The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #603 April 10, 2012
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. Pinpointing Your Target Market

2. Dining with a Journalist?

3. Help This Hound

4. Hound Video

==================================
1. Pinpointing Your Target Market
==================================

Your target market includes more than just people who are in a
position to buy your products and services.

It also includes:

–Journalists who can cover your story.

–People on the social media sites who can share your great
content with their target markets that are similar to yours.

–Bloggers, podcasters, article writers, authors and speakers who
can feature your tips in content they’re creating for their own
audiences.

–Anyone who has a problem that you can help them solve.

That’s a big bunch of people. And trying to find them all online
can be daunting.

You’re invited to a free 90-minute webinar I’m hosting from 3 to
4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, April 12, on “The 3-Part
Formula for Finding & Capturing Your Target Market in a Publicity
Campaign.”

You’ll come away with tips that will spare you hours of wasted
time writing press releases and pitches that go nowhere, and
precious hours communicating with the wrong people on social
media sites.

Read more about what you’ll learn and register here:
http://www.PublicityHound.com/targetmarket.htm

Come with questions. I’ll answer them all. If we don’t have time
for yours, I’ll send you a personal reply by email.

More than 200 Publicity Hounds have already registered for the
call.

================================
2. Dining with a Journalist?
================================

Here’s a quick tip from a webinar I hosted last night for members
of The Publicity Hound Mentor Program on what to say and how to
act when you’re meeting a journalist for lunch or dinner.

Even before the wait staff takes your order, ask the journalist,
“How would you like to handle the check? Would you like to go
Dutch?”

The reporter will probably be thankful you asked because she
might work for a newspaper that has an ethics policy prohibiting
employees from accepting anything of value. If she wants to pay
for your meal, that’s fine. She’ll probably put it on her expense
account.

But never insist on paying. And never drink alcohol–not even a
glass of beer–when you’re with journalists. Loose lips sink
ships.

=================================
3. Help This Hound
=================================

Publicity Hound Roberta Stein of Skokie, IL, is appealing for
help from other Hounds who have ideas on how to promote a new
book written by her client, a fitness expert who refused to take
drugs for her depression and panic attacks and, instead, cured
herself with a regimen of exercises and positive thinking.

Robert needs ideas ASAP. Comment at
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10997

===============================
4. Hound Video
===============================

Dogs that look like their owners:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=642qxehEcGg

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:

http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/

——————————————

Read my publicity tips on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Pages:
http://www.facebook.com/publicityhound
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
The Publicity Hound

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #602 April 7, 2012

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. How to Find Your Target Market

2. Free Icons

3. And at My Blog & Mobile Site…

4. Hound Video

==================================
1. How to Find Your Target Market
==================================

A survey I conducted last year showed a surprising number of
Publicity Hounds don’t know how to reach their target market
during a publicity campaign.

Respondents complained about press releases that generate zero
publicity and hardly any traffic. They said their pitches result
in no callbacks or email replies from journalists. They spend
hours on the social media sites writing status updates, but they
receive too few Likes and almost no comments.

One of the secrets of finding your target market is that you must
know where to look for THEM but also make it easy for THEM to
find YOU. They might have a specific problem they need solved,
and they’re searching for someone to help them in LinkedIn
groups, via Twitter hashtags, or at an article directory site.
If you aren’t there, you lose.

Let me help.

You’re invited to a free 90-minute webinar I’m hosting from 3 to
4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, April 12, on “The 3-Part
Formula for Finding & Capturing Your Target Market in a Publicity
Campaign.”

You’ll come away with tips that will spare you hours of wasted
time writing press releases and pitches that go nowhere, and
precious hours communicating with the wrong people on social
media sites.

Read more about what you’ll learn and register here:
http://www.PublicityHound.com/targetmarket.htm

Come with questions. I’ll answer them all. If we don’t have
time for yours, I’ll send you a personal reply by email.

================================
2. Free Icons
================================

Thanks to Publicity Hound Gregg Fidan for sharing
http://www.IconFinder.com, a cool website where you can download
thousands of free icons that are in the public domain, perfect
for use at your website, blog and online pressroom. Some of them
are approved for commercial use.

Search by topic. I found dozens of really neat Twitter and
Facebook icons!

Still not tweeting? Why? It’s a great way to help other people
and promote what you’re doing. Access the step-by-step video
replay of my webinar on “Twitter for Beginners” at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/twitterforbeginners.htm

=================================
3. And at My Blog & Mobile Site…
=================================

How to boost the number of your friends on Goodreads
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10941

Source needed for story on mom-daughter relationships
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10922

===============================
4. Hound Video
===============================

This one is actually a free commercial, but you’ll love the
doggie dentures:
http://www.youtube.com/user/pedigreebrand?v=vFPDaQrPjus&feature=
pyv

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:

http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/

——————————————

Read my publicity tips on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Pages:
http://www.facebook.com/publicityhound
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
The Publicity Hound

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #601 April 3, 2012
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. This Ezine, Twice a Week

2. Book Reviewers Await

3. Cool Twitter Tool

4. Hound Video

=====================================
1. This Ezine, Twice a Week
=====================================

I don’t want to lose you.

That’s why, starting with this issue, I’m publishing a much
shorter version of this ezine twice a week–on Tuesday and
Saturday.

Why the change?

Most importantly, because I don’t want you to drop off my email
list or, when you’re super busy, I don’t want you to move my long
newsletter into an email folder where it will never be seen
again.

There are several more good reasons, and I explained them all at
my blog at http://publicityhound.net/?p=10898.

===================================
2. Book Reviewers Await
===================================

If you missed last week’s webinar on “Where to Find Millions of
Readers Online to Review, Recommend & Buy Your Books,” you missed
learning about http://www.Scribd.com, a social media site where
you can upload book excerpts, business reports, PDFs, how-to
guides, manuals, spreadsheets and even PowerPoint presentations,
share them with the world, and get instant feedback.

You don’t even have to be an author.

If you ARE an author, here’s how to access the video replay of
the webinar, and the checklist that includes more than 30 places
online where you can find book reviewers, book clubs and book
discussion groups:
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/bookreviewsites.htm

======================================
3. Cool Twitter Tool
======================================

If you tweet, experiment with Topsy a cool tool, at
http://www.Topsy.com, that will show you which content is
trending on Twitter.

It’s a real-time search engine that finds influential
conversations around your topic so you can follow those people,
or retweet.

When I searched for “publicity.” I found a helpful article that
includes four tips on how to publicize publicity you’ve received
in top-tier media outlets. You can find the article here:
http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2012/7479/four-ways-to-
maximize-high-masthead-value-publicity

==================================
4. Hound Video
==================================

Cuteness alert! Thanks to Christine Buffaloe, my virtual
assistant, for this Animal Planet video that shows 10-week-old
Aussies herding ducks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89luGserh3o

——————————————

Read my publicity tips on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Pages:
http://www.facebook.com/publicityhound
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
The Publicity Hound

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #600 March 27, 2012
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. Help Reviewers Find Your Book

2. Promote Your “Appearances”

3. Great Example of “Appearances”

4. Kotex’s Clever Pinterest Campaign

5. Hound Video of the Week

6. And at My Blog & Mobile Site

7. The Publicity Hound’s Appearances

=====================================
1. Help Reviewers Find Your Book
=====================================

Right now, thousands of readers are searching for a book to read
on their spring vacation, or a book that helps them grow a
business, or a cookbook that shows them how to whip up an omelet,
or the perfect title for a little bedtime reading.

They’re at sites like Goodreads.com and Shelfari.com, poring over
book reviews and recommendations from their friends and total
strangers.

Are readers buzzing about your book?

Not if you haven’t visited these sites, created an author profile
and let people know what you’ve written. Shelfari, for instance,
lets readers influence their peers by rating and discussing books
online. Readers can join online book groups and interact with
authors whose titles they love.

Goodreads and Shelfari are only two of dozens of online
communities where authors can find millions of readers searching
for a book to enlighten or entertain them. Confused about which
sites are best for you? Join me at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on
Thursday, March 29, when I host the webinar “Where to Find
Millions of Readers Online to Review, Recommend & Buy Your
Books.”

You’ll learn about the biggest and best online book review sites,
online book clubs, web-based book discussion groups–and which
ones are best for poetry.

As a bonus, I’ll even throw in a list of several excellent forums
and listservs where publishers and authors can learn about
writing and publishing. And I’ll show you where to find a network
of nearly 2,000 book bloggers and book reviewers.

Register here even if the time is inconvenient because you can
get the video replay and the other downloads and bonuses:
http://www.PublicityHound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/bookreviewsites.htm

===================================
2. Promote Your “Appearances”
===================================

Speakers, trainers, consultants, authors and anyone who speaks
before groups:

Stop promoting your events as “speaking engagements” or “training
sessions” or “author lectures.” That’s what ordinary speakers do.
Celebrities promote their “appearances.”

I learned that trick from Tom Antion, who hosted two fabulous
free webinars recently chock full of tips on how to generate the
maximum publicity and fees for any appearance, even when meeting
planners ask you to speak for free. Yep, you can speak for free
and walk away with mountains of publicity and money in your
pocket. The replay of that webinar is at
http://budurl.com/antionwebinar3

But what about if you’re asked to speak at a fund-raiser for a
good cause? No problem, Tom says. Watch the replay of his webinar
“How to do a Lot of Good and Make a Fortune Speaking at Fund-
raisers” at http://budurl.com/antionwebinar2

Starting today, “Where to See & Hear The Publicity Hound,” a
section of this newsletter, now becomes “The Publicity Hound’s
Appearances.”

======================================
3. Great Example of “Appearances”
======================================

Now that you’re calling your speaking engagements appearances,
take a cue from Robin Sullivan of Fairfax, VA., a small press
publisher and publicist.

She has an “Appearances” tab at her blog. It’s chock full of
upcoming appearances, articles, podcasts, and even events she has
attended. I think it makes her look in-demand, a major player in
her niche, an authority and even a celebrity. Take a look:

http://write2publish.blogspot.com/p/abc.html

======================================
4. Kotex’s Clever Pinterest Campaign
======================================

Kotex–makers of tampons, pads and pantiliners–has created a
cool campaign on Pinterest, the wildly popular social media site
that lets you “pin” photos to a digital pinboard.

Kotex identified 50 inspiring women, looked at their Pinterest
boards to identify what inspired them, and then created a
customized gift that tied into each woman’s inspiration. But
before each woman could receive her gift, she had to “repin” a
photo of the wrapped gift on Pinterest.

Almost every woman participated. After each woman’s gift was
hand-delivered to her doorstep, many tweeted about the gifts,
pinned more photos on Pinterest and shared on Facebook, Twitter
and their blogs. The campaign received more than 694,000
impressions. Watch this fast-paced, colorful video that explains
more: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVCoM4ao2Tw&sns=tw

Not on Pinterest yet? You’re missing out on a lot of fun and a
powerful way to pull people to your website by using beautiful
images. Learn more about how to get started here:
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/pinterest.htm

====================================
5. Hound Video of the Week
====================================

Here’s what happens when a singer and pianist goes away for a few
hours and leaves the dog behind:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5we2rAggjas

Thanks to Publicity Hound Tracey Bennett of Honolulu, HI, for
this video.

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 at
http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/

======================================
7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site…
======================================

Great content for retweeting:

Career counselors, lawyers: Join the Facebook password debate
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10816

Dog tweets: How to write a hip-hop press release
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10839

=======================================
8. The Publicity Hound’s Appearances
=======================================

Thursday, March 29:
Webinar at 3 p.m. Eastern Time: “Where to Find Millions of
Readers Online to Review, Recommend & Buy Your Books”
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/bookreviewsites.htm

Friday, Oct. 12:
“How to Harness Your Expertise Online and Make Your Website Go
‘Ka-Ching! Ka-Ching!’”
Career Directors International
Global Career Empowerment Summit
San Diego, CA
http://www.careerdirectors.com/conv_pro.htm

Podcast with Howard Lewinter:
How to Build Your Media Empire
http://www.talkbusinesswithhoward.com/business/how-to-build-
your-media-empire/

——————————————

Read my publicity tips on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Pages:
http://www.facebook.com/publicityhound
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
The Publicity Hound

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #599 March 20, 2012
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. Millions of Online Book Reviewers

2. Ditch Hotmail & Yahoo Addresses

3. Graphic Designers for Facebook

4. Oprah, Rosie, Ricki & Huckabee

5. In-flight Magazine Database

6. Hound Video of the Week

7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site

8. The Publicity Hound’s Appearances

=====================================
1. Millions of Online Book Reviewers
=====================================

Smart authors don’t waste time fretting over shrunken book review
sections in newspapers and magazines.

Instead, they penetrate sites like Goodreads.com, the largest
site for readers and book recommendations in the world.

Its more than 7.3 million members create virtual bookshelves
where they have added more than 260 million books they love
reading. Members recommend, review and compare books. They keep
track of what they’ve read and what they want to read.

They form book clubs. They debate plot lines and characters, and
comment on each others’ reviews.

Goodreads lets authors write a detailed profile, publicize events
like book signings, write quizzes about their books or topics,
post videos, give away books before launching, lead Q&A
discussion groups, join book groups, and chat about their books
in discussion forums. (Learn more about the Authors Program at
http://www.goodreads.com/author/program.)

Generate positive reviews on a site like Goodreads and you could
be reaching millions more readers than even a big newspaper like
The New York Times.

“People are more likely to get excited about a book their friend
recommends than a suggestion from a stranger,” says Otis
Chandler, the Founder and CEO of Goodreads who got hooked on the
Hardy Boys series in the second grade. “We even created an
amazing algorithm that looks at your books and ratings, and helps
you find other books based on what fellow Goodreads members with
similar tastes enjoyed.”

The site appeals to casual readers and bona-fide bookworms, and
the next book they read might be yours.

Goodreads is one of the dozens of online communities where you
must have a presence if you’re serious about creating buzz for
your books. Confused about which sites are best for you? Join me
at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, March 29, when I host the
webinar “Where to Find Millions of Readers Online to Review,
Recommend & Buy Your Books.”

You’ll learn about the biggest and best online book review sites,
online book clubs, web-based book discussion groups–and which
ones are best for poetry.

As a bonus, I’ll even throw in a list of several excellent forums
and listservs where publishers and authors can learn about
writing and publishing. And I’ll show you where to find a network
of nearly 2,000 book bloggers and book reviewers.

Register here even if the time is inconvenient because you can
get the video replay and the other downloads and bonuses:
http://www.PublicityHound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/bookreviewsites.htm

===================================
2. Ditch Hotmail & Yahoo Addresses
===================================

If you’re having a problem generating publicity, maybe it’s
because bloggers, journalists, broadcasters and others aren’t
taking you seriously when they see your Hotmail or Yahoo email
address.

Authors, do you have any idea how much damage these freebie
addresses are doing to your reputation?

Speakers, you can’t really expect meeting planners to pay you
when they see you using an AOL address, or an address that
doesn’t brand you with your domain name.

Yet thousands of authors, speakers, experts and other Publicity
Hounds use these addresses all the time and communicate to the
world, “I’m cheap.”

Read more about this marketing sin and what to do about it, at my
blog at http://publicityhound.net/?p=10765

======================================
3. Graphic Designers for Facebook
======================================

If you’re one of the millions of people on Facebook who are
scrambling to meet the March 30 deadline for the new Timeline
cover image, and you’re looking for a graphic designer to help
you create it, check out this list of designers, courtesy of
Denise Wakeman, an expert in online visibility:

http://bit.ly/yHhDub

======================================
4. Oprah, Rosie, Ricki & Huckabee
======================================

–Oprah says buh-bye to Rosie O’Donnell, whose new show on OWN
was averaging a dismal 190,000 viewers. So scratch this one from
your media list.

–Ricki Lake’s upcoming talk show is issuing an invitation: Go
online and join a production meeting. Once a month, “The Ricki
Lake Show” will put a live planning session on Facebook. The goal
is to let people get a peek at the series’ development and weigh
in on it. Lake and the producers will ask for feedback on program
elements like set design, the website and music. The show debuts
this fall. Learn more at
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/ricki-lakes-show-asks-
public-input-online-15911297#.T2i7VxEgdgg

–Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a conservative talker and
FOX News commentator, goes head-to-head with Rush Limbaugh in a
syndicated radio program airing in the noon to 3 p.m. Eastern
time slot weekdays. “The Mike Huckabee Show” will initially air
on 140 stations.

Add Ricki Lake and Mike Huckabee to your media database. What?
You don’t keep your own media database? It’s time to start
because it will be far better than the massive databases with the
huge price tags you’ve seen advertised on PR websites. Use the
same eight templates I use for my own database. They’re the bonus
that comes with the video replay of “How to Create Your Own
Database of Valuable Media Contacts.”

Read more about how to access it at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/mediadatabase.htm

=====================================
5. In-flight Magazine Database
=====================================

Don’t miss this chance to get my two-year-old database of contact
information for more than 50 in-flight magazines, for only
$19.40, a steal.

It’s part of my inventory clearance sale on older titles, where
you can save 80 percent off the original price.

When the titles are gone, they’re gone, and this database will
not be updated. Here’s the list and the special coupon code:

http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-
products/inventorycloseout.htm

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

Thanks to Publicity Hound Jacqueline Simonds, aka @jcsimonds on
Twitter, for sharing this fun video of dogs enjoying snowboards,
skateboards and boogie boards:
http://www.zapiks.fr/share/player.swf?autoStart=true&lang=
fr&file=52372

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 at
http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/

======================================
7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site…
======================================

Great content for retweeting:

Want respect? Ditch the Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL addresses
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10765

80 percent off on my older CDs—DIY publicity tips galore
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10780

Dog Tweets: B2B marketers devote 26% of their budget to content
marketing
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10758

=======================================
8. The Publicity Hound’s Appearances
=======================================

Thursday, March 29:
Webinar at 3 p.m. Eastern Time: “Where to Find Millions of
Readers Online to Review, Recommend & Buy Your Books”
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/bookreviewsites.htm

Friday, Oct. 12:
“How to Harness Your Expertise Online and Make Your Website Go
‘Ka-Ching! Ka-Ching!’”
Career Directors International
Global Career Empowerment Summit
San Diego, CA
http://www.careerdirectors.com/conv_pro.htm

——————————————

Read my publicity tips on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Pages:
http://www.facebook.com/publicityhound
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
The Publicity Hound

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #598 March 13, 2012
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. Pinterest: Digital Crack for Women

2. Hottest Topic at IBPA: Ebooks

3. March 30 Deadline for Facebook

4. A Dozen Mistakes Experts Make

5. Grab My CDs for 80 Percent Off

6. Hound Video of the Week

7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site

8. Where to See & Hear The Hound

=====================================
1. Pinterest: Digital Crack for Women
=====================================

Washington Post columnist Petula Dvorak calls Pinterest, the
wildly popular social media tool, “digital crack for women.”

She’s addicted to it. So are millions of other women. (The guys
are finally catching on.)

And it’s time for Publicity Hounds everywhere to use this site to
pull traffic. Pinterest, a digital pinboard that lets you “pin”
photos and videos, has reached the 10-million-user mark faster
than any other social media site.

Best part is, you don’t have to spend a ton of time on it. Just
“pin” photos you love. But understand that this site is more than
just stunning images of cupcakes and wedding dresses.

If you’re smart, you can use it to pull traffic back to your
website or blog.

Look at this colorful board called “Give Books,” created by
Chronicle Publishing, a book publishing company:
http://pinterest.com/chroniclebooks/give-books/

Each photo leads you to its website where you can buy the book.

A state’s travel and tourism department can pin photos of
destinations that tourists will love. A local chamber of commerce
can pin photos of products and services offered by local
merchants. A nonprofit can share photos taken at its most recent
fund-raiser.

That’s just one of the many examples I’ll be sharing when I host
the webinar “How to Use Pinterest to Generate Clicks, Traffic,
Links, Leads and Sales” at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, March
15.

Can’t attend? Register anyway and you’ll get the replay and my
handy checklist that you can print and keep nearby so you don’t
miss a step as you’re getting your account set up. Register at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/pinterest.htm

===================================
2. Hottest Topic at IBPA: Ebooks
===================================

At the Publishing University hosted by the Independent Book
Publishers Association over the weekend, no other topic had
authors and publishers buzzing louder than ebooks.

Ebook sales have surpassed sales of print books, thanks to the
Kindle, the Nook, tablets and other devices that make ebooks easy
to buy, read and carry.

Speakers couldn’t have said it any louder: If you have a printed
book, convert it to an ebook, or leave money on the table.

If you’ve had no interest whatsoever in publishing an expensive
print book, you can publish an ebook for next to nothing. You can
sell it, or give it away at sites like Amazon.com as a lead
generator.

The other big takeaway from the conference: Despite shrinking
book review sections in major newspapers, millions of book
reviewers are just waiting to review your print book or ebook.
They’re clustered all over the Internet. I gave a presentation on
this topic, and I’m creating a webinar right now to show you
where to find the best book review sites and forums, and how to
use them.

Millions of readers are just waiting to get their hands on your
books. Details next week.

======================================
3. March 30 Deadline for Facebook
======================================

The other complaint I heard at IBPA, all weekend, was that many
authors don’t know how to gain traction on Facebook. They’re
frustrated, understandably, that the site keeps rolling out major
changes.

The latest one is that Facebook users have until March 30 to redo
their pages to accommodate the Timeline layout. There’s a good
Q&A at
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/facebook-timeline-for-fan-pages-
frequently-asked-questions/ that explains what you need to know.

I’m joining the legion of grumblers who think that for those of
us who are using Facebook for business, the constant changes take
way too much time for too little return on investment. Am I
wrong?

======================================
4. A Dozen Mistakes Experts Make
======================================

If you’re an expert in your field, think far beyond what you
already sell.

If you’re a consultant, consider a paid membership site and a
mentor program.

If you’re writing a book, or planning to write one, don’t think
only about selling a book.

Think spin-off products like wall calendars, board games and
coffee mugs. Think paid services like coaching programs, speaking
engagements and consulting.

Authors and experts make 12 big mistakes, and failing to think
beyond their core products and services is one of them.

Learn about the other 11, and 22 super-lucrative income streams
that most authors overlook, when Steve Harrison hosts the
webinar, “How to Thrive as an Author/Expert in Any Economy” at 7
p.m. Eastern Time today, March 15.

Even though the call is free, I promote this as an affiliate
because I don’t want to see you missing numerous opportunities to
grow the bottom line.

Register for the call at
https://m164.infusionsoft.com/go/QL15Thrive/A10011

=====================================
5. Grab My CDs for 80 Percent Off
=====================================

I’m eliminating most CDs from my inventory very soon, and
scrapping some old titles altogether.

This means unheard of discounts for Publicity Hounds who love
sniffing out bargains.

The discount is good only for titles on this list and only if you
use the coupon code CLOSEOUT80 when you check out.

http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-
products/inventorycloseout.htm

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

Here’s one of my favorite oldies but goodies. Watch how Denver
reacts when he’s reprimanded for eating the cat’s treats:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8ISzf2pryI

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 at
http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/

======================================
7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site…
======================================

Great content for retweeting:

Pinterest: Digital crack for women (Hooked yet?)
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10682

Dog Tweets: The very best way to receive a LinkedIn
recommendation
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10669

Photos Rule, Video Drools: It’s Photography, Not Videos, That
Engage Users
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10637

How to Build Your Media Empire (Guest Post)
http://www.talkbusinesswithhoward.com/business/how-to-build-your-
media-empire/

=======================================
8. Where to See & Hear The Hound
=======================================

Wednesday, March 14:
“You Are the New Media: How to Create
Your Own Media Empire to Promote Your Business”
Podcast at 11 a.m. Eastern on “Talk Business With Howard”
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/talkbusinesswithhoward/2012/03/14/jo
an-stewart-the-publicity-hound

Thursday, March 15:
Webinar at 3 p.m. Eastern Time: “How to Use
Pinterest to Generate Clicks, Traffic, Links,
Leads and Sales”
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/pinterest.htm

Friday, Oct. 12:
“How to Harness Your Expertise Online and Make Your Website Go
‘Ka-Ching! Ka-Ching!’”
Career Directors International
Global Career Empowerment Summit
San Diego, CA
http://www.careerdirectors.com/conv_pro.htm

——————————————

Read my publicity tips on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Pages:
http://www.facebook.com/publicityhound
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
The Publicity Hound

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #597 March 7, 2012
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. Interest in Pinterest Skyrockets

2. Is This Pitch Too Creepy?

3. Don’t Make These Website Mistakes

4. Authors: Why Persistence Pays

5. Grab My CDs for 80 Percent Off

6. Hound Photo of the Week

7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site

=====================================
1. Interest in Pinterest Skyrockets
=====================================

It’s been around for two years. But in the last few months,
interest in Pinterest, the social media site that lets you “pin”
images onto a virtual corkboard, is off the charts.

Before you start groaning because it’s one more program to learn,
check out these stats:

–From December 2011 to January 2012, unique visitors to
Pinterest.com increased by 155 percent.

–More than one in four users earns more than $100,000 a year.

–The site registered more than 7 million unique visitors in
December, up from 1.6 million in September.

–It’s pulling more traffic to company websites and blogs than
YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn combined, according to one study.

–Research shows that many people are spending more time
“pinning” than they are connecting with their friends on the
almighty Facebook.

Why do Publicity Hounds need to know about Pinterest?

–By putting the “Pin It” button on your pages, all of your pins
will include a link back to the source, such as your website or
blog, a great way to revive interest in old content.

–You can connect Pinterest to your Twitter and Facebook
accounts, which means you don’t initially need a huge number of
followers on Pinterest to start picking up steam.

–You can create boards around topics that tie into your products
and services, being careful not to overtly promote.

–Users admit that Pinterest is absolutely addictive. That’s
because, unlike other social media sites, it’s filled with
millions of colorful, captivating photos and a clean design that
pulls you in.

–I’ve seen far more excitement and chatter about Pinterest than
I have for Google+, which suddenly seems like a dinosaur.

And I’ve received many questions, including “How do I get an
invitation for Pinterest?” As a result, I’m hosting a 90-minute
webinar at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, March 15. It’s
called, “How to Use Pinterest to Generate Clicks, Traffic, Links,
Leads and Sales,” and is for beginners as well as pinners who
have been on the site for a while.

Register here even if the time is inconvenient because I’ll be
recording it and making the downloads available:
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/pinterest.htm

For an invitation to join Pinterest, go to http://pinterest.com/
and click on the red button “Request an Invite.”

If you’ve done something really cool on Pinterest that ties into
your business or hobby, hit “Reply” and let me know. I might
feature your board in my webinar.

===================================
2. Is this Pitch Too Creepy?
===================================

A friend says she thinks this is “somewhat creepy but smart.”

It definitely isn’t for everybody. But I guarantee it will get
attention.

Mention the name of a blogger’s or journalist’s dog, cat or kid
in your pitch–with care.

I walk you step-by-step through the entire process of how I did
this in less than 60 seconds.

Are you brave enough to pull this off? The Comments section
awaits at http://publicityhound.net/?p=10510

======================================
3. Don’t Make These Website Mistakes
======================================

Nothing frustrates visitors to your website more than searching
for something to buy, credit card in hand, and not being able to
find your phone number when they have a question about shipping
or another topic.

That’s my Number One pet peeve. I created this little video in
which I explain two more:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxOHt97boGs

======================================
4. Authors: Why Persistence Pays
======================================

If you wrote a book that you wanted picked up by a publisher, how
many times would you be willing to hear the word “no” before you
gave up?

Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen heard it 144 times before a
small publisher agreed to pick up their first “Chicken Soup for
the Soul” book. Since then, more than 500 million copies have
been printed.

What kept them moving forward?

Two mindsets that they had kept them going. Canfield will explain
what they are when Steve Harrison interviews him during a 90-
minute webinar at your choice of two times on Thursday, March 8.

You’ll also learn how to get started as a public speaker and what
to do if you need to make money within 30 to 60 days. Even though
the webinar is free, I promote it as an affiliate because too
many authors give up too quickly. Register at
https://m164.infusionsoft.com/go/JackQL15/A10011/

=====================================
5. Grab My CDs for 80 Percent Off
=====================================

I’m eliminating most CDs from my inventory very soon, and
scrapping some old titles altogether.

This means unheard of discounts for Publicity Hounds who love
sniffing out bargains.

The discount is good only for titles on this list and only if you
use the coupon code CLOSEOUT80 when you check out.

http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-
products/inventorycloseout.htm

====================================
6. Hound Photo of the Week
====================================

This photo of a Flying Maltese is courtesy of Jenny XOXO on
Pinterest, where you’ll find more cute dog photos on the left.
Warning: This site is addictive. (See Item #1 above.)

http://pinterest.com/pin/206110120415904307/

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

Great content for retweeting:

Publicists: Can I buy you coffee in San Francisco?
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10616

Find the name of a blogger’s dog, cat, kid in 60 seconds
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10510

Authors: If publishers reject your
book title, don’t give up
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10589

Dog Tweets: 50 Ways to Get More People to Like Your Facebook Page
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10570

——————————————

Read my publicity tips on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Pages:
http://www.facebook.com/publicityhound
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
The Publicity Hound

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #595 Feb. 28, 2012
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. A Really Impressive PR Pitch

2. How Pinterest Violates Copyright

3. LinkedIn’s New “Follow” Button

4. Authors: Meet Me in San Francisco

5. Write for My Blog

6. Hound Video of the Week

7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site

=====================================
1. A Really Impressive PR Pitch
=====================================

Trust me when I tell you that a media list chock full of juicy
personal details about a journalist or blogger can be your ticket
to publicity.

BL Ochman agrees. She’s a social media expert and a prolific
blogger who writes about online promotions.

On Friday, she wrote about a pitch she received from Rob Toledo,
of Distilled Creative, calling her attention to a social media
campaign roadmap.

BL, who has seen her share of lame pitches, was bowled over by
the personal details about her that Rob, whom she doesn’t know,
included in his pitch. Impressed, she wrote a post titled “Dear
PR Peeps: please read this *really great* PR pitch! (And what he
was pitching).”

BL analyzed Rob’s pitch to show you exactly what made her pay
attention. The screenshot she used at her blog is a little
difficult to read, and she gave me permission to reproduce it at
my blog at http://publicityhound.net/?p=10470

Please, please, please read it. Study it. And use Rob’s
techniques the next time you pitch a blogger or journalist.

For more tips on how to do some good, old-fashioned sleuthing and
find personal details about the people who you will be pitching,
check out the webinar I hosted recently on “How to Create Your
Own Database of Valuable Media Contacts” at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/mediadatabase.htm. It included the eight templates I use
for my own database because I want to save you time and not make
you start from scratch.

===================================
2. How Pinterest Violates Copyright
===================================

Thousands of people who use Pinterest, the social media site that
lets you “pin” images to a digital corkboard, are violating
copyright by pinning other people’s artwork, photographs,
trademarks, logos and more.

Many give the source credit, but some don’t.

Pinterest’s terms of use place the responsibility for following
copyright laws not on itself, but on its users. Pinterest also
gives itself the right to actually sell content that users place
on its site.

If you don’t want Pinterest members to violate copyright and
steal your work, and if you don’t want Pinterest to sell your
work, you can opt out by going to
http://pinterest.com/about/help/ and scrolling all the way to the
bottom to the category “Linking to your blog or website.” Click
on “What if I don’t want images from my site to be pinned?” and
you’ll see a snippet of code that you can add to the head of any
page on your site.

When a user tries to pin from your site, they will see this
message: “This site doesn’t allow pinning to Pinterest. Please
contact the owner with any questions.”

Here’s a very helpful blog post, with lots of links, where you
can read more about how people violate copyright on Pinterest:
http://greekgeek.hubpages.com/hub/Is-Pinterest-a-Haven-for-
Copyright-Violations

======================================
3. LinkedIn’s New “Follow” Button
======================================

Let people interested in your company stay connected to you on
LinkedIn by adding a “Follow Company” button to your website or
blog.

LinkedIn rolled it out yesterday and explains how to use it at
http://blog.linkedin.com/2012/02/27/linkedin-follow-button-for-
companies/.

To grab the code, click here:

https://developer.linkedin.com/plugins/follow-company

While you’re at it, give people an easy way to stay abreast of
new products and services you’re offering. Create Company Pages
on LinkedIn and fill them with lots of content. It’s the perfect
place to promote!

LinkedIn expert Wayne Breitbarth shared all the little tricks on
how to use Company Pages when he was my guest on the webinar
“Your LinkedIn Power Formula Part 2: Advanced Strategies for
Writing a Killer Profile, Cashing in on Groups and Creating
Company Pages.” Read more about how to access the video replay at
http://www.publicityhound.com/linkedinpowerformulapart2.htm

======================================
4. Authors: Meet Me in San Francisco
======================================

If you’ll be at IBPA’s Publishing University in San Francisco on
March 9-10, attend at least one of three panels where I’m
presenting on Saturday:

–9 to 10:15: Advanced Techniques for Creating Websites/Blogs
That SELL

–1:45 to 3: Using Facebook and Twitter to Jump-Start Sales

–3:15 to 4:30: Getting Attention: Promoting Your Titles to
Bloggers and Online Communities

I’m back on the speaking circuit, sharing my publicity and social
media expertise. Email me at JStewart (at) PublicityHound.com if
you’d like to host The Publicity Hound at your event.

=====================================
5. Write for My Blog
=====================================

Get in front of PR people, publicists, authors, speakers,
experts, do-it-yourself Publicity Hounds and others who read my
blog by writing a guest post.

It will expose you to a new audience. And I’ll promote you like
crazy on the social media sites.

Read more about how to pitch me:
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6573

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

If you can stand two and a half minutes of cuteness, watch this
mama Husky love her baby, and watch the pup tell its mom in
puppy-speak, “I love you more.”

http://youtu.be/PkUVnYG27Vc

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

Great content for retweeting:

Expert on gossip? Top-tier reporter needs sources
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10535

Check your Pinterest influence score with PinClout
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10517

Pitch stories about employees in their 80s, 90s
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10496

Personal details in your pitch is your ticket to publicity
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10470

——————————————

Read my publicity tips on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Pages:
http://www.facebook.com/publicityhound
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
The Publicity Hound

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #595 Feb. 21, 2012
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. Barking Up the Front Page

2. How Freelancers Can Help You

3. Publicity Tips for Local Events

4. Create Event Videos from Photos

5. Red-hot Pinterest

6. Hound Video of the Week

7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site

=====================================
1. Barking Up the Front Page
=====================================

Michelle Tennant knows how much the media loathe press
conferences.

She heard me preach that repeatedly when she was in my mentor
program many years ago.

Today, she’s a successful publicist who has landed many of her
clients in top-tier media like the New York Times, the Wall
Street Journal and on “Good Morning, America.”

But she was especially tickled when her local newspaper, the
Hendersonville Times, featured a front-page story on Saturday
about the Blue Ridge Husky Rescue, an organization that saves
Huskies that are abandoned by their owners and often turn up in
animal shelters.

The Husky Rescue is close to Michelle’s heart. So are Huskies.
When she heard the group needed publicity, she steered them away
from a press conference to a media event.

Right there on the front page was a photo of Michelle on
rollerblades, being pulled around Jackson Park on a leash by
Smokey, a three-year-old Siberian Husky that found a new home
through the rescue group.

“Do you know how rrrrrough it is to score front page ink? [Dog
whine.] Rrrrrough,” wrote Michelle at her blog at
http://michelletennant.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/barking-up-the-
front-page/.

Remember that the next time you’re tempted to stage a boring
press conference.

Interested in joining my mentor program? Yesterday, I taught
people in the program how to use two helpful, easy-to-remember
formulas (not mine, somebody else’s) when writing press releases
and pitches. They work almost every time. If you want to join us,
read more about the program at
http://www.publicityhound.com/mentorprogram/intro.html or call me
at 262-284-7451 and let’s see if we’re a good fit.

=================================
2. How Freelancers Can Help You
=================================

Here are four reasons why freelance journalists can sometimes be
more valuable to your publicity campaign than journalists who
work full-time for one media outlet:

–Because they write for multiple outlets, they can interview you
multiple times for different stories they’re selling.

–You don’t have to pitch busy reporters or grumpy editors. They
do.

–Freelance journalists often blog. That means one more place
where they might give you publicity and a backlink to your
website.

–Freelancers know each other and attend the same conferences. If
they know you’re a good source, but they don’t need what you’re
offering, they might share your contact information with a
colleague who does.

If you have a media database, there’s certain information about
freelancers that should be included within it. That’s why I have
a separate template for freelancers. I shared it–along with
seven other templates for newspapers, magazines, TV shows, radio
shows, bloggers, newsletters and websites–when I hosted the
webinar “How to Create Your Own Database of Valuable Media
Contacts” on Thursday. It’s available as a PDF or Word document
so you can just cut and paste the information into your own
database.

If you missed the webinar, you can order the video replay and
access all the other materials here:
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/mediadatabase.htm

======================================
3. Publicity Tips for Local Events
======================================

The next time you do publicity for a local event, remember my 11
handy tips.

I’ve been compiling them since I volunteered to do publicity for
my garden club’s annual gardening seminar, which was held on
Saturday.

We got mountains of publicity, but I also made a few boo-boos. I
mistakenly assumed that the gardening newsletters in Wisconsin
had short lead times for calendar items. Was I wrong! One of them
works three months ahead, and I missed the deadline.

I was also disappointed to learn that the photos I took on
Saturday had no crowd shots.

On the plus side, a big feature story with several photos
appeared in our local weekly, and fliers distributed at the local
tech college resulted in seven attendees from that school.

Read all my tips at my blog at http://publicityhound.net/?p=10437

======================================
4. Create Event Videos from Photos
======================================

Here’s a fun way to create a post-event video and use it for PR
if you’re only shooting photos at your event.

Create an account at Animoto, a website that will let you gather
a collection of your best photos, type some text, arrange them
like you’d arrange letters on your wooden Scrabble letter holder,
choose your music, and–voila!–produce it. That’s what I did
after my garden club hosted our annual garden seminar on
Saturday.

We didn’t shoot video. But used the photos I took to create one.
It’s at our website at http://www.PortGardenClub.org

You can post your video on your website, and share it on the
social media sites and anywhere else you want to promote next
year’s event.

A free Animoto account will let you produce videos of no more
than 30 seconds. Paid accounts, for as little as $5 a month, let
you produce longer videos, but only for non-commercial use.

Go ahead. Play around with it and see how much fun it is (using
this affiliate link):

http://animoto.com/?ref=obcetdav

=====================================
5. Red-Hot Pinterest
=====================================

Users spend more time on Pinterest, the bulletin board social
media site, than they do on Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+
combined, according to a new study.

After I wrote about Pinterest here last week, my email inbox has
been clogged with messages telling me that people, mostly women,
are following me there.

Read more about the study here:
http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/usa-social-network-
use_b18798

Read the 10 reasons Pinterest booked 10 million visitors a month
so quickly:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner/2012/02/18/10-reasons-
pinterest-booked-10-million-visitors-a-month-so-fast/

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

Have you seen this one of the Dalmation riding a bike? OK, so the
bike has training wheels. But it’s still worth a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roJzWYiXFtg

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

Great content for tweeting:

11 local publicity tips: Start early, pitch often
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10437

Dog Tweets:
Follow these PR rules if
you want to raise some real capital
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10414

——————————————-

Read my publicity tips on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

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

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
The Publicity Hound

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #594 Feb. 14, 2012
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. The Truth About Pricy Media Lists

2. Don’t Send Junk to TV Producers

3. Pinterest: The Shiny New Bauble

4. Patch Scales Back

5. Follow Up Your Pitches

6. Hound Video of the Week

7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site

=====================================
1. The Truth About Pricy Media Lists
=====================================

Big media directories are like expensive security blankets.

Armed with contact information for thousands of newspapers,
magazines, TV shows, radio shows, bloggers and more, you know
that when you need it, it’s there.

Problem is, by the time you get around to using only a miniscule
number of the listings, many of them are out of date. Big PR
firms that serve dozens of clients can afford these expensive
databases. Most do-it-yourself Publicity Hounds, nonprofits and
small boutique firms cannot.

Help is on the way.

On Thursday, I’ll show you how to create your own directory of
media contacts and fill it with juicy nuggets that you’ll never
find in the big directories. If you register, you’ll receive
eight templates I use for newspapers, magazines, TV shows, radio
shows, freelancers, bloggers, websites, and print newsletters and
ezines.

Media relations is about building relationships. That means no
blast emails and no “spray and pray” pitches–a sin you’ll be
tempted to commit with thousands of email addresses at your
fingertips.

Join me at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, Feb. 16, when I host
the webinar, “How to Build Your Own Database of Valuable Media
Contacts.” Whether you’re doing publicity for yourself or your PR
clients, you’ll learn about the types of information to include
in your database, shortcuts that will help find the best contacts
quickly, and the most important details to include in each entry.

Here’s the best part. The morning of the webinar, I’ll email you
a link where you can download my eight fill-in-the-blank
templates, so you don’t have to start from scratch.

Don’t miss this one. It’s going to fill up fast. Register at
http://www.PublicityHound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/mediadatabase.htm

=================================
2. Don’t Send Junk to TV Producers
=================================

Here’s a small sampling of the junk that TV shows receive from
Publicity Hounds who want to get booked as guests:

Expensive press kits. Multiple copies of the author’s book (one
for everybody on the staff). Press clippings. CDs. DVDs.
Envelopes stuffed with brochures and other marketing materials.
Even gag gifts that the sender tries to tie into a clever pitch.

But the staff doesn’t have time to wade through it. So it ends up
in the trash.

If you want to get onto shows like “Rachael Ray,” “The Wendy
Williams Show” and “Live with Kelly,” don’t pester them with
things they don’t want.

Instead, find out what they DO want from you and what you must do
to make them say “yes.” Steve Harrison will interview producers
and bookers from those three shows, and others, during a 90-
minute webinar at 2 and 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16.

If you can’t attend, register anyway:
https://m164.infusionsoft.com/go/tvcall/A10011/

If you want to attend my webinar on media databases and Steve’s,
his afternoon session overlaps with mine. You have two options.
Attend his evening session so you don’t miss any of mine. Or,
attend his afternoon session and watch the video replay of mine.
He almost never records his webinars. I do. And anyone who
registers, but cannot attend, can access my replay and all the
handouts.

======================================
3. Pinterest: The New Shiny Bauble
======================================

Pinterest, the online social media corkboard, is the new kid in
the social media classroom and grabbing most of the attention.

It’s almost all visual–and so doggone beautiful.

Create an account at Pinterest.com. You can then start creating
boards where you can “pin” photos and videos around a common
theme that you find when browsing the Web, and write a short
description of each. I’ve started a board called “My Favorite
Products.” People who follow you can “repin” your board and share
it with others.

About three-fourths of the more than 3 million users are women,
perhaps because most of the topics fall into the lifestyle
category: parenting, home/family, bridal, baby, hobbies and
collectibles, food and fashion/cosmetics.

The big temptation is to turn your boards into giant commercials
for your products and services, but there are many better
options. This article at Copybloger explains “56 Ways to Market
Your Business on Pinterest”:

http://www.copyblogger.com/pinterest-marketing/

If you’re using Pinterest, join the conversation on my Facebook
page, tell me what you like or don’t like about it, and offer
your own tips:
https://www.facebook.com/publicityhound/posts/311749112207011

=====================================
4. Patch Scales Back
=====================================

If you’ve come to love Patch.com as I have, you’ll be
disappointed to hear reports that AOL is planning to drastically
reduce staff and change the editorial focus.

Jim Romensko reports that the site, which serves 22 states in the
U.S. and the District of Columbia, is planning to lay off from
one-half to all of its freelancers. He also says a Patch insider
told him they’re planning “easy, quick-hitting, cookie-cutter
copy.”

Read the sad news at
http://jimromenesko.com/2012/02/08/patch-to-reduce-staff-change-
editorial-focus/

Patch is one of the many websites where you can promote your
local events. Learn about 50 more sites here:
http://www.publicityhound.com/events.htm

======================================
5. Follow Up Your Pitches
======================================

When you hear journalists say, “Please don’t follow up,” what
they really mean is “Please don’t follow up and waste my time.”

Here’s how not to waste their time:

If you pitch and hear nothing within, say, a week or two, email
again and offer a little extra. If you pitched a story on how
parents can deal with cranky toddlers, offer a list of the “Top
10 Ways to Tame the Terrible Twos” to accompany the story.

That’s the fifth part of my formula on how to pitch. Learn about
the first four parts here:
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/pitchingformula.htm

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

Thanks to Publicity Hound Elaine Grassbaugh of Columbus, Ohio for
this oldie-but-goodie video of two dogs eating, side by side.
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=
EVwlMVYqMu4&vq=medium#t=125

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

Great content for tweeting:

6 ways to overcome a writing setback
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10389

TV producers will share pitching tips Thursday
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10375

Sidestep expensive media directories:
Create your own
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10346

Dog Tweets:
7 crucial tactics for writing
a radically successful guest post
http://publicityhound.net/?p=10340

——————————————-

Read my publicity tips on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

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

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
The Publicity Hound