Publicity tips/My Gift to You Dec 17, 2008

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #429 Dec. 17, 2008
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)

Circulation: 44,601

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"Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity"

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In This Issue
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1. My Gift to You

2. 'I Blogged About You'

3. Choose the Right TV Show

4. Google Alerts for Twitter

5. How to Keep Track of Media Contacts

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


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1. My Gift to You
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This is the time of year when smart Publicity Hounds are creating
"Best of 2008" lists to squeeze a few more publicity hits into 2008.

As for me, it's time for my annual "Best of the Publicity Hound's Tips
of the Week" ebook, my gift to you at Christmas, Hanukkah and
New Year's. The ebook includes the best 24 tips from this past
year, or tips that generated a lot of response from readers.

I encourage you to regift it to your own blog readers, newsletter
subscribers, clients, customers, Twitter followers, and MySpace and
Facebook friends.

This year's book includes tips on:

--A fast, inexpensive way to catch the attention of journalists in
your community.

--A clever way to get onto the morning TV talk shows by
suggesting something out-of-the-ordinary.

--A place where you can connect daily with journalists who are
looking for sources. And it won't cost you a penny.

--What to do when you're tempted to strangle a reporter for
wasting your time interviewing you, and then leaving your name out
of the story.

--A news story that appears several times a year in almost every
community and is PERFECT for piggybacking onto.

--9 ways to use video to pull more traffic to your website, sell more
products, generate publicity, and build the buzz about your
product, service, cause or issue.

--11 ways to use a paid or unpaid assistant to help with publicity-
related tasks.

--How to make your local Chamber of Commerce one of your
biggest promoters.

--A f~ree tool that tell you whether your press release gets a
passing grade or falls flat on its face.

--How to use a popular social networking site to snoop on your
competitors

--What writers can learn from a beloved dog's obit.

--How to claim the Number 1 spot on Google.

--A publicity mistake that most companies make, and it kills their
chances of ever getting covered

You can get the ebook here, save it to your hard drive and then
share it on the social networking sites:
http://tinyurl.com/Bestof2008Tips


If you'd like to excerpt content from the ebook and then link to the
book, let me know and I'll send you the item as a Word document
so you can cut and paste.

Thanks to all of you for being loyal readers and to many of you for
being active participants in this newsletter. Each week, I receive
dozens of emails from Hounds who share publicity success stories,
contrarian viewpoints, helpful publicity tips, time- saving tools and
shortcuts and, of course, Hound jokes, quotes and hysterical
videos.

Thanks, too, for correcting me when I goof. I'm grateful that you're
part of my community, and it's because of you that I have the best
job in the world.

P.S. Regifting this ebook is entirely appropriate. Share this link:
http://tinyurl.com/Bestof2008Tips


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2. 'I Blogged About You'
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If you're following journalists or bloggers who are in an ideal position
to give you publicity, here's a great way to get their attention.

Set up a Google alert at http://www.Google.com/alerts for their
names. Every time you see that they've written a blog post or an
article that fits in with the content at your blog, comment on it at
your own blog and link to it.

Then send an email with the subject line "I blogged about you"
and provide the link. Every time I see subject lines like that one, I
open the email immediately, then I jump to the blog to see what
somebody said about me. I can almost guarantee they'll open your
email. And they might even reply.

You can keep the conversation going by:

--Inviting the blogger to write a guest post at your blog. don't
bother asking journalists who are too busy. You can, however, ask
permission to reprint a post from their blog on your own blog.

--Posting comments on the blogger's or journalist's blog. This is a
powerful way to get onto their radar screens BEFORE you pitch
them. In fact, comment several times over a few weeks and
chances are good they'll remember you when they see your pitch.

--Search for them on Twitter, follow them, and reply to their
tweets. Check out the Journalists Who Twitter wiki at
http://tinyurl.com/3erv9s

--Friend them on Facebook.

--Connect with them on LinkedIn. When extending an invitation, be
sure to mention you read their blog regularly. Some people, me
included, won't accept invitations from strangers who are trolling for
connections.

Now, for the hard part. None of this is much good if your blog
stinks.

My heart breaks when Publicity Hounds tell me they've stopped
blogging because they don't have time or can't think of anything to
write about. Or they've been blogging for two months and quit
because traffic is sparse and nobody bothers to comment.

Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff, aka The Blog Squad, are
releasing their "Build a Better Blog" training system that helps you
create a blog from scratch, or shows you how to make over an
existing blog and pull traffic like a magnet. You can do most of the
work yourself using their step-by-step instructions, or let them build
the entire blog for you.

Read more about the three levels of training for "the best marketing
tool on the planet," offered by the two best blog teachers on the
planet, at http://tinyurl.com/ydew4w


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3. Choose the Right TV Show
===================================

If you're angling to get onto TV, your pitch had better be a perfect
match with the content and tone of the show, its hosts and its
interviewers.

Take, for example, these five TV shows, all of which are very
different:

--ABC's "20/20"

--C-span's "Book TV"

--"The Ellen DeGeneres Show"

--"Hannity & Colmes" on Fox News

--"The Rachael Ray Show"

Ready for some tough questions? Then you might welcome a
chance to sit across from tough interviewers on "20/20."

Standing firm on the left or right of a political issue?
"Hannity & Colmes" (soon to be without Alan Colmes) might be
perfect for you.

Or do you prefer fun and games and an unpredictable host? If so,
you'll love Ellen, who features a mix of celebs, entertainers and
everyday people with extraordinary stories and talents.

If your product or service ties into food, there might be a spot for
you on the set of "Rachael Ray."

If you're an author, "Book TV" is one of the best media outlets
where you can feature your book and your expertise.

Even if you were only pitching two of those five shows, you must
customize your pitch, and then make sure it's delivered to the
correct person. Sometimes it's a guest booker, and sometimes it's
an assistant producer. Unless you have specific pitching
instructions and contact information, you can never know for sure.

Steve Harrison will give you exact pitching instructions for each of
those five shows, if you go to
http://www.freepublicity.com/freetvlistings/?10011

The listings are from "Harrison's Guide to the Top National TV Talk &
Interview Programs" database which gives you
1,122 key contacts at the top 323 national TV and cable shows
that interview guests.

If you like the samples and want the entire database, grab it before
6 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, Dec. 19, and get up to $200 off,
depending on which option you choose. You'll also get the next
edition when it comes out in March.


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4. Google Alerts for Twitter
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Frustrated because you can't keep up with the waves of
information washing over you each day on Twitter? But you don't
want to miss who's talking about you and your products?

Welcome to TweetBeep, sort of a Google Alerts for Twitter.

It helps you keep track of conversations that mention you, your
products, your company or anything else you want to follow. You
can even keep track of who's tweeting your website or blog, even if
they use a Tiny URL.

This is a great service for reputation management, catching all
your replies, finding job/networking opportunities, and keeping up on
your favorite hobbies and TV programs.

Sign up for TweetBeep at http://TweetBeep.com


Then learn many more ways to use Twitter to promote whatever it
is you're selling, without being an obnoxious pest. Warren Whitlock,
one of the most well-respected Twitterers, walks you step by step
through the process of "How to Use Twitter to Amass an Army of
Followers, Customers & Valuable contacts--and Promote."

It's available as electronic transcripts and your choice of CDs or
MP3 downloads. Read more about how Twitter will make your
marketing and your life a lot easier at http://tinyurl.com/3lbcaw


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5. How to Keep Track of Media Contacts
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This week, nine Publicity Hounds have tips for Erin Portman of
Austin, Texas, a freelance writer, who is asking for ideas for a
better way to keep track of media contacts.


From Barbara Florio Graham:

"I use ClipMate at http://www.thornsoft.com to keep media contact
info on hand for insertion into email, letters, and my label program.
It allows you to store an unlimited amount of information, in an
assortment of categories, and I find it invaluable."


From Jeff "SKI" Kinsey:

"Please do not use MS Outlook on a Mac.

"For each person, there is a best solution. We don't know enough
about your needs to make recommendations. And wisely, you did
not ask for any.

"You simply asked what we use.

"Me? Apple Mac Mini and its Address Book and iCal plus my iPod
touch which syncs nicely, so I ALWAYS have all details with me at
all times. For those urgent interactions while enjoying a Frappuccino
at Starbucks, it offers free WiFi to card carrying fans, which allows
me to check (and send) emails from my iPod while on the road."


From Denise Dorman:

"I may be unique in my method because I have ADD, but for me,
once something is out of sight and touch, such as tucked away in
an Excel program or on an electronic hand held-device, I will never
think of it ever again. My system is tactile, visual, and cannot be
easily lost, flushed down a toilet or lost by electronics gone
haywire.

"I create old-fashioned, handwritten Rolodexes for each client's
media list. I also have an Excel sheet backup for email blasts, etc.,
and a Google shared document spreadsheet to share with my
cohorts, but I've found that for someone like me with ADD, I need
to see and touch those Rolodex cards to keep those journalists top
of mind."


The Publicity Hound says:

Because I'm not a publicist, I don't have a lot of use for a media
database. So I use ACT. My series of teleseminars on "How to
Create a Media Plan" includes a template for a 12-month plan, sort
of a "fill in the blanks" document that tells you exactly what kind of
information you need to keep on hand for every media outlet you
are target, regardless of which program you are using.

The package includes more than 200 story ideas for all 12 months
of the year. You'll also get a half-hour consultation with me to help
you get a running start.

Read more about the value of a plan and why you need one at
http://publicityhound.com/mediaplan.htm

Read all the responses to this week's Help This Hound question
http://tinyurl.com/5vf9pq

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


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6. Help This Hound
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Kendra Hinzmann of Oshkosh, Wisconsin writes:

"I am the director for a fine art exhibit space within an upscale
retirement community. This new venture was mostly set in place as
life enrichment for the residents, but I really wanted to include the
community as well.

"I got on board with the local Gallery Walks (over 40 local
businesses) that occur monthly. That proved to be a good move
and attendance had been building with the last shows at 80 and
100 (including public) respectively. I was thrilled to have booked an
internationally known artist for November. He is very prestigious in
the art world and thought the community would be as ecstatic as
we were to have him. He generously donated his time for a great
presentation and an art piece for a silent auction that would benefit
our nonprofit.

"I feel like I used all the correct avenues--tying it to another
community event that pertained to the show’s holiday theme,
printed press releases, inviting pillars of the community, Chamber of
Commerce advertising that went out to 1,600 recipients, and on
and on. I was shocked at our lowest turnout yet!

"Do your readers have any ideas to salvage and re-promote this
show (without the artist present) that ends Jan. 15?"


The Publicity Hound says: My Hounds ALWAYS have a few last-
minute ideas up their sleeves and they'll post them to my blog at
http://tinyurl.com/6eafms

Speaking of art, artists won't want to miss the 2008 smARTist
Telesummit, a series of teleseminars that teach you how to turn an
art hobby into an art career. I'm presenting a segment on how to
use social networking on Jan. 21. Learn more at
http://tinyurl.com/5axy3x


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

Top 10 things heard at Fido's office Christmas party:


10. "Wow! Check out the hot poodle with Rover."

9. "So I says to him, throw in toilet bowl privileges, and you
got yourself a deal."

8. "Look, I gotta go chase a cab..."

7. "Hey you--cat! You work here?"

6. "Not the Macarena again! Somebody cut off the boss' bar
tab..."

5. "Did you see the neat photocopies of Bowser's rear end?"

4. "Hey, good lookin'. Wanna swing by the ol' doghouse later?"

3. "Who ordered the hot dog pizza with everything?"

2. "Dead Cats--We're Still for 'Em!"

1. "Gainesburgers? Who catered this disaster?"


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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NPR canceling 'Day to Day,' 'News & Notes'
http://tinyurl.com/6f968j


How to write a guest post for Copyblogger.com
http://tinyurl.com/5wgytc


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WHERE TO SEE AND HEAR THE PUBLICITY HOUND:


Wednesday, Jan. 21--Teleseminar

Join me for the third annual smARTist telesummit where
photographers, jewelers, potters, painters, metalworkers,
woodworkers and other artists will learn all the secrets for growing
their art business. I'm presenting a session on how to use social
networking, from 2 to 2:45 Eastern Time on Wednesday, Jan. 21.
Register for the telesummit at http://tinyurl.com/5axy3x



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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 cheat sheet "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."

If you like these tips please pass them on to your friends, clients
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==================================================
Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound®
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
USA
Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737