Publicity tips/Oprah's favorite things July 18, 2006

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #302 - July 18, 2006
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.net (Blog)

The Publicity Hound®

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"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"
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After last week's request for "before" and "after" press releases you wrote that generated publicity, Publicity Hounds sent me several dozen samples. However, I didn't see many that were optimized for the search engines. If you write your press releases not only for the media, but for potential customers who can find the releases online, I want to know. I'm almost ready to launch my f~ree 12-week online class on how to write press releases and I still need samples. The course covers almost every aspect of writing and distributing releases and will be as helpful for veteran PR people as it will be for beginners. Please send your best samples to me at mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=PressReleases even if you have only the finished versions, and explain exactly what kind of publicity they generated. Be as specific as possible. If I use your press release in the course, I'll give you 5 of any of my 49 special reports (your choice) as my way of saying thanks. Next week, I'll include details here on how to sign up for the tutorial.
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In This Issue
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1. Oprah's Favorite Things

2. Get Onto the Big TV Shows

3. Public Shaming Online

4. Media Leads

5. Promoting a Feng Shui Controversy

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


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1. Oprah's Favorite Things
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At the end of each year, the Queen of Daytime TV Talk Shows makes a list of things she likes, then features them on her show around Christmas.

They're known to her fans simply as "Oprah's Favorite Things." Last year, they included an Apple iPod, croissants from William-Sonoma, a Burberry coat and purse, a Philip Stein Teslar diamond watch and a $49.99 tin of cookie dough so you can make gourmet oatmeal cookies.

Companies lucky enough to be on Oprah's list end up with a problem any company would love to have. Here's what the "Oprah's Favorite Things" list at her website says: "Having trouble ordering your favorite thing? Due to heavy traffic, some websites may become inaccessible throughout the day. We suggest you try again later!"

The Oprah Magazine prints something similar called "The O List" in its December issue. Her other magazine, O at Home, features a similar gift list and is looking for products such as "throws, picture frames, bowls with animal pictures on them, and gold table-top items."

Amy Bates Stumpf of The Gift List, the subscription-based service that provides leads and pitching tips for Oprah's media outlets and for thousands of other media that feature special gift sections, says you should be pitching right now if you hope to get your product into Oprah's December issues. That's because editors work six months ahead. She doesn't yet have information on when you should be pitching for the "Oprah's Favorite Things" list for TV.
Amy said, however, she thinks it's a long shot that Oprah will choose your product simply because competition is so fierce.

"I think the more interesting story is the voluminous amount of media that goes unpitched," she said. "There are dozens of regional and smaller outlets looking for unique home products."

They include Today's Charlotte Woman, The Tennessee Magazine, At Home In Arkansas, Grand Magazine, Midwest Home, Flaunt, Romantic Homes, and Midsouth Living Home & Garden Magazine. She did a quick search of home decor products for me and found more than 200 editors who are looking for the same kinds of products Oprah wants.

You can see what she means by taking a test-drive and seeing last year's list. The Gift List also includes holiday-related features being planned by the wire services, TV and radio shows, and newspapers. Tips include everything from how to submit photos to specific kinds of items the editors are looking for.

Publicity Hounds who take a test drive, then subscribe by Friday, get a $100 discount on the service. Check it out at http://tinyurl.com/9es8y

The Gift List includes leads only for consumer products, not for services or destinations such as vacations.


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2. Get Onto the Big TV Shows
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If your goal is to get onto Oprah's TV show, or on one of the other big shows like "Good Morning, America" or "Fox & Friends" but you're afraid you're just small potatoes, you're giving up way too soon.

TV producers don't care about whether you work by yourself. They don't care about how much you make. What they do care about are engaging guests who can pitch timely stories, aren't afraid of controversy, look lively on camera, deliver exceptional sound bites, and keep viewers from reaching for the remote.

They want guests like Lauri Quinn Loewenberg, author of "So, What Did You Dream Last Night" who pitched ABC's "The View" and ended up doing a segment on bad dreams--in costume--right around Halloween. Her book was a perfect tie-in to a major holiday, and it created a fun segment.

And guests like Jim Vonmier, CEO of Septic Protector, a company that makes filters for washing machines. "Who the heck would want somebody like that?" you're asking yourself. "Doesn't he belong in a trade magazine?" Perhaps. But CBS grabbed him as a guest for one of its "Consumer Watch" segments.

And guests like Stephen Shapiro, who landed an interview with O the Oprah Magazine right about the time his book "Goal-Free Living: How to Have the Life You Want Now" was published. His secret? His book tied in perfectly with a topic Oprah is passionate about.

Learn more about what the big TV producers look for during a free 90-minute teleseminar at 7 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, July 20, with Steve Harrison of Radio-TV Interview Report (RTIR). It's called "The Three Big Secrets for Getting Booked As a Guest on Top National TV Shows." His special guest will be Michelle Anton, a former guest booker on "Oprah." Michelle fielded hundreds of pitches, and she'll talk about ways that anyone can get land a coveted spot on the show.

You'll also hear from a Fox News Channel producer and other surprise guests. Register at http://tinyurl.com/pje65


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3. Public Shaming Online
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If you want the real scoop on what people think of your customer service, don't bother asking the folks in your customer service department.

For a much more accurate look, do an online search for your company. You might be shocked at what you find. A recent story in the Washington Post said disgruntled customers are increasingly turning to blogs where they can publicly shame companies that have ripped them off, made them mad or refused to respond to their complaints.

--Last month, for example, AOL was chastised publicly after an angry customer recorded and posted online a service rep's emphatic reluctance to cancel his service. Count the number of times the exasperated customer says "Cancel the account." (Warning: A four-letter word slipped out of the customer's mouth during the call, so if you don't like four-letter words, don't click on the link.) You can listen here: http://media.putfile.com/AOL-Cancellation

--Comcast fired a technician after a videotape showed him asleep on a customer's couch. The technician went to the customer's house to replace a cable modem, called Comcast customer support, was put on hold for more than an hour, and eventually fell asleep. You can see the video at http://youtube.com/watch?v=ufo9p1O9iAQ&search=comcast

--As for Wal-Mart, you don't have to look far to see and hear people bad-mouthing the Number One retailer in the U.S. Do a search for "Wal-Mart + complaints + blog" and see what you find.

Wondering what people are saying about YOU? Start doing regular searches for your company using a search engine like Google. Or search the blogs using the Technorati search engine at http://technorati.com/

If you find something you don't like, it might be time to swing into action. Crisis counselor Judy Hoffman teaches companies how to react to mud-slinging, lies and other nasty comments online and offline. She says bloggers are more dangerous than traditional journalists but that there's a powerful weapon you can use to silence them. She also says that if you find someone is besmirching your good name, knowing how and when to respond is critical.

I interviewed Judy last year during a teleseminar called "What to do When Someone Damages Your Good Name." It's available as a CD or electronic transcript that you can download and read as soon as your order is approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-tapes/Damage.htm


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4. Media Leads
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--Thanks to Michelle Tennant of Wasabi Publicity, a graduate of The Publicity Hound Mentor Program, for this one. The online version of the forthcoming Hitched Magazine has launched at http://www.hitchedmag.com/ and is looking for content and story pitches. This is an online service/lifestyle publication focusing on every aspect of married life from picking the Friday night movie to true stories of couples dealing with online affairs. Updated weekly, the site includes information on entertainment, relationships, finances, features, a daily blog and numerous polls. Co-founder Steve Cooper says: "The toughest leads for us to hunt down right now are the anecdotal stories from real couples. We write about anything and everything that has to do with the married demographic. Saying that, our target age group are couples between the age of 25 and 39, but of course most of our content appeals to a much broader audience." You can contact Steve at mailto:scooper@hitchedmag.com And learn more about my mentor program at http://www.publicityhound.com/mentorprogram/intro.html

--Min magazine, published for the magazine industry, will devote its November issue to highlighting the "21 Most Intriguing People" in the industry. It will also highlight magazine titles or websites celebrating milestone anniversaries (10th, 15th, 20th, 50th, etc.). Get your magazine or executives featured in this special section. Learn more at http://www.minonline.com/anniversaryform.pdf. If you have a story to pitch, contact Ann Cooper at mailto:ACooper@accessintel.com


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5. Promoting a Feng Shui Controversy
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This week, five Publicity Hounds have tips for Debra Blackmon of Bakersfield, California. She needs advice on how to promote her feng shui workshops and piggyback onto the controversy created by a local radio station host who blasted feng shui because it's "non-Christian and shouldn't be taught at the community forum."


From Andrew Abel:

"This could be an excellent opportunity for you to publicize your event...I would start by inviting local community leaders and religious leaders to a class. Present your dilemma to them as a way to educate people about cultural differences. I would also invite the radio station to attend that same class...Assuming that this class was community approved, you shouldn’t have a problem getting the support of the local politicians. With the community leaders in your corner, the radio station will lose interest in the story. Don’t be afraid of the spotlight."


Carol Ruddick says:

"I, too, am a feng shui consultant and have given a number of talks and workshops to the local community. I live in the South--the Bible Belt--and I, too, was accused of practicing voodoo. However, my approach to feng shui is based on the understanding of energy, which is pure science. While there is much symbology in the Chinese culture that is used in remedies of feng shui, the basic principles are about energy. When I explained the philosophy in this way, even the hard-core 'good old boys of the South' were impressed."


Candy Tutt said:

"I would recruit some outside support from feng shui practitioners. Here in Northern California they are numerous both in the Sacramento area as well as San Francisco. Why not contact some of them and invite them to visit your class for a session? If they agree, contact the radio station as well as newspapers and TV - this would be an excellent opportunity for the entire community to learn about Feng Shui, as well as for positive publicity for you."


The Publicity Hound says: I love the idea of using controversy to generate publicity. Too few Publicity Hounds are willing to do that. But be very careful when interviewing with a reporter who will do everything possible to loosen your lips. My "Special Report #1: Damage Control: How to keep the media from making a mess of your story" and "Special Report #2: Questions you can expect reporters to ask during an interview" tell you exactly how to prepare for the interview and how to control what's reported about you, as much as possible. You can read more about them at http://tinyurl.com/6uz9g


Read all the responses to the feng shui question at http://publicityhound.net/index.php/feng-shui-instructor-needs-ideas-on-how-to-use-controversy-for-publicity/

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6. Help This Hound
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Lisa Solomon of Ardsley, New York writes:

"My husband and I, both attorneys, are partners in The Billable Hour Company at http://www.thebillablehour.com/ We make watches and clocks especially for lawyers, with dials divided into six-minute increments--the same way many lawyers bill. "Our product is a lighthearted take on the concept of the billable hour and it's the perfect gift for a lawyer, law student, or any professional who bills by the hour. What's the best way to pitch our products to get the media interested? Should we just send a press release and a photo? Or do we have to try to tie our product into a specific topic?"

The Publicity Hound says: OK, Hounds. Let's see how many of you can come up with great ideas to help Lisa. I'll bet some of you can even do it in less than six minutes! Post your ideas to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/g98kg


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7. Hound Joke of the Week
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A guy walks into a bar with a small dog. The bartender says, "Get out of here with that dog!"

The guy says, "But this isn't just any dog...this dog can play the piano!"

The bartender replies, "Well, if he can play that piano, you both can stay and have a drink on the house!"

So the guy sits the dog at the piano, and the dog starts playing ragtime, a little swing, some Gershwin. The bartender is amazed and patrons are enjoying the music.

Suddenly a bigger dog runs in, grabs the small dog by the scruff of the neck and drags him out. The bartender asks the guy, "What was that all about?"

The guy replies, "Oh, that was his mother. She wants him to be a doctor."


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. And at My Blog...
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A bra that deflects bullets? Details, please
http://tinyurl.com/h8o3h

Article directories abound:
Post to sites with a Google page ranking of 4 or higher
http://tinyurl.com/ewsed


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