The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #489 Jan. 27, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityHound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.PublicityArticles.net (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/

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

1. Social Media Rx

2. Newspaper Map of the World

3. Let Bloggers Test Your Product

4. Getting Artwork onto TV/Movie Sets

5. Help This Hound

6. Hound Video of the Week

7. And at My Blogs…

======================================
1. Social Media Rx
======================================

At social media sites, act the same way you would at a backyard
barbecue.

When you arrive at a barbecue, you look around to get the lay of
the land, greet your hosts, and find out where to get a cold beer
and snacks.

If you don’t know most of the other guests, you watch and listen
for clues as to who might be the most approachable ones.

Do not:

–Walk up to the first stranger you see and shove your book into
his hand.

–Ask a woman you’ve never met if she’ll attend your telephone
seminar next week.

–Start handing out your business cards to everyone who walks by.

–Approach a small group of people and tell them they can sign up
for your ezine.

You’d never act like that at a party, would you? Yet, that
happens all the time at social media sites. Part of the reason is
that people don’t know what else to say. So they do the first
thing they can think of. They offer a free commercial.

Jeanne Hurlbert, my new business partner, and I created Social
Media Rx specifically for those lost souls who don’t know what
else to say. I introduced Jeanne to you a few weeks ago at my
blog at http://budurl.com/jeannehurlbert and told you we’d be
letting you know about Social Media Rx soon.

We’re finally ready. And we’re offering you a free webinar, chock
full of social media tips, specifically for people who haven’t
even dipped their toes into the social media waters yet, or for
those who are participating, but aren’t quite sure what they’re
doing or aren’t seeing a return on investment.

It will be at 3 p.m. Eastern Time (2 Central) on Wednesday, Feb.
3, and you’ll come away a heck of a lot smarter. We’ll also give
you a glimpse of Social Media Rx. It’s an assessment you can take
by answering a series of questions designed to show find out how
much you do or don’t know aobut social media. When you’re done,
within seconds, it delivers a customized report and your own
formula that explains exactly what you should be discussing at
social media sites, based on your job, hobbies, interests and
level of expertise. It’s already received rave reviews, and we
can hardly wait to show it to you.

Everyone who registers for the call will receive the free report
“3 Dangerous Social Media Problems & How to Solve Them.”

For instructions on how to sign up, go to
http://budurl.com/socialmediarxwebinar

======================================
2. Newspaper Map of the World
======================================

Thanks to Jill Cranford of Livermore, Colorado for tipping us off
to the incredibly helpful worldwide newspaper map that shows the
headlines in today’s newspapers in hundreds of countries.

Go to http://www.budurl.com/newspapermap and choose a continent,
country, state or city. Put your cursor on it and headlines from
today’s newspaper will pop up.

Double-click on the dot and the page gets larger. You might even
be able to read the entire story or the entire newspaper.  This
site, maintained by Newseum.org, the interactive news museum in
Washington, D.C., changes daily with new editions of the papers.

===================================
3. Let Bloggers Test Your Product
===================================

I’ve written here about BloggerLinkUp.com, a neat website that’s
getting rave reviews from people who want to write guest blog
posts for other people’s blogs, and for bloggers looking for
guest writers.

Here’s another way to use the site. Offer your product to
bloggers for review.

Sometimes all it takes is just one terrific review by a blogger,
and word starts to spread all over the Internet. And that can
turn into sales.

I submitted information last week about my free ebook, “The Best
of the Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week of 2009″ and already
received queries from several bloggers who want to read it and
share it with their audiences.

Fill out the form at http://www.bloggerlinkup.com/review

Then share the link for my free ebook with your social media
friends, followers and fans:
http://tinyurl.com/bestof2009tips

====================================
4. Getting Artwork onto TV/Movie Sets
====================================

This week, two Publicity Hounds have tips for Consuelo Okdie from
Tampa Bay, Fla., an artist who wants tips for getting her artwork
onto TV and movie sets.

From Michael Carr:

“Research first. Most states and some larger cities around the
nation have online film production guides which list crew
members. You want to really focus on the Art Department–
particularly designers, set dressers, decorators as well as local
production companies and still photographers. These are the
decision makers who may determine the look of the production,
based on the input they receive from the director or, in the case
of production companies and still photographers, from the
client.”

From Marilynn Barber:

“At http://www.wardrobesupplies.com, under Backstage Stuff, are
source books for theatre and film, in particular, one called
Debbie?s Book.  Google ’scenic design’ in Los Angeles. Be aware,
if you should get something placed, you need to sell it to them.
Never lend–it won?t come back the same.”

The Publicity Hound says:

Check out the teleseminar I did with Amy Bates Stumpf, who rubs
elbows with lots of the Hollywood insiders, and knows how to get
your consumer products onto the sets of TV and movie sets:
http://budurl.com/productplacementips

Read all the responses to this week?s “Help This Hound” question
at http://budurl.com/artworkontv

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

===================================
5. Help This Hound
===================================

Jill Starishevsky of New York, NY writes:

“I am a prosecutor of child abuse and sex crimes in New York
City. I wrote a children?s book called My Body Belongs to Me to
teach children that if someone touches them inappropriately, they
should tell a parent or teacher right away.

“In a non-threatening, engaging manner, this guide establishes
boundaries and teaches kids that when it comes to their body,
there are some parts that are for ‘no one else to see’ and
empowers them to tell a parent or teacher if someone touches them
inappropriately.

“Most importantly, this narrative assures young ones that sexual
molestation is not their fault, and by speaking out, the child
will continue to grow big and strong. A ?Suggestions for the
Storyteller? section is also included to help lead a comfortable
discussion afterward.

“How can I promote this book in traditional and social media?”
The Publicity Hound says:

I checked the media room at Jill’s website at
http://www.mybodybelongstome.com/news/ and found more than 30
reviews from bloggers. Good for you, Jill. But there weren’t
nearly as many hits in traditional media. Hounds with ideas for
Jill can post them to my blog at http://budurl.com/touching

=================================
6. Hound Video of the Week
=================================

Here’s a silly YouTube video of Romeo the Pug playing piano:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFAy84Pesb0

==================================
7. And at My Blogs…
==================================

Consider retweeting these blog posts:

Membership directories could include social media URLs
http://budurl.com/directories

9 freebies artists can offer to build an email list
http://budurl.com/artistfreebie

Misnamed online media rooms can confuse visitors
http://budurl.com/misnamedmediarooms

Publicity dilemma? Let Publicity Hound readers help–for free
http://budurl.com/helpthishound

————————————

Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Page:
http://www.facebook.com/publicitytips

Connect with me on LinkedIn (and tell me how we know each other):
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound

Permission to Reprint:

You may reprint any items from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the
Week” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include
the following paragraph:

Reprinted from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” an ezine
featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity.
Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email
the handy cheat sheet “89 Reasons to Send a Press 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

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #488 Jan. 19, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityHound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.PublicityArticles.net (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/

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

1. Pitch Comics Artists

2. 9 Places to Find Blog Content

3. Write a Book in a Weekend

4. Promoting a Religious Book

5. Help This Hound

6. Hound Joke of the Week

7. And at My Blogs…

======================================
1. Pitch Comics Artists
======================================

The next time you need to generate publicity for a worthy cause
or issue, don’t forget the comics.

Yes, the comics. Comic strip artists might agree to make your
cause part of their storyline.

Thanks to Rebecca Morgan, publisher of the popular SpeakerNet
News ezine at http://www.speakernetnews.com/, for sharing the
fabulous tip to pitch comic strip artists as a way of getting
into newspapers large and small all over the world.

Last fall, with just one email pitch, she convinced Greg Evans,
creator of the strip Luann, to incorporate her campaign to
encourage people to give gently used books, instead of candy, for
trick-or-treaters. That brought about 6,000 visitors to her
website.

See the strip, read about how she did it and learn about a
website with links to hundreds of comics strips that might tie
into your cause or issue. Go to http://budurl.com/pitchcomics

======================================
2. 9 Places to Find Blog Content
======================================

If you’re blogging, or you want to start a blog but you’re afraid
you won’t have enough content, here are 9 places to look to find
more than enough topics to write about.

–In your email box. When someone asks you a question, answer it,
and then include the question and the answer in a blog post.

–In print newsletters and ezines for your industry.

–At other people’s blogs. (Comment on the post at your own blog,
and link to it.)

–In newspaper and magazine articles. Excerpt a few tips from an
article you’ve just read, with attribution, and comment on them.

–5 things they don’t teach you in __________ school.

–3 things I want to do in my business before I die.

–In your office. Write about the best (or worst) computer
equipment and other tools you use.

–On TV. If a show or character you saw ties into your topic,
write about it.

–Your goals for 2010.

Want 68 more sources for blog content? They’ll be on the handout
you’ll get when you register for my teleseminar on “Time-saving
Tips for Smart Business Blogging” at 4 p.m. Eastern Time on
Wednesday, Jan. 20, with Patsi Krakoff.

Only a few seats remain. Read more about it and register here:
http://budurl.com/blogcontentideas

===================================
3. Write a Book in a Weekend
===================================

If you want to be taken seriously as an expert in your topic or
industry, a book can give you credibility and put you heads above
your competitors.

The big mistake many authors make, however, is that they spend
years writing their books, then many more months editing and
proofreading them. Many non-fiction books can be written in a few
days.

Ann McIndoo, the former creative assistant to motivational
speaker Tony Robbins, has developed a system for writing the
first draft of a non-fiction book in just one weekend-?a fraction
of the time it takes most authors.

She has helped 268 authors write their books in just three days,
thanks to time-saving shortcuts.

Her system works best for authors who are writing non-fiction
books on topics they know well, particularly how-to, leadership,
business, self-help and autobiographies.

Ann will explain her system during a free telephone seminar with
Steve Harrison at 2 and 7 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, Jan. 21,
at your choice of two times. If the times are inconvenient,
recruit someone to listen and take notes for you.

Register at http://www.WriteYourBookInAWeekend.com/call/?10011

I’m an affiliate.

====================================
4. Promoting a Religious Book
====================================

This week, six Publicity Hounds have tips for Bonnie Stuempfig of
Waukesha, Wis., author of Heavenly Connections, a book of
inspirational religious stories. She wants ideas on how to sell
the book.

From Jeff Rothe:

“Why not target 10 of the largest churches in your city, and get
them to get a copy to be discussed for X weeks at a Bible study,
or even better, used by the service head if they teach a weekly
class.”

From Anne:

“If you are still thinking about selling it at churches, look
into their bulletins and see what kinds of church groups they
have that meet on a regular basis. You might be able to be a
guest speaker (and pitch your book at the end) for one of their
meetings.

“Another idea is to tie it in with a religious holiday (for
example: Ash Wednesday for Catholics). Offer a small discount to
those who purchase multiple copies.”

From Dale Hutchings:

“The first thing that comes to mind for me is for you to target
Christian book reading clubs. On the Internet, there are numerous
websites that where you can find listings of these groups. There
is even a site where they show you how to start a Christian book
club and how to join one.”

Read all the answers to this question at
http://budurl.com/religiousbook

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

===================================
5. Help This Hound
===================================

Consuelo Okdie from Tampa Bay, Fla., writes:

“I’m hoping that you or one of your readers will be able to tell
me how to get my artwork used as set decoration for TV or films.

“My work is unique in medium and application as I am one of a
very few artists using polymer clay to create illustrations &
paintings. Any information you may be able to give me will be
greatly appreciated.”

The Publicity Hound says:

Hounds with ideas for Consuelo can post them to my blog at
http://budurl.com/artworkontv

Consuelo, you need to be willing to do the research necessary to
pitch set designers, costume coordinators, production
coordinators, prop masters and product placement decision-makers
for specific movies and TV shows. I hosted a teleseminar with Amy
Bates Stumpf two years ago on How to Get Your Consumer Product
onto the Sets of Movies and TV Shows. You can read more about it
at http://budurl.com/productplacement

=================================
6. Hound Joke of the Week
=================================

Wanda’s dishwasher quit working so she called a repairman. Since
she had to go to work the next day, she told the repairman, “I’ll
leave the key under the mat.  Fix the dishwasher, leave the bill
on the counter, and I’ll mail you a check.”

“Oh, by the way, don’t worry about my dog, Spike. He won’t bother
you. But, whatever you do, do NOT, under ANY circumstances, talk
to my parrot. I repeat. Do NOT talk to my parrot!”

When the repairman arrived at Wanda’s apartment the following
day, he discovered the biggest, meanest looking dog he has ever
seen. But, just as she had said, the dog just lay there on the
carpet watching the repairman go about his work.  ?  The parrot,
however, drove him nuts the whole time with his incessant
yelling, cursing and name calling.  Finally the repairman
couldn’t contain himself any longer and yelled,

“Shut up, you stupid, ugly bird!”

To which the parrot replied, “Get him, Spike!”

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/

==================================
7. And at My Blogs…
==================================

19+ story ideas to generate publicity, PR for your business
http://budurl.com/19publicityideas

Facebook makes it easy to reply to wall posts via email
http://budurl.com/facebookwallposts

9 ways nonprofits can use social media
http://budurl.com/nonprofitsocialmedia

Add comic strips to your PR campaign and pitch artists
http://budurl.com/pitchcomics

————————————

Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Page:
http://www.facebook.com/publicitytips

Connect with me on LinkedIn (and tell me how we know each other):
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound

Permission to Reprint:

You may reprint any items from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the
Week” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include
the following paragraph:

Reprinted from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” an ezine
featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity.
Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email
the handy cheat sheet “89 Reasons to Send a Press 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

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #487 Jan. 12, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityHound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.PublicityArticles.net (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/

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

1. The Missing Marketing Tool

2. Ban This Cliche

3. How to Attract PR Clients

4. Promoting a Book for Associations

5. Help This Hound

6. Hound Joke of the Week

7. And at My Blogs…

======================================
1. The Missing Marketing Tool
======================================

At a small networking breakfast I attended last week, I met five
people who were either job-hunting or were there to talk about
their businesses.

They brought their resumes, engaging personalities, impressive
marketing materials and succinct elevator pitches and shared them
with our table of 10.

But all five were missing a critical marketing tool that could
have landed them a job or set them apart from their competitors.

Not one of them had a blog. For more than an hour, the
conversation centered on how each of them can reach their target
audiences.

By the end of the breakfast, I lost it.

“Everyone at this table should be blogging!” I yelled. With nine
pairs of eyes riveted on me, I explained:

–A blog establishes your credibility and expertise.

–It’s like a giant magnet that pulls in traffic.

–It can impress visitors and turn them into buyers.

–Many of your competitors are blogging.

–Unlike Twitter, you can use your blog to discuss topics in-
depth.

–You can engage visitors and carry on a conversation with them
in the comments section.

–A blog can give you a huge online presence, even if you can’t
afford a website.

–It can help you gain more traction than publicity in
traditional media because, unlike most media people, bloggers
love to link to each other. Get in front of just one influential
blogger and you can be all over the Internet within minutes.

Finally, they got it.

If you’re already blogging, good for you! If you aren’t, it’s not
too late to start.

Blogging expert Patsi Krakoff will be my guest during a
teleseminar on “Time-saving Tips for Smart Business Blogging” at
4 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, Jan. 20. Everyone who registers
will receive the MP3 recording and a handout that includes 77
ideas for finding blog content, and several simple formulas on
how to write blog posts quickly and easily.

Register at http://budurl.com/smartbusinessblogs and then start a
list of questions for Patsi.

======================================
2. Ban This Cliche
======================================

You can’t listen to a TV newscast without hearing somebody wrap
up their commentary with the tired phrase “at the end of the
day.”

Watch the talking heads shows on Sunday morning and you can’t
escape it. Even the sportscasters and meteorologists are using
it.

It’s showing up in blog posts, media pitches, press releases,
press kits, emails and how-to articles. Just for the heck of it,
I went to http://search.twitter.com and typed “at the end of the
day” into the search box. It’s even showing up in tweets!

When I critique articles and pitches for people in my mentor
program, I’m on the hunt for cliches and other mistakes that
dilute writing. If you need your own writing coach, find out if
you’re a good candidate for the program at
http://www.publicityhound.com/mentorprogram/intro.html

For smaller projects, I do telephone consulting at $300 an hour
and can help you brainstorm pitches, create a press kit, develop
a social media strategy, find joint venture partners, critique
your website and create an impressive presence online, one step
at a time. Email JStewart@PublicityHound.com with several times
you’re available.

===================================
3. How to Attract PR Clients
===================================

If you work in the PR industry and you’re fishing for new
clients, here’s a clever way to hook ‘em.

Choose a company that you’d love to have as a client. Then keep
your eyes open for coverage their competitors are receiving. When
you see a story written about a competitor, print it or clip it,
and send it along with a short note to one of the key decision-
makers at the company. The note can say something like, “Thought
you’d be interested in this.” Sign the note and include your
business card.

Do it again, then again. After you’ve sent two or three articles
to the same person, follow up with a phone call. I’m betting that
you’ll receive a return phone call, and maybe even a contract.

A Publicity Hound shared that tip during the teleseminar I hosted
titled “24 Ways to Attract Clients to Your PR Practice.” PR pro
Marcia Yudkin joined me in discussing 24 ways to bring more
business through the door. We’ve both used many of the ideas
ourselves, and we both have found two ideas that work
particularly well.

They can for you, too. Read more about what we discussed and
download the entire list of 24 ideas that you can be reading
within minutes while you’re waiting for the CD to arrive. It’s
also available as an electronic transcript. Read more about what
it includes at http://budurl.com/morePRclients

====================================
4. Promoting a Book for Associations
====================================

This week, four Publicity Hounds have tips for Linda Alexander of
Pitman, NJ, who wants advice on how to market a book. It helps
new members on association boards understand their new roles and
learn the skills and competencies they need to be a successful
board member.

From Leslie Sturgeon:

“Contact the American Society of Association Executives and try
to sell to the association itself for them to resell. Or check
out http://www.asaecenter.org and contact association management
companies and association executives directly.”

From Mary Callen:

“Send a sample copy, or sample pages by email if you’re on a
budget, to the executive director of every association you
mention. Work your way into newsletters for groups of association
managers with the free sample offer. If it’s truly a valuable
resource, they’ll jump at the chance to purchase and distribute a
book to each new member of their boards of directors. A few
copies to pass between newbies can be used and reused.”

From Mitch Carnell:

“Get leading community volunteers from several states or
nationally known volunteer leaders to write and publish reviews
in local and national publications. For example: the CEO of a
United Way, president of the Boy Scouts, chairman of a food bank.
Try for name and organization recognition. Some universities have
courses dealing with the not-for-profit world. I taught a
graduate course on the subject for many years. Contact the
professors.”

The Publicity Hound says:

How about pitching influential bloggers who write for nonprofits?
One of the best is Nancy Schwartz and her Getting Attention blog
at http://www.gettingattention.org/ See my article “Let Bloggers
Create Publicity for You” at http://budurl.com/49dw.

Read all the responses to this week?s “Help This Hound question”
at http://budurl.com/mentoringthestars

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

===================================
5. Help This Hound
===================================

From Bonnie Stuempfig of Waukesha, WI:

“I wrote a book, Heavenly Connections, a soft-cover spiral-bound
book, and hoped to sell it mostly at my church and other area
churches, but there seems to be a ho-hum attitude despite the
fact that I’m already a published writer and the stories are
uplifting and entertaining.

“They include 24 God-based contributions from other church
members and me, along with a few poems and four pages of color
photos.

“My plan was to donate a good portion of the proceeds to the
church, but now I’m thinking it would be best to just bypass the
church and pitch it to bookstores and gift shops.

“I’m working on getting a website and am doing nothing with
social media. I should have done all this earlier but have put
more than two years into this book and wanted it printed by
Christmas. Now, I can concentrate on the marketing but don’t
know where to start.

“Thanks for any help your Hounds can give.?

The Publicity Hound says:

The most difficult part of your task will be to promote the book
without a website. Let’s see what ideas my Hounds have. Hounds,
you can share them at my blog at http://budurl.com/religiousbook

=================================
6. Hound Joke of the Week
=================================

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

–Yvonne Clifford, American actress

==================================
7. And at My Blogs…
==================================

Starting this week, I’ll be including on this list blog posts
I’ve written at MySocialMediaSolution.com, the blog I share with
Jeanne Hurlbert, my new business partner. The second post below
is from that blog.

3 business blogging tips to save time–even if you hate writing
http://budurl.com/bizbloggingtips

30 PR experts you should follow on Twitter
http://budurl.com/twitterprexperts

Social media boosts book marketing guru’s Alexa rankings
http://budurl.com/kremeralexaranking

————————————

Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Page:
http://www.facebook.com/publicitytips

Connect with me on LinkedIn (and tell me how we know each other):
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound

Permission to Reprint:

You may reprint any items from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the
Week” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include
the following paragraph:

Reprinted from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” an ezine
featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity.
Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email
the handy cheat sheet “89 Reasons to Send a Press 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

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #486 Jan. 6, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityHound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net/ (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/

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

1. Facebook Redesign: Don’t Panic

2. New Year’s Resolutions for Bloggers

3. Still No Gravatar?

4. A Dozen Ways to Use My Free Ebook

5. Promoting Absorbent Mats

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog…

======================================
1. Facebook Redesign: Don’t Panic
======================================

If you’re like me and you’re on Facebook, the words “Facebook
redesign” send you into panic mode.

It can take me weeks to navigate my way around a redesigned site.
Facebook is slowly rolling out another one this week. But the
good news is that the changes are minor:

–The search box is being moved from the right side of the
screen, further to the left.

–Facebook is cleaning up the categories on the left.

–Facebook–finally!–has removed the double link to your profile
at the top of the screen. Instead of seeing “Profile” and “(Your
Name)” at the top of the screen (the information is identical),
you’ll only see “Profile.”

–Login/logout have been combined into a single ?account? drop
down.

The changes haven’t shown up on my own profile yet, but I’ll be
watching for them.

Facebook also has a new, streamlined Help Center that should make
it easier for you to find solutions to problems. You can read
more about it at Facebook’s blog at http://budurl.com/hdhc

During the teleseminar I conducted several months ago with
Christine Buffaloe, my guest expert, on “11 Ways to Avoid Missed
Opportunities on Facebook,” we identified “Missed Opportunity
#10: Not using the Help Center.” The Help Center is located on
the bottom right side of your screen. Facebook is so big that
it’s impossible to instinctively know what to do, and the Help
Center can lead you in the right direction.

Learn more about the other 10 missed opportunities at
http://budurl.com/facebookwithchris

======================================
2. New Year’s Resolutions for Bloggers
======================================

Here are three New Year’s Resolutions I’ve made about blogging.
You might want to make them, too:

–Post more frequently. The more posts, the more traffic. It’s
that simple. I usually post at least three times a week. I’m
trying to increase that to five a week.

–One way to post more frequently is to write short items. I’ve
fallen into the habit of trying to make each post as thorough as
possible, but that eats up precious time. I can’t tell you how
many unfinished posts are sitting in my Drafts folder. Readers,
always pressed for time, appreciate short posts, too.

–Reply to people who comment at my blog. Finally, I’m seeing the
number of comments increasing. But I haven’t been very good about
replying to those comments. By not replying, I’m simply talking
“at” people instead of talking “with” them.

Carrying on a conversation at your blog is incredibly time-
consuming, but it’s well worth the investment. People will be
more inclined to comment if they see you’re paying attention. And
they’ll be motivated to return to the blog to see how you
responded to what they said.

Results of my customer profile survey earlier this year show many
Publicity Hounds are hungry for time-saving tips on how to blog.
So I asked Patsi Krakoff of The Blog Squad to join me for a
teleseminar at 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, Jan. 20, called
“Time-saving Tips for Smart Business Blogging.” (This teleseminar
was originally scheduled for Jan. 13.) Everyone who registers
receives a handout that includes 77 ways to find content for a
blog.

Make 2010 the year you finally commit to a blog and build in
efficiencies that will make the job go faster. Read more about
what you’ll learn and register at
http://budurl.com/smartbusinessblogs

=======================================
3. Still No Gravatar?
=======================================

Here’s another resolution for 2010, even if you don’t blog, but
you comment at other people’s blogs.

Make sure you have a gravatar, a universal image that follows you
from site to site and appears beside your name when you comment
or post on a blog. A gravatar helps identify your posts and
attaches a face to a name.

It takes just a few minutes to create one at
http://en.gravatar.com/

Jeanne Hurlbert and I recommend that if you’re using social media
for your business, you use a photo instead of an image that
resembles a cartoon character. We’d both prefer to see the face
of the person we’re talking to. And it’s easier to build a
relationship with a person who has a name and a face vs. somebody
who seems to be hiding behind a logo or a silly graphic.  My
gravatar is the same photo that appears at the bottom of the HTML
version of this newsletter.

Jeanne is my new business partner, and I wrote about her last
week here and at my blog. If you missed it, check it out at
http://budurl.com/jeannehurlbert

In just a few weeks, we’ll be introducing you to Social Media Rx,
our new social media assessment that’s your 20-minute
prescription for cutting through the clutter, chatter and
confusion on social media sites.

===================================
4. A Dozen Ways to Use My Free Ebook
===================================

Have you claimed your copy of “The Best of The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week of 2009″ yet? It not, go to
http://tinyurl.com/bestof2009tips and consider using it one of
these 12 ways:

–Create a Facebook note, and excerpt a tip in its entirety. Use
the JPEG of the ebook cover along with the text, and you’ve got a
nice little item that your followers and fans will love.

–No time for a Note? Write about it and share the link above in
a Facebook status update.

–Write about it in a LinkedIn status update.

–Blog about the book, and include your own success story that
ties into one of the tips.

–Offer the ebook as a bonus along with other products and
services you’re selling.

–Give it to your clients and customers.

–Mention it at your weekly staff meetings.

–Add it to the Free Articles page at your website.

–Give it away to the winner of a contest you’re sponsoring.

–Offer it as a freebie to help you capture names and email
addresses at your website.

–Create a video that discusses the ebook and upload it to your
website or to YouTube.

–Include the link (http://tinyurl.com/bestof2009tips) in a book
you’re writing, or in handouts you’re using for a speaking
engagement.

What other ways are you using the ebook? Share them at my blog at
http://budurl.com/howtousemyebook

===================================
5. Promoting Absorbent Mats
===================================

This week, six Publicity Hounds have tips for Jeanne Krieg of
Savage, MN. Her company, DryMate, makes a line of absorbent and
washable mats for home, pets, autos, hunting, garage and
outdoors. She needs ideas on how to pitch this product to
journalists.

From Christel Hall:

“I would consider picking the top three publications in each area
to do a special, custom publicity promotion to. For example, the
garage auto mat could be promoted to the top two auto
care/accessories magazines and also to the national publication
for Porsche owners, or other exclusive car club members. At the
same time, the outdoor blanket/mat could be promoted to camping
and outdoor magazines.”

From Jay Groff:

“I am friends with the vice president of PIG mats, which has the
same concept but they are more industrial. Despite the fact that
they are somewhat of a competitor, I think some kind of a
relationship could be formed where they could promote your line
of more household mats and you could promote their heavy duty
industrial mats. I truly believe cooperation can be better than
competition.”

From Laurie Morrow:

“DryMate might try to tie in with a realty company–get them to
buy a large amount, and give them as gifts to purchasers of new
homes. This is a tough market to sell real estate in, and you
could develop a number of cross-promotional ads.”

The Publicity Hound says:

All three ideas involve joint venture partnerships. Internet
marketer Don Crowther says “there’s no such thing as competitors,
just joint venture partners who don’t know it yet.”

Read all the responses to this week?s “Help This Hound” question
http://budurl.com/washablemats

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

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

Linda Alexander of Pitman, NJ, writes:

“I work for an association management and publishing company, and
we have just published the book Mentoring the Stars: A Program
for Volunteer Board Leaders at
http://budurl.com/mentoringstarsbook

“The book is designed to help new board members on association
boards understand their new roles and learn the skills and
competencies they need to be a successful board member.
Leadership, decision making, teamwork, strategic planning,
effective meetings and mentoring are just some of the topics
covered.

“Mentoring the Stars is a great resource for association board
members in any industry?nursing, hospitals and health care,
education, banking, real estate, human resources, plus church
groups, community organizations and more. While it’s great to be
applicable to anyone, it’s also hard to promote to everyone!

“The book is available on our website and on Amazon. We have done
some traditional PR and will be trying some targeted advertising
on Facebook, Google and Yahoo. Can your readers offer any
suggestions for ways to promote Mentoring the Stars to members of
association boards??

The Publicity Hound says:

The first thing that comes to my mind is LinkedIn. Let’s see what
my Hounds have to say. Hounds with their own ideas, or ways to
piggyback onto my LinkedIn suggestion, can post them to my blog
at http://budurl.com/mentoringthestars

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

Thanks to Mary Pacinda of New Carlisle, Ohio for this one:

Two fleas are coming out of the movie theater and it’s raining
very hard outside. One flea says to the other flea, “What are we
going to do? Should we walk or wait for a dog?”

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…
===================================

12 ways to use my free ebook of publicity tips
http://budurl.com/howtousemyebook

————————————

Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Page:
http://www.facebook.com/publicitytips

Connect with me on LinkedIn (and tell me how we know each other):
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound

Permission to Reprint:
You may reprint any items from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the
Week” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include
the following paragraph:

Reprinted from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” an ezine
featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity.
Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email
the handy cheat sheet “89 Reasons to Send a Press 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