Publicity tips/Don't Let Video Pass You By April 29, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #396 April 29, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 46,003

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

"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.

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Authors & Experts, Don't Miss This One: 22 Revenue Streams

If you're an author, or you're thinking of writing a book, relying on the book as a major revenue stream is a huge mistake. I've seen more authors end up in the poor house because they thought a book would pay the bills.

It's the other way around. Publishing a book can drain your bank account and your sanity, unless you know how to monetize it. Steve Harrison says authors and experts must know about and choose from 22 revenue streams if they want their businesses to go "ka-ching...ka-ching..."

He'll explain them all during a free call he's hosting this Thursday, May 1. Choose from two times: either 2 p.m. Eastern or 7 p.m. Eastern. He is not recording it, so if you want the info, either listen yourself or ask somebody to listen for you and take notes. Sign up here: http://www.MillionDollarAuthorClub.com/Thursday/?10011

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In This Issue
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1. Don't Let Video Pass You By

2. Follow the Thief

3. Join the Debate: Online or Offline?

4. New NPR Program Wants Your Input

5. Promoting Trading Cards for Tweens

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. At My Blog...


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1. Don't Let Video Pass You By
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Stop wasting time trading links with other websites, posting the same how-to article to a gazillion article directory sites, and doing sneaky little things at your own website to try to trick the search engines.

Those strategies can actually hurt you.

Spend your time instead creating video, one of the most powerful ways to pull traffic to your website or blog. It will boost your position in the search engine rankings and, in some cases, take tons of business away from your competitors. Do it right, and they'll be so shell-shocked they'll pack up and go home.

During my 70-minute teleseminar with video expert Mike Stewart earlier this month, the 400 people who were on the line listened as Mike outlined lots of creative, powerful ways to use video in your publicity campaign, or to sell products or services.

We're not talking about full-length productions here. Just short clips of about two and a half minutes or less.

Here are our ideas on how to use video in a publicity or marketing campaign:

- -Create short videos about your products and services, upload them to your website, and include video links in your press releases.

- -Speakers, create short video snippets of your presentations and post them at your site.

- -Use videos to demonstrate how to use your product.

- -Authors, create short little videos that discuss portions of your books.

- -Take visitors on a tour of your website using a screen-capture software program like Camtasia.

- -Shoot your own video of events the media won't cover, and submit the video to local newspapers and TV stations, many of which offer consumer-generated video at their websites.

- -Use video on a one-page sales letter. If a picture is worth a thousand words, video can close the sale.

- -Generate leads and pull traffic by creating videos and posting them to YouTube and other video-sharing sites.

- -Use video at your blog, or create a video blog on a free Wordpress platform like I'm doing. (I should be ready to introduce it to you next week.)

If you missed last week's call, you can hear the replay and see the nifty video I shot myself at http://www.JoanandMikeStewart.com

Mike will show you the absolute easiest-to-use equipment you'll need to start producing video that will turn you into the type of marketing warrior that will send your competitors running home to their mommies.

P. S. Many of you who participated in the call asked if Mike and I would give you more options in terms of buying a camera, the editing software and the training tutorials so you can get comfortable shooting and editing video first, and then do the training. We have. Now you can get what you want when you want it. Go to http://www.JoanandMikeStewart.com


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2. Follow the Thief
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When Michael Costigan heard a news report on a Milwaukee radio station last week that a brazen thief had stolen a flat-panel TV from the local veterans hospital, he couldn't believe what he'd heard.

He went to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's website where he confirmed the story.

"I was absolutely disgusted," he said.

Michael, general manager of the Waukesha Home Design Center, wasted little time getting angry. He immediately contacted the VA center and made plans to deliver and install a 52-inch LG LCD model. Total value: $3,300.

The result?

- -Michael ended up on the front page of the Journal Sentinel, complete with a photo of him in his store.

- -All the Milwaukee TV stations followed up with their own stories.

- -The Associated Press picked up the story, which ended up on the national Fox News and CNN websites.

- -His store received calls from customers and others telling him how much they appreciated what he had done.

Michael's quick thinking is a terrific example of how piggybacking onto bad news stories like this one can generate mountains of publicity.

When you hear news reports like this and you can donate something to replace what was stolen, publicity is practically yours for the asking.

By the way, this would also have been a great opportunity for a company that sells surveillance equipment. What do state laws say regarding surveillance? Are cameras small enough that thieves will barely notice them? What kinds of crimes have been solved thanks to surveillance cameras?

Jeff Zbar, the Small Business Administration's 2001 Journalist of the Year, says piggybacking onto breaking news, like Michael did here, is one of the best ways for small business owners to create publicity. He was my guest during a teleseminar on "The Fastest, Cheapest, Easiest Ways to Publicize Your Small Business." Stop calling journalists and begging them to cover you. Instead, listen to the tips Jeff gives on how to really catch the media's attention.

The recording is 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/publicityforsmallbusiness


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3. Join the Debate: Online or Offline?
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Which would you rather have:

- -An appearance on "Oprah," or the most influential blogger in your industry writing about you?

- -A big story in a major consumer magazine about your new product, or a review at one of the many websites that review products?

- -A front-page story about your nonprofit in your local newspaper, which mostly local readers will read, or the same story at your newspaper's website?

They're interesting questions likely to create heated disagreement among Publicity Hounds, depending on the product, service, cause or issue you're trying to promote.

And I want you to weigh in. Go to my Squidoo lens at http://www.squidoo.com/howtogetfree_publicity

Here's the question I want you to answer: If you had to devote time and money to either online publicity or offline publicity exclusively, which would you choose? And why?

You'll be lined up next to somebody who disagrees with you, and it should turn into a healthy debate.

This Squidoo feature, by the way, is called the "Duel," and it's one of many interesting ways to present content at your lens to engage your audience and pull in traffic. Publicity Hounds, of course, will see it as one more way to publicize whatever you're promoting so you can get your message in front of other Hounds who visit.

OK, give it your best shot. Which is more valuable, and why?

Bloggers and ezine editors, pose this question to your own readers, and provide the link: http://www.squidoo.com/howtogetfree_publicity



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4. New NPR Program Wants Your Input
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Move over, "Morning Edition." You have a new rival.

It's called "The Takeaway," a chatty, less-formal, more interactive program that launched yesterday on National Public Radio stations in New York, Boston, Baltimore and several smaller cities.

Hosted by John Hockenberry and Adaora Udoji, the new show in the morning time slot will allow listeners to weigh in via the Internet on what subjects the hosts should cover next or examine in greater detail. Listeners can participate in on-air discussions.

Read the details in yesterday's wall Street Journal: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120933344564348077.html

You can learn more about the show, including the names of all the producers, at http://www.thetakeaway.org/about/ and then submit your own comments on topics such as photo Ids, Atlanta hip-hop and the rebate checks.

National Public Radio can be a gold mine for Publicity Hounds who are targeting a better-educated, more upscale audience--but only if you understand how the NPR labyrinth works and you know how to navigate it. Book publicist Lissa Warren explains how she gets dozens of her clients onto NPR shows and how you can use the same strategies she uses. She was my guest on a teleseminar called "How to Get Booked on National Public Radio."

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.

Start getting valuable tips right now on how to make NPR a powerful part of your publicity campaign: http://publicityhound.net/cdnpr/



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5. Promoting Trading Cards for 'Tweens
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This week, 11 Publicity Hounds have tips on how Shirley James of Ormond Beach, Florida can get her activity-based trading cards for 'tween girls (ages 7-12) into the marketplace.


From Carrie Eddins:

"Start blogging about, and create a list of the exact situation that you really want...Women are the most prolific bloggers online and I am sure they all want to make their girls even happier. I would start chatting about being mompreneurs, and you could even see how some of these ladies would like to invest in your cards. I think it's a truly wonderful idea and much needed!"


From Linda Lipinski:

"I had a difficult time finding any 'real' information about your company on your website. I finally found something the media did, which prompted several more clicks. But I couldn't get all of it onto the screen. I would suggest that on your website, you add an 'About Us' button. Your story should be unique and if well- written, it will be great publicity. The public loves reading about how someone came up with the idea to create a product."


From Lisa Romeo:

"Your marketing copy reads: 'Encourage them to become physically active, mentally challenged, creatively inspired, and socially responsible.'

"These are almost an exact duplicate of the goals of the Girl Scouts (and probably other similar organizations). Maybe explore tie-ins. Try to get your products placed beside Scouting items in hobby shops, sports stores, camping/outdoor stores and other places that sell Scouting gear.

"I can also see your product as a give-away at events and conferences that promote development of girls' interest in challenging careers. After-school care programs, often run by YMCAs, might be interested too."


The Publicity Hound says:

Submit your trading cards for inclusion in special sections or programs featuring products that would make great gifts for 'tweens. Newspapers, magazines, and TV and radio need products to feature. Take a test drive of The Gift List, a database of hundreds of media outlets planning this coverage, so you know whom to pitch and when. Take a test drive at http://publicityhound.net/giftlist


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

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


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6. Help This Hound
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Debbie Jordan Kravitz of York, Pa. Writes:

"I'm a professional organizer. I also blog weekly at http://OnlineOrganizing.com which has been going really well and leading to lots of website hits from all over the country.

"To capitalize on this broad audience, and since I can't physically organize these people, I have added virtual organizing consultation programs to my list of services. This allows me to consult with clients from any part of the country via email and phone calls regarding their problems.

"Aside from pitching this service through my blog, though, how can I market this service to my target audience (Internet-savvy, time-crunched individuals who are capable of implementing organizational instructions and strategies, but are looking for customized plans, ideas and guidance?"

The Publicity Hound says:

How about writing an article or pitching bloggers about how dangerous and harmful answering email all day long can be to somebody's personal and financial health? I'm trying really hard to break free of this addiction, which is more difficult than quitting smoking. Then suggest ways people can organize, sort and fly through several hundred email messages quickly. If readers benefit from your email advice, they'll wonder what else you know that can help them.

Hounds with other ideas for Debbie can post them to my blog at http://publicityhound.net/professionalorganizer


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7. Hound Joke of the Week
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Thanks to Publicity Hound Sophie Wajsman of Melbourne, Australia for this one:

"The noblest dog is the hot dog because it feeds the hand that bites it."

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

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

Http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/


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8. At My Blog...
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When bloggers ask for free products, be generous http://publicityhound.net/productsforbloggers

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Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound

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.

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In This Issue
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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...


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1. Brett Favre's Retirement
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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 experience in a lifetime. His problems with drugs and booze. Her b~reast cancer. A marriage that almost fell apart. His father's death. The death of Deanna's brother in an ATV accident in Mississippi. The Favre family home in Mississippi that was destroyed in August 2005 by Hurricane Katrina. Brett and Deanna's property in Hattiesburg, Mississippi that was extensively damaged by the storm. Yet Favre chose to continue to play. And his wife wrote a book and has established her own fund-raising foundation to support women with b~reast cancer. What lessons can we learn from their resiliency?

- -Sports experts can comment on whether Favre is the greatest quarterback of all time. Or one of the top three, or the top five.

- -Bloggers, can your readers learn a lesson about a particular topic from Favre's long career?

- -PR people, how about commenting on Favre's and the Packers' botched PR moves? Just last week, for example, a Packers exec was quoted as saying he's confident Favre will return this fall.

Regardless of where you live, commenting on topics such as these can make you the local angle to this national story. That means your local TV station might jump at the chance to interview you. TV producer Shawne Duperon explains the step-by-step process of "How to Get onto the Local TV News Tomorrow" on a CD or electronic transcript that you can be reading as soon as your order has been approved.

Read more about what you'll learn at http://publicityhound.net/cdgetlocaltvpublicity


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2. 10 Dirtiest Hotels
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TripAdvisor.com has released this year's list of the "10 Dirtiest Hotels"--one list each for the U.S. and the UK.

"The grossest thing...was the drain clogged with years worth of hair. It literally came out in a solid mass. I gagged," said one hotel visitor, whose comment is among thousands at the company's website at http://www.tripadvisor.com/DirtyHotels?nl=MU&pid=831

Other comments, some with photos and videos, include complaints about bad plumbing, mold, crumbling ceilings and walls, no heating or air conditioning, peeling paint, broken locks on the doors, elevators that don't work, broken windows, used tissues under the bed, and even one room where the headboard fell off the bed.

Consumers are invited to weigh in with their own comments. As of this morning, more than 600 people had commented on Hotel Carter in New York City, which made the Hotels from Hell list.

Do a search for "10 Dirtiest Hotels" and you'll see that the contest provides great fodder for the bloggers and for consumers who participate in a variety of forums.

The annual contest draws attention to TripAdvisor's "Travelers' Choice Award Winners" in 10 categories, from the Best Luxury Hotels to the Best Inns and B&Bs.

Here's what Publicity Hounds can learn from this contest:

- -Know what consumers are saying about you online. Create Google Alerts for your own name, your URL and the name of your company.

- -Respond to bad reviews and explain what you're doing to solve the problem. If you hide in the shadows when the news is bad, the conversation will continue without you.

- -The best way to avoid being nominated for these "10 Worst" lists is to clean up your act and provide outstanding customer service and a great product.

Let's see how sharp you are. What else does this contest teach you? Post your comments to my blog at http://publicityhound.net/10dirtiesthotels

Crisis counselor Jonathan Bernstein has fabulous tips for responding to the media when the news is bad. He explained them all, including the tip about the one sure-fire way to ensure the media quote you accurately, on the CD "How to Keep the Media Wolves at Bay." 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/b8wcy


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3. Turn Content into Cash
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Most authors, speakers and experts are sitting on a gold mine, and they don't even know it. Chances are, you're not getting all you can out of the knowledge you have and the content you have already created.

Have you written a book? Or articles for a newsletter or ezine? Do you blog?

Do you present speeches or workshops? Or teleseminars? Have you created handouts or workbooks?

Do you ever respond to emailed questions, or post to forums?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you may have a wealth of content ready to start making more money for you.

Even if you don't have a lot of existing content, there are ways to quickly and easily create products using what you know.

Using the content you already have--and learning simple, fast ways to create new, quality content--will get you off the hours-for-dollars treadmill and empower you to create multiple streams of passive income. It will also attract the attention of the traditional media, bloggers, and many others who will invite you to share your expertise.

Cathy Stucker--one of the foremost experts on how to create, package, repurpose and market content--will by my guest on a free 60-minute teleseminar at 3 p.m. Eastern Time tomorrow, March 5.

I'll be picking her brain about her time-saving tips and asking her to explain how she earns a six-figure income with her information empire and how you can, too.

We only have 250 slots available, so if you aren't prompt, you might not get onto the line. You pay your own long-distance charges. Call 1-218-486-1300. The access code is 1-8-2-2-2-2#.


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4. Media Leads
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- -Do you know a great military dad? For Father's Day, USA WEEKEND magazine is planning a cover story that will show the commitment of countless military dads to their families even as they serve thousands of miles away. Thanks to improved technology, dads can now be "with" their kids, no matter where they're serving. Submissions also will be considered for publication in both "Army Times" and "Navy Times." Nominate your favorite dad at http://publicityhound.net/militarydads


- -CD Vann, editor of Magazine SOHO, a Milwaukee-based magazine, is looking for experts who live anywhere and who can write a monthly column for a new website specifically for entrepreneurs. She needs an entrepreneurial mom to write a column called "Baby and Me, and Business Makes Three" which will offer tips and advice on how to balance work duties and mom duties. She needs an expert who can comment on dating at any age. She also needs a writer for a column called "Soho Today" which will highlight news topics of the day that affect a SOHO's business and personal life. All columns should be 500 words and must be submitted before the 25th of each month. "We are looking for a conversational writing style--writers who are well-versed, and can reach out to our audience and inspire or inform them with words." Submit at least two writing samples in Microsoft Word to mailto:cdvann@sohobusinessmagazine.com


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5. How to Promote an ACT! Contest
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This week, three Publicity Hounds have tips for Lori Feldman of St. Louis, Missouri on how to publicize a contest in which people can register to win ACT! Software and training.


From Gail Sideman:

"You need to publicize this as a traditional group of news stories during the course of the contest. Each service that ACT! Software provides should be molded into story angles to be pitched to media. Highlight the benefits of each one of the services and provide comments from people whose sales have increased and time has been better managed as a result of using it. Since ACT! profits from its software sales, the mention of the contest should be introduced through the 'back door'--via details at the end of your press releases."


From Chelsea Quinn:

"Search online for work-at-home and small business ezine publishers who might be willing to get the word out for you. Telling their members about your drawing gives the ezine publisher owner something new, free and practical to offer their readers."


The Publicity Hound says:

You have almost two months to promote this. A more time-consuming but very effective way to pull traffic to the contest page is to create a Squidoo lens at http://www.squidoo.com/ or a HubPage at http://www.hubpages.com/ and fill it with original content. The search engines love these two content-sharing sites and will bring lots of traffic to you.


Read all the responses to this Help This Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/2wcw9g


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


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

Marna A. Krajewski of Wakefield, Rhode Island writes:

"I am an Army wife who had her first book published in May 2006 (HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE: The Moving Life of a Soldier's Wife). It's a collection of first-person stories about Army family life.

"My next book, HOUSEHOLD BAGGAGE HANDLERS: Celebrating the Lives of Military Wives, is coming out in May. This one is an anthology which I compiled and edited. A good friend tells me marketing it only to the military community is a mistake, yet this is my niche.

"Should I broaden my intended market, and if so, what are your publicity ideas?"


The Publicity Hound says:

The more niched your topic, or the more niched your audience, the easier your job of promoting it will be. But I'm curious. Does anyone out there who is not a military wife have any interest in reading a book like this one? If so, where should Marna promote it? Hounds with ideas for Marna can post them to my blog at http://publicityhound.net/militarywives

Marna, National Public Radio interviews hundreds of authors each year. Go to their website at http://www.npr.org/ and type "military wives" into the search box at the top of the screen and you can see a list of programs that have included information about your topic.

For the inside scoop on how to find out which shows are perfect for you, and how to pitch them, see "How to Get Booked on National Public Radio" at http://tinyurl.com/ayms6


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7. Hound Joke of the Week
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Thanks to Darlene Arden of Framingham, Massachusetts for this one.

A man wrote a letter to a small hotel in a Midwest town he planned to visit on his vacation. He wrote:

Dear Hotel,

I would very much like to bring my dog with me. He is well- groomed and very well-behaved. Would you be willing to permit me to keep him in my room with me at night?

An immediate reply came from the hotel owner, who said, "I've been operating this hotel for many years. In all that time, I've never had a dog steal towels, bedclothes, silverware or pictures off the walls. I've never had to evict a dog in the middle of the night for being drunk and disorderly. And I've never had a dog run out on a hotel bill. Yes, indeed, your dog is welcome at my hotel. And, if your dog will vouch for you, you're welcome to stay here, too."


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

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

Http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/


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8. At My Blog...
=================================

TV interview tip: Don't use the anchor's name
http://publicityhound.net/anchorname


Zvents sends your calendar listings to local, national media
http://publicityhound.net/zvents


Get your products into celebrities' hands
http://publicityhound.net/sendproductstocelebrities


Comment on popular videos with your own video comment http://publicityhound.net/videocomments


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Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound


March 5: Teleseminar on "How to Turn Your Content into Cash"

Join me for a free teleseminar at 3 p.m. Eastern Time with Cathy Stucker. This one-hour call is perfect for authors, speakers and experts who have handouts in their file cabinets and on their bookshelves and hard drives. Cathy will show you how to take your content and spin, retool or tweak it to create information products and lots more. She promises a teleseminar packed with content, and she'll take your questions, too. This call is limited to the first 250 people. You don't have to sign up. Simply call 1-218-486-1300. The access code is 1-8-2-2-2-2#.


March 27: Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

"Red Hot Tips to Set Your Publicity Campaign on Fire," Menomonee Falls, Sussex and Germantown Business to Business Networking Breakfast; networking and breakfast from 7:30 to 8, presentation from 8 to 8:45 a.m. Tickets are $15. Guests welcome. For reservations, call Diane Henning at the Menomonee Falls Chamber at 262-251-2430.


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/TV Talk Show Stunts Feb 26, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #387 Feb. 26, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 42,789

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

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

Last Call for National Publicity Summit:

Steve Harrison's National Publicity Summit still has a few openings for Publicity Hounds who want to pitch top-tier journalists face-to-face. It's March 26-29 in New York City.

You'll meet with journalists and producers from top national TV shows like ABC's The View, CBS' 48 Hours, MSNBC, CNN, Fox News Channel, Montel, Fox & Friends and Live with Regis & Kelly.

You'll also personally meet writers who do stories for big-time print media like People magazine, Woman's Day, Alternative Medicine, Good Housekeeping, New York Times, Parents, Family Circle, INC., Time magazine and many other top publications.

In this newsletter, I've written many success stories about Publicity Hounds who have attended the summit, gotten huge media hits, sold tons of books as a result, and have raved about the event. If you're on the fence, at least read about what you'll learn at http://www.nationalpublicitysummit.com/?10011

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

1. TV Talk Show Stunts

2. The Mayo Clinic & Facebook

3. Create a Hall of Fame

4. Google Will Reward You for Video

5. How to Promote a College 'Care Package'

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. At My Blog...

9. At My Squidoo Lens...


======================================
1. TV Talk Show Stunts
======================================

In the old days, if you wanted to get onto one of the morning TV talk shows, you had to pitch a compelling idea that had the three magic elements that TV loves: people, color and motion.

These days, however, your chances improve drastically if your pitch includes a publicity stunt. Don't worry. You don't have to round up a stunt man. Instead, suggest the stunt be performed by one of the talk show hosts, anchors or reporters.

Like "Today" show news anchor Ann Curry bungee-jumping off a bridge in England.

Or her cohort, Meredith Vieira, jumping into frigid Lake Champlain in Vermont in February to promote the annual Penguin Plunge to benefit the Special Olympics.

Or Chris Cuomo, ABC's "Good Morning America" newsman, sky-diving off the roof of the Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City last week.

Why the stunts?

Simple. It helps the audience to connect to the personalities they see every day, said Jim Murphy, "Good Morning America" executive producer who was quoted in an Associated Press story.

Cancer patient Robin Roberts, co-host of "Good Morning America," even doffed her wig in public. Viewers flooded her and other personalities with email, saying they loved the stunts.

The next time you're looking for TV coverage, think of ways TV personalities can become directly involved in your story. See "Special Report #42: Tips for Letting Reporters Experience Your Story, Not Just Write About It" at http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/reports.html

Can't think of a stunt? That's OK. There are many more ways to get onto the "Today" show, "Good Morning America" and "Fox & Friends." Lissa Warren explains them all on "How to Get Booked on the Morning TV Talk Shows." 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/cdmorningtvtalkshows


=====================================
2. The Mayo Clinic & Facebook
=====================================

Thanks to Publicity Hound Tom Ribar of Grafton, Wisconsin for alerting us to this article that explains why even the world- renowned Mayo Clinic has its own Facebook page: http://www.1to1media.com/Xfactor.aspx?DocID=30670&m=n

The clinic uses Facebook to post information about itself and link to its three websites for patients, consumers, and research and education. It also displays "wall post" messages and photos, offers video and audio podcasts, provides updates on news and events, and connects with its Facebook friends.

The clinic encourages patients to tell their own stories and describe what their experience was like at the clinic.

Tom Ribar and I are learning more about Facebook because we're among the hundreds of students in the SMARTS social media coaching program. If you missed signing up for the program, you can still get a taste of what we're learning by watching the 50- minute video and downloading the special report. Dozens of Publicity Hounds have thanked me for alerting them to these content-rich resources.

Watch the video and sign up for the free report at http://www.stompernet.net/jvp/aw.aspx?B=25&A=332

Then create your own Facebook page and ask me to be your friend. But please let me know that you subscribe to this newsletter. You can find my page at http://www.PublicityHound.net/facebookprofile

Facebook is one of seven sites where social media expert Don Crowther, our SMARTS coach, says you must have a presence. He explained more about Facebook and the other six sites during a one-hour teleseminar earlier this year as part of my training series "How to Create a Media Plan."

If you need help building a 12-month plan that will really reach your target audience, pull traffic to your website, and have journalists calling for interviews, take a look at what you'll learn: http://www.PublicityHound.com/mediaplan.htm

The training program includes a list of more than 200 story ideas, several for every month of the year. You can incorporate them into your own plan.


=======================================
3. Create a Hall of Fame
=======================================

When Publicity Hound Karla Kinstler of the Houston Nature Center in Houston, Minnesota read one of my tips about creating a Hall of Fame, she knew the idea was a perfect fit with the annual "Festival of Owls."

"We now recognize one owl and one human each year who have done extraordinary things to make the world a better place for owls," says Karla, who submitted a Help This Hound question several months ago.

The first year, the Oregon Associated Press picked up the story when Fat Broad, an owl in Oregon, was inducted into the hall of fame.

Last year, the nature center widened its search and made it the "World Owl Hall of Fame."

"Coverage of our hall of fame wound up in the Canberra Times in Australia, and was linked to from the New Zealand Journal of Birds website," she adds.

This year, the nature center has nominations from seven countries on four continents. It has added a "Special Achievement" award category since there were so many nominations.

"Now we call our festival the International Festival of Owls and have folks attending from the U.S., Canada, Jamaica and The Netherlands this year. I just wanted to let you know that starting a Hall of Fame is, in itself, an award-winning idea."

You can read more about the contest at http://www.festivalofowls.com/World%20Owl%20Hall%20of%20Fame.htm

The next step, Karla says, is to grow the Houston Nature Center into a North American Owl Center with its own room for the World Owl Hall of Fame.

Why not follow Karla's lead and create your own hall of fame that ties into your own product, service, cause or issue? Promote it by writing and posting online press releases, pitching bloggers who write about your topic, pitching journalists on your media hit list, using social media sites, and creating videos about inductees.

See "The New Rules of Press Releases" at http://publicityhound.net/cdnewrules


======================================
4. Google Will Reward You for Video
======================================

Are you tired of lousy Google rankings for your website or blog?

Are you wasting hundreds of dollars on Google pay-per-click advertising that isn't making anybody except the Google advertising people happy?

I hear from dozens of Publicity Hounds each week who are doing just that. That's why I tell them to start cranking out short videos as fast as they can. Google and the other search engines place a high premium on video, even low-cost videos made by amateurs.

Why? Because web surfers love watching video. Take a look at the statistics:

- -More than 141 million Americans viewed online video in December of last year alone.

- -YouTube is almost double the size of Google, the granddaddy of search engines, in the number of page views.

- -More than half of all videos online are being watched on other websites, not just on YouTube. That means that if you upload your video to YouTube, bloggers, website owners and anyone else can embed your video link at their blog or website, thus giving your video even more exposure and your website more traffic. And you don't pay them a cent for doing it.

- -Video can reward you with more traffic, a higher conversion rate on your sales pages and maybe even a call from a journalist who watches one of your videos and wants to interview you.

On Thursday night, I'll be on the phone taking notes furiously on Tom Antion's teleseminar on "How to Get Instant High Rankings on Google Using Short Videos." Then I'll be converting some of the videos I use in my live workshops for the web.

Don't miss this call, and his special bonus to the first 200 people who sign up. Read more about what you'll learn at http://www.PublicityHound.net/antionvideo


=========================================
5. How to Promote a College 'Care Package'
=========================================

This week, 13 Publicity Hounds have tips for Patricia Hudak of Jersey City, New Jersey. She's creating an informational care package for college seniors and is looking for corporate sponsors who want to reach this niche audience.


From Paulette Ensign:

"Look at who else is already marketing to that population, such as big financial planning companies, gasoline companies, recruiting firms, and cruise lines. Contact their marketing departments with your proposal. Be prepared to modify your package if they are interested in parts of it. In fact, it may serve the sponsors better to pull apart your package and provide pieces of it spread out over time to keep them in front of that audience longer."


From Ann Wondra:

"While new college grads are often very savvy in technology and more globally aware, employers are dismayed at their lack of work ethic, top salary expectations with little or no experience to back it, attitudes of 'entitlement,' and weak written and verbal professional communication skills (text messaging doesn't fly well in most corporate business settings). If those kinds of skills are included in your Career module, those would be attractive selling points to businesses that are recruiting from the college of students you are targeting."


From A. Moore:

"Create a place online where you can interact with and share your ideas with college grads and young career enthusiasts. Offer portions of your programs as downloads. Spend the time to build a following for yourself and you'll be better positioned to engage sponsors. You'll probably even attract media and become a valuable resource, or you may get a book deal out of it or a radio show."


The Publicity Hound says:

Contact bloggers who write about corporate marketing and let them know what you're doing. They have a ready-made audience that would be perfect for you. See "How to Pitch the Best Bloggers & Create a Publicity Explosion" at http://www.PublicityHound.net/cdpitchbestbloggers


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


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

Lori Feldman of St. Louis, Missouri writes:

"I am an ACT! Software consultant and I belong to The CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Alliance, a consortium of the top ACT! Consultants across the U.S.

"We have pooled resources to offer a $6,500 grand prize for a complete CRM/Email Marketing/Internet Marketing package for one winner, with other winners getting second- and third-place prizes. Your Hounds can read more about it at http://www.actsoftwarepromotion.com/

"Were launching the promotion next week and it will run through April 30. We're promoting it through our alliance members' lists, our vendor partners' lists and through two lists we just purchased. We're also using press releases before and after the event.

"Total value of the prizes is $17,000. That's pretty hefty for our little group, and I'd love to do as much as I can to get the word out. Help from you and your Hounds would be greatly appreciated."


The Publicity Hound says:

Maybe it's just because I've immersed myself in the SMARTS social media marketing program the last five weeks. But I can think of all kinds of great ways to use the social media sites to drum up interest in this. Let's see if my Hounds are thinking along the same lines. Hounds with ideas for online and offline promotion can post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/2wcw9g


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

My dog chewed the tongue on one of my new, very expensive running shoes. I hoped to save my investment, so I took the shoes to a shoe repair shop.

I placed them on the counter and told the man, "My dog got hold of this."

The repairman picked up the shoe, looked it over, and placed it back down on the counter.

"Well, what do you recommend?" I asked.

He looked at me and replied, "Give your dog the other shoe."


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

Best blogs for writers
http://publicityhound.net/index.php/best-blogs-for-writers/


LinkedIn can provide comments from experts
http://tinyurl.com/3c4aph


Top 10 tips for free publicity--in Italian
http://tinyurl.com/34zg3r


Hannah Montana--buckle your seatbelt!
Http://tinyurl.com/2j3dx2


=================================
9. At at My Squidoo Lens...
=================================

- -March and April Story Ideas


- -How Reporters Loosen Your Lips


http://www.squidoo.com/howtogetfree_publicity

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

Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound


March 5: Teleseminar on "How to Turn Your Content into Cash"

Join me for a free teleseminar at 3 p.m. Eastern Time with Cathy Stucker. This one-hour call is perfect for authors, speakers and experts who have handouts in their file cabinets and on their bookshelves and hard drives. Cathy will show you how to take your content and spin, retool or tweak it to create information products and lots more. She promises a teleseminar packed with content, and she'll take your questions, too. This call is limited to the first 250 people. You don't have to sign up. Simply call 1-218-486-1300. The access code is 1-8-2-2-2-2#.


March 27: Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

"Red Hot Tips to Set Your Publicity Campaign on Fire," Menomonee Falls, Sussex and Germantown Business to Business Networking Breakfast; networking and breakfast from 7:30 to 8, presentation from 8 to 8:45 a.m. Tickets are $15. Guests welcome. For reservations, call Diane Henning at the Menomonee Falls Chamber at 262-251-2430.


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/Dark Days at Newspapers Feb 12, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #385 Feb. 12, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

Circulation: 40,808

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

"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.

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

SAVE THE DATE:

3 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, March 5; free teleseminar with Cathy Stucker on "How to Turn Your Content into Cash Whle Promoting Your Expertise."

This teleseminar is perfect for authors, speakers and experts who have content and handouts in their file cabinets, on their bookshelvs and hard drives. Cathy will show you how to take your content and spin, retool or tweak it to create information products and lots more.

She promises a teleseminar packed with content, and she'll take your questions, too. This call is limited to the first 250 people. You don't have to sign up. Simply call 1-218-486-1300. The access code is 1-8-2-2-2-2.

See you there!

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

1. Dark Days at Newspapers

2. Do You Squidoo? I Do

3. Pitch the Wire Services

4. Media Leads

5. How to Promote The Crapper Digest

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. At My Blog...


======================================
1. Dark Days at Newspapers
======================================

"An Industry Imperiled by Falling Profits and Shrinking Ads, a story in last week's New York Times, is a must-read for Publicity Hounds everywhere.

It paints a grim picture of a once-vibrant industry that's now seeing stumbling stock prices, declining ad revenues, layoffs and numerous properties for sale.

"The talk of newspapers' demise is older than some of the reporters who write about it, but what is happening now is something new, something more serious than anyone has experienced in generations," the Times article stated.

You can read the entire article at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/business/media/07paper.html
The once-mighty Sun-Times Media Group, suffering deep losses, announced recently that it's closing several weekly papers and will try to sell any assets it could, including its flagship paper, The Chicago Sun-Times.

Here in Wisconsin, The Capital-Times newspaper in Madison told readers last week that it's making a "major shift" to the Internet, ceasing six-day publication and shifting to publishing a tabloid-sized edition only twice per week.

If these changes don't affect you, wait. You'll hear similar announcements soon from a newspaper near you.

Last month, I made several suggestions about how newspaper layoffs and closings affect Publicity Hounds. You can read them at http://tinyurl.com/ys737d

Here's another tip, inspired by a quote from bank robber Willie Horton. When asked, "Why do you rob banks?," he replied, "Because that's where the money is!"

Using that logic, Publicity Hounds should spend less time pitching traditional media and more time promoting your expertise online where the real traffic is. Read the next item to learn about one website where most of you should have a presence.


=====================================
2. Do You Squidoo? I Do
=====================================

Squidoo, a content-sharing site, lets you flaunt your expertise by setting up a single page, known as a lens, on a topic you know a lot about.

It's f~ree, but that's not the biggest advantage:

--The search engines love this site, and Google gives it a page rank of 7/10. So you can get more Google juice to your site and drive lots of traffic by including links within your Squidoo content.

--You can make money from your content through Google AdSense.Keep it, or donate it to your favorite charity.

--This site helps promote you as an expert.

As the lensmaster, you can share your point of view and recommendations. Lenses can be about anything, such as ideas, people or places, hobbies and sports, pets or products, philosophy and politics. Lenses aren't primarily intended to hold content. Rather, the emphasis is placed on recommending and then pointing to content on the web.

For example, a single lens could point to Flickr photos, Google maps, blogs, eBay auctions, YouTube videos, and other links.You're encouraged to promote personal agendas, causes, products and opinions.

Squidoo says building a lens "is fast, f*ree and super-easy."I'm a member of the SMARTS social media coaching program, which gave me in-depth step-by-step videos on how to build a lens and really make this site work for me. Still, it took me four and a half hours to build my lens two weeks ago. Now, I spend about a half hour several days a week updating it.

You can see my lens at http://www.squidoo.com/howtogetfree_publicity

Check out the fun items I posted on how a PR guy got an interesting product onto "The Rachael Ray Show" with just a few minutes of effort. I also wrote about how you can score some last-minute publicity that ties into Valentine's Day, even if your product or service has nothing to do with love.

Build a Squidoo lens and update it frequently. But please don't email me questions about Squidoo. I don't have time to answer them. Instead, spend some time at the learning center known as SquidU at http://www.squidu.com/

Items that work well at Squidoo are short lists, questions and answers, or round-ups of other websites you're recommending.These are called "briefs." A teleseminar I conducted several years ago called "Briefs, Fillers & Quizzes" explains the nine types of briefs, how to write them and how to use them online and offline to promote what you're selling.

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


=========================================
3. Pitch the Wire Services
=========================================

One of the best ways to get your story into dozens, perhaps even hundreds of newspapers across the U.S.--all at the same time--is to pitch one of the wire services.

The Associated Press, the world's largest news agency, is a great place to start. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations. The media outlets contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staffers.

I'm betting that AP reporters are among the most overlooked journalists.

They love getting scoops, too. And because AP has its own state bureaus as well as a national bureau, offering a scoop could mean that the AP covers your story and sends it to all media in your state, or throughout the U.S.

Authors, if you want to learn an incredibly simple strategy for scoring an Associated Press story about you, don't miss Steve Harrison's teleseminar, "Seven Things You Absolutely Must Know to Get Publicity in Major Magazines and Newspapers," tomorrow, February 13.

On this 90-minute call, you'll hear from writers and editors who do stories for top magazines, including Woman's Day, Woman's World and Inc. Magazine, as well as authors who will share how they got coverage in major publications.

Register for the free call at http://www.getmajorpress.com/call10011


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

--If you have an incredible mom in your family, or as a client, enter her in the search for "America's Favorite Mom." The top 25 moms will be featured on NBC's "Today" show the week leading up to Mother's Day. The audiences will vote, and the top five winners will be the focus of a prime time special airing the evening of Mother's Day, May 11. To enter, turn down your speakers if you're at work and go to http://americasfavoritemom.com/ Thanks to Publicity Hound Erin Portman for this one.


--Mildred Culp, who writes the WorkWise syndicated column, needs sources to discuss whether good music in the workplace actually improves morale and productivity. Email her at mailto:Workwise@Comcast.net


--Publicity Hound Jeanette Simpson is looking for sources for an ebook she's writing on how to go from being an intern to an employee. She needs tips from those who hire. "Tell me what you look for, as well as what you don't want in an intern or entry-level employee. Send me tips, problems, and do's and don'ts. Explain what keeps interns from being hired." If you're willing to complete her 10-question survey, email her at mailto:jsimpson@kidspaceinteriors.com


When you respond to media leads like these, start building relationships with these journalists, broadcasters and authors so the next time they need sources, you're one of the first ones they call. "Special Report #49: 17 Ways to Build Valuable Relationships with Media People" explains how. Only $10. Order at http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g


==================================================
5. How to Promote The Crapper Digest
==================================================

This week, eight Publicity Hounds have tips on how author Dave Kessler of Richmond, Indiana can promote his ebook, "The Crapper Digest." It's a collection of the humor, doggerel and vulgar verse that he's collected from restroom walls all over America for the last six decades.


From Shonika Proctor:

"Sign up for a Google alert at http://www.google.com/alerts to get notified of topics/keywords that are related to potty, toilet, poo poo or whatever. Whenever a website post, blog entry or article goes up with that related term, you will be notified in your email and can see where it posted. Then you can go to that site and either make a post/comment yourself that is related to that post and include a link to your book in your signature line, or you can contact the journalist and try to get featured in their publication."


From Kathy Lisson:
"This ebook seems like an excellent candidate for a Digg campaign. Share 'The 10 Funniest Notes Found on Bathroom Stalls,' and include information on how to buy the book on Amazon. Link to the post on Digg and related sites."


From Dan Janal:

"Send a copy to the writers at Leno and Letterman. They could eat this up, and then you'd have broad word of mouth publicity."


The Publicity Hound says:

This will take a lot of effort, but the payback could be huge. Find a way to shoot video of some of the best stalls. Incorporate the clips into one short video and post it to YouTube to pull tons of traffic to your website.

Learn more about how to make a fortune using videos even if you don't have a computer at http://tinyurl.com/y3b6wj

Read all the responses to this Help this Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/2jn6g9


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

Catherine Painter of Raleigh, North Carolina writes:

"My Bible study book, 'So, You're a Christian! Now What?' is a 12-week study for small groups in churches, or for individuals who will work through it alone.

"The book is in bookstores now and the publisher, Hensley Publishing, also sells them at their website.

"I sell books as well, dozens at the time, at book signings, especially when I'm invited to speak to religious groups.

"The book is targeted to new Christians who profess Christ as adults. However, many adults more mature in their faith, buy the book and actually recognize the quality and substance in the book more than the baby Christians do.

"Can your readers share ideas on what else I can do to promote the book? My website is at http://www.catherinepainterministries.com"


The Publicity Hound says:

Catherine, learn all you can about social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook. Millions of Christians, young and old, hang out on those two sites and are just waiting for somebody like you to ask, "Will you be my friend?"

Search online for articles on how to use those two sites. Or just about any kid can explain it to you. You can reach out to a very targeted niche audience fairly quickly. My friend, Don Crowther, created a wonderful 50-minute video and a special report that explains the power of doing what I've just explained, including how to use Squidoo. Turn down your speakers if you're at work, and watch it, then download the free report at http://www.stompernet.net/jvp/aw.aspx?B=25&A=332

Hounds with other ideas for Catherine can post them to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/35dmgw.


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

Thanks to Publicity Hound Don Miller of Mansfield, Ohio for these fun crossbreeds:

Collie + Lhasa Apso = Collapso, a dog that folds up for easy transport

Spitz + Chow Chow = Spitz-Chow, a dog that throws up a lot

Pointer + Setter = Poinsetter, a traditional Christmas pet

Great Pyrenees + Dachshund = Pyradachs, a puzzling breed

Pekingese + Lhasa Apso = Peekasso, an abstract dog

Irish Water Spaniel + English Springer = Spaniel Irish Springer, a dog fresh and clean as a whistle

Labrador Retriever + Curly Coated Retriever = Lab Coat Retriever, the choice of research scientists

(More next week)


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

PR types don't understand how consumers use media
http://tinyurl.com/35rrsy


Newseum, the news industry museum, to open April 11
http://tinyurl.com/2p87zv


Top 10 ways authors can make radio interviews pay
http://tinyurl.com/2uwt9l


Freelancers, journalists can connect on Reporterist.com
http://tinyurl.com/2r7typ


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

Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound


March 27: Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

"Red Hot Tips to Set Your Publicity Campaign on Fire, "Menomonee Falls, Sussex and Germantown Business to Business Networking Breakfast; networking and breakfast from 7:30 to 8, presentation from 8 to 8:45 a.m. Tickets are $15. Guests welcome. For reservations, call Diane Henning at the Menomonee Falls Chamber at 262-251-2430.


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:

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