin had an audience of 60 potential clients. He also positioned himself as a golden source for the journalists.

"You can do this for any industry where you want to have a toehold," he said.

He's thinking of hosting a similar media panel next year for the construction industry, another industry from which is company is attracting clients.

What kind of media panel can your organization sponsor?

If you work in PR, this is only one of many ways to court potential clients. Marcia Yudkin and I know 24 more ways to find business. We explained them all during the teleseminar we conducted called "24 Ways to Attract Clients to Your PR Practice." It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript, and most of the ideas are just as effective for any business, not just PR. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/8txj8


==================================
3. Follow Up, Follow Up, Follow Up
==================================

I hate it when people call or email me and ask if I got their press release, or if I received their client's book to review.

I hate it even more when they call or email two, three, maybe even four times until I finally respond.

But guess what?

These persistent people are sometimes the ones I write about in this newsletter, or who show up in my blog, or whose books I feature in The Publicity Hound paid newsletter.

It happened again last month. A publicist who had sent me a book to review called and emailed to make sure I got it. I hadn't. So he sent it again. Then he called and emailed yet again. Because he refused to give up, and he had a great telephone manner, and the book would interest my readers, I ended up featuring the book in the November/December issue of The Publicity Hound newsletter.

Other people aren't as smart. Some call and never even identify themselves. Or they call and ask dumb questions. Or they sound like 16-year-olds who can't string a noun and a verb together. Or they send email messages that show up with funky characters on the screen because they never took the time to send it to themselves first to see what it looks like.

Jill Lublin says there's a right way to follow up and generate publicity, and a wrong way to follow up and be viewed as a pest. She explains them all during the teleseminar we conducted called "Failproof Ways to Follow Up After Sending a Press Release or a Story Idea." It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can be reading as soon as your order is approved.
Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/bmyn7


=================================
4. Media Leads
=================================

--Freelance writer Judy Mandell is writing an article for "USA Weekend" magazine about ways manufacturers will cater to women buyers in 2007. "Are they adding anything new? What are the hot models by gender? What are the accessories etc. that women most request as extras on cars, compared to what men request? This article may be pegged to the new year. I'm especially looking for studies/data/statistics on what women vs. men are more likely to buy. For example, who's buying SUVs--all those soccer moms? This example is an old one. What's the new/next generation of women and men buying by age, single or married etc.?" Don't send attachments. Email mailto:judy804@aol.com?subject=Your_USA_Weekend_Query


--Judy is also writing for the "Robb Report," the monthly magazine for ultra-affluent readers with an average household income of $1.18 million. The magazine is looking for aviation and boating stories for this winter and spring, but no profiles. What's new, exciting, scary, wonderful, up-an-coming in terms of high-end boating and flying? No attachments, please. Mailto:judy804@aol.com?subject=Your_Robb_Report_Query


--Marie Lemelle, a columnist for "Save the Date" magazine in southern California, needs, on an ongoing basis, interesting products to feature for its Lifestyle Section. The January issue will focus on women. The products can vary from fashion, health, beauty, hi-tech gadgets, jewelry, etc. Special consideration will be given for products designed, created or manufactured by women business owners. Read more about this magazine and exactly what she needs at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/yfx7l4


--Andrea & Martin Swinton are looking for guests to talk about the topic of collecting for their upcoming "Let's Talk Antiques" radio show starting in 2007 on the VoiceAmerica Channel at http://www.voiceamerica.com/ It's a call-in format. "We are looking for guests to talk about interesting collections they might have, experts in a certain area, authors, interior designers who can talk about blending contemporary and antiques. We are open to any creative angles from Hounds who want to be on the show.Mailto:info@takeaboo.com?subject=The_Publicity_Hound_Sent_Me

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=Media_Lead 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'll mention here.


==================================
5. Marketing a Music Education Program
==================================

This week, five Publicity Hounds have ideas for Kathy Gerschutz of the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. She wants ideas on how to promote the university's Music Business and Entertainment Industries Program.

From Carlo Tarini:

"Set up a series of luncheon conferences with big-time music industry personalities (not necessarily alumnus who are retired--they have time to attend). Throw in 3 days hotel and airfare. Miami is the place to be in winter! Call the series A CLASS APART and charge $5 to attend to cover travel expenses. Once you have your first big name (let's say someone from Motown’s grandiose past), leverage that with other personalities. Once a year throw in an honorary degree award celebration by your faculty. Of course, make it a media event and send out press releases."

From Shel Horowitz:

"Sponsor a regular series of outreach events. Get music execs to speak at a 'what it’s like in the biz' program, maybe once a month. Invite the media and the public. Start and end with a brief talk about how the school trains people to do this work and the contacts you have to help graduates get jobs. Include handouts about the program, and capture attendees’ email addresses for a monthly email bulletin."

From Garth Gibson:

"I noticed your school has a record label. That story needs to be told more. What can your record label do for budding new artists? Does it get them access to a professional recording studio? Can they get a full-length album recorded there? Who’s recorded there already? Is your record label unique for a university? Is your recording equipment unique compared to other universities?"

The Publicity Hound says:

Start pitching the bloggers who write about how to get into the entertainment industry. All you need is one or two great blog "hits" at influential blogs, and word will start to spread. See "How to Pitch the Best Bloggers & Create a Publicity Explosion" at http://tinyurl.com/m7ymr
Read all the responses at http://tinyurl.com/ybf82b


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

The well is dry and I'm run out of questions for the Help This Hound feature, so I'm using one of my own.

I'm starting a big promotional campaign for my free email course called "89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases" and I'm looking for ideas from my Hounds so I don't miss anything.

I'm looking for:

--Contact information for bloggers and ezine editors who would be interested in publicizing this course. I've already contacted many of them, but I want the broadest reach possible.

--Contact information for newsletter editors at trade associations that would be willing to share this information with their members.

--Ideas for places other than article directories to post an article about the course, with tips.

--Authors who are writing about marketing or publicity and might be willing to include this information in their next book.

--Contact information for nonprofits that would be willing to share sign-up information with their members.

--Any other great ideas for promotion.

Hounds with great ideas can submit them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/y4n9zh

I need Help this Hound questions. Send yours to mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=Help_This_Hound


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

The little New York city Yuppette was shopping in an upscale pet center.

"I want a dog of which I can be proud," she told the man behind the counter. "Does that one have a good pedigree?"

"Miss," declared the clerk. "If she could speak, she wouldn't talk to either one of us."


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

Blogitive: A sleazy way to get free publicity
http://tinyurl.com/yzaw6d

Newsletters engage customers
http://tinyurl.com/yzpzku

Free ebook on publicity ideas
http://tinyurl.com/yff4rz

Embedded cartoon animates press releases
http://tinyurl.com/ybw8gc

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. Click on the "Topics" arrow on the right side of the blog to find the category you're looking for.
---------------------------------------------------------------

Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®

March 17, 2007: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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

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," a free ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive free 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.
=======================================================

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

Publicity tips/More election tie-ins November 7, 2006

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #318 - Nov. 7, 2006
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.net (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 23,675

=====================================
"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 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.


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

1. More Election Tie-ins

2. Find Material for Your Bio

3. What Big Magazines Want

4. Media Leads

5. Marketing a Kitchen & Bath Shop

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


==================================
1. More Election Tie-ins
==================================

TV reporter Shawne Duperon had a great item in her newsletter last week about story ideas you can use to piggyback off today's mid-term elections in the U.S.

You might not get very far if you pitch these ideas today because journalists are working crazy schedules. So pitching tomorrow might be a better bet. And you don't necessarily have to pitch these to the national media. If you can comment on the election in any way, your local TV stations and newspapers will consider you "the local angle" to the national elections.

Here are Shawne's ideas combined with a few of my own:

--Are you an expert on leadership, politics, rhetorical criticism, or fighting fair? If so, share your thoughts on what you've seen this election season.

--Are you an expert on how to win or lose gracefully? If so, pass along your best tips.

--It's been a few months since thousands of Latinos marched in the streets. What’s going on with immigration reform? How will today's elections impact Latinos and the rest of the country?

--Voters everywhere say they hate the sleazy mud-slinging TV ads that are getting worse every year. If you're an advertising executive, comment on why politicians keep using them, and whether or not they work.

--Key Senate races like those in Tennessee, Missouri and Virginia are real nail-biters. Call your local TV stations and weigh in with comments about why you voted for your favorite candidate.

--Did you encounter any problems at your polling place? If so, let reporters know.

--The stock market might likely react to the election results. If so, stock market observers and investment counselors can share their thoughts with reporters and bloggers.

--Disgusted with the whole election? Feeling as though you don't have a clear choice? If so, call the media and explain why you didn't bother voting.

Sign up for Shawne's ezine at http://www.shawnetv.com/subscribe.htm

Then check out the two CDs I produced with Shawne. They include 219 story ideas that we're inviting you to use when creating your 2007 media plan. We explain which ones are best for TV and which are best for print.

"116 WOW! Story Ideas from January through June":
http://tinyurl.com/6k7zk

"103 Sizzling Story Ideas from July through December":
http://tinyurl.com/54y6f


==================================
2. Find Material for Your Bio
==================================

If you're an author, speaker or expert on any topic, you need a one-page bio for the media and as part of your marketing materials.

Yet lots of Publicity Hounds write bios so boring that they put readers to sleep.

Writer Faye Quam Heimerl comes to the rescue with a great idea. How about asking people who know you to describe you? Then use their observations for your own bio.

Her writer's group of eight women recently set out to "mine" for bio words by asking other writers a series of questions designed to give them fodder for their own bios.

For example, "What dance style best describes her?" Or "What color best describes her writing?"

The authors then compiled all the responses and used them to create lively, colorful descriptions of themselves for their own bios.

In an article Faye wrote for the November/December issue of The Publicity Hound newsletter, she includes nine great questions that will produce interesting answers.

I wrote an accompanying article that includes nine of my own favorite questions, such as "Who is your hero? And why?" and "What's the one thing you want to accomplish before you die?"

I'm betting that if you answer even just a few of those questions, or ask others to, you'll be able to rewrite your boring bio into one that really pops.

The November/December issue also includes articles on where to hear an interview on how author Jacqueline Marcell generated dozens of celebrity endorsements for her book, how an entrepreneur piggybacked off the YouTube sale, how to promote a special event through public speaking, a new magazine devoted to breast cancer, where to find examples of promotional campaigns in more than 30 industries, where to find great headlines for your how-to articles, how to use MySpace as a publicity tool, where to download a free White Paper on pitching, how to pitch Men's Health magazine, and November and December story ideas.

All for $10. Order at http://tinyurl.com/vwowp


==================================
3. What Big Magazines Want
==================================

Aching to get into a major magazine like Time, Cosmopolitan or AARP?

The easiest way is to start writing briefs on timely, controversial or fun topics, then submit them to magazines on your media list.

When editors are creating a particular issue of the magazine and place a story onto a page, they sometimes end up with a hole on the page because the story isn't long enough.

So they turn to their file of "briefs." These are short little items that Publicity Hounds have submitted, and many of them can be used as fillers. An editor who finds a compelling brief that ties into the topic of the larger article might use it.

Or, an editor might want content on a certain topic but doesn't have the space for a long article. That's when a brief on the same topic comes in handy.

Briefs can include frequently asked questions and answers, a list of definitions on a certain topic, a list of trends, "9 tips on how on how to...." or even a little quiz (my favorite!).

You can also submit the same brief to non-competing publications simultaneously.

Learn about the nine types of briefs, how to write them and how to submit them on the CD called "Briefs, Fillers & Quizzes," a recording of a one-hour seminar I conducted. 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/d74h7


=================================
4. Media Leads
=================================

--CNN wants to know how you're spending Election Day. It wants to see your videos, photos and stories about going to the polls and watching the results come in afterward. It also wants video of last-minute political rallies and parties. And it wants to know if you experienced any problems when voting. You can send files and email directly from your computer. Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/ymz6yx


--Bob Greiner, editor for local news, says The Washington Post is collecting stories from voters today to assist journalists covering the election. You can offer your story and contact information at http://tinyurl.com/ye7aa6


--USA TODAY reporter Jon Swartz called yesterday and said he's still looking for sources for a story on online banking. He wants to interview small business people who have lost $15,000 or less to online fraud in the past year. "If you were a victim, can you please share your experience with me and our readers? This would be an illuminating, and cautionary, tale on online banking." Mailto:jhopkins@usatoday.com?subject=Online_Banking_Source


Getting into any of these three top-tier media outlets is a great media hit. But sometimes you can get even greater exposure for your product, service, cause or issue by being mentioned on popular blogs. That's because unlike traditional journalists, bloggers love to link to each other.

"How to Pitch the Best Bloggers & Create a Publicity Explosion" shows you how to find the bloggers that want to know about your story, how to get to know them and how to pitch them. Pitching bloggers is very different than pitching journalists, and you have to know what you're doing, or you risk being embarrassed if they post a nasty comment about your bad pitch. I joined Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff (The Blog Squad) several weeks ago and we shared our best tips.

The interview is available as a CD or electronic transcript. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/m7ymr


==================================
5. Marketing a Kitchen & Bath Shop
==================================

This week, eight Publicity Hounds have advice for marketing consultant Karla Swita of Mosinee, Wisconsin on how to promote her client, a kitchen and bath shop.


From Linda Barrett:

"The most difficult part of having a showroom is getting people to come to it. Encourage referral sources by inviting related local association members like NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry), HBA (Home Builders Association) and IFDA (International Furnishings and Design Association) to the shop and hold demonstrations while they are there. Invite them for cocktail parties or have the manufacturer's reps in for a demonstration and a cookout. Provide food, drink and door prizes. Also, invite associations to hold their meetings in your location."


From Monica Ricci:

"Perhaps he could partner with an upscale home builder and put his kitchen and baths into a few model homes with marketing materials there to let people know that they are a special product and that they can request his product when buying a home. Along that same line, he could also partner with a home builder, and the two could co-brand by marketing the kitchens and baths as upscale and exclusive. For example, 'Joe Smith Homes only uses XYZ Kitchens and Baths.'"


From Jay Scott:

"Get a chef to do public cooking demonstrations in the demo kitchen. Promote the usefulness and versatility of the kitchen in this way. Perhaps eventually the chef would/could become the 'spokes-model' for the company."

The Publicity Hound says: How about ghostwriting some how-to articles for your client, like "How to remodel your kitchen on a budget" or "7 little extras that make bathrooms luxurious." Offer them to local newspapers and magazines that are printing special sections devoted to remodeling. Then post the same articles to online article directories.


"How to Write How-to Articles for Newspapers, Magazines & Trade Journals" walks you step-by-step through the entire process. It also includes a template for writing a how-to article. This is available as a CD or electronic transcript that you can download as soon as your order has been approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/dnxhb

Read all the responses at http://tinyurl.com/ynh3kg


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

Kathy Gerschutz of the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida writes:

"I am the first-year teaching assistant in the University of Miami's Music Business and Entertainment Industries Program department, and one of my major responsibilities is to promote the program.

"Our goal is to be recognized as an important preparatory program for aspiring industry professionals by both the music industry community and the greater community. Miami’s MBEI program was the first of its kind, and prides itself on keeping current with today's trends in the music industry and in preparing students for careers through in-class teaching and practical, real-world experience.

You can visit our website at http://tinyurl.com/yft2je I’m working on a newsletter to send to members in our alumni database. But beyond that, I’d love to hear some creative ideas for promoting our college program, inexpensively or free if possible. In today's competitive music industry market, we’d love to help the program’s graduates in getting a leg up.


The Publicity Hound says: Lots of PR directors for colleges and universities read this newsletter and I know their ideas will hit the right note. Hounds with suggestions can post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/ybf82b

If you want more great ideas on how to market your college or university, see "Special Report #15: Publicity Tips for Schools, Colleges and Universities" at http://tinyurl.com/olqx4


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

If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket, then giving your dog two of them.


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

Want to be an expert? Listen to my radio show
http://tinyurl.com/y7axhd

How to write a social media press release
http://tinyurl.com/wznat

Find blog content from these 17 sources
http://tinyurl.com/wxfhg

Church marketing blog worth a visit
http://tinyurl.com/yy7do2

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. Click on the "Topics" arrow on the right side of the blog to find the category you're looking for.
---------------------------------------------------------------

Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound:


March 17, 2007: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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


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

Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," a free ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive free 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's® 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.
=======================================================
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

Publicity tips/Celebrity endorsements October 31, 2006

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #317 - Oct. 31, 2006
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.net (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 23,152

=====================================
"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 ThePublicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me 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.

***********************************************
Pre-Publication Special: New Press Release Ebook

I've compiled all lessons from my tutorial "89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases" into a handy ebook. The PDF document includes live links to every website referenced in the course, as well as bookmarks that will help you find what you're looking for quickly.

If you've taken the course, or if you don't want to hang around for 89 days studying it, you can take advantage of this week's half-price special. That means you pay only $23.50. I don't even have the sales page written yet, but you can read about what the course includes at http://tinyurl.com/u7uys or order the ebook right now for $23.50 at http://tinyurl.com/y9jcym The price goes up tomorrow.

If you'd rather sign up for the free email course, do so at http://www.PublicityHound.com/pressreleasetips/list.htm
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In This Issue
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1. Celebrity Endorsements

2. Collect Editorial Calendars

3. Media Leads

4. Research Before You Pitch

5. Financial Services for Small Biz

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


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1. Celebrity Endorsements
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When Jacqueline Marcell wrote a book about her struggles caring for her father, who had Alzheimer's Disease, she knew how important it was to collect celebrity endorsements for the book.

Jacqueline already had known Regis Philbin from her days working in the TV industry. But she feared that if she approached him to ask for an endorsement, he might view her as a pest.
She mustered up her courage and asked anyway. Regis said yes and gave her this endorsement that's now at the top of the front cover:

"I thought I knew Jacqueline until I read her book. Wow, what a story! If you're caring for an elder, you won't believe how much this book will help you."

That gave her the confidence she needed to collect dozens more celebrity endorsements for her book "Elder Rage--How to Survive Taking Care of Aging Parents." It also goes by the title "Take My Father...Please!"

After a long, painstaking and expensive task that made her feel like an amateur detective, she eventually received endorsements from this impressive list of celebs:

Jacqueline Bissett, Janet Leigh, Betty Friedan, Ed Asner, Ed McMahon, Hayley Mills, Joan Rivers, Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV, Tom Hayden, Leeza Gibbons, Art Linkletter and Erin Brockovich.

That's just a small sample. You can read the entire list and see the photo of Jacqueline and her book on the cover of the AARP Bulletin at her website at http://www.elderrage.com/ The book eventually became a Book-of-the-Month selection and is being considered for a movie.

Along the way, Jacqueline learned how to penetrate the invisible wall that protects the stars and makes them almost impossible to reach. She learned exactly who makes up a celebrity's inner circle. And she discovered how to use those people to get through to the stars and starlets for their valuable testimonials and endorsements.

She lays out her strategy in step-by-step detail for ContactAnyCelebrity.com, the subscription service that maintains a database of contact information for more than 54,000 movie and TV stars, sports figures, famous politicians and even reality TV celebrities. The November/December issue of The Publicity Hound subscription newsletter explains how you can hear the entire interview with Jacqueline for only $1.

The issue also includes an article by Jordan McAuley, creator of ContactAnyCelebrity.com, about how to get celebrity endorsements for a book. Other articles explain how an entrepreneur piggybacked off the YouTube sale, how to promote a special event through public speaking, a new magazine devoted to breast cancer, where to find examples of promotional campaigns in more than 30 industries, where to find great headlines for your how-to articles, how to use MySpace as a publicity tool, tips for writing a creative one-page bio, where to download a free White Paper on pitching, how to pitch Men's Health magazine, and November and December story ideas. The newsletter is $10. Order at http://tinyurl.com/vwowp


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2. Collect Editorial Calendars
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Most newspapers and magazines are putting the finishing touches on their 2007 editorial calendars.

An editorial calendar is the January-to-December list of all special sections and topics that are being planned for next year. It alerts advertisers to the sections where their ads would be the best fit. But editorial calendars can be equally valuable to Publicity Hounds who don't want to spend a penny on advertising.

An editorial calendar tips you off months ahead of time to the sections where you can place stories or how-to articles. Then you can find out which editor is responsible for the section, and ask about the deadline for pitching. Knowing this information will put you miles ahead of your competitors who don't even know about editorial calendars or won't bother to ask for them.

To obtain an editorial calendar, call the publication's advertising department. In fact, ask for the entire media kit which might include other information like pitching tips, the demographics of the circulation area and other goodies.

When you're creating next year's media plan, don't start from scratch. That's the hard way. Knowing ahead of time the types of stories that print and broadcast media love will put you miles ahead of your competitors. I teamed up with TV reporter Shawne Duperon and we brainstormed 219 story ideas the media love.

Some are perfect for print but not broadcast, and vice-versa. Many work just as well for both. We're offering them as CDs that include a downloadable list of every idea, or as downloadable transcripts that also include the list. Read more about what you'll learn from each here:

"116 WOW! Story ideas from January through June":
http://tinyurl.com/6k7zk

"103 Sizzling Story Ideas from July through December":
http://tinyurl.com/54y6f

Smart Publicity Hounds will steal as many of these ideas as possible.


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3. Media Leads
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--USA TODAY reporter Jon Swartz is working on a project on online baking and wants to interview small business people who have lost $15,000 or less to online fraud in the past year. "If you were a victim, can you please share your experience with me and our readers? This would be an illuminating, and cautionary, tale on online Banking." Mailto:jhopkins@usatoday.com?subject=Online_Banking_Source


--Ann Lombardi and Wendy Swartzell, radio hosts/veteran travel consultants, are finishing their book and looking for your best travel secrets and your top questions for a team of travel experts. "We'd like to hear about your own unusual tips or find out your #1 burning question about travel in North America or overseas." From accommodations and airlines to restaurants, packing, etc., the book covers many aspects of the experience. Mailto:TheTripChicks@mindspring.com?subject=TravelBookSubmission

If they include your quotes in the book, you will receive a free copy and you'll be entered in a drawing for a $100 gift certificate. (Valid only in the U.S.; void where prohibited.) They'll also mention your name, city, state and website in the book, or you can remain anonymous.

--Judith S. Lederman, editor of The WAG in New York, Westchester's premiere gabazine, wants "unique and interesting items that would appeal to our age 40+, affluent, cultured and trend-conscious suburban readers." The "Tips & Trends" column is usually short-takes covering gifts, foods, trendy items, etc., with "where to buy" information at the end of the piece. "If you’d like to send samples, we will accept them for consideration, but due to our small staff, cannot send things back."

Items covered in the past include floral foot soak, fashionable self-defense pepper-spray, buy-an-expert, art guild catalogs, exotic fragrances, chocolate-covered anything, a luggage lugging service, an in-flight pillow, exotic Belize resort with concierge service, pet pampering products, etc." Items that have a Westchester County, New York or Fairfield County, Connecticut hook will be given special consideration. High-resolution photography required for all submissions. The column also covers books by local authors. Send short pitches only to mailto:jlederman@westchesterwag.com If she's interested, she will ask you for more information and product samples.

If you have a product that makes the perfect gift for Mother's Day, Father's Day or Graduation Day, you can test-drive The Gift List, a subscription service that provides information for more than 250 top newspapers, magazines and other media that are looking for specific types of consumer products to feature in their gift sections and gift features. Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/9es8y


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4. Research Before You Pitch
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When the Detroit Free Press kicked off several features in its Sunday paper, most PR people in Detroit probably didn't pay much attention.

The sections included a "Michigan" page, a "News to Use" page and another new feature called "You Haven’t Lived Here Until" which captures the experience of living in the area. The smart PR people, on the other hand, read all the new features closely and even commented on them to editors when pitching clients they thought would be a good fit.

"That was smart," said Nancy Laughlin, assistant managing editor." They had gotten to know the paper so well that they could tell when we were doing new features so they could position clients."

The Free Press ended up using several of the stories.

There's no better way to get an editor's attention than to comment on their work. That includes commenting on new sections, features, programs, columnists, freelancers, on-air reporters, radio talk show hosts, even awards the media receive.

But too few people bother doing that. When they call the media, they usually want something. The bottom line to their pitch is "I want you to help me" instead of "I want to help you."

Here are three of the best ways to research media outlets:

--Read newspapers and magazines thoroughly. That includes online versions, which often have more content. Pay particular attention to the column from the editor, a treasure trove of information that often discusses new features, staff members, new geographic areas they'll be covering and trends they think are important.

--Set up a Google "Alert" for a specific reporter or topic, and Google will email you, as often as once a day, a list of articles on that topic, or articles written by the reporter who you want to research. Watch the short video that my friend, Terry Brock, created for me. It explains how to use Google alerts: http://tinyurl.com/c82rm

--Visit the media outlet's website and look around. You might find a profile of TV reporters, or editorial calendars for newspapers and magazines, or archived shows for radio stations. National Public Radio, for example, archives lots of its shows.

"How to Get Booked on National Public Radio," available as a CD or electronic transcript, walks you through the NPR labyrinth and explains exactly how to research shows, pitch the producers, and be the perfect guest. Publicist Lissa Warren has booked more than 100 authors on NPR shows and shares the secrets of what she did. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/ayms6

You can read the rest of the interview that Nancy Laughlin from the Detroit Free Press conducted with Bulldog Reporter about one-third of the way down the page at http://tinyurl.com/wtzzf


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5. Financial Services for Small Biz
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Joey Lo of Hong Kong stumped my Hounds with his query last week about ideas for promoting his financial services company which specializes in factoring to help small and micro-enterprises that offer credit terms to customers so they can generate cash flow without a loan.

"Factoring is buying outstanding invoices at an amount less than face value so companies can receive cash today instead of having to wait for 30 to 90 days. My target clients are growth-oriented companies that are turned down by banks due to their small sizes and insufficient financial histories."

OK, Joey, I'll give it a try. Here are my best ideas on how to promote your business. The two very best ways are speaking and writing. Specifically:

--Write articles about your topic and explain how your service is the solution to the problem small businesses face. Pitch the editors of publications that your target audience reads.

--Pitch bloggers, who are in a position to spread the word about your service. See "How to Pitch the Best Bloggers and Create a Publicity Explosion" at http://tinyurl.com/m7ymr

--Speak at business functions and networking events where small-business people gather. Offer lots of free advice to position yourself as an expert.

--Publish an informational tips booklet for small-business people, and concentrate on the financial aspects of starting a business. The best resource on the planet for tips booklets is Paulette Ensign, the Tips Booklet Queen, at http://tinyurl.com/gnpj7

--Start blogging on this topic.

--Create an ezine or a tip of the week that you can email to a list of people who have given you permission to market to them. A blog used in conjunction with an ezine is powerful.

--Teach classes about your topic in the community.

Add your own ideas to the list by commenting at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/yj5p95


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6. Help This Hound
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Marketing consultant Karla Swita of Mosinee, Wisconsin writes:

"You know the guy who says 'Word of mouth has gotten me this far, so why should I pay for marketing now?' Well, he's my client.

"I'd love some ideas on how to promote a custom kitchen and bath manufacturing shop without sending him into sticker shock. I'm tapped out of ideas on how to help with his modest budget.

"There's a showroom open to the public where they can see options related to constructing the entire kitchen cabinet. I'd also like to hear how others handle the client who believes word of mouth is the only way to go.

"I know a good marketing plan is what he needs, but I'm having more influence by easing into this and proving to him how a good idea works. I'd like to hear how others have been successful in getting publicity for a small manufacturer."


The Publicity Hound says: Clients who aren't convinced they need to market are the worst kinds of clients a marketing consultant can have. But some of my Hounds are savvy consultants who have been in your shoes, Karla. Hounds with helpful suggestions for Karla can post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/ynh3kg


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7. Hound Quote of the Week
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If your dog doesn't like someone, you probably shouldn't either.


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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Author reads to kids on YouTube
http://tinyurl.com/yn7wnq

8 kinds of visuals to enhance your story
http://tinyurl.com/y37rzo

PRWeb ends free service
http://tinyurl.com/y5uob9


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. Click on 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®

March 17, 2007: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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

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

Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," a free ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive free 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 ThePublicity 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