The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #525 Sept. 28, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com
http://www.publicityHound.mobi
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net (Ezine Archives)
http://www.MysocialMediaSolution.com/blog

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

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

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

1. Experts Directory Listing, No Charge

2. Promote Facebook, Twitter Offline

3. Look for Bloggers in Magazines

4. Press Release Keyword Phrases

5. Hound Joke of the Week

6. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. Experts Directory Profile, No Charge
=====================================

Are you an expert, authority or spokesperson with real
credentials? If not, skip this item.

If you are, make sure you take advantage of a free Press Room
Page in the “Expert Book” at http://www.ExpertClick.com, edited
by Mitchell Davis of the Yearbook of Experts, Authorities &
Spokespersons.

I’ve promoted these listings over the years because the Yearbook
of Experts is one of the first places that many journalists look
when searching for sources in a particular industry or topic. But
until now, you had to pay to get a News Room Page at his website.

No more. Now, you can join for free and get a News Room Page and
your photo, text and link to your website.

But here’s the really valuable part. You’ll also get to post and
have distributed one news release each month, for free. News
releases posted to Expertclick are picked up by the Google and
Lexis news feeds, so your news will get wide exposure. This is a
wonderful alternative if you can’t afford paid news release
distribution services.

Mitch cautions that you shouldn’t even bother applying for a
listing if you aren’t a bona-fide expert. Within the last week,
he has turned down five people who claimed to be experts, but
aren’t. One doesn’t have a website. Another claimed she had a
variety of credentials from her industry groups, but Mitch
checked and discovered that she didn’t.

Join free, or save $100 on a paid profile that’s chock full of
other benefits, when you click from my link at
http://www.ExpertClick.com/Discount/PublicityHound

This is a no-brainer. Do it today.

======================================
2. Promote Facebook, Twitter Offline
======================================

It’s all too easy to forget about offline tactics you can use to
promote your presence on social media sites.

I just discovered two terrific tools:

–Hang a banner advertising your presence on Facebook, Twitter or
any other social media site, outside your store, restaurant,
park, school, museum, or wherever your target market gathers. I
saw an eye-catching banner over the weekend as I was driving by
the VanPatten Woods, part of the Lake County Forest Preserve in
Sterling Lake, Ill. See the photo I took and learn more about it
at the MysocialMediaSolution blog at
http://www.mysocialmediasolution.com/?p=448

–If you’re on Twitter, share your stream with customers,
patrons, colleagues, community, guests, family, friends and
passers-by via a Twisplay, an LED sign that allows you to
conveniently display whatever Twitter streams you wish. They’re
$299 each with free shipping for pre-orders. Their shopping cart
isn’t quite ready yet. But you can check it out at
http://www.twisplays.com/ and watch a demonstration of how Oprah
uses an LED sign in this YouTube video at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cwreP9wmzs

I’m noticing that many Publicity Hounds still aren’t tagging
Friends on Facebook, creating their own Facebook badges, or
actively promoting other people’s Fan pages. Those are only three
of 11 Ways to Avoid Missed Opportunities on Facebook. Right now,
this is my fastest-selling product and available as a CD, MP3 or
transcript, complete with 28 pages of illustrated handouts. Learn
more about it at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/how_to_use_facebook.htm

======================================
3.  Look for Bloggers in Magazines
======================================

The next time you read a consumer magazine, or even a trade
publication, pay attention to bloggers who are featured in those
magazines.

The September issue of Better Homes & Gardens includes a blurb
and photo about Meredith Schwartz, aka Penelope, who writes the
“Penelope Loves Lists” blog at http://www.penelopeloveslists.com

If I sold a product or service that keeps people organized, I’d
pitch it to her. But before I did, I’d inspect her blog, find
personal tidbits about her that I could include in my pitch, and
I’d take time to comment on one or two posts she has written.

That’s one of the tips I offered during the webinar “How to
REALLY Use Publicity as an Online Marketing Channel and ZIG When
Everyone Else is ZAGGING.” Learn more about what you can do if
you start zigging, and the great publicity hits that will result,
at http://www.publicityhound.com/onlinepublicitytips.htm

======================================
4. Press Release Keyword Phrases
======================================

Here’s a startling statistic that should change the way you write
press releases.

When people shop online, they typically type only one or two
keywords into the search engines. When they buy online, however,
they type four or more words.

Buyers who type those longer keyword phrases really narrow down
what they’re looking for. That means they’ll find fewer results,
but what the search engines return to them will be exactly what
they want to buy. And many of them will have credit card in hand.

If you use online press releases, one of the very best ways to
reach buyers directly without having to go through traditional
media outlets, you should be inserting longer keyword phrases,
also known as long-tail keywords, into your releases so people
can find you–and buy from you–more easily.

Press release expert Janet Thaeler has created three videos that
show you how to research keywords when writing press releases or
any other copy you’re using online. The videos are part of the 8
pages of illustrated handouts that come with the CD, transcript
or MP3 of the teleseminar I recorded with her called “Keywords:
The Magic Magnets That Pull Consumers & Journalists to Your Press
Releases.” Read more about what you’ll learn to do with keywords
and the 8-step checklist you can refer to every time you write a
press release, at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/keywords_in_press_releases.htm

======================================
5. Hound Joke of the Week
======================================

You know you are owned by a dog when you have a mental list of
people you would like to spay or neuter.

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/

=====================================
6. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…
====================================

Great fodder for retweeting:

Latina bloggers a valuable PR tool, survey results show
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6922

Hang a banner advertising your Facebook Fan Page
http://www.mysocialmediasolution.com/?p=448

——————————————-

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 or you told me you want to subscribe.

Privacy Statement:

The Publicity Hound respects your privacy and has a strict anti-
spam 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.
Phone: 262-284-7451
Fax: 262-284-1737

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #524 Sept. 21, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com
http://www.publicityHound.mobi
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net (Ezine Archives)
http://www.MysocialMediaSolution.com/blog

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

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

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

1. Tramp Stamps & Bromance

2. Write to Forbes & AARP Mags

3. Tips for College PR

4. Free Internet Marketing Training

5. One Phone Call = 120,000 Books Sold

6. Hound Joke of the Week

7. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. Tramp Stamps & Bromance
=====================================

Hey bloggers, here’s a fun story idea that’s ripe for commentary
and maybe even a contest.

Lexicographers have added 2,000 new words, phrases and new
meanings to the third edition of The Oxford American Dictionary.

New words include: bromance, unfriend, turducken, tramp stamp,
eggcorn, nimrod, agroterrorism, megachurch, staycation,
steampunk, truthiness, tweet and waterboarding.

New phrases include: get one’s arms around, my bad, job something
out, less is more, what’s not to like?, have skin in the game,
talk the talk, and the ubiquitous “heart” as a synonym for love,
as in “I heart publicity.”

The new edition also recognizes a variety of abbreviations as
words, including TTYL (talk to you later), LBD (little black
dress), BFF (a girl’s best friend, which originated from best
friend forever), and LMAO (laughing my *** off).

Writers, authors, publishers and English teachers can weigh in on
this. Would you feel foolish using any of these words in your
writing? Why? Are they nothing more than slang?

Parents, would you let your children learn about the English
language from this dictionary, or would you ban it from your
house?

Bloggers, how about a contest in which readers build sentences
from new words or phrases? Offer a cool prize, and then share the
best entries with your readers.

Read more about the new words at the publishing company’s blog at
http://blog.oup.com/2010/09/noad3/ (I love the headline).

======================================
2. Write to Forbes & AARP Mags
======================================

The next time a big magazine or newspaper announces a redesign,
pay attention.

To most readers, that isn’t a big deal. But Publicity Hounds know
a redesign is an opportunity to get into the publication by
commenting on it via a letter to the editor.

Two big-circulation magazines–Forbes and AARP–are unveiling
redesigns this month. If you’ve ever wanted to get in front of
their readers, commenting on the new look is the perfect chance.

Read more about this at my blog at
http://publicityhound.net/?p=7023

=====================================
3. Tips for College PR
=====================================

If you do PR for a college or university, here are three things
for your to-do list:

–Make sure targeted media have an experts directory, which
includes contact information for all faculty and staff members
who agree to media interviews.

–Dig up those stories about faculty, students, alumni and staff
by attending events on campus, regularly scheduling meetings with
faculty and administration, and listening carefully. Find out
where your admission office is recruiting heavily and target
press releases to that area.

–Fill out those college ranking surveys. Planning for the
undergraduate issue begins in early March and the graduate guide
planning begins in early September. The credibility of your
institution is at stake.

“Special Report #15: 15 Steps to Effective University and College
Media Relations” is the perfect how-to guide for PR departments.
Read more about it at
http://publicityhound.com/publicity-products/reports.html

======================================
4. Free Internet Marketing Training
======================================

Lucky for you, what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas.

Get a free ticket to attend the three-day training session in
Internet marketing Oct. 8-10 in Las Vegas, and you’ll come home
with a notebook full of ideas, tips and cutting-edge strategies
to propel your business online.

At my blog, I explain how to claim your free ticket to LIVE 10,
the tenth annual training event hosted by StomperNet, the world’s
largest membership site for Internet marketers. Find all the
details at http://publicityhound.net/?p=7051

======================================
5. One Phone Call = 120,000 Books Sold
======================================

Dr. Neil Baum tried lots of ways to promote and distribute his
book, Marketing Your Clinical Practice.

But most of them didn’t work, and he ended up frustrated.

Then, he thought that perhaps a big pharmaceutical company might
want to buy his book in mass quantity and give it away to doctors
as a gift. Pharmaceutical companies have very strict regulations
on what they’re allowed to give to doctors. But giving them
educational products wasn’t a problem.

So Dr. Baum contacted Bayer, the aspirin company, and asked if
they’d like to give his book away to their customer doctors as a
way of showing appreciation for their patronage. Within a week,
Bayer bought more than 120,000 copies and sent it to doctors
throughout the U.S. Today, his book is on the shelf of virtually
every medical clinic in the U.S.

And it all happened from just one phone call.

These kinds of deals happen all the time. But few authors
understand the step-by-step process of how to make that happen.

Matthew Bennett, a self-published author who’s relatively unknown
to the general public, has had even greater success than Dr.
Baum. He has sold more than 5 million books in quantity to
Fortune 500 corporations, including Disney, Reebok, NBC, Abbott
Labs, Pfizer, US Healthplans, Subway and many others.

Want to learn how he does it–and how you, too, can get started
selling your books by the truckload to big companies?

You’re invited to a free telephone seminar on Thursday, Sept. 23,
to hear Steve Harrison interview Matthew about his proven methods
and system for selling tons of books. Register at
http://www.freepublicity.com/mattbennett/?10011

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

“Just give me a comfortable couch, a dog, a good book, and a
woman. Then if you can get the dog to go somewhere and read the
book, I might have a little fun!”
–Groucho Marx

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 & Mobile Site…
====================================

Great fodder for retweeting:

9 groups can use auto break-ins as timely publicity hook
http://publicityhound.net/?p=7032

Today last day for publicity summit’s $800 discount
http://publicityhound.net/?p=7042

Comment on Forbes and AARP mags’ redesigns
http://publicityhound.net/?p=7023

Free ticket for 3 days of Internet marketing training
http://publicityhound.net/?p=7051

——————————————-

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 or you told me you want to subscribe.

Privacy Statement:

The Publicity Hound respects your privacy and has a strict anti-
spam 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.
Phone: 262-284-7451
Fax: 262-284-1737

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #523 Sept. 14, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com
http://www.publicityHound.mobi
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net (Ezine Archives)
http://www.MysocialMediaSolution.com/blog

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

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

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

1. 60 Ways to be Influential Online

2. Newspaper Ezines

3. Oprah’s Opulence Can Fool You

4. How to Find Content for a B2B Blog

5. Save the Dates

6. Hound Video of the Week

7. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. 60 Ways to be Influential Online
=====================================

Struggling to create a brand that stands out from all the rest in
the crowded online world?

Don’t know what you need to do right now to attract more
customers and earn greater trust with your prospects?

Earlier this summer, The Influencer Project, the shortest
marketing conference ever at just one hour, asked 60 top online
marketers to take only one minute and give at least one concise
and valuable piece of advice.

Sixty leaders. Sixty seconds each. Sixty ways to increase your
online influence.

I found a quick summary of the list at the Hubspot blog at
http://tinyurl.com/theinfluencerproject

Scan it, and choose two or three things you need to improve. You
can even download the free mp3 and transcript.

I’m going to be concentrating on Number 6, “Follow better
people,” and Number 7, “Align yourself with outstanding strategic
partners.”

A fast, easy way to do that is by looking at the Twitter lists of
people who I respect, and then following the people they’re
following and paying attention to their tweets. When I find
somebody with whom I want to partner, I’ll call and introduce
myself.

The webinar I conducted last month on “How to Use Twitter Lists &
Directories to Generate Publicity and Build Your Brand” walks you
step-by-step through the process of creating your own Twitter
lists, peeking at other people’s lists, spying on your
competitors, and choosing the five very best Twitter directories
where journalists and consumers can find you. Read more about
what you’ll learn how to do at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/twitterlists.htm

======================================
2. Newspaper Ezines
======================================

When you’re pitching traditional media, it’s all too easy to
overlook email newsletters, or ezines, published by those same
media.

In Milwaukee, for example, the Biz Times, a local business bi-
weekly newspaper, publishes nine ezines devoted to topics such as
real estate, politics, marketing and PR, manufacturing, money and
nonprofits. The issues are then archived online.

Readers, including those who don’t subscribe to the print
editions, can subscribe to the ezines for free. These kinds of
publications are often scrambling for content. They’re great
vehicles for press releases, calendar events and other news that
doesn’t make it into the print editions.

Media websites often have excellent search engine ranking–a big
plus for you, particularly if the archives include your press
release that has a link to your own website or blog.

At smaller publications, the editors typically are responsible
for both print and electronic versions. Bigger media outlets have
separate staffs. So check their websites before you pitch.

If your target market includes local businesses or nonprofits,
getting your story into local business journals is a must. But
knowing how to meet and pitch the editors and reporters can be
tricky. Paul Furiga, former editor of the Pittsburgh Business
Times, explains how to schmooze with business journalists at live
events, build valuable relationships with them and stay on their
radar screens so they call you when they need your expertise.
Read more about what Paul will teach you to do at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/usebusiness.htm

=====================================
3. Oprah’s Opulence Can Fool You
=====================================

Did you hear how Oprah opened the first show of her last season
yesterday?

She announced that she’s flying all 300 members of her audience
to Australia, with pilot John Travolta at the controls. You can
read about it here:
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/Oprah-Takes-Audience-
Down-Under-102775699.html

But don’t let Oprah’s opulence fool you.

She knows this economy is hammering households everywhere. That’s
why her producers are on the lookout for guests who can explain
how we can look and dress with class, without spending big bucks.
In other words, live the good life like a cheapskate, her
Australia publicity stunt notwithstanding.

A former guest booker for Oprah will give you lots of tips on how
to pitch the big TV talk shows when she’s Steve Harrison’s guest
during a teleseminar at 2 and 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 16. It’s
called “The Three Big Secrets for Getting Booked As a Guest on
Top National TV Shows.” I’m a compensated affiliate for this
program and I know this is one of Steve’s most popular sessions
because Publicity Hounds who miss it have asked if they can have
the transcript. There’s no transcript, so if you can’t make the
call, recruit somebody to listen and take notes for you.

Register at http://www.tvpublicityteleseminar.com/?10011

======================================
4. How to Find Content for a B2B Blog
======================================

One of the most frequent complaints I hear from business-to-
business bloggers is that they can’t find enough content for
their blogs.

Truth is, B2B blogs aren’t that much different from blogs written
for consumers. The strategies and tactics are the same: give
people compelling content that helps them solve problems.

If you struggle to find content for your B2B or consumer blog,
check out “18 Hot Topics for B2B Blogs” at
http://socialmediatoday.com/jeremy-victor/179555/18-hot-topics-
b2b-blogs

If you’re a B2B blogger, stop convincing yourself that your job
is so difficult. Here are three other ideas, excerpted from the
handout “101 Ways to Find Content for Your Blog” that accompanies
the teleseminar I hosted with Patsi Krakoff on “Time-saving Tips
for Smart Business Blogging”:

–Do an audio interview with an industry leader, have it
transcribed and present it in Q&A format.

–Write a series of posts, each containing several industry word
definitions for people who don’t understand your lingo.

–When you answer a question on LinkedIn, turn it into a blog
post.

The handout, with 98 other ideas and tips on how to write a blog
post, is yours when you buy the CD, MP3 or transcript of the
smart business blogging teleseminar at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/businessblogging.htm

======================================
5. Save the Dates
======================================

Tuesday, Sept. 14 (today):
Join my partner, Jeanne Hurlbert, for a webinar on how to use
surveys in social media, at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Register at
http://mixiv.com/vp/87944/18826/ and sign up anyway if the time
is inconvenient, because she’ll be recording it and you’ll get
the replay link.

Thursday, Sept. 16:
Teleseminar on “The Three Big Secrets for Getting Booked As a
Guest on Top National TV Shows,” with Steve Harrison, at 2 or 7
p.m. Eastern Time. Register at
http://www.tvpublicityteleseminar.com/?10011

Friday, Sept. 17:
I’m speaking at the National Association of Women Business Owners
conference on “How to Use Online & Offline Publicity to Promote
Your Expertise, Build Your Brand and Boost Your Bottom Line,” at
the Radisson Greentree in Pittsburgh. Members and non-members
welcome. Register at http://www.nawboday.com Listen to a preview
call I did with Joanne Quinn-Smith of NAWBO at
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=
30986&cmd=tc

Friday, Oct. 1:
Learn how to dovetail your PR efforts with social media,
including how to write and distribute social media press
releases. I’m hosting a webinar at 2 p.m. Eastern Time.
Registration details coming.

Wednesday, Dec. 8:
I’ll be presenting “What to do When Things Go Wrong (or Terribly
Wrong) with Publicity” as part of Dave Matheson’s virtual
“Blockbuster Online Success System” from 8 to 10 Eastern Time.
Read all about how the entire program will help you reach a
massive online audience who will love and buy your work. Register
at http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=959543

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

So you think you can dance with your dog? Thanks to Lois Heinlen
of Delaware, Ohio, for sharing this YouTube video of a dog and
its owner doing the Meringue, a dance from the Dominican
Republic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc9xq-TVyHI&feature=
player_embedded

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 & Mobile Site…
====================================

Great fodder for retweeting:

Catalog lets you search for PR, social media tools
http://publicityhound.net/?p=7015

Learn how to link surveys & social media at webinar on Sept. 14
http://www.mysocialmediasolution.com/?p=440

——————————————-

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 or you told me you want to subscribe.

Privacy Statement:

The Publicity Hound respects your privacy and has a strict anti-
spam 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.
Phone: 262-284-7451
Fax: 262-284-1737

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #522 Sept. 7, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com
http://www.publicityHound.mobi
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. Link Surveys & Social Media

2. Create Your Own Cartoon

3. You Must be on Listorious

4. Promote Others on Shoutworthy

5. Magic Phrases for More Publicity

6. Hound Photos of the Week

7. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. Link Surveys & Social Media
=====================================

One of the best ways to keep people interested on social media
sites–and talking about you to their friends, followers and
fans–is to ask them to complete a survey.

Ask their opinion on a controversial topic, or encourage them to
name a favorite company they love doing business with, or urge
them to give advice to someone who needs it.

You can create surveys for free, and within minutes, but you must
know the right way to ask questions. You can push your audience’s
hot buttons by choosing fun, divisive or newsworthy topics that
your followers will not only participate in, but promote to their
own followers. You can publicize the survey many ways and pull
traffic to your Facebook Fan Page, blog or website where
respondents take the survey.

You can then turn the survey results into your own breaking news
story, share results at the social media sites and pitch the
story to freelancers, beat reporters, industry publications and
bloggers.

My partner, Jeanne Hurlbert, who’s an expert in surveys and
social media, is the only one teaching how to do this in any
depth.

She’s hosting a teleseminar at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday,
Sept. 14, that will show you how to use surveys and link them to
your social media efforts. She’ll teach you new, proven
techniques for getting a return on investment from social media
and building a huge following. If you’ve been looking for ways to
create products that will sell, new ways to do affiliate
marketing, and more, you’ll get those tips, too. Listen to Jeanne
explain more about what she’ll be teaching you during the webinar
“Create Community, Conversions and Cash by Teaming Surveys and
Social Media”: http://mixiv.com/vp/87944/18826/

======================================
2. Create Your Own Cartoon
======================================

Want an unusual way to promote a book or anything else?

How about creating your own animated cartoon, and then uploading
it to video-sharing sites, or linking to it from an online press
release, or placing the video at your blog or website?

Michael Keller, author of “Life In A Week; Book Two – What Is
Spirituality?”, created his own cartoon at Xtranormal’s site at
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/7020117 to tie into his book.

The site’s terms of service say that “you agree not to use the
site for any commercial use unless you purchase a commercial
account” and that all content is their property.

I didn’t have time to experiment with this, but it looks like
fun.

=====================================
3. You Must be on Listorious
=====================================

If journalists are searching for experts to interview on
Listorious at http://www.Listorious.com, and you aren’t there,
you could blow your chances for publicity.

Listorious is my favorite directory for finding experts on
Twitter, as well as Twitter lists.

It has the best Twitter people search on the web so you can find
anyone by topic, region or profession–powered by data from the
tens of thousands of list curators. Once you find the right
person, you can interview them by asking questions over
Listorious.

By answering some questions through Listorious rather than
directly on Twitter, your answers are organized, in depth, and
have archive value. It’s like a magazine interview.

I recommended four other Twitter directories and shared dozens of
tips during the recent webinar on “How to Use Twitter Lists &
Directories to Generate Publicity and Build Your Brand.” Order
the video, MP3 and the handouts which include step-by-step
instructions on how to create, use and promote your lists at
http://www.Publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/twitterlists.htm

======================================
4. Promote Others on Shoutworthy
======================================

Give to get. That’s the mantra in social media.

Promote others, and others will promote you.

Shoutworthy at http://ShoutWorthy.com/ is a cool new tool you can
use to compliment, recommend and showcase vendors, clients,
bloggers and even journalists whose work you love. These posts
are easier to write than LinkedIn recommendations because you
must keep them to within 140 characters. (Keep recommending
people on LinkedIn, but use Shoutworthy when your time is at a
premium.)

On Shoutworthy, you type your message into a window, much like
you do on Twitter and then, specify if you want to also send it
to your Twitter account and auto-post it to the recipient?s wall
on Facebook.

======================================
5. Magic Phrases for More Publicity
======================================

When you’ve completed an interview with a journalist or blogger,
ask:

“May I contact you again in about three months if I have
something you’d be interested in? If so, is there a good time to
call?”

Most likely, the answer will be, “Of course” and you’ll know
exactly which times or days are most convenient for a call.

Then, when it’s time to pitch again, you can contact the
journalist or blogger and say, “You said it would be OK to call
if I had something else you’d be interested in.”

That lets them know you already have their permission, and
because you called when they told you to, it lets them know that
you respect their time.

Those two phrases are among the 10 I listed during the webinar I
hosted recently on “How to REALLY Use Publicity as an Online
Marketing Channel and ZIG When Everyone Else is ZAGGING.” You’ll
learn lots of smart strategies that will give you a huge edge on
your competitors, including how to research journalists and
bloggers before pitching them. Read more about what you’ll learn
at http://www.publicityhound.com/onlinepublicitytips.htm

======================================
6. Hound Photos of the Week
======================================

This isn’t a joke, but it will make you smile. It’s a gallery of
15 photos of dogs, captured and edited on the iPhone, from
talented photographers all around the world:

http://mashable.com/2010/09/06/iphone-dog-photographs

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 & Mobile Site…
====================================

Great fodder for retweeting:

23 ways to find media where you want publicity
http://publicityhound.net/?p=7002

——————————————-

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 or you told me you want to subscribe.

Privacy Statement:

The Publicity Hound respects your privacy and has a strict anti-
spam 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.
Phone: 262-284-7451
Fax: 262-284-1737

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #521 Sept. 1, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com
http://www.publicityHound.mobi
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. Betting on the Bush Tax Cuts

2. Sales Leads from Your Blog

3. How to Get Onto Twitter Lists

4. Fun Ideas for a Pizza Shop

5. Authors, Last Call for Tips

6. Hound Joke of the Week

7. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. Betting on the Bush Tax Cuts
=====================================

When estate planner Jeff Scroggin of Roswell, Ga., knew his
fellow tax advisors were closely watching debate over repealing
the Bush tax cuts on Jan. 1, he decided to have a little fun with
a serious topic.

Jeff asked them to place their bets on what Congress will do
about extending the estate tax. He created 80 chances to win, at
$1 a chance. Some planners bet multiple times and placed more
than $1 on the line. The winner whose guess comes closest to what
will actually happen will take home $200.

Jeff advertised the pool to an email list of about 100 people,
mostly estate planners. He also extended invitations through the
National Association of Estate Planners and Councils. His email
list included Arden Dale, who writes for the Wall Street Journal
and who has interviewed Jeff for other stories. She wrote about
the wager for the Journal’s blog last week at
http://blogs.wsj.com/financial-adviser/2010/08/18/on-estate-tax-
all-bets-areon/ Since then, Jeff has gotten about five other
calls for interviews.

As for his own prediction, he says, “Anybody who thinks or says
they think they know what will happen next with the tax cuts is
either clairvoyant or deranged.”

Jeff, an attorney, says he knows the pool is illegal but that
it’s all in fun.

You can take his idea of betting on the outcome of an issue and
adopt it to almost any controversial topic in your own industry.
Even if no money changes hands, the winner can have bragging
rights. Your story could be perfect for trade publications, blogs
that cover your industry and, depending on the topic, even
consumer publications. You might even try pitching it to
reporters and hosts of network and cable TV news shows.

I devote an entire chapter to offbeat publicity ideas like this
one in my ebook, “How to be a Kick-butt Publicity Hound,” the
best all-around how-to guide for generating publicity using
traditional and social media. Learn more about the book and the
eight new chapters on social media at
http://publicityhound.com/publicity/publicityhound.htm

======================================
2. Sales Leads from Your Blog
======================================

If you’re using your blog to position yourself as a subject
matter expert, you’re only halfway there.

You can also use it to generate sales leads.

Dean Rieck, a direct marketing copywriter, explains how in a post
he wrote for Copyblogger.com at
http://www.copyblogger.com/generate-sales-leads/

No surprise that he advocates bringing people into your sales
funnel by first offering something for free like a White Paper,
ezine, video, or something of value that helps your audience
solve a particular problem. But he also offers great tips on how
to follow up on those leads.

I’m revamping my blog to make it more search-engine friendly and
add features I learned about when Patsi Krakoff was my guest
during a teleseminar I hosted earlier this year on “Time-saving
Tips for Smart Business Blogging.” If you’re new to blogging,
this is the perfect tool to get you started. If you’ve been
blogging for several years, it may be time to revamp your blog,
and this teleseminar will give you dozens of ideas. The MP3, CD
or electronic transcript each come with 27 pages of handouts that
include 101 ways to find content for your blog. Read more about
what else you’ll learn at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/businessblogging.htm

=====================================
3. How to Get Onto Twitter Lists
=====================================

The more Twitter lists you’re on, the more people are exposed to
you and your expertise, even if they don’t have a Twitter
account.

I’m on more than 660 lists, many devoted to PR, publicity and
social media, and that number is growing almost daily. Here are
four ways to get onto other people’s lists:

–Tweet helpful, relevant content frequently and forego the
“here’s what I’m doing today” tweets. Help people solve their
problems.

–Ask! Don’t be shy about suggesting that someone add you to a
list they’ve already created, or a new one devoted to a specific
topic.

–Write a blog post suggesting topics for lists that should
include you, and then tweet the post. See the blog post I wrote
this morning at http://publicityhound.net/?p=6984

–Add a reminder to your email signature, with a link to your
Twitter profile. Once people log into their Twitter account, they
can go to your Twitter page, click on the “Lists” button at the
top of your feed, and add you to one or more of their lists. Or
they can create a new one.

These tips were among dozens I shared during last week’s webinar
on “How to Use Twitter Lists & Directories to Generate Publicity
and Build Your Brand.” Order the video, MP3 and the handouts
which include step-by-step instructions on how to create, use and
promote your lists at
http://www.Publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/twitterlists.htm

======================================
4. Fun Ideas for a Pizza Shop
======================================

This week, 16 Publicity Hounds have tips for Deborah Lott of
Giddings, Texas, who needs help marketing her pizza shop and
Italian restaurant between Austin and Houston.

From Stephanie Trahd:

“Start collecting email addresses. Entice diners to sign up by
giving them coupons, chef’s secrets and anything else they would
value. You’d be surprised how many people will come in toting
‘free soda with dinner’ coupons.”

From Gayle Carson:

“You can start a frequent dining program and when they have
ordered X many times or spent X number of dollars, they get a
pizza free. Or, you can have them join a club where they pay you
a certain amount every month and they get to eat pizza for free
that month. Another pizza store I know has a continuity program
and they never lack for business.”

From Diana:

“Name certain pizzas (or create sandwiches) for local town
celebs–mayor, high school principals, media anchors, newspaper
reporters, etc. and put them on your menu. Then let the celebs
know and invite them in to try it. People love to frequent
restaurants with items named in their honor.”

The Publicity Hound says:

Read all the responses to this “Help This Hound” question at
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6959 and then check out my own tips
that I shared with http://www.RestaurantReport.com when I was a
guest on their teleseminar called “Publicity Tips for
Restaurants, Chefs & Foodies” at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/restaurants.htm

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

======================================
5. Authors, Last Call for Tips
======================================

You have 72 hours to download the webinar that I recorded with
publishing and marketing mentor John Eggen on how to ?Write a
Client-Attracting Book Fast That Makes $150,000 Even Before It?s
Published? (and more thereafter).

He explained exactly how many weeks you should spend writing,
editing, designing, printing and shipping your book. While some
authors exceed his 90-day window for producing a book, they still
complete the task in far less time than it takes many other
authors who labor for years over their books. Don’t make this an
exhausting task.

I recorded the call and you can listen to it, including the
killer question-and-answer session, at http://tinyurl.com/25blcta

There?s a valuable free gift (a $265.00 value) offered to
attendees during the interview, but it will only be honored until
Saturday, and then John is taking down the page. Get it now
before it’s gone at http://tinyurl.com/25blcta

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

This isn’t a joke, but I thought you’d like it. I found this in
an old issue of My Midwest, the inflight magazine of Midwest
Airlines, which has been bought by Frontier Airlines.

To make it easy for people to travel with their dogs, Loews
Hotels has introduced “learning vacations” for your favorite
pooch at three of its hotels.

At “The Hound of Music” at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in Nashville,
your dog can head into the recording studio with a voice coach
for a professional recording session where it will howl along
with a musician or bark to its favorite karaoke beat.

If you’re targeting your publicity at an upscale, well-educated
audience, in-flight magazines might be the perfect vehicle for
your story. “Fly High with Publicity in the In-flight Magazines”
saves you hours of research with pitching tips galore and contact
information for 56 inflight magazines. Read more about the report
at http://www.InflightMagazinePublicity.com

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 & Mobile Site…
====================================

Great fodder for retweeting:

If you MUST stage a groundbreaking event, try this
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6968

5 ways to be included on other people’s Twitter lists
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6984

——————————————-

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 or you told me you want to subscribe.

Privacy Statement:

The Publicity Hound respects your privacy and has a strict anti-
spam 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.
Phone: 262-284-7451
Fax: 262-284-1737