Publicity tips/Attract Media with an Ezine Nov 25, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #426 Nov. 25, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

Circulation: 50,500


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

"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.

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

3 Tips for Corporate, Nonprofit Sponsorships

If you missed Steve Harrison's teleseminar last week on how to
convince a corporation or nonprofit to sponsor you, don't miss
his 14-minute bonus session in which Brendon Burchard gives three
valuable tips for finding sponsors for your book, product or
business. I especially like the tip on how to get the attention
of nonprofits. Unfortunately, Steve didn't record last week's
teleseminar so you can't listen to the entire call.
But you can find the 3 bonus tips here:
http://tinyurl.com/64nbql

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

1. Attract Media with an Ezine

2. "Someday I'll Start My Book"

3. The YouTube Boo-boo

4. The Dating Service of PR

5. How to Promote Italian Diorama Art

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


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

1. Attract Media with an Ezine

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

When the wildfires swept through California earlier this month,
firefighting consultant Mike Archer of Glendora, California was
one of the go-to experts for the media.

His weekly international wildfire "News of the Day" ezine,
published six days a week, kept subscribers abreast of what was
happening, why it was happening and what could be done to stop or
at least subside the fires.

"I use a piece of software called a Feedreader to collect news in
areas of interest, and link to the more interesting stories from
my newsletter," he says.

He also posts them to his blog at
http://firebomberpublications.blogspot.com/
Michael has a measly 49 subscribers. Yes, only 49.
But it's a line-up of fire experts, from the U.S. Forest Service
to local fire departments and even firefighting contractors.
Now comes the important part. Subscribers include editors and
reporters at major newspapers like the Los Angeles Times, San
Diego Union Tribune and others.

"I'm now on a first-name basis with a number of editors and
reporters who can be approached about doing stories on my for-
profit and nonprofit business activities," Mike says. "If any of
your Hounds are experts in their fields, or newbies trying to
make a splash, offering a free newsletter on breaking events can
be a great way to open the door with media outlets in their area,
or even farther afield. Mine is read by folks from a number of
states in the U.S., as well as by folks from Canada and
Australia."

A local cable TV show invited him to participate in an hour-long
show about the wild fires last week. And Los Angeles Weekly, the
largest weekly in the U.S., called him for an interview.
"The newsletter adds credibility to my wildfire consultant
status, which, in turn, opens up more opportunities for my
businesses," he adds.

Some of his earlier suggestions on how to fight fires, which have
been poo-pooed by some in the firefighting community, are now
used. For example, years before it became an accepted practice,
he proposed mixing water and firefighting gel when fighting a
fire from an airplane. Water alone evaporates too quickly. He
also advocated the use of fireproofed firefighting vehicles
to rescue people trapped by wildfires, something which is being
done by firefighters in Germany now.

Subscribers have sent emails remarking on how much they enjoy
"News Of The Day." One subscriber, Deputy Chief Brian Fennessy of
the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, called it "the best I had
seen in 32 years in the fire service," which boosts credibility
further when talking to firefighters, media folks, and the
general public.

And it's only a simple collection of items harvested from the
news, six days a week, along with a short half-sentence
commentary on each headline.

Michael has shattered two myths about ezines: That you need
thousands of subscribers, and that they'll be angry if you
contact them more than once a week.

I'll shatter a third myth: That you must write a long ezine like
this one. Sometimes a helpful tip of the week can be just as
effective--a huge time-saver, particularly for Hounds who can't
write or hate to write.

Dan Janal interviewed me for an hour on "How to Turn Your Ezine
into a Cash Machine," and I spilled the beans on how I make up to
$12,000 a month just from this newsletter. I shatter more
newsletter myths and offer lots of helpful tips on what kinds of
vendors to use, where to find content, and how to keep your
readers coming back for more.

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 as an ezine publisher at
http://tinyurl.com/y6mp2c


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

2. "Someday I'll Start My Book"

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

I can't begin to count the number of times an author contacts me,
frustrated that it takes two, three, four years or more to write
a book.

And another year rewriting it after an editor rips it apart.
And another six months finally getting Draft Number Two edited,
proofread and to press.

And another six months on a publicity campaign.

Tired and exhausted, the author often wants nothing to do with
the book when it doesn't hit the New York Times Best Seller List.
If you know there's a book inside you, but you just can't start
writing it because you've heard horror stories like this one,
you're a perfect fit for the Procrastinator's Guide to
Authorship, a seven-month training program taught by Publicity
Hound Rita Emmett.

At $37 a month per person, this seven-month program is a good
alternative for Publicity Hounds who can't afford the higher-
priced, more intensive book coaching programs.

Here's why you should claim a spot right now:

-Rita's system allows your book to practically write itself. The process takes very little of your own willpower to see results.

-You want a proven way to get a reputable agent and major publisher, so you get the prestige and cash of a big-time author.

-You want a program that works naturally with the procrastinating way you like to do things so you can end self-sabotage and inner conflict and actually get a winning book
published.

Stop being paralyzed by fear and let somebody help you turn that
book idea into a book that sells. Read more about how Rita can
help you get started at http://tinyurl.com/5rc6ub


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

3. The YouTube Boo-boo

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

It's one of the biggest mistake Publicity Hounds make when they
create videos, and it's costing them viewers, website traffic,
and sales.

They create a few good-quality videos, upload them to YouTube,
and then sit back and wait for the traffic to start flowing in.
Problem is, even though YouTube is the most popular video-sharing
site, many people who are hungry for the kind of information
shared in those videos will be missing them entirely.

That's because they're searching at one of the other three dozen
video-sharing sites like LiveVideo.com, AOLVideo,com or
GoogleVideo.com. This is what I call the big YouTube Boo-boo. You
can't rely on that website alone.

Mike Koenigs, the video marketing guy who owns Traffic Geyser,
the subscription site that uploads one video to several dozen
video sharing sites with just one click of the mouse, has created
a series of four videos that, collectively, amount to a killer
Internet video marketing course. I've shared some of them with
you the last few weeks in this newsletter and at my blog, but you
may have missed one or two.

If you give Mike your email and let him show you how Traffic
Geyser works, here's give you the video course. Here are all the
titles:

-The Video Camera Buyer's Guide: What to Buy and Where to Get It

-Mac or PC? Desktop or Laptop? Web Video Producers Want to Know

-How to Get Your Point Across to Any Personality Type by Answering 4 Simple Questions

-The 10×10×4 Market Domination Formula

Even if you're already using another program like TubeMogul to
upload your videos, watch these videos anyway for some valuable
tips you can start using today: http://tinyurl.com/5b3aak


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

4. The Dating Service of PR

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

PR Week calls it the "dating service of PR."

The New York Times refers to it as "dial-an-expert."

CNN says it's an "invaluable tool" when journalists are
researching experts.

The Chicago Tribune describes it as the "type of tool great
stories are made of."

And the Associated Press calls it the "encyclopedia of sources."
They're all referring to Expertclick: The Online Yearbook of
Experts which doubles as a press release distribution service
that can push out your message to hundreds of journalists and
millions of consumers who search online.

My Expertclick profile appears on Page 1 of Google when people
search for "publicity expert." My press releases pull in traffic
to my website and blog. And my listing in its experts database
results in calls and emails from journalists asking for my expert
commentary for stories they're writing.

The deadline for your text and topics for the 2009 printed
yearbook is Friday, December 12. Tell them I sent you and they'll
knock $100 off your subscription price. For your listing, call
Mitch Davis and his staff at 202-333-5000. (They even answer
their own phone.)

Read more about it at http://tinyurl.com/588gqs


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

5. How to Promote Italian Diorama Art

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

This week, seven Publicity Hounds have tips for Susan Sogaro of
Tomball, Texas, an Italian Diorama artist who needs help
promoting her online store at http://www.shsartandgift.com


From Janine Libbey:

"Have you considered donating a piece to a nonprofit for a
fundraiser? It could be a door prize or an item for a silent
auction. Donors are listed in the program and are often
mentioned in press write-ups of the fundraiser. You could get
some free publicity from your support of a worthy cause."


From Christine Buffaloe:

"Have you thought of contacting any travel agencies that
specialize in Italian travel? They may have clients who are
particularly interested in this form of art. You could also set
up a Facebook page, with an added product page that would then
create a fan-base for your work."


From Flo Selfman:

"Susan, your work is beautiful and unusual. Please, immediately,
get visuals on the home page...Look at other artists' websites
and see how they display their art on their home pages."


The Publicity Hound says:

Artists who are struggling with ways to market their art and turn
a hobby into a career won't want to miss the Virtual Opening Day
Reception from 7 to 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, Dec. 4, the
free kick-off teleseminar leading up to the 2009 smARTist
Telesummit, hosted by Ariane Goodwin.

I'll be on next week's call along with the other art career
experts, and we'll be passing along los of great tips to make
your mouth water for the entire telesummit. Join us by signing up
for next week's call at http://tinyurl.com/5haqs5

During the telesummit, I'm presenting a 45-minute session on
social networking on Jan. 21. Take a look at all the great topics
we'll be covering at http://tinyurl.com/5axy3x

Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question
http://tinyurl.com/6hycv8

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


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

6. Help This Hound

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

Rachel Mielke of New York, New York writes:

"I have a high-end designer jewelry company, Hillberg & Berk,
at http://www.hillbergandberk.com/ and we wholesale across
Canada. We have just broken into the U.S. market by being invited
to do a trunk show with Bloomingdale's in New York City the
second week in December.

"This is an unheard of opportunity for our company and could
really change our business forever if the show goes well. Only
problem is that no one in NYC has ever heard of my company. I
want to do something to generate publicity and get some radio or
news press the day of my trunk show but I have no idea what to
do.

"I know it needs to be something huge and crazy to get the
attention of the New York media. Can your Hounds help?"


The Publicity Hound says: Talk about cutting it close! You have
little time to build the buzz for this show, so I'm asking my
Hounds to kick into "emergency mode" when answering this
question. Hounds with quick, effective ideas for Rachel can post
them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/6b5b5l


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

7. Hound Joke of the Week

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

Here's a cute, short video that explains real reason your dog
goes outside. Watch it to the very end:

http://tinyurl.com/6hdv4k


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 track Twitter quitters who don't follow you anymore
http://tinyurl.com/6njlmx


Offering testimonials can pay publicity dividends for years
http://tinyurl.com/6s46ey


Attleboro, MA threatens granny for past-due bill of 1 cent
http://tinyurl.com/6po6dy


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

WHERE TO SEE AND HEAR THE PUBLICITY HOUND:

Wednesday, Jan. 21--Teleseminar

Join me for the third annual smARTist telesummit where
photographers, jewelers, potters, painters, metalworkers,
woodworkers and other artists will learn all the secrets for
growing their art business. I'm presenting a session on how to
use social networking, from 2 to 2:45 Eastern Time on Wednesday,
Jan. 21. Register for the Virtual Opening Day Reception from 7 to
8 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, Dec. 4. It's a free teleseminar
leading up to the telesummit, in which all the speakers offer a
few of their best tips. Register for next week's call at
http://tinyurl.com/5haqs5 or for the telesummit at
http://tinyurl.com/5axy3x


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 cheat sheet "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/Turbo-charge Your LinkedIn Profile Nov. 11, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #424 Nov. 11, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

Circulation: 50,931

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

"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: The Next Best Thing to Being There

If you're sick of traveling like I am, you can still sell tons of
books, speak as much as you want, teach to your heart's content,
and do it all in the comfort of your home or office--thanks to
telephone seminars.

Alex Mandossian sold 3,023 books in a single teleseminar. During
a separate call, he made $13,000 from the delivery room at Mt.
Sinai Hospital when his son was born. Learn how he did it, and
find out about the eight models for teleseminars during--what
else?--a teleseminar this Thursday, Nov. 13, when Steve Harrison
interviews Alex. Sign up here: http://tinyurl.com/5pvnvx

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

1. Turbo-charge Your LinkedIn Profile

2. Dominate Page 1 of Google

3. Video Camera Buyer's Guide

4. Retailers Turning to Facebook

5. Promoting a Temper Tantrum Book

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


========================================
1. Turbo-charge Your LinkedIn Profile
========================================

If you have a profile on LinkedIn, like every smart Publicity
Hound should, you can really impress visitors by taking advantage
of several new applications.

I haven't had time to experiment with them all, but I wanted to
let you know about six that are particularly powerful for anyone
who wants to promote their expertise or anything else on
LinkedIn:

--With just a few clicks, you can synch your Wordpress blog to
your profile, great for pulling in traffic to your blog and
letting visitors know which issues you think are important. Blog
Link, a separate application, lets you synch blogs that are
created on Typepad and other platforms.

--SlideShare lets you upload and display your own presentations,
check out presentations from your colleagues, and find experts
within your network. What a great way for consultants to share
their expertise!

--With a similar application called Google Presentation, you can
upload your PowerPoint presentation. Or use Google's online
application to embed a presentation on your profile.

--My Travel allows you to see where your LinkedIn network is
traveling and when you will be in the same city as your
colleagues. Share your upcoming trips, current location and
travel stats with your network. This is a super way for speakers
to pick up one or two more speaking engagements, or perhaps even
a consulting assignment, in a city where they're already booked.

--The Reading List from Amazon lets you share the books you're
reading with other LinkedIn members--a handy way to find out what
you should be reading by following updates from your connections
or people in your field.

Try a few of the apps that appeal to you, then start
incorporating them into your publicity campaign. Scott Allen, an
expert on LinkedIn, explained step-by-step directions on how to
use this site to promote any product, service, cause or issue. He
was my guest during two teleseminars in June called "How to Use
LinkedIn to Promote Anything--Ethically & Powerfully." The
classes sold out quickly, but they're available as handy
electronic transcripts and your choice of MP3 files or CDs.

Read more about how to promote the right way--and encourage your
LinkedIn connections to promote for you--at
http://tinyurl.com/5zvzyd

Thanks to Publicity hound Paul Furiga of WordWrite
Communications, LLC in Pittsburgh for letting us know about the
LinkedIn apps.


=========================================
2. Dominate Page 1 of Google
=========================================

How easy is it for people to find you if they're looking for
somebody with your expertise?

Go ahead. Try it yourself and see what happens.

Go to http://www.Google.com and search for "home schooling
expert" or "self-publishing expert" or whatever your expertise
happens to be, and see where Google places you on the list.
Expert, by the way, is the word most journalists use when they're
searching for sources to interview.

Now, do a search for "publicity expert." That's what I did just
now, and I dominate the first three positions for that keyword
phrase on Google's list--not by accident either.

The first two positions link to my website at
http://www.PublicityHound.com and the third links to my profile
at Expertclick: the Online Yearbook of Experts.

Mitch Davis of Expertclick encourages his clients who are experts
to use the word "expert" in their profile for that reason--so you
can beat your competitors on the all-important organic search
list of Google and other search engines.

Unlike pay-per-click ads, you don't pay for these coveted spots.
And for that reason, they can be far more valuable than paid ads
because Google is giving you its stamp of approval.

That's just one of the many benefits of an Expertclick
subscription. I've had mine for several years and it's paid off
handsomely by bringing traffic to my website and leading
journalists to me for interviews. You can also post up to 52
press releases per year at no additional per-release charge.

They're compiling the 2009 Yearbook right now, and you can save
$100 if you join by Friday, November 14, and another $100 if you
use this link:

https://www.expertclick.com/discount/publicity_hound


========================================
3. Video Camera Buyer's Guide
========================================

Another powerful way to pull traffic to your website is to create
videos for video-sharing sites like YouTube.

The search engines love video so much that they often reward your
videos with a high ranking on the organic search results when
people search for the same keywords you've used to tag your
videos.

But many Publicity Hounds don't know the first thing about video
equipment, and they're scared they'll end up spending way too
much on fancy equipment they don't need.

Don't ask me for recommendations because I'm not a techie. I use
the $150 Flip Video camera which works just fine for me. But you
might want something a bit more sophisticated. Check out Mike
Koenigs' cool video called "The Video Camera Buyer's Guide: What
to Buy and Where to Get It."

He takes you on a half-hour tour of many types of cameras, from
the Flip Video, all the way up to the HD "prosumer" models. He
even shows you which microphones to use and explains the must-
have accessories. And you can download the buyer's guide, a PDF
document you can take with you when you go shopping.

This is great stuff, whether you're trying to crank out a few
quick videos about your business for YouTube, or you're looking
to start a video business.

http://tinyurl.com/6qxa72


=========================================
4. Retailers Turning to Facebook
=========================================

About one in four U.S. retailers who are trying to ramp up online
holiday sales plans to create pages through Facebook to promote
their sites.

The survey by Shop.org, a unit of the National Retail Federation,
showed that of the retailers who responded, 43 percent are adding
videos of products and 33 percent are posting customer reviews.

That's a great idea, but you have to be careful about how you
promote on Facebook or you can annoy your friends who can report
you to the Facebook police. And the next thing you know, your
account is closed down. I know somebody who experienced that
nightmare a few weeks ago, and it took her days to convince
Facebook to reinstate her account.

The only place Facebook wants you to promote products is on your
Pages. You can include sales copy and photos and recruit "fans."

Do lots of people break the rules. Yep.

Do all of them get caught? Nope.

Is the chance worth taking? Not if you're smart.

In the new update of my ebook "How to be a Kick-Butt Publicity
Hound," which I co-wrote with Tom Antion, we included seven new
chapters on social networking, including a chapter on Facebook.
In it, we detail what happened to our friend whose account was
temporarily suspended, and what Facebook said she had to do to
play by the rules.

One of those new chapters also includes the transcript of a
teleseminar Tom conducted on everything you need to know about
how to use online video. Our proofreader just completed the book
a few days ago, and we haven't even had time to update the sales
page to show you all the new content. This is one of my most
popular products--sort of a one-stop-shop for anyone who needs
publicity. Claim it now at
http://publicityhound.com/publicity/publicityhound.htm


==========================================
5. Promoting a Temper Tantrum Book
==========================================

This week, four Publicity Hounds have tips on how Judy Colbert of
Crofton, Maryland, can promote her book, The Temper Tantrum
Handbook, to target audiences like day care providers and flight
attendants.


From Bruce Jones:

"This kind of subject makes for great 'how to' information for
parents. I would do some quick tips videos and post them on
YouTube and other video hosting sites. Put keyword text with
links to either your website or to Amazon in the description and
you will do very well. I have been using 'how to' videos on my
products, and customers love them."


From Cheryl Pickett:

"Sending a press release is literally the tip of the iceberg for
you. This sounds like a useful book and you certainly have lots
of options for groups to promote to, including ones you already
mentioned.

"For example, search for national associations of day care
providers, see what conferences they attend, and see if you can
speak or have a booth."


From Gail Sideman:

"Don't forget the power of social networking. Create a fan option
for Facebook members, and connect with moms on the variety of
social networks targeted to that group.

"Register for a Twitter account and link to moms, daycare
providers, babysitters and Mr. Moms. As you establish a following
of your own, post tips on how to deal with tantrums. You may post
links back to a page with more information about how to purchase
your book in those tweets."


The Publicity Hound says:

In-flight magazines might be interested in these same tips which
would be very helpful for moms dealing with their kids' temper
tantrums aboard airplanes. I just updated "Special Report 29: Fly
High with Publicity in the In-flight Magazines." It includes
contact information for 49 magazines, plus pitching tips and case
studies of Publicity Hounds who have gotten into these magazines.
Order the report at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/reports.html


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


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

Nancy Cavanaugh of Milwaukee, Wisconsin asks:

"I am a web designer at Cavanaugh Interactive who receives the
majority of my business via word of mouth. I've been a freelance
designer for more than 26 years, and in all that time I've never
seen the economic situation deteriorate so quickly. Because of
this, cash flow is poor and business is slow. Is there anything I
can do to get attention for my business quickly and cost
effectively?"


The Publicity Hound says:

As soon as I visited your website, Nancy, I noticed a problem,
and my suggestion should help you attract more business. I've
posted it in the comments section. Let's see what other ideas my
Hounds have. Offer your best tips for Nancy at my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/6lzg8e


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

You know you're a dog person when you like people who like your
dog and despise people who don't.


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

Twitterers, bloggers, ezine publishers: Your readers can compete
to win a $50 Amazon gift certificate:

Promote an ebook 26 ways--add to this list and you could win $50
http://tinyurl.com/64jkzq


Mac or PC--Which is better for creating videos?
http://tinyurl.com/5hxans


How to find social networking sites devoted to niche topics
http://tinyurl.com/5cwrsr


Writers association also for speakers, experts, entrepreneurs
http://tinyurl.com/59xung



WHERE TO SEE AND HEAR THE PUBLICITY HOUND:


Wednesday, Nov. 19--Teleseminar

"Write Like a Journalist: Media Wordsmiths Share Proven
Copywriting Secrets for Earning More Ink," 1 to 2:30 p.m.,
sponsored by Bulldog Reporter. Join me and three other panelists
for our best writing tips. Register at http://tinyurl.com/5cs6p7


Thursday, Nov. 20--Teleseminar

"How to Use Publicity To Become an Expert and Grow Your
Business," part of the Business Owner Super Conference. It's
already started, but you can still get in on the action at
http://tinyurl.com/633m83 A terrific training session for
business owners everywhere, with a line-up of top speakers.


Wednesday, Jan. 21--Teleseminar

Join me for the third annual smARTist telesummit where
photographers, jewelers. potters, painters, metalworkers,
woodworkers and other artists will learn all the secrets for
growing their art business. I'm presenting a session on how to
use social networking, from 2:45 to 4:30 p.m. Registration
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
USA
Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737

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


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/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/Why Most Authors Fail April 15, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week Issue
#394 April 15, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 44,401

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

"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.

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

Attention Wisconsin Hounds:

Meet me next week, April 22, at my day-long workshop in Shorewood (Milwaukee). In the morning, learn about online and offline publicity and video. In the afternoon, learn how to write and post direct-to-consumer press releases. We're almost filled to capacity, so sign up today before you're closed out: http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm

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

1. Why Most Authors Fail

2. Don't Make the Video Mistake I Made

3. Connect with Top-Tier Journalists

4. Answers to Your Craigslist Questions

5. Promoting a Gift Service for Kids

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. At My Blog...


===================================
1. Why Most Authors Fail
===================================

Yes, I said most. As in more than 90 percent.

Some weeks, based on the calls I receive from frustrated authors who can't sell their books, I conclude that 9 out of 10 of the authors who wrote the more than 170,000 titles last year should never have written their books in the first place.

When the phone rings and it's a desperate author begging for advice on how to generate free publicity, the first question I ask is, "Who's your target audience?"

Silence.

"That's what I'm hoping you'll help me decide," the authors sometimes reply.

By then, it's way too late. I've spoken with authors who have spent up to five years of their lives writing, editing and publishing their books. Some have applied for bank loans. Others have sold books, but they can barely cover the cost of self-publishing.

Sadly, most authors' success doesn't come anywhere close to their fantasies of selling thousands of books and attracting a huge following.

It kills me to see authors make dumb mistakes, and then struggle to move piles of books nobody wants to read.

Other authors, like the creators of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and Rich Dad Poor Dad, are happily not-so-famous but quietly raking in high six-figure and even seven-figure annual incomes without ever being on "Oprah" or hitting any bestseller list.

To learn what those wildly successful authors know that poor authors don't, sign up for a free 75-minute telephone seminar this Thursday, April 17, at your choice of two times: either 2 p.m. Eastern or 7 p.m. Eastern. It will be hosted by Steve Harrison, who will explain the seven key differences between r^ch authors and poor authors and why they aren't obvious things like getting publicity or having a good title, although those things are important.

You'll also learn how the top 0.1 percent of authors overcome the many problems and frequent obstacles of the bookstore distribution system, and the "unfair advantage" r^ch authors use to win the publishing game which 99.9 percent of the other authors don't know anything about.

There's no cost to participate on the call (except for your normal long distance charges). So if you're writing your next nonfiction book, or planning to write one, don't miss this call. Go to http://publicityhound.net/RichAuthorSecrets to learn how to participate.


=========================================
2. Don't Make the Video Mistake I Made
=========================================

Speaking of dumb mistakes, here's one of mine.

When I wanted to start creating video, I foolishly bought an Aiptek HD camcorder, thinking the quality would be far superior to much simpler-to-use cameras.

For five days, I struggled.

The instruction manual has print so small that I held a magnifying glass in one hand trying to read the directions, and the camera in the other, trying to fiddle with the controls. Not only that, but the joystick on the back of the camcorder was difficult to move up and down and back and forth.

Three days later, when I finally figured out how to record, I watched my first video on my computer screen. But I could barely hear the audio and I couldn't figure out what I did wrong.

Then I met Mike Stewart, who told me one of the biggest mistakes people make when entering the world of video is buying equipment with too many bells and whistles, and then spending days like I did figuring out how to use it.

That's valuable time that can be spent cranking out videos and posting them to a website or video blog to pull in tons of traffic. Google, it's worth remembering, bought YouTube for $1.65 billion--proof that the granddaddy of search engines gives high priority to video and will reward you handsomely if you use it.

Mike recommends two brands of camcorders. One is the Flip Video. I immediately went to Best Buy to exchange the Aiptek for a Flip. I had it out of the box, on the tripod and recording in less than half an hour, by myself! He then showed me how to use a video editing software program that's so easy and cool, I felt like a big-shot Hollywood producer.

I'm hosting a free teleseminar with Mike from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, April 17, for the first 300 Publicity Hounds who sign up. As of this morning, I only had 26 seats remaining, and it will certainly be filled to capacity before long. Mike will teach you how to create videos for YouTube, for one-page sales letters, and for your own video blog or website.

Learn how to participate in "How to Create Videos for Your Website to Pull Traffic, Impress Visitors, Make the Phone Ring and Close the Sale" at http://www.PublicityHound.com/mikestewartvideo.htm


=========================================
3. Connect with Top-Tier Journalists
=========================================

Here are three more reasons why I'm wild about Publicity Hounds getting a subscription to Expertclick: The Online Yearbook of Experts. Speakers and authors, pay attention.

- -Mitch Davis of Expertclick is speaking at the International Association of Speaker Bureaus' annual convention in Chicago on April 24. Many Expertclick clients are speakers and authors who greatly benefit from his networking. He's giving away copies of the Yearbook of Experts to help his clients promote themselves to speakers bureaus.

- -Mitch rubs elbows with more top-tier journalists and broadcasters than almost anybody I know. Over the weekend, he passed out yearbooks at the 37th Annual American Society of Journalists, Authors and Writers Conference in New York. He's also passing them out at Talkers Magazine's 11th Annual New Media Seminar, and at the Society of Professional Journalists National Convention.

- -When Mitch attends a trade show or convention, he invites Expertclick clients to a client appreciation networking program. He also invites local journalists, who have a table full of sources right at their fingertips. He'll be hosting these events April 25 in Chicago at the International Association of Speakers Bureau event, the National Association of Government Communicators event April 28 in Albuquerque, the National Speakers Association's branding lab on May 2 in Boston, NSA's Speakers Academy May 9 in Atlanta, and the giant Book Expo May 29 in Los Angeles.

I'm an Expertclick subscriber, and several journalists have called me for stories or commentary after searching the Expertclick database. Tell Expertclick you're a Publicity Hound reader and they'll knock $100 off your subscription price. Learn more about this great service at http://PublicityHound.net/expertclick


========================================
4. Answers to Your Craigslist Questions
========================================

I'm still amazed at the number of people who don't use Craigslist as part of their publicity campaigns.

I don't care what you're selling. You should be posting regularly to the Craigslist nearest to where you live, even if you're in Podunk Junction.

In a question-and-answer feature about Craigslist in The New York Times last year, Jim Buckmaster, the CEO of Craigslist, said postings on the smaller Craigslists can be just as valuable as postings on lists for big cities like New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

"Surprisingly, postings to smaller markets like Des Moines often get more page views than ones in large cities where there are more postings competing for attention," he said.

You can read the entire feature at
http://publicityhound.net/craigslistquestions

But before you start posting, take advantage of the dozens of tips that Nancy Mills shares on how to make the most of this worldwide bulletin board. She was my guest during a teleseminar on "How to Use Craigslist as a Global Publicity Tool" and passed along fabulous tips on how to save time, pull Craigslist visitors to your website and make this service one of your most powerful publicity tools.

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://publicityhound.net/cdcraigslist


============================================
5. Promoting a Gift Service for Kids
============================================

This week, 10 Publicity Hounds have tips on how Steve Mock of Henderson, Nevada can promote his company, Giftventure, that gives children a personalized week-long treasure hunt.


From Susan Gingerich:

"Where are kids found? At the library during story hour, at the playground, and kids events. Work with promoters of these venues to stage a hidden treasure that is found with, none other than, your clues.

"Most activities sponsored by parks and recreation centers and libraries and have media coverage. You can tag onto their press as a sponsor and pass information onto parents at the events in a secret letter for parents."


From John Easton:

"I would consider running a contest for a video of the most entertaining reaction to your product. Have your customers upload videos to one of the online services (YouTube, Blip.tv, Revver, or other) and select the best one. I am partial to Brightcove and Splashcast which allow your customers to upload videos to your account directly (Brightcove enables you to filter the videos) and display the uploaded videos in a multi-channel player.

"I am willing to bet you would get some submissions that would rival America's Funniest Home Videos, and these could spread the word about you like wild fire."


From Carol White:

"Contact all the major sites where moms and grandparents hang out and offer a story about gift giving, a contest, etc. Here are a few ideas: MomsMinivan.com, Eons.com, Grandparents.com, 2young2retire.com, Boomerwomenspeak.com. At each site, look at their list of links for more ideas of sites to contact."


The Publicity Hound says:

Steve, your service is perfect for the many gift guides published by newspapers and magazines. The Gift List sells a database that tells you exactly which media are planning special sections and other features highlighting gifts. For example, gift guides in parents magazines would be a perfect place to pitch a story about your business. Learn more about the Gift List at http://publicityhound.net/giftlist


Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question at http://publicityhound.net/giftventure


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


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

Alex Foo of Christmas Island, Australia writes:

"I resigned from a prestigious job three years ago when I discovered that I could help people start Speaking Chinese in 58 minutes with no pen, no paper.

"My dream is to help 957,000 people around the world start speaking some basic Chinese before the Beijing Olympic Games held in August this year. Equally important, a portion of the proceeds from my DVDs and Cds will go to help 6 million men, women and children help themselves so that they no longer have to worry where the next meal is going to come from.

"What's the best way for me to spread the word about what I'm doing? My website is at http://www.ChinaSpeak.com.au (turn down your speakers)."


The Publicity Hound says:

Alex, the Beijing Olympics are the perfect tie-in! Let's see what specific ideas or pitching angles my Hounds can suggest. Hounds with tips for Alex can post them to my blog at http://publicityhound.net/speakchinese

Here's my idea. How about trying to get onto one of the many shows on National Public Radio that deal with topics like travel and culture, and give listeners a few basic lessons on how to speak Chinese quickly? I visited your website and saw from one of your videos that your mom teaches Chinese and your dad does Chinese calligraphy. I'm sure you have some great stories to share with NPR audiences. See "How to Get Booked on National Public Radio" at http://PublicityHound.net/cdnpr for helpful tips on how to get onto the shows, give great interviews and be invited back.


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

Alert Publicity Hounds emailed me after they read last week's item here about Loews Hotels' "learning vacations" for four- legged hounds and asked about the other two services that I read about in Midwest Airlines' inflight magazine. Here they are:

- -At Su'ruff Camp at Lowes Coronado Bay Resort, about 45 minutes from Tampa, Florida, dogs get surfing lessons with Coronado Surfing Academy at Coronado's Dog Beach.

- -At Outward Hound at Loews Denver Hotel--which features a two- hour on-and-off leash guided hike with a personal trainer--dogs get fresh-baked healthy treats, limo pick-up and drop-off, and a personalized Web photo gallery documenting their adventure.


If you're targeting your publicity at an upscale, well-educated audience, in-flight magazines might be the perfect vehicle for your story. "Special Report #27: Fly High with Publicity in the Inflight Magazines" saves you hours of research with pitching tips galore and contact information for 43 inflight magazines. Read more about the report at http://publicityhound.com/publicity-products/reports.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. At My Blog...
=================================

National mag wants Wisconsin expert in small biz retailing http://publicityhound.net/smallbizretailing


How to promote your 'best of' honor for more publicity
http://publicityhound.net/bestofhonor


American Airlines' canceled flights a publicity op
http://publicityhound.net/canceledflights


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

Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound


April 17: Teleseminar

Mike Stewart demystifies the process of creating video for your website; 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time. Registration is free. Only 26 seats left as of today so register now: http://www.PublicityHound.com/mikestewartvideo.htm


April 22: Shorewood, Wisconsin

"Savvy Media Relations: How to Get FREE Online & Offline Publicity," 8:30 to noon, and "The New Rules of Press Releases: How to Write Them for Consumers, Not Only for Journalists," 1 to 3:30 p.m.; North Star, 4515 W. Oakland Ave., sponsored by the Shorewood Business Improvement District. Tickets are $75 each or $65 for two or more persons. To register, contact Barb Caprile at barb@shorewood.com or 414-962-7002.


April 30: Teleseminar

"How to Create a Media Plan," part of the teleseminar series "Intro to Internet Marketing" for health professionals. Perfect for doctors, nurses, spa owners, holistic health counselors, massage therapists, etc. Register at http://publicityhound.net/introinternetmarketing


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/Brett Favre's Retirement Mar 4, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #388 March 4, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 43,481

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

"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.

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

Deadline March 7 for ExpertClick.com Upgrade:

Publicity Hounds who have a subscription to Expertclick.com: The Online Yearbook of Experts, have until Friday, March 7, to upgrade their subscription to a full-page ad in the next online and print directory for $595.

A full page will give you better positioning on the Expertclick website. Journalists, by the way, search the Expertclick database frequently when they need experts. For example, I'll bet lots of journalists and broadcasters are using Expertclick today to search for experts who can comment on Brett Favre's retirement. (See Item #1 below.)

You can only upgrade if you already have a subscription or if you subscribe by Friday. Subscribers who mention The Publicity Hound will get $100 off the price of their subscription, but not the $595 upgrade.

Learn more by calling Randy at 202-333-5000.

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

1. Brett Favre's Retirement

2. 10 Dirtiest Hotels

3. Turn Content into Cash

4. Media Leads

5. How to Promote an ACT! Contest

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. At My Blog...


======================================
1. Brett Favre's Retirement
======================================

You don't have to be a Cheesehead like I am to mourn the announcement just a few hours ago that Brett Favre is retiring as quarterback of the Green Bay Packers after 17 seasons.

Gail Sideman of PubliSide Personal Publicity in Milwaukee, who comes from a sports publicity background, says she thinks this is an ideal time for Publicity Hounds everywhere to piggyback off this news. I agree.

The news media's 24-hour news cycle, she says, combined with its insatiable appetite for copy and film footage, means sports shows like those on ESPN and CNN, as well as other non-sports programs and news shows right in your own community, will be looking for experts who can comment on the retirement. I asked her to brainstorm with me ways that experts can piggyback onto this news.

Here are our ideas:

- -Authors, speakers and experts on the topic of leadership can comment on what made Favre such a great leader.

- -Are you an expert on grief? If so, comment on Favre's amazing performance on "Monday Night Football" on December 21, 2003, the day after his father died of a heart attack and drove his car into a ditch in Kiln, Mississippi. Favre decided to play the game, and passed for four touchdowns in the first half and 399 total yards in a 41-7 victory over the Raiders on international television.

- -What can kids learn from Favre's well-publicized problems with drugs and alcohol? And his rehab?

- -Despite their fame and fortune, Favre and his wife, Deanna, together have experienced more horrific events in just a few years than most people ex