The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #470 Sept. 22, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.PublicityArticles.net (Ezine Archives)
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“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”
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In This Issue
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1. How to Promote Local Events on Twitter
2. Five Social Media Marketing Ideas
3. Entertainment Tonight Needs Pitches
4. Promoting a Reading Program
5. Help This Hound
6. Hound Joke of the Week
7. And at My Blog…
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1. How to Promote Local Events on Twitter
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You can find some of the best tips by reading comments at blogs.
For example, if you’re curious about how to use Twitter to
publicize local events, you’ll find a slew of tips in the
comments at http://budurl.com/uymm
They include:
–Use Twitter Grader at http://twitter.grader.com/ After entering
your Twitter username and getting your grade, click on your city,
state or country. A list of local tweeters will appear. If you
find them of like mind, you could choose to follow them. Then
tweet about your event so they’ll see it.
–Download and install Tweetdeck, a browser that will let you
organize your tweets and see everything all at once. Then set up
search columns based on your local area. You’ll then “see” people
talking about that area. Chances are that if they are talking
about it, they either live there, or visit regularly, so follow
them. Chances are also good they’ll follow you, too.
–Follow the premiere local tweeters in your area, including
bars, hotels, clubs and local businesses whose target customers
are the people you want to attract. Retweet events and posts they
tweet. This will tell them you’re interested in promoting what
they’re doing and, in turn, they may follow you and promote your
event.
–Two good tools for finding Twitterers in your area are
http://TwitterHawk.com and http://Twellowhood.com
Be sure to read the rest of the comments for lots more tips.
Now that you have the tools, adopt a good strategy. Warren
Whitlock shows you how. See “How to Use Twitter to Amass an Army
of Followers, Customers & Valuable Contacts–and Promote” at
http://budurl.com/b8nj
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2. Five Social Media Marketing Ideas
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Social media is more than just collecting Facebook fans, sending
tweets and joining the conversation. It’s also about making all
that hard work pay off.
Here are five great social media marketing ideas, courtesy of DP
Dialogue, a social media marketing agency in Australia. All of
them are free. Pick and choose which ones are best for you:
–Start a Twitter account and give people incentives to follow
you. Read their blog post to see how Domino’s Pizza did this at
http://budurl.com/8flq
–Use Google’s keyword tool at
https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal to find
whatever keywords related to your business are being searched for
the most. Blog about them and make videos about them.
–Become an expert and start blogging or podcasting. (Read the
excellent Expertise Imperative White Paper that explains how to
become an expert at http://www.PublicityHound.com/expertise.pdf
It was written specifically for professional speakers from a wide
variety of backgrounds. Use it as a starting point to grow your
own expertise.)
–Start a Facebook group that people will want to join and subtly
sponsor it. If you sell candles, start a Facebook group for
people who are afraid of the dark. (See “11 Ways to Avoid Missed
Opportunities on Facebook” at http://budurl.com/wcxb
–Figure out who the key influencers are for whatever it is
you’re selling. Read their blogs and leave comments on them
regularly. (When it comes time to pitch them, see “How to Pitch
the Best Bloggers & Create a Publicity Explosion” at
http://budurl.com/xlgw
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3. Entertainment Tonight Needs Pitches
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Entertainment Tonight has asked PitchRate.com, a media leads
service, to suggest segment ideas and experts to be featured in
short segments of three to five minutes. Segments must be unique
and interesting.
PitchRate will review your pitches and pass along the best ones
to Entertainment Tonight. If the producers are interested,
they’ll contact you.
If you’ve already signed up as a Publicity Hound at
http://www.PitchRate.com, simply visit the site again, log in,
and at the top of the requesst list, you’ll see the request for
Publicity Hounds only. If you haven’t signed up yet, use this
link: http://www.PitchRate.com/PublicityHound
P.S. Shannon Nicholson says PitchRate’s recent request for women-
related tips, advice and success stories resulted in 17 great
pitches from Publicity Hounds. He will forward all of them to
PitchRate’s top media contacts, including O Magazine, Montel
Williams, the Associated Press, and more.
Not sure how to craft a great pitch? See “How to Write a Pitch
Letter More Powerful Than a Press Release” at
http://budurl.com/rphb
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4. Promoting a Reading Program
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This week, nine Publicity Hounds have tips for Suzanne Wood, of
Raleigh, NC, who is starting an after-school writing academy to
help kids in grades 8-12 improve their writing.
From Meryl Evans:
“Contact local school PTAs to offer a free presentation on a
topic of value. I am sure there’s something you can offer to help
parents with kids and writing.”
From Karen Zapp:
“Look for any club or group for Home Schooling. Then meet with a
few moms to demonstrate how you can help them and the kids, and
the word will start to spread. These moms can also help spread it
to parents in the neighborhood who don’t home-school.”
From Shel Horowitz:
“Do a free demo for teachers and guidance counselors who then
could send a steady stream of referrals.”
The Publicity Hound says:
Read all the responses from last week’s “Help This Hound”
question at http://budurl.com/3f5n
Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=HelpThisHound
and include your city, state or province. I need questions!
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5. Help This Hound
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Vicki Young of Dallas, Texas, writes:
“What’s the best way for a very worthy nonprofit agency to get
free help with their PR campaign?
“I’ve been doing PR work for Captain Hope’s Kids as a nonprofit
client for years, but I have to step down. It’s a great
organization in Dallas, Texas, that’s dedicated to meeting the
critical needs of homeless children in North Texas.
“They need an annual marketing and public relations plan
developed, and help publicizing their annual special events.
“I know this agency isn’t the only one that needs volunteer PR
help, so I’m hoping your Publicity Hounds can recommend ideas
that will help many other groups, too. Where should we be looking
for volunteer PR people who can write press releases, or at least
advise nonprofits on how to create a good marketing plan?”
The Publicity Hound says:
I hear this question all the time, so I hope my Hounds can
suggest ideas for nonprofits or any other company on a budget.
How about it Hounds? Are unemployed PR people, particularly
beginners, a possibility? What about college journalism classes?
Or stay-at-home moms who once worked in PR? Ideas? Post them to
my blog at http://budurl.com/vfe6
If you can find a great volunteer, I can do all the training for
you. See “How to Create a 12-Month Media Plan” at
http://publicityhound.com/mediaplan.htm
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6. Hound Joke of the Week
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The front door was accidentally left open and our dog was gone.
After unsuccessfully whistling and calling, my husband got in the
car and went looking for him.
He drove around the neighborhood for some time with no luck.
Finally he stopped beside a couple out for a walk and asked if
they had seen our dog.
“You mean the one following your car?” they asked.
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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7. And at My Blog…
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Stompernet taking new members: Here’s what you’ll get
http://budurl.com/wwpm
80+ free social media policies: Add yours to the list
http://budurl.com/sr6m
How to publicize your ‘Make a Difference Day’ activities
http://budurl.com/n28y
Gift List offers 25 percent discount until Sept. 30
http://budurl.com/lv6c
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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
