Publicity tips/Banish the Blog-writing Blues May 13, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #398 May 13, 2008
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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I created the club a few years ago as a way to offer Hounds one additional publicity tip each week, and a special offer like a discount coupon for my products or a deal on products I am discontinuing.

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In This Issue
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1. Banish the Blog-writing Blues

2. Why Print Journalists Hate Video

3. Piggyback Off 'Hug Your Kids' Day

4. How do You Twitter for Business?

5. How to Promote Detroit to Hollywood

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. At My Blog...

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1. Banish the Blog-writing Blues
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If I had to choose only one strategy that would help Publicity Hounds pull more traffic to their websites, establish themselves as experts, build a loyal following and sell more products and services, I'd choose blogging--without hesitation.

My own blog at http://www.PublicityHound.net is on track to pull in more than 20,000 unique visitors this month alone. Not all of them are staying, of course, but those who are read my blog posts and sometimes end up at my website where they sign up for this newsletter. Others buy products, and call for consulting services.

Some follow me for several months or years, and then join my mentor program at http://www.publicityhound.com/mentorprogram/intro.html

My blog has also led to invitations to be a guest expert on other bloggers' teleseminars and radio shows, provide commentary for newspaper and magazine articles, and even write for a 140,000- subscriber ezine.

Other bloggers aren't as fortunate.

After blogging for only a month or two, they bail out, frustrated because their blogs aren't pulling traffic. That's like starting a work-out routine at the gym on Monday, and calling it quits by Friday because you haven't developed six-pack abs.

Many bloggers complain that their biggest problem is finding enough content to write about, or enough time to write it.

I find content everywhere. The best place is in my own email, where readers ask questions and pass along articles of interest. As for the time crunch, I force myself to make time to blog almost every day.

Other bloggers lament the fact that nobody comments at their blogs. Once way I encourage comments is by commenting at other blogs. That lets bloggers discover me and comment at my blog.

If you suffer from the blogging blues, more help is on the way.

Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff, aka The Blog Squad, are presenting two 90-minute teleseminars next week, designed to help struggling bloggers find more time to write, create cornerstone content, find sources for ideas, create compelling headlines, and persuade readers to take action.

If you're already blogging with less-than-spectacular results, or you're planning to blog, don't miss these two sessions on "Better Business Blog Writing" at 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, May 19, and Wednesday, May 21. Read more about how to get out of the blogging rut at http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=2401308


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2. Why Print Journalists Hate Video
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Several weeks ago, I wrote about AngryJournalist.com, a blog that accepts anonymous comments from journalists about what gets under their skin.

One theme stood out among all the others: The increasing demands that bosses place on them to generate multi-media. Print reporters, in particular, are grousing about having to write articles for the print publication as well as video for the newspaper's website.

That's because creating video can feel unnatural to people who write for a living. Reporters, many of whom are already doing double- and triple duty because of shrinking newsrooms, have little time to learn another medium.

All the more reason, John Easton says, to create video for them. John, a videographer in Charlotte, North Carolina, produces so much video for his local media that they ought to put him on the payroll.

That's OK, he says. His efforts have generated more business for his company, more coverage in local newspapers, and requests from other media outlets to partner with him.

John says you don't have to be a video expert like he is to become a media darling. His strategies are particularly powerful for companies and organizations that sponsor events but sometimes find it impossible to convince local media that the events are worth covering.

During a teleseminar next week, John will teach Publicity Hounds "9 Clever Ways to Use Video to Become a Publicity Darling in Your Industry or Community." If you've been creating video for several years, or just getting started, don't miss this information- packed hour. As John will explain, you don't need a lot of fancy equipment or a lot of know-how.

Everyone who registers for this teleseminar will receive a copy of the MP3 recording. Seating is limited. Register at http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm


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3. Piggyback Off 'Hug Your Kids' Day
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Lots of Publicity Hounds hate it when they create their own day, week or month of the year, and then see other people piggyback onto it for publicity.

Not Michelle Nichols, a former writer for BusinessWeek.com, who created National Hug Your Kids Day on July 21.

Michelle is inviting Hounds everywhere to generate publicity for their own companies or organizations by tying into Hug Your Kids Day. Already, she has generated lots of interest.

"A Realtor in Reno had 1,000 pens made that say 'National Hug Your Kids Day, July 21' with her name, company and phone number," Michelle said. "A nonprofit consulting company in Maryland is sponsoring an event. An expert on happy post-divorce families in Red Bluff, California is putting together an event. A luxury toy company may have its mother cat stuffed animal be its 'spokescat' for the day."

She asks, however, that the events and other promotions encourage parents to hug their own kids, not other people's kids. And she'll even send a copy of her new book, "Hug Your Kids Today! 5 Key Lessons for Every Working Parent," as a thank-you to Hounds who participate.

Learn more about her project at http://www.HugYourKidsToday.com and email Michelle at mailto:Hugs@HugYourKidsToday.com

If you don't have your own day, week or month of the year, you're missing out on lots of opportunities to use it as a springboard to promote your product, service, cause or issue. "Special Report #45: How to Generate National Publicity from Your Own Holiday (or Day, Week or Month of the Year)" guides you on how to create your own holiday--for free--and then promote it dozens of different ways. Only $10. Order at http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/reports.html


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4. How do You Twitter for Business?
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I'm in love with Twitter, the free social networking and microblogging service that lets you send updates as often as you wish to whoever is following you at http://www.Twitter.com

Each update, limited to only 140 characters of type, can include information on whatever you're doing on a particular day. Although I occasionally include personal updates, I try to concentrate on writing about solutions I've found to business problems, products I'm creating, and things I'm learning.

Lots of Twitterers are still experimenting with how to use Twitter for business purposes. I've been collecting the best examples and compiling them into a special report which should be ready in a few weeks.

I want to include as many Hounds as possible in the report. If you Twitter for business, let me know what you discuss--and the results. Has Twitter helped you build a following for a niche product or service? Or helped you collect email addresses? Or brought readers to your blog? Or simply given you a chance to show more of your personality to followers who eventually might do business with you?

I've seen some clever business uses for Twitter. For example, I blogged about how Publicity Hound Harry Hoover has compiled a big list of journalists who Twitter and turned it into a wiki for PR people. You can read more about that at http://publicityhound.net/twitterwiki

Even Business Week reporter Stephan Baker is writing about Twitter via a series of tweets, which he started this afternoon. His article will discuss the growth of Twitter and whether those of us who are wild about it right now will still be using it in a year or two. You can follow the story at http://summize.com/search?q=%23bwstory

Now, it's your turn. Tell me how you use Twitter for business. If I use your example, you'll get a copy of the special report gratis.

Email your response to mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=HowIUseTwitter

You can follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/publicityhound


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5. How to Promote Detroit to Hollywood
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This week, three Publicity Hounds have tips on how Milan Stevanovich of Detroit, Michigan can promote Detroit as a great, inexpensive place to shoot a movie and turn it into the epicenter of everything Hollywood in Michigan.


From Leah Ingram:

"I just put 'movies filmed in Michigan' into Google and came up with a huge list of well-known films shot in the Great Lakes State, including 'Dreamgirls.' I would think that 'showing' the great locations your client has is an excellent way to entice filmmakers. Therefore, I would recommend doing walk-through filming--and posting a video online--of the various buildings he owns. If any of them appeared in well-known movies like 'Dreamgirls,' all the better."


From Shel Horowitz:

"First thing I’d do is put together a really spiffy website that addresses any questions and concerns, shows (as Leah recommends) clips from movies shot in Michigan as well as locations where shooting could take place, stresses the economics not only of the rebate but that other than winter energy costs, *everything* is going to be much cheaper in Michigan than Hollywood, with none of the hassles of shooting abroad.

"Design the site to fill the needs of a Hollywood mogul who’s never thought about Michigan at all. You might be able to get some state Tourism Department dollars to help on this. Have sections on investors, on the skilled labor pool, the works.

"Then drive traffic to the site with postcards, social networking campaigns, emails, phone calls, blog, media publicity, and a six- degrees campaign aimed at producers. There’s a lot of information on how to do this in my fifth book, 'Grassroots Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World.'"


The Publicity Hound says:

I sound like a broken record. But if you aren't blogging about your topic, Milan, start now. It's a fabulous way to pull traffic to your website. In a market as niched as yours, you might run out of things to write about. If so, you'd be a perfect candidate for The Blog Squad's "Better Business Blog Writing" teleseminars next week at http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=2401308


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


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


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6. Help This Hound
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Mitch Carnell of Charleston, South Carolina writes:

"Last year, we celebrated the first Say Something Nice Sunday on the first Sunday in June. This is now an annual event.

"We want churches and denominations of all faiths to join in. This is a Sunday when people will say nothing negative about any other Christian or Christian group or organization. It originated from my little book, Say Something Nice; Be a Lifter.

"We have put together an ecumenical group to promote this. It started at First Baptist Church of Charleston, the Charleston Baptist Association, the South Carolina Baptist Convention, the Charleston Atlantic Presbytery and CBF of South Carolina. Next year, we will sponsor a poster contest with middle and high school students.

"We are looking for ideas to get individuals and churches involved. We've provided some ideas for them at http://www.fbcharleston.org/SSN-Web-Page.html Can your Hounds help with other suggestions?"


The Publicity Hound says:

Mitch has less than four weeks to promote this. So give it your best shot, Hounds. How can he promote this special day online?

Post your best ideas to my blog at http://publicityhound.net/saysomethingnice


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7. Hound Joke of the Week
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It was the end of the day when I parked my police van in front of the station. As I gathered my equipment, my K-9 partner, Jake, was barking, and I saw a little boy staring at me.

"Is that a dog you got back there?" He asked.

"It sure is," I replied.

Puzzled, the boy looked at me and then toward the back of the van.

Finally, he asked, "What'd he do?"


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

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

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


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8. At My Blog...
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A Wikipedia listing isn't easy, but here are 6 tips
http://publicityhound.net/wikipediatips


EzineArticles.com will limit writers to four links June 1 http://publicityhound.net/ezinearticleslinks


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Where to See or Hear The Publicity Hound


May 21: Teleseminar on Video

Learn "9 Clever Ways to use Video to Become a Publicity Darling in Your Industry or Community" with guest expert John Easton, a videographer and media darling in Charlotte, NC. Register at http://www.Publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm


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Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," an ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email the handy list "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."

If you like these tips please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues.

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