November 19th, 2009 by JStewart in Publicity Tips
The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #479 Nov. 17, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityHound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.PublicityArticles.net (Ezine Archives)
==========================================
“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”
Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/
===================================
In This Issue
===================================
1. How to Promote Your Experts
2. Pay Attention to Media Websites
3. Oprah/Palin Outtakes
4. How to Promote a Book on Autism
5. Help This Hound
6. Hound Videos of the Week
7. And at My Blog…
====================================
1. How to Promote Your Experts
====================================
If you’re an expert in your industry, or you have a team of
experts, let the world know.
During yesterday’s teleseminar for members of The Publicity Hound
Mentor Program, I shared 14 ways to promote your experts. Here
are four of them:
–Create an Experts Directory. If you have many experts, list
them by category, in alphabetical order, and include all contact
information. Make sure your experts have given you permission to
include their names. If they’re at all shy about talking to
reporters or bloggers, pay for media training or don’t include
them. Send hard-copy directories to targeted media, and make the
directory available at your website, in your media room.
–Include one page at your website for each expert. Make sure the
title bar includes a keyword phrase that will help the media find
your expert quickly through the search engines. Example:
“Employee recruitment and retention expert.”
–During a big breaking news event that ties into an expert’s
topic, call or email your media contacts and offer your expert
for background, commentary and story ideas that tie into the
breaking news.
–Give your experts prominent exposure in online experts
directories.
Each year, I subscribe to Expertclick: The Online Yearbook of
Experts. PRWeek calls this the “Dating Service of PR” because it
connects experts and journalists. I’ve been a member for years,
and my Press Room Page has helped me capture the top two or three
positions on Google for the phrase “publicity expert.”
The deadline is Friday, Nov. 20, for their 25th Anniversary 2010
Yearbook of Experts. See the full brochure at
https://www.ExpertClick.com/Discount/Publicity-Hound and take
advantage of their special for Publicity Hounds. They’ll shave
$100 off your subscription. Or call 202-333-5000. They answer
their phones live and have great customer service.
===================================
2. Pay Attention to Media Websites
===================================
Before you pitch journalists or broadcasters, know all your
options by visiting their websites.
I wanted to pitch a story idea to the news department at Fox 6, a
Milwaukee TV station, recently and visited their site to see what
I could find. I learned they now accept news tips and pitches at
the site during their 1:45 p.m. news meeting each day.
They broadcast video of the meeting. And even though you can’t
hear the audio, you can pitch your story idea right at the
website. That’s exactly what I did.
The producer who was reading the pitches on his laptop while
attending the meeting responded immediately and said he loved my
idea. But he thought it was more appropriate for the station’s
early-morning news/feature program. I pitched that program, and
the host responded the next day and booked a segment with my
client for next month. Is that cool or what?
These websites often include other valuable nuggets. You might
find bios of the on-air reporters and anchors. You can upload
photos and videos at many newspaper, TV and radio websites. You
can submit items for their event calendars. You can also find
mini profiles of all their local programs. Many media outlets
also include links where you can follow them on Facebook and
Twitter.
Now that you know how to find them and pitch them, start building
relationships with them. “Special Report #49: 17 Ways to Build
Valuable Relationships with Media People” shows you how. Only
$10. Order at http://budurl.com/lzge
===================================
3. Oprah/Palin Outtakes
===================================
Oprah’s taped interview with Sarah Palin, which was broadcast
yesterday, attracted so many viewers who love her or hate her
that Oprah’s smart producers did something that we can do.
They posted five outtakes from the interview at Oprah’s website
under the headline “What You Didn’t See.” Take a look:
http://budurl.com/oprahandsarah
If you’re shooting video for whatever reason, and you have some
great outtakes, here are six ideas for using them:
–Edit them into separate videos and upload them to your YouTube
channel and to other video-sharing sites so they pull in traffic
from the search engines. Use different keywords for each video so
you pull the maximum amount of traffic possible.
–Insert the video links into press releases.
–Post the videos in your online press room.
–Use them at your blog.
–Include the links in articles you write for the article
directory sites.
–Share them with your social media friends, fans and followers.
Videographer John Easton of Charlotte, N.C. knows creative, easy
ways to use video to generate publicity and sales leads, even if
you only do business locally. I interviewed him about “9 Clever
Ways to Use Video to Become a Publicity Darling in Your Industry
or Community.” Learn more at http://budurl.com/sttl
===================================
4. How to Promote a Book on Autism
===================================
This week, six Publicity Hounds have tips for Mary Ann Puckett
from Oklahoma City, OK, author of a self-published book, “Take
Him Home and Love Him: A Story of Autism and How to Cope with
It.” She needs tips for promoting the book to parents and
caregivers.
From Linda Kotzian:
“Contact Care Trak at http://www.caretrak.com/news.htm They sell
tracking devices for those afflicted by Alzheimer?s and autism.
They might share their mailing list with you, or even promote
your book as part of their service.”
From Eric Gruber:
“You should be writing articles and submitting them to the top
parenting and health websites, blogs, ezines and article
directories–as well as focusing on those sites that deal with
autism specifically. For example, you should target
http://autism.about.com/ ”
From Margaret Vos:
“Perhaps your high school, college, or university would LOVE to
hear about your accomplishment. Not just a ‘local girl does good’
story, but one that can help other parents too–and targeted to
an educational field but with a different angle. You could
include special needs schools that have newsletters for parents.”
The Publicity Hound says:
Mary Ann, you need to reach out to two huge segments of bloggers:
mommy bloggers and home-schoolers. Go to Google and search for
?top 20 mommy bloggers? and see what you find. Also, ?top 20
home-school bloggers.?
Make sure you visit their blogs and post a comment or two before
you pitch. And, of course, make sure the blog is a good fit with
the book.
Read all the responses to this week?s ?Help This Hound” question
at http://budurl.com/tvxv
Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=HelpThisHound
and include your city, state or province.
=================================
5. Help This Hound
=================================
I’m out of questions (send questions!) so this week’s is from me:
Publicity Hounds who responded to my Customer Profile Survey in
the spring said blogging was one of the top three topics they
wanted to know more about.
I’m planning one or more paid teleseminars on blogging for
business soon, and I want to make sure I’m teaching things you
need to know.
If you’re interested in this topic, let me know which sub-topics
interest you:
–How to find compelling content
–Shortcuts and time-saving tools
–Commenting at other blogs
–The best blog directories where you should submit your blog
–How to pull traffic to your blog
–Using photos and images
–How to pitch a guest blog post to someone else
–How to find guest bloggers
–Feeding your blog posts into social media sites
–Writing compelling headlines
–Or any topics I haven’t mentioned here.
Also, please let me know if you consider yourself a beginning,
intermediate or advanced blogger.
Mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com and put “Blogging” in the
subject line.
==================================
6. Hound Videos of the Week
==================================
Thanks to Publicity Hound Jacqueline Simonds of Reno, NV for
these three videos that show sheer joy, yelps of delight and lots
of tail-wagging as these four-legged hounds welcome home their
owners from Iran and Afghanistan. (This’ll cheer you up if you’re
having a really bad day.)
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/40324
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…
==================================
Oprah’s producers blog & drop clues about what they like
http://budurl.com/oprahproducersblog
8 ways public speaking produces multiple revenue streams
http://budurl.com/malinchakspeaking
————————————
Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound
Join my Facebook Fan Page:
http://www.facebook.com/publicitytips
Connect with me on LinkedIn (and tell me how we know each other):
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound
Permission to Reprint:
You may reprint any items from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the
Week” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include
the following paragraph:
Reprinted from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” an ezine
featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity.
Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email
the handy cheat sheet “89 Reasons to Send a Press Release.”
If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends,
clients and colleagues.
You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The
Publicity Hound website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you
told me you want to subscribe.
Privacy Statement:
The Publicity Hound respects your privacy and has a strict anti-
spam policy. Read my privacy policy at
http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm
================================================
Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound
»
October 27th, 2009 by JStewart in Publicity Tips
The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #475 Oct. 27, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.PublicityArticles.net (Ezine Archives)
==========================================
“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”
Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/
===================================
In This Issue
===================================
1. Got Blogger Butt?
2. Rub Elbows with Editors
3. Tips from ‘Mars/Venus’ Author
4. How to Deal with Media Bias
5. Help This Hound; Win a Shovel Mask
6. Hound Video of the Week
7. And at My Blog…
====================================
1. Got Blogger Butt?
====================================
Thanks to those three little words, Publicity Hound Michelle
Tennant landed an interview with FOX News later today on the
topic of how women can stay healthy while in front of their
computers 14 hours a day.
When Michelle’s doctor ordered her to take off 50 pounds by
August of next year, she bought a treadmill. Her woodworker
husband made her a handy treadmill desk, a removable desk
attachment that lets her work on her laptop while working out.
Michelle, a publicist, blogged about it at
http://budurl.com/bloggerbutt and then pitched the story to FOX.
A producer called her, and she’ll use a webcam and Skype for the
interview later tonight. FOX is taping segments now for November
sweeps and loves any kind of angle that will appeal to the
masses.
You can do what she did. You can come up with a clever angle for
even the most routine story. Here are four tips from Michelle on
how to find a clever angle:
–Use alliteration in your pitch. “Blogger butt” turns the pitch
into a sound bite that’s irresistible to broadcasters.
–Magazine covers offer ideas galore for angles. “Women should
get out of their comfort zone and read the cover of a men’s
magazine, and men should read the cover of a women’s magazine,”
she says. Look for headlines you can steal. By substituting just
a few words, you’ve got an angle. Example from Cosmopolitan
magazine: 26 gutsy ways to make a fresh start. Your headline: 8
gutsy ways to make your office a fun place to work.
–Tie into breaking or seasonal news. “In this case, I tied my
breaking news into women in the workforce and weight gain in the
digital age.”
–Look for problem/solution angles that appeal to the masses. The
best angles tie into topics like saving money, staying young,
looking and feeling better, and being more successful.
Watch the video she produced about blogger butt at
http://storytellertothemedia.com/
Michelle, a graduate of The Publicity Hound Mentor program, has a
long track record of getting her clients into top-tier media. She
explained how she does it, and shared inside secrets on how she
connects with journalists, when I interviewed for my series of
lessons on “How to Create a Media Plan.” Learn more about it at
http://www.publicityhound.com/mediaplan.htm
========================================
2. Rub Elbows with Editors
========================================
Telephones and email aren’t the only ways to contact editors.
Here are three great ways to meet journalists face-to-face:
–At events sponsored by your local press club. Many press clubs
allow people who work outside the media to join. It’s a chance to
meet editors in a relaxed setting.
–At events sponsored by local business journals and magazines.
Business Journals generate a huge chunk of their revenue from
corporate sponsors at events such as power breakfasts, the 40
Under 40 awards ceremony, and the Book of Lists party. Pay
attention to what events they’re sponsoring and attend. Don’t
pitch at these events. Concentrate on building the relationship.
–By hanging out near the media room at trade shows. If you’re
attending a trade show as a participant, speaker or vendor, there
are lots of things you can do before, during and after the event
to make valuable media connections. Example: When you meet a
journalist at a trade show, invite him for coffee.
“Trade Show PR: How to Rise Above the Noise Level,” a recording
of an interview I did with PR expert Dan Janal, offers dozens of
tactics and strategies you can use long before trade shows begin,
and long after they’re over, to build valuable relationships with
the media. Learn more about the CD at
http://budurl.com/tradeshowpr
========================================
3. Tips from ‘Mars/Venus’ Author
========================================
John Gray says one of the biggest mistakes an author can make is
not understanding how to survive financially while writing and
promoting a book.
I know what he means. I’ve worked with clients who have taken
sabbaticals from their businesses or their corporate jobs to
write their books, only to reluctantly take out a second mortgage
just to pay the bills until their books hit the bookstores.
A second mistake, he says, is that they relied on the book for
revenue.
During a short interview with Steve Harrison, Gray discusses the
rocky road he traveled as a self-published author, long before
his ‘Mars/Venus’ success, and how anyone who is writing a book or
wants to write one can learn from his experiences.
You’ll also hear the one thing he did to come up with a memorable
title for his book on relationships. I’ve never heard this tip
mentioned anywhere. It worked. “Men Are From Mars, Women Are from
Venus” went on to sell 30 million copies and spent seven years on
the New York Times Best Seller List.
Listen to the interview, including what he learned about
appearing on Oprah, at http://budurl.com/menarefrommars
=======================================
4. How to Deal with Media Bias
=======================================
This week, three Publicity Hounds have tips for Ivy Mendoza of
Manila, Philippines on how to deal with a local newspaper editor
who refuses to print press releases about her client.
From Nancy Binzel Pierce:
“I suggest finding a neutral third party who is friendly with
both sides. Explain the situation to her (or him) and ask her to
help you re-establish a relationship.”
From Gin:
“Write a press release around the subject of forgiveness and bad
work ethics, then invite feedback from the public, adding
information about other available business services. The feedback
may indirectly reflect and change the opinion of the editor.”
From the Publicity Hound:
Forget about the Lifestyles editor. Call her direct supervisor
and explain what happened. If you don?t like that answer, keep
working your way up the ladder to the publisher. Everybody works
for somebody.
I’m also willing to guess that far more people read Craigslist in
the Philippines than that newspaper. See “How to Use Craigslist
as a Global Publicity Tool” at
http://budurl.com/howtousecraigslist
Read all the responses to this week?s ?Help This Hound question
http://tinyurl.com/editorsaysno
Send your own Help this Hound question to: mailto:
JStewart@PublicityHound.com
and include your city, state and province.
=====================================
5. Help This Hound; Win a Shovel Mask
=====================================
John T. Unger of Mancelona, MI writes:
“My original art, including my fire bowls, which I’ve been making
since 2005, has been copied by a manufacturer.
“He is now suing me in federal court to overturn my existing
copyrights and continue making knockoffs. I have a strong case, a
great lawyer and believe that if I can continue to defend myself,
the case will be resolved in my favor.
“I did not initiate this lawsuit, but am defending my art, my
creative rights, my reputation and my livelihood. I’ve already
spent over $50,000 out of pocket in defense of my original
designs. Seeking a judicial ruling in federal court will cost
more than most artists or small businesses can afford, but
attempts at settlement have been unsuccessful. I am holding a
fundraising sale of my artwork to finance a defense in court.
“What ideas do your hounds have for raising awareness of the
story, its broader implications for other creative professionals
and raising funds to see that the laws which protect copyright
are not weakened for other artists?”
The Publicity Hound says:
John called me to ask for my help with this problem, and I told
him my Publicity Hounds will come through with some great
suggestions on how he can defend he lawsuit without going broke.
What can he do in traditional and social media to spread the word
and muster support? Post your best ideas to my blog at
http://budurl.com/firebowl
The Publicity Hound who suggests the best idea will win a
beautiful shovel mask, made by John. The winner will be announced
here in two weeks. Check by blog post for photos of the shovel
mask and the fire bowl.
==================================
6. Hound Video of the Week
==================================
It’s almost Halloween and you can’t forget about your dog. Here
are several clever ideas for dog costumes.
http://ow.ly/wKW7
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…
==================================
PR/social media book perfect for wanna-be publicists
http://ow.ly/wKRL
Want a Bulldog award? Teleconference explains how to win
http://ow.ly/wtww
Avoid press release buzzwords; use press release keywords
http://ow.ly/wtvO
————————————
Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound
Join my Facebook Fan Page:
http://www.facebook.com/publicitytips
Connect with me on LinkedIn (and tell me how we know each other):
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound
Permission to Reprint:
You may reprint any items from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the
Week” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include
the following paragraph:
Reprinted from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” an ezine
featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity.
Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email
the handy cheat sheet “89 Reasons to Send a Press Release.”
If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends,
clients and colleagues.
You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The
Publicity Hound website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you
told me you want to subscribe.
Privacy Statement:
The Publicity Hound respects your privacy and has a strict anti-
spam policy. Read my privacy policy at
http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm
================================================
Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
USA
Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737
»
October 7th, 2009 by JStewart in Publicity Tips
The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #472 Oct. 6, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net/ (Ezine Archives)
==========================================
“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”
Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/
===================================
In This Issue
===================================
1. Where to Find Guest Bloggers
2. Free Press Release Distribution
3. Media Lead: Animal Planet
4. For Authors Only
5. When Journalists Ignore Your Releases
6. Help This Hound
7. Hound Joke of the Week
8. And at My Blog…
=========================================
1. Where to Find Guest Bloggers
=========================================
If you’re weary of cranking out quality content for your blog,
consider recruiting an occasional guest blogger.
Guest bloggers expose your readers to new opinions, topics and
perspectives.
They give you a break. And they give other writers and experts
exposure to your audience.
Here’s the best part. They don’t even have to have their own
blog. If they can write well, they can guest blog.
Here are five ways to find guest bloggers:
–Invite bloggers whose opinions you admire. Ask them to write
original content, because the search engines don’t look favorably
on duplicate content. Stress that they’ll have the chance to be
in front of a new audience and that you’ll give them a link back
to their website or blog.
–Invite some of the most frequent commenters at your own blog–
writers whose opinions and writing you admire.
–Consider inviting publishers or editors of some of your
favorite ezines, as long as their topic is related to the topics
you write about.
–If you’re on LinkedIn, pay attention to the question-and-answer
feature. I found a great answer to a question, and asked the
writer if I could print her answer as a guest blog post. She said
yes.
–Ask your readers to contribute their best posts–again,
original content. It’s best that readers pitch an idea for your
approval, just like they’d pitch a story to journalists.
Want to be a guest blogger for my blog at
http://www.publicityhound.net/? Send your idea to
JStewart@PublicityHound.com
=======================================
2. Free Press Release Distribution
=======================================
Here’s the dirty little secret of most free press release
distribution services.
Most of them don’t distribute anything. They simply take your
press release and park it at their website. They exist primarily
to get revenue from Google AdSense ads, which show up on the same
page as your release.
There’s more you need to know.
If you discover that the press release you just submitted
includes a typo–like a wrong phone number or a bad URL–you’re
usually stuck with the error forever. Most of these services
don’t have help desks.
Paid services like PRWeb and Expertclick.com have help desks that
can spring into action within minutes after you call.
Janet Thaeler, a press release specialist and an expert at search
engine optimization, says that if press release writers insist on
using one of the free services, there are three she recommends.
She’ll discuss them when she’s a guest on a teleseminar I’m
hosting on Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 3 to 4:10 p.m. Eastern Time.
It’s on “How to Use Keywords, the Magic Magnets that Pull
Consumers and Journalists to Your Press Releases.”
If your competitors are using keywords correctly in their
releases, and you aren’t, they win and you lose.
Everyone who registers for the call will have the chance to win a
press release written by Janet, and distributed through PRWeb.
Read more about what you’ll learn, and register at
http://tinyurl.com/yeygbqb
========================================
3. Media Lead: Animal Planet
========================================
For all you Publicity Hounds out there who want a new best friend
AND want great PR at the same time, PitchRate.com has a unique
request from Animal Planet.
Their show, “Underdog to Wonderdog,” is looking for loving
families, couples or singles in the New England area to adopt an
unloved shelter dog. These once-neglected and forgotten shelter
dogs will be made over, trained and given a second chance at life
by being placed in a home on this second-season program.
If you or someone you know wants their very own hound to love,
visit http://www.pitchrate.com/ and make a pitch to Animal
Planet’s request, “Animal Planet – adopt an unwanted shelter
dog,” right away.
========================================
4. For Authors Only
========================================
If you’ve written a book or you’re thinking of writing one, learn
what 7 things rich authors do differently than poor authors.
Steve Harrison will discuss them when he hosts a free teleseminar
called “What do Rich Authors Know That Poor Authors Don’t?” on
Thursday, Oct. 8, at your choice of two times.
After working with more than 9,000 authors over the last two
decades, Steve has discovered that successful, best-selling
authors do 7 things differently. Find out what they are by
registering for the call at http://tinyurl.com/2onv6b and
listening at either 2 or 7 p.m. Eastern.
If these times are inconvenient, recruit somebody to listen for
you and take notes. These calls are seldom recorded.
=======================================
5. When Journalists Ignore Your Releases
=======================================
This week, seven Publicity Hounds have tips for Joel Kweskin of
Charlotte, NC, who needs advice on how to get his press releases
published. He has sent many releases to journalists, with little
success.
From J. Reeder, a former newspaper editor:
“One of the best things you can do is include a usable photo at
300 dpi and about 4-by-6 size. Make sure to include a caption
identifying anyone in the photo. Then write your release to sell
that photo. Most editors are looking for art to go with anything
canned to lay out a page.”
From Connie Oswald Stofko:
“Just pick up the phone and call the newspaper. It could be
you’re not meeting their deadlines. Or you’re faxing the press
release when they want it e-mailed, or vice versa. One paper
didn’t use a great story I sent them, because they never got it?-
their email was down.”
From Paul Furiga:
“The most important thing you can do is to get to know the people
who decide whether your news gets printed. They call it public
relations because it?s about relationships. And you build a media
relationship that leads to placements by initiating a dialogue
with the people who decide what?s news and what?s not. Buy the
appropriate editor or reporter coffee. Visit them in the
newsroom. Ask them this most important question: ‘How can I help
YOU?’”
The Publicity Hound says:
Read all the responses to this week?s ?Help This Hound” question
at http://budurl.com/85lh
Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
and include your city, state or province.
===================================
6. Help This Hound
===================================
Joel Kweskin of Charlotte, NC, asks another question this week:
“I’d like to hear your Hounds’ opinions on how to compensate
publicists.
“Some press releases result in a little blurb in a publication,
which can be considered satisfactory. And then there’s a query to
a business publication that results in a full feature article,
which I’ve gotten a few times.
“Shouldn’t there be a different compensation ‘adjustment’ for an
effort on the publicist’s part that results in fairly major
coverage?”
The Publicity Hound says:
Publicists charge for their services several ways, Joel. The way
you’re referring to is called pay-per-placement. The client
doesn’t pay unless the publicist generates publicity. Fees are
determined by the size and reach of the media hit. You can read
more about it at BL Ochman’s blog at http://budurl.com/2wgt
How about it, publicists? Do you do pay-per-placement? If not,
are you compensated for bigger publicity hits? If not, why not?
And how can a client know which method of payment is better? Post
your comments to my blog at http://budurl.com/9h2q
==================================
7. Hound Joke of the Week
==================================
Actual classified ad that appeared in a weekly newspaper in Ohio:
FREE to a good home: Domestic tan male. Neutered and declawed.
Has shots.
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…
===============================
NPR says pitch your idea to one show at a time
http://budurl.com/qh7v
————————————
Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound
Join my Facebook Fan Page:
http://www.facebook.com/publicitytips
Connect with me on LinkedIn (and tell me how we know each other):
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound
Permission to Reprint:
You may reprint any items from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the
Week” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include
the following paragraph:
Reprinted from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” an ezine
featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity.
Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email
the handy cheat sheet “89 Reasons to Send a Press Release.”
If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends,
clients and colleagues.
You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The
Publicity Hound website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you
told me you want to subscribe.
Privacy Statement:
The Publicity Hound respects your privacy and has a strict anti-
spam policy. Read my privacy policy at
http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm
================================================
Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
USA
Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737
»
September 15th, 2009 by JStewart in Publicity Tips
The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #469 Sept. 15, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.PublicityArticles.net (Ezine Archives)
==========================================
“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”
Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/
===================================
In This Issue
===================================
1. Grade Your LinkedIn Credibility
2. Help Celebs Deal with Anger
3. Twitter: A Giant Garbage Dump?
4. Test-drive Stompernet for Free
5. Publicizing Zombie Stories
6. Help This Hound
7. Hound Joke of the Week
=====================================
1. Grade Your LinkedIn Credibility
=====================================
If you’re answering questions on LinkedIn to promote your
expertise, good for you.
But don’t make the mistake I’ve been making. At times, I’ve been
creating the impression that it’s all about me.
Yesterday, for example, I answered a question from somebody who
wanted to know how to use press releases to promote his
consulting services in anger management.
I wrote a detailed answer (see Item #2 below). Then, at the
bottom of the answer, where I could offer three links to websites
where he could learn more about press releases, I offered three
links to my own websites.
LinkedIn also gave me the chance to name other experts on press
releases. But I didn’t.
A few hours later, I realized my mistake when I read the
excellent article “7 Ways to Have Character (and Show It) on
LinkedIn” at http://budurl.com/5jd2
It was written by LinkedIn expert Scott Allen, who says it isn’t
all about me or you. It’s all about giving before we take, and
offering other resources and experts that can help our LinkedIn
connections solve problems that are bugging them.
I used his article to grade my own credibility on LinkedIn. As a
result, I’ll be doing three things differently:
–Writing recommendations for my LinkedIn connections without
being asked.
–Responding more quickly to requests for introductions.
–Referring people whose questions I answer to other websites and
experts.
Read Scott’s article, and grade your own credibility. Then read
more about what he taught during the teleseminar I hosted with
him on “How to Use LinkedIn to Promote Anything–Ethically and
Powerfully” at http://budurl.com/44×8
======================================
2. Help Celebs Deal with Anger
======================================
U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, tennis champ Serena Williams and rapper
Kanye West have just handed you three fabulous opportunities to
piggyback your pitches onto big news events.
Anger management experts, etiquette consultants, therapists,
sports coaches and others should be tying their tips to the
recent problems experienced by Wilson’s “You lie!” outburst,
Williams’ potty mouth threat at the US Open, and West’s obnoxious
interruption onstage at the MTV Awards ceremony.
Some ideas worth pitching:
–When is “I’m sorry” enough?
–What constitutes an appropriate apology?
–Should politicians, sports stars and music celebs be held to a
higher level of behavior than the rest of us?
–What does their bad behavior teach us about anger management?
–When somebody loses their cool in public, what does it tell us
about their character?
See “Special Report #50: How to Piggyback onto Celebrity News to
Promote Your Product, Service, Cause or Issue” at
http://budurl.com/qat2
=======================================
3. Twitter: A Giant Garbage Dump?
=======================================
Are you so disgusted with the garbage that flows into your
Twitter feed, that you sometimes feel like you’re knee-deep in a
stinky, fly-infested landfill?
Some days, I am.
Most of the tweets I see tell me to download a free ebook. Or
register for a teleseminar. Or ask me if I want 10,000 more
Twitter followers in just a few weeks.
Those automated “thanks for following me” messages are so overtly
promotional that I dread reading them.
Other followers bore me with annoying chatter about what’s going
on in the coffee shop where they’re tweeting.
Some talk nonstop about humorous things their cute kids have
done. Others offer a steady stream of pithy quotes from
celebrities, experts and gurus.
A few lazy authors and speakers offer nothing more than one-
liners taken directly from their books or speeches.
But I plod on, slogging through the garbage, because
occasionally, I come across a little nugget–usually a helpful
tip or a link to a content-rich article–that makes it all
worthwhile.
All the topics I’ve mentioned above, including humor, are
perfectly acceptable on Twitter, and your followers may actually
welcome them. But knowing the right formula for the kinds of
things to tweet, and how often, separates the Twitter “must-
follows” from the Twitter “unfollows.”
My new business partner, Jeanne Hurlbert, an expert on social
media and surveys, has been collaborating with me the last five
months on a new learning tool that will give every Publicity
Hound who uses it their own customized formula for participating
in social media, not just Twitter. It’s for social media newbies
who haven’t dipped their toes into the water yet, and for
Publicity Hounds who are already using social media but don’t
know what they don’t know.
The process we’ve developed for customizing our training–
depending on your level of expertise, interests and hobbies–is
so specialized that we’ve even applied for a patent.
I’ll keep you posted as soon as we’re ready to launch. In the
meantime, follow both of us on Twitter at @PublicityHound and
@MySurveyExpert and watch what we’re tweeting. You’ll find
valuable clues about what we’ll be teaching.
========================================
4. Test-drive Stompernet for Free
========================================
Before Jeanne and I launch the social media learning tool
mentioned above, we need to solve a few knotty problems with how
we market and deliver it.
As a member of Stompernet, the world’s largest membership site
for Internet marketers, I took advantage of yesterday’s Faculty
Office Hour to present our questions to two top Internet
marketers.
Their feedback will keep us from making three major mistakes.
They also gave us several creative solutions we never would have
thought of on our own. The faculty calls, held four times a week,
are one of the most valuable benefits of a membership.
Several Publicity Hounds have joined Stompernet, based on my
recommendation. But many more have complained that the $800-a-
month membership is too expensive.
Stompernet has taken note of those complaints and revised their
membership structure. Next Tuesday, you’ll be able to join for as
little as $200 a month.
But don’t take my word for it. Test-drive Stompernet, and watch
seven days worth of webinars on topics like social media, search
engine optimization, article marketing, keyword research and
niche marketing. In all, you can get 40 pieces of content at no
charge–training courses, mega tutorials and free software.
There’s something for everybody.
Test-drive Stompernet at http://budurl.com/zqrs to get a taste of
what you’ll get when you join. And find out more about the 11
cool tools that come with a membership.
If you have any questions about this, feel free to email me at
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=StompernetQuestion
=================================
5. Publicizing Zombie Stories
=================================
This week, eight Publicity Hounds have tips for Karma Bennett, a
publicist for Ulysses Press. Her company is publishing a
compilation of zombie stories, and she needs ideas on how to
publicize the book.
From Jena Zakany:
“Do what Universal Studios did when it first announced the
upcoming Harry Potter ‘theme park within a theme park,’–go to
the bloggers.” (Read my free article “Let Bloggers Create
Publicity for You” at http://budurl.com/s6xx )
From Ryan Mecum:
“There’s a book, The Living Dead, that sounds exactly like your
book, which did really well in sales. The author went to zombie
conventions and horror conventions to help promote it.”
From Bruce Jones:
“We are becoming such a video world, and YouTube is becoming so
powerful, that I would recommend reading excerpts from some of
the stories onto video and publishing them on line. At the end of
the video, send the viewer to a website for more information or
how they can buy the books. Also put the text in the description
area to attract Google.”
The Publicity Hound says:
Read all the responses to this Help This Hound question at
http://budurl.com/ujvz
Send your own Help this Hound question to:
JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=HelpThisHound
and include your city and state.
===============================
6. Help This Hound
===============================
Suzanne Wood of Raleigh, NC asks:
“I’m starting an after-school writing academy to help kids in
grades 8-12 improve their writing. Services include tutoring and
workshops on topics such as writing the college application
essay.
“I’m having trouble figuring out how best to market this academy,
because most parents rely on word-of-mouth recommendations for
tutoring and instruction, and I haven’t generated enough momentum
yet for that to be effective. Besides, I can’t afford advertising
yet.
“Can your Hounds offer some creative ideas for promoting my
classes?”
The Publicity Hound says:
Here’s my idea. Sponsor a writing contest for kids, and convince
a local merchant to donate a cool prize in exchange for a little
publicity. Ask kids to write an essay on a really fun topic.
Write a press release and submit it to your local newspapers.
I know my readers can come up with ideas better than that one.
How about it, Hounds? Help Suzanne fill her classes by posting
your best ideas to my blog at http://budurl.com/3f5n
===============================
7. Hound Joke of the Week
===============================
Thanks to BL Ochman of New York, New York for this one:
I pulled into a crowded parking lot at the Pinecrest Plaza
Shopping Center and rolled down the car windows to make sure my
Labrador Retriever Pup had fresh air.
She was stretched full-out on the back seat and I wanted to
impress upon her that she must remain there. I walked to the curb
backward, pointing my finger at the car and saying emphatically,
“Now you stay. Do you hear me? Stay! Stay!”
The driver of a nearby car gave me a strange look and said,”Why
don’t you just put it in park?”
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/
————————————
Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound
Join my Facebook Fan Page:
http://www.facebook.com/publicitytips
Connect with me on LinkedIn (and tell me how we know each other):
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound
Permission to Reprint:
You may reprint any items from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the
Week” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include
the following paragraph:
Reprinted from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” an ezine
featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity.
Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email
the handy cheat sheet “89 Reasons to Send a Press Release.”
If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends,
clients and colleagues.
You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The
Publicity Hound website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you
told me you want to subscribe.
Privacy Statement:
The Publicity Hound respects your privacy and has a strict anti-
spam policy. Read my privacy policy at
http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm
================================================
Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
USA
Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737
»
June 23rd, 2009 by JStewart in Publicity Tips
The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #456 June 23, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.PublicityArticles.net (Ezine Archives)
Circulation: 39,405
==========================================
“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”
Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/
==========================================
===============================
In This Issue
===============================
1. Would You Embarrass the Host?
2. Gift Guides Stress Value
3. Write a Book in a Weekend
4. Brag About Publicity on Facebook
5. Promoting a Book on Marketing
6. Help This Hound
7. Hound Joke of the Week
8. And at My Blog…
=====================================
1. Would You Embarrass the Host?
=====================================
What would you do if this happened to you?
You and your business partner take turns appearing as guest
experts on a weekly TV talk show in your community. The
interviewer, one of the best in the business, has been
interviewing you and your partner for several months, so he knows
you fairly well.
During one segment, which is broadcast live, he accidentally
calls you by your partner’s first name. Would you correct him on
camera and risk embarrassing him in front of thousands of
viewers?
Be honest. Would you? Should you?
A reader called to tell me that’s exactly what happened to her
recently when she was being interviewed. She gently corrected the
host without making a big deal out of it.
After the show, he was furious–not at her, but at the producer
who put the wrong name on the teleprompter.
The woman asked me if she did the right thing, even though she
embarrassed him. I said I thought that what she did was fine.
But I wanted a second opinion and forwarded the question to
Connie Dieken, a Cleveland TV personality and media coach.
Connie said:
“Your reader was right to offer a gentle correction. Here’s why.
A guest’s primary responsibility is to the television audience,
not the host. The host is the conduit to the audience.
“I know how embarrassing it can be for a TV host to use the wrong
name. But it’s a shame that the host lashed out at the producer
for writing the wrong name on his script. Producers have a lot
on their plates–they’re under pressure writing and organizing
loads of reports as well as making sure their shows start and
stop on time.
“Bottom line, the host was livid because he was embarrassed and
had to take the blame publicly. It’s the reverse of the famous
Broadcast News movie scene where the producer (Holly Hunter)
spoon-fed the anchor (William Hurt) with intelligent remarks and
made him look good. It goes both ways.
“Your reader made the right call with a calm correction of
her name. Kudos for having the grace to do it politely.”
Connie gives more great advice on how to act–and react–when
you’re the guest on a TV talk show. When I interviewed her on
“How to be a TV Talk Show Host’s Dream Date,” she offered sage
advice to guest experts who must handle difficult questions from
TV interviewers, look cool under the hot studio lights, and give
such a sterling performance that when the interview ends, the
producer invites them back.
Read more about what we discussed at http://budurl.com/lbvr
=====================================
2. Gift Guides Stress Value
=====================================
If you sell a consumer product or service that would make an
ideal gift, you should be trying to generate publicity in holiday
gift guides, even though the economy stinks.
Gift guides are special sections in newspapers and magazines,
and special features on TV and radio, devoted specifically to
holiday gift giving.
Between now and December, journalists and broadcasters will be
looking for press kits about products and services tied to three
angles:
–If the gift you sell costs under $50, or even under $25, you
have a golden opportunity to play up that pricing because of the
bad economy. Even if the media aren’t looking for strict price
guidelines, a pitch that highlights the value of your product
will catch their eye. Most luxury-oriented media outlets are
mentioning value for price. AARP, Real Simple, and Good
Housekeeping are just a few magazines that are looking for low
price gifts this season.
–If your brand is involved with a charitable group, say so when
you pitch. Economic downturns hit charitable organizations hard,
and the media want to know about companies that are still giving
back to society. Self, Family Circle and Seventeen magazines are
all looking for gifts that have a charitable component. Readers
feel good about supporting these products and appreciate hearing
about them.
–During a period of high unemployment, you have ample
opportunity to pitch regional publications if you keep your
manufacturing on-shore.
The trick is finding these media outlets. You can make hundreds
of phone calls and spend weeks researching on the Internet. Or
you can subscribe to The Gift List, which features contact
information, pitching tips and background on hundreds of media
outlets.
Each journalist profile is packed with details on which consumer
products they cover, what interests them the most, how they like
to hear about new products, specifications for sending photos,
whether they welcome press kits for your books, and more.
The Gift List will knock 15 percent off the subscription price if
you subscribe by June 30 using this link:
http://www.giftlistmedia.com/?link=ph
Many national magazines work six months ahead of the publication
date and they’re reviewing pitches right now. So get going, or
lose out.
=====================================
3. Write a Book in a Weekend
=====================================
If you’re thinking of writing a book to promote your expertise,
do you dread having to devote your entire vacation, and precious
time away from your family, to write the first draft?
If so, you’re one of the lucky ones. Some authors quit their
full-time jobs and take sabbaticals so they can spend years
writing and rewriting.
Ann McIndoo, the former creative assistant to motivational
speaker Tony Robbins, has developed a system for writing the
first draft of a non-fiction book in just one weekend–a fraction
of the time it takes most authors.
She has helped 238 authors write their books in just three days,
thanks to time-saving shortcuts.
Her system works best for authors who are writing non-fiction
books on topics they know well, particularly how-to, leadership,
business, self-help and autobiographies.
Ann will explain her system during a free telephone seminar with
Steve Harrison at 2 and 7 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, June 25.
Register at http://www.WriteYourBookInAWeekend.com/call/?10011
If the times are inconvenient, recruit someone to listen and take
notes for you.
========================================
4. Brag About Publicity on Facebook
========================================
When you score publicity in traditional media outlets or
online, be sure to let your Facebook Friends and Fans know.
–Post a Note to your Fan Page and link to the online video or
radio interview. But go one step further. Ask your Fans to
critique your performance.
–If you’re included in an article that appeared online, link to
it.
–Excerpt tips you’ve offered to newspapers and magazines and
tell your Friends and Fans where they can find the article
online.
–Has a blogger written about you? Link to the post, and
encourage your Facebook Friends and Fans to comment at the blog.
–Share with your Friends and Fans what it was like to be
interviewed by the media. How did you prepare for difficult
questions? Did you take advantage of media training before
appearing on a TV show? What little extras did you include in
your pitch that tipped the scales in your favor?
–Don’t forget about Internet radio shows. Let your Friends and
Fans know how to find the archives.
Do you know the difference between Facebook Friends and Fans? Do
you know where on Facebook you can and can’t promote? Do you know
about other social media sites that let you sync your Facebook
account with theirs so you can save valuable time and recycle
content?
If not, “11 Ways to Avoid Missed Opportunities on Facebook”
explains how. The audio and electronic transcript of the
teleseminar I hosted several weeks ago is now available. They
discuss common errors that newbies and others make when they
don’t understand all the ways to build a huge following on
Facebook.
Read more about how to use Facebook at http://budurl.com/jfgw
=====================================
5. Promoting a Book on Marketing
=====================================
This week, five Publicity Hounds have tips for Judith Sherven and
Jim Sniechowski, of Las Vegas, Nev., on how to market their new
book “The Heart of Marketing: Love Your Customers and They
Will Love You Back.”
From Marcia Yudkin:
“The website for your book does not contain a way to contact you.
Therefore, it is impossible for someone who sees the publicity
you are generating to contact you with just a click. During your
publicity efforts, you should always make it possible for one
publicity effort to build from another, which requires providing
contact information to allow that to happen.”
From Shel Horowitz:
“This is a perfect book for partnership marketing (something I
know Judith and Jim are already skilled at). Find newsletter
editors already reaching the audience of soft-sell marketers,
ethical marketers, green marketers, etc. Run an excerpt or an
interview or make a special offer to their readers”
From Donna Cook:
Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, go for it (if you haven’t
already).
The Publicity Hound says:
Does your Facebook profile include a Fan Page for the book? Have
you joined marketing Groups on Facebook? Are you “dripping” out
your tips on Twitter? Are you creating short videos on soft-sell
marketing and uploading them to the video-sharing sites? Are you
writing book review for other books on marketing? If not, you’re
missing opportunities galore to market your book on your
competitors’ Amazon pages. Randy Gilbert and Don Mitchell show
you how. Read more about it at http://budurl.com/xcf6
Read all the responses to last week’s Help This Hound question at
http://budurl.com/zr4t
Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=HelpThisHound and
include your city and state.
===============================
6. Help This Hound
===============================
Jeanette Simpson of Lakewood Ranch, Fla., writes:
“I have just published my first book, From Interior Design Intern
to Employee: How to be a ‘Keeper’ (Including Tips from Those Who
Hire).
“It’s written specifically to help interior design interns
transition from college to career.
“Aside from social networking, contacting university design
departments and all vendors, reps, designers and architects I
know, how can I reach my target audience–college students?
The Publicity Hound says:
Targeting a niche is often much easier than targeting a more
general group. I’m sure Jeanette would also love to hear ideas
from my Hounds on what she can do at the social networking sites
to catch the attention of college students studying interior
design.
Hounds with marketing ideas for her book can post them to my blog
at http://budurl.com/cahj
================================
7. Hound Joke of the Week
================================
Thanks to Publicity Hound Sophie Wajsman of Melbourne, Australia
for this one:
If a fire hydrant has H2O inside, what does it have outside?
Answer: K9P
=================================
8. And at My Blog…
=================================
Squidoo to limit number of outbound links to the same domain
http://budurl.com/jedx
20 social media tips point to four common mistakes
http://budurl.com/twq5
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/
————————————
Where to See & Hear The Publicity Hound:
Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound
Friend me on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/joanstewart
Connect with me on LinkedIn (and tell me how we know each other):
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound
Permission to Reprint:
You may reprint any items from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the
Week” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include
the following paragraph:
Reprinted from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” an ezine
featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity.
Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email
the handy cheat sheet “89 Reasons to Send a Press Release.”
If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends,
clients and colleagues.
You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The
Publicity Hound website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you
told me you want to subscribe.
Privacy Statement:
The Publicity Hound respects your privacy and has a strict anti-
spam policy. Read my privacy policy at
http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm
================================================
Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
USA
Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737
»
June 16th, 2009 by JStewart in Publicity Tips
The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #455 June 16, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.PublicityArticles.net (Ezine Archives)
Circulation: 39,579
==========================================
“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”
Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/
=====================================
===============================
In This Issue
===============================
1. Letterman’s Lesson
2. Facebook Vanity URLs June 28
3. Give Away Food for Publicity
4. Let Corporate Sponsors Promote You
5. Promoting a Kosher Cooking Show
6. Help This Hound
7. Hound Quote of the Week
8. And at My Blog…
=====================================
1. Letterman’s Lesson
=====================================
When you’ve done something dumb, and you need to apologize, do it
quickly.
Do it thoroughly. Be humble. Accept blame. Explain how it will
never happen again. Most importantly, look like you mean it.
David Letterman’s first mistake was the bad joke about
Sarah Palin’s 14-year-old daughter being “knocked up by Alex
Rodriguez.” The second was turning his apology into an eight-
minute segment last week, two days after he used the joke in his
monologue.
He looked so uncomfortable that it made me squirm. The apology
was punctuated with even more jokes and lots of laughs from the
audience.
It didn’t work. Instead, it allowed the controversy to swirl out
of control. By yesterday:
–The story had been front and center, every day, for a week.
–Women’s advocacy groups, including the National Organization of
Women, blasted Letterman at their website and on news shows.
–Palin supporters, calling themselves FireDavidLetterman.com,
planned a protest for today, outside the show’s studio at the Ed
Sullivan Theater in New York’s Times Square.
Letterman apologized again last night and Palin accepted his
apology. But he did more damage to himself than necessary by
trying to slither out of trouble the first time with a half-
hearted mea culpa.
Another example of how not to say “I’m sorry” surfaced yesterday,
when GOP activist Rusty DePass likened Michelle Obama to an
escaped gorilla. DePass removed his Facebook page Sunday after he
was caught commenting on a report that a gorilla had escaped a
zoo in Columbia, S.C.
“I’m sure it’s just one of Michelle’s ancestors–probably
harmless,” he commented.
When a blogger noticed the comment and reported on it, DePass
told WIS-TV in Columbia, “I am as sorry as I can be if I offended
anyone. The comment was clearly in jest.”
Then in a dumb-and-dumber moment, he added, “The comment was
hers, not mine,” claiming Michelle Obama made a recent remark
about humans descending from apes.
Crisis counselor Jonathan Bernstein says a fast, thorough apology
is one of the best ways to atone for your PR sins. During my
interview with him “How to Keep the Media Wolves at Bay,” he arms
Publicity Hounds with all the tools necessary to keep the media
off your back and keep a story from blowing up in your face. Read
more about what we discussed at http://budurl.com/xjxa
=====================================
2. Facebook Vanity URLs on June 28
=====================================
If you claimed the vanity URL you wanted for your Facebook
Profile, congratulations.
On Friday night, more than 1 million user names were snapped up
within the first hour. But you’re not done yet.
Facebook users who created Fan Pages by May 31 this year and who
had accumulated at least 1,000 fans by that date were also able
to claim vanity URLs for their Fan Pages, on Friday.
Everyone else has to wait until June 28. If that includes you,
mark your calendars.
Facebook Fan Pages–sometimes referred to as Product Pages,
Company Pages or Business Pages–are the only way to promote your
business on that site. Creating and promoting Fan Pages can put
you miles ahead of your competitors who don’t know about these
powerful tools.
Because Facebook doesn’t limit the number of Fans you can
attract, but limits you to 5,000 Friends, you’d be crazy not to
create Fan Pages for various topics in which you specialize, or
various niches you are targeting.
Google indexes these pages, by the way, so they can show up in
the organic search results on the left side of the screen when
somebody searches Google for your keywords. That’s why you must
make sure relevant keywords are within the titles of your Fan
Pages.
During the teleseminar I hosted June 4 on “11 Ways to Avoid
Missed Opportunities on Facebook,” the 28 pages of illustrated
handouts included four examples of Fan Pages, two options for
creating Pages, things you need to know about Pages, three ways
to find an unlimited number of Fans, and the best ways to promote
other people’s Fan pages so they promote yours. We recorded the
teleseminar and it’s available as a CD, MP3 or electronic
transcript.
It got rave reviews from participants. Read more about what they
said and what you’ll learn at http://budurl.com/jfgw
=====================================
3. Give Away Food for Publicity
=====================================
It’s time for summer festivals, concerts, rib burn-offs, county
and state fairs, farmer’s markets, church carnivals, and many
other events tied to food.
If you’re promoting one of them, make food a valuable publicity
tool:
–Deliver your signature dish to local deejays in town a day or
two before the event. The Wisconsin State Fair delivers “six
packs” of giant cream puffs to radio stations throughout
Wisconsin the day before the fair opens. The result? Thousands of
dollars in valuable publicity without having to pay a penny.
–Try to get one of your chefs or cooks onto a morning TV news
show to demonstrate how to make a dish that will be featured at
the event. The hosts love to help cook on the set. And the hungry
production crews devour the food when they’re done shooting.
–Contact the food editor of your local newspaper and offer
several recipes for food items that will be featured at your
event.
–Offer recipes to your weekly shopper, the tabloid newspapers
that are given away in almost every community.
–Issue a challenge and make food the prize. A hamburger chain in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin gives customers six burgers for just $5 when
the Brewers score five runs or more in any game, win or lose,
home or away.
Those are only five ideas. You’ll get lots more, plus tips on how
to navigate the media’s ethics policies, serve food at news
conferences and on company tours, avoid problems when offering
gifts of food to the media, and more. See “Special Report #43:
The Do’s and Don’ts of Offering Food to the Media.” Only $10.
Order at http://budurl.com/xyvl
========================================
4. Let Corporate Sponsors Promote You
========================================
You’d think that in this bad economy, landing a corporate
sponsorship is tougher than ever.
Not necessarily. Companies and nonprofits are often putting
pricey ad campaigns on the chopping block before anything else.
Sponsoring the promotion of a book, author, speaker, product or
service sometimes amounts to peanuts compared with other
marketing expenses. Because many people ASSUME sponsorships are
harder to come by, they might not bother going after them.
That’s exactly the reason you should.
Brendon Burchard, an author and speaker, has figured out some
really ingenious ways to land corporate and nonprofit promotional
sponsorships and use them to fund his marketing efforts.
–Sony, for example, featured his company on a website with more
than 5 million visitors for f*ree. That allowed him to quickly
build a mailing list of more than 30,000 people.
–Brendon knows the magic phrase you must use to quickly convince
nonprofits to publicize your book or product to their thousands
or millions of members.
–His corporate sponsorships have been responsible for the
publicity he has gotten on ABC World News, Oprah & Friends,
National Public Radio and 63 major radio stations. (The company
pays its PR firm or uses internal PR staff to get him media
exposure.)
–Corporate sponsors have made it possible for him to receive
$500,000 in advances for his second book.
–He has figured out how to get major companies like Wachovia,
Coke and Toyota to promote and sponsor his books, publicity and
speaking tours.
In other words, he’s using somebody else’s influence, somebody
else’s contacts and somebody else’s money.
But Brendon says the process most people use to do what he does
is hit and miss, at best. They don’t know the right people to
approach within a company or nonprofit. They don’t know the five
elements they must include in their written proposal. And they
don’t know about the website they can use to find potential
sponsors and promotional partners.
Curious about how he does it?
Listen to him explain during a free 90-minute teleseminar on
Thursday, June 18, with my friend, Steve Harrison. You can choose
from two times: 2 p.m. Eastern or 7 p.m. Eastern.
Sign up here and Steve will send you the details for the call:
http://budurl.com/3t8e If you can’t attend, recruit somebody to
listen for you and take notes.
=====================================
5. Promoting a Kosher Cooking Show
=====================================
This week, three Publicity Hounds have tips for Avrom Honig who
wants ideas for how to promote an Internet TV show called Feed Me
Bubbe (Yiddish for grandmother). She demonstrates how to cook a
variety of kosher food.
From Jennifer Manocchio:
“Send the excellent media coverage you have received so far to
the big food magazine editors and invite them to come cook with
Bubbe. Just be careful not to send media coverage to competitive
outlets.”
From Gail Sideman:
“Use a High Holiday or Chanukah angle. Bubbes are stereotypically
recognized for their holiday cooking prowess, and these
publications/show often run features or sidebars about Jewish
holiday food. You might emphasize honey-flavored/infused foods
for the New Year, varieties of latkes for Chanukah and so on.”
From The Publicity Hound:
Just for the heck of it, I think you should try contacting the
Food Network (go to their website) and let them know what you’re
doing.
They’re a little too slick and polished for you and Bubbe, but
the fact that you both have a huge following could really work in
your favor.
I’d also pitch the dozens and possibly hundreds of bloggers who
write about food, anything Jewish, and the elderly. See “How to
Pitch the Best Bloggers and Create a Publicity Explosion” at
http://budurl.com/avyr
Read all the responses to this week’s Help This Hound question
http://budurl.com/4guy
Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=HelpThisHound and
include your city and state.
===============================
6. Help This Hound
===============================
Judith Sherven and Jim Sniechowski of Las Vegas, Nev., write:
“We’re already best-selling authors of five relationship books,
and we have turned our attention and expertise to soft-sell
marketing. Our new book, The Heart of Marketing: Love Your
Customers and They Will Love You Back, Morgan James Publishing,
May 2009), already a best-seller at Amazon, promotes selling as
spiritual service and marketing from the heart.
“This book is the voice for consciousness and conscience, caring
and community in commerce–and has been released at this time
when the aftershocks of hard-sell greed are being felt all around
the world.
“Please don’t bother suggesting ‘get on Oprah.’ That is already a
definite goal. Please DO suggest the best ideas you can think of
to get the book standing on long legs so that word of mouth takes
over and drives the book onto the New York Times Best Seller
list.
The Publicity Hound says:
You have so many options for promotion, including traditional
media and social media. Let’s see how many ideas my Hounds can
suggest. Book publicists and authors, let’s see your best stuff.
Post your ideas to my blog at http://budurl.com/zr4t
If you, too, want to get onto Oprah, see if you’re Oprah-ready.
Take the quiz at http://ow.ly/epje
================================
7. Hound Joke of the Week
================================
The other day I saw two dogs walk over to a parking meter. One
of them says to the other, “How do you like that? Pay toilets!”
=================================
8. And at My Blog…
=================================
Cheap PR tactics for independent restaurants
http://budurl.com/uaz9
PR interns shouldn’t pitch the media on your behalf
http://ow.ly/epkJ
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/
————————————
Where to See & Hear The Publicity Hound:
Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound
Friend me on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/joanstewart
Connect with me on LinkedIn (and tell me how we know each other):
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound
Permission to Reprint:
You may reprint any items from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the
Week” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include
the following paragraph:
Reprinted from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” an ezine
featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity.
Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email
the handy cheat sheet “89 Reasons to Send a Press Release.”
If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends,
clients and colleagues.
You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The
Publicity Hound website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you
told me you want to subscribe.
Privacy Statement:
The Publicity Hound respects your privacy and has a strict anti-
spam policy. Read my privacy policy at
http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm
================================================
Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
USA
Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737
»
May 19th, 2009 by JStewart in Publicity Tips
The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #451 May 19, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.PublicityArticles.net (Ezine Archives)
Circulation: 40,401
==========================================
“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”
Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/
==========================================
****************************************
Pitch Ellen, Rachael, Hannity, Book TV and 20/20:
If you’re dying to be booked as a guest with Ellen DeGeneres,
Rachael Ray or Sean Hannity, or you want to pitch 20/20 or Book
TV, don’t pass up this opportunity to get complimentary contact
information and pitching tips for all five shows.
Steve Harrison is offering it as a bonus when you visit
http://budurl.com/y6aa and in exchange for your name and email
address, he’ll email you a PDF with contact information you an
start using immeidately to pitch those five shows.
He’s selling the updated National TV Show Database which includes
1,152 key contacts at 323 top national cable and TV shows that
interview guests. But hurry. If you order by 6 p.m. Eastern Time
on Friday, May 22, he’ll knock $200 off the price.
****************************************
===============================
In This Issue
===============================
1. Facebook’s Missed Opportunity
2. Animoto Caveat
3. 104-Year-Old Who Twitters
4. 5 Myths About Writing a Book
5. How an Artist Can Recycle Publicity
6. Help This Hound
7. Hound Video of the Week
8. And at My Blog…
=====================================
1. Facebook’s Missed Opportunity
=====================================
You spend hours posting content to Facebook, commenting on your
friends’ videos and replying to their messages.
Day after day, you dutifully clean out your Inbox, join
conversations and post occasional photos and videos.
You watch as your number of friends increases to 500, 1,000,
4,000 and beyond.
But then you ask, what’s the point?
You can’t track even one dollar in sales back to Facebook. Some
days, the giant social networking site of more than 300 million
users seems like the loneliest place in the world.
It’s a common complaint.
That’s because most Facebook newbies either find the site
confusing, or they don’t understand all the opportunities to
connect with their tribe and start building relationships.
Here’s an example. The only place that Facebook permits you to
actively promote is on its Pages, yet many people don’t know how
to create them or use them.
Your profile has friends. Your Pages have fans. There’s a big
difference.
Promote on your profile and Facebook might send you a message
telling you that you’re violating its terms of service. Promote
on your Pages, and you could start pulling in traffic.
Think of Pages as the best way to flaunt your brand. Here are
five reasons why Facebook Pages are so powerful:
–They’re the only part of Facebook fully indexed by Google, so
they serve as a traffic magnet.
–Facebook limits the number of friends to 5,000. But you can
have an unlimited number of fans. Someone can become your fan
without necessarily being your friend.
–Pages can include your product photos, a video demonstration of
how to use something you sell, sales copy, pricing information,
special offers, coupons and more.
–When Facebook users become a fan of your branded Page, Facebook
will notify them anytime you update the status on your Page, via
the primary news feed on the homepage.
–When your fans interact with your Facebook Page, stories
linking to your Page can go to their friends via News Feed. As
these friends interact with your Page, News Feed keeps driving
word-of-mouth to a wider circle of friends.
My virtual assistant, Christine Buffaloe, who manages Facebook
for many of her clients, has identified 10 other missed
opportunities. I’ve invited her to explain them all when she’s my
guest during a teleseminar I’m hosting on Thursday, June 4, at 3
p.m. Eastern Time. If you can’t attend “11 Ways to Avoid Missed
Opportunities on Facebook,” sign up anyway and I’ll send you the
MP3 audio. Or you can buy the electronic transcript or the CD
within 10 days after the call.
This session is for beginners and those with intermediate skills
on Facebook. It’s an update of last summer’s teleseminar series
that’s already outdated. If you attended that session, you get
complimentary admission to this one. I’ll email you with details.
Everyone who registers will receive illustrated handouts the
morning of the call.
Sign up for the June 4 teleseminar on “11 Ways to Avoid Missed
Opportunities on Facebook” at
http://www.publicityhound.com/teleseminar.htm
=================================
2. Animoto Caveat
=================================
Animoto, the nifty service that lets you create Hollywood-quality
videos from still photos, was a huge hit with Hounds last week
when they read about it here.
Several of them emailed links to videos they created rather
quickly using this program.
But Publicity Hound Barbara Sundquist, who coaches entrepreneurs,
wasn’t as enthusiastic. She wrote an interesting blog post
explaining three reasons why she thinks Animoto is too
restrictive:
–You can’t use the free version for anything commercial, such as
promoting your website or services.
–If you subscribe to the commercial version for $249 a year, you
can make videos promoting your own services but you can’t use it
to make videos for clients. Last week, I had suggested that PR
people and virtual assistants consider adding this service for
their clients. They still can, but the client will have to buy
the service.
–If your yearly subscription lapses, you’re no longer allowed to
show the videos that you made while under license. “Can you
imagine having to remove all those videos from video sharing
sites? What an administrative nightmare.”
I agree. I still like Animoto and I’ll continue using it. But if
you’re like me and seldom read the terms of service before you
buy something, you might be surprised later, like I was when I
learned about this.
You can read Barbara’s entire blog post at http://budurl.com/539w
Play around with Animoto’s free service that lets you create an
unlimited number of 30-second, non-commercial videos before
deciding if you want to spring for a commercial license. Get
started at http://budurl.com/zlye
===================================
3. 104-Year-Old Who Twitters
===================================
If you saw the story out of the U.K. last week about the 104-
year-old woman who Twitters, you might have been impressed.
The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Sun were. They ran an article
and photo of Ivy Bean, also known as @ivybean104, who apparently
is the oldest person on Twitter.
Mike Butcher, who writes for The TechCrunch blog, explained the
publicity-stunt-gone-bad:
“What none of these stories told you, however, was that poor old
Ivy had not joined Twitter just because it was suddenly the talk
of the old peoples home. No. She joined because home PC
maintenance company Geek Squad signed her up, propped her up for
a photo opportunity and press-released the hell out of it. And,
frankly, I hope they paid her, or at least donated to her
favourite charity because this is one of the most self-serving,
cynical PR stunts I can remember.”
The Geek Squad never covered its tracks. One of Ivy’s tweets
read: “I’m on Twitter! Come and follow my feed at IvyBean104.”
“Since when did a 104 year old suddenly start using words like
‘feed’?” Mike asks.
Read the entire post at http://budurl.com/f9×5
Thanks to Publicity Hound Bonnie Boots, publisher of The Internet
Wizards Magazine, for tipping us off to this one.
Twitter isn’t going away. It’s turning into one of the best tools
for attracting your own community, pushing out information to
them regularly, and encouraging them to know, like and trust you.
In some respects, Twitter puts email marketing to shame.
If you’re confused about how to tweet, what to write about, or
why you should be spending your time tweeting, read more about
the teleseminar I hosted last year with Twitter expert Warren
Whitlock at http://budurl.com/2776
========================================
4. 5 Myths About Writing a Book
========================================
Here are five common myths that keep people from writing a book:
–It takes at least a year, usually more, to write the first
draft of your book, and another several months for rewriting,
editing and proofreading.
–You can’t write a book unless you’re already an expert on a
topic.
–Self-published books look cheap, cheesy and unprofessional.
–Major publishers are too restrictive. Signing a contract with
one is like being in handcuffs.
–Most of the revenue you’ll earn from your book will come
directly from the book, which means you must sell mega-thousands
of books just to break even.
Steve Harrison will explode those myths and explain how you can
write a book quickly to start bringing more business through the
door. His free teleseminar, “How to Grow Your Own Business with
Your Own Book” on Thursday, May 21, at your choice of two times,
will explain how. Read more about it at http://budurl.com/eyl2
=====================================
5. How an Artist Can Recycle Publicity
=====================================
This week, five Publicity Hounds have tips for Karren Jeske, APR
of Milwaukee, Wis. Her friend, an artist, is looking for ideas on
how to leverage recent magazine publicity for future shows.
From Alice Hohl:
“Send a link or information about the magazine (or a jpeg of the
cover) to his email list. He could post a cover from the magazine
on his website, as well as use his social networking sites to get
the word out.” (The Publicity Hound says: Make sure you get
permission from the magazine to use an image of their cover on
your website. They own the copyright.)
From Alyson B. Stanfield:
“Without having seen the article, and this is key, I’d suggest
your friend get copies (or have copies made) and send them to his
best collectors or potential collectors–along with a personal
note.
“He can also send copies to curators and potential galleries in
the area, along with a personal invitation for a tour of one of
his upcoming exhibits. He’d need to follow up with them and send
another invite closer to the date.”
From Ariane Goodwin:
“This is a perfect story to break up into a sequence on his blog
(he does have a blog, doesn’t he?). The Before/During/After story
of the magazine article: behind the scenes is always compelling.
“Then he should send an email blast out to his list of collectors
(he does have a list of collectors that he can email at the drop
of a hat, doesn’t he?) for each of the three posts in the
series.”
The Publicity Hound says:
Ariane Goodwin’s 2009 smARTist Telesummit, chock full of tips on
how artists can turn a hobby into a career, is now for sale at
http://budurl.com/kelp
Read all the responses to this week’s Help This Hound question
http://budurl.com/5mx4
Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=HelpThisHound and
include your city and state.
===============================
6. Help This Hound
===============================
Dave Kadavy of Chicago, Ill. writes:
“I run a roommate-meeting event called Flatmate Meetup. It’s kind
of like speed-dating, but for roommates. I started it in San
Francisco and expanded it to Chicago. We now have almost 1,400
members between the two cities.
“We currently promote the event by posting on Craigslist where
people look for roommates, but we need more brand recognition to
be successful, and that audience has proven difficult to reach.
What tips do your readers have for getting the word out–to the
right people–about these events?
“The target audience is mostly people in their mid-20s to early
30s, college grads. I currently have the events at bars.”
The Publicity Hound says:
What a fun event! The Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times should be
scrambling to beat each other on this story. Perhaps my Chicago-
area Hounds can suggest some other niche publications you can
target. As for social media, well, the possibilities are endless.
Let’s see how many ideas my Hounds can post to my blog at
http://budurl.com/pquh
================================
7. Hound Video of the Week
================================
Thanks to Elaine Grassbaugh of Columbus, Ohio for this hysterical
video of the “Jack Russell Balloon Dog” on, I assume, a Stupid
Pet Trick segment on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
http://budurl.com/ysjw
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…
================================
Hate social media? This may change your mind–and the boss’s
http://budurl.com/gtjb
————————————-
Where to See & Hear The Publicity Hound:
Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/PublicityHound
Friend me on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joan_Stewart/541605146
Connect with me on LinkedIn (and tell me how we know each other):
http://www.linkedin.com/in/publicityhound
Permission to Reprint:
You may reprint any items from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the
Week” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include
the following paragraph:
Reprinted from “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” an ezine
featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity.
Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email
the handy cheat sheet “89 Reasons to Send a Press Release.”
If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends,
clients and colleagues.
You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The
Publicity Hound® website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you
told me you want to subscribe.
Privacy Statement:
The Publicity Hound® respects your privacy and has a strict anti-
spam policy. Read my privacy policy at
http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm
================================================
Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound®
3434 County KK
Port Washington, WI 53074
USA
Phone: 262-284-7451 (Central) Fax: 262-284-1737
»
