Publicity tips/What You Can Learn from a Puppy August 28, 2007

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #361 Aug. 28, 2007
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 35,280

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityhound.com/tipsoftheweek/

Need help with publicity?
See the resources list at
http://www.publicityhound.com/resources.htm


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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me that 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.

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

Miscellaneous Items:

--I am looking for guest presenters to join me during a weeklong series of teleseminars on how nonprofits can generate publicity. If this is your area of expertise, and you'd like to partner with me to create a product we can both sell, email me at Mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=NonprofitPublicity and tell me why you're an expert, and suggest a specific sub-topic you would like to address.

--"How to Help Your Boss or Client with a Publicity Campaign," a series of Publicity Hound University teleseminars I conducted in June for assistants, virtual assistants and interns, will be ready for sale next week as electronic transcripts, CDs or MP3 files. I'll be offering a special deal to subscribers of this newsletter before I roll out this product to the public. Don't miss next week's issue.

--Thanks to the many Hounds who responded to last week's request for tips on how you're getting through to the media during these days of shrinking newsrooms. Your comments were wonderful, and I'll be posting all of them over at my blog in the next few weeks. Stay tuned.

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

1. What You Can Learn from a Puppy

2. A Ribbon-cutting Worth Publicizing

3. Jump on this Art Controversy

4. Media Leads

5. Promoting a Canadian Boarding School

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


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1. What You Can Learn from a Puppy
======================================

Meet Bogie, our new puppy, at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/2ufguh

She's an 11-week-old purebred German Shorthaired Pointer, the love of our lives.

Bill is in charge of training her because she'll be his hunting companion. I'm devouring the book "Training in No Time," written by dog training expert Amy Ammen, who was in my mentor program, so I can keep up with what he's doing.

After only six days with Bogie, my first experience living with a puppy, I'm learning about things like:

--Persistence. She was out of sight for just a few minutes yesterday and chewed on the "Warning" tag that was sewn into the seam of her doggie bed. She didn't stop gnawing until the entire label was in her mouth. Thankfully, I retrieved it before she could swallow it.

--Risk-taking. We took her on her first walk at the beach yesterday afternoon. She was fascinated by the sights and sounds of the waves lapping at the Lake Michigan shoreline, but decided it was too early to venture into the water. I'm betting she at least sticks a paw into it the next time out.

--Responsibility. After she pooped on our living room carpet this morning, I realized it was my own fault because I became too engrossed in writing the newsletter to give her frequent potty breaks. I'm now relying on a timer to alert me every 30 minutes so we can visit the backyard.

--The importance of grieving after the loss of a pet. Cody, our beloved German Shorthaired Pointer, died on Jan. 13 this year. We needed several months to cry, work through the grief, and heal our hearts so we could welcome a new puppy into our lives and give her our full attention. Bill took Bogie to visit Cody's grave in the backyard, and he told her she has big shoes to fill.

--Opportunity. She's napping in her kennel right now, next to my desk, and I'm racing to complete this newsletter before she awakens for another who-knows-how-many-hours of bedlam.

--Rudimentary engineering skills. Her metal kennel, a big shipping box and a large plastic wastebasket, placed side by side, prevent her from crawling under my desk, where she can chew, then pulverize, a tangled mess of computer wires.

Did the headline on this item catch your attention?

If so, consider creating a list of tips called "What You Can Learn from a Puppy" or "What You Can Learn from a Kitten" or "What You Can Learn from a Porpoise"--or any critter of your choice--and slant it to people with a particular problem or concern.

Then provide a list just like I did. You don't even need to be a pet owner to pull this off.

Submit the list or article to online article directories and your list of media contacts. Heck, the editor of a trade magazine might even welcome an article like this one if the tips dovetail perfectly with what readers need. If you don't want to use this format, consider the same title in a Q&A format, or even a quiz.


Tips lists, Q&As and quizzes are only three of several kinds of briefs I teach you to write in "Briefs, Fillers & Quizzes: How to Write Them and Why Editors Love Them." It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/d74h7


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2. A Ribbon-cutting Worth Publicizing
========================================

I hate ribbon-cuttings of any kind, and most of you have heard me preach that journalists hate them too and usually refuse to cover these cheesy, staged media events. That's because most people are tired of seeing them.

Even attempts at clever or cutesy ribbon-cuttings usually fall flat. But this one is so unusual that it's worth mentioning. I found it over at Alan Sharpe's Direct Mail Fundraising Blog at http://tinyurl.com/2mu4aa

Here's Alan's hypothetical example of a compelling ribbon-cutting:

"Instead of a ribbon-cutting photo featuring your leaders, why not take a photo that features your donors? Let’s say you mailed a special appeal letter six months ago, asking for funds to build a wheelchair-accessible ramp at your summer camp for kids. The money came in, the ramp is complete, and the project was a success.

"You could run a story in your newsletter with the headline, 'New Wheelchair Access Ramp Completed,' accompanied by a photo of the ribbon-cutting ceremony with this caption: "Our executive director cuts the ribbon during the opening ceremony for our new wheelchair access ramp." Boring. The focus of the story is the ribbon and the ramp, not the benefits of the ramp (who it helps) or the cause of the ramp (the donors).

"Instead, you could take a photo of a camper descending the ramp all by herself in her motorized wheelchair. Surrounding the ramp are the volunteers who donated their time, and a representative sampling of donors who gave their gifts. They are all waving and applauding as the girl makes her way to the bottom of the ramp, ready to break through the inaugural ribbon at the bottom with her legs (much the same way Olympic runners do with their chests).

"The headline reads: 'New Wheelchair Ramp Gives One Camper--and Many Donors--a Big Lift.'

"The photo caption reads: 'INCLINED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Dozens of Camp Wikiming volunteers and donors celebrate as 13-year-old Kirsten Jacobs enjoys the fruit of their love, labour and generosity--the new wheelchair access ramp to Lansing Hall."

Thanks, Alan. Newspapers and TV stations might even be willing to cover this one.

The next time you're tempted to break ground, cut a ribbon or pass a check, slap yourself. Then consider all the creative alternatives mentioned on "Fun Alternatives to Boring Ground-breakings, Ribbon-cuttings and Check-passings." It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/7cl6z


=======================================
3. Jump on This Art Controversy
=======================================

If you're stumped about how to generate publicity, one of the best ways is to piggyback onto a controversy with strong opinions.

It isn't too late for artists, African-Americans and others to jump into the fray that's erupted over the Beijing "sculpture of record" for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial set for the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Critics are complaining that the choice of Lei Yixin of China over a black American amounts to"outsourcing."

National Public Radio has already devoted at least three stories to this topic at http://tinyurl.com/2ed7nj

If you know how to write an opinionated, succinct letter to the editor, you're much farther ahead than most Publicity Hounds, and you can use newspaper and magazine editorial pages over and over again to promote your product, service, cause or issue.

"How to Use Newspaper and Magazine Editorial Pages" shows you how. You'll even learn how to approach the all-important (and sometimes pompous) newspaper and magazine editorial boards and ask them to support your cause or pet project.

Read more about you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/5wh45


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

--Do you know someone who recently obtained a good job outside of public relations? What was the winning tactic? WorkWise columnist Mildred Culp is looking for multiple sources to discuss what they did to get a full- or part-time job. WorkWise is syndicated inprint and online in such papers as The Hartford Courant, the nation's longest-continuously published newspaper, and The DallasMorning News. Mailto:Workwise@Comcast.net?subject=JobHuntingTactic


--Eastonsweb Multimedia recently launched Broadcast Charlotte, an online video channel delivering educational content and event coverage that most small businesses in Charlotte, North Carolina do not receive. Event coverage includes local grand openings, seminars, new product announcements and related content. "Educational content will help small businesses get better PR, improve networking skills, learn from top entrepreneurs and more," says videographer John Easton. Learn more at http://www.broadcastcharlotte.com/


--Baby Boomer couples are invited to apply for the pilot of a new television show "Life Begins at 40." This is how they describe the show: "For many people in their 40s and 50s, the time has come to restructure their life and do something they’ve always dreamed of. It could be anything from owning a Bed & Breakfast to running a Scuba Diving School in the Caribbean. Our television show, 'Life Begins at 40' will give a husband and wife team an opportunity to Road Test their Dreams. Contact Amber Mike, associate producer, at mailto:amber.mike@rdfnewyork.com or 646-747-7940


Thanks to Publicity Hound Dana Hall for tipping us off to this one.


==========================================
5. Promoting a Canadian Boarding School
==========================================

This week, four Publicity Hounds have tips Julie Ann Kodmur from St. Helena, California. Julie needs ideas on how to generate publicity for Shawnigan Lake School, a Canadian boarding school at http://www.sls.bc.ca/?

"The school is frankly a cousin of Hogwarts---uniform Tudor architecture in all the buildings on campus which slope down to a lake, then bordered by a forest and a huge 'great hall' diningroom with fireplaces...We’ve thought of having J.K. Rowling come to do a reading or present an award."


From Garth Gibson:

"You might want to keep alive your Harry Potter links and ride its coattails as long as you can.

"Another might be to link to the attention boarding schools are getting in other parts of the world like the Middle East. These are two major themes of interest about boarding schools that are in the news these days.

"How has your school changed or stayed the same during and after the Harry Potter craze?"


From Michael Draper:

"Think about creating controversy or a challenge. Maybe try doing some type of challenge between some American schools and Canadian schools every year. Setup something similar to the Calgary Stampede format. Every year a team from the schools would compete for a prize or trophy. Pick something that you are good at...The competition can get sponsors and TV coverage."


From Terri Benincasa:

"Lo and behold, you said it yourself!

"With all the Harry Potter-ness right now, 'having your very own Hogwarts for a truly magical experience (wand not included--but also not necessary)' is about the best PR you could get. Withthat description, I’m considering boarding school for myself!


Read all the responses to this Help this Hound question at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/2hu4o9 Then learn more great ideas in"Special Report #15: Publicity Tips for Schools, Colleges and Universities" at http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g


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

Kathy McCabe of Washington, D.C. writes:

"My business partner, success coach Margarita Rozenfeld, are co-sponsoring The Tuscany Visioning Retreat at http://www.dreamofitaly.com/public/365.cfm

"It's a week of personal reflection, goal-setting sessions and cultural encounters at a private villa. It's for men and women. We envision the target audience as 30s to 50s--people ready to refocus their lives, maybe change jobs, start a new business, set personal goals. Margarita and I both have email lists in the thousands, and while we've used them to generate some interest, it hasn't been enough.

"It costs $3,199 for the week, including luxurious accommodations at a private villa, coaching sessions throughout the week, pre-and post-retreat phone sessions, nearly all meals, a day trip to hill towns and vineyards, and a cooking lesson.

"How do we publicize this 'new kind of travel experience' to an audience that is used to traditional tours? We're having trouble hitting the right angle. Many thanks to your Hounds for any ideas they can provide."


The Publicity Hound says:

Your landing page has far too many distractions. It should be devoted to one topic only: the retreat. I suggest you read Mark Widawer's excellent ebook "Landing Page Cash Machine" at http://tinyurl.com/y6wws5

Once you've improved the landing page, you'll need many other promotion ideas. And my Hounds are up to the task. Hounds, what would you want to know about this retreat to Tuscany before you commit to spending $3,200? If you have suggestions for Kathy and Margarita, post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/2ghdn7


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

Poem for New Puppy Owners:


Don't chew my books, don't eat my plants,
Don't steal food or underpants.

Don't eat my socks, don't grab my hair,
Don't rip the stuffing from that chair!

Don't eat those peas, don't touch that bush,
Don't chew my shoes, what IS that mush!?!

Eat your treats and drink your drink
Outta the toilet! Outta the sink!

Away from the litter box. It's for the cat!
(And must you kiss me after that?)

Raising a puppy is not for the lazy,
Those rug rats are funny, but also quite crazy.

Don't despair through the toil and the strife.
'Cause after three years you'll get back your life.

So let's go for a walk, and you do your "thing"
And maybe I'll get back my diamond ring.

--Author unknown


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

BusinessWeek Chicago to launch in November
http://tinyurl.com/ytywhu

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Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®


September 11: Brookfield, Wisconsin

Association for Volunteer Administration of Southeastern Wisconsin, keynote presentation on "Savvy Media Relations: How to Get Thousands of Dollars in FREE Online and Offline Publicity," 9:45 a.m., University of Phoenix Metro-Milwaukee Campus, 20075 Watertower Blvd. $30 for AVA/SEW and IAVC members, $40 for non-members. Deadline August 31. Learn more at http://www.ava-sew.org/content/blogcategory/5/4/or call Kay Bloesl at 414-571-1327 to register.


September 12: Germantown, Wisconsin

Menomonee Falls Rotary Club, noon, "How to Generate Thousands of Dollars in Free Print, Broadcast and Online Publicity," Lohmann's Steak House, W183 N9609 Appleton Ave. 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," an ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email the handy list "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."

If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues.


You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me you want to subscribe.

PRIVACY STATEMENT: The Publicity Hound® respects your privacy and has a strict anti-spam policy. Read my privacy policy at http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm

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

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #360 Aug. 21, 2007
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 34,424

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityhound.com/tipsoftheweek/

Need help with publicity?
See the resources list at
http://www.publicityhound.com/resources.htm

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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me that 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.

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

While I'm Gone...

I will be out of the office Aug. 20-24. If you have a customer service problem you need solved, please contact Christine Buffaloe, my customer service manager, at mailto:serenityva@wi.rr.com or call 262-238-0868.

Also, Chris has solved the problem many of you PayPal customers have experienced with not being able to download your electronic documents after your order has been approved. The entire ordering process should be smooth sailing from now on.

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

1. Mattel's Toy Recall

2. A Tip for Grant Recipients

3. A Fun Event for Food Pantries

4. The Shrinking Newsroom

5. Promoting a Book on Hawaii

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week


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1. Mattel's Toy Recall
======================================

Mattel's second toy recall in less than two weeks presents publicity opportunities galore for smart Hounds:

--Pediatricians and other medical experts can offer advice on what parents can do if they think their children have been exposed to hazardous toys.

--How do you take toys that have been recalled away from children without resulting in temper tantrums from them and long explanations from you?

--Can your company, agency or school offer other alternatives to entertain kids? What about simple home-made toys you can make yourself?

--How can parents best protect their kids against dangerous toys and jewelry? Consumer experts can comment.

--Should we be more suspicious than ever of anything with a "Made in China" label? Let journalists know if you have manufacturing experts who can comment on this topic.

--If your company makes things that are used by children, what kinds of safety regulations do you follow?

--Mattel did a lousy job of damage control when this crisis hit. If you're a crisis counselor or PR expert, what do you think the toy maker should have done?

--Mattel has warned that it could announce more recalls. That has led some experts to question the fate of the Mattel brand in the wake of the bad news. Branding experts should offer comment on how this crisis might affect Mattel.


When a crisis like this hits, will journalists be able to find your experts who can comment? One of the first places they look is Expertclick: The Online Yearbook of Experts at http://tinyurl.com/f5evn Publicity Hounds get $100 off the subscription price.


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2. A Tip for Grant Recipients
========================================

Thanks to Publicity Hound Beth Bilderback, public relations specialist for Nauticus, a marine science center in Norfolk,Virginia.

She was in the audience on Tuesday when I presented my "Savvy Media Relations" workshop, and she passed along this great publicity tip for anyone who receives grant money:

"This summer, we received a hefty grant to fund two oceanography camps for two separate groups of 10th-graders. One requirement was that the students put together a PowerPoint presentation detailing all of their marine biology activities throughout the week and show it on the last day of the camp.

"For one of these last days, we invited both the board of the funding organization and a local reporter, who sent a photographer to follow the kids on their field trip that afternoon so they could get a good visual.

"It was win-win all around. The granters got to see the very real return on their investment. The students were delighted at the attention (parents were of course also invited). The hard work of all who put the camp together was recognized, and the media highlighted a really successful partnership.

"We ended up getting an article on the front page of the local news section. Lesson: Don’t just announce that you've received grant money. Follow up with a happy ending."


That's great advice, Beth. OK, Hounds. If you've put grant money to good use, let the media know the rest of the story.


Nonprofits think they face a more difficult time than businesses generating publicity, but that isn't necessarily so. Paul Hartunian knows lots of tricks that nonprofits can use to get media attention. He explained them all during a teleseminar I conducted with him called "Failproof Publicity Tips for Your Nonprofit." It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/29dba


=======================================
3. A Fun Event for Food Pantries
=======================================

During Tuesday's session in Norfolk, I came up with a great idea for Jan Cline who works for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia.

The foodbank gets a fair share of publicity for routine news events, he said, like when the agency really needs donations. But he wanted an idea for something really different that would catch the media's attention.

Here's what I suggested. Have a fun competition between several local chefs. Take five of the same items from your food pantry, like a can of pork and beans, a box of macaroni and cheese, a can of tomato soup, a jar of black olives and a loaf of bread. Then ask each chef to cook a dinner using those items.

Offer the recipes to your local newspaper's food columnist. You can even turn it into a fund-raiser, sell tickets, and serve samples of the chefs' creations.


More great tips involving food are on the CD and electronic transcript called "Publicity Tips for Restaurants, Chefs & Foodies." It comes with a list of all 51 ideas that you can download as soon as your order has been approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/clr26


======================================
4. The Shrinking Newsroom
======================================

Are you paying attention to the layoffs taking place at newspapers of every size, all over the U.S.?

If not, you'll probably be very aware of them the next time you call or email a reporter or editor and don't receive an answer.

Getting a callback was difficult enough even 10 and 20 years ago. Today, however, newsrooms are leaner than ever. Declining readership and advertising, coupled with the millions of dollars in classified ad revenue that has been taken away from newspapers by online bulletin boards like Craigslist, are resulting in massive layoffs.

Editors are relying more on freelancers. And staff writers who still have their jobs are often shuffling multiple beats--sometimes not very well.

I'm writing an article for PR Tactics, the newspaper published by the Public Relations Society of America, and I'm looking for Publicity Hounds to quote in my article.

Is the problem of gaining access to journalists getting worse at your local papers? What tips or tricks can you pass along on how to encourage journalists to call you back? Have you been successful in meeting busy journalists for lunch or coffee? If so, how did you get them to say yes?

Mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=BusyJournalists

I may follow up with a phone interview sometime next week.

In the meantime, let the newspapers' loss from Craigslist be your gain. Craigslist is still one of the very best tools for Publicity Hounds, regardless of what you're promoting. You'll find separate lists for cities all over the world, and dozens of sub-categories where you can post news about classes, events, fund-raisers, new products and services, politics, real estate and lots more. You'll even find discussion forums for whatever topic floats your boat.

But before you start posting, you must know the rules and understand how to develop a publicity strategy that pays big dividends. Nancy Mills explains how on "How to Use Craigslist as a Global Publicity Tool." It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/geog2.


==========================================
5. Promoting a Book on Hawaii
==========================================

This week, seven Publicity Hounds have tips for Karma Bennett of Ulysses Press. She wants advice on how to promote a new edition of the book Hidden Hawaii, which focuses on the places locals love instead of the same tired tourist traps. She's concerned that book reviewers won't pay much attention to a new edition.


From Michael Draper:

"I would recommend keeping each book separate and focused on a new market. It is best to have more products for sale. It will help make you look like the real experts on Hawaii. There is a separate market for each book, and a market that would buy both books. When you release your new book, it will be reviewed as a new book. But I would make sure that the new book is tailored for that different market and not just a redo."


From Andrea Kinney:

"Why not partner with travel agencies to help promote the series? I am a travel specialist who specializes in culinary travel and I am always looking for the genuine aspects of any destination. Offer the books to travel specialists for a free or reduced rate in return for advertising in their newsletters and on their websites. I’m already excited to check out the series for myself!"


From Kellee White:

"I got so much use out of my first copy of Hidden Hawaii. I am thrilled to know it is being updated! Try to get the news into Daily Candy Travel at http://www.dailycandy.com/ They love things like this."


The Publicity Hound says:

National Public Radio is the perfect publicity opportunity for authors. Go to the NPR website at http://www.npr.org/ and use the search box on the top of the homepage to search for travel-related programs. Then pitch the producers on a fun program that ties into the book.


Book publicist Lissa Warren has lots of other tips to pass along on "How to Get Booked on National Public Radio," available as a CD or electronic transcript. She's booked dozens of her clients on NPR shows. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/ayms6


Read all the responses to this Help this Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/2l97no


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

Julie Ann Kodmur from St. Helena, California writes:

"How do you get American writers and, of course, families, interested in Shawnigan Lake School, a Canadian boarding school at http://www.sls.bc.ca/?

"I’ve been doing publicity for the wonderful school where my step-son goes and now find that we need some fresh ideas. The school is frankly a cousin of Hogwarts---uniform Tudor architecture in all the buildings on campus which slope down to a lake, then bordered by a forest and a huge 'great hall' dining room with fireplaces. The faculty are not only very intelligent but enormously empathetic and caring.

"We’ve thought of having J.K. Rowling come to do a reading or present an award. We’ve thought of having the Headmaster write some op-ed pieces for U.S. papers.

"We’re trying to 'junket' some writers up to the campus to shadow some students and go back to their U.S. papers and write up the experience. Do your Hounds have any fresh ideas for publicity?"


The Publicity Hound says:

Many Hounds who read this newsletter do PR for schools, colleges and universities, so I know they'll share some of their best tips. If you have an idea for Julie Ann, post it to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/2hu4o9


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

Thanks to Dan Poynter of Santa Barbara, California for this one:

Terrier + Bulldog = Terribull, a dog that makes awful mistakes

Bloodhound + Labrador = Blabador, a dog that barks incessantly

Collie + Malamute = Commute, a dog that travels to work

Deerhound + Terrier = Derriere, a dog that's true to the end.

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/


---------------------------------------------------------------

Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®

September 11: Brookfield, Wisconsin

Association for Volunteer Administration of Southeastern Wisconsin, keynote presentation on "Savvy Media Relations: How to Get Thousands of Dollars in FREE Online and Offline Publicity," 9:45 a.m., University of Phoenix Metro-Milwaukee Campus, 20075 Watertower Blvd. $30 for AVA/SEW and IAVC members, $40 for non-members. Deadline August 31. Learn more at http://www.ava-sew.org/content/blogcategory/5/4/or call Kay Bloesl at 414-571-1327 to register.


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," an ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email the handy list "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."

If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues.


You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me you want to subscribe.

PRIVACY STATEMENT: The Publicity Hound® respects your privacy and has a strict anti-spam policy. Read my privacy policy at http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm


=======================================================
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/This Retirement Party Rocks Aug.14, 2007

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #359 Aug. 14, 2007
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 34,416

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"
Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
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You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me that 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.

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In This Issue
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1. This Retirement Party Rocks

2. Freelancers: Your Secret Weapon

3. Sell What You Know

4. What Media Bias Means to You

5. Promoting 'God is a Salesman' Book

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


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1. This Retirement Party Rocks
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What? Call a newspaper and ask an editor a cover a retirement party?

You've got to be kidding. Unless, of course, the party has a fun little twist that compels not only print reporters, but the TV news crews to show up.

On Monday next week, friends and associates will gather in North Texas to honor legendary TV weatherman Troy Dungan, who is retiring after 31 years as a forecaster for WFAA-TV.

My friend Jeff Crilley, a reporter for FOX News in Dallas, discussed the party in his latest newsletter, and said the theme is Troy's signature bowtie.

"We'll have a giant bowtie cake, and everyone who attends will be asked to wear a bowtie to share a little sunshine with someone who's been sharing it with us for the last three decades," Jeff wrote. "If you have a bowtie, wear it. If not, don't worry. We'll be handing out paper bowties at the door. My forecast for the luncheon is a full house."

Of course the TV cameras will be there because Troy is one of their own. But the paper bowtie idea is one you can tweak or steal the next time you have a major retirement at your company or organization and you want the media to cover it.

How about asking well-wishers to come with their homemade paper airplanes to celebrate the retirement of an executive who's an amateur pilot? Or paper flowers for someone whose hobby is gardening?

Not elaborate enough for your VIP?

Then how about hosting a progressive dinner? Include the retiree's favorite dishes at different homes, or choose multiple restaurants. You can even transport the guests from place to place on a trolley or bus, or in limos.

The point is, if you want media coverage, make the party fun and visual. Shawne Duperon, a TV producer and reporter in Michigan, says it's important to paint a visual picture of the event when you pitch.

Her advice on how to track down the Queen Bee in every TV newsroom--the person who decides which stories will be covered-- and other tips on how to make your story irresistible for the cameras, are on the CD or electronic transcript "How to Get on the TV News Tomorrow." Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/4zpuz


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2. Freelancers: Your Secret Weapon
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PR people spend huge amounts of time pitching the most influential writers at top-tier media outlets, and too little time finding freelancers who already have built strong relationships with those same newspapers and magazines.

Finding freelancers isn't always easy. But once you know who they are, they can be your secret weapon to publicity. Here are four reasons why pitching freelancers is critical to a PR campaign:

--The vast majority of freelancers sell stories to several media outlets. So if they interview you for one story on a certain topic, and you've helped make their job easy, they'll probably return for another interview for a different article they're selling to a different publication.

--Most freelancers already are well-known by the media outlets they write for. They don't have to put up with the gatekeepers like you do. They can deal with assignment editors and reporters directly.

--If you have a great story idea, all you have to do is pitch the freelancer, who's usually easier to talk to and much more responsive than staff members. It's now THEIR job to pitch the journalists and follow up.

--Freelancers can't pay their bills unless they're continually pitching ideas and selling stories. That means they need great sources just like you to keep the ideas flowing.

On Wednesday, some of best, brightest and PR-friendliest freelancers will explain their inside tips, techniques and practical methods for breaking into some of the biggest publications with your story ideas during a 90-minute telephone seminar sponsored by Bulldog Reporter.

The veteran contributors and the influential publications they write for are:

--Eileen Gunn, Contributor, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, U.S. News & World Report, Worth, Smart Money, Business 2.0, Working Mother, Self, Glamour, Parents and The New York Post.

--Helen Chang, Contributor, Time, BusinessWeek, San Francisco Chronicle.

--Dave Lieber, Columnist, Ft. Worth Star Telegram; Contributor, The Philadelphia Inquirer Sunday Magazine, INSIDE magazine; Stringer, The New York Times.

--Aliza Sherman-Risdahl, Contributor, Entrepreneur, Home Business, Minority Engineer, Professional Woman, SBResources.com, SLNN.com, WomenEntrepreneur.com.

--Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell, Freelance Committee Chair, Society of Professional Journalists; Contributor, Associated Press, World, Entrepreneur, The Kansas City Star.

That's five people who write for more than two dozen publications and websites. It would take me months, maybe even years, to get the inside track on all those journalists.

Read more about the teleseminar and how you can take a major shortcut working with freelancers at http://tinyurl.com/ywghf5

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3. Sell What You Know
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When I left the newspaper business 13 years ago--burned out, disillusioned and hankering to start my own business--corporate consulting seemed the only option.

That meant I never got paid unless I found a company that needed my services. If I worked, I got paid. It was that simple.

But the work/get paid, work/get paid, work/get paid cycle became tiring and frustrating, particularly when there was no work and no pay.

It wasn't until a few years later that I stumbled upon a business model that seemed so much easier, and a heck of a lot more fun. I could sell what I knew--not by providing a service but by creating information products on how to generate publicity, then market them at my website and via this newsletter.

I learned how to create audio cassette tapes, ebooks, CDs, tips booklets, special reports, in-depth training materials, workbooks, videos and more. And the best part was that I didn't have to constantly hunt for people to buy them.

People simply found me, either by typing words and phrases into a search engine and landing at my websie, or finding an article I'd written and posted online, or hearing about about me through a friend.

The orders started coming in, many at 3 or 4 in the morning while I was sleeping, from people I didn't even know.

Work/get paid, work/get paid, work/get paid suddenly turned into work...get paid, get paid, get paid, get paid...

Today, much of my revenue comes from selling products, many of which are created through telephone seminars that people love attending. No crowded airports. No smelly hotel rooms. No lousy meals on the road--for them or for me.

If you hate your corporate job, building an information empire might be just the alternative you've been looking for. Or if you love your day job, but your brain is like an encyclopedia of knowledge on a certain topic or hobby you love, creating info products could be another revenue stream for you.

Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer have helped more people make more money in the information business than anyone else on the planet.

In 2006, Dan's Platinum Members and private clients combined sold well over $200 million dollars of books, tapes, courses, newsletters, seminars and coaching.

Dan and Bill are hosting a free 70-minute teleseminar on Thursday, August 16, on "The Easiest Way to Acquire a Million Dollars by Leveraging What You Know." You can listen either at 2 p.m. or 8 p.m. Eastern.

Register at http://www.dankennedyspecialoffer.com/getinnow/tribar


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4. What Media Bias Means to You
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Publicity Hound Kathi Petersen of Asheville, North Carolina points out the results of a poll that shows more than half of Americans say U.S. news organizations are politically biased, inaccurate, and don't care about the people they report on.

You can read the article at http://tinyurl.com/ypce8a

She writes: "Thought you might want to address this with fellow Publicity Hounds. Does this impact the way the public perceives our news?"

I'm not quite sure what she's asking, but the public has always been skeptical of the media, at least as long as I've been around, and it seems to be getting worse.

Does that mean Publicity Hounds are spending less time trying to get stories placed in the traditional media? Not really. But the smart ones are including influential bloggers, podcasters, ezine editors and non-traditional media among those who they contact with story ideas.

Smart Hounds also know how to deal with biased reporters, or those with a grudge or an agenda. They go into every interview with a level playing field and know how to answer angry, difficult, hostile questions.

Crisis counselor Jonathan Bernstein explains "How to Keep the Media Wolves at Bay" on a CD or electronic transcript that you can download as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about how to deal with the media wolves at http://tinyurl.com/b8wcy


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5. Promoting 'God is a Salesman'
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This week, three Publicity Hounds have tips for Carol Bloom Stevens on how to promote her husband Mark's book "God is a Salesman: Learn from the Master."


From Janet Huey:

"Many hosts of conservative talk shows are religious, and while they are inundated with books, it can't hurt to promote to them. Here's an example: Dan Patrick of KSEV here in Houston is a main host and owner of the station. In addition, he is a state senator and has written a Christian book and plugged Mel Gibson's movie quite a bit. In a market this big, an on-air interview with another author about how the book came to be could be a big hit."


From Cheryl Pickett:

"I'd recommend a page on Shoutlife which is a Christian version of MySpace, as well as offering articles or excerpts to the many Christian newsletters and blogs that are out there."


From The Publicity Hound:

"Pitch influential bloggers who write about religion, and those who write about sales. Start your research by going to Technorati.com and doing a search for 'sales blogs' or 'religion blogs.' When you find one, offer to send the blogger a book."

See "How to Pitch the Best Bloggers & Create a Publicity Explosion" at http://tinyurl.com/m7ymr

Read the complete responses to this week's Help This Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/yvlbcq


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6. Help This Hound
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Karma Bennett of Ulysses Press writes:

"The publishing house where I work was founded with our travel series, the Hidden Guides. The first book, Hidden Hawaii, was, at the time, the only book on Hawaii that actually reviewed and compared the various beaches of the islands.

"Now we are giving the books a whole new look which emphasizes the hidden aspect of the series: the places that locals love, rather than the same tired tourist traps. The trick is that book reviewers don't like to review new editions, so I am looking for a good side-door angle. The original author will not be able to fly to Hawaii for the new edition as we are a small company and the airfare would be expensive.

"I would love to hear what your fellow Hounds can come up with to kick off this series with a bang."


The Publicity Hound says:

Interesting reviewers in your book the second time around is indeed difficult. But there are so many more ways to generate publicity for this series. Hounds can post their best ideas to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/2l97no


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7. Hound Quote of the Week
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"You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, 'My God, you're right! I never would've thought of that!' " -- Dave Barry


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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Website traffic eluding you? Free White Paper has tips
http://tinyurl.com/2x7pco


Airlines magazine to feature best Road Warrior on cover
http://tinyurl.com/3aqc2y


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Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®


August 14: Norfolk, Virginia

9 a.m. to noon: "Savvy Media Relations: How to Get Free Print, Broadcast & Online Publicity." 1:30-4 p.m.: "The New Rules of Press Releases: How to Write Them for Consumers, Not Only for Journalists." Each session is $97. Or attend the entire day for $147, and save $47. Register at http://www.PublicityHound.com/norfolk.htm


August 15: Virginia Beach, Virginia

I'll be spending the day with Internet marketing expert Tom Antion, my mentor, in his office, learning the latest strategies for Internet marketers. It's the annual daylong training session for members who join the Internet Association of Information Marketers at the highest level. If you earn most of your revenue through Internet marketing, you can join at the Outer Circle level, then meet us at Tom's place for this day of training. This one day alone is worth 50 times more than the price of membership. Or if you're just starting out, join for $15 a month. Learn more about the association at http://tinyurl.com/54dp6


September 11: Brookfield, Wisconsin

Association for Volunteer Administration of Southeastern Wisconsin, keynote presentation on "Savvy Media Relations:How to Get Thousands of Dollars in FREE Online and Offline Publicity," 9:45 a.m., University of Phoenix Metro-Milwaukee Campus, 20075 Watertower Blvd. $30 for AVA/SEW and IAVC members, $40 for non-members. Deadline August 31. Learn more at http://www.ava-sew.org/content/blogcategory/5/4/or call Kay Bloesl at 414-571-1327 to register.


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," an ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email the handy list "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."

If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues.


You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me you want to subscribe.

PRIVACY STATEMENT: The Publicity Hound® respects your privacy and has a strict anti-spam policy. Read my privacy policy at http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm

=======================================================
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/Why I'm Crying Elephant Tears, Aug 7 2007

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #358 Aug. 7, 2007
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 33,589

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

"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 that 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.

*******************************************************
TELESEMINARS FOR HOUNDS:

Here are two teleseminars you'll want to know about, both on Thursday:

--Listen to Steve Harrison's "Seven Things You Absolutely Must Know to Get Publicity in Major Magazines and Newspapers" at 2 or 7 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, August 9. The 90-minute call will explain the three biggest mistakes most people make trying to get publicity in magazines and newspapers. You'll also learn how to understand the mind set of top magazine writers and editors, how a woman was so good at getting advance publicity her book hit the New York Times Best Seller List BEFORE her publication date, an incredibly simple strategy for scoring an Associated Press story about you that runs in dozens of newspapers across the United States, how to contact journalists, and how to spin a small story into a much larger feature for yourself. Steve has offered this call in the past, and I know you'll come away with some good tips." Read more about it at http://www.freepublicity.com/printpublicitycall/?10011


--"Pitching Holiday Gift Guides: Editors Show How to Get Products in Front of Millions of Shoppers," 1 PM Eastern on Thursday, Aug. 9, sponsored by Bulldog Reporter's PR University. The winter holiday shopping season is make or break time for many companies with seasonal gift-oriented products to sell. That's why so many PR pros start working this summer to finagle their products into the media's most credible holiday shopping guides and product reviews pages. Get an inside look at the secrets of scoring valuable coverage in the nation's top holiday gift guides--from the very editorial gatekeepers who decide what runs and what doesn't. They'll outline what they're looking for and when, this year's hottest items and how best to position your product for optimal placement in front of millions of holiday shoppers. Register at http://tinyurl.com/2bpyxv
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In This Issue
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1. Why I'm Crying Elephant Tears

2. Keep Your Message Clear

3. 6 Ways to Attract More Clients

4. Promote a Book with a Contest

5. Making a Website Ready for Visitors

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


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1. Why I'm Crying Elephant Tears
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I love getting Hound success stories from readers like you.

But sometimes I cry big, fat elephant tears when I learn about missed opportunities, or how people who generated fabulous publicity didn't follow up.

Publicity Hound Sue Lowery of Chattanooga, Tennessee saw a short news item on one of her local TV stations about how the Bliss spa in Dallas, Texas pampered an elephant the day before it was making its Dallas debut at the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus.

She said the news clip showed a spa worker giving the elephant a facial by slathering mashed avocado all over its face. The worker also used an oversized nail file to give the elephant a pedicure.

Curious, Sue started searching for the story online and found a shortened video clip at the Dallas Morning News website at http://tinyurl.com/2x33bj She sent me the link.

I watched it this morning, and got all excited that I had stumbled upon a great story. I Googled the Dallas Bliss, found the website, but saw that the only phone number listed was the one to call for reservations. I was hoping to reach the manager and ask her how the story originated, then congratulate her on a brilliant publicity coup.

Silly me.

I reached what sounded like an answering service, or perhaps the woman who takes reservations for the entire Bliss chain of spas. She said there was no way to reach the manager, and the only thing she could do was send her an email on my behalf.

When I asked for the manager's email address, she wouldn't give it to me. So I patiently dictated the message. She asked me to wait while she proofread it.

This, my dear Hounds, is called making somebody jump through hoops to give you publicity. Had I been a working journalist, I would have given up long before then. I patiently explained to the woman who answered the phone that I send this newsletter to more than 30,000 people, and this was a chance for the spa to get even more publicity. She didn't seem impressed.

What can Publicity Hounds learn from this lesson?

--Make sure your front-line employees understand the importance of media inquiries. Give them an emergency telephone number they can use if the media call on deadline. Better yet, include the emergency number at your website.

--When you get a fabulous media hit, include it at your website. Most local and network news people will gladly let you use the clip. I found nothing at the Dallas Bliss site--not even a mention.

--The Bliss Press Room included several press releases which I didn't have time to open. I couldn't find the name or phone number of a media contact anywhere on the site. Put contact information--including a shipping address, phone number and email address--in an easy-to-find place on your homepage.

--I got callbacks from Vollmer PR, the local firm in Dallas, which pitched the idea, and from the Bliss national PR person who told me they won't put the media contact phone number on the homepage because they get "flooded with calls." (I thought lots of calls were a good thing, not a bad thing.) Besides, she said, the national media all know how to contact them, which I find difficult to believe.

She asked if I wanted to be added to their media list. Uh, no thanks.

Tips on how to make it easy for the media to find you, plus thousands of helpful suggestions on how to make your company media-ready, then build strong relationships long after the interviews are over, are in "How to be a Kick-butt Publicity Hound," my most popular ebook. We've even added an entire lengthy chapter on blogging. Read more about what you'll learn at http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity/publicityhound.htm


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2. Keep Your Message Clear
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When you interview with the media, you always risk working with a reporter who doesn't understand your key point, or the most important thing you want to communicate.

Crisis counselor Lou Hampton of the Hampton Group in Washington, D.C. offers these six handy phrases to use during interviews:

--"The key point is..."

--"The bottom line is..."

--"The one thing people need to realize..."

--"Let me repeat that, because it's such a critical point..."

--"One trend we see..."

--"What is especially exciting/surprising/unexpected..."

The phrases are included in Lou's deck of Mem-cards, a package of 26 cards, each featuring a media tip for Hounds who interview. Use the cards as handy reference tools while you're waiting in the green room on the "Today" show. They also make great gifts for clients--even if you're on a budget. The cards are $9.97 per deck until August 31.

Read more about them at http://www.hamptongroup.com/meetthemediacards.htm


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3. 6 Ways to Attract More Clients
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Lots of people are complaining that business is flat during these slow days of summer. If you're among them, consider these six ideas for attracting more clients:

--Create a short presentation on how people can solve the most pressing problem that ties into the product or service your company sells, or the cause or issue your nonprofit addresses. Then hit the speaking circuit in your town. Dozens of service clubs are looking for luncheon and dinners speakers. This is what I did when I started my consulting business, and many people in my audiences hired me to help with their PR.

--Write articles for article directory sites like http://www.ezinearticles.com/.Make sure the author resource box links to your website. Be sure to capture email addresses at your site. I do with Hover Ad Creator, powerful HTML coding that makes the sign-up box at my website bypass spam filters. Learn more about it at http://www.marketingtips.com/hover/t/827664

--Start blogging. The search engines love timely, content-rich blogs, particularly on niche topics. The more you blog, the more traffic you'll get.

--If you sell anything that helps people generate publicity, consider joining The Publicity Hound's Resources List at http://www.publicityhound.com/resources.htm This is where I send callers when they want to know who I recommend to help them write press releases, proofread their copy, or contact the media on their behalf.

--Swallow your pride, call former clients and tell them you need more work.

--Go to the Craigslist in the city closest to where you live at http://www.craigslist.org/ and start posting tips on this f~ree community bulleting board. Then link to your website. See "How to Use Craigslist as a Global Publicity Tool" at http://tinyurl.com/geog2

If you're a PR practitioner or a publicist, you'll want to know about the 24 ideas I brainstormed with Marcia Yudkin on how to bring more clients through the door. They're on a handout that accompanies the CD and electronic transcript called "24 Ways to Attract Clients to Your PR Practice," and you can download it as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/8txj8


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4. Promote a Book with a Contest
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Dorothy Molstad, marketing manager for Voyageur Press in St.Paul, Minnesota, deserves a doggy treat for a clever idea she's using to promote their book "Green Bay Packers: The Complete Illustrated History." It hits bookstores next week.

Knowing I'm a Packers fan, she asked permission to send me the book. It arrived with a hand-written note that said:

"I'll bet you'll find many Packer fans read your newsletter if you print something about the book. I'll send a copy to the most distant fan who responds."

If you're a Packers fan in a distant land, email Dorothy and tell her how many miles you live from me at 3434 County KK, PortWashington, Wisconsin. Mailto:dmolstad@mbipublishing.com?subject=PackersContest

The coffee table book sells for $29.95 and includes some interesting photos from yesteryear.


If you're an author whose book has been on the market for several months and your sales have stalled, give 'em a jump-start. Publicist Lissa Warren knows how, and she explains how she boosts sales for her own clients' books on the CD or electronic transcript called "How to Revive a Dying Book Marketing Campaign." Too many authors give up after less than a year, but the most successful ones use many of the ideas she mentions.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/67bhu


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5. Making a Website Ready for Visitors
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This week, seven Publicity Hounds have tips for Nancy Mills, on how she can improve The Spirited Woman website at http://www.thespiritedwoman.com/ by August 11. That's the day that Six Apart, a blogging company, will feature her site as Website of the Day.


From Valerie Hayes:

"I’m concerned that the sign-up box for your newsletter may get lost on the page. Consider enlarging or repositioning it to make it more noticeable."


From Stacey Kannenberg:

"I would profile a highly spirited woman on that day!! I would run a campaign starting today to tie into six degrees of separation to see who your readers already know--people who are a few degrees away to find your amazing spirited lady to profile. Not only will this help you find other spirited women to profile, but it will empower your existing base to help you find some truly amazing people and share the path. For example, I know a producer at the 'Rachael Ray' show...so we are two away from Rachael Ray!"


From Jim Labadie:

"Videotape yourself with a crystal clear message for all those visitors to see first thing on the 11th. Who are you? How do you help them? Why should they subscribe to your newsletter? Besides just looking around, what specific action do you want them to take? Video is such a powerful way to deliver a concise message. And it shouldn’t be like your other video where they have to click multiple times to watch it. It should be like an embedded YouTube video where they click on the video and the message plays."


The Publicity Hound says: Jim's suggestion to offer video is easier than you might think. Tom Antion, my mentor, has created a helpful set of two CDs. Learn how to create high-end infomercials on a low-end budget, how speakers can create their own videos to use in their marketing campaign, and how to create screen-capture videos right on your computer and sell them as info-products. Read more about it and see the cool videos Tom created himself at http://tinyurl.com/y3b6wj


Read all the responses to this Help this Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/37nlvh


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

Carol Bloom Stevens of Rye Brook, New York writes:

"My husband, Mark Stevens, wrote a book called 'God Is a Salesman: Learn from the Master' which will be published by Hachette at the end of this year.

"We are looking for a Christian faith-based PR firm to get the word out to the churches across the country to buy this book. Grace Hill Media does this for movies like Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ." We are seeking specialists in the book publishing industry.

"We're also looking for creative ideas from other Hounds on how our own PR firm, MSCO, can promote this to consumer and business media."

The Publicity Hound says: Lots of authors and book publishers read this newsletter, Carol, and I'm sure you'll get lots of ideas. Here's my own:

Any author who wants to create a buzz for a book on just about any topic should head over to Amazon.com, a high-traffic website that offers 17 opportunities to promote your books, CDs and other products--even on your competitors' product pages. Mark can review other books and even provide a "Top 10" list of his favorite sales strategies or tips. Randy Gilbert and Don Mitchell explain all the other ways to use Amazon to promote.

They were my guests when I interviewed them on "How to Turn Amazon.com into a River of Gold." It's available as a CD or electronic transcript. You can download the handout with all 17 ideas as soon as your order has been approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/7u76e


Hounds with ideas for Carol can post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/yvlbcq


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

Dogs are better than kids. They eat less, don't ask for money all the time, are trained, usually come when called, never drive your car, don't hang out with drug-using friends, don't smoke or drink, don't worry about whether they have the latest fashions, don't wear your clothes and don't need a gazillion dollars for college. And if they get pregnant, you can sell the pups.


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

Restaurant reviewers report on dirty restrooms
http://tinyurl.com/3d6nxp


Online games, quizzes great for website promotion
http://tinyurl.com/38gmnu


Fortune Small Business wants to know your financials
http://tinyurl.com/2agmkw


---------------------------------------------------------------

Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®


August 14: Norfolk, Virginia

9 a.m. to noon: "Savvy Media Relations: How to Get Free Print, Broadcast & Online Publicity." 1:30-4 p.m.: "The New Rules of Press Releases: How to Write Them for Consumers, Not Only for Journalists." Each session is $97. Or attend the entire day for $147, and save $47. Register at http://www.PublicityHound.com/norfolk.htm


August 15: Virginia Beach, Virginia

I'll be spending the day with Internet marketing expert Tom Antion, my mentor, in his office, learning the latest strategies for Internet marketers. It's the annual daylong training session for members who join the Internet Association of Information Marketers at the highest level. If you earn most of your revenue through Internet marketing, you can join at the Outer Circle level, then meet us at Tom's place for this day of training. This one day alone is worth 50 times more than the price of membership. Or if you're just starting out, join for $15 a month. Learn more about the association at http://tinyurl.com/54dp6


September 11: Brookfield, Wisconsin

Association for Volunteer Administration of Southeastern Wisconsin, keynote presentation on "Savvy Media Relations: How to Get Thousands of Dollars in FREE Online and Offline Publicity," 9:45 a.m., University of Phoenix Metro-Milwaukee Campus, 20075 Watertower Blvd. $30 for AVA/SEW and IAVCmembers, $40 for non-members. Deadline August 31. Learn more at http://www.ava-sew.org/content/blogcategory/5/4/or call Kay Bloesl at 414-571-1327 to register.


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