Publicity tips/Mad as Hell? Let 'em Know Sept 30, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #418 Sept. 30, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/(Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 50,829

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

"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.

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

Don't Miss Twitter Teleseminar and a Recording:

- -If you aren't Twittering yet, you're missing out on one of the
biggest publicity tools on the planet. Join me and Warren
Whitlock, co-author of The Twitter Handbook, for two 70-minute
teleseminars on how to use Twitter to promote. They're from 3 to
4:10 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, Oct. 13, and Tuesday, Oct. 14.
You can sign up at http://tinyurl.com/44593x

- -Tom Antion teaches you his (and my) three-part strategy--
public speaking, Internet marketing and success principles--to
position yourself as an expert and grow your business, including
the three biggest website mistakes. Download our interview at
http://tinyurl.com/4rpwer and read about the 5 important things
he taught me.

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

1. Mad as Hell? Let 'em Know

2. Important Deadline Today

3. How to Build an Army on Twitter

4. Use LinkedIn to Get into Books

5. Promoting a Bargain Shopping Service

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=========================================
1. Mad as Hell? Let 'em Know
=========================================

I had to turn off the TV at 8:15 last night for fear my head
would explode.

After only three hours watching the aftermath of the ugly mess in
Washington, I couldn't stand to hear the commentators and
politicians screaming at each and pointing fingers.

Never mind how much we all lost in the stock market in September.
I just wanted to lock myself in a room and never come out.

So what should helpless Hounds do during a time like this? At
first, looking for the hidden publicity opportunity seems tacky.

But there's nothing wrong with venting constructively, just to
relieve the stress. And if it results in a publicity op, so be
it.

Here are some of my ideas:

- -Answer online polls like the one at
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26870760 on MSNBC.

- -I was fascinated by the first-person accounts--with photos of
people sharing their fears that their homes, jobs and life
savings will vanish--at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26410130/ Why
couldn't a trade association, nonprofit or chamber of commerce
ask for feedback from its own members and post comments at its
website or blog?

- -Let off steam in a video. Financial planners, you can lead
viewers from the video to your website where they can find more
articles, tips, calculators or anything else that will help them
make intelligent decisions about what to do with what's left of
their investments. Parenting experts, how about leading viewers
to a list of tips on how to explain to your kids what's
happening, and how it will affect them?

- -Local and national newspapers will be swamped with letters to
the editor and opinion columns. I'm betting that editors will
open up space in the print edition. So start writing.

- -I've seen a fair amount of ranting on social networking sites
like Twitter but not a lot of constructive tips.

- -Take your own survey among your blog readers, ezine
subscribers or your customers. What do the results show?

Here's what not to do:

- -Please, no petitions, particularly the ones sent via email
with instructions to "send this to everyone in your address
book." They're always ineffective, and they clutter inboxes.

- -Instead, regardless of how you feel about the bail-out, call
your representatives in Congress and vent. Public opinion is
running 3 to 1 against the bail-out, and commentators have cited
phone calls, not emails, from angry constituents as the Number
One reason the bill failed.

- -Maybe it's just me, but I hate snarky, vicious blog comments
left by people too cowardly to sign their real names.

What else are you doing to vent? Post your ideas to my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/3narfb


=========================================
2. Important Deadline Today
=========================================

It's time to celebrate when you capture the #1 position on Google
for your keyword or keyword phrase.

But Debra Holtzman has little time for champagne. That's because
her phone is ringing constantly with calls from journalists and
bloggers who find her in the top spot on the organic list when
they search for "child safety expert."

Guess what else they find?

They find Debra in positions #2 and #3 for the same keyword
phrase. Talk about dominating Google! It's almost impossible
for her competitors to gain any traction.

For Debra, capturing the first three spots on Google is possible
thanks to Expertlick: The Online Yearbook of Experts.

She ranks in the top two spots for her own websites. The #3
position is for her profile at Expertclick, the giant database of
experts that journalists search when they need background and
commentary from experts.

Her Google rank is responsible for interviews she has done with
dozens of top-tier media including NBC's "Today" show, Dateline
NBC, CNBC Asia Market Watch, MSNBC, Associated Press Radio, and
Parenting Magazine, Newsweek, Child Magazine, Star Magazine, Us
Weekly Magazine, USA Weekend Magazine, Reader's Digest, First For
Women Magazine, Boston Globe, Washington Post and Family Circle
Magazine.

Publicity Hound Cynthia D'Amour, who has the #1 spot on Google
for "leadership strategist," renewed her subscription for another
year this morning. Check out her fun photo on her profile page
at http://www.expertclick.com/19-3232

Today is the deadline for Publicity Hounds to save $250 on the
price of an annual subscription to Expertclick, which is normally
$995. Mitchell Davis of Expertclick will let early birds save
$150 if they subscribe by the end of the day, and an additional
$100 if they mention The Publicity Hound or use this link:
https://www.ExpertClick.com/discount/Publicity_Hound

If you call Mitch and his staff at 202-333-5000, they'll take
your call personally and answer your questions. Don't miss out
and have to wait another year for an opportunity like this one.

If you get this newsletter late, call tomorrow morning and tell
him that. Mitch is a good guy and I'm sure he'll honor the
offer.


=========================================
3. How to Build an Army on Twitter
=========================================

Every day, messages flow into my email inbox that say "(Name) is
following you on Twitter!"

Usually, I have no idea who these people are. But they know me.
Or they want to know me.

After Twittering for less than a year, I have almost 1,000
followers--my own little tribe of Publicity Hounds who are
waiting to read about how I spent my weekend, or struggled with
the printer in my office, or found a way to solve somebody's
publicity problem.

Twittering has:

- -Sold many seats to teleseminars I've hosted.

- -Resulted in invitations to be included in people's books and
write articles for their websites.

- -Gotten me in front of people, and their own followers, who I
never could have reached on my own.

In many cases, Twittering is already far more important and
effective for some companies than sending press releases. If
you're not Twittering for whatever reason, you'll be choking on
your competitors' dust if you don't get on board quickly.

Join me as I interview Warren Whitlock, co-author of The Twitter
Handbook, for a two-part teleseminar series on Oct. 13 and 14 on
"How to Use Twitter to Amass an Army of Followers, Customers &
Friends."

Read more about what you'll learn and claim one of the 100 seats
at http://tinyurl.com/44593x

I'll be promoting this to my Twitter tribe, and I'm predicting a
sell-out, like the teleseminars I've hosted on Facebook and
LinkedIn.


=========================================
4. Use LinkedIn to Get into Books
=========================================

Smart Publicity Hounds look for every opportunity to get into
authors' books. I'm in almost 50 books about publicity,
marketing and small business, and I still get leads many years
after a book has been published.

Here's yet another way to get into a book: answer questions that
LinkedIn users ask at that site. Some of the questions are
posted by authors who are looking for people to interview for
their next book.

Last night, Publicity Hound Christine Louise Hohlbaum of Germany,
who is writing her next book, asked this on LinkedIn:

"For my chapter on expectation management for a book on our
relationship to time (St. Martin's Press), I am seeking detail-
rich anecdotes from people who have:

- -Successfully managed others' expectations or;

- -Unsuccessfully managed others' expectations and what you
learned from it

"How do you go about managing people's expectations? I'm not
just looking for the classic 'under promise and over deliver'
message, but more along the lines of how you effectively
communicate so as to avoid 'sticky situations' at the workplace,
in relationships, at home, with friends and family, etc. Thanks
so much in advance! I deeply appreciate your insights!"

If you'd like to answer her question, you can
mailto:christine@diaryofamother.com

Christine offers these instructions on how to ask your own
question and receive instant responses from a variety of experts:

- -Log into your LinkedIn.com account

- -Click on the drop-down box under the tab "Answers." Highlight
"Ask a Question."

- -Write your question in the top line. Add additional
information in the text box below.

- -Select the category to which your question pertains.
Reference whether it's for recruiting, promoting your services or
looking for a job.

- -Click "Ask Question" at the bottom.

- -Select the people in your network to whom the question should
go. At this point you can edit your email.

- -Send your question.

LinkedIn expert Scott Allen says the question-and-answer feature
is one of the most powerful ways to use LinkedIn. During the
teleseminars he conducted with me a few months ago, he explained
how he helped an author use the Q&A feature to generate immediate
support, within 48 hours, for a nationwide campaign she was
launching.

My LinkedIn teleseminars sold out, but we recorded them, and
they're available as electronic transcripts and your choice of
MP3s or Cds. Get started learning "How to Use LinkedIn to
Promote Anything--Ethically & Powerfully" at
http://tinyurl.com/5zvzyd


==========================================
5. Promoting a Bargain Shopping Service
==========================================

This week, 14 Publicity Hounds have tips for Jennifer Melnick
Carota, a gift expert from Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania. She needs
creative ideas for the types of information products she could
develop and sell at a women's expo, where she will be signing
copies of her book, Shop Smart, GIVE MORE."


From Burgundy L. Olivier:

"Look inside your own book. What tools do YOU use when you shop?
Shopping bags/totes? Retractable tape measures? Notebooks
filled with sizes, measurements, pattern names, colors, etc.?
Walkie-talkies? Calculators? Batteries in different sizes? A
spare light bulb? Pens on lanyards? Notepads? Magnifying
glass? Conversion charts? Digital cameras? Powdered drink
mixes in tiny packets?

"Draw from the 'tools required' in order to be a savvy shopper,
and focus on making these available to your shoppers. Sell
yourself, and the rest will follow."


From Margaret Vos:

"Why not introduce a side theme of giving to charities? This
could create a lot of goodwill and profile for you--and I'm sure
you already have a favorite charity you could link to, with
permission of course. Create a lot of positive associations and
potential sales by linking your 'giving' theme to the general
trade show, especially for women are trying to find gifts for
those family members or friends who have everything--and it would
truly be in the spirit of giving. Perhaps your local Breast
Cancer or Red Cross chapters would be a good start?"


From Stephanie Trahd:

"Why don't you collect email and physical addresses with the
promise that they will get something special in return--a
discount on your next product, a free tip sheet, first notice of
your next event/product, never before published guides, etc.

"All you need is an idea for the soon-to-be-released gift and a
sign-up sheet!"


The Publicity Hound says:

Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question
http://tinyurl.com/4zxue7

Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com and include your city and
state.


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

Dr. Shawn Messonnier, a veterinarian and award-winning author
from Plano, Texas, writes:

"I would love ideas from other Hounds on how to promote my new
line of certified organic pet shampoos.

"They're currently available online only at
http://www.drshawnspetorganics.com but should be available at
retail outlets sometime next year.

"I'd like to reach as many pet owners online to get a good jump
start. So far, I've promoted them on my radio show, in my
newsletter, by marketing to our current clients, and writing
articles and being interviewed for pet magazines.

"Hounds, can you help?"

The Publicity Hound says:

My two-legged Hounds love questions about the four-legged
variety, and I know they'll have lots of creative ideas to keep
pups and pooches smelling fresh and clean.


Let's see your best ideas at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/47ldtf


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

I pulled into a crowded parking lot and rolled down the car
windows to make sure my Labrador Retriever had fresh air. She
was stretched out on the back seat, and I wanted to impress upon
her that she must remain there. I walked to the curb backward,
pointing my finger at the car and saying emphatically, "Now you
stay. Do you hear me? Stay!"

The driver of a nearby car gave me a startled look.

"I don't know about you, lady," he said incredulously. "But I
usually just put my car in park."


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

How to choose your profile photo for social networking sites
http://tinyurl.com/4dpxc3


Can journalists and consumers find you on Google?
Http://tinyurl.com/4qkgsb


Writers, follow these 9 photography tips to sell your photos
http://tinyurl.com/4kb8q4


Pitching 'All Things Considered'? Pitch while the story is hot
http://tinyurl.com/3zvu3k


Inexpensive gifts will be in demand for holiday gift guides
http://tinyurl.com/4cpn72


Include special-interest weeklies in national publicity campaigns
http://tinyurl.com/3rpyu3


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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,
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You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The
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PRIVACY STATEMENT: The Publicity Hound® respects your privacy and
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http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm

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

Publicity tips/How to Claim the #1 Spot on Google Sept 17, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #417 Sept. 23, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 50,820

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

"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.

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

Don't Miss Twitter Teleseminar and 2 Recordings:


--If you aren't Twittering yet, you're missing out on one of the
biggest publicity tools on the planet. Join me and Warren
Whitlock, co-author of The Twitter Handbook, for two 70-minute
teleseminars on how to use Twitter to promote. They're from 3 to
4:10 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, Oct. 13, and Tuesday, Oct. 14.
You can start signing up next week.


--If you're an expert who speaks on one of 17 topics, colleges
and universities want to hire you. If you missed last Tuesday's
teleseminar with James Malinchak, the king of the college
speaking circuit, you can learn more about it and listen to the
recording in which he shares the 17 topics that are in demand.
Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/43o9cl


--Tom Antion teaches you his (and my) three-part strategy--
public speaking, Internet marketing and success principles--to
position yourself as an expert and grow your business, including
the three biggest website mistakes. Download our interview at
http://tinyurl.com/4rpwer

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

1. How to Claim the #1 Spot on Google

2. Newspapers Eliminating Zoned Editions

3. Ping: Social Networking Time-saver

4. Advice for Friday's Debaters

5. Promoting Alternative Energy Research

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=========================================
1. How to Claim the #1 Spot on Google
=========================================

When news breaks in the TV advertising industry, journalists
Google "TV advertising expert" and, within seconds, find Adam
Armbruster's telephone number so they can call him for an
interview.

When news breaks in the toy industry, reporters can Google "toy
expert" and find Tim Walsh, who can talk about everything from
Hula-hoops to Wii, Nintendo's home video game console.

Both men have the coveted #1 spot on Google for their area of
expertise.

"When the new Bill Gates commercials came out recently, Fox News
called me and wanted an interview because they wanted to know if
I thought the commercials were a good tactic," Adam said. The
segment lasted about eight minutes.

Reporters from the Boston Globe, E Television, the Daily Globe &
Mail in Canada and other media have found him in the experts
database at Expertclick: The Online Yearbook of Experts.

"The Yearbook of Experts really turbo-charges the PR momentum of
what I'm doing," said Adam, who has had an Expertclick
subscription for only 18 months.

It includes his profile and contact information in the database,
which journalists search frequently, and the ability to post up
to 52 press releases a year with no additional per-release
charges.

Tim, the toy expert, credits Expertclick for his media hits.

"Anytime there's a toy safety recall, or a Cabbage Patch doll
anniversary, or a new hot game, they call me after finding me on
Expertclick," Tim said.

His biggest media hit was an appearance on CNBC's "The Big Idea"
with Donny Deutsch. Donny interviewed Tim for a segment on how to
be successful after you've been rejected. Several toy companies
rejected Tim's idea for a board game called TriBond in which
players have to guess what three seemingly unrelated things have
in common. So he manufactured it himself and sold 3 million
copies.

The Washington Post called Tim for a story on Wham-O's 60th
anniversary because he's the author of "WHAM-O Super Book:
Celebrating 60 Years Inside the Fun Factory," which will be on
book shelves in a few weeks.

KGO radio in San Francisco called him for an interview on Wii,
Nintendo's electronic game "and I've gotten a ton of smaller
media hits as well."

A trade publication even asked him to write an obituary for
Richard Knerr, WHAM-O's founder, who died in January at age 82.

"Expertclick isn't like a typical ad that you hope people find
and read," Tim said.

Sept. 30 is the deadline for Publicity Hounds to save $250 on the
price of an annual subscription, which is normally $995. Mitchell
Davis of Expertclick will let early birds save $150 if they
subscribe by Sept. 30, and an additional $100 if they mention The
Publicity Hound or use this link:
http://www.ExpertClick.com/Referral/Publicity_Hound


=========================================
2. Dailies Eliminating Zoned Editions
=========================================

Local daily newspapers, faced with mounting financial pressures,
are running out of things to eliminate.

This time, it's the zoned editions for local news that are taking
a hit. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recently eliminated all of
its zoned editions, which offered readers local news from the
counties where they live. The Atlanta Journal Constitution
eliminated its zoned editions in July.

Making these cuts means newspapers, forced to lay off workers to
lower their payroll, no longer have to staff outlying bureaus.

But what does it mean to Publicity Hounds who have relied on
local dailies for publicity? Here are four alternatives which you
should also consider even if your local daily still has zoned
editions:

--Think weeklies. If you view weekly newspapers as rinky-dink,
get over it, and start building relationships with local
reporters. See "Special Report #49: 17 Ways to Build Valuable
Relationships with Media People" at http://tinyurl.com/539tcf

--Think video. Newspapers are hungry for your video, even amateur
video, to use at their websites. The next time your group has an
event that the newspaper won't cover, cover it yourself, using an
inexpensive Flip Video camera, and offer the video to your local
TV stations, too. I've explained how to do this at
http://tinyurl.com/4e8j4o

--Think Craigslist. One of the reasons newspapers are dying is
because Craigslist's free classified ads have taken millions of
dollars in ad revenue from local dailies. So start posting your
news to the Craigslist nearest you. Be aware that Craigslist has
strict rules against posting the same item to more than one
category or to more than one list. See "How to Use Craigslist as
a Global Publicity Tool." Craigslist expert Nancy Mills explains
the correct strategies for using this worldwide community
bulletin board to publicize your events and other news at
http://tinyurl.com/geog2

--Remember that most dailies might welcome your news for their
online editions. So identify one editor or reporter as your key
contact, and start building the relationship.


=========================================
3. Ping: Social Networking Time-saver
=========================================

One of the biggest complaints about social networking is that it
takes too much time to post to multiple sites.

Ping to the rescue!

Go to http://www.Ping.fm and open an account. Then decide which
social networking sites you want to receive the information you
post to Ping. The sites include MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn,
Twitter, Jaiku, Delicious, Friendster, Plaxo and more than 20
others. (You must first create separate accounts at whichever
sites you choose.)

You can post your message using AIM, GTalk, iGoogle, Windows Live
Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, WAP, iPhone/iPod Touch, SMS or
email.

When I started using Ping, I included LinkedIn, but I'm removing
it from the list. That's because a lot of the personal
information I post on my Facebook and Twitter pages isn't
appropriate for LinkedIn, which is strictly for business
networking.

LinkedIn, by the way, is very different from many of the other
social networking sites. I've spent a lot of time the last few
weeks answering questions related to public relations, publicity
and even writing, so I can promote my expertise through my
answers.

Scott Allen, a social networking expert, explained how to use the
question feature and many other strategies to forge valuable
relationships with your LinkedIn contacts. The two teleseminars
we conducted sold out quickly.

We recorded them, and they're available as electronic transcripts
and your choice of either MP3 download links or CDs. Start
learning "How to Use LinkedIn to Promote Anything--Ethically &
Powerfully" at http://tinyurl.com/5zvzyd


=========================================
4. Advice for Friday's Debaters
=========================================

Friday's presidential debate, which promises a record TV
audience, offers a golden opportunity for experts to weigh in
with their advice beforehand, their comments during the debates,
and a critique afterward.

Here are some ideas on how to use the three presidential debates
and the vice presidential debate to promote your expertise.

--Experts in anger management can offer advice on how to not get
rattled when somebody is pressing your buttons.

--Speakers and speech coaches, share your tips on how to sound
your best when somebody asks you a question you least expect and
don't want to discuss. Every speaker has faced this problem. But
the presidential candidates must face it head-on.

--Bloggers, write about the debate this week. Tell your readers
you'd like them to weigh in with their immediate reactions during
the debate, and afterward, in the comments section at your blog.

--Twitterers, let your followers know you'll be tweeting your
immediate reactions throughout the debate and invite them to join
the conversation.

--Afterward, create a video that critiques the candidates and
comments on whatever topics tie into your expertise, like image
for image consultants and speech for speech coaches. Upload it to
dozens of video-sharing sites at the same time using Traffic
Geyser at http://tinyurl.com/3sgo6s which will save you hundreds
of hours waiting for each video to upload. Many users are getting
front-page Google listings in just a few hours when they use this
service.

--Contact your local TV stations and offer your commentary
afterward, whether you're a group of soccer moms or a staff of
political science professors.

Local TV will be looking for the local angle to this national
story, and TV producer Shawne Duperon has valuable tips on how to
convince your local stations to feature you on the news. She was
my guest during a teleseminar on "How to Get on the Local TV News
Tomorrow." Take a peek at what she discussed and get started
contacting your local stations today using Shawne's advice at
http://tinyurl.com/4zpuz


==========================================
5. Promoting Alternative Energy Research
==========================================

This week, three Publicity Hounds have tips for Mike Michaud of
Fannin County, Texas, on how he can promote a website on
alternative energy research in a non-partisan way.

From Loretta Lynn:

"Promote it on MySpace, Linked In, Facebook, the usual social
media outlets....You can use Twitter to blog about it." (See "How
to Use Facebook to Promote Your Business or Nonprofit" at
http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar/facebook.htm )


From Gail Sideman:

"Stock your website with facts, facts and more facts--not with
pages of copy, but quickly and concisely so that people can get
the idea quickly.

"Include case studies about why alternative sources of energy are
so necessary for the future of our country. Again, keep it
concise and highlight the benefits so the average Joe/Jane can
understand.

"To highlight the bipartisan aspect of this effort, gather
comments from people who represent both sides of the aisle about
the importance of the research and why they believe in it."


From The Publicity Hound:

Create Google Alerts at http://www.Google.com/alerts for specific
keywords, so that you know on a daily basis what is being
discussed online about this topic. The Alerts will lead you to
bloggers. Post comments at their blogs and let them know about
your campaign. See "How to Pitch the Best Bloggers & Create a
Publicity Explosion" at http://tinyurl.com/m7ymr


Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question
http://tinyurl.com/622sud


Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com and put Help This Hound in the
subject line. Include your city and state.


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

Jennifer Melnick Carota of Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania writes:

"I am an expert bargain shopper and 'give-ologist' known as the
Gift Therapist. I have a ton of fun teaching folks how find
fabulous gifts on a shoestring budget.

"I recently combined all of my bargain shopping tips and gifting
advice into my first book titled 'Shop Smart, GIVE MORE' and I
have been asked to speak about it next month at a regional
Women's Expo in the Pittsburgh area.

"I have purchased table space where I will sign my books
throughout the two-day event, but wondered if your Hounds had any
creative ideas on what other types of informational products I
could develop and sell at the Expo, as well as the upcoming gift
giving season.

"The event begins October 11. Yikes!"


The Publicity Hound says:

Yikes is right, Jennifer. Luckily, information products are among
the easiest to create because you can outsource the work to a
freelancer, and sell the products electronically, which requires
no up-front costs. I just wrote an article on "Outsourcing Tips
for Hiring Freelancers" at http://tinyurl.com/3lfklp

But electronic products probably won't sell very well at the
trade show. So let's see what other ideas my Hounds might have
for creative tchotches or other items you can create quickly to
sell. Hounds, post your best ideas to my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/4zxue7


==================================
7. Hound Story of the Week
==================================

"I know that dogs are pack animals, but it is difficult to
imagine a pack of standard poodles...and if there was such a
thing as a pack of standard poodles, where would they rove to?
Bloomingdale's?"

--Yvonne Clifford, American actress


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

Perez Hilton's 3 tips for a p~rofitable blog
http://tinyurl.com/4z2ok5


Colleges hungry for experts who speak on 17 topics
http://tinyurl.com/43o9cl


How do you promote your social networking profiles?
http://tinyurl.com/6f59nn


Tomato pie: A great way to get rid of all those tomatoes
http://tinyurl.com/5sr4vz


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
USA
Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737

---

Publicity tips/The Twitter Handbook Sept 16, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #416 Sept. 16, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 51,005


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

"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.

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

Don't Miss These 3 Events and Downloads:

- -Learn why the college speaking circuit is one of the most
lucrative places for speakers, particularly if you speak on one
of about a dozen topics that are in demand. I'm hosting a free
teleseminar with James Malinchak, king of the college speaking
circuit, from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, Sept. 17.
Register at http://tinyurl.com/6dpaud

- -Tom Antion teaches you his (and my) three-part strategy--
public speaking, Internet marketing and success principles--to
position yourself as an expert and grow your business, including
the three biggest website mistakes. Download our interview at
http://tinyurl.com/4rpwer

- -Authors, learn how to create a membership site for your
readers. An author who makes $34,000 a month from his members
will show you how during a free teleseminar sponsored by Steve
Harrison on Thursday, Sept. 18. Register at
http://www.freepublicity.com/Mr_PI/?10011 and see item #4 below.

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

1. The Twitter Handbook

2. Lipstick & More Lipstick

3. Promote Your Social Networking Pages

4. Authors, Start a Membership Site

5. How to Promote a Puppy Journal

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Story of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=========================================
1. The Twitter Handbook
=========================================

Three bad reasons people refuse to Twitter:

- -"I don't have time."

- -"It's frivolous and silly. I don't see the point."

- -"Who cares what I ate for lunch?"

Truth is, most people probably DON'T care what you ate for lunch.
But your loyal followers do. They're also curious about whether
you cooked it yourself. And what magazine you were reading while
eating.

They want to know about your pets, your kids, what you do on the
weekends, what movies you rent from Blockbuster, your favorite TV
shows, and what keeps you up at 3 a.m.

They want to know when your printer breaks, what you're doing
during your work day, and what the weather is like in your corner
of the world. And, yes, they also want to know about new
products and services you're offering, or causes or issues you're
promoting.

With Twitter, you can tell them.

It's a free microblogging tool at http://www.Twitter.com that
lets you post as many messages, or tweets, as you want, per day.
Each must not exceed 140 characters. You can then "follow," or
read the tweets, of anyone you choose. And anyone can follow
you.

When I posted a tweet asking how to get ink stains out of a
carpet because our dog, Bogie, chewed a ball-point pen on the
living room floor, six people responded with tips. When I
offered my recipe for Tomato Pie last week, almost a dozen people
asked for it. You can get it, too, at http://tinyurl.com/5sr4vz

When I announced teleseminars I hosted earlier this summer on how
to use LinkedIn and Facebook as part of a publicity campaign,
many of my followers tweeted about it. Their followers in turn
tweeted, and both series sold out.

The one big problem with Twitter, however, is that the more you
become addicted to it, and the more you try to understand all the
ways you can use it, the more complicated it becomes. Twitter
has its own etiquette and vocabulary, in addition to hundreds of
websites, widgets and tools you can use to enhance the Twitter
experience.

That's why you'll love the Twitter Handbook, written by Deborah
Micek and Warren Whitlock. I reviewed the book at my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/6elfqv and explained how to claim your free
copy. Deb tells me that everyone who gives the authors a name
and email address will receive the handbook within a week.

This book is a must-read for every Publicity Hound and is as
helpful for veteran Tweeple (people who use Twitter) as it is for
newbies.

If you missed the Facebook and LinkedIn teleseminars, don't
despair. We recorded them and they're available as MP3s and
electronic transcripts. Both include timelines that explain
exactly what you should do, and when, during your publicity
campaign.

Get started using LinkedIn to promote yourself and your business:
http://tinyurl.com/5zvzyd

Then make Facebook a powerful publicity tool. Learn how:
http://tinyurl.com/5fyv5y


=========================================
2. Lipstick & More Lipstick
=========================================

The "lipstick on a pig" controversy is already old news, but I'm
betting that comments about lipstick stay front and center on the
campaign trail---right up to Election Day, and possibly beyond.

Even Newsweek is jumping on this one. Its Sept. 22 issue
features a tube of lipstick on the cover with the big headline
"What Women Want."

Smart Publicity Hounds, whether they love or hate Sarah Palin,
should use the lipstick controversy as a springboard for story
ideas and pitches. Here are six ideas:

- -Consumer groups worried about the chemical composition of
lipstick should restate their warnings. (Is it true that
lipstick includes fish scales???)

- -Cosmetic companies, which are the most popular lipstick colors
for fall? See how Revlon used the controversy as a springboard
last week at http://tinyurl.com/6d37pr

- --Image consultants, how about creating a video demonstrating
the proper way to apply lipstick? Or offering a list of tips on
the "5 ways women misuse lipstick."

- --If you're promoting a cause or issue, name the top 10
"lipstick on a pig" issues that tie into your topic. For
example, a taxpayers' rights group could list the top 10
"lipstick on a pig" projects that were the biggest waste of
money.

- -Social service agencies, ask women to buy lipstick, make-up
and toiletries and donate them to homeless shelters and women's
shelters.

- -Parenting experts, what's the correct age when girls can start
wearing lipstick?

Or how about creating a quiz related to lipstick? "Briefs,
Fillers & Quizzes" offers lots of ideas on how to create quizzes
and pitch them to the media. It's available as a CD or an
electronic transcript that you can be reading as soon as your
order is approved.

Get started creating quizzes on any topic at
http://tinyurl.com/d74h7


=========================================
3. Promote Your Social Networking Pages
=========================================

Publicity Hound Holly Miller of Chesapeake, Virginia emailed me
this morning and asked if it's proper to include a Twitter
address within a press release.

It's a great idea, and it got me thinking about other ways to let
people know where they can find you online.

- --If you're on MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, do you
include links to your profile pages in press releases? What
about other social networking sites your followers might want to
know about?

- --Do you cross-promote from every social networking site? For
example, can people find your Twitter address on your LinkedIn
profile?

- --Does the home page of your website include links to your
social networking profiles?

- --What about your email signature?

- --What special applications do you use at social networking
sites that let you cross-promote?

Let's see how many ideas Publicity Hounds can suggest. Post them
to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/6f59nn

Holly's question is a timely reminder that we aren't writing
press releases only for the media. "The New Rules of Press
Releases: How to Write Them for Buyers, Not Only for Journalists"
is a one-hour interview with David Meerman Scott, who explains
why the new rules present a powerful advantage to Publicity
Hounds.

It's available as a CD or electronic transcript that you can
download as soon as your order is approved. Read more about the
new rules and how you can benefit at http://tinyurl.com/ndwfo


=========================================
4. Authors, Start a Membership Site
=========================================

A first-time author has come up with a novel way of turning his
book into a membership site that brings in $34,000 a month.

In fact, last fall this former physical education teacher used
his unique model to launch a new book and promptly over sold more
than 5,000 copies, pretty impressive in itself.

Almost a year later, he's still got more than 1,700 of the buyers
paying him $19.95 each month for ongoing access to a membership
website that offers additional content based on his book.

That's more than $34,000 a month in passive recurring revenue
with practically no work.

He's come up with an ingenious yet simple model which many non-
fiction authors can use to make more from their books.

He has agreed to share his methods during a free telephone
seminar Steve Harrison is offering twice on Thursday, Sept. 18.
You can register at http://www.freepublicity.com/Mr_PI/?10011

Listen as the author describes the nitty-gritty secrets of how
you can use his strategies to create autopilot revenue from your
own book. You'll also learn:

- -Four easy-to-implement models for creating recurring income
from your own book, several of which you can implement in less
than a day.

- -Ingenious ways to re-purpose the information from your book
into other formats your readers want.

- -Key vendors and resources you need to know about. They'll
make your life a lot easier.

- -The email that took him less than 30 minutes to write but
which still makes him more than $1,000.00 a month.

If your topic is perfect for a membership site, don't miss this
call. Register at http://tinyurl.com/5kwkw4


==========================================
5. How to Promote a Puppy Journal
==========================================

This week, nine Publicity Hounds have tips for Rik Feeney of
Orlando, Florida, on how to best promote his new books, the Puppy
Lover's Journal and the Kitten Lover's Journal.


From Dena Harris:

"Look at joining the Cat Writers Association and Dog Writers of
America which will lend credibility to your work. Look at
marketing your books to pet sitters. The journals would make a
great gift for them to give to clients for the holidays. There
are national dog/cat/love your pet days. Shoot out press
releases near those events. Market to breeders who might give
the book as a gift to people who adopt their dogs."


From Gail Sideman:

"Seek out blogs and columnists that target their messages for
single people, childless or empty-nest married couples. These
demographics treat their pets like their children and would be
likely to journal about them. Now they can keep a puppy book
much like they kept, or their friends keep, baby journals."


From Joy:

"I just Googled Puppy Lovers Journal, and I see that it's been
donated as a prize to rescue organizations, which is a great
idea. What about donating it as a door prize at dog-related
events?"


The Publicity Hound says:

Don't forget about all those dog- and cat-related groups that are
worth joining at social networking sites like Facebook and
MySpace.

Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question at
http://tinyurl.com/6g6wx5


Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com and put Help This Hound in the
subject line. Include your city and state.


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

Mike Michaud of Fannin County, Texas writes:

"I would like to get some ideas on how to promote a site that is
all about pooling our financial contributions to fund alternative
energy research, development and production. There are many
promising technologies that are languishing due to government
ineptness, red tape, corporate greed, banking failure and
investor panic.

"We as a nation of individuals need to go around this roadblock
and fund our own future energy development.

"I'm setting up a website to provide more information and accept
donations. I'm just looking for ideas on how to promote this in
a non-partisan way. This cuts across all lines."


The Publicity Hound says:

The heated presidential election seems like the perfect tie-in,
and I think you can use that hook and still remain non-partisan.
Hounds, what ideas do you have for Mike? Post them to my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/622sud


"Special Report #17: Powerful Ways to Promote Your Website to
Draw Traffic and Boost Sales" will give you dozens of ideas of
how to pull traffic online and offline. Only $10. Order at
http://tinyurl.com/3sa3j


==================================
7. Hound Story of the Week
==================================

No joke this week.

Instead, let's hear it for Buddy, the trained German Shepherd in
Scottsdale, Arizona that dialed 911 when his owner began having
seizures, and saved his life:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,422341,00.html


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

Twitter handbook: The bible for newbie, veteran Tweeple
http://tinyurl.com/6elfqv


Think far beyond traditional media and target niches
http://tinyurl.com/6ygm7d


3 website mistakes that derail your publicity efforts
http://tinyurl.com/4rpwer


Twitter and text-speak are poisoning the English language
http://tinyurl.com/4aubuc

Revlon ties contest to 'Lipstick on a pig' controversy
http://tinyurl.com/6d37pr


How do you promote your social networking profiles?
Http://tinyurl.com/6f59nn


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
USA
Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737

Publicity tips/The Perils of Friending Journalists Sept 9, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #415 Sept. 9, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 50,542

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

"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.

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

Don't Miss These 5 Deadlines & Events:

- -Publicity Hounds can still get $200 off the $1,195
registration fee for Ragan Communications' Social Media Summit
Sept. 10-12 in Chicago. Let me know if you're going so I can
meet you over coffee on Thursday or Friday. Register at
http://www.ragan.com/publicityhound

- -Learn why the college speaking circuit is one of the most
lucrative places for speakers, particularly if you speak on one
of about a dozen topics that are in demand. I'm hosting a free
teleseminar with James Malinchak, king of the college speaking
circuit, from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, Sept. 17.
See item #2 below.

- -Tom Antion will teach you his (and my) three-part strategy--
public speaking, Internet marketing and success principles--to
position yourself as an expert and grow your business. From 9 to
10 p.m. Eastern tonight, Sept. 9. See Item #3 below.

- -Steve Harrison repeats his teleseminar on Thursday, Sept. 11,
on how to get onto major TV and radio shows. Learn more at
http://tinyurl.com/5ah6ah

- -Stompernet received such overwhelming response last week to
its free offer of a set of DVDs called "Stomping the Search
Engines 2" and the premiere issue of "The Net Effect," its
journal on Internet marketing, that too much traffic crashed the
system. Not great PR for a company that teaches Internet
marketing, but proof that an irresistible offer can blow the roof
off anybody's best laid plans. You can still claim your DVDs and
journal at http://tinyurl.com/5au4lo

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

1. The Perils of Friending Journalists

2. Why College Speakers Aren't Worried

3. What Experts Do

4. Media Leads

5. How to Promote a Keepsake CD

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


=========================================
1. The Perils of Friending Journalists
=========================================

Journalists have always hated being identified publicly as the
"friend" of a source.

"I'm not your friend," many insist. "I'm just trying to do my
job."

But that was 10 years ago, long before social networking sites
came onto the scene.

These days, if you're trying to get in front of a reporter at The
Washington Post, for example, and you know he has a Facebook
page, asking him to be your friend is as easy as a few mouse
clicks.

Easy and dangerous.

- -He can identify you as a spammer.

- -If he thinks your invitation is improper, and he's in a lousy
mood, he can put you on his blacklist and "out" you to other
journalists.

- -He can post a nasty comment about you. Or worse.

Journalists create Facebook pages as one way of taking advantage
of Web 2.0 tools. Facebook is a great place to look for sources.
They can friend other journalists. They can listen to and
participate in the online conversation. They also use Facebook
as a secondary distribution system for their work and link to
their articles, op-ed pieces, blogs and videos.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has directed its
journalists to avoid adding sources or contacts as Facebook
friends.

"It may compromise your work by letting friends see other friends
on your network," the policy document says. "It may also not be
in your interest to identify yourself as a 'friend' of a source
on their network."

You can read the entire policy at
http://www.insidethecbc.com/facebookpolicy

So what should you do if so see a journalist on a social
networking site and you want to connect? Here are three ways to
start building the relationship:

- -Publicity Hound Harry Hoover has compiled a list of
"Journalists Who Twitter" at
http://www.my-creativeteam.com/blog/?p=694
He suggests that if the journalist is on the list, you can follow
him or her and reply to their tweets when appropriate.
At some point, you can email them from Twitter and ask if
it's OK to invite them to be your friend on Facebook, and
connect with you on LinkedIn.

- -If the journalist has a page on LinkedIn, check to see if any
of their connections are also your connections. If so, you can
ask the connection to introduce you. If you are introduced, do
not pitch. Instead, offer yourself as a source who can provide
background, commentary, story ideas and anything else the
journalist needs. See "How to Promote Anything on LinkedIn,
Ethically & Powerfully," a series of two teleseminars I hosted
with LinkedIn expert Scott Allen, at http://tinyurl.com/5zvzyd

- -Can't find your favorite journalist at any of the social
networking sites? Google their name and see if they blog. If
so, read the blog and comment.

Let's see what other Publicity Hounds have to say about this
topic. Journalists, what's your policy of accepting friending
invitations from people you don't know?

Sources, have you made valuable contacts with journalists on
these social networking sites, or others? If so, how?

Post your comments to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/5769nf

If you're new to Facebook, or you've had a page for awhile but
you don't know all the insider tricks on how to use it to
promote, Jason Alba can help. He explained them all, including
an entire timeline on what to do on Facebook, and when, if you
have something to promote.

The two teleseminars are available as electronic transcripts plus
MP3s which you can download as soon as your order is approved.
Learn how to start using Facebook the right way at
http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar/facebook.htm


=========================================
2. Why College Speakers Aren't Worried
=========================================

Every time the economy takes a dive, professional speakers feel
the pinch.

Companies and nonprofits have less money to pay speakers, and
they invite experts who are often willing to speak at seminars
and conventions for free.

But the college speaking circuit is almost immune from that kind
of ripple effect. That's because colleges and universities pay
their speakers from sources like student activity fees, which
aren't affected by a bad economy.

James Malinchak, king of the college speaking circuit, says
Publicity Hounds who are experts on a wide variety of topics--
leadership, dating and relationships, and drug and alcohol abuse,
to name just a few--have a fabulous opportunity to expand their
business by adding colleges to their target market.

If you're hired to speak at a college, it also increases your
chances for publicity. Fraternity and sorority newsletters,
college newspapers and radio stations, even MySpace and Facebook
pages and groups, can multiply your exposure and spread the word
about your expertise.

James will be my guest during a free one-hour teleseminar at 3
p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, Sept. 17. He'll give you a peek
at the kind of material he'll be presenting at his College
Speaking Success Boot Camp Dec. 4-7 in Los Angeles. If you have
no interest in attending the boot camp, join us for the
teleseminar. You'll come away with several valuable lists that
will help you get started that day booking speaking engagements
at colleges.

You'll learn, for instance, what topics are most in demand and
why, which departments have the budgets to book you, who are the
people you must contact to get booked as a college speaker, and
why creating traditional marketing materials for colleges is a
huge waste of time and money.

Register for the teleseminar at http://tinyurl.com/6dpaud


=========================================
3. What Experts Do
=========================================

If you want to be an expert in your topic, or more of an expert
than you already are, read the free 12-page White Paper titled
"The Expertise Imperative" at
http://www.PublicityHound.com/expertise.pdf

The National Speakers Association published it several years ago,
and I refer Publicity Hounds to it often, regardless of their
occupation. Speakers, remember, come from a wide variety of
backgrounds. The White Paper is an excellent starting point for
anybody who wants to be an expert.

Expertise, it explains, isn't only about how much you know. It's
also about how much you do.

What, exactly, do experts do?

Coach and mentor. Create products. Write articles. Write
commercially-published books. Blog. Do media interviews.
Provide commentary for the media. Take leadership positions in
trade associations.

Speak for free or for fee. Accept invitations to lecture on
other people's teleseminars. Accept new clients every year.
Research new topics to stay at the forefront of their field.
Create a huge presence for themselves online.

The White Paper says experts also demonstrate their own ethics
and character by admitting mistakes and correcting errors
promptly, sharing credit and acknowledging others in the field,
and exhibiting the highest standard of behavior.

Unfortunately, the White Paper doesn't explain how to do much of
what it says you should do. That's where I relied on Tom Antion
to teach me. I was a member of his mentor program for several
years and learned his three-pronged strategy for growing a
business--public speaking, Internet marketing and success
principles he learned from his father.

He has graciously agreed to do a complimentary teleseminar with
me from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern Time tonight, Sept. 9, to explain
various aspects of that same business model.

The call will introduce Publicity Hounds to the type of content
he will present at this live event called "Fusion," Oct. 17-19,
in Los Angeles. Tom will do what he preaches on tonight's call:
under promise and over deliver. If you can't attend the live
event, you'll still come away with pages of notes you can start
implementing immediately.

Sign up for tonight's teleseminar at
http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar/fusion.htm

Learn more about the conference at http://tinyurl.com/5cefjt


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

- -Susan Reynolds of Literary Cottage needs stories from anyone
who attended Woodstock in 1969 for Woodstock Revisited, an
anthology to be published by Adams Media next spring. Adams
Media pays $100 and one copy of the book. "We are seeking 50
true stories (850-1100 words) written by people who attended the
1969 Woodstock Festival. This anthology will document the event
itself, but will also provide a portrait of America as that
tumultuous decade came to a close. Stories should be historical
within the context of 1969 and yet unique to your experience.
Stories must be TRUE, vivid, and substantive. You can write an
'as told to' story if you have friends or family who attended.
If you are not a writer, send me a narrative of your experience,
and I will help you craft your story. Please carefully review
the details and sample story provided on the 'Woodstock '69
Guidelines' page at http://www.literarycottage.com/woodstock.html
Deadline is Sunday, Sept. 14." Please email Susan immediately if
you'll be sending a story. Mailto:sreynolds@literarycottage.com


- -Kathy Gerschutz, an intern at WIMA-AM radio in Lima, Ohio, a
Clear Channel station, says the Mike Miller Morning Show is
looking for interview subjects, including showbiz updates, home
improvement guests, health experts, TV critics, child care
experts, pet experts, travel experts, odd news, personal finance
experts, book reviewers, management experts, someone who can
explain how stuff works, consumer experts, collectable experts,
food experts, economists, video game experts, music reviewers,
dating experts, and more. Pre-recorded interviews are three
minutes. "We'd prefer a weekly guest, though we would definitely
consider bi-weekly guests, and in some cases, one-time guests."
The target audience is men 35 to 40. The show broadcasts from 6
to 9 a.m. weekdays. Contact Kathy at
mailto:kathygerschutz@yahoo.com


Smaller shows like that one are great places to get experience
before you hit the big-time. But the competition for the big
shows is incredibly tough. Alex Carroll, who has done more than
1,000 radio interviews, was my guest during a teleseminar and
showed Publicity Hounds how to "Get Booked on Big Radio Shows in
the Top 20 Markets."

It's available as a CD. You can read more about how to get your
foot in the door at the mega-shows at http://tinyurl.com/asgyx


==========================================
5. How to Promote a Keepsake CD
==========================================

This week, three Publicity Hound have tips for Alaa el Ghatit of
Libertyville, Illinois, on how to promote LifeOnRecord, a service
that lets people capture and preserve their memories from any
phone. The recordings are available on a keepsake CD, and can
also be managed and played via his website, or downloaded into
iTunes.


From Linda Swisher:

"I'm a genealogist. Family historians are a natural target
market. You might also branch out into family and military
reunions, where members of a certain military unit can record
their recollections from wherever they are. How about high
school reunions? Print media include Reunions magazine,
Ancestry, Family Tree Magazine, etc."


From Cheryl Pickett:

"Since one use for your product is a wedding gift, do you do
cross-promotions with other professionals? Certainly wedding
planners should top your list, but also Djs, photographers,
florists. See if you can get on the recommended vendor or
networking lists where these people are. If you aren't doing it
already, pitch wedding bloggers, websites and magazines.

You could also promote general event planners as well. The great
thing is you aren't limited by location so the sky is virtually
the limit for you as to who you can contact in just these two
groups alone."


From The Publicity Hound:

"The Gift List--a service that provides contact information for
national and regional magazines, the top 250 daily newspapers,
news wires and syndicates, national television, and national
radio, as well as a list for web and blog outlets--is perfect for
product publicity for this CD.

"These media are HUNGRY for press releases and photos about
consumer products that make great gifts for Christmas, Mother's
Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day and Graduation Day. Learn
more about how to get into these gift guides at
http://tinyurl.com/9es8y


Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question at
http://tinyurl.com/64tgx7

Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=HelpThisHound
and include your city and state.


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

Rik Feeney of Orlando, Florida writes:

"I need help from fellow Hounds on how to best promote my new
book, the Puppy Lover's Journal.

"It's made up of 104 lined journal pages with pictures of cute
little puppies of several different breeds on the bottom outside
corner of each page. Since it's a journal, you can write fond
memories of your puppy, personal notes about your life, shopping
lists for the grocery, or maybe even the next great romance
novel. I am also publishing a similar book titled the Kitten
Lover's Journal.

"My problem is cash flow, so I need ideas that use more sweat-
equity than cash from my wallet."

The Publicity Hound says: My Hounds don't discriminate, Rik, and
will give you great ideas for your kitten journal as well as your
puppy journal. Have a great idea for Rik? Post it to my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/6g6wx5


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

Thanks to Publicity Hound Barry Lebow of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
for this one:

A dog went to a telegram office, took out a blank form and wrote:
"Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof."

The clerk examined the paper and politely told the dog: "There
are only nine words here. You could send another ‘Woof’ for the
same price."

The dog replied, "But that would make no sense at all."


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

Authors, pitch issues & shows, not your books
http://tinyurl.com/5d7kvl


Why is 'the mic is always on' so difficult to understand?
Http://tinyurl.com/55bpa9


If you missed Oprah's guest booker, join her Thursday
http://tinyurl.com/5ah6ah


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 USA
Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737

Publicity tips/Is Palin's Daughter Off-limits? Sept 2, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #414 Sept. 2, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/(Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 50,520

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

"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.

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

Don't Miss These Deadlines & Events:

- -Publicity Hounds can still get $200 off the $1,195
registration fee for Ragan Communications' Social Media Summit
Sept. 10-12 in Chicago. I'll be there, and I'd love to buy you a
cup of coffee if you're attending. Register at
http://www.ragan.com/publicityhound

- -A free teleseminar with Tom Antion, who will teach you his
three-part strategy of public speaking, Internet marketing and
success principles to position yourself as an expert and grow
your business. From 9 to 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 9. See Item
#3 below.

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

1. Is Palin's Daughter Off-limits?

2. Beware the New 'Public Record'

3. How to Earn Expert Status

4. Why Hounds are Internet Marketers

5. How to Promote a Book Signing

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...

=========================================
1. Is Palin's Daughter Off-limits?
=========================================

When the news of GOP Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin's
pregnant 17-year-old daughter broke over the weekend, Barack
Obama was quick to issue an order to his campaign workers to
"back off."

Family members of candidates aren't fair game, he warned, adding
that his own mother gave birth to him when she was 18.

"We don't go after people's families, we don't get them involved
in the politics. It's not appropriate and it's not
relevant...And if I ever thought that it was somebody in my
campaign that was involved in something like that, they'd be
fired."

But what about the rest of us?

Should anti-abortion or abortion-rights advocates piggyback off
this news event to further their cause or issue?

What about opponents or proponents of condoms in schools? What
about churches? Abortion clinics? Adoption agencies? Roe v.
Wade backers and opponents? Parents groups?

Is the pregnancy fair game?

I say it is. So is the issue of Michelle Obama's feelings of
pride--or not--for her country, and the issue of Joe Biden's son
who is a high-priced federal lobbyist, an occupation Obama
disdains. But when it comes to the media shoving microphones in
the face of minor children, hands off.

What about you? Do you work for a company or agency that will be
piggybacking off the news of the pregnancy? Or have you decided
to let it rest?

If you're an author, speaker or expert whose topic or area of
expertise ties into this news, will you be writing press releases
or blogging about your opinions? Will you be offering yourself
as a source to the media? Why or why not?

Weigh in at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/5ho3tg

If you have a media spokesperson, or if you'll be training one,
make sure you know the difference between a media spokesperson
and an expert spokesperson. An expert spokesperson must be able
to do something that a simple spokesperson doesn't. Media
trainer Al Rothstein explained the difference, and discussed the
skills an expert spokesperson must have during a teleseminar I
hosted and recorded.

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 "How to be an Expert Spokesperson the Media Love"
at http://tinyurl.com/rzcdd


=========================================
2. Beware the New 'Public Record'
=========================================

In the old days, you had to scour public records for any hint of
bad news in your history that the media might make public and ask
about during interviews.

That included things like drunken-driving arrests, lawsuits, and
transcripts of messy divorce proceedings.

Today, scouring the "official public record" of government
documents isn't enough.

Recordings of private conversations, videos of activities that
were never meant to be public, private emails, and even snippets
of information on social networking sites like MySpace have a way
of becoming part of the unofficial but very "public record"
within minutes.

Here are two examples we saw over the weekend:

- -Conservative blogs and, eventually, the mainstream media,
reported on a YouTube video of Don Fowler, former head of the
Democratic National Committee. Taken with a cell phone camera by
someone sitting behind him on an airplane, the video showed
Fowler commenting to his Democratic seat mate about the timing of
Hurricane Gustav and the opening of the Republican National
Convention:

"The hurricane is going to hit New Orleans about the time they
start. The timing is, at least it appears now, it will be there
Monday. That just demonstrates God is on our side." You can see
the video at http://tinyurl.com/6bznw4

- -Liberal blogs and the mainstream media reported on comments
made on Levi Townsend's MySpace page. He's the father of the
baby of 17-year-old Bristol Palin, the daughter of GOP vice
presidential candidate Sarah Palin. On his MySpace page, Levi
reportedly commented that he's a "redneck" and even though he's
"in a relationship," he doesn't want children. The page
apparently has been taken down. But you don't have to look far
to find that news. Here's a story from the New York Daily News:
http://tinyurl.com/63lgnp

So what's the lesson for Publicity Hounds?

- -You're safer assuming that any email you write will become
public. That includes jokes and anything else you forward to
others.

- -Don't say anything in a public place you don't want to show up
on YouTube.

- -Know what's on the social networking sites of your employees,
your children, or others associated with your company.

- -Know EVERYTHING that's said about you online. Set up a Google
Alert at http://www.Google.com/alerts Create one each for your
name, your website URL, and your company name. Tell Google you
want alerts daily, or as soon as the information appears.
Monitoring these alerts is time-consuming. But well worth it.
It's a task you can give to an assistant.

If you don't have an assistant, you can get one without hiring a
full- or part-time employee. The telephone and email make it
easy to use a virtual assistant--even one who lives several
thousand miles from you. Learn about where to find Vas, how much
you can expect to pay, and the types of tasks you can give them.

Cindy Greenway and Diana Ennen, both very successful Vas, were my
guests during a teleseminar I hosted on "How to Find a Virtual
Assistant to Help with Your Publicity Campaign." 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 how to find a virtual assistant at
http://tinyurl.com/2e5875


=========================================
3. How to Earn Expert Status
=========================================

If you want to become a well-respected expert, here are five
powerful ways to make that happen:

- -Speak publicly on your topic, even if it's only local speeches
to Rotary and chamber of commerce groups. During the first few
years of my business, I relied almost exclusively on these
speaking engagements to find consulting clients. Depending on
your topic, you can, too.

- -Create a great website that pulls traffic like a magnet, with
dozens of free articles and other resources for visitors. Try to
capture every visitor's email address like I do with a box that
bounces down from the top of the screen. That box is called the
Hover Ad Generator and you can buy it at
http://tinyurl.com/2sa3u9

- -Create a huge presence elsewhere online. That includes
writing articles for article directory sites, blogging,
commenting at other people's blogs, and writing an ezine.

- -Create downloadable information products on your topic--
quickly and with no up-front costs. I can create a special
report in only a few hours and have it for sale at my website.
And it costs me nothing to produce.

- -Adopt a policy to always "under promise and over deliver."
Your customers will love you for it.

I've just described my business model, and many of you have
emailed me to say you like it and want specific instructions on
how to do one or more of what I've described above.

I wish I could take credit for it, but I can't. Tom Antion, my
first mentor, taught it to me. And he's graciously agreed to do
a complimentary teleseminar with me from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern
Time on Tuesday, Sept. 9, to explain various aspects of that same
model.

The call will introduce Publicity Hounds to the type of content
he will be presenting at this live event called "Fusion," Oct.
17-19, in Los Angeles. Tom will do what he preaches on this
call: under promise and over deliver. If you can't attend the
live event, you'll still come away with pages of notes you can
start implementing that same night.

Sign up for the Oct. 9 teleseminar at
http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar/fusion.htm

Learn more about the conference at http://tinyurl.com/5cefjt


=========================================
4. Why Hounds Are Internet Marketers
=========================================

Can you think of a good reason why you shouldn't be concerned
with Internet marketing? If so, let me know because I can't
think of one.

If you have a website, and most of you do, you or someone in your
office should know things like how much traffic you get and how
much of that traffic you can convert to customers.

Let's say you aren't selling anything. You're simply trying to
lure journalists to your website. You should know which colors
and graphic elements immediately turn off visitors. You can have
dynamite content, but if it's difficult to read, journalists will
bail out.

I want to give you the heads-up about a set of DVDs called
"Stomping the Search Engines 2.0" and an accompanying journal
called "The Net Effect" that the folks at Stompernet asked me to
review last week.

The product launch is tomorrow. They won't say how much they're
asking for it, but they call it "Liberty and Justice for All,"
whatever that means.

Here's a quick critique of the materials:

- -They call the 45-page publication (with only two full-page
ads) a journal. I hate that word because it makes it sound dry
and academic. I wish they'd just call it what it is: a damn good
magazine.

- -Several of the articles might bore you tears, like the one
about how search engines decide which pages get ranked at the
top. But unless the person managing your website knows this
stuff, you can't hope to compete.

- -A few articles will knock you off your chair, like the one
titled "Wanna be Broke? Then Maybe You Shouldn't Sell Cheap."
It explains why selling a bunch of inexpensive products can send
you to the poor house.

- -On several pages, the graphic artist slapped graphics on top
of print which makes some of the type difficult to read. So I
hope they clean up the graphics in future issues and keep the
content just as compelling.

- -The most valuable part of the magazine is at the end: a 14-
point checklist of things you should do based on the articles in
the review issue. Some you may have already done, but many of
them I still need to do.

- -The DVDs are excellent but some of the material may be too
advanced for people who aren't technically inclined. If that's
the case, then at least encourage your webmaster, who MUST know
this stuff, to buy it. The entire table of contents is at
http://tinyurl.com/5au4lo

When I learn more about this tomorrow, I'll send you a follow- up
email.


==========================================
5. How to Promote a Book Signing
==========================================

This week, five Publicity Hound have tips for Roz Wolf of Los
Angeles, California, on how to promote the book signing for "How
To Woo A Bi’aaatch: The Key To Attracting Females" by Brian
Zoozoo, a guide that speaks to a generation of single men and
curious women aged 18-35. She thinks the title is turning off
some journalists and she needs a way around that problem.

From Jennifer Melnick Carota:

"Why not do a signing at a local university where your target
audience already is? Develop MySpace and Facebook pages for your
book, choose regional friends accordingly and promote the heck
out of it online. Be sure to promote any giveaways like free
books or T-shirts that can also draw college students to your
event."

From Natasha Henry:

"Try to get in touch with Wendy Williams' booking agent. Wendy
Williams is a popular radio shock-jock in that area who recently
started her own TV talk show in NYC. When contacting her agent,
be sure to highlight your book’s title. Williams most recently
had Donald Trump’s notoriously raunchy Apprentice guest, Omarosa,
on her show to promote her book, "The Bitch Switch." You can put
a spin on your book in that it speaks more positively about
women, contrary to your book's title and contrary to what
Omarosa's book is about...Also mention that you would be a more
pleasant-mannered guest than Omarosa. YouTube has a snippet of
that show for reference."

From Ken Okel:

"The title will likely either make people laugh or cringe and
sometimes that keeps the media away. Any wacky morning radio
shows that might give you a segment? Any singles groups or
events you could partner with for publicity?"


The Publicity Hound says:

Don't forget about all the online event calendars. I blogged
about this and included several of the best sites at
http://tinyurl.com/6qhejc Those include Craigslist which, of
course, has its own list for Los Angeles.

Nancy Mills, a Craigslist expert, explained smart ways to promote
with Craigslist when she was my guest during a teleseminar 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 how to get started promoting on Craigslist at
http://tinyurl.com/geog2


Read all the responses to this week's "Help This Hound" question
at http://tinyurl.com/6cslfs

Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=HelpThisHound and
include your city and state.


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

Alaa el Ghatit of Libertyville, Illinois, writes:

"I own a national service called LifeOnRecord which lets people
capture and preserve their stories and memories from any phone.
The most popular product is a keepsake CD that people will give
for birthdays, anniversaries and other events.

"Here's how it works. Someone planning the celebration will sign
up for a LifeOnRecord account. Friends and family all call a
toll-free number and leave stories, memories and well-wishes.
The recordings are all preserved onto a keepsake CD, and can also
be managed and played via our website, or downloaded into iTunes.
The web site is http://lifeonrecord.com/uniquegift.htm

"Much of my business comes from referrals and people coming from
the search engines. But I'm looking for other ways to reach
people who are looking for gift ideas for milestone birthdays or
anniversaries. What ideas do your Hounds have for spreading the
word?"


The Publicity Hound says:

If your product would make a perfect gift, subscribe to The Gift
List, a service that provides contact information for national
and regional magazines, the top 250 daily newspapers, news wires
and syndicates, national television, and national radio, as well
as a list for web and blog outlets.

These media are HUNGRY for gift ideas for things like Christmas,
Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day and Graduation Day.
Learn more about how to get into these gift guides at
http://tinyurl.com/9es8y


Hounds with ideas on other ways to promote these keepsake Cds can
post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/64tgx7


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

Actual classified ad that appeared in a weekly newspaper in Ohio:

FREE to a good home: Domestic tan male. Neutered and declawed.
Has shots.


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

Know bloggers' pitching preferences; avoid 'me too' emails
http://tinyurl.com/58v5wd


Prepare for an interview with a reporter these 8 ways
http://tinyurl.com/6gwmlt


Why trying to get a magazine column can be wasted effort
http://tinyurl.com/6qgbkf


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
USA
Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737