Publicity tips/The Bucket List Jan 22, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #382 Jan. 22, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 39,927

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

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You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me that you want to subscribe. If you didn't subscribe, you can unsubscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of the newsletter.

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

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

1. The Bucket List

2. Don't Make Deals Like This One

3. If You Hate Your Job, Read This

4. Media Lead

5. How to Work with Impatient PR Clients

6. "Speakers Cruise Free" Replay

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


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1. The Bucket List
======================================

The opening of the movie The Bucket List shows aging car mechanic Carter Chambers, played by Morgan Freeman, extinguishing his cigarette in an old Chock Full o' Nuts coffee can.

Later, Jack Nicholson as his dying geezer buddy Edward Cole, sings the familiar ditty we've all heard in those Chock Full o'Nuts commercials. It goes like this:

Chock Full o' Nuts is that heavenly coffee, Heavenly coffee, heavenly coffee, Chock Full o' Nuts is that heavenly coffee, Better coffee a millionaire's money can't buy.

That's called product placement. And when Jack sings about your product, well, it doesn't get much better than that.

Whether you're selling jewelry or purses, cars or coffee, product placement opportunities on the sets of TV shows and movies await Publicity Hounds who are smart enough to go after them.

While the Chock Full o' Nuts placement, no doubt, required deep pockets, many others don't.

If you supply cases of your company's bottled water for the stars to drink while they're shooting, a bottle just might show up in the final version of a movie or TV show.

After your product shows up on the screen, there are lots more opportunities. For example, InStyle magazine has a "Where Can I Find" column each month. It might feature a huge photo of an actress wearing a necklace on the set of a movie. It gives you the brand name and price, and the website where you can buy it.
That kind of publicity is free and powerful.

Product placement experts Amy Bates Stumpf and Rebecca Lightsey joined me in December for the teleseminar "How to Get Your Consumer Products onto the Sets of Movies & TV Shows." We recorded it, and it's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can be reading as soon as your order is approved. Only $39.95.

Order the CD at http://tinyurl.com/39bnqb

Order the electronic transcript at http://tinyurl.com/3y38hj

I loved The Bucket List, by the way, even though it got lousy reviews.


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2. Don't Make Deals Like This One
========================================

Twenty years ago, I would have been horrified to hear about a deal like this one between a hospital and a daily newspaper.

But today, the line between editorial and advertising is so blurred that it's of little surprise.

WEAU TV-13 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin tried to negotiate a deal with the local Sacred Heart Hospital in which the station would air medical stories featuring personnel only from that hospital and its affiliates, but not employees of other Chippewa Valley hospitals or clinics.

TV news director Glen Mabie was so outraged that he resigned. He said he was unsure whether the hospital would pay TV-13 as part of the agreement but that the exclusive deal posed an obvious conflict of interest.

The company decided not to proceed with the agreement, but the local newspaper got wind of it. You can read the entire story at http://tinyurl.com/322s88

I ran this by my friend, TV producer Shawne Duperon, for her comments:

"Yikes! Kudos to Glen Mabie for taking an ethical stand. Coming from a health reporter background, this would be a nightmare as a journalist! WEAU was completely crossing every ethical boundary that literally holds the newsroom together.

"In news, everything is about finding many sources (angles) to help you tell stories for the community. It would be like only talking to the NAACP for all civil rights issues.

"Creating a deal would also alienate all the other medical resources, organizations and clinics in the community. The deal could only fall flat on its face because it violates the very existence of journalistic news gathering processes."

My own take is that the stench from all that bad publicity is as harmful to the hospital as it is to the TV station. So if media outlets offer you a deal like this one, run the other way.

Besides, smart Publicity Hounds don't have to sleaze their way onto TV. Shawne says it's easy to get on the local news and that a well-delivered pitch to the newsroom in the morning can sometimes get you onto the news that night. She explains "How to Get onto the Local TV News Tomorrow," available as a CD or an electronic transcript you can read as soon as your order is approved.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/4zpuz


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3. If You Hate Your Job, Read This
=========================================

When you hear the phrase Internet marketer, you probably think of a geeky guy with thick glasses, hunched over his laptop all day buying Google pay-per-click ads and watching the orders roll in.

That's one description.

I'm an Internet marketer, too. And I've worked hard to build my business to the point where I don't have to travel anymore. No more sleeping in airports, living in germ-laden hotel rooms or eating lousy food on the road.

I do most of my work in my pajamas or jeans and a T-shirt. About 98 percent of my revenue is generated in front of my computer, where I can also promote myself to the hilt.

I leave my home office so seldom these days that I don't even use a weekly planner. All my appointments are on a large wall calendar.

Most afternoons, I take a quick nap in my own bed, with Bogie asleep next to me in her kennel.

During the summer, I take frequent mid-morning breaks to weed the garden or pick a bouquet of flowers. Then I make my own healthy lunch.

With the help of Christine Buffaloe, my part-time virtual assistant, I've cut back my work week drastically and created several new revenue streams that have boosted my income. I can take vacations and long weekends when I want, without reporting to anybody.

Oh, did I mention that I've got the best boss in the world? Me.

Much of what I've done to morph from consulting/speaking into almost all Internet marketing is the same as what Alexandria Brown, "The Ezine Queen," teaches in her workshops. We've presented at the same events, and she's the real deal.

After hours of editing, polishing, and coddling, the brand new 2008 version of her "Online Success Blueprint-in-a-Box" is finally ready. It's perfect for anybody who hates their job, is already an expert in a certain topic, and wants to work on their own, at home, in front of their computer.

It's the home version of the exact same program she taught live a few months ago. You can see everything you get right now at http://tinyurl.com/ea6od (but turn down your speakers if you're at work).

She's selling only 147 copies of this version, so act now before you miss it. Read the success stories of her clients who have followed in her footsteps at http://tinyurl.com/ea6od


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4. Media Lead
=========================================

Mildred Culp, who writes the syndicated Workwise column, is looking for people who retired but have gone back to work for the same company or a different company. She has research indicating that this group needs to be managed by employers rather than left on their own. She wants to interview those who agree or disagree. Don't be shy if you have a relative to suggest. Source must be post-retirement, 65 or older. Send leads to mailto:workwise@comcast.net


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5. How to Work with Impatient PR Clients
============================================

This week, four Publicity Hounds have advice for Gail Sideman of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She wants tips on how to work with impatient PR clients who expect immediate results.


From Lanada Chanel:

"I have begun keeping track of published articles, editorials, press announcements, TV appearances, etc. we have gotten (however big or small they are). I list them, attached to monthly invoices, along with the time spent making calls to try to get her speaking engagements and the community relations work we're doing for her just so the client can see how much time and relationship building goes into this whole process.

"I figure that when the clients see how that all adds up, they can choose to either handle it all themselves and run their business, which already keeps them overwhelmed, or let me do what I feel I do best."


Barbara Rozgony:

"Since we transitioned away from counting clips to more of an SEO/virtual PR visibility approach, we find that our clients appreciate their different, but more measurable and immediate results. Within 24-48 hours, many of our clients land on page one of Google news for the desired search terms.

"After a few web releases, many of them vault way ahead of their competition, both in terms of number of Google results and page rank. One client showed up at 4, 5 and 6 on page one for their keyword term for the first month or so after their release. Three months later, their news release shows up at 35/232,000 results-- while their own site is buried many, many pages back."


From The Publicity Hound:

"If clients are obsessed with immediate results, then give them immediate results. Not in the traditional media, but in the hundreds of social media sites like MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, and Squidoo. Choose just a few, create their profiles, and then teach them how to use the sites. If you do it right, they could see a boost in traffic---and possibly sales---in just 24 to 48 hours.

Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/23kk33


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6. Speakers Cruise Free Replay
================================

"Speakers Cruise Free: Trade Your Talents for Free Luxury Cruises," a one-hour interview with Daniel Hall, shows you how to turn your hobby or expertise into a cool presentation you can offer to cruise ship lines that are looking for experts to entertain and educate their passengers. Listen for free at http://www.speakerscruisefree.com/houndcall

Help this Hound will return next week.


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

Thanks to self-publishing guru Dan Poynter of Santa Barbara, California for pointing out this:

The California town of Carmel-By-The-Sea has created the nation's first official doggie drinking fountain. It's called the "Fountain of Woof" and features a life-size dog's head spurting water from its mouth onto a step arrangement of rocky pools from which pooches can drink. Mayor Sue McCloud said the fountain was created "by pupular demand."


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

Book promotion tip: 'Cool Book of the Day'
http://tinyurl.com/3b6gfw


Video pitching will become overused
http://tinyurl.com/3yk38g


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/When Newspapers Ignore You Oct 2, 2007

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #366 Oct. 2, 2007
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 35,713

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

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


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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me that you want to subscribe. If you didn't subscribe, you can unsubscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of the newsletter.

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

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

Announcements:

--James Malinchak, an expert on how to get onto the college speaking circuit and generate tons of publicity doing it, will be my guest once again during a complimentary teleseminar at 4 PM Eastern Time on Tuesday, Oct. 9. This is a high-content call chock full of lists of tips that will whet your appetite for his boot camp Nov. 29-Dec. 2 in Los Angeles. Warning: I got several complaints last year that the boot camp sold out early because James lets past attendees return as many times as they wish. So if you're thinking of going, don't wait until the last minute. Sign up for the teleseminar at http://tinyurl.com/fs56k

--Don't let the November 15 deadline for "Experclick: The Online Yearbook of Experts," slip by you. If you want to be in the 2008 yearbook, that's the last day to reserve your space and take advantage of $100 off only for Publicity Hounds. Call the office in Washington, D.C., at 202-333-5000, and ask for the "Publicity Hound Discount" or order on-line at http://www.ExpertClick.com/Discount/The_Publicity_Hound Click here to continue reading about all the benefits of a membership: http://www.ExpertClick.com/Brochure

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

1. When Newspapers Ignore You

2. Article Writers Don't Like My Advice

3. Tie into the New Fall TV Shows

4. A Big Mistake Non-fiction Authors Make

5. Promoting a Portable Water Collector

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


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1. When Newspapers Ignore You
======================================

Have you ever picked up the local newspaper and read a glowing story about one of your competitors? And told yourself that the reporter could just as well have written the story about you?

Lots of Publicity Hounds have. They throw away their newspapers, and then stomp off grumbling and groaning that their day has been ruined.

Not so fast.

Do what the folks at The Edge Salon in Fish Creek, Wisconsin did recently. When they read a story in the local Peninsula Pulse newspaper about how Willard Zak was one of the last of the old-time barbers in northern Door County, they wrote a letter to the editor that, I swear, was far better exposure than any article a staff reporter could have written.

The letter introduced Dawn Berna, a third-generation barber "who learned her trade in one of the few men-only barbershops 20 some years ago and can knock out an incredible haircut in 13 minutes or less."

It also mentioned that Dawn's chair "is one of the large, comfortable barber chairs, not the 'flimsy little chairs' that Mr. Gallagher believes is standard in salons."

It even quoted a local restaurant owner who said his weekly straight-edge shaves "are the highlight of my week."

And it issued a personal challenge to Willard Zak, who might be retiring soon:

"The Staff at The Edge challenges you to have us cut your hair....we will avoid the debate of who is the better barber."

The newspaper even included a photo of a customer having his hair trimmed at The Edge Salon.

Would you have been this gutsy if the same thing had happened to you?

If not, learn about all the ways to make the editorial pages of newspapers and magazines, which Publicity Hounds frequently ignore, really work for you. "How to Use Newspaper & Magazine Editorial Pages" shows you all the ways to use letters to the editor and opinion columns to promote a product, service, cause or issue. It even explains how to meet with the influential editorial board in hopes of swaying them over to your side.

It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved.

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


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2. Article Writers Don't Like My Advice
========================================

Several Publicity Hounds who post their articles to online article directory sites wrote last week to chastise me for telling you to ignore website owners who take your articles and post them at their own por*n sites.

"There is indeed something you can do about it! And it is not a full-time job," wrote Leslie McKerns of Royal Palm Beach, Florida. "After a few sickening sleepless nights, I found out EXACTLY what to do about it and have shut down each and every link to inappropriate content."

She doesn't want her step-by-step directions posted here and risk tipping off the spammers, but she's willing to explain them to you if you email her. Mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=LesliesEmail and I'll send her email address.

Bette Dowdell of Glendale, Arizona has the same problem and explained what she does:

"All the disgusting websites that misused my articles are on BlogSpot, which is owned by Google. BlogSpot's terms of service say no por*n is allowed, but they don't seem to do anything to enforce their terms.

"I wrote a letter to Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, expressing, in legalese-lite, the Google liability in allowing others to steal my intellectual property.

"I also started sending emails (support@blogger.com). Each day, I add the day's offending hits (garnered from the Google Alert), add a brief note about how they are aiding and abetting the destruction of my reputation and my business. Notice I said 'add.' I always resend the same email, but with the current day's offenses at the top. That way, they always have a complete record of the fact that I intend to be a pest until they do the right thing.

"This sounds onerous, but I get one Google Alert a day and send one email a day to report the infractions. This is not overwhelming. Results to date? Google TOOK DOWN the sites that I complained about."

Thanks, Leslie and Betty.

Other Publicity Hounds who want to take the time to go after these website owners can do so. But I'm sticking to my original advice. Complaining eats up precious time. And once a site is closed down, the perpetrators can have a new one up and running the same day.

The source of this problem, by the way, is not online article directory sites. My web developer told me yesterday that he doesn't post to these directories, yet the p*orn industry has stolen many of his articles posted at his own site and reprinted them on their sites.

If you, too, are experiencing this problem and have found another solution, let me know. And if you refuse to be deterred by these scoundrels, and want to post your content to article directory sites, learn how. Small business expert Sharron Senter explains how posting articles generates from 30 to 100 sales leads a month and how she follows up. She was my guest during a teleseminar called "How to Post Online Articles That Pull Traffic to Your Website."

We recorded it and 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. Click here to continue reading more about what you'll learn: http://tinyurl.com/5zvga


=========================================
3. Tie into the New Fall TV Shows
=========================================

Thanks to Michael Smart, president of Michael Smart PR and national news director for Brigham Young University for this tip on how to tie your story ideas to the new fall line-up of TV shows.

Michael generated fabulous publicity for the university several years ago just as the show "Survivor" was debuting on CBS.

"We had an honors class at BYU on team-building that had been taught for 13 years, and it wasn't new," he said. "The students were told they were stranded on a desert island and had to figure out ways to get off."

He pitched the story to local media, tied it to the "Survivor"debut, and ended up with publicity in the local newspaper and on the CBS affiliate station.

Then, two years ago, he did the same thing again when "Lost"debuted on ABC.

"The same media outlets did the same story on the same class simply because the pitch was tied to pop culture," he said.

He suggests businesses tie their pitches to "The Office," the mega-hit that's in its fourth season on NBC.

TV producer and reporter Shawne Duperon says TV newsrooms love stories like the ones Michael is suggesting. Shawne teamed up with me to present a teleseminar called "103 Sizzling Story Ideas from July through December." She pointed out the best ideas for TV, and I flagged listeners to the best ideas for print.

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, and each includes the handout listing all 103 ideas so you can steal them and start pitching today.

Click here to continue reading more about what you'll learn: http://tinyurl.com/54y6f


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4. A Big Mistake Non-fiction Authors Make
=========================================

It's one of the biggest boo-boos you can make if you're writing a non-fiction book. Hundreds of authors make it daily, and then suffer the consequences.

They write books without first creating spin-off products and services to sell to people who buy the book and love it.

That might not sound like a big deal. But after working with more than 9,300 authors over the last 19 years, Steve Harrison has learned rich authors simply do seven key things differently than poor authors.

One of them is that successful authors in the top echelon make most of their money from things like board games, calendars, bootcamps, consulting, membership websites, mentor programs, coaching clients, and anything else that can be tied into the topic of their books.

He'll discuss that mistake and six others during a free 75-minute teleseminar called "How to Achieve A Lot More Success As An Author By Discovering The Seven Things Rich Authors Know That Poor Authors Don't" on Thursday, Oct. 4. Choose from two times: 2p.m. Eastern (11 a.m. Pacific) or 7 p.m. Eastern (4 p.m.Pacific).

Like many free teleseminars, this call will whet your appetite for a seminar he is hosting that walks authors step-by-step through the entire process of spin-off products and services, and other success strategies.

Sign up for the teleseminar at http://tinyurl.com/2onv6b


==========================================
5. Promoting a Portable Water Collector
==========================================

This week, six Publicity Hounds have advice for Brian James of Melbourne, Australia on how to promote The Water-Leech, a portable water collector that sucks up water from showers, baths and washing machines. The water can then be recycled to water gardens and wash cars.


From Robert Schmidt:

"Piggyback onto bad-news stories about drought and watering restrictions that are geographically based. Be ready to provide a unit and a press release to any city that enforces a watering ban. Look for endorsements from a 'green' celebrity like Governor Schwarzenegger. Start by finding a few outspoken promoters and get some units into their hands so they can become Water-Leech evangelists."


From Marcia Clark:

"Contact the Green Building Council at http://www.usgbc.org/. The organization is getting a tremendous amount of publicity as are companies, builders and vendors who attain their special LEED designation. This is a perfect time for him to promote his device. If you create a Google Alert for 'Green Building,' your email box will be full all day every day. (I have had great success finding opportunities for several clients who are in someway involved in green building.)"


From Jessica Satterfield:

"Check out the site http://www.livingwithed.net/. This is the official website for a popular reality TV show on the Home and Garden network (HGTV). The show chronicles the life of Ed Begley, Jr., who lives 'green,' but his wife says he goes overboard. You can contact him via the site (the email address is mailto:livingwithed@sbcglobal.net), and offer to send Ed one of your products for free. With any luck, it will be included in one of the shows or reviewed on his site."


Read all the responses to this Help This Hound question at
http://tinyurl.com/3884v8


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

Nancy Hayssen of Sonoma County, California writes:

"I am a local private pilot and web entrepreneur who has launched a website at http://www.sonomacountyairport.com/. It targets Sonoma County residents and visitors who are traveling to the area from L.A., Seattle and Portland to visit the Wine Country. The site features things to see and do while here.

"The site recently has been taking off, and I’d love your Hounds' help. I’m looking for ways to improve my site, increase traffic as much as possible, unusual PR ideas, ways to build my email subscriber list even more."


The Publicity Hound says:

One of the biggest problems I see will be differentiating your website from the Sonoma County Airport's official website. Let's see what my Hounds can offer. If you have a helpful idea for Nancy, post it to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/2jqwf3

In the meantime, Nancy, you might want to know about a helpful teleseminar that Bulldog Reporter is sponsoring called "Pitching Travel & Tourism: How to Ride New Trends and Topics to Widespread Coverage in Top Travel Media." It will be held at 1 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, Oct. 4. You'll hear from journalists representing the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, AAA Going Places Magazine and Travel News Network. Continue reading more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/3xmnkt


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

A woman brought a litter of golden retriever puppies to the local veterinary clinic for inoculations and worming.

As the look-alike pups squirmed over and under one another in their box, the vet realized it would be difficult to tell the treated ones from the rest. So he turned on the water faucet, wet his fingers, and moistened each dog's head when he had finished treating them.

After the fourth puppy, the vet noticed the hitherto talkative client had grown silent. As he sprinkled the last pup's head, the woman leaned forward and whispered, "I didn't know they had to be baptized."


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 market a YouTube campaign
http://tinyurl.com/35etdy


Social media: How to measure your marketing efforts
http://tinyurl.com/2s2yze


Social media 'Unconference' off to a fast start
http://tinyurl.com/3ahlvf


Meet reporters at 'New York’s Funniest Reporter' contest
http://tinyurl.com/2vssw8


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

Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®

Oct. 2: Teleseminar on Promoting Your Expertise Online

Marilee Tolen will present "Intro to Internet Marketing," a series of telephone seminars for holistic health counselors, nurses, doctors, therapists, educators, healers, massage therapists, nutritionists, spa owners and health care business owners how to create a huge presence for themselves online. I'm her guest from 7 to 8:15 PM Eastern Time. And I'll teach you how to become an expert in your field, and then promote your expertise online to pull traffic, including journalists, to your website. Click to continue reading about what else you'll learn: http://tinyurl.com/3xmbfb


Oct. 9: Teleseminar on "How to Get onto the College Speaking Circuit"

With James Malinchak, 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern Time. This complimentary, high-content call will be chock full of lists of tips on how to make a bundle speaking at colleges. It will whet your appetite for his boot camp Nov. 29-Dec. 2 in Los Angeles. Sign up for the teleseminar at http://tinyurl.com/fs56k


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/Michael Moore Health Challenge September 4, 2007

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #362 Sept. 4, 2007
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 35,057

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"
Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityhound.com/tipsoftheweek/

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


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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me that you want to subscribe. If you didn't subscribe, you can unsubscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of the newsletter.

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

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

"How to Help Your Boss or Client with a Publicity Campaign"

Dozens of you have asked about how to buy the audio recordings or electronic transcripts of my weeklong training program for assistants, virtual assistants and interns. The sales page isn't even completed yet, but I'm selling the product this week only to readers of this newsletter and with a special offer that expires at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, September 7.

Here's the offer. Order the CDs, electronic transcripts, or the MP3 files by Friday night, and you can choose any three electronic transcripts priced at $39.95 from my inventory at http://publicityhound.com/publicity-products/tapes.html -- for free. That's a $119.85 value. I'm making this offer because I couldn’t include every topic in this course, and your assistant might need more help in a particular area. In the comments section of the order form, tell me which 3 titles you want.

Read more about what you and your assistant will learn at http://tinyurl.com/yvwdje


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

1. Michael Moore Health Challenge

2. Don't Announce an Announcement

3. Pre-event Publicity on Weekend TV

4. Media Leads

5. Promoting a Retreat to Tuscany

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


======================================
1. Michael Moore Health Challenge
======================================

When Michael Moore released his movie "Sicko," which helps promote free universal health care for everyone in the United States, fitness trainers Jim Labadie and Ryan Lee of North Palm Beach, Florida knew it was the perfect opportunity for Publicity Hounds like them to use two strategies I advocate.

First, piggyback off celebrities and current movies. Second, don't be afraid to become embroiled in a controversy.

With help from Tampa PR pro Lizz Harmon, that's exactly what they did.

"Mr. Moore is a walking advertisement for heart disease and diabetes," Jim says in an open letter to all fitness instructors."This is not to bash him. This is not to be viewed as an attack on him. This is not about aesthetics. This is not about looking good in a bathing suit. This is about Michael Moore exercising regularly and improving his diet so he can become a better role model for preventative care."

The letter at http://tinyurl.com/3ylxto urges fitness instructors to also write a letter that calls on the filmmaker to become a healthy role model.

"I haven't done too much with the letter other than promote it to people who have given us permission to email them," Jim says. He and Ryan emailed about 130,000 people in the fitness industry, and others who they thought would be interested.

Their campaign is starting to gain traction on the Internet because the topic is perfect fodder for special interest websites and bloggers, whether they write about fitness, health insurance or politics.

It's also edgy enough for drive-time radio interviews and local TV shows. If you're a fitness trainer, how about joining this campaign, then pitching your local TV stations?

Think the campaign is downright nasty and are you refusing to participate? Sounds like a story to me.

Shawne Duperon will explain exactly who to call in the TV newsroom, how to get through to the person who decides which stories get on the air, and how to deliver an enticing pitch that makes them say "yes." She was my guest during a teleseminar called "How to Get on the Local TV News Tomorrow."
It's available as a CD or an electronic transcript that you can download and be reading as soon as your order has been approved.

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


========================================
2. Don't Announce an Announcement
========================================

My skin crawls every time I see somebody "announcing" something in a press release or a news story.

They act as though the announcement is the news when, in fact, it isn't. The content of the announcement is all anybody cares about. That's why I'd love to ban the words "announce, announced, announcing" and "announcement" from publicity campaigns and news stories.

Then along comes former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, a Republican who has been acting for months like he's running for president. Late last week, his office "announced" that on Thursday of this week, he'll make his official "announcement" that he's running.

Thompson and other big-name politicians might be able to get away with this kind of silly PR, but don't you ever try it.

How many times do you use the A-words when you write press releases?

Guilty? That's what I thought.

It's time to learn how to write releases that people will not only read, but find interesting and respond to. Sign up for my free email tutorial "89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases."It explains how to write press releases not only for journalists, but for the search engines, which can deliver your press release directly to consumers who are searching for the kinds of information you're writing about.

Warning: This is an intensive 12-week course, but please stick with it. By the time you're done, you'll know more about how to write and distribute press releases than most professional PR people. As of today, 6,665 people have signed up for the course.

Don't have 89 days to spare? You can scroll to the bottom of the page and buy the entire course in a handy ebook for only $27.

Sign up now at http://www.PublicityHound.com/pressreleasetips/list.htm and I'll email you your first lesson within 15 minutes.

Bloggers and ezine editors, do your readers a favor and tell them about this. If you really want to get their attention, challenge them to take this press release quiz at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/pwnu7


=========================================
3. Pre-event Publicity on Weekend TV
=========================================

If you're planning a special event, are you paying attention to the TV news shows in your community that are sometimes desperate for guests?

You should be. It can mean the difference between no pre-event coverage and tons of it. One of the best places to look is the weekend news shows at your local TV stations.

On Sunday morning, I caught the tail-end of an interview on a Milwaukee TV news show with somebody who was promoting the Kettle Moraine Jazz Festival in West Bend, Wisconsin, about a half hour from where I live.

The in-studio guest was talking up the event, and I immediately paid attention because the jazz festival is the highlight of our summer. We've attended the last several years and we'll be there again this weekend.

Last week, I noticed several email messages from the festival organizers which gave me the impression they were still trying to get rid of tickets for what's usually a sold-out event. I wouldn't be surprised if the PR people called the TV station and asked for an interview. Smart.

Saturday and Sunday mornings are perfect times for this kind of publicity. People like me, who seldom have time to catch the 10 o'clock TV news during the week, often tune in on the weekends, when life is just a little bit slower. If you have video from last year's event, offer it. That makes the story more enticing.

I know 846 other ways to generate publicity before, during and after your special event. Debra J. Schmidt and I explain them on "How to Plan & Promote Sizzling Special Events," a set of 6 audio CDs and a seventh CD that includes 15 can't-do-without checklists for event planners and publicists. The package is also available as an electronic transcript.

If you're planning or promoting a special event this year or next, your reputation, not to mention your job, could be at stake. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/46jzg


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

If you're an expert who lives in New York City, or you're planning to visit there, apply to be on "Better TV," a daytime nationally syndicated lifestyle show debuting this month. They're looking for experts, guests, celebrities, chefs, entertainers and more.

The show is produced in New York by the Meredith Corporation for women ages 25-54 who want to make their lives better with programming focused on family, home and life. The show launches in 14 markets, reaching 10 percent of all American households.

To pitch "Better TV," email Marianne Mancusi at mailto:booking@better.tv

Thanks to Shawne Duperon's publicity newsletter for this lead. Subscribe at http://www.shawnetv.com/


==========================================
5. Promoting a Retreat to Tuscany
==========================================

This week, nine Publicity Hounds have tips for Kathy McCabe of Washington, D.C. She needs ideas on how to promote a weeklong goal-setting retreat in Tuscany, Italy for men and women in their 30s to 50s. You can read about it at http://www.dreamofitaly.com/public/365.cfm


John Easton says:

"Consider having those who have already signed up for your retreat post videos commenting on why they are attending. You can even run a contest for the best story. Brightcove.com has a free service level that will allow you to embed a video player within a page on your website and allow users to upload their videos to your player. There is a very robust content management back end where you can view/approve submissions and control the sequence of videos. You can even include advertising within videos or between videos."


Andrea Kinney Says:

"If you are amenable to paying travel agent commissions, partner with agents by marketing to them through the travel trade magazines such as Travel Trade or Travel Weekly. Every agent has their own lists of hundreds or thousands of clients that you maybe able to reach out to through these specialists."


Paula Baldoni Says:

"Overall...I can’t get a sense of who the hosts would like to have on their retreat (looking through the site and the links). Who is the ideal customer? (In something like this, I would imagine you want participants that really get you juiced!) So, what does that client look like? Where is she in her life? What does she do for a living, what is her financial situation, where does she shop, what does she eat? Is she a stay-at-home mom? A corporate woman? A small business owner? Does she prefer noodle casserole over Pasta Carbonara? Both are great customers, but who do you want?"


Read all the responses to this Help This Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/2ghdn7

Then consider reaching out to the travel media with your travel-related story. Holly Johnson has generated fabulous publicity for her travel clients, and she shares all her secrets on the CD "How to Work with the Travel Media." Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/38825k


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

Brenda Rogerson of Highland, Michigan writes:

"The American Sewing Expo is the largest independently owned sewing expo in the country with over 15,000 people attending our three-day show from all over the U.S. In addition to classes, vendors, a sewing cafe and special exhibits, we have several challenges for sewers of all abilities and interests.

"We are having a hard time getting contestants for our Baby Lock Passion for Fashion design contest inspired by Project Runway. This a live challenge that will let avid sewers showcase their sewing and design talents, complete with professional models and a fashion show. The participant will be given a design challenge scenario and have all day Friday, September 28, to create their' secret project.' Expo attendees will have the opportunity to follow the progress of the designers as they work on their creations. Contestants return on Saturday, September 29, for a last-minute fitting on their professional model before the fashion show in the afternoon.

"We have contacted the local colleges, run ads in several sewing publications, posted several places on the web, and have information and rules on our website at http://www.americansewingexpo.com/ but have not had much response. Any ideas?"


The Publicity Hound says:

I'm not sure where on the web you're promoting this contest, but there are a zillion websites for women, including those devoted to art, fashion, design, sewing, crafts, modeling, etc. Because you're working on a short deadline, I'd pitch bloggers who write about those issues. Play up the grand prize: the trip to New York City.

OK, Hounds. I know many of you have ideas better than mine. Post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/2w95vv


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

Thanks to Publicity Hound Karen Russell of West Hills, California for this one:

At one home on my husband's letter-carrying route, the dog on the other side of the mail slot always barked excitedly, and eagerly grabbed the mail. One day the dog's owner explained that the Labrador had started bringing the mail upstairs to him soon after he got him, so he promptly rewarded the dog with a treat.

After several months, there was a slight change in procedure: The dog still delivered the mail upstairs--but only one piece at a time.


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

Papa Jack Weil, oldest CEO, great Labor Day story
http://tinyurl.com/2oyejz

Charlotte Observer business sections pitching tips
http://tinyurl.com/25nkdf

Free meeting rooms: A great PR tactic
http://tinyurl.com/2sbmgv


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

Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®


September 4: Teleseminar

I'll be among the four guests joining Michelle Nightengale for a free one-hour roundtable teleseminar. It's a sneak preview of her teleseminar series Sept. 11 to Oct. 2 for speakers, coaches, consultants, trainers, programmers, designers, and personal assistants on simple, effective marketing strategies to breathe life into your business and multiply your client base and profits in six months or less. I'll present my one-hour segment on Tuesday, Sept. 18. Sign up for the Sept. 4 call at https://paydotcom.com/r/18572/JoanStewart/1612861/


September 11: Brookfield, Wisconsin

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


September 12: Germantown, Wisconsin

Menomonee Falls Rotary Club, noon, "How to Generate Thousands of Dollars in Free Print, Broadcast and Online Publicity," Lohmann's Steak House, W183 N9609 Appleton Ave. To attend, you must come as a guest of a current Rotary member.


September 18: Teleseminar

"How to Use FREE Publicity to Drive Tons of Traffic to Your Web Site," 8 p.m. Eastern Time. This is part of Michelle Nightengale's four-part teleseminar series for speakers, coaches, consultants, trainers, programmers, designers, and personal assistants on simple, effective marketing strategies to breathe life into your business and multiply your client base and profits in six months or less. Sign up at https://paydotcom.com/r/18572/JoanStewart/1612861/


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

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

Circulation: 35,280

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

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


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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me that you want to subscribe. If you didn't subscribe, you can unsubscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of the newsletter.

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

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

Miscellaneous Items:

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

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

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

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

1. What You Can Learn from a Puppy

2. A Ribbon-cutting Worth Publicizing

3. Jump on this Art Controversy

4. Media Leads

5. Promoting a Canadian Boarding School

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Did the headline on this item catch your attention?

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

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

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


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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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


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


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


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


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

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

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


From Garth Gibson:

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

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

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


From Michael Draper:

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


From Terri Benincasa:

"Lo and behold, you said it yourself!

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


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


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

Kathy McCabe of Washington, D.C. writes:

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

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

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

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


The Publicity Hound says:

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

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


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

Poem for New Puppy Owners:


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

--Author unknown


DOG JOKES & QUOTES EBOOK: 170+ G-rated dog jokes and quotes, perfect for a dog-lover, your favorite vet, or just for a few good laughs.

BONUS: Buy the ebook and you also get a compilation of the 50 best websites for dog humor.

http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/


=================================
8. And at My Blog...
=================================

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

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

Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®


September 11: Brookfield, Wisconsin

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


September 12: Germantown, Wisconsin

Menomonee Falls Rotary Club, noon, "How to Generate Thousands of Dollars in Free Print, Broadcast and Online Publicity," Lohmann's Steak House, W183 N9609 Appleton Ave. Details pending.


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

Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," an ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email the handy list "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."

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


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

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

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

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

Circulation: 34,424

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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

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

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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me that you want to subscribe. If you didn't subscribe, you can unsubscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of the newsletter.

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

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

While I'm Gone...

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

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

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

1. Mattel's Toy Recall

2. A Tip for Grant Recipients

3. A Fun Event for Food Pantries

4. The Shrinking Newsroom

5. Promoting a Book on Hawaii

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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


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

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


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

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

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

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

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


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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=BusyJournalists

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

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

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

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


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

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


From Michael Draper:

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


From Andrea Kinney:

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


From Kellee White:

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


The Publicity Hound says:

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


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


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


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

Julie Ann Kodmur from St. Helena, California writes:

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

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

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

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


The Publicity Hound says:

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


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

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

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

Bloodhound + Labrador = Blabador, a dog that barks incessantly

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

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

DOG JOKES & QUOTES EBOOK: 170+ G-rated dog jokes and quotes, perfect for a dog-lover, your favorite vet, or just for a few good laughs.

BONUS: Buy the ebook and you also get a compilation of the 50 best websites for dog humor.

http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/


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

Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®

September 11: Brookfield, Wisconsin

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


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

Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," an ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email the handy list "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."

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


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

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


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

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

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

Circulation: 33,589

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

"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"
Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityhound.com/tipsoftheweek/

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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you told me that you want to subscribe. If you didn't subscribe, you can unsubscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of the newsletter.

Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who needs free publicity to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation, position themselves as employers of choice, sell more products and services, or promote a favorite cause or issue.

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

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

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


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

2. Keep Your Message Clear

3. 6 Ways to Attract More Clients

4. Promote a Book with a Contest

5. Making a Website Ready for Visitors

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


======================================
1. Why I'm Crying Elephant Tears
======================================

I love getting Hound success stories from readers like you.

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

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

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

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

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

Silly me.

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

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

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

What can Publicity Hounds learn from this lesson?

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

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

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

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

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

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


========================================
2. Keep Your Message Clear
========================================

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

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

--"The key point is..."

--"The bottom line is..."

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

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

--"One trend we see..."

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

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

Read more about them at