The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #586 Dec. 20, 2011
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. Best of 2011 Ebook

2. Add Skills to Your LinkedIn Profile

3. Guest Host a Radio Show

4. Thanks for Completing My Survey

5. Master Facebook Changes in 3 Steps

6. Hound Video of the Week

7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. Best of 2011 Ebook
=====================================

Your contributions to this newsletter are what keeps me going,
and this is the time of year to say thanks.

Every year, I do that by excerpting 24 tips from the past year,
including some that have generated the most response from
readers, and compiling them into a free ebook.

Here are several ways to use “The Best of the Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week of 2011.”

–Regift it to your friends, clients and business associates.

–Share it on the social media sites.

–Speakers, use my tips in your presentations, and include this
link in your handouts so your audience can download it, too.
http://publicityhound.net/?p=9935

–Authors, use my tips in your books.

–Write a blog post and comment on one or more of my tips, and
please include the link.

–Go to a LinkedIn group and start a discussion on something
within the book.

–Save it to your hard drive, in a safe place, so you can dig it
out in a week or two when you’re creating a strategy for 2012.

For a full list of everything that’s included in the book, go to
my blog at http://publicityhound.net/?p=9935

=====================================
2. Add Skills to Your LinkedIn Profile
=====================================

One of the items in my “Best of The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the
Week” ebook lists six places online where you can find your
profile so you can update it.

One of those is LinkedIn. If you’re editing your profile, it’s a
perfect time to also add skills you might have acquired since you
wrote it originally, or skills you might have forgotten about.

LinkedIn emailed me a few weeks ago and suggested four skills I
should add to my profile.

Why add skills? Because those keywords are what other LinkedIn
users might be typing into the search box when they’re looking
for job candidates, speakers, consultants, coaches, joint venture
partners or news sources.

Wayne Breitbarth, one of the foremost experts on LinkedIn, has a
three-part strategy for creating an influential circle of
contacts who are like gold. He explained it during a webinar I
hosted with him earlier this year. You can access the video
replay at
http://www.publicityhound.com/linkedinpowerformulapart2.htm

======================================
3. Guest Host a Radio Show
======================================

This is the time of year when radio stations are scrambling to
find guest hosts.

And even though chances are slim that you’ll be chosen for the
gig if you don’t have any radio experience, it’s worth trying.
Talkers magazine says the holiday season creates a bonanza of
fill-in work. This year, the Christmas holidays coincide with a
big election cycle, which creates even more pressure to keep
stations on track.

Bill White, program director of WGN in Chicago, says he equates a
fill-in host to someone hosting a dinner party in someone else’s
home.

“Fill-in hosts should be respectful of the regular host’s
audience but not rearrange all the furniture,” he said. “We also
look for fill-in hosts who will be comfortable and compliment the
regular host’s audience.”

Ideal hosts can be politicians, community leaders, or people who
have participated on a talk show. They should feel comfortable
behind the microphone and share similar philosophies of the host.

Interested? Call the program director at your local radio station
and make your best pitch. If the answer is no, they might use you
instead as a guest. Read the entire story in Talkers at
http://www.Talkers.com.

=====================================
4. Thanks for Completing My Survey
=====================================

A big thank you for completing the short survey about what you
need most in the areas of publicity and social media.

I found some interesting trends in the data, and your comments
really helped me understand where you need the most help.

I’m still sorting through it all, but I already have some ideas
about things I can do to make it easier for you.

Let’s get through the holidays first, and I’ll explain more after
the first of the year.

Help is on the way!

======================================
5. Master Facebook Changes in 3 Steps
======================================

Facebook rolled out its new Timeline feature last week. It’s a
chronological listing of posts, photos, shared links, check-ins
and other content.

The changes make it easier for people to scrutinize your life.
But you can personalize, privatize and tweak this new feature.

Wired magazine offers a quick guide on how to hide things on
Facebook, how to tell your life story by adding past events, and
how to customize your timeline–all in five minutes.

Read it at
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/12/facebook-timeline-tips/

If 2012 is the year you finally start getting series about
pulling people to your page, use Mari Smith’s 33 tips that will
pull them in. She explained them all during a webinar I hosted
with her earlier this year, and when you order the video replay,
you get all 33 tips on a handy cheat sheet. Read more about “33
Ways to Attract Facebook Fans, Provide Sterling Content & Keep
Them Coming Back for More” at
http://www.publicityhound.com/facebookpages.htm

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

Here’s what puppies do on Christmas morning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzyryg1Rn18

Dog Jokes & Quotes Ebook: 170+ G-rated dog jokes and quotes,
perfect for a dog-lover, your favorite vet, or just for a few
good laughs.

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

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

Great content for retweeting:

24 juicy publicity, social media tips in free “best of” ebook
http://publicityhound.net/?p=9935

Create Top 10, 20, 50 lists for year-end publicity
http://publicityhound.net/?p=9924

Ask visitors who complete a web form to tweet about you
http://publicityhound.net/?p=9894

Blogging cheat sheet and more tweets from this past week
http://publicityhound.net/?p=9905

——————————————-

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

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

Connect with me on LinkedIn (and tell me how we know each other)
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound

——————————————–

Permission to Reprint:

You may reprint any items from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the
Week” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include
the following paragraph:

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

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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The
Publicity Hound website or you told me you want to subscribe.

Privacy Statement:

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

=======================================
Joan Stewart
The Publicity Hound

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #576 Oct. 11, 2011
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. 60 Ideas in 60 Minutes

2. Join Hot Conversations Immediately

3. LinkedIn’s Company Pages Widget

4. Best Practices for Facebook Pages

5. What Separates Rich, Poor Authors

6. Artists Need International Publicity

7. Hound Video of the Week

8. And at My Blog & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. 60 Ideas in 60 Minutes
=====================================

Nothing elicits more gasps, ooohs and aaahs from audiences at my
workshops than when I demonstrate the Google Wonder Wheel.

It’s a nifty tool that, within seconds, helps you learn which
specific keywords and keyword phrases people are searching for
within a general topic. I use the Wonder Wheel to find ideas for
articles, blog posts and press releases.

I encourage authors to use it to find ideas for chapter topics
for their next books. If you create products in a particular
niche, the wheel will help you pinpoint the kinds of problems
people within that area are struggling with, based on their
Google searches. Once you know their problems, you can provide
the solutions.

The Wonder Wheel is just one of hundreds of free tools I’ve
shared with you over the last few years. But to access the rest
of them, you’d have to look in more than a half dozen places: in
this ezine, at my blog, in articles at my website, in guest blog
posts I write for other bloggers, in my Twitter feed, and in my
status updates on LinkedIn and Facebook.

But you don’t have that kind of time.

So I’ve compiled the 60 best ideas on how to use free or almost-
free tools to navigate the world of social media and publicity,
particularly helpful if you have a tight budget and are looking
for ways to save time. I’ll present them, and demonstrate some of
them, during a webinar I’m hosting at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on
Monday, Oct. 17. It’s called “60 Tips in 60 Minutes: Free (or
Practically Free) Tips, Tricks, Tools & Tutorials for Publicity &
Social Media.

If the time is inconvenient, sign up anyway because you’ll get
the video replay. You’ll also receive, as a bonus, my newest
special report on how to find influential people who can lend
their names to whatever you’re promoting.

Register for the webinar at
http://www.PublicityHound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/60ideas.htm

If you think your followers would benefit, share this on Twitter,
Facebook and LinkedIn. Affiliates, ask me how to configure your
affiliate link to earn a commission.

UPDATE: After this newsletter was sent, several alert readers
emailed to tell me that Google has pulled the Wonder Wheel. I’d
been using it for years and never thought to check to see if it
was still there. I should have. I regret the error. Google,
Please bring back the Wonder Wheel.

=====================================
2. Join Hot Conversations Immediately
=====================================

Savvy marketing and PR people stay on top of the hottest
conversations within their clients’ niches.

They have to.

They want their clients to be able to comment on blog posts,
write letters to the editor, pitch timely story ideas, offer
background information for journalists’ articles, or offer
commentary for an author’s forthcoming book–long before the
client’s competitors are even aware that there’s a hot topic
being discussed.

But until now, PR people have had to slog their way through a
variety of tools such as Klout, which doesn’t do a very accurate
job of measuring true influence.

A new tool from Appinions, a New York company, tracks traditional
and social media to round out a true picture of influence both
online and offline. It’s a subscription-based service that
matches influencers to specific topics, based on opinions it
finds from news reports, blogs, tweets, TV transcripts and social
networks.

The ideal user for this service is a PR or marketing agency with
numerous clients and revenues of more than $5 million a year.

CEO Larry Levy will demonstrate the tool during a free webinar
I’m hosting from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, Oct. 13.
Register today because we have room for only 50 people:

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/308195010

Or read more about it at my blog at
http://publicityhound.net/?p=9541

After you register, email me your topics and Levy will try to
work them into his demonstration.

======================================
3. LinkedIn’s Company Pages Widget
======================================

Are you promoting your products and services yet on LinkedIn’s
Company Pages?

They’re free. You can create multiple pages. You can add photos.
And they’re a terrific way to promote B2B companies.

But how do you get people to find your pages, and then follow
you, so they can stay up to date on new products you’re
introducing?

Add the Company Pages widget to your website and blog.

Go here and build it:

https://developer.linkedin.com/plugins/company-profile-plugin

Learn more about LinkedIn expert Wayne Breitbarth’s power formula
for writing a killer profile, cashing in on groups and creating
company pages at
http://www.publicityhound.com/linkedinpowerformulapart2.htm

=====================================
4. Best Practices for Facebook Pages
=====================================

Don’t create the standard Facebook page if you or your PR client
are in one of these categories: celebrities, musicians,
journalists, politicians, athletes, nonprofits.

Facebook has Best Practices Guides for all those people, designed
to help you tell your story, build deep, lasting connections with
your audience and keep them updated and engaged.

You can find the guides at
https://www.facebook.com/FacebookPages?sk=app_229825110408473

Mari Smith has more ideas on how to encourage people to Like your
page and click on your links. She was my guest during the webinar
on “33 Ways to Attract Facebook Fans, Provide Sterling Content &
Keep Them Coming Back for More.” No time to watch the webinar
replay? That’s OK. Use the handy checklist I compiled. It
includes all 33 tips. Follow one tip each day and watch the
number of Likes on your page skyrocket.

Read more about how to access the replay and the checklist, part
of the handouts, at
http://www.publicityhound.com/facebookpages.htm

======================================
5. What Separates Rich, Poor Authors
======================================

Poor authors place their hopes, dreams, sweat, blood and money
only on their books.

If the book fails, the author fails.

Rich authors use the book as a calling card to upsell readers to
a wide variety of other products and services: coaching programs,
board games, wall calendars, membership programs, and more.
That’s one of the key differences between rich authors and poor
authors.

Learn the other six at a free 75-minute telephone seminar hosted
by Steve Harrison of Radio-TV Interview Report, at 2 and 7 p.m.
Eastern Time on Thursday, Oct. 13. Even though the call is free,
I promote it as a compensated affiliate. I’ve seen hundreds of
authors miss this important distinction and tie up their life’s
savings in cardboard boxes of books they can’t sell.

Register for the call at
http://www.freepublicity.com/RichAuthorSecrets/?10011

=====================================
6. Artists Need International Publicity
=====================================

This week, three Publicity Hounds have ideas for Kate Farrall of
San Diego, CA, whose PR clients, both artists, need international
publicity for the mural they painted on a water tank outside
Sacramento, CA.

From Celeste Balducci:

“Promote an event at the site and give something back to the
community, such as a kids’ arts day. Connect with all the mom
bloggers, schools, local officials, ongoing social media,
museums, press and non-profit arts groups.”

From Alyson B. Stanfield, a business coach for artists:

“There is an entire magazine devoted to public art called Public
Art Review at http://forecastpublicart.org/par.php. Try also
Sculpture magazine at
http://www.sculpture.org/redesign/mag.shtml. You’re calling it a
mural, but it is really an installation piece.

“How about community enhancement/planning pitching? There are so
many communities trying to revive themselves. Surely there are
publications devoted to city planning. (Art is my bailiwick, so
not sure about this one.)

From The Publicity Hound:

“I recommend two blogs for inspiration. Visit Lori McNee’s blog
at http://www.finearttips.com/blog/. She is an internationally
recognized artist who specializes in still life and landscape oil
paintings. She shares fine art tips, including marketing tips.

“Also, go to Alyson B. Stanfield’s blog at
http://www.artbizblog.com/. She’s savvy marketer and a Publicity
Hound!”

Read all the responses to this “Help This Hound” question at my
blog at http://publicityhound.net/?p=9512

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

Thanks to Publicity Hound Sophie Wajsman of Australia for sharing
this “Which is the Guilty Dog?” video. I promise you’ll laugh:
http://www.maniacworld.com/which-is-the-guilty-dog.html

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

6 ways to promote your retail business before you open
http://publicityhound.net/?p=9556

7 ways to congratulate journalists–without brown-nosing
http://publicityhound.net/?p=9522

——————————————-

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

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

Connect with me on LinkedIn (and tell me how we know each other):
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound

——————————————–

Permission to Reprint:

You may reprint any items from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the
Week” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include
the following paragraph:

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

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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The
Publicity Hound website or you told me you want to subscribe.

Privacy Statement:

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

=======================================
Joan Stewart
The Publicity Hound

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #556 May 24, 2011
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. Biggest Mistake on Facebook Profiles

2. Patch Wants More of Your Content

3. Sneaky YouTube Trick

4. Advantages of Nook Books

5. Why They Can’t Find Me on LinkedIn

6. Hound Joke of the Week

7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. Biggest Mistake on Facebook Profiles
=====================================

If you’re on Facebook, I’ll bet you’re making this mistake.

On your Profile, at the top, under your name, where it lists the
company where you now work, I’m betting it links to a generic
Community Page and not a Company Page, also referred to as a Fan
Page.

When Facebook changed your profile to the new design a few months
ago, it automatically hyperlinked your employer field to an auto-
generated Community Page.

Facebook expert Mari Smith says that’s the Number One mistake on
Facebook profiles. You can read her entire post at
http://www.marismith.com/mistake-personal-facebook-profile-
employer-link/

It will take you less than a minute to fix it. Here’s Mari’s
quick fix:

–Click Edit Profile. Go to the Education and Work section.

–Begin typing the name of your Fan Page in the Employer field.

–If you see your Fan Page in the dropdown menu, select it.

–Then fill out the remaining fields (Position, City/Town,
Description and Time Period). If you also add in any Business
partners/Colleagues, this will show on their profile, too, under
the Employer section.

–Click Add Job. You can also add Project(s) to any position and
add Business partners/Colleagues. Again, this shows on their
Employer section.

If that doesn’t solve the problem, refer to her blog post above
for another quick workaround. If you fix it and it still doesn’t
show up correctly, it may take several days.

Mari’s solution bypasses a missed opportunity on Facebook.

Christine Buffaloe, my virtual assistant, has identified 12 more.
We reviewed them all during the webinar “12 More Ways to Avoid
Missed Opportunities on the New & Improved Facebook.” Learn how
to use your photos at the top to promote your products and
services, tag others so your message appears on their walls, and
the two pieces of advice we offered during our Facebook webinar
several years ago that worked back then, but can actually hurt
your efforts today.

Read more about what you’ll learn at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/facebook12ways.htm

=====================================
2. Patch Wants More of Your Content
=====================================

If you need local publicity, and you live in one of 19 states or
the District of Columbia, Patch.com is almost begging for your
pitch.

A memo from Patch editor-in-chief Brian Farnham to all his
editors outlines a plan to increase traffic by increasing article
production.

Patch covers California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island
Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

It loves news about new businesses, community events, local
government news, crime news, items for the events calendar,
columns from local residents and government officials, news tips,
and the all-important and often overlooked photos and videos.

This is the perfect time to pitch Patch for another reason. AOL
Inc., which owns Patch, is launching 33 sites in New Hampshire,
Iowa and South Carolina, key states that play an early role in
the U.S. presidential election.

Here are six tips on how to pitch Patch:
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8512

======================================
3. Sneaky YouTube Trick
======================================

Don’t you hate it when at the bottom of each of your YouTube
videos, YouTube offers viewers several “related videos” and gives
them a chance to click off of your video and onto somebody
else’s?

Here’s a really sneaky way to make sure all of those “related”
videos are yours.

When you tag your videos, assign to each video a tag that’s a
nonsensical word you’ve made up. For example, I just created
swiffmantel. It isn’t a word. But if I include that tag on every
one of my videos, chances are excellent that when someone is
watching one of my videos at YouTube, they will see all “related
videos” that are mine.

I learned that trick last week when Colin Martin and Marc Bullard
presented a free webinar on “YouTube Secrets: Getting Views,
Subscribers and Branding Your Business.” I took three pages of
notes and concluded that my YouTube channel is definitely NOT
ready for prime time. I have a lot of work to do, and I’ll be
sharing many of my new videos with you in the weeks ahead.

The payoff can be huge. Google, which owns YouTube, often
delivers YouTube videos at the top of a list of search results.
And Colin and Marc shared another cool trick on how to make sure
that when your video ends, another one begins automatically,
without the viewer having to touch the keyboard.

If you were one of the Publicity Hounds who signed up for the
free webinar but couldn’t get onto the line, we apologize. You
were shut out because we ran out of room.

But don’t worry. We recorded it. You can access the replay of
“YouTube Super Secrets: Getting Views, Subscribers and Branding
Your Business” at http://tinyurl.com/62ajq65

=====================================
4. Advantages of Nook Books
=====================================

On the Barnes & Noble blog, a fan of the Nook, the Barnes & Noble
eReader, listed five advantages to reading Nook books:

–My Nookbooks don’t slide under the seats in the car,
disappearing for weeks while accruing late fees.

–My Nookbooks don’t smell or have other people’s food spills
stuck on the pages.

–My Nookbooks can be accessed anytime–no holds, no waiting.

–Nookbooks all weigh the same.

–Buying Nookbooks saves gas money and time.

If you’re an author, isn’t it time your books were available for
the Nook? Daniel Hall, who showed Publicity Hounds how to turn
their ebooks into material for the Kindle late last year, is back
with step-by-step instructions on how to make your ebook ready
for the Nook.

I’m hosting a free webinar with him at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on
Thursday, May 26. Set aside at least 90 minutes. He sometimes
goes way over the time limit because he answers every question
that participants ask. Register here:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/833100745

You’ll also learn how to:

–Use your “Nook” books as lead generators for your business.

–Earn set-it-and-forget-it recurring revenue by building profit
centers into each of your ebooks.

–Get readily available content to publish so you don’t have to
spend time and energy writing it yourself.

–Build your credibility within your market…whatever that
market is.

This training is free. The content is solid gold.

Register here:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/833100745

============================================
5. Why They Can’t Find Me on LinkedIn
============================================

In-between improving my videos, and producing more of them, I
need to set aside a huge chunk of time to rewrite my LinkedIn
profile.

During last week’s webinar on advanced LinkedIn strategies, Wayne
Breitbarth used me as an example of what happens when you don’t
write your profile correctly. Mine appears way down on the search
results for keywords like “publicity” and “public relations.”

He explained exactly what I needed to do. And when I’m done with
my profile, I need to start building my Company Pages to promote
my many products and services.

I also need to start returning some of the recommendations people
are kind enough to write for me.

What? Return a recommendation? Why would anybody do that? We want
recommendations, don’t we?

Yes, we do. But we want the right kinds of recommendations–only
those that include keywords and keyword phrases that people use
when searching for people with our expertise.

What’s wrong with your LinkedIn profile? Have you searched for
yourself recently under all the keywords you want associated with
your business? If people want to recommend one of your products
or services on LinkedIn, will they find it on your Company Pages?

I had no clue how much I was doing wrong. You might not either.
Read more about what Wayne discussed on last week’s webinar on
“”Your LinkedIn Power Formula Part 2: Advanced Strategies for
Writing a Killer Profile, Cashing in on Groups and Creating
Company Pages” and access the replay at
http://www.Publicityhound.com/linkedinpowerformulapart2.htm

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

Check out this illustration that shows Fun Facts Your Dog Never
Told You. And read my comment about why so many dogs are obese:
http://holykaw.alltop.com/woof-woof-fun-facts-your-dog-never-
told-you-i

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

Need local publicity? 6 tips for pitching Patch.com
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8512

12 ways to say “thanks” to a blogger or journalist
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8495

Where to See The Publicity Hound:

June 18 in Milwaukee, WI: General Federation of Women’s Clubs,
120th Annual International Convention: Lunch and Learn from 12:45
to 2:45.”How to Use Traditional & Social Media to Promote Your
Club & Attract Members.”

——————————————-

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

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

Connect with me on LinkedIn (and tell me how we know each other):
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound

——————————————–

Permission to Reprint:

You may reprint any items from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the
Week” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include
the following paragraph:

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

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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The
Publicity Hound website or you told me you want to subscribe.

Privacy Statement:

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

=======================================
Joan Stewart
The Publicity Hound

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #555 May 17, 2011
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. Your Company’s Giant Billboard

2. Help with YouTube Videos

3. Your Book Should be on the Nook

4. Come, Sit, Stay–And Ask Questions

5. Where to See The Publicity Hound

6. Hound Joke of the Week

7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. Your Company’s Giant Billboard
=====================================

Cardinal Rule #1 in the world of social media: Don’t promote.

Except, that is, if you’re on LinkedIn.

The world’s largest business networking site has an often
overlooked feature that serves as a giant billboard for your
business, where you can spotlight all the products and services
you can’t promote elsewhere.

It’s called Company Pages.

They’re a company’s profile of record on LinkedIn, and a powerful
way to speak to millions of professionals through word-of-mouth
recommendations and trusted testimonials.

For LinkedIn members, Company Pages are a great way to research
companies you’re interested in, follow them to stay updated, see
what kinds of people work there, and even review the products and
services you use.

For companies, Company Pages give you a chance to show the human
side of your company, feature the people behind your brand,
highlight how members use your products, and bring your brand to
life.

You can post product photos, descriptions and links to product
pages at your websites. You can post targeted job ads,
recruitment videos and more.

Here’s the best part. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you pay
nothing for this giant billboard.

LinkedIn expert Wayne Breitbarth will show you some really
creative ways to use Company Pages when he’s my guest during a
webinar Thursday on “Your LinkedIn Power Formula Part 2: Advanced
Strategies for Writing a Killer Profile, Cashing in on Groups and
Creating Company Pages.”

One lucky person who registers will receive a free, private 20-
minute LinkedIn consultation with Wayne after the call. He can
critique your LinkedIn profile, give you ideas for your own
Company pages, and offer suggestions on the best ways for you to
use LinkedIn Groups.

This webinar will sell out fast, so grab your seat now. Go here
to find out what else we’ll be discussing, and register today so
you don’t get closed out:
http://www.Publicityhound.com/linkedinpowerformulapart2.htm

======================================
2. Help with YouTube Videos
======================================

When I blogged last week about why you should create short videos
and upload them to YouTube, I forgot about a very obvious
advantage.

In addition to all the traffic the video will pull from YouTube,
bloggers and website owners can embed the video at their own
websites.

How cool is that? Audiences you never knew existed can be
watching your videos right now, and then clicking on the link at
the end of the video to go to your website.

This happened to me last week. When I blogged about YouTube
videos at http://publicityhound.net/?p=8395, blogger Ramiro
Rodriguez commented:

“Hi Joan, I found your web site through one of your videos. I was
doing research on how to write a press release. After my
research, I decided to make a blog post out of it and I embedded
your video into the post along with two others.”

You can see his post here:
http://how-to-internet-marketing-articles-
vi.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-to-write-press-release-video.html

That video, by the way, which was one of my first and not the
greatest quality, has gotten more than 2,190 views. And it’s
largely responsible for the more than 6,000 people who have
signed up for my free email course on how to write and distribute
press releases at http://www.89PressReleaseTips.com

But Colin Martin, who edits my newer videos, says I’ve been doing
lots of things wrong on YouTube. So I invited him and Marc
Bullard to show me–and you–how to do it right, during a free
webinar tomorrow night, May 18, from 8 to 9 p.m. Eastern Time.

Join us for “YouTube Super Secrets: Getting Views, Subscribers
and Branding Your Business” at http://tinyurl.com/62ajq65

=====================================
3. Your Book Should be on the Nook
=====================================

The Barnes & Noble “Nook” eReader is starting to take the ebook
world by storm. B&N announced recently that its percentage of the
ebook marketplace has increased to 25 percent this year.

“Big deal,” you say?

It is a big deal when you consider that the ebook market is
projected to increase to $2.7 billion by 2013. That’s billion,
with a “B.”

It’s time to take all that content at your blog, or in your
brain, and turn it into an ebook for the Nook. Daniel Hall, who
showed Publicity Hounds how to turn their ebooks into material
for the Kindle late last year, is back with step-by-step
instructions on how to make your ebook ready for the Nook.

I’m hosting a free webinar with him at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on
Thursday, May 26. Set aside at least 90 minutes. He sometimes
goes way over the time limit because he answers every question
that participants ask. Register here:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/833100745

You’ll also learn how to:

–Use your “Nook” books as lead generators for your business.

–Earn set-it-and-forget-it recurring revenue by building profit
centers into each of your ebooks.

–Get readily available content to publish so you don’t have to
spend time and energy writing it yourself.

–Build your credibility within your market…whatever that
market is.

This training is free. The content is solid gold.

Register here:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/833100745

============================================
4. Come, Sit, Stay–And Ask Questions
============================================

Have a question about the best way to promote your business?

Confused about the latest and greatest social media tool that
everyone’s talking about?

Looking for a story idea to pitch to your local TV station?

Every Thursday is “Come, Sit, Stay Day” on my Facebook page at
http://www.Facebook.com/PublicityHound

I’ll be answering all your questions, sharing resources and
helping you work through whatever promotion problems are bugging
you.

But if you read this newsletter, you don’t have to wait until
Thursday. Go over there now, Like the page, and let me know what
you need. I’m here to help:
http://www.Facebook.com/PublicityHound

If you don’t have a question, but there’s a topic or two you’d
like to read more about in this ezine, tell me on my Facebook
page.

======================================
5. Where to See The Publicity Hound
======================================

June 18 in Milwaukee, WI:
General Federation of Women’s Clubs, 120th Annual International
Convention: Lunch and Learn from 12:45 to 2:45.”How to Use
Traditional & Social Media to Promote Your Club & Attract
Members.”

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

I love this bumper sticker:

Wag More. Bark Less.

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

Can you spot the 5 mistakes in this guest blogger’s pitch?
Find them all and win $100 coupon
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8407

25 business blogging tips from a 10-year-old
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8464

3 tips for rewriting your LinkedIn profile & headline
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8434

——————————————-

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

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

Connect with me on LinkedIn (and tell me how we know each other):
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound

——————————————–

Permission to Reprint:

You may reprint any items from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the
Week” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include
the following paragraph:

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

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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The
Publicity Hound website or you told me you want to subscribe.

Privacy Statement:

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

=======================================
Joan Stewart
The Publicity Hound

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #553 May 3, 2011
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. Twice as Many Facebook Fans

2. Energize Your Boring Bio

3. Sample PR/Marketing Contracts

4. Your Sneaky LinkedIn Profile

5. Help This Hound

6. Hound Video of the Week

7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. Twice as Many Facebook Fans
=====================================

Convince twice the number of people who land on your Facebook
page to click the “Like” button. Create a Welcome page.

Research shows that Welcome pages convert twice as many visitors
into fans compared to pages where visitors land on the Wall.

I hired CustomFanPageDesigns.com to create a Welcome page. I also
did something else I should have done long ago.

I created a new Facebook page to reflect “The Publicity Hound”
brand. The old page, called “Publicity and public relations tips,
ideas and strategies,” doesn’t include my brand because I was
going after keywords, instead. I realized my mistake too late.
Facebook doesn’t let you change the name of a page.

Now, I’m trying to convince my more than 3,200 fans to Like my
new page. I want you to, too. And here’s what I’m offering.

I posted a really helpful tip this morning about a creative item
you can add to your online media room or press kit. It will
encourage journalists and bloggers to write about you. It will
give them lots of fodder and fun facts for articles and blog
posts. PR people, your clients will LOVE this idea. Like my new
page, look for the photo of chef Emeril Lagasse, read all about
it, and leave a comment:

http://www.facebook.com/publicityhound

======================================
2. Energize Your Boring Bio
======================================

When you’re adding the cool item I mentioned above to your
publicity materials, how about sprucing up the boring bio in your
press kit, the much shorter author resource box at the end of
your articles and guest blog posts, and even your Twitter bio?

Here are three examples of bios I like:

At the end of a guest blog written by Allison Boyer:

“When Allison’s not blogging for the BlogWorld blog (say that
three times fast), she runs After Graduation, a career advice and
motivation site.”

Pia Mara Finkell’s bio on Twitter (notice all the keywords):

“Work and play in wine and food, but randomly become obsessed
with beer, bourbon, pie, dogs, the Yanks, running, lacrosse and
anything that makes me laugh.”

Paragraph at the end of the bio for Gabe Benveniste, founder of
SonicLiving, a concert tracking tool and social network:

“Gabe competed in the 2003 World Beard and Mustache Championship,
where his prodigious chops propelled him to sixth place (out of
six) in the first-ever sideburn contest. His work has been
featured in Playboy, MTV and Wired.”

You’ll find lots more examples in my “Special Report #46: Tips
for Rewriting Your Boring Bio,” a steal at only $10:
http://publicityhound.com/publicity-
products/reports.html#SpecialReport46

=====================================
3. Sample PR/Marketing Contracts
=====================================

If you’re setting up shop as a PR or marketing consultant, and
you’ve got your first client, one of the most perplexing problems
is obtaining sample contracts, or writing a contract from
scratch.

But what if you don’t have the start-up money to consult with a
lawyer? Problem solved.

Kellye Crane, of Solor PR Pro, and Jenny Schmitt of Cloudspark,
wrote the free, 30-page ebook called Get It In Writing, The
Communication Consultant’s Guide to Contracts. They’re not even
asking for your email address.

This is the most comprehensive free book I’ve seen on this topic,
and consultants who work in any area of communications will save
themselves weeks of research. The authors advise that you
eventually talk to an attorney when using a contract, but if
you’re short on cash, this book will at least get you started.

I also recommend this ebook for anyone who needs a publicist or
PR agency, and wants to see what sample contracts look like. Find
out how to access the book in the post at my blog at
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8326

=====================================
4. Your Sneaky LinkedIn Profile
=====================================

Certain LinkedIn “gurus” have been teaching a sneaky little trick
on how to capture first-place listings on LinkedIn when somebody
is searching for a business person with your expertise.

They tell you to stuff keywords and keyword phrases into your
profile, to the point where it’s obnoxious.

When LinkedIn finally wakes up and realizes what’s happening, it
might slap down the offenders in the rankings, much like Google
does when it finds people trying to game the system. Or it might
simply disable the account. If you have one of these sneaky
profiles, don’t let this happen to you.

Even worse, these profiles look disingenuous and unethical.
LinkedIn expert Wayne Breitbarth says visitors who read your
keyword-stuffed profile will know in an instant what you’re
trying to do and they might wonder, “If this person is trying to
trick LinkedIn, who else are they trying to trick?”

Publicity Hounds flooded Wayne and me with compliments after the
webinar I hosted with him in March. They asked me to bring him
back for another webinar on how-to tips for LinkedIn profiles,
Groups and advanced search.

Mark your calendars for 3 to 4:15 Eastern Time on Thursday, May
19, and register for the webinar when you get this newsletter
next week. If you can’t attend live, you can download the video
replay.

what else do you want Wayne to teach about LinkedIn. Hit “reply”
and tell me what else we should include.

If you missed the first webinar with him, it’s not too late to
start applying what he taught. Access the video replay and the
killer handouts for “Your LinkedIn Power Formula: How to Make
Killer Contacts, Pull Crowds to Events, be a Star in Your
Industry & Track Down Leads Like a Bloodhound” at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/linkedinpowerformula.htm

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

Don Luepnitz of Norwalk, CA, writes:

“I am with the Norwalk, CA, Moose Lodge, and we can sure use some
help getting the word out and trying to get new people to come
down and or join.

“We offer dinners, breakfast, bingo, darts, full bar, a kids
room, and have fundraisers for ourselves and other charities. We
also sponsor kids’ sports teams, and we have a Facebook Fan Page
at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Norwalk-CA-Moose-Family-
Center-1739/219549031389577

“How can we use traditional and social media to attract more
members and visitors?”

The website is at http://www.norwalkmoose.org

The Publicity Hound says:

Put a Facebook button that leads to your fan page on your
website. Also, start submitting items about your events to
Patch.com, the uber-local website. There’s a Patch for
Cerritos/Artesia and that might be close enough to you for them
to accept your news items. Also see “12 More Ways to Avoid Missed
Opportunities with the New & Improved Facebook” at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/facebook12ways.htm

Hounds, what ideas do you have for Don? Post them to my blog at
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8351

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

Here’s a silly YouTube video of Romeo the Pug playing piano:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFAy84Pesb0

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

Sample PR contracts included in free ebook
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8326

——————————————-

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

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

Connect with me on LinkedIn (and tell me how we know each other):
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound

——————————————–

Permission to Reprint:

You may reprint any items from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the
Week” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include
the following paragraph:

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

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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The
Publicity Hound website or you told me you want to subscribe.

Privacy Statement:

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

================================================
Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound
P.O. Box 437
Port Washington, WI 53074-0437
U.S.A.
Phone: 262-284-7451

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #550 April 12, 2011
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. Journalists’ Trick Questions

2. Cross-promote on Social Media

3. Don’t Upgrade on LinkedIn

4. For Non-fiction Authors Only

5. Help This Hound

6. Hound Photos of the Week

7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. Journalists’ Trick Questions
=====================================

Let’s see how savvy you are when it comes to interviewing with
journalists.

Which of the following would you consider a trick question:

A. “What’s your annual revenue?”

B. “I know you feel uncomfortable commenting on that topic, but
how about telling me off the record?”

C. “What’s the worst business mistake you’ve ever made, and what
have you learned from it?”

Take a minute and actually write your answer on a piece of paper.
A, B or C, or any combination of the above?

As a former journalist, I’ve asked those three questions many
times.

Now, go to my blog to find out whether you’re correct:
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8208

======================================
2. Cross-promote on Social Media
======================================

Now that you’re on a variety of social media sites, do your
friends, followers and fans know where to find you on other
sites?

Let’s say that after searching online for information, they end
up on one of your YouTube videos. Do you have a YouTube channel
that explains where they can find you on LinkedIn and Facebook?

Linking to the channel is easy. But, too often, we forget to
link from it. On my YouTube channel, I include links to several
social media sites from the sub-head that says, “About Me”:
http://www.youtube.com/publicityhound

I’m also revisiting my Google profile and adding links to social
media sites, like Quora, that I’ve added in the last few months.

Those are only two of 13 ways I cross-promote on the social media
sites. Read about the other 11 at my blog at
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8176

=====================================
3. Don’t Upgrade on LinkedIn
=====================================

In some LinkedIn groups, members are discussing whether it’s
worth it to upgrade to the paid version of LinkedIn.

The concensus is that unless you’re a recruiter, or you’re using
the site for a very active job search, it isn’t worth it to pay.

LinkedIn expert Wayne Breitbarth says LinkedIn has enough other
features, like the ability to ask for an introduction, that let
you do just about anything other than having direct access to
more people.

When he was my guest on a webinar last month, he demonstrated
several ways to use the Advanced Search feature to find sales
leads within minutes. And he explained what to do with those
leads once you have them.

Regardless of your industry, if you’re not using Advanced Search,
you’re leaving money on the table. Learn more about what Wayne
taught, and how you can access the video replay and all the
materials we covered during the webinar at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/linkedinpowerformula.htm

=====================================
4. For Non-fiction Authors Only
=====================================

Have you ever wondered why some authors make a fortune while so
many others with equally good books always seem to struggle
financially?

Would you like to make a whole lot more from your own non-fiction
book(s), without a lot of work or expense?

After working with 9,300+ authors over the last 20 years, Steve
Harrison knows that rich authors simply do seven key things
differently than poor authors.

Some are very famous bestsellers, like the creators of the
Chicken Soup for the Soul series and Rich Dad Poor Dad.

Others are happily not so famous but quietly raking in high six-
figure and even seven-figure annual incomes without ever being on
Oprah or hitting any bestseller list.

To learn what rich authors know that poor authors don’t, join
Steve for a free 75-minute telephone seminar this Thursday, April
14, at your choice of two times: 2 p.m. or 7 p.m. Eastern.

There’s no cost to participate in the call, except for your
normal long distance charges. I’m a compensated affiliate.
Register here:

http://www.freepublicity.com/richauthorsecrets/?10011

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

Matthew Bivens of Gainesville, FL, writes:

“I work at a startup company called Fracture at
http://www.FractureMe.com, which gives people an innovative way
to print, mount and display their personal photographs. Send us a
photo and we’ll print it on a pane of shatter-proof glass.

“We’ve been in business a little over a year, and we’ve received
press from various news and media outlets (both local and
national), and our product has been pretty well received. For
example, a TechCrunch blog post back in October 2010 drove in
hundreds of orders in a matter of hours–a huge leap from the 10
to 20 orders per day we were seeing at the time.

“We’ve had other media coverage here and there, but we have yet
to see real sustained growth. All of our focus is currently on
sales and marketing, and we’d love any advice you or your readers
can give as to different cost-effective strategies a startup can
use to gain exposure and spread the word.”

The Publicity Hound says:

Hounds, keep this in mind for all your dog photos, too!

Take a minute and post your best marketing ideas for Matthew at
my blog at http://publicityhound.net/?p=8200

======================================
6. Hound Photos of the Week
======================================

Thanks to Publicity Hound Meryl K. Evans of Plano, Texas, for
tipping us off to this journal of 16 photos of authors and their
dogs. They were taken by Jill Krementz, who says these top dogs
“over the years have wagged their tails into my photographs…and
into my heart.”

http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/node/205235

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

13 ways to cross-promote on social media sites
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8176

Beware of journalists’ trick questions during an interview
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8208

——————————————-

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 #547 March 29, 2011
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. News Powerhouse You’re Not Pitching

2. Increase Your Klout Score

3. 109 Ways to be Irresistible

4. Meet Me at Author U May 6-7

5. Rewarding Facebook Fans

6. Hound Photos of the Week

7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. News Powerhouse You’re Not Pitching
=====================================

Quick. Find your media hit list–the list of media you have
pitched recently either for your own story idea or for a PR
client.

Now, scan the list. I’ll bet you a bag of dog treats that the
Associated Press isn’t on the list.

PR people frequently forget that news powerhouse. Yet the AP was
ranked first in terms of how often their reporting is cited on
Google News and Google Blogs, according to a chart compiled by
Nate Silver, a New York Times blogger who loves analyzing
statistics.

I found the chart eye-opening from a PR perspective, and many
times, I’ve reminded Publicity Hounds that they should remember
to pitch the AP if they have significant news stories or photos
to share. While the AP gets most of its content from its own
member newspapers, it likes a scoop as much as other news
outlets.

So how, exactly, do you pitch the AP? You’ll find some valuable
tips in a video the AP produced for Publicity Hounds. It’s at my
blog, along with the chart showing influential media:
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8084

Don’t forget to follow up after you pitch!

Jill Lublin, who interviewed dozens of journalists on exactly how
they want you to follow up, explained their tips when she was the
guest expert during a teleseminar I hosted on “Fail-proof Ways to
Follow Up After Sending a News Release or a Story Pitch.” Learn
more about what we discussed and how to access the recording or
transcript at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/failprooffollowup.htm

======================================
2. Boost Your Klout Score
======================================

A few weeks ago, I told you that if you’re curious about how much
online influence you have vs. your competitors, it will take you
just a few minutes to compare at Klout.com.

Once you know your score, how can you improve it? By following
these three tips in a Klout blog post at
http://klout.com/blog/2011/03/3-tips-for-increasing-your-klout-
score/

–Create content worth sharing on Twitter and Facebook, the two
sites Klout currently uses to measure influence.

–Start discussions on those sites. Don’t just push out content.

–Register for a free account on Klout.

I also noticed that Klout says it will be adding other social
media networks regularly, but it doesn’t say which ones.

I’m betting it will eventually add LinkedIn, the world’s largest
business networking site, and Quora, a continually improving
collection of questions and answers created, edited and organized
by everyone who uses it.

But half the people who have LinkedIn accounts aren’t active on
the site. Amazing, especially considering that the advanced
search function is where all the gold is buried. Watch this
three-minute video, in which LinkedIn expert Wayne Breitbarth
demonstrates how to use advanced search to find CEOs and company
presidents:

http://www.youtube.com/publicityhound#p/a/u/1/Sik1pu5deaU

That clip is an excerpt from the webinar I hosted on “Your
LinkedIn Power Formula: How to Make Killer Contacts, Pull Crowds
to Events, be a Star in Your Industry & Track Down Leads Like a
Bloodhound.” Find out what else Wayne taught and how you can
access the webinar replay:
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/linkedinpowerformula.htm

=====================================
3. 109 Ways to be Irresistible
=====================================

Print this list of “109 Ways to Make Your Business Irresistible
to the Media” at http://www.copyblogger.com/irresistible-pr/

Patrick Garmoe, a former journalist, really nails it.

I love #62: Frame your story as a local example of a national or
international issue currently in the news. If Congress is
debating health care, and your clinic has developed a unique
program for handling people without insurance, you’ve got a
pitch.

That’s called piggybacking off breaking news. And nobody does it
better than publicist Michelle Tennant, who got one of her
clients on “Larry King Live” the same day she and the client
signed a PR contract!

Michelle was my guest during the webinar on “How to Tie Your
Pitch to Breaking News and Make the Media Interview YOU.” Find
out what she taught Publicity Hounds to do, and how you can
access the webinar replay, at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/breakingnews.htm

=====================================
4. Meet Me at Author U May 6-7
=====================================

Authors, don’t miss this one.

I’ll be presenting a program on how to use traditional and social
media to sell books, on Saturday, May 7, at Author U in Colorado.

I don’t travel much anymore, so this is a rare opportunity to see
me live.

Judith Briles, a book coach and sponsor of the event, has created
an all-star line-up of speakers. Register today before all the
seats are taken.

http://authoru.org/author-u-annual-extravaganza-may-6-7-2011.html

======================================
5. Rewarding Facebook Fans
======================================

This week, two Publicity Hounds responded to Heather John’s
request for ideas on how to reward people for becoming fans on
her company’s Facebook fan page. I’m including only social media
expert BL Ochman’s comment because she says rewarding fans is
against Facebook’s terms of service:

“Besides being against Facebook?s policies for fan pages,
rewarding people for liking your page is a bogus way of earning
numbers of people who are not likely to come back and engage with
your brand beyond the reward. Yecch, blecch.

“If you have good content, and great products or services, people
will like you for real. Yes, you need to drive traffic to your
fan page, but that?s not the same as rewarding people for liking
you.”

The Publicity Hound says:

I guess that settles it. BL is right. Provide great content. And
interact with your fans!

Did you know that Facebook actually has a formula that determines
whether your status update goes into the news feed of your
friends and fans? I explained exactly what it is, and how you can
push more of your content into the feed, when I hosted the
webinar, “12 More Ways to Avoid Missed Opportunities on the New &
Improved Facebook,” with Christine Buffaloe. Read about what we
taught, access the replay and 14 pages of handouts, and check out
the rave reviews from Hounds who attended, at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/facebook12ways.htm

======================================
6. Hound Photos of the Week
======================================

Thanks to Publicity Hound Lisa Fahoury of West Orange, NJ, for
these funny photos of basset hounds wiggling, jiggling, smiling
and having a blast while running:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/basset-hounds-running

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

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

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

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

AP: The news powerhouse you probably aren’t pitching
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8084

——————————————-

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 #545 March 15, 2011
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 Make Facebook Easier

2. 31 Definitions of PR

3. LinkedIn: Perpetual Leads Machine

4. Use Sizzling Statistics

5. Free Twitter Bird Icons

6. Hound Joke of the Week

7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. How to Make Facebook Easier
=====================================

If you’re like me, you want to throw your coffee cup through the
computer monitor when you can’t figure out how to do something on
Facebook.

Why do more than 200 million people use that site, then, if it’s
so darn complicated?

Several reasons:

–Many kids, who grew up with computers and practically live on
Facebook, are patient enough to figure out all the nuances.

–Many users have Facebook accounts, but they aren’t really
active on the site because it’s too confusing. So that 200
million figure is a bit deceiving.

–Business owners, like me, use Facebook primarily for business
because we know a lot of people in our target markets are there.
We also understand the value of creating fan pages and using a
powerful “welcome” page that encourages visitors to give us their
email addresses.

That’s worth putting up with all the aggravating changes that
Facebook makes every six months or so.

The most recent batch of changes, introduced last month, offers
opportunities galore for businesses, nonprofits and government
agencies to solidify their brand.

But some of the changes are more important than others. And
trying to understand all of them at the same time can make you
crazy.

My virtual assistant, Christine Buffaloe, who manages Facebook
accounts for many of her clients, is joining me this afternoon
for a webinar on “12 More Ways to Avoid Missed Opportunities on
the New & Improved Facebook.” It’s at 4 p.m. Eastern Time and we
have a few seats left.

We’ll explain only what we think you need to know so you aren’t
overwhelmed, and we’ll tell you about the two things you should
no longer be doing with Facebook.

You may have heard lots of people buzzing about another new
Facebook feature. But we aren’t using it, and we’ll explain why.

You’ll learn about a new tool we discovered that will help you
find other people’s fan pages where you can post helpful content
to their walls, talk directly to their thousands of fans, and get
a link back to your own fan page–without spamming.

Register here, even if the time is inconvenient for you, because
I’m recording it, and I’ll send you the replay link and all the
handouts:

http://www.Publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/facebook12ways.htm

======================================
2. 31 Definitions of PR
======================================

Here’s one of my favorite explanations of the difference between
public relations, marketing, promotion and advertising:

“If the circus is coming to town and you paint a sign saying
‘Circus Coming to the Fairgrounds Saturday,’ that’s advertising.
If you put the sign on the back of an elephant and walk it into
town, that’s promotion. If the elephant walks through the
mayor’s flowerbed, that’s publicity. And if you get the mayor to
laugh about it, that’s public relations.”

Now that you know what public relations is, how do PR people
explain what they do?

You’ll find 31 definitions of PR at Heidi Cohen’s blog at
http://heidicohen.com/public-relations-definition/

Fascinating reading.

=====================================
3. LinkedIn: Perpetual Leads Machine
=====================================

Few social media sites will keep working for you 24/7, even when
you’re asleep.

But LinkedIn will. Let’s say you’re looking for journalists who
live within a 100-mile radius of Chicago.

You plug in the details of what you’re looking for and click.
After you review the results, you can save your search.

Here’s the best part: You can tell LinkedIn to send you an email
weekly or monthly to notify you if a new journalist who meets
your search criteria has been found in your network (including
Levels 1, 2 and 3 and Groups.) You can keep up to three searches
in a free account.

It’s a perpetual leads generator. LinkedIn expert Wayne
Breitbarth recommends getting on the phone as soon as you see
that someone new has become part of your network. Set up a
meeting. It could be a home run.

Read more about what Wayne taught recently during my webinar,
“Your LinkedIn Power Formula: How to Make Killer Contacts, Pull
Crowds to Events, be a Star in Your Industry & Track Down Leads
Like a Bloodhound.”

I recorded the webinar and you can download the video replay, the
MP3 and all the handouts at
http://www.Publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/linkedinpowerformula.htm

=====================================
4. Use Sizzling Statistics
=====================================

The next time you write a press release or a pitch, think of a
clever way you can introduce sizzling statistics to really
attract attention.

Brad Phillips uses them all the time. He publishes the Mr. Media
Training Blog, which offers daily media and presentation training
tips. And he wrote a super guest blog post for me with five
examples of how to make boring numbers come alive.

For example, percentages, he says, are a drag on your copy.

“Instead of proclaiming that your plant’s new energy efficient
manufacturing equipment will cut your company’s carbon footprint
by 35 percent, tell your audience what that means. Does your new
efficiency mean that you will save 20,000 barrels of oil this
year? Say so!”

Read the other four tips and leave a comment about how you used
statistics. Go to http://publicityhound.net/?p=7994

======================================
5. Free Twitter Bird Icons
======================================

Looking for some attractive Twitter icons to place at your blog
or website or use on your marketing materials?

You can download an entire set of six incredibly cute birds, some
with their “Follow Me” and “Tweet About Us” signs. Kudos to Gopal
Raju of Convax Solutions for offering these under Creative
Commons, which means you can freely use them for your private and
commercial projects, including software, online service,
templates and themes.

Smart Publicity Hounds can also use them in online media rooms
and press kits.

Grab ‘em now at
http://www.productivedreams.com/free-twitter-bird-icon-set/

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

A police dog responds to an ad for work with the FBI.

“Well,” says the personnel director, “you’ll have to meet some
strict requirements. First, you must type at least 60 words per
minute.”

Sitting down at the computer, the dog types 80 words per minute.

“Also,” says the director, “you must pass a physical and complete
the obstacle course.”

This perfect dog specimen finishes the course in record time.

“There’s one last requirement,” the director continues. “You must
be bilingual.”

With confidence, the dog looks up at him and says, “Meow!”

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

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

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

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

How to Promote Events on Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8006

Why statistics can be your greatest PR ally–or enemy
http://publicityhound.net/?p=7994

——————————————-

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 #545 March 8, 2011
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. Don’t Fight Facebook

2. LinkedIn Sleuthing

3. Wanted: Milk Mustache Stars

4. Publicity Hound Charlie Sheen

5. What’s Your Klout Score?

6. Hound Video of the Week

7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. Don’t Fight Facebook
=====================================

Just when I start feeling comfortable with the latest round of
changes to Facebook, along comes another series of new features
that throw me into a tailspin.

For example, I voluntarily converted to the new format rather
than waiting until later this month when everyone will be forced
to convert. But that places an ugly photo ribbon right at the top
of my fan page.

That’s prime real estate, darn it!

Most of the photo ribbons I’ve seen on other people’s pages
include a series of five unrelated photos that show fan page
owners posing with people they’ve met at events. The photos are
usually poorly cropped, too dark, or so small that people looking
at the page can’t identify who’s in the photo.

Nor do they care.

But I’ve figured out a way to manipulate that photo ribbon so I
use it to promote my business and bring visitors to my website,
blog, Twitter profile and even product pages–without being
obnoxious.

You can check it out by going to
http://www.Facebook.com/publicitytips

While you’re there, click on the Like button at the top of the
page. Then click on each of the five photos and see what happens.

Knowing how to use the photo ribbon to help your visitors and to
promote–and understanding what you can do with all the other new
Facebook features–will give you incredible power that you never
knew you had.

Three years ago, when I hosted the webinar “11 Ways to Avoid
Missed Opportunities on Facebook,” Christine Buffaloe, my virtual
assistant, walked participants through Facebook and demonstrated
how to use the site to attract friends and fans, join the
conversation, find your target audience and make people love you.

But that was three years ago. So much has changed on Facebook
that some of the strategies we recommended back then can actually
waste hours of your precious time due to the numerous changes on
Facebook.

I’ve fielded so many questions about Facebook’s new look and
navigation that Chris and I are hosting a webinar at 4 p.m.
Eastern Time on Tuesday, March 15. It’s called “12 More Ways to
Avoid Missed Opportunities on the New & Improved Facebook.”

If you participated three years ago, or you’re confused by any
aspect of Facebook, you owe it to yourself to take this crash
course to learn about the new tools and how to use them to
promote your expertise.

We’re even going to be sharing a cool new tool I discovered that
will help you find other people’s fan pages where you can post
helpful content to their walls, talk directly to their thousands
of fans, and get a link back to your own fan page–without
spamming.

Register here, even if the time is inconvenient for you because
I’m recording it, and I’ll send you the replay link and all the
handouts:

http://www.Publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/facebook12ways.htm

======================================
2. LinkedIn Sleuthing
======================================

Last week, I explained how LinkedIn’s Advanced Search Feature
serves as your own Lt. Columbo and helps you track down important
people with whom you want to connect.

But here’s the best part.

Advanced Search can deliver to you a long list of purchasing
managers, event planners, journalists, bloggers, publishers, or
other business people in almost any industry who you’d like to
meet–within just a few seconds.

Let’s say you need only names of people with a certain job title,
in a certain state, and within a 50-mile radius of a certain zip
code. Lt. Columbo can deliver that, too.

Once you see the list of results, then what do you do? One answer
is to choose someone from that list who’s a second- or third-
level connection, and then look for people who are connected to
you and to them. Ask the mutual connection to introduce you.

But what if you have no mutual connections? And what if the list
includes someone identified only by first name and last initial?
Then what do you do?

Wayne Breitbarth, who was the expert guest last week on my
webinar, “Your LinkedIn Power Formula: How to Make Killer
Contacts, Pull Crowds to Events, be a Star in Your Industry &
Track Down Leads Like a Bloodhound,” shared a sneaky little trick
that can let you penetrate even big companies and go directly to
the decision-maker you need even if you aren’t connected to them
yet on LinkedIn.

I recorded the webinar and you get download the video replay, the
MP3 and all the handouts at
http://www.Publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/linkedinpowerformula.htm

=====================================
3. Wanted: Milk Mustache Stars
=====================================

If you know a wholesome teen-age girl who would be the perfect
spokesperson to promote milk, tell her that she could one of the
next stars of the “got milk?” ads–complete with the signature
milk mustache.

Seventeen magazine is looking for nine teen-agers for its
campaign.

Joining these kinds of contests, by the way, is great training
for publicity puppies who might want to become full-fledged
Publicity Hounds when they grow up.

Send your publicity pups to my blog to learn more about this:
http://publicityhound.net/?p=7956

=====================================
4. Publicity Hound Charlie Sheen
=====================================

Ideas for piggybacking your story idea onto the Charlie Sheen
drama:

–Parenting experts, how would you advise the parents of the two
goddesses living with Charlie? Should mom or dad try to talk some
sense into their daughters, or is it beyond too late? (I often
ask myself, where are these girls’ mothers?)

–Addiction experts, what’s your advice to alcoholics or drug
addicts who might think they “aren’t as bad as Charlie”?

–Teachers, how are impressionable kids responding to the
publicity stunts? And what are you telling them?

–Write an article on “5 Things Charlie Sheen Can Teach You About
(fill in the blank)”

Can’t think of an idea that ties into Charlie? How about stealing
an idea from “116 WOW Story Ideas from January through June” at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/JanIdeas.htm

======================================
5. What’s Your Klout Score?
======================================

Klout is quickly becoming one of the most popular tools for
measuring your influence online and in social media circles.

Go to http://www.Klout.com. Type your Twitter handle into the
box and hit “View.”

Now, go through the same process for your competitors and see how
your score compares to theirs.

Your score will fluctuate a little from one day to the next, so
return periodically and check it.

Today, my score is 60 and I’m working like crazy to improve it.

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

This video, about three and a half minutes, has had more than 2
million views on YouTube. It features an exercise instructor who
looks like a poodle and her obedient students–a pack of poodles
that look like the exercise instructor.

Is this an optical illusion? How do think they made this look so
lifelike? It starts slow, but stay with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdX_OBUeHb4

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

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

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

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

Girls, you could be the next Milk Mustache star
http://publicityhound.net/?p=7956

Publicity Hounds are still posting dozens of comments to my piece
on whether to accept a journalist’s invitation for an email
interview:
http://publicityhound.net/?p=7900

——————————————-

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 #543 March 1, 2011
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. LinkedIn: Your Own Lt. Columbo

2. More Facebook & Twitter Followers

3. Email Interviews with Reporters

4. For Authors & Publishers Only

5. Promoting a BBQ Restaurant

6. Hound Quote of the Week

7. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. LinkedIn: Your Own Lt. Columbo
=====================================

Stop waiting for your ideal customers and clients to invite you
to connect with them on LinkedIn.

Go find them.

LinkedIn’s Advanced Search feature is like having your own Lt.
Columbo right at your fingertips.

And it could very well be the most powerful feature on the
world’s largest business networking site. If you know how to
search correctly, your efforts just might lead you to a company
that’s looking for what you’re selling.

Wayne Breitbarth, who sells office furniture in Milwaukee, told
me two amazing stories about the power of Advanced Search.

His company used it to track down a Milwaukee company that needs
to buy a truckload of office furniture. One thing led to another,
and now Wayne’s company is vying with one other vendor for the
contract, thanks to LinkedIn.

In another instance, one of Wayne’s friends who sells promotional
items was trying to get into a sizable company in the Madison
area for years but direct mail and phone calls proved futile.

Using LinkedIn’s Advanced Search function, Wayne was able to
track down the correct department that was looking for vendors.
But who within that department was the right person to contact?

Advanced Search to the rescue once again. He found the right
person, and his friend was able to submit a bid for a $1 million
contract.

Wayne has become such an expert on LinkedIn, that he’ll be
speaking at Inc. magazine’s Growco conference in Las Vegas in
April.

He’s also agreed to demonstrate how to use Advanced Search, and
many other LinkedIn features, when he’s my guest during a webinar
at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, March 3.

It’s called “Your LinkedIn Power Formula: How to Make Killer
Contacts, Pull Crowds to Events, be a Star in Your Industry &
Track Down Leads Like a Bloodhound.” His handouts include 12 ways
to use LinkedIn to promote live or virtual events.

Learn more about the webinar, how to register, and what else
you’ll learn, at
http://www.Publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/linkedinpowerformula.htm

======================================
2. More Facebook & Twitter Followers
======================================

During Thursday’s LinkedIn webinar, I’m going to share a trick I
discovered last week on my own.

It started with a wild idea on how I can use LinkedIn to attract
more Twitter followers and Facebook fans.

It worked like a charm. I saw a nice little bump in the number of
people who are now following me on both of those sites.

Here’s the best part. I’ve figured out a way to make sure this
task doesn’t take more than about 10 seconds of my time each when
I use it.

I ran it by Wayne Breitbarth and he loved it!

You will too. But I’m sharing it only with people who sign up for
the webinar.

Register here:
http://www.Publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/linkedinpowerformula.htm

=====================================
3. Email Interviews with Reporters
=====================================

The blog post I wrote yesterday on whether to accept invitations
from journalists who want to interview you by email resulted in
more comments to my blog than I can ever remember.

Would you allow a reporter, editor or freelancer to send you a
list of questions, then include your email responses in an
article, without every talking to the interviewer on the phone?

Take a minute and really think about your answer.

Then go to my blog and see if your decision is the right one:
http://publicityhound.net/?p=7900

Tell me in the comments section if you think I’m wrong.

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

Want to find out how one author made her book an Amazon.com,
Barnes & Noble and New York Times Bestseller?

Join my friend, Steve Harrison, tomorrow, March 2, for a free
webinar (or telephone seminar) and discover the ingenious, yet
simple “bestseller blueprint” you can use to sell more books in a
week than most authors sell all year.

You’ll hear from four authors who’ve used it to make their books
bestsellers and one who sold $184,256.00 of copies at zero cost!

To register go here now:
http://www.bestsellerblueprintcall.com/?10011

I’m promoting this call as a compensated affiliate because I get
a glut of phone calls from authors who can’t park in their
garages that are filled with cardboard boxes of books they can’t
unload.

======================================
5. Promoting a BBQ Restaurant
======================================

This week, eight Publicity Hounds have advice for Michael Smith
of Philadelphia. Michael’s brother owns a BBQ restaurant for
take-out and delivery only and needs ideas on how to market it to
people in the Philadelphia area. The motto, emblazoned on T-
shirts and the menus, is “Dig the Pig!”

From Debbie Gioquindo:

“Claim your business on FourSquare and offer some promotions with
the badges. Also create a Facebook page, and post promotions and
specials daily. You can even target clientele in your small
target area. Follow that with a Twitter account to begin to
create relationships with the neighborhood.”

From Dale Hutchings:

“Sponsor a contest to name the pig.”

From Ron Wood:

“Send your discount offer to the editors of (local) publications.
I was an editor for a long time and was always looking for a way
to help my readers.”

The Publicity Hound says:

Here are my two ideas. First, make sure local Harley Owners
Groups (HOGS) know about the “Name the Pig” contest.

Then, get your restaurant onto Yelp. It’s a review site, where
people post reviews of local restaurants, bars, nightclubs, etc.

Don’t solicit good reviews because that’s against Yelp’s Terms of
Service. Rather, let customers know you’re on Yelp. Put “See us
on Yelp” on receipts, flyers, signs near the cash register, etc.

Yelp is one of “50+ Places Online to Promote Your Live or Virtual
Events to Reach Your Target Market & Pull Sell-out Crowds.” It’s
a video recording of a wildly popular webinar I hosted a few
months ago that packed the virtual house. Learn more about it at
http://www.publicityhound.com/events.htm

======================================
6. Hound Quote of the Week
======================================

I talk to him when I’m lonesome like,
and I’m sure he understands.

When he looks at me so attentively,
and gently licks my hands

Then he rubs his nose on my tailored clothes,
but I never say naught thereat.

For the good Lord knows I can buy more clothes,
but never a friend like that.”

–Author W. Dayton Wedgefarth

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…
====================================

Authors, the media don’t care about your books
http://publicityhound.net/?p=7886

Use LinkedIn to attract more fans on Twitter, Facebook
http://publicityhound.net/?p=7895

Email interview with journalists? Yes or no?
http://publicityhound.net/?p=7900

——————————————-

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http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound

——————————————–

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