Publicity tips/Grade Your Press Release June 3, 2008
The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #401 June 3, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®
Circulation: 46,792
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"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"
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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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Save the Dates:
June 11: Teleseminar
PR whiz Robert Smith explains "How to Earn An Extra $100,000 This Year as a Publicist, Even in a Bad Economy." 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time. Register at http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm See Item #3 below.
June 18: Teleseminar
Business coach Leili McKinley shows you "How to Outsource Almost Any Part of Your PR Campaign or Your Business." 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time. Register at http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm
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In This Issue
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1. Grade Your Press Release
2. How to Mimic a Star Reporter
3. For Energetic Publicists Only
4. Do Criminals Use Twitter?
5. Promoting a Dawg Art Exhibit in Michigan
6. Help This Hound
7. Hound Joke of the Week
8. At My Blog...
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1. Grade Your Press Release
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Wouldn't it be great if you could write a press release, run it past a press release expert and then, within a few seconds, know whether the release passes or fails?
Here's the next best thing. It's called the Press Release Grader, a nifty piece of software that not only assigns your press release a grade of 1 to 100, but tells you exactly what you must do to improve it.
It was created by Hubspot, a Cambridge, Massachusetts company that helps small businesses have a huge presence online so that people in their target market can find them, and convert a higher percentage of prospects into customers.
Simply cut and paste your press release into the window at http://www.pressreleasegrader.com/, complete the form and click on "Grade Press Release." Within seconds, you'll see your score and a list of suggested improvements.
The grader deducts points for:
- -Not having an "About Us" section on your press release. I could quibble with this, but it's a minor point in an otherwise cool tool.
- -No links high in the release.
- -Not using "###" at the end of the release, the universal code for "the end."
- -Incorrect use of anchor text. That is, the words on the page that link to a website.
- -Gobbledygook words like "flexible," "scalable" and "robust."
It even tells you whether the readability level of your press release is "graduate school" or one of several lower levels.
Before you start, watch the video on that page for a better understanding of how it works. When Hubspot grades your release, it gives you a full report that you can email to other members of your team.
I'll be incorporating this tool into my free email tutorial "89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases" at http://www.PublicityHound.com/pressreleasetips/art.htm
Thanks to Publicity Hound Debra Helwig of Athens, Georgia for alerting me to this one.
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2. How to Mimic a Star Reporter
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If you're a member of your local Chamber of Commerce and the only thing you have to show for it is the receipt for your annual dues, don't even think about dropping out.
Because you're a smart Publicity Hound, you have an opportunity right at your fingertips to be a star in the organization and generate so much publicity for yourself that all the other members will be green with envy. Nonprofits, this applies to you, too.
Here's what you do.
The next time the chamber has an event that the local media won't cover, act like a reporter and cover it yourself. Buy an inexpensive Flip video camera and interview people at the event.
If it's a routine chamber breakfast meeting with a speaker, interview the speaker after the presentation for a segment of two to three minutes. At the same breakfast, create another short video. Ask the chamber president to provide a brief infomercial of upcoming chamber events like the annual golf outing or street festival.
At bigger events, like the annual awards banquet, interview the Business Person of the Year. If you really want to create a stir, choose a controversial topic that chamber members are buzzing about. Interview one person on each side of the issue. You've just created two more videos.
Import the videos into your computer, which takes a minute or two, edit them, upload them to your website, give the chamber the link to the videos, and then watch what happens.
The chamber will probably email all its members and tell them to go to your website. Many of those members will share the link with their friends. The link will end up in the next chamber newsletter. And who knows where else.
And here's the best part. You can offer that same video to the local newspapers, magazines and TV and radio stations for use at their websites. Print media, in particular, are hungry for user- generated video, even if it's of events that they decided not to cover.
That's what videographer John Easton does in Charlotte, North Carolina. He covers local business events and uploads them to his blog at http://www.eastonsweb.wordpress.com/ or to his own streaming video channel, sort of like his own TV station, at http://www.broadcastcharlotte.com/ and then he offers the video to local media.
Too busy to fuss with all these details? John says every community is teaming with people who you can hire for next to nothing to shoot and edit the video for you. He explained how to find them when he was a guest on a teleseminar I conducted recently on "9 Clever Ways to Use Video to Become a Publicity Darling in Your Industry or Community." We recorded it, and the interview is available as a CD, electronic transcript or MP3 audio.
Learn how to start covering your own community's news right now, or find somebody to do it cheaply, by going to http://tinyurl.com/66xshb
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3. For Energetic Publicists Only
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I can hear some of you publicists groaning already.
During next week's teleseminar, when Robert Smith describes the wild strategies he uses to pull in so many potential clients that he has to refer some of them to other publicists, one of you will complain, "You expect me to do WHAT?"
Consider this fair warning.
Robert doesn't like doing what all the other publicists are doing. So he dreams up unconventional ideas on his own, like recruiting drivers for an overnight delivery service to hand- deliver his brochures when they drop off packages at businesses.
He's the PR equivalent of Willie Sutton, but in a good way. Sutton said he robbed banks because that's where the money is. Robert knows where the clients are, and he'll do just about anything to find them. If they're a good fit, he'll close the deal.
I knew him back when he was a frustrated bill collector who wanted to learn how to write press releases just for grins.
When he told me that, I thought he was crazy. But here he sits today with a full-time staff of eight and four sub-contractors. In 10 years, he's gone from a net worth of zero to more than $1 million.
If you're not prepared to entertain off-the-wall ideas about how to grow your business or work incredibly hard to find new clients, you'd be wise not to sign up for the call.
As for the rest of you, join us from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, June 11, for "How to Earn An Extra $100,000 This Year as a Publicist, Even in a Bad Economy."
This teleseminar is perfect for publicists, PR practitioners, wanna-be PR people, and even virtual assistants whose clients are in PR.
Everyone who attends gets a copy of the MP3 recording to listen to afterward. I expect this session to be packed, and seating is limited, so sign up today: http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm
And please make sure your seat belts are securely fastened.
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4. Do Criminals Use Twitter?
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Maybe it's just me.
But I fear that one day soon, criminals will discover that Twitter is one of the best places to find empty houses vulnerable to a break-in, or tweets that make it easy for them to commit far more serious crimes.
At Twitter.com, I expect to see lots of details about what people are doing in their jobs because using Twitter for business and publicity is just plain smart. (See "Special Report #52: How to Use Twitter for Business to Network, Promote, Sell, Recruit & Profit" at http://tinyurl.com/4tyl76 for ideas.)
But I'm amazed at some of the personal details people include. Like announcing they're closing up the house and leaving for two weeks in the Florida Keys. Or visiting San Francisco for a three- day conference. Or saying good-bye to their cabin on the southeast corner of such-and-such a lake and heading back home.
Last week, I was guilty of tweeting that I'd be in Las Vegas for two days, but our house wasn't vacant at the time. Had it been empty, I wouldn't have let the world know that.
With the number of social networking sites multiplying daily, it wouldn't take a savvy criminal long to put two and two together and go hunting for our profiles and...well...you know the rest. Just look what the slime balls have been able to accomplish with phishing and identity theft.
What about you? Do you police yourself so you don't share too much information? Do you know of guidelines anywhere that discuss the kinds of details we should or shouldn't include in our tweets?
Or am I just being paranoid?
Join in the conversation at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/5sge6v
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5. Promoting a Dawg Art Exhibit in Michigan =============================================
This week, seven Publicity Hounds have tips on how Lynne Scheible of Big Rapids, Michigan can promote the Year of the Dawg so that people will come to Big Rapids and the surrounding area to see bulldogs that are artistically designed by local artists.
From Nancy Stephen:
"Make sure you're talking to the local, regional and state tourism offices. Make sure you've got pictures that they, too, can post and use on their website."
From Kim Stezala:
"Have Ferris State tie in with the event and promote it with alumni. Perhaps alumni could vote for their favorite dawg."
From Cheryl Pickett:
"Once you get the sponsors together, how about putting together a joint flyer including special events or offers beyond those that your group is planning? The goal would be to increase the likelihood of visitors going into the stores instead of just walking by to view the dawgs. You could also post a downloadable version on everyone's websites or include it with maps."
"Example: A salon could offer a coupon for a massage/pedi for dawg tired feet after all the walking around town. A restaurant couuld offer a special on their hot dawgs."
The Publicity Hound says:
Start pitching this story to the gazillion pet bloggers. Why not ask them to ask their readers to vote, based on photos of the dawgs? See "How to Pitch the Best Bloggers & Create a Publicity Explosion" at http://tinyurl.com/m7ymr
Read all the responses to this Help This Hound question at http://tinyurl.com/6m9hmc
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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Merri Cvetan of Big Bend, Wisconsin writes:
"As an interior designer, I'm always looking for ways to drive people to my website at http://www.mecdesignstudio.com and business.
"I am creating a fun survey to find out the relationship between a woman's wardrobe and the colors she decorates her home with. I will offer a designer notebook to one or two entries.
"It won't be scientific, but I think the results should be interesting and garner some publicity. I can post the questionnaire on my site and at a few blog sites as well as Craigslist. Any other suggestions on how to get it to women across the country?"
The Publicity Hound says:
Have you seen the new movie "(Fill in the blank) and the City?" I haven't seen it, but can you tie into the characters' wardrobes and how they decorate? That movie could be one of the summer's biggest hits, and your online press releases, articles, blog posts and other content that refers to the survey could pull in a lot of traffic from SATC fans who are googling.
Hounds, let's hear your ideas. Post your best comments to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/6bq6ns
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7. Hound Joke of the Week
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Thanks to Dan Poynter of Santa Barbara, California for sharing these Canine Letters to God.
Dear God: Why do humans smell the flowers, but seldom, if ever, smell one another?
Dear God: When we get to heaven, can we sit on your couch? Or is it still the same old story?
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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How long before criminals start monitoring Twitter?
Http://tinyurl.com/5sge6v
The Musician's Guide to Brides includes press release tips
http://tinyurl.com/5lw7w3
Promote artwork with video using these 11 tips
http://tinyurl.com/5rjb7v
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Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound
June 11: Teleseminar for Publicists
PR whiz Robert Smith explains "How to Earn An Extra $100,000 This Year as a Publicist, Even in a Bad Economy." 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time. Register at http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm
June 18: Teleseminar on Outsourcing
Business coach Leili McKinley shows you "Outsourcing Secrets: Your Guide to Getting the Best Quality, Price and Teamwork from Freelancers." 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time. Register at http://www.PublicityHound.com/teleseminar.htm
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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."
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Joan Stewart
a. k.a. The Publicity Hound®
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
USA
Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737
Labels: art marketing, press releases, publicity for niche markets, Twitter
posted by Publicity-Hound @ 5:01 PM
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