The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #519 Aug. 24, 2010
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. My New Twitter Strategy

2. Why Can’t They Find You on Twitter?

3. Replay of Teleseminar for Authors

4. Important Deadline Today

5. Let’s Ban Groundbreaking Events

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. My New Twitter Strategy
=====================================

If you’re like me, and you’re on Twitter, you love to share
helpful articles and blog posts you see elsewhere, and retweet
other people’s content.

Most of my tweets lead my followers to interesting and compelling
information written by other experts. Sure, I link to my own blog
posts and articles, but it’s a heck of a lot easier to just
scroll through my Google Reader and share somebody else’s
content, without thinking too hard, instead of writing my own.

When I read a blog post last week written by Mark Faggiano at the
Mashable blog, it dawned on me that I’m not doing a good enough
job positioning myself as a subject matter expert.

What’s missing, I concluded, is a steady stream of my own advice,
original thought and opinions about publicity and PR topics. If
you aren’t providing those, Mark says, you aren’t a subject
matter expert on Twitter. You’re simply a news channel.

Mark adds that subject matter experts should also avoid writing
status updates such as what they’re doing or where they’re going.
He even says that no status updates are OK.

Read his entire post at
http://socialmediatoday.com/markfaggiano/163726/three-keys-being-
subject-matter-expert-twitter and then decide if you need to
change your Twitter strategy, too.

======================================
2. Why Can’t They Find You on Twitter?
======================================

If someone needs a person with your expertise, they can go to
http://www.Search.Twitter.com and search by keyword phrase, name,
location or topic.

But what if that’s not where they’re looking?

Instead, they’re at one of the dozens of Twitter directories. If
you’re not listed in those directories, they won’t be able to
find you. But they might find several of your competitors there,
start following them, and become rabid fans. And you’re left in
the cold.

Learn about the most important Twitter directories where you must
have a presence, and dozens of other tips on how to use Twitter
lists and directories to save hours of time, form relationships
with journalists, become that subject matter expert I mentioned
above, and create and solidify your brand.

My webinar at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 26, will include step-by-
step directions and advice on how to create a powerful strategy
for using lists. Many Publicity Hounds are confused about this
topic and I’m swamped with questions. If you can’t attend live,
you’ll get the link to the video replay and the MP3, plus
handouts and a free report on “How to Use Twitter for Business to
Network, Promote, Sell, Recruit & Profit.”

If you missed the five tips I sent you last week, you can read
them at my blog at
http://publicityhound.net/5-ways-to-use-twitter-lists-for-pr-
publicity/ or go directly to the webinar registration page at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/twitterlists.htm

=====================================
3. Replay of Teleseminar for Authors
=====================================

Publishing and marketing mentor John Eggen hit it out of the park
during the teleseminar I hosted last week on how to “Write a
Client-Attracting Book Fast That Makes $150,000 Even Before It’s
Published” (and more thereafter).

Participants loved the timeline he gave on exactly how many weeks
you should spend writing, editing, designing, printing and
shipping your book. While some authors exceed his 90-day window
for producing a book, they still complete the task in far less
time than it takes many other authors who labor for years over
their books. Those unfortunate authors turn the process into a
grueling, exhausting exercise that eats up precious time and
exceeds their budget, often by thousands of dollars.

I recorded the call and you can listen to it, including the
killer question-and-answer session, at http://tinyurl.com/25blcta

There’s a valuable free gift (a $265.00 value) offered to
attendees during the interview, but it will only be honored for a
few more days. When it’s gone, it’s gone.

Claim your teleseminar recording at http://tinyurl.com/25blcta

======================================
4. Important Deadline Today
======================================

Today is the last day to take advantage of the early-bird
discount to attend the National Publicity Summit in New York
City, Oct. 20-23.

Only 24 of 100 slots are still open, and the price goes up by at
least $200 for anyone who applies after today.

When you attend the summit, you’ll personally meet over 100 top
journalists/producers who do stories and shows for major media
like: ABC’s The View, CNN, Fox News, Today Show, Woman’s Day,
MSNBC, 48 Hours, Live With Regis & Kelly, Fox & Friends, ABC’s
20/20, USA Weekend, Dateline NBC, Health, Entrepreneur, Family
Circle and many more top outlets. I’m a compensated affiliate and
I promote the summit because of the many great results I’ve heard
and seen from Publicity Hounds who have attended.

Apply at http://www.nationalpublicitysummit.com/apply/?10011

======================================
5. Let’s Ban Groundbreaking Events
======================================

This week, four Publicity Hounds have tips for Lois Kirkpatrick
of Fairfax, Va., who works for a large county government, and
needs alternatives for ground-breaking events.

From Jay Hamilton-Roth:

“Why not create a time capsule at the event? Have people bring
photos, newspaper clippings, drawings, etc. to bury. This could
involve kids and adults, with the bonus of a contest for the best
or smallest or heaviest time capsule submissions.”

From Karen Zapp:

“Get a Flip video camera and record a video as the contractor
begins the site prep work. Ideally, they’re excavating with heavy
equipment. Then have someone engaging in the foreground sharing
key pieces of information about the project.”

From Gail Sideman:

“Hold events that give back to the community when you announce
the opening/reopening of a government venue. For a library,
organize a book drive for those who cannot afford new books or
are challenged for transportation to the library. Some of those
books may also go to the shelter during its opening.

“Regarding the shelter, hold a drive for baby items, such as
diapers, bottles and the like so that the new facility may be
well stocked.”

The Publicity Hound says:

Read all the responses to this “Help This Hound” question at
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6913 and then check out “Fun
Alternatives to Boring Ground-breakings, Ribbon-cuttings and
Check-passings” at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/groundbreakings.htm

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

======================================
6. Help This Hound
======================================

Deborah Lott of Giddings, Texas, writes:

?My husband and I opened a casual pizza and Italian restaurant in
the small Texas town of Giddings, population 5,000, on Hwy. 290,
a major highway between Austin and Houston.

?We have been open for only six months and are having a hard time
getting local residents to dine here. Money is tight so
advertising has been minimal.

?We are open to any and all ideas to help us keep our doors open.
The first three months we were open, we were doing great, but
this summer has been a hardship.?

The Publicity Hound says:

Deborah, you’re not the only restaurant owner who’s hurting.
That’s why tips from my Hounds are more important than ever. Post
them at my blog at http://publicityhound.net/?p=6959

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

Thanks to Twitter follower @NathanBryce for this one:

A dog gave birth on the side of the road and was cited
for…littering.

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/

====================================
8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…
====================================

Great fodder for retweeting:

How to turn a Golf Digest article into more publicity
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6944

5 ways to use Twitter lists for PR, publicity
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6929

How to link your Twitter and Facebook accounts
http://www.mysocialmediasolution.com/?p=438

——————————————-

Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Page:
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
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
U.S.
Phone: 262-284-7451
Fax: 262-284-1737

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #518 Aug. 17, 2010
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. Grade Your Online Presence

2. TweetBeep Saves Time

3. Your Darn Smart Competitors

4. Make Money While Writing Your Book

5. Publicity & Survey Secrets

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Video of the Week

8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. Grade Your Online Presence
=====================================

For all the time we spend discussing how to build an online
presence, we spend too little time talking about how to measure
the results.

That’s why Hubspot’s 10 grading tools at http://grader.com/ are a
good place to start.

They grade your influence on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. They
measure the effectiveness of your website and press releases.
There’s even a fun little tool that shows you how to get the most
out of FourSquare.

Authors, there’s one for you, too, that helps you improve the
marketing of your books.

If you sell anything online, http://Action.Grader.com lets you
optimize your calls-to-action. You can determine which content is
likely to generate the most clicks.

I used several of the tools to see how I rank and found some of
my scores overly generous, particularly my 100 percent Twitter
ranking, or falling far below where I thought they should be.
This isn’t scientific, but it’s one way to get a quick overview
of your online presence. In a few cases, your results will
include specific instructions on how to improve your scores.

Try it and let me know what you think.

======================================
2. TweetBeep Saves Time
======================================

Thanks to Publicity Hound Tom Ciesielka, a PR pro from Chicago,
Ill., for recommending TweetBeep.com, a free tool at
http://www.TweetBeep.com that can save you hours of time hunting
for conversations about your area of expertise.

The web-based application lets you create a search for any
keyword or phrase on Twitter, and receive hourly updates via
email when any tweets include that keyword, phrase or hashtag.

“TweetBeep is an easy tool for tracking talk on Twitter about
your company, website, events or products and services,” Tom
says. “By monitoring the conversation about your brand, you can
make sure you are managing your reputation and engaging with
people who are interested in you–people who can become potential
clients.”

You can also use TweetBeep as a way to measure the level of
interest in various campaigns, or track the reactions to your
company’s announcements or events.

“With targeted information delivered directly to your inbox,
you’ll be sure to never miss a beat–or a tweet,” says Tom, who
included this tip in his excellent PR newsletter at
http://www.tcpr.net/tips.php

=====================================
3. Your Darn Smart Competitors
=====================================

Ever read a blog post, article, or tweet from one of your
competitors, and wonder how Little Miss Smarty Pants got so darn
smart?

I have. But I don’t just sit here and scratch my head. I go to
her Twitter profile and check out her Twitter lists.

Does she have a list of the smartest PR people? The top marketing
gurus? The very best social media coaches? A list of people who
blog about blogging? If so, am I on any of them?

Whether I am or not, I’ll add her best lists to my lists. I’ll
read the tweets from top experts she follows, including those who
provide stellar content worth retweeting so my more than 15,000
followers retweet that information to their tribes, making me
look good.

But that’s only one way to use Twitter lists. Publicity Hounds
have sent me so many questions about this topic, and about
Twitter directories, that I’m hosting a webinar at 3 p.m. Eastern
Time on Thursday, Aug. 26. Come with questions! Register at
http://www.Publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/twitterlists.htm and, as one of your bonuses, get a copy of
my special report “How to Use Twitter for Business to Network,
Promote, Sell, Recruit & Profit.”

======================================
4. Make Money While Writing Your Book
======================================

Yesterday, I emailed you the three disarmingly simple tips from
publishing and marketing mentor John Eggen on how to start making
money from your book long before it’s published.

John has many more tips he’ll share with you tomorrow night, Aug.
18, from 8 to 9:15 p.m. Eastern Time when we present the
teleseminar on how to “Write a Client-Attracting Book Fast that
Makes Up to $150,000 Before It’s Published.” He’s including a
package of three bonuses at the end that I’ve never seen offered
before, including one worth $265. Your time will be well spent.
Promise.

This session applies primarily to Publicity Hounds who are
writing or thinking of writing a non-fiction book. If you write
fiction, you’ll benefit, too.

We’re expecting several hundred people on the call. Register at
http://mypublishingopportunity.com/joans/ and come with your
questions!

======================================
5. Publicity & Survey Secrets
======================================

Two things you don’t want to miss:

–The replay of Jeanne Hurlbert’s content-packed session last
week on how to use surveys for PR and to grow your business. Find
out if you’re guilty of “survey suicide.” Grab the replay before
5 p.m. Eastern tomorrow, Aug. 18. Learn more about it at my blog
at http://publicityhound.net/?p=6893

–The video from Steve Harrison on “The Biggest Secret for
Getting Major National Publicity for Your Book, Product or
Message”:
http://www.thebigsecrettogettingpublicity.com/?10011

(Both are good fodder for retweets.)

======================================
6. Help This Hound
======================================

Lois Kirkpatrick of Fairfax, Va., writes:

“I work for a large county government that has a variety of
groundbreaking/grand opening events.

“The facilities range from libraries, parks and public safety
buildings to homeless shelters and mental health centers.

“What are some things we can do instead of the dreaded VIPs-
holding-shovels groundbreakings and VIPs-holding-scissors ribbon-
cuttings? I’m looking for general ideas that can be applied to
most types of facilities.”

The Publicity Hound says: While we’re on the subject, Hounds, how
about giving Lois some ideas for those equally obnoxious check-
passing ceremonies with the giant, oversized cardboard checks?
Post your best ideas to my blog at
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6913

=====================================
7. Hound Video of the Week
=====================================

You’ll love this short video which proves that many dog owners
do, indeed, look like their dogs:

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.

BONUS: Buy the ebook and you also get a compilation of the 50
best websites for dog humor.
http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/

====================================
8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…
====================================

Great fodder for retweeting:

7 ways to use surveys for publicity, PR, business-building
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6893

21 ways to promote your webinars and teleseminars
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6877

——————————————-

Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Page:
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
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
U.S.
Phone: 262-284-7451
Fax: 262-284-1737

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #517 Aug. 10, 2010
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. Grab Attention on LinkedIn

2. What’s Your #1 Free PR Tool?

3. How Others Perceive You on Twitter

4. Make Money While Writing Your Book

5. Read Your Customers’ Minds

6. Publicity Summit Discount Ends Today

7. Dog Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. Grab Attention on LinkedIn
=====================================

With more than 70 million people on LinkedIn, it’s often
difficult to attract attention to your profile, particularly if
you’re in a crowded industry.

But Paul Furiga, owner of WordWrite Communications in Pittsburgh,
Pa., has found an unusual way to do just that.

In his LinkedIn profile, rather than stating his job title, he
includes a pithy one-sentence elevator pitch that quickly
summarizes what he does at his PR firm:

“I use every tool in the public relations toolbox to make our
clients the heroes in their own stories,” it says.

It’s easy enough to do. When creating your profile, you simply
include your elevator pitch where your job title would be.

I discovered this last week as I was posting a question to
LinkedIn about what PR people think is their Number One free PR
tool. I liked Paul’s idea so much that I wrote a blog post about
it for SocialMediaToday.com at
http://socialmediatoday.com/publicityhound/157407/how-tweak-your-
linkedin-profile-stand-out-crowd

You can even see how I illustrated it with screen shots to show
how his profile really stands out.

That’s one tiny way to promote on LinkedIn. Social media expert
Scott Allen shared more tips that involve well-thought-out
strategies, not just tactics, during the two-part teleseminar I
conducted on “How to Use LInkedIn to Promote Anything–Ethically
& Powerfully” at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/linkedin.htm

======================================
2. What’s Your #1 Free PR Tool?
======================================

I’m compiling a list of free tools that Publicity Hounds use in
their PR and publicity campaigns, and I’d like to hear about your
favorite, not including this newsletter.

Examples:

–Any of the free media leads services like PitchRate, Reporter
Connection, HARO or the new service called NewsBasis.

–The free social media press release template from Shift
Communications at
http://www.shiftcomm.com/downloads/smprtemplate.pdf

–My free course on how to write and distribute online press
releases at http://www.89pressreleasetips.com

–A blog or ezine.

Let’s hear it. What’s the one free PR tool you absolutely cannot
live without? Email me, put “PR Tool” in the subject line and
explain where other Publicity Hounds can find it.

Mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=PRTool

=====================================
3. How Others Perceive You on Twitter
=====================================

The two best ways to put yourself in front of influential people
on Twitter are to:

–Retweet them. Your tweets will show up in their Mentions
column, and if you retweet them often enough, they’ll know who
you are.

–Reply to their tweets. Many people, even big-wigs, will be more
than happy to carry on a conversation with you.

How do you find the most influential people in Twitter? One way
that really saves time is to check out other people’s Twitter
lists and see who they’ve identified as the best (fill in the
blank) within an industry. When you subscribe to THEIR lists,
you’ll see a list of all the tweets from people they’ve
mentioned.

Publicity Hounds have flooded my email inbox with Help This Hound
questions about how to use Twitter lists, a topic that isn’t
answered easily in a blog post. So I’m hosting a teleseminar at 3
p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, Aug. 26, called “How to Use
Twitter Lists & Directories to Generate Publicity and Build Your
Brand.” I’ll even show you a nifty tool that you can use to find
out, within seconds, the Number One keyword or keyword phrase
that people on Twitter use to describe you.

If the time is inconvenient for you, sign up anyway because I’m
recording it. You?ll get a link where you can watch the streaming
video, or download the video. Read more about what you’ll be able
to do with Twitter lists and directories at
http://www.Publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/twitterlists.htm

=====================================
4. Make Money While Writing Your Book
=====================================

The moment you decide to write a book, you can begin to leverage
that fact to attract new clients and revenue.

John Eggen, a publishing and marketing mentor, says one way to do
that is to include this one-liner in your email signature:
“Author of the forthcoming book, (insert your title and subtitle
here).”

Independent professional Jeanna Pool tried it. She reported, “I
got two new clients and $25,000.00 in income, all within 30 days
of starting my book. It took just three minutes to use John
Eggen’s simple technique.”

John has two more incredibly easy ideas that I’ll email you later
this week, along with information on how to join me when I
interview him during a teleseminar at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on
Wednesday, Aug. 18. Don’t miss this one if you’re writing a book,
or thinking of writing one.

You can sign up now at http://mypublishingopportunity.com/joans/
or wait to see the email.

======================================
5. Read Your Customers’ Minds
======================================

One of the worst mistakes I made when I started creating
information products was guessing what Publicity Hounds were
willing to buy.

A handful of the more than 100 products I’ve created turned out
to be stink bombs that, to this day, have fewer than five buyers.

Fortunately, I found Jeanne Hurlbert last year and hired her to
create a customer profile survey for me. The responses showed me
exactly what my customers wanted and how much they were willing
to spend. Ditto for services.

Jeanne is hosting a free webinar at 4 p.m. Eastern Time on
Thursday, Aug. 12. She’ll explain the four survey principles that
will let you read your customers’ minds to create products to
order that they will beg to buy.

She’ll show you how to leverage surveys for PR and publicity that
you couldn’t buy with a million-dollar advertising budget. You’ll
learn how surveys let you build a tribe that loves you, spelling
the difference between falling victim to an economic downturn and
making a fortune from it.

Jeanne will also explain how mobile surveys can put you on the
cutting edge of online marketing.

Register at http://mixiv.com/vp/47965/18826

======================================
6. Publicity Summit Discount Ends Today
======================================

Today, Aug. 10, is the last day to get the full discount on your
tuition for the National Publicity Summit, October 20-23, in New
York City, where you can meet more than 100 top journalists and
broadcasters face to face and pitch your story ideas.

After today, the price goes up. Host Steve Harrison will begin
pre-Summit training for the 53 people who already have been
admitted to the summit.

To apply for one of the 47 open spots, go here now:
http://www.nationalpublicitysummit.com/apply/?10011

I promote the summit as an affiliate because many of my readers
have attended, and reported great results. Watch this video Steve
created, in which four people who attended past summits explain
what happened to them after the did:
http://www.nationalpublicitysummit.com/info/npsvideo.html?10011

=====================================
7. Dog Joke of the Week
=====================================

A 3-year-old boy went with his dad to see a new litter of
Labrador puppies.

When they returned home, the boy breathlessly informed his
mother, “There were three boy Labrador puppies and four girl
Labrador puppies.”

“How did you know that?” his mother asked.

“Daddy picked them up and looked underneath,” he replied. “I
think it’s printed on their bottoms.”

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/

====================================
8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…
====================================

My blog at http://www.PublicityHound.net has a new look that
matches the HTML version of this newsletter. I’ll be adding
widgets, categories and other features in the next few weeks. In
the meantime, check out these posts:

13 fun, easy ways to find content for your blog
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6824

How to tweak your LinkedIn profile and stand out from the crowd
http://socialmediatoday.com/publicityhound/157407/how-tweak-your-
linkedin-profile-stand-out-crowd

——————————————-

Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Page:
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
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
U.S.
Phone: 262-284-7451
Fax: 262-284-1737

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #516 Aug. 3, 2010
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. Create Twitter Lists

2. New Media Leads Service

3. Secrets of Publicity Superstars

4. Subject Lines That Scream “Open!”

5. How to Promote Wardrobe Workshops

6. Authors, Save the Date

7. Dog Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. Create Twitter Lists
=====================================

If you’re active on Twitter, you’ve probably seen at least one
reference on your own profile page to Twitter lists.

They’re a powerful way to categorize Twitter users according to
their area of expertise, or the topics of their tweets and then,
once the list is created, let anyone see it. They save valuable
time because when you create a list, every tweet from every
person on that list feeds into that particular list. You don’t
have to drink from a firehose on Twitter to be able to find the
tweets from people who have a particular expertise.

But don’t be fooled into thinking that that’s the only way to use
Twitter lists. They’re powerful tools that can help you do
valuable research, track down experts in a particular niche, find
people in your target market, spy on your competitors, find
journalists who cover your industry, and so much more.

They’re also an excellent way to determine how other people
perceive your expertise and your brand. Here’s what I mean.

Go to your Twitter Home or Profile page and look under your photo
on the upper right side. You’ll see the number of people you’re
following, the number of people who are following you, and the
number of lists you’re on. Click on “Listed.”

Instantly, you can look down the list and see which Twitter users
have put you on one of their lists, and you can see the names of
their lists. For example, I’m on 644 Twitter lists. When I click
on “Listed,” a window opens and I can see that many of the lists
include the words “PR,” “publicity” and “social media.”

I can also see I’m on lists called “best-resources-4-authors,”
“inspiring-quotes” and “futuristic-entrepreneurs.”

If you aren’t on many lists, or you haven’t created your own
lists yet, that’s OK. I’m hosting a teleseminar at 3 p.m. Eastern
Time on Thursday, Aug. 26, called “How to Use Twitter Lists &
Directories?to Generate Publicity and Build Your Brand.” If the
time is inconvenient for you, sign up anyway because I’m
recording it. You’ll get a link where you can watch the streaming
video, or download the video. Read more about what you’ll be able
to do with Twitter lists and directories at
http://www.Publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/twitterlists.htm

======================================
2. New Media Leads Service
======================================

There’s a new media leads service similar to HARO, PRLeads,
Reporter Connection and PitchRate.

It’s called NewsBasis. Darryl Siry, a freelance writer and
marketing executive, created it.

It’s similar to the four services mentioned above, because it
matches journalists with sources. You can also build a public
profile.

NewsBasis gives you the ability to upload articles to the site,
which can be found by journalists. There’s also a cool feature
that lets you embed your point of view into an article at the
site, and also point out inaccurate information.

Watch the short video that gives you an overview of the service
at http://newsbasis.com/#overview

=====================================
3. Secrets of Publicity Superstars
=====================================

In almost every field, there are people who seem to attract
publicity like magnets.

Journalists love them, and they appear regularly on radio and TV
shows.

They not only know how to get a ton of free coverage, but also
how to profit from the coverage in the form of increased sales,
name recognition, speaking engagements and more.

To discover how these “publicity superstars” do it and how you,
too, can use their strategies, join Steve Harrison this Thursday,
August 5, for a free webinar (or teleseminar if you prefer) at
http://www.freepublicity.com/superstars/?10011

It’s part of a series of free teleseminars he’s hosting to
promote the National Publicity Summit, Oct. 20-23 in New York
City, where 100 pre-qualified Publicity Hounds will be able to
meet dozens of journalists and broadcasters face-to-face and
deliver a pitch. I’m promoting the summit as an affiliate,
because I’ve received great feedback from people whose topics
were a perfect fit for the summit. If your topic is better suited
to trade publications, or niche publications, you won’t be
accepted.

Register for the teleseminar at
http://www.freepublicity.com/superstars/?10011 or apply to attend
the summit at http://www.nationalpublicitysummit.com/apply/?10011

=====================================
4. Subject Lines That Scream “Open!”
=====================================

Some subscribers missed receiving this item last week, because of
a dumb mistake I made. So here it is. If you already read it,
it’s worth a second read:

Here’s some really bad advice that the so-called PR experts
dispense: Your email pitches to journalists and bloggers should
be as short as possible. No more than three or four words.

Why is it bad advice? Because it forces people to make their
subject lines sound cute rather than informative.

Publicist Michelle Tennant, a master at booking her clients on
top-tier TV and radio shows, often uses as many words as
necessary in her subject lines so they scream, “Open me!”

And wow, do journalists ever open them!

During last week’s webinar on “How to Tie Your Pitch to Breaking
News and Make the Media Interview YOU,” Michelle dissected three
email pitches that scored publicity in major media outlets. All
three had the critical elements of an email pitch and made the
journalist’s job incredibly easy. You can adopt them for your own
use.

News is breaking all around you–and that’s the very best time to
pitch. I recorded the webinar and you can watch it at your
computer, or download it along with the MP3 file, the handouts
and Michelle’s sample email pitches. Read more about what she
taught at
http://www.Publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/breakingnews.htm

======================================
5. How to Promote Wardrobe Workshops
======================================

This week, six Publicity Hounds have tips for Cathy Berger of
Roslyn, NY, who asked for quick, creative ways she can market
workshops that show women how to dress according to their body
type.

From Bob Shultz:

“Have you marketed your plan to area health clubs and fitness
centers that focus on women who want to look and feel better?
Also, weight loss centers such as Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers
may be interested.”

From Rekaya:

“Narrow your target audience. For example, for the ‘6 Steps for
Fashionably Fitting the Voluptuous Woman,’ create flyers and
distribute them to plus-sized stores in the area. Your current
target audience could work if you use social media. Try catching
their attention with buzzwords such as ‘Fashion Trends in the
Workplace,’ ‘What to Wear to an Interview with Your Body Type,’
and ‘Dressing for Less.’”

From Marcia Yudkin:

“You can get much better attendance if you narrow your topic.
Women who know they have an hourglass figure (for example) would
much rather pay to attend a workshop where they know all the
content pertains to them than to pay for and sit through a
workshop where only a percentage of the content pertains to
them.”

The Publicity Hound says:

Read all the responses to this week’s “Help This Hound” question
at
http://publicityhound.net/dress-better-workshops-for-women-need-
publicity-ideas/

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

=====================================
6. Authors, Save the Date
=====================================

If you’re writing a book or thinking of writing one, you won’t
want to miss my teleseminar on how to “Write a Client-Attracting
Book Fast that Makes Up to $150,000 Before It’s Published” at 8
p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, Aug. 18.

My guest, John Eggen, a publishing and marketing mentor, has an
impressive string of success stories from authors who made big
bucks from their books, attracted clients, and received
consulting assignments long before their books hit the
bookstores.

Sign-up information should be ready for you next week.

=====================================
7. Dog Quote of the Week
=====================================

“My dog, she looks at me sometimes with that look, and I think
maybe deep down inside she must know exactly how I feel. But then
maybe she just wants the food off my plate.” –Unknown

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/

====================================
8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…
====================================

Great retweets:

How to build a strong brand so competitors can’t define you
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6806

Guest post:
Everything you do online–good or bad–is publicity
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6789

7 ways blogging makes you and your employees smarter
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6776

Show website visitors how to find you at social media sites
http://www.mysocialmediasolution.com/?p=432

——————————————-

Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Page:
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
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
U.S.
Phone: 262-284-7451
Fax: 262-284-1737

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #509 June 15, 2010
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/

==========================================

ADV:
Why agonize when you can energize & italicize
your bio with ‘Bio Whisperer’ Nancy Juetten’s
expert help?
http://www.mainstreetmediasavvy.com/rent-a-brain

===================================
        In This Issue
===================================

1. LinkedIn’s Badge of Honor

2. How to Get LinkedIn Recommendations

3. The Power of Guest Blogging

4. Advice for Family Experts

5. Help This Hound

6. Hound Video of the Week

7. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

====================================
1. LinkedIn’s Badge of Honor
====================================

Here’s a powerful way to promote your expertise and outstanding
work.

Generate more than 10 recommendations on your LinkedIn profile
and you can become a member of LinkedIn’s Top Recommended People
group. Its logo will show up on your profile, along with those of
your other group memberships.

You’ll also find six sub-groups. You can join at the Gold level,
like I did, if you have from 25 to 99 recommendations, at the
Platinum level for 100 to 499 recommendations, and at the Elite
level for more than 500.

Of the more than 50 million people on LinkedIn, only about 1,600
are in the TRP group, so you’ll be in elite company.

Learn more about TRP, which was created by LinkedIn member Ross
Dodwell, at http://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=1857786

After you join, you can also display the badge proudly at your
website or blog, and in your online press kit. Mention that
you’re a member of LinkedIn’s Top Recommended people in your
email signature, and in your social media profiles.

A gourmet doggie treat for Dustin Martin, one of my LinkedIn
connections, who tipped me off to this group.

======================================
2. How to Get LinkedIn Recommendations
======================================

How do you get LinkedIn recommendations so you can become a
member of Top Recommended People?

Here are my three favorite ways:

–Give recommendations. Every time you recommend someone,
LinkedIn will notify that person and ask them if they want to
recommend you. But don’t go hog wild. Space out your
recommendations every few days or you’ll raise a red flag on
LinkedIn.

–Every time someone compliments you, tell them, “I’d be honored
if you’d say that in a recommendation on my LinkedIn profile.”
That’s what I do, and many people reciprocate. Pay particular
attend to compliments in your email.

–Ask co-workers, people in your trade associations, clients and
vendors. But be very careful. Make absolutely sure they are
familiar with your work.

Social media strategist Scott Allen (who has 70 recommendations
on LinkedIn) was my guest during a teleseminar on How to Use
LinkedIn to Promote Anything–Ethically & Powerfully.” Learn
about how to create a promotional campaign on this high-powered
site without looking like you’re promoting. He shows you how at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/linkedin.htm

=====================================
3. The Power of Guest Blogging
=====================================

The two biggest complaints from people who blog is that they
don’t have enough time to write, and their blogs aren’t
generating enough traffic.

Smart bloggers have this indispensable tool at the top of their
toolbox: guest-blogging.

They can recruit guest bloggers to provide content for their blog
over the holidays or while they’re on vacation.

They can offer their own expertise to other high-profile blogs
and reach audiences they could never reach on their own.

If they write a guest blog for a popular site, it can bring tons
of traffic, give them valuable back-links, and attract more
subscribers to their own blog and newsletter.

But there’s a lot of confusion. How do you find guest bloggers
and know if they’re any good before you commit to publishing
their content? Why do some bloggers reject duplicate content like
last week’s leftovers, and should you? How much liberty can you
take editing someone else’s copy? And what if you disagree
vehemently with the opinions of a guest-blogger?

I’ll give you those answers and show you how to let guest
bloggers do some of the heavy lifting for you, when I host a
webinar at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, June 30. Join me for
“How to Find Valuable Guest Bloggers (and Be One Too!). Register
at
http://www.PublicityHound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/guestblogging.htm

If the time is inconvenient, sign up anyway. You’ll get the link
afterward where you can watch the video.

=====================================
4. Advice for Family Experts
=====================================

This week, six Publicity Hounds have tips for Rosemary Lichtman,
PhD, and Phyllis Goldberg, PhD, of Los Angeles, Calif., family
relationship experts, on how to promote their blog and ebook.

From Mary Jane Hurley Brant:

“Put an additional link on your email signatures indicating that
you are offering a free ebook.”

From Rekaya:

“Set up a Virtual Book Tour. It’s an online tour of websites,
blogs, radio shows, etc. Research the ones that are a good fit.
Ask the blog owner if you can be a guest, or stop by their site
during your tour. Some will ask you to complete interview
questions about your book or write a short piece. During a set
amount of time, such as two weeks, your information will appear
on a series of websites/blogs. Don’t forget to mention your free
ebook and to include the link to your blog.”

From Bruce Jones:

“I have no idea what your book is about, so I would put a picture
of it right above the sign-up box and a short text description
right below. Make sure the picture is really clear, with oversize
type because it will be just a thumbnail on the blog. You could
even use a different picture for the blog than it is in reality
so that the image really stands out.”

The Publicity Hound says:

Read all the responses to this week?s “Help This Hound” question
http://publicityhound.net/family-relationship-experts-need-tips-
for-promoting-free-ebook/

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

======================================
5. Help This Hound
======================================

I’m all out of questions, so here’s one of mine (send
questions!):

“If you use coupons on your Facebook Fan Pages, particularly if
those coupons are bringing more leads and sales, I’d like to see
them.

“Include the link in the comments section at my blog at
http://publicityhound.net/wanted-examples-of-facebook-fan-page-
coupons/ and explain how you created the coupon, and the results.

“I’m looking for examples for a course I’m teaching. I’m familiar
with coupons used by the big companies like Coke and  Zappos. But
I’m particularly interested in those used by entrepreneurs and
small businesses.”

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

You’ll love this “Bailey Plays Dead” clip from a segment of David
Letterman’s Stupid Pet Tricks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DalB-CvO7Qc

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 Blogs & Mobile Site…
====================================

Consider retweeting:

12 more fill-in-the-blank headlines for your articles, blog
http://publicityhound.net/12-more-fill-in-the-blank-headlines-
for-your-articles-blog/

Wanted: Examples of Facebook Fan Page coupons
http://publicityhound.net/wanted-examples-of-facebook-fan-page-
coupons/

——————————————-

Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Page:
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
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
U.S.
Phone: 262-284-7451
Fax: 262-284-1737

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #508 June 8, 2010
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 Catch CNN’s Attention

2. Add Facebook’s ‘Like’ Button

3. Still Not Done Writing Your Book?

4. Promoting a Course for Execs

5. Help This Hound

6. Hound Joke of the Week

7. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

====================================
1. How to Catch CNN’s Attention
====================================

If you’ve been pitching CNN and you’re getting nowhere, take
matters into your own hands.

Go to the network’s IReport page at http://www.ireport.com/ where
you’re invited to write your own story, be heard and shape what
CNN covers.

“One of the goals of CNN IReport is to expand the current
definition of news. Please share the stories you think are
newsworthy and participate in discussions you think are
interesting. CNN’s producers will check out the most compelling,
important and urgent stories, so we can verify the information
and add them to CNN’s coverage.”

The stories in this section are not edited, fact-checked or
screened before they post. Only ones marked “CNN IReport” have
been vetted by CNN.

But if you can pique the network’s interest here, where you KNOW
they’re paying attention, you might end up on the televised news.
Be sure to stop by the assignment desk at
http://www.ireport.com/community/assignment so you know exactly
what kinds of sources they’re seeking. Your IReport article
doesn’t have to tie into one of the assignments, but it helps to
know what they need.

If you’re content with being on the news in your own community,
increase your chances. Check out the teleseminar I hosted with TV
producer Shawne Duperon on “How to Get on the Local TV News
Tomorrow” at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/getinthenews.htm

======================================
2. Add Facebook’s ‘Like’ Button
======================================

Make it easy for people to spread the word about your website,
blog articles and other online content.

Add Facebook’s “Like” button to those pages.

The button lets users share content with their friends on
Facebook with just one click. Since the content is hosted by
Facebook, the button can display personalized content whether or
not the user has logged into your site. For logged-in Facebook
users, the button is personalized to highlight friends who have
also “liked” the page.

If you aren’t tech-savvy, let your webmaster insert the button
for you by following instructions here:
http://developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/plugins/like

Then make sure you’re taking advantage of the power of Facebook.
See “11 Ways to Avoid Missed Opportunities on Facebook” at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/how_to_use_facebook.htm

=====================================
3. Still Not Done Writing Your Book?
=====================================

Is it taking you longer to write your book than you ever
expected…a lot longer?

Is watching the whole thing come together like watching grass
grow?

If so, you’re invited to a free telephone seminar on Thursday,
June 10, with Ann McIndoo, who has developed a unique system for
writing a quality non-fiction book in 90 days! I’m a compensated
affiliate for this program.

Discover the speed writing system she’s used to help 268 authors
get their books done quickly. Register at
Http://www.freeauthortraining.com/call/?10011

=====================================
4. Promoting a Course for Execs
=====================================

This week, three Publicity Hounds have tips for Anne Graham of
Vancouver, British Columbia who needs help launching a new
product,a toolkit for executives on how to survive and thrive
during the recession.

From Eric Gruber:

“Do article marketing. Target top websites and ezines. For
example, FastCompany.com (they have member blogs), CEO Refresher
and hundreds more.”

From Flo Selfman:

“Send the information to Karen E. Klein, a leading business
journalist who writes the InBox column every week in the Los
Angeles Times Business section.  Karen could use you and your
product to answer a reader’s question.  Reach her at
http://www.kareneklein.com/”

From The Publicity Hound:

Video, video and more video!

Create short videos of no more than two and a half minutes packed
with tips in a specific sub-category within your course or your
ebook.

Each video should include the landing page URL where people can
opt into the ebook.

The more videos you create, the more keywords, or tags, you can
use.  All those keywords and videos will be pulling in traffic
from the search engines.

Read all the responses to this week’s “Help This Hound question,
or join the discussion, at
http://publicityhound.net/consultant-needs-help-launching-new-
product-for-business-leaders/

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

======================================
5. Help This Hound
======================================

Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. & Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D of Los Angeles,
Calif. write:

“We are family relationship experts who have developed an ebook,
‘Courage and Lessons Learned.’ It’s full of practical tips that
help you take the first steps toward a new goal–running a 5K,
starting your own business, reconnecting with an old friend. By
logging on to our blog at
http://www.nourishingrelationships.blogspot.com/, you can join the
email list and download a complimentary ebook, in PDF format.

“We’re looking for some creative ways to let bloggers and
organizations know about this free ebook. We already have an auto
responder on our blog and website at
http://www.hermentorcenter.com/  But a broader reach would help us
spread the word.”

The Publicity Hound says:

One of the first things you should do is get your blog off of
Blogspot’s server and onto another server where you have complete
control over it. I learned this the hard way. With no warning,
Blogspot denied me access to my ezine archives, and I never
learned why. Luckily, I backed up the archives and was able to
import almost all of it into a Wordpress blog at
http://www.publicityarticles.net/ where it’s now safe.

Hounds with other tips on how to promote your ebook can post them
to my regular blog at
http://publicityhound.net/family-relationship-experts-need-tips-
for-promoting-free-ebook/. What are some ways that Rosemary and
Phyllis can tie into breaking news events?

=====================================
6. Hound Joke of the Week
=====================================

Dogs are better than kids. They eat less, don’t ask for money all
the time, are trained, usually come when called, never drive your
car, don’t hang out with drug-using friends, don’t smoke or
drink, don’t worry about whether they have the latest fashions,
don’t wear your clothes and don’t need a gazillion dollars for
college.

And if they get pregnant, you can sell the pups.
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 Blogs & Mobile Site…
====================================

Consider retweeting:

New to publicity? Here’s a free 6-part email course
http://publicityhound.net/new-to-publicity-heres-a-free-6-part-
email-course/

Think social media is a fad? I dare you to watch this video
http://www.mysocialmediasolution.com/think-social-media-is-a-fad-
i-dare-you-to-watch-this-video/

Online visibility: 13 ways to build a following
http://publicityhound.net/online-visibility-13-ways-to-build-a-
following/

2 ways to use controversy: At your blog and in a poll
http://www.mysocialmediasolution.com/2-ways-to-use-controversy-
at-your-blog-and-in-a-poll/

Need an expert? Look at one of the article directory sites
http://publicityhound.net/need-an-expert-look-at-one-of-the-
article-directory-sites/

——————————————-

Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Page:
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
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
U.S.
Phone: 262-284-7451
Fax: 262-284-1737

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #502 April 27, 2010
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. Create Link Bait

2. Nonprofits, Beware

3. Write a Book Quickly

4. Webinars & Teleseminars

5. Shortcuts for a Harpist

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Cartoon of the Week

8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

====================================
1. Create Link Bait
====================================

If you’re looking for an enticing headline for an article or blog
post that you want to go viral, here’s a handy, free tool that
can help you create link bait.

It’s http://www.linkbaitgenerator.com/. Just type in the subject
of your blog post, note whether it’s singular or plural, hit
“submit,” and it creates a headline. I typed in the word
“publicity” and it suggested these three headlines:

10 ballsy pranks involving publicity that failed miserably

9 crazy ways that publicity is infiltrating pop culture

6 ways Hollywood makes publicity look ridiculous in movies

Not every headline suggestion will work, but keep plugging in
words and you’ll find one that fits.

Compelling headlines are just a small part of generating
interest, and keeping it, at your blog. The blog should be set up
correctly, and include features and plug-ins that will engage
visitors and keep them coming back. Blogging expert Patsi Krakoff
explained how during the teleseminar “Time-saving Tips for Smart
Business Blogging.” It comes with 23 pages of handouts, including
101 ways to find content for your blog. Learn more at
http://budurl.com/blogcontentideas

==================================
2. Nonprofits, Beware
==================================

If a company calling itself GreatAmericaHD calls you with an
“offer” to be featured in a nationally broadcast PBS show
anchored by retired broadcaster Hugh Downs, know what you’re
getting.

Before you sign anything, read this post at The Consumerist blog,
including the New York Times article it links to:
http://snipurl.com/greatamericahd

The company, formerly known as Vision Media Television, charges
upwards of $20,000 in production costs for the show. And whether
the program has a chance of getting onto PBS is questionable. In
fact, the article above also links to a disclaimer that PBS has
on its website. It says it has no affiliation with Vision Media
television and more than 20 other production companies and
programs.

So what’s a publicity alternative to spending big bucks?
Publicist Lissa Warren shows you “How to Get Booked on the
Morning TV Talk Shows.” Learn more at
http://snipurl.com/morningtv

=====================================
3. Write a Book Quickly
=====================================

Don’t make the same mistake many authors make: Devoting three
years of your life writing a book.

If you’re writing a book or thinking of writing one, watch this
video in which Steve Harrison shares 7 tips on how to write a
book quickly: http://ow.ly/1DttE

=====================================
4. Webinars & Teleseminars
=====================================

Thursday, April 29:

–”How Non-Fiction Writers Can Use Social Media to Promote Their
Expertise, Find More Fans & Sell More Books,” 1 Eastern,
featuring Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound. Use the coupon code
“publicityhound” and save 40 percent on registration.
http://nonfictionwritersconference.com/

–”How to Thrive as an Author/Expert in any economy,” featuring
Steve Harrison, 2 or 7 p.m. Eastern. http://ow.ly/1DDCq

Tuesday, May 4:

–”Your Cash-Generating Crystal Ball: How to Use Simple Surveys
to Read Your Prospects’ and Customers’ Minds, Build Lists, Create
Products and Make Money,” featuring Jeanne Hurlbert, PhD, 2 p.m.
Eastern. http://bit.ly/brELc6

–”Words That Work in the Press, Politics & Public Relations,”
featuring word wizard Frank Lutz, sponsored by Bulldog Reporter.
http://ow.ly/1DtxK
Download the replay of “Discover the Secrets to Speaking in the
Recession-Proof College Market” with James Malinchak, or listen
at your computer. Includes 17 most in-demand topics.
http://www.callwithjames.com/call

======================================
5. Shortcuts for a Harpist
======================================

This week, seven Publicity Hounds have tips for Anne Roos of
South Lake Tahoe, CA, a harpist who’s looking for office
shortcuts to save time and her hands.

From Linda Williams:

“Try dividing your day into pods. Plan to work one hour on one of
your topics. Take a 15-minute break to walk, stretch, get a drink
of water and then, go to the next one-hour pod. Make sure you
have everything ready to do the work so you don’t spend your hour
organizing ’stuff.’

From Jason Saeler:

“Spend an hour a week blogging. Just sit down and post your
entries for the entire week. Post date your entries and change
the times so that each day of the week, a new entry is posted.
You’re not even there, but the search engines and your visitors
don’t know that!”

From Lisa Chaffey:

“Great to see you’re making use of a virtual assistant. Sounds
like you just need to learn some of the shortcuts on your
computer to make your life just that little bit easier. I have
some good ones on my blog here:
http://www.inapickle-va.com/articles/time-saving-computer-tips/
Hope you find them useful.”

The Publicity Hound says:

Read all the responses to this question at http://ow.ly/1AN3i

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

=====================================
6. Help This Hound
=====================================

Deborah Avens of Temple Hills, MD writes:

“Virtuous Enterprises, Inc. is a nonprofit devoted to
transforming lives of disadvantaged women and girls in the
Washington, D.C. area through training and development.

“Our programs include training in computer science, engineering
and computer information systems; a 16-week program for women who
want to become entrepreneurs; and a leadership development and
mentoring program for girls in foster care in Maryland.

“How can we promote these programs without a marketing budget?”

The Publicity Hound says:

With so many unemployed people, your question comes at the
perfect time, Deborah. Job training experts, marketing pros and
other creative Hounds read this newsletter, and they’ll post
their best ideas for you at http://ow.ly/1DHuq

=====================================
7. Hound Cartoon of the Week
=====================================

Ever talk to a dog, and it looks at you like you’re nuts? Thanks
to Suzanne Bates for this cartoon at her website that explains
why: http://snipurl.com/dogcartoon

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/

====================================
8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…
====================================

Consider retweeting:

Do you thank people for retweeting your content?
http://ow.ly/1DAdD

Facebook traffic nipping at Google’s heels
http://ow.ly/1Dtj0 Learn words for persuasive PR during May 4 teleseminar
http://ow.ly/1DtxK

9 ways authors can use text messages to sell books
http://ow.ly/1DtlH
(Mobile site)

——————————————

Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Page:
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.

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

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #492 Feb. 16, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
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. Four Benefits of a Google Profile

2. Video: Facebook Changes

3. New Media Leads Service

4. Promoting Book Videos

5. Help This Hound

6. Hound Joke of the Week

7. And at My Blogs…

======================================
1. Four Benefits of a Google Profile
======================================

Have you ever Googled your name, and then flinched when you saw
what showed up on the first page?

If so, you might be able to push what you didn’t like onto Page
2. That’s the first benefit of creating your Google profile at
http://tinyurl.com/createmyprofile

It’s sort of like a mini version of a Facebook profile page.
After you list your name, occupation and location, your profile
will appear in a box on the first page of Google’s search results
for your name. Next to the thumbnail information and your photo,
people can click a link to your full Google profile.

Three more benefits of creating your profile:

–It’s needed before you can start using Buzz, the hot new social
tool that Google introduced last week.

–You can link to your website, blog, Twitter and Facebook pages,
social bookmarking profiles, photo-sharing sites, and other
places where you want traffic.

–Your profile page can be your main home on the Web if you don’t
yet have a website.

After you’ve created it, here are five ways to share it:

–Add it to your IM status message.

–Link to it in your email signature.

–Note it in Google Reader.

–Post about it on Twitter.

–Share it on Facebook.

How you write your profile often determines whether someone wants
to learn more about you, or bail out. See “Can Your Social Media
Profile Pass the 10-Second Test?” at
http://tinyurl.com/socialmediaprofiles

======================================
2. Video: Facebook Changes
======================================

Last week, I wrote about Facebook’s redesigned home page and
heard from lots of readers who said they were still having
problems navigating it.

Thanks to Publicity Hound Christine Buffaloe, my virtual
assistant, for sharing this video tour of the redesign:
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=484066065483

Do you have a VA yet? Knowing where to look and what questions to
ask these independent contractors will save you time. See “How to
Hire a Virtual Assistant to Help with Your Publicity Campaign” at
http://tinyurl.com/prassistants

=====================================
3. New Media Leads Service
=====================================

Here’s another free media leads service designed to give you
daily email updates, Monday through Friday, of queries by
journalists, broadcasters and bloggers who are looking for
specific types of sources to interview.

Reporter Connection, created by Bill and Steve Harrison, tells
you which journalists are looking for sources with your
expertise. You respond, and then you wait to see if the
journalist wants to interview you. You can sign up for the
service at http://ReporterConnection.com/JoinFree/?11577 (I’m an
affiliate).

Almost every week through March 20, they’ll choose one subscriber
and give away something cool like an Amazon Kindle, digital
camera or GPS.

Publicity Hound Steve Hines, of Marketing Resource Management,
said a query he saw in Reporter Connection resulted in almost a
dozen radio interviews about the Olympics.

“I had covered four Summer Games, one Winter Olympics and 15+
world championships in a variety of sports as a photojournalist,”
Steve said. “The stations were looking for comments on being a
part of the Games.”

You could be next.

====================================
4. Promoting Book Videos
====================================

This week, four Publicity Hounds have suggestions for Jenni
Bowring-McDonough of St. Paul, MN on how her husband, Tim, can
let authors and publishers know about the promotional book videos
(trailers) he creates.

From Meryl K. Evans:

“Go the extra mile and add captions or subtitles to your
trailers. You’ll make a lot of people happy, not just those who
rely on captions. So few videos are captioned so folks like me
mention those that are by word of mouth. The website
http://www.22frames.com/ lists all captioned videos or videos
without words, so submit your videos there to reach that
audience.”

From Martine Ehrenclou:

“Maybe you can connect with independent publishers through the
Independent Book Publishers Association (formerly PMA). They have
a monthly newsletter that goes out to all the publishers. You
could place an ad or write an article on the advantages of book
trailers for book promotion and list your name and website
address.”

From Alexis O’Neill:

“It seems that the real buyers of trailers today are authors,
since the houses claim they have no money. Find out from the
houses/agents what their upcoming lists will include and have
them pass your information along to their authors.”

The Publicity Hound says:

Tim should write a series of articles on how to create book
trailers, how to use the videos, and examples of success stories
from authors who have used them. See “How to Write How-to
Articles” at http://tinyurl.com/howtoarticles

===================================
5. Help This Hound
===================================

Gabrielle Javier-Cerulli, of Rochester, NY writes:

“I just launched the Global Network of Expressive Arts
Facilitators at http://www.expressiveartsfacilitators.com/ and
need to get the word out about it and attract new members on an
international scale.

“It’s a membership-based organization for facilitators, all non-
therapists, who use the creative process (painting, drumming,
singing, journal writing, collage-making) with their clients with
the intent of self-discovery, clarity, enjoyment and healing.

“Our mission is to build community for these heart- and soul-
centered facilitators, and also to publicize our members and what
they do by listing them on the online directory, highlighting
them in the Member of the Week, a BlogTalkRadio show and giving
them an opportunity to submit their articles on videos to the
website.

“We have Twitter and Facebook pages and a blog. I’d love to hear
other ideas of getting the word out to this global niche market.
Also, how do we go about finding speaking engagements to talk
about the network?”

The Publicity Hound says:

Gabrielle, your topic lends itself perfectly to video. Let’s see
what my Hounds suggest on ways you can use it, and any of their
other ideas. Hounds with suggestions for Gabrielle can post them
to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/artsfacilitators

=================================
6. Hound Joke of the Week
=================================

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/

==================================
7. And at My Blogs…
==================================

Consider retweeting these blog posts:

Don’t be anonymous at social media sites: Use a gravatar
http://ow.ly/15RAq

Let people comment at your blog without logging in first
http://tinyurl.com/commentatblogs

Action Sports Hub magazine needs articles
http://tinyurl.com/actionsportshub

————————————

Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Page:
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 at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you
told me you want to subscribe.

Privacy Statement:

The Publicity Hound respects your privacy and has a strict anti-
spam policy. Read my privacy policy at
http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm

================================================
Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #491 Feb. 9, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
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. More Facebook Changes, Ugh

2. Radio Show Needs Guests

3. A Year’s Worth of Promotion Ideas

4. Corporate Sponsors & Social Media

5. Promoting a Day for Retirees

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Commercial of the Week

8. And at My Blogs…

======================================
1. More Facebook Changes, Ugh
======================================

If you log into your Facebook page and it looks different, it’s
because Facebook is rolling out a new redesign of its home page,
yet again.

Here’s what’s new:

–Your “Home” and “Profile” links are on the top right.

–On the menu in the top left corner, near the search bar, you’ll
see red bubbles. When you click on them, drop-down menus will
show your new notifications. This is the place to look if you
want to see who wrote on your wall or tagged you.

–The “Highlights” column along the right side is gone.

–The left-hand bar has been expanded.

–You now have two views of the news feed: a summary view of the
most interesting activity that’s happened in the last day and a
real-time view that shows you what is happening right now.

You can read more about the changes, and read comments from those
who are mostly griping, at Facebook’s blog at
http://tinyurl.com/facebookgriping

As a special customer service, I’ll be sending revised handouts
to anyone who attended the teleseminar or bought the product “11
Ways to Avoid Missed Opportunities on Facebook.” If you haven’t
ordered yours yet, do it! You’ll get the new handouts in several
days or as soon as they’re ready. Read more about what you’ll
learn at http://budurl.com/facebookwithchris

======================================
2. Radio Show Needs Guests
======================================

Thanks to RadioGuestList.com for this media lead:

The “Cal and Bob Show,” on KBLF-AM in Northern California, is
looking for guests who have stories that don’t sound true, but
are. Topics range from “dumb” small-town criminals to the
(thousands of) stupid decisions made by politicians in D.C.

If you have a book or product to sell, you’re welcome to appear
as a guest, as long as your story is a good fit and you’re
willing to laugh about it. The show airs during the all-important
drive-time from 7 to 9 a.m. Pacific. Contact Paul Vietti,
producer, at 520-276-3641 or email dpvietti@gmail.com.

Sign up for more booking and podcasting leads, or submit leads
for your own show, at http://www.radioguestlist.com/

If you have a great story to tell but you need tips on how to be
the type of guest who’s invited back, see “How to Get onto Drive-
time Radio Shows” at http://tinyurl.com/drivetimeradio

===================================
3. A Year’s Worth of Promotion Ideas
===================================

Thanks to Publicity Hound Tim Morse of Norfolk, VA for sharing
this helpful website that gives 12 months worth of promotion
ideas by listing special days, weeks and months of the year:
http://www.adsources.com/IDEAS/Cal/index.htm

Use these to plan advertising campaigns. Or piggyback onto them
for free publicity. They’re very similar to Chase’s Calendar of
Events at http://www.chases.com/. The deadline for Chase’s, by the
way, is April 15.

===================================
4. Corporate Sponsors & Social Media
===================================

Here are teleseminars and webinars of interest this week:

–”How to Get Major Companies and Nonprofits to Sponsor the
Promotion of Your Book, Product or Service.” Steve Harrison
interviews Brendon Burchard about how to get big companies and
nonprofits to gladly sponsor your marketing, publicity and
promotional efforts. Brendon teaches simple methods that anyone
can use. This teleseminar, conducted in December, is being
brought back by popular demand. It’s free, but you must register
at http://www.sponsorshiptrainingteleseminar.com/?10011 (I’m an
affiliate).

–Social Media Rx. This is a private customer appreciation
webinar for anyone who has purchased “Social Media Rx: Your 20-
Minute Prescription for Cutting through the Clutter, Chatter &
Confusion of Social Media.” Come with your questions about how to
use your assessment report, checklists or bonuses, or anything
else dealing with social media. Jeanne Hurlbert, my partner, and
I will answer them. We’ll email your invitation today. Anyone can
see the replay of the webinar Jeanne and I hosted last week at
http://www.mysocialmediarx.com/subscribe/msms.htm

====================================
5. Promoting a Day for Retirees
====================================

This week, three Publicity Hounds have ideas on how Phyllis May
can promote “Refired Not Retired Day” on March 1.

From Reece Franklin:

“You should easily be able to find a list of senior centers. A
note to the center activity directors might work.

“Another way might be to get the addresses, send a postcard in a
color like goldenrod, and announce it on the card, with a message
asking, ‘What do you plan to do for Refire Not Retire Day?’

“While the people in assisted living are retired physically
(maybe) they are sure not retired mentally. You can create a
contest or, next year, ask people how they intend to refire
themselves. Just because the timeline is tight for March 1, does
not mean this cannot extend to the entire month.”

From The Publicity Hound:

“Tap into social networks that consist of retired people. Search
Facebook groups, Twibes.com (Twitter tribes) and Yahoo groups. Or
form your own group.

“Tell those people about your day and have them offer suggestions
on things they’d like to do-something that would be fun or help
their communities. It could be something as simple as doing
volunteer work on that day. Getting more people involved at the
ground level will give you lots of ideas to choose from.”

From J. Frizzera:

“I agree with Joan. If youre looking for a theme, remember that
March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. If you can
incorporate that idea, or anything else you like, it helps people
identify with what youre doing. Make it memorable and people will
pay attention.”

Read all the responses to this “Help This Hound” question at
http://tinyurl.com/ygrw3oa

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

===================================
6. Help This Hound
===================================

Jenni Bowring-McDonough of St. Paul, MN writes:

“My husband, Tim McDonough, is a graphic artist who is now
producing book trailers (book promotion videos) at Standard Book
Videos at http://www.standardbookvideos.com/

“Because I work in publishing, I introduced him to our president
who hired Tim to design several trailers (book videos) for us.
Thats terrific, but Tim needs more exposure to attract more
clients. He advertised in the event catalog for a regional
publishers conference and he will be running an ad in ForeWord
Magazine’s national online newsletter later this month.

“We have reached out to other local publishers to introduce Tim’s
business. He’s on Twitter, and we will be building a Facebook
page soon. We have also reached out to other contacts via the
local Book Publishers Association, but thus far, to no avail.

“I even pitched Tim’s story of reinventing himself after 20 years
in broadcast news to several weeklies and dailies, but no one bit
on the idea. We have also begun branching out into web videos and
hope to expand into promotional/sales web videos for small
businesses. Thanks for any and all advice!

The Publicity Hound says:

Jenni, I love Tim’s videos! Authors, you’ll love them, too. Go
take a look. While you’re there, post your best ideas for Jenni
and Tim at my blog at http://tinyurl.com/bookvideos

=================================
7. Hound Commercial of the Week
=================================

Thanks to Publicity Hound Tracey Bennett of Honolulu, HI for the
link to the clever Doritos commercial shown during the Super
Bowl. I howled with laughter when I saw it:

http://vodpod.com/watch/3011187-doritos-underdog

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/

==================================
8. And at My Blogs…
==================================

Consider retweeting these blog posts:

Don’t let PR clients insert damaging info into press releases
http://tinyurl.com/pressreleasesinfo

Huffington: ‘Blogs more effective than press releases’
http://tinyurl.com/blogsmoreeffective

Find social media frustrating? You’re not alone
http://tinyurl.com/frustratingsocialmedia

Pittsburgh PR company + social media = A virtual intern
http://tinyurl.com/avirtualintern

————————————

Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound

Join my Facebook Fan Page:
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
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================================================
Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #490 Feb. 2, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
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
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===================================
        In This Issue
===================================

1. When Google Speaks, Listen

2. Five Blogging Must-Haves

3. LinkedIn Recommendations

4. For Authors & Publishers Only

5. A Book on Inappropriate Touching

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Slide Show of the Week

8. And at My Blogs…

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1. When Google Speaks, Listen
======================================

So you think social media is a big fat waste of time, huh?

What if I told you that Google, the granddaddy of search engines,
is now including links and posts from social media sites like
Twitter, Facebook and MySpace as soon as they appear online? If
you aren’t participating at social media sites, and your
competitors are, they could be elbowing their way onto the top of
the Google search list for your keywords, if they’re using those
same keywords and sharing links.

You can read about it here: http://ow.ly/12CLQ

As you’ll see from that article, it’s more important than ever
for Publicity Hounds to use social networking sites to spread
information via shared links. If you’ve been putting off
participating, that should change your mind.

Jeanne Hurlbert, my new business partner, and I created Social
Media Rx, a new product specifically for Publicity Hounds who are
petrified about getting involved in social media, or can’t figure
out what to say or how to act at these sites.

Tomorrow, Feb. 3, we’re offering you a free webinar, chock full
of social media tips, for people who haven’t even dipped their
toes into the social media waters yet, or for those who are
participating, but aren’t quite sure what they’re doing or aren’t
seeing a return on investment.

It will be at 3 p.m. Eastern Time (Noon Pacific), and we’re
sharing tons of social media tips and success stories. We’ll also
give you a glimpse of Social Media Rx, our new product. It’s an
assessment you can take by answering a series of questions
designed to show you how much you do or don’t know about social
media.

When you’re done, it delivers, within seconds, a customized
report and your own formula that explains exactly what you should
be discussing at social media sites, based on your job, hobbies,
interests and level of expertise. It’s already received rave
reviews, and we can hardly wait to show it to you.

Everyone who registers for the call will receive the free report
“3 Dangerous Social Media Problems & How to Solve Them.”

For instructions on how to sign up, go to
http://budurl.com/socialmediarxwebinar

======================================
2. Five Blogging Must-Haves
======================================

If you’re blogging, here are five things that blogging expert
Patsi Krakoff says you must have at your blog:

–An email subscription form so your followers get each new post
via email. (I’ve added this to my to-do list.)

–An “About” page.

–Something you can offer them for free. (Another to-do for me.)

–A “retweet this” button to make it easy for readers to share
your post on Twitter. I use Tweetmeme. You can check it out at my
blog at http://www.PublicityHound.net

–An analytics program so you can see how much traffic you’re
getting and where it’s coming from.
Patsi listed seven more “must haves,” and the one issue that many
people waste time obsessing over, when she was my guest during a
teleseminar on “Time-saving Tips for Smart Business Blogging”
last month. The CD, MP3 replay and electronic transcript come
with 23 pages of handouts that include 101 ways to find content
for your blog, templates for writing a post quickly and easily,
and a list of 20 common mistakes you don’t want to make. Read
more about it and check out all the rave reviews at
http://tinyurl.com/businessblogger

===================================
3. LinkedIn Recommendations
===================================

If you aren’t regularly recommending people on LinkedIn, you’re
missing a chance to accumulate your own recommendations from
people who know, like and trust you.

That’s because every time you recommend someone, LinkedIn asks
that person if they’d like to return the favor.

Don’t just ask for recommendations. Offer them! It follows the
give-to-get rule that’s so important in the world of social
media.

See “How to Use LinkedIn to Promote Anything–Ethically &
Powerfully” at http://tinyurl.com/5zvzyd

===================================
4. For Authors & Publishers Only
===================================

Want to make your book a best-seller? You’re invited to a free
telseminar on Thursday, Feb., 4, at 2 and 7 p.m. Eastern Time.

Steve Harrison will interview Peggy McColl about the simple
blueprint she’s developed to quickly make many books instant
best-sellers at practically zero cost. This works for all types
of books: fiction, non-fiction, ebooks, novels, print on demand,
etc.

Interested? Register at
http://www.BestsellerBlueprintCall.com/?10011 (I’m an affiliate.)

====================================
5. A Book on Inappropriate Touching
====================================

This week, 10 Publicity Hounds have tips for Jill Starishevsky of
New York, NY, author of My Body Belongs to Me, a children’s book
on inappropriate touching. Jill needs ideas on how to promote it
to traditional and social media.

From Martine Ehrenclou:

“Submit your book to the Mom?s Choice Awards. That’s the book
awards competition that acknowledges the best books that benefit
families. They do a lot of promotion for their winners.”

From Eric Gruber:

“You should be writing top tips, how-to, top mistakes, and top
question-type articles, and then submit them to the top websites,
ezines and article directories that parents are going to every
day. For example: Iparenting.com, About.com, Child Parenting.”

From Christel Hall:

“Send a copy of your book to Dr. Laura, who has her own
syndicated radio show. Whether you agree with all of her advice
or not, she is a big children?s advocate and covers a new book at
least weekly on her radio program.”

The Publicity Hound says:

Create a Facebook Fan Page just for the book, and share the link
with mommy bloggers. See “11 Ways to Avoid Missed Opportunities
on Facebook” at http://budurl.com/jfgw

Read all the responses to this week?s “Help This Hound” question
http://budurl.com/touching

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

===================================
6. Help This Hound
===================================

Phyllis May of Key West, FL, writes:

“March 1 is my day in Chase?s Calendar of Events. It?s ?Refired
not Retired Day? and it?s also the title of my humorous book that
shows people how to make the most of life after retirement.

“Might your Publicity Hounds have ideas for things I can suggest
for people to do on March 1? Amazingly, because I have a Google
Alert, I know that there’s a restaurant in Australia that has it
on their calendar. I wrote and told them I thought I should be
there but they didn’t respond. Darn.

“One time I saw an assisted living facility promoting it but I
truly don’t know any BIG ideas. Can your creative readers help?”

The Publicity Hound says:

Hounds can create their own holidays like you did, or their own
days, weeks or months of the year, at http://www.Chases.com (the
deadline is April 15).

The hard part is figuring out how to promote it. But my Hounds
are, indeed, a creative bunch, and they’ll be glad to help by
posting their best ideas to my blog at http://tinyurl.com/ygrw3oa

=================================
7. Hound Slide Show of the Week
=================================

The popular exhibit “First Dogs: American Presidents and their
Pets,” at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., showcases some of the
top dogs that have lived at the White House. On display are
images of dogs belonging to 23 presidents, including the newest
addition: Bo, a gift to the Obamas from the late Sen. Edward M.
Kennedy.

Here’s a slide show that features six presidential pups: Barney,
Liberty, Bo, Him, Her and Checkers. Before you view the slide
show, can you guess which pups belong to which presidents?

http://www.newseum.org/exhibits_th/first_dogs/
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/

==================================
8. And at My Blogs…
==================================

Consider retweeting these blog posts:
6 ways to use the Newspaper Map of the World
http://tinyurl.com/yb4×7su

Shotgun Sports needs articles on trap, skeet, hunting
http://tinyurl.com/yjfb2r6

————————————

Follow me on Twitter:
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Join my Facebook Fan Page:
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 at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you
told me you want to subscribe.
Privacy Statement:

The Publicity Hound respects your privacy and has a strict anti-
spam policy. Read my privacy policy at
http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm

================================================
Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound