The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #521 Sept. 1, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com
http://www.publicityHound.mobi
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/

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

1. Betting on the Bush Tax Cuts

2. Sales Leads from Your Blog

3. How to Get Onto Twitter Lists

4. Fun Ideas for a Pizza Shop

5. Authors, Last Call for Tips

6. Hound Joke of the Week

7. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. Betting on the Bush Tax Cuts
=====================================

When estate planner Jeff Scroggin of Roswell, Ga., knew his
fellow tax advisors were closely watching debate over repealing
the Bush tax cuts on Jan. 1, he decided to have a little fun with
a serious topic.

Jeff asked them to place their bets on what Congress will do
about extending the estate tax. He created 80 chances to win, at
$1 a chance. Some planners bet multiple times and placed more
than $1 on the line. The winner whose guess comes closest to what
will actually happen will take home $200.

Jeff advertised the pool to an email list of about 100 people,
mostly estate planners. He also extended invitations through the
National Association of Estate Planners and Councils. His email
list included Arden Dale, who writes for the Wall Street Journal
and who has interviewed Jeff for other stories. She wrote about
the wager for the Journal’s blog last week at
http://blogs.wsj.com/financial-adviser/2010/08/18/on-estate-tax-
all-bets-areon/ Since then, Jeff has gotten about five other
calls for interviews.

As for his own prediction, he says, “Anybody who thinks or says
they think they know what will happen next with the tax cuts is
either clairvoyant or deranged.”

Jeff, an attorney, says he knows the pool is illegal but that
it’s all in fun.

You can take his idea of betting on the outcome of an issue and
adopt it to almost any controversial topic in your own industry.
Even if no money changes hands, the winner can have bragging
rights. Your story could be perfect for trade publications, blogs
that cover your industry and, depending on the topic, even
consumer publications. You might even try pitching it to
reporters and hosts of network and cable TV news shows.

I devote an entire chapter to offbeat publicity ideas like this
one in my ebook, “How to be a Kick-butt Publicity Hound,” the
best all-around how-to guide for generating publicity using
traditional and social media. Learn more about the book and the
eight new chapters on social media at
http://publicityhound.com/publicity/publicityhound.htm

======================================
2. Sales Leads from Your Blog
======================================

If you’re using your blog to position yourself as a subject
matter expert, you’re only halfway there.

You can also use it to generate sales leads.

Dean Rieck, a direct marketing copywriter, explains how in a post
he wrote for Copyblogger.com at
http://www.copyblogger.com/generate-sales-leads/

No surprise that he advocates bringing people into your sales
funnel by first offering something for free like a White Paper,
ezine, video, or something of value that helps your audience
solve a particular problem. But he also offers great tips on how
to follow up on those leads.

I’m revamping my blog to make it more search-engine friendly and
add features I learned about when Patsi Krakoff was my guest
during a teleseminar I hosted earlier this year on “Time-saving
Tips for Smart Business Blogging.” If you’re new to blogging,
this is the perfect tool to get you started. If you’ve been
blogging for several years, it may be time to revamp your blog,
and this teleseminar will give you dozens of ideas. The MP3, CD
or electronic transcript each come with 27 pages of handouts that
include 101 ways to find content for your blog. Read more about
what else you’ll learn at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/businessblogging.htm

=====================================
3. How to Get Onto Twitter Lists
=====================================

The more Twitter lists you’re on, the more people are exposed to
you and your expertise, even if they don’t have a Twitter
account.

I’m on more than 660 lists, many devoted to PR, publicity and
social media, and that number is growing almost daily. Here are
four ways to get onto other people’s lists:

–Tweet helpful, relevant content frequently and forego the
“here’s what I’m doing today” tweets. Help people solve their
problems.

–Ask! Don’t be shy about suggesting that someone add you to a
list they’ve already created, or a new one devoted to a specific
topic.

–Write a blog post suggesting topics for lists that should
include you, and then tweet the post. See the blog post I wrote
this morning at http://publicityhound.net/?p=6984

–Add a reminder to your email signature, with a link to your
Twitter profile. Once people log into their Twitter account, they
can go to your Twitter page, click on the “Lists” button at the
top of your feed, and add you to one or more of their lists. Or
they can create a new one.

These tips were among dozens I shared during last week’s webinar
on “How to Use Twitter Lists & Directories to Generate Publicity
and Build Your Brand.” Order the video, MP3 and the handouts
which include step-by-step instructions on how to create, use and
promote your lists at
http://www.Publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/twitterlists.htm

======================================
4. Fun Ideas for a Pizza Shop
======================================

This week, 16 Publicity Hounds have tips for Deborah Lott of
Giddings, Texas, who needs help marketing her pizza shop and
Italian restaurant between Austin and Houston.

From Stephanie Trahd:

“Start collecting email addresses. Entice diners to sign up by
giving them coupons, chef’s secrets and anything else they would
value. You’d be surprised how many people will come in toting
‘free soda with dinner’ coupons.”

From Gayle Carson:

“You can start a frequent dining program and when they have
ordered X many times or spent X number of dollars, they get a
pizza free. Or, you can have them join a club where they pay you
a certain amount every month and they get to eat pizza for free
that month. Another pizza store I know has a continuity program
and they never lack for business.”

From Diana:

“Name certain pizzas (or create sandwiches) for local town
celebs–mayor, high school principals, media anchors, newspaper
reporters, etc. and put them on your menu. Then let the celebs
know and invite them in to try it. People love to frequent
restaurants with items named in their honor.”

The Publicity Hound says:

Read all the responses to this “Help This Hound” question at
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6959 and then check out my own tips
that I shared with http://www.RestaurantReport.com when I was a
guest on their teleseminar called “Publicity Tips for
Restaurants, Chefs & Foodies” at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/restaurants.htm

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

======================================
5. Authors, Last Call for Tips
======================================

You have 72 hours to download the webinar that I recorded with
publishing and marketing mentor John Eggen on how to ?Write a
Client-Attracting Book Fast That Makes $150,000 Even Before It?s
Published? (and more thereafter).

He explained exactly how many weeks you should spend writing,
editing, designing, printing and shipping your book. While some
authors exceed his 90-day window for producing a book, they still
complete the task in far less time than it takes many other
authors who labor for years over their books. Don’t make this an
exhausting task.

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

There?s a valuable free gift (a $265.00 value) offered to
attendees during the interview, but it will only be honored until
Saturday, and then John is taking down the page. Get it now
before it’s gone at http://tinyurl.com/25blcta

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

This isn’t a joke, but I thought you’d like it. I found this in
an old issue of My Midwest, the inflight magazine of Midwest
Airlines, which has been bought by Frontier Airlines.

To make it easy for people to travel with their dogs, Loews
Hotels has introduced “learning vacations” for your favorite
pooch at three of its hotels.

At “The Hound of Music” at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in Nashville,
your dog can head into the recording studio with a voice coach
for a professional recording session where it will howl along
with a musician or bark to its favorite karaoke beat.

If you’re targeting your publicity at an upscale, well-educated
audience, in-flight magazines might be the perfect vehicle for
your story. “Fly High with Publicity in the In-flight Magazines”
saves you hours of research with pitching tips galore and contact
information for 56 inflight magazines. Read more about the report
at http://www.InflightMagazinePublicity.com

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

Great fodder for retweeting:

If you MUST stage a groundbreaking event, try this
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6968

5 ways to be included on other people’s Twitter lists
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6984

——————————————-

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 #519 Aug. 24, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com
http://www.publicityHound.mobi
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/

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

1. My New Twitter Strategy

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

3. Replay of Teleseminar for Authors

4. Important Deadline Today

5. Let’s Ban Groundbreaking Events

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From Jay Hamilton-Roth:

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

From Karen Zapp:

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

From Gail Sideman:

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

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

The Publicity Hound says:

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

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

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

Deborah Lott of Giddings, Texas, writes:

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

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

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

The Publicity Hound says:

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

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

Thanks to Twitter follower @NathanBryce for this one:

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

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

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

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

Great fodder for retweeting:

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

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

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

——————————————-

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

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

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

——————————————–

Permission to Reprint:

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

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

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

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

Privacy Statement:

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

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

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #516 Aug. 3, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com
http://www.publicityHound.mobi
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/

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

1. Create Twitter Lists

2. New Media Leads Service

3. Secrets of Publicity Superstars

4. Subject Lines That Scream “Open!”

5. How to Promote Wardrobe Workshops

6. Authors, Save the Date

7. Dog Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And wow, do journalists ever open them!

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

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

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

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

From Bob Shultz:

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

From Rekaya:

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

From Marcia Yudkin:

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

The Publicity Hound says:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Great retweets:

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

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

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

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

——————————————-

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

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

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

——————————————–

Permission to Reprint:

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

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

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

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

Privacy Statement:

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

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

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #514 July 20, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com
http://www.publicityHound.mobi
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/

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

1. A Poop-Free Zone

2. How to Follow Up

3. Five Social Media Tactics

4. Your Survey Questions Answered

5. Back-to-School Stories

6. Hound Joke of the Week

7. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

=====================================
1. A Poop-Free Zone
=====================================

When employees of an ad agency in Roanoke, Va., became annoyed
with local dog owners whose pets were pooping on the sidewalk
outside the agency’s offices, they fought back with a clever
publicity stunt.

The Becher Agency posted signs outside its building declaring the
area on Warehow Row a poop-free zone. They even created a special
Facebook Fan Page called “A Partnership for a Poop-Free
Workplace” at
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Partnership-for-a-Poop-Free-
Workplace/129321853770020?ref=ts

And they proved themselves true Publicity Hounds when they called
Dan Casey, Metro columnist for the Roanoke Times, to let him know
about the campaign. Brilliant!

Thanks to Publicity Hound Brett LaGue of Roanoke for tipping us
off to this one. You can read Dan’s column about it at
http://www.roanoke.com/columnists/casey/wb/253427

The next time you’re thinking about a publicity stunt, remember
this. And consider all the ways you can use a Facebook Fan Page.
See “11 Ways to Avoid Missed Opportunities on Facebook” at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/how_to_use_facebook.htm

Note: We’ve updated the handouts for the third time since this
teleseminar was presented, to reflect all the new changes on
Facebook.

======================================
2. How to Follow Up
======================================

Five annoying things you should never do when following up with a
journalist or blogger who doesn’t reply to your pitch:

–Emailing and asking, “Did you get my email?”

–Calling and leaving a voicemail message reminding them that
they haven’t replied to your pitch.

–Emailing the same pitch with an obnoxious reminder in the
subject line that says something like “Second attempt to contact
you.”

–Any type of message that berates the recipient for not
replying.

–Stopping by the magazine or newspaper office unannounced and
asking the receptionist to call the reporter to the front desk to
meet you so you can pitch in person. (Yes, clods actually do
this.)

The best publicists know all kinds of sneaky ways to follow up
without making it look like they’re following up. Publicist
Michelle Tennant of Wasabi Publicity does this better than
anybody I know. She has a particularly clever strategy of
following up when news is breaking and she’s trying to place one
of her clients on a TV news or talk show to comment on the news
event.

Michelle will share that tip and others when she’s my guest on
“How to Tie Your Story Idea to Breaking News and Make the Media
Interview YOU,” a webinar at 3 p.m. Eastern Time tomorrow, July
21.

Your email pitches will be a lot easier if you follow Michelle’s
lead and pattern your pitches after hers. The handouts will
include two email pitches she used successfully to land her
clients fabulous publicity.

Get a taste of the type of tips she’ll be discussing, and
register for the session, at http://publicityhound.net/?p=6699

If the time is inconvenient, register anyway and you’ll get a
link where you can watch the video replay.

=====================================
3. Five Social Media Tactics
=====================================

If you missed my email yesterday, this is a reminder that today’s
free webinar with social media expert Don Crowther is at 3 p.m.
Eastern Time.

He’ll share 5 social media tactics that will help you make more
money than friends on social media sites. I promise your time
will be well spent.

Register at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/250760784

=====================================
4. Your Survey Questions Answered
=====================================

Taking a survey on a burning hot topic and reporting the results
is one of the best ways to generate publicity. The more
controversial, the better.

But if you don’t have the time to take a survey, the next best
thing is to piggyback onto one that’s already been taken, and
offer your commentary.

Really smart Publicity Hounds do both. My partner, Jeanne
Hurlbert, a survey expert, will answer all your questions about
surveys when she hosts a free Q&A coaching call from 3 to 4 p.m.
Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 21. Come with as many questions
as you can think of and Jeanne will get you off to a great start.

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

======================================
5. Back-to-School Stories
======================================

This is the time to pitch back-to-school stories to bloggers,
newspapers, TV stations, and magazines with short lead times.

Tie your expertise to topics like drugs and binge drinking, how
to decorate dorms, eating on a budget, bullying, discipline in
the classroom, mobile phones and texting in class, preparing for
the job market, staying fit, and good study habits.

If you do PR for a school, college or university, you should be
in high gear right now, laying the groundwork for working with
local and national media throughout the new school year, from
lining up campus experts to educating your faculty and staff
about how the media game is played. See “Special Report #15:
Publicity Tips for Schools, Colleges and Universities” at
http://publicityhound.com/publicity-products/reports.html

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

“I named my dog Stay so I can say ‘Come here, Stay. Come here,
Stay.” — Steven Wright

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

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

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

Consider retweeting:

Commenting at blogs? Mention your expertise
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6721

6 ways to tie your pitch to breaking news for PR, publicity
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6699

——————————————-

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 #511 June 29, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com
http://www.publicityHound.mobi
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net/ (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/

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

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

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

1. Booze + the Media = Trouble

2. July Story Ideas

3. Special Event? Target Walkers

4. Involve Reporters

5. Comment at Blogs

6. Hound Video of the Week

7. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

====================================
1. Booze + the Media = Trouble
====================================

Loose lips sink ships. Generals, too.

One of Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s worst mistakes was one I didn’t
see mentioned much this past week: allowing an investigative
reporter from Rolling Stone to interview him–over drinks.

Media-savvy Publicity Hounds know that booze and reporters are a
lethal mix, and most wouldn’t think twice about letting a
reporter interview them when alcohol is flowing, because it removes
your inhibitions and triggers the urge to blab.

But how many people drink in social settings, with reporters
present?

Have you attended after-work networking events where wine is
served and reporters are mingling? What about awards banquets where
mediarepresentatives are seated at your table? At a convention, have
you ever gone out for a nightcap with a group of business associates
that included people from the media?

See “7 places to stay off the sauce if reporters are present” at
my blog at
http://publicityhound.net/7-places-to-stay-off-the-sauce-if-
reporters-are-present/

======================================
2. July Story Ideas
======================================

–Tie your story idea to an “independence” theme, even if it has
nothing to do with the Fourth. Examples: Independence from
cigarette smoke in restaurants, messy desks, bratty teen-agers,
computer problems or arguments with your spouse. Add great
visuals, and you have a ready-made story for TV.

–Do companies relax dress codes during the summer? What’s
appropriate and what isn’t?

–If your products or services teach people how to save money,
pitch penny-pinching tips related to cars, clothing, vacations,
toys, groceries and gasoline.

–Gardening is booming. Pitch anything related to growing
veggies, garden art, garden supplies, or children who garden.

–Tie your pitch to the words “cool, sizzling, heat wave” or
“heating up,” even if it has nothing to do with summer.

Excerpted from “103 Sizzling Story Ideas from July through
December,” with TV producer Shawne Duperon. Read more about the
other ideas we have that you can steal at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/JulyIdeas.htm

=====================================
3. Special Event? Target Walkers
=====================================

When my garden club sponsored its annual garden walk last summer,
somebody came up with the bright idea of placing signs on a
public walking trail that was near one of the gardens on the tour.

Sure enough, people who had seen the signs walked over, bought
tickets and toured the gardens.

If you’re sponsoring a special event this year, attract walk-in
traffic. Place signs near bike paths and in dog parks, on public
bulletin boards that can be seen by mall walkers, and along the
route where a neighborhood is holding a giant rummage sale.

Ask local banks to advertise your event on their marquees.

Don’t forget good old Craigslist, which probably gets more
eyeballs than the event calendar in your local newspaper. See “How to Use
Craigslist as a Global Publicity Tool” at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/craigslist.htm

=====================================
4. Involve Reporters
=====================================

If you’re an event sponsor, let the media participate in your
story, not just report on it.

Having a cardboard boat race to raise money for your service
club? Invite a reporter along to help paddle, and ask her to write
about her experience. These stories are always so much better than when
the reporter simply watches from the sidelines.

See “Special Report #42: Tips for Letting Reporters Experience
Your Story, Not Just Write About It” at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/reports.html

======================================
5. Comment at Blogs
======================================

If you don’t have a blog yet, the very least you should be doing
to promote your expertise is commenting at other blogs.

You get a backlink to your website, you can wow readers with your
expertise, and your comment just might encourage the blogger to
ask you to write a guest post.

To find out which blogs feature topics in your area of expertise,
create a Google Alert at http://www.Google.com/alerts. Every day,
review your alerts, scan the blog posts within it, and comment if
appropriate.

Commenting is also a great way to attract the blogger’s attention
before you pitch him with your idea. See “How to Pitch the Best
Bloggers and Create a Publicity Explosion” at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/pitch_bloggers.htm

Note: The teleseminar on guest blogging, scheduled for Wednesday,
June 30, has been postponed for later in the summer.

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

Thanks to Christine Buffaloe, my assistant, of San Diego, Calif.,
for this great video of a Doggie Freestyle act on a “Britain’s
Got Talent” segment. It starts slowly, but stick with it. Simon is
awestruck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0jNC_w1tSw

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

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

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

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

Consider retweeting:
How to answer a media leads query and prompt a reporter to call
http://publicityhound.net/how-to-answer-a-media-leads-query-
prompt-a-reporter-to-call/

7 places to stay off the sauce if reporters are present
http://publicityhound.net/7-places-to-stay-off-the-sauce-if-
reporters-are-present/

Bad advice from Copyblogger on time spent blogging
http://www.mysocialmediasolution.com/bad-advice-from-copyblogger-
on-time-spent-blogging/

——————————————-

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 #507 June 1, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.mobi/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net/ (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/

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

1. BP’s Fake Twitter Account

2. Publicize Your Social Media Successes

3. Cosmo’s Racy Headlines

4. Promoting Novelty Soaps

5. Help This Hound

6. Hound Joke of the Week

7. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

====================================
1. BP’s Fake Twitter Account
====================================

Here’s a tweet posted this morning from the Twitter account known
as @BPGlobalPR:

“Best part of the BP Memorial Day Picnic? The custom made oily
dunk tank! So far we’ve dunked 4 ducks, a dolphin, 2 otters and
@bpTerry!”

That’s just one of a steady stream of sarcastic tweets at a fake
BP PR account on Twitter that, as of this morning, has attracted
more than 97,000 followers at http://Twitter.com/BPGlobalPR

It’s also one more episode in the PR nightmare tied to the Gulf
oil spill.

What I find most bizarre is that Twitter hasn’t removed it and a
BP spokesperson says people have a right to lash out against the
company there.

Should BP fight to encourage Twitter to remove the fake account?
Go to my blog to see what I think, and then tell me if you think
I’m wrong. Go to
http://publicityhound.net/should-bp-pressure-twitter-to-remove-
the-fake-feed/

======================================
2. Publicize Your Social Media Successes
======================================

If you’re participating in social media and you’re seeing a
return on investment, use your success stories to generate
publicity.

Kim Duke, aka The Sales Diva, got a $7,000 keynote as a result of
Twitter.

Blogger Patsi Krakoff was surprised when a $600 project came her
way simply because somebody retweeted one of her tweets.

Freelance writer Angie Mangino got a $900 freelance writing
project only two weeks after she joined LinkedIn and signed up
for a group devoted to writers, publishers and authors. That’s
where she found the query from a publishing company that needed a
freelancer for a fast turn-around project.

Pitch success stories like these to your local TV stations,
newspapers, trade publications, industry newsletters and
bloggers. Turn them into items for your own newsletter, blog and
podcast.

If you’re not seeing social media ROI, you’re a great candidate
for the Social Media Fast-track Program that my business partner,
Jeanne Hurlbert, PhD and I will be teaching. Read about what
you’ll be able to do by the time you’re done with the program:
http://www.MySocialMediaRx.com/fast-track.htm

=====================================
3. Cosmo’s Racy Headlines
=====================================

Admit it.

You read the covers of those racy magazines when you’re waiting
in line at the supermarket check-out.

I do.

But not because I’m interested in the articles. I’m looking for
enticing headlines I can steal. When I see a headline I love,
I’ll remove one or two words in Cosmo’s headline and substitute
one or two of my own.

The very best magazine for this little exercise is, without a
doubt, Cosmopolitan, which you can find at
http://www.magazines.com/ Let’s say you’re a financial planner.
Here’s how you can steal a Cosmo headline and turn it into your
own.

Their headline: “Hot, healthy women share: The best thing I ever
did for my body”

Your headline: “Smart, savvy financial advisors share: The best
thing you can do to save for retirement”

I shared dozens more tips like that during the webinar “How to
REALLY Use Publicity as an Online Marketing Channel and ZIG When
Everyone Else is ZAGGING.” Regardless of what you’re selling,
you’ll trounce the competition when you start adopting killer
strategies that few other Publicity Hounds are using. Read more
about it at http://www.PublicityHound.com/onlinepublicitytips.htm

=====================================
4. Promoting Novelty Soaps
=====================================

This week, seven Publicity Hounds have tips for Cindy Tollen of
El Paso, Texas. She has created an array of novelty soaps that
resemble pies and pastry, and she needs advice on how to market
them on a limited budget.

From Laura Rolands:

“I think you could reach a large number of customers through
Twitter. The key is to build relationships first on Twitter, and
your followers will help you build sales. I recommend following
@TimeOutMom and @MomBizCoach. I would also recommend
participating in a weekly Twitter chat called #gno.”

From Karen Rosenzweig:

“You could have a lot of fun, and gain a ton of visibility, with
a Twitter contest. You create a short tweet asking people to
follow you AND retweet the message to be entered for a chance to
win one of your products. Let them know that everyone who follows
you by 6 p.m. that day will be entered in a drawing for one free
product. Then when you draw the winner, you can tweet that too,
getting additional visibility.  And if it goes well, repeat that
once a week or so, until you have a robust group of followers.
It’s a fun product and you’ll have a great time getting the word
out!”

From Sharon Z:

“Seems like a natural cross-marketing opportunity with event
planners (think bridal and baby showers), women’s organizations
and florists. The fact that these items are so unique and
reasonably priced makes them a great giveaway item.”

The Publicity Hound says:

I can picture your lemon meringue pie soaps as favors at a
national convention of bakers.

Read all the responses to this week’s “Help This Hound” question
at
http://publicityhound.net/creator-of-novelty-soaps-needs-social-
media-marketing-advice/

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

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

Anne Graham of Vancouver, British Columbia writes:

“I’ve developed a great toolkit for business leaders, with 33
specific techniques they can use to lead their firms out of the
recession. It’s called ‘Recession Proof and Recovery Ready: The
91 Day Business Tune-up Toolkit.’

“It’s a 314-page physical product, stuffed full of every
instruction, checklist, etc. that they’ll need to understand and
implement each of the 33 ideas. It’s designed to be implemented
by a small team, so the product is actually a set of 10 binders
(one for each team member), plus a DVD virtual seminar.

“I’m about to do a launch with a wonderful Online Launch Manager
handling my tweets, blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn, SEO, article
marketing, the whole nine yards. But I’d love to hear some
creative ideas from fellow Hounds on how THEY would reach an
audience of motivated business leaders in their city or town. I
have a compelling free ebook called Powerful Pricing Strategies:
10 High Impact, Low Risk Ways to Increase Prices…Even During
the Recession, Even Before the Recovery, at
http://www.recessionproofandrecoveryready.com/. It’s available to
hounds and those motivated business leaders I’m looking for. All
I need now is a stampede of traffic!

“Can your Hounds help?”

The Publicity Hound says:

The topic of how to raise prices during a recession is fabulous.
Let’s put my Hounds to work figuring out how to leverage it. If
you have a great idea for Anne, post it to my blog at
http://publicityhound.net/consultant-needs-help-launching-new-
product-for-business-leaders/

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

“Scratch a dog and you’ll find a permanent job.”  – Franklin P.
Jones

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

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

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

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

Consider retweeting:

Should BP pressure Twitter to remove the fake feed?
http://publicityhound.net/should-bp-pressure-twitter-to-remove-
the-fake-feed/

How a guest blogger pitched me and made me say “yes”
http://publicityhound.net/how-a-guest-blogger-pitched-me-and-
made-me-say-yes/

————————————

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 #506 May 26, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.mobi/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net/ (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/

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

1. Your Press Release on Steroids

2. Newbies: Free Social Media Webinar

3. Use Blog Sub-heads

4. Advertise in This Ezine

5. Help This Hound

6. Hound Joke of the Week

7. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

====================================
1. Your Press Release on Steroids
====================================

In the old days, sending a press release was always a crap shoot.

You wrote it, sent it, or distributed it through one of the
online press release distribution services, and then you waited.

You never knew who might pick it up and reprint it.

Today, if you distribute it through PR Newswire, you are
virtually guaranteed that the release will show up on more than
50 influential, high-traffic websites including Forbes.com,
Hoover.com, Reuters.com, and dozens of sites for local business
journals.

The big payoff isn’t that people will necessarily see the
releases. It’s that all those inbound links from all those
influential sites means that Google will view your own site as
more authoritative. The more inbound links to your site from
high-traffic site, the higher the page rank Google grants to your
own website.

That’s referred to as “Google juice.”

When my friend Dan Janal told me about his little experiment
recently using one of his own press releases, I couldn’t believe
it. But it works, and he wrote a special report about it. Give
him your name and email address and he’ll give you the report.

Go to http://www.prleadsplus.com/publicityhoundpr/ If you are
buying distribution from a major press release distribution
service, you might want to check out Dan’s pricing. He buys in
bulk so he might be able to offer the same quality service with
better prices.

======================================
2. Newbies: Free Social Media Webinar
======================================

Too embarrassed to admit you still don’t understand social media?

Or frustrated that you’ve been tinkering with Twitter and
Facebook for several months and don’t know what all the fuss is
about? If so, you’re not alone.

Jeanne Hurlbert, my business partner and co-creator of Social
Media Rx, our social media assessment tool, hear from people
almost every day who complain that they can’t get any traction on
these sites, or they don’t know where to begin. (See the Help
This Hound question below.)

If you have social media questions, join us for a free webinar at
2 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, May 27. We’re devoting the
entire session to a Q&A. If we can’t get to your questions during
the call, we’ll answer them personally by email afterward.
Promise.

Register here:
http://www.siteproweb.com/mysocialmediasolution-q-a-webinar

Facebook Update: Last week, I explained why I’m not joining other
Facebook users who are bailing out of the site because of its
goofy privacy policy. Over the weekend, Facebook CEO Mark
Zuckerberg admitted the company has made mistakes and said he’ll
announce a new privacy policy this week. Stay tuned.

=====================================
3. Use Blog Sub-heads
=====================================

When you write a long blog post, do you break it up with sub-
heads so readers can quickly scan the post, darting from sub-head
to sub-head to find what they’re looking for?

BL Ochman does. Here’s a perfect example of how she made a post
on the Facebook privacy policy mess I mentioned above very easy
to read by using nine sub-heads:
http://tinyurl.com/blogsubheads

They break up the gray. They state her opinion. They flag readers
to what’s coming next.

BL is a prolific blogger, frequent Twitterer and she does it all
while juggling a full-time PR job. She was my guest during the
teleseminar “How to do Social Networking, Run a Business & Still
Have a Life.” Learn more about it at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/socialnetworking.htm

=====================================
4. Advertise in This Ezine
=====================================

I’ve been publishing a free weekly ezine for almost 10 years and
never accepted ads because they always seemed more appropriate
for HTML newsletters.

But when I offered you the option of an HTML format several weeks
ago, Publicity Hounds started asking if they could buy ads.

If you offer a product or service for people who self-promote, or
for the PR community, go to my blog and read more about how to
get your message in front of my readers:
http://publicityhound.net/the-publicity-hounds-tips-of-the-week-
now-accepts-ads/

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

Cindy Tollen of El Paso, Texas writes:

“I am a one woman shop at http://www.sudznbubbles.com/ and I sell
custom and novelty glycerin soap products, bath salts, body
butter and lip balm—some of it around a food theme. You can buy
a soap that looks like a piece of luscious peach pie, a cupcake
or a cherry tart, for example.

“I need tips on how to market my products with a limited budget
and little time. I sold my products in stores until the recession
hit, now I sell mostly online or at trade shows. I need to know
the best tool for marketing.

“I have a Facebook Fan Page but few fans. I blog, but can’t
remember the last time I wrote something. I’m on Twitter but I
don’t know what to tweet about.

“Can your Hounds offer some smart marketing tips, tools or
strategies that will help translate into sales? My target market
is upscale women over 30.”

The Publicity Hound says:

Cindy, you have such a fun product that I can hardly wait to see
all the clever ideas my Hounds post to my blog at
http://publicityhound.net/creator-of-novelty-soaps-needs-social-
media-marketing-advice/

In the meantime, take advantage of the free webinar I’m hosting
on Thursday with my business partner, Jeanne Hurlbert. We’ll
answer all your questions about social media, including what to
talk about, and how to drive lots of women in your target
audience to your Facebook Fan Page.

Register here:
http://www.siteproweb.com/mysocialmediasolution-q-a-webinar

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

Thanks to Christine Buffaloe, my virtual assistant from Serenity
Virtual Assistant Services, for this video of “Breakfast at
Ginger’s.” Watch as Ginger, a lab, peels a banana:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaAVZ2yXDBo

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

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

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

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

Consider retweeting:

Oprah looks for the next big TV star–Is it you?
http://publicityhound.net/oprah-looks-for-the-next-big-tv-star-
is-it-you/

How freelancers can use Twitter to find journalists, sources
http://publicityhound.net/how-freelancers-can-use-twitter-to-
find-journalists-sources

‘The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week’ now accepts ads
http://publicityhound.net/the-publicity-hounds-tips-of-the-week-
now-accepts-ads/

———————————————-

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 #504 May 11, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com
http://www.publicityHound.mobi
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/

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

1. No More ‘Spray and Pray’

2. Why You Need a .info Website

3. 100 Retweet Targets

4. Associated Press Stylebook

5. Promoting an Ebook

6. Hound Joke of the Week

7. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

====================================
1. No More ‘Spray and Pray’
====================================

When you have something to promote, do you spray the landscape
with press releases and then, pray that someone pays attention?

That’s what most people do because it’s easy.

But the “spray and pray” technique seldom works. When you send a
press release or pitch to a journalist or blogger, your goal
should be to make the recipient read it and say, “this is PERFECT
for my audience.”

That might mean writing different versions of the same press
release. It definitely means crafting customized pitches for all
your targeted media. And really smart Publicity Hounds take the
extra step of researching journalists and bloggers BEFORE they
pitch.

Time consuming? Yes.

Effective? Very.

I’ll share lots of smart strategies for researching journalists
and supercharging your online PR efforts when I present the 90-
minute webinar, “How to REALLY Use Publicity as an Online
Marketing Channel and ZIG When Everyone Else is ZAGGING,” from
1:30 to 3 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, May 19. This session is
perfect for beginner and intermediate self-promoters. I presented
it a few weeks ago to Stompernet, the association of Internet
marketers, to rave reviews. Come with your questions and I’ll
answer them all, either during or after the call.

I’ll also explain the missing link–how to create relationships
with journalists and bloggers–and share my favorite free tools
that help you save time. The session will be recorded, and you
can watch the video replay after the call.

Register at http://snipurl.com/onlinepublicitytips

====================================
2. Why You Need a .info Website
====================================

If you’re creating a mobile website with a .mobi extension, like
PublicityHound.mobi, don’t forget to create your .info site.

It’s impossible to know where people are when they’re looking for
your website. Are they in front of their computers or on their
mobile phones? If it’s the latter, you don’t want to force them
to navigate your clunky PC site on a teeny-tiny screen.

I send them to http://www.PublicityHound.info  When visitors
arrive, they can click on “My PC Site” at
http://www.PublicityHound.com or “My Mobile Site” at
http://www.PublicityHound.mobi

Use your .info URL at social media sites, where 60 percent of all
activities are conducted on mobile phones. Also print it on
signs, receipts, packaging, advertising, stationery and your
business cards.

=====================================
3. 100 Retweet Targets
=====================================

If you’re looking for great content to retweet, and you want
others to retweet your own content, check out this list of “100
Retweet Targets for Web Professionals,” courtesy of Website
Magazine: http://snipurl.com/100retweettargets

They did a little research and chose the top 10 Twitterers in 10
web-related categories, including PR (I’m on the list).

“This list is in no way scientific and it is not all based on the
account’s number of Twitter followers,” the magazine says. “In
some cases, the account’s willingness to retweet has been weighed
along with total followers. We cannot guarantee that each account
is an expert in the industry, or that they will follow you back–
some will, but some will not. However, even if they don’t follow
you, consider an occasional “@” tweet to get their attention.
Just make sure it’s a quality update that is relevant to their
interests.”

Follow me on twitter at @PublicityHound.

If you’re twittering and not seeing a return on your investment
of time, check out “How to Use Twitter to Amass an Army of
Followers, Customers & Valuable Contacts–-and Promote,” a two-
part teleseminar series I hosted with Twitter expert Warren
Whitlock, at
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/twitter.htm

=====================================
4. Associated Press Stylebook
=====================================

When you’re writing an article, press release, material for your
online media room, your bio, or even a blog post, be sure to have
the Associated Press Stylebook close at hand.

The AP Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law, a spiral-bound style
manual produced by the world’s leading news agency, is an
essential handbook for all writers, editors, students and public
relations specialists. It provides fundamental guidelines on
spelling, grammar, punctuation and usage, with special sections
on reporting, business and sports. The 2010 edition is expected
to be available in the next few weeks. Go to
http://www.apstylebook.com

Major style change: The new edition now says the correct style is
website, not Web site.

Let me critique all your articles, press releases, blog posts,
bios and materials in your online pressroom. When you join my
mentor program, I serve as your personal writing coach. See if
you’re a good candidate, and read what others have to say about
the program at
http://www.publicityhound.com/mentorprogram/intro.html

======================================
5. Promoting an Ebook
======================================

This week, three Publicity Hounds have tips for Katie Schwartz of
Chattanooga, TN. She wants to know how to promote an ebook for
parents of students about to enter college. It’s called the
Portable Parent and includes advice the students need on life
skills such as time and money management.

From Doug Smith:

“The American School Counselor Association has about 20,000
members. You might promote your ebook through their bookstore or
contact some of their members to review it so that you can use
the comments as a testimonial.”

From Sue Rogers:

“Start with K-12 counselors and parents and get the students
prepared beforehand. Once they start college, there’s too much
other information they’re trying to retain, and trying to get
adjusted to the new surroundings is overwhelming.”

From The Publicity Hound:

I blogged about “26 ways to promote an ebook” at
http://publicityhound.net/promote-an-ebook-26-ways/

Read all the responses to this week’s “Help This Hound” question
at
http://publicityhound.net/wanted-tips-to-publicize-ebook-for-
college-students/

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

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

An airline customer service agent got a call from a woman who
wanted to know if she could take her dog on board.

He told her the dog would be welcome, as long as she paid a $50
charge and provided her own kennel. He also explained that the
kennel needed to be large enough for the dog to stand up, sit
down, turn around and roll over.

“I’ll never be able to teach him all that by tomorrow,” she said,
and hung up.

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

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

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

Consider retweeting:

Syndicated columnists need sources; you can be one
http://publicityhound.net/syndicated-columnists-need-sources-you-
can-be-one/

————————————

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 #503 May 4, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.mobi/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net/ (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/

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

1. 5 Facebook Security Dangers

2. Press Release & Pitching Problems

3. State of the Plate Survey

4. Webinars & Teleseminars

5. Promoting Job Training

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

====================================
1. 5 Facebook Security Dangers
====================================

If you’re on Facebook, LinkedIn or MySpace, Consumer Reports says
you’re putting your security in danger if you do these 5 things:

–List your correct birthday.

–Use a weak password.

–Overlook the control you have in your privacy settings.

–Post a child’s name in a caption.

–Mention being away from home. I’m astonished at how many people
do this, and about the popularity of FourSquare.com, the hot new
site where you can “check in” with your followers and advertise
where you are at any second of the day. Connect FourSquare with
your Twitter account, and you could end up on the site
PleaseRobMe.com.

Read about two other social media dangers at the L.A. Times blog
at http://ow.ly/1GSty

And then once you’re safety is assured, follow Christine
Buffaloe’s tips on 11 Ways to Avoid Missed Opportunities on
Facebook at http://budurl.com/facebookwithchris

====================================
2. Press Release & Pitching Problems
====================================

When other pubicity mutts are zigging, Publicity Hounds should be
zagging.

what’s zigging?

–Sending press releases and hoping they will result in major
stories. Too few mutts understand what press releaases can and
cannot do. They’re great if you want the search engines to find
you and reach consumers directly. But they seldom generate major
publicity.

–Pitching blindly, without taking the time to research
journalists and bloggers. Letting them know who you are BEFORE
you pitch says, “I care about the topics you cover, and I can
help you.” that’s o much better than delivering a pitch out of
left field that says, “I don’t know who you are or what you
cover, but I’m contacting you anyway.”

I’ll be hosting a webinar called “How to REALLY Use Publicity as
an Online Marketing Channel and ZIG When Everyone Else is
ZAGGING.” It will be from 12:30 to 2 p.m. on Wednsday, May 19,
and you can start registering next week. You don’t need to be in
front of a computer to participate. The session will be recorded
so you can watch it later.

=====================================
3. State of the Plate Survey
=====================================

Here’s a rare exception of when a press release results in a huge
story.

The headline on the release reads, “Economy Hits Churches at
Unprecedented Rate.” The release goes on to say that almost 40
percent of churches across the United States saw a decline in
church giving and offerings last year, according to a survey.

It was taken by Brian Kluth and Christianity Today International.
Kluth is a former church pastor and best-selling author who now
works as “Generosity Minister at Large” at the First Evangelical
Free Church of Colorado Springs. Two large colorful graphs within
the press release show the survey results at a glance, and
include regional statistics that the media can devour.

More than 150 media outlets covered the story. You can see the
press release, the survey results and the array of dozens of
media logos on Brian’s website at
http://www.stateoftheplate.info/

All that, from just one survey.

My business partner, Jeanne Hurlbert, is presenting a free
webinar at 2 p.m. Eastern Time today on how surveys can uncover
information about your customers, your market and other aspects
of your business that you could never imagine. You’ll learn how
to use surveys to guide you in creating products and services,
and spot trends within your industry that can result in fabulous
publicity. Register for the webinar at
http://snipurl.com/surveycustomers

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

Tuesday, May 4:

–”Words That Work in the Press, Politics & Public Relations,”
featuring word wizard Frank Lutz, sponsored by Bulldog Reporter.
1 p.m. Eastern Time. Register at http://ow.ly/1DtxK

–“How To Get A Whole Lot More Media Publicity And Exposure And
Make A Name For Yourself As An Expert In Your Field,” sponsored
by Steve Harrison, at 2 and 7 p.m. Eastern. Register at
http://www.YourQuantumLeap.com/PreviewCallFour/?11577

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

======================================
5. Promoting Job Training
======================================

This week, eight Publicity Hounds have tips for Deborah Avens of
Temple Hills, MD, on how to market job training programs for
disadvantaged girls and women.

From Doug Smith:

“Networking with some of the organizations serving the D.C. area
may be helpful. There is a group out of Oakton, VA, called Women
Entrepreneurs, Inc. Also, the National Association of Women
Business Owners is based there in DC. I am sure the DC and
Maryland Better Business Bureau and Chambers of Commerce would
assist in getting the word out.”

From Eric Barton:

“With no budget, social media would be great and free. Articles,
blogs, press releases and YouTube videos all generate leads and
customers/clients.”

From Margaret Vos:

“Contact the Junior League. I think they would LOVE to help.
Other non-profits can be just what you’re looking for!”

The Publicity Hound says:

Read all the responses to this week’s “Help This Hound” question
at http://ow.ly/1DHuq

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

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

Katie Schwartz Chattanooga, TN, asks:

“What are some ways to reach education reporters, or parents of
students about to enter college?

“I have written an ebook called Portable Parent at
http://www.portableparent.com/contents.htm for parents and
college students, with advice the students need on life skills
such as time and money management, as well as much more. Parents
download it, add their input and upload it to the students’
computers so the advice is ready when they are. Instant info,
with a parent’s input, 24/7. How can I publicize this?”

The Publicity Hound says:

Back-to-school sections, which magazines and newspapers print in
late summer, are ideal places to publicize your book. Google
“back to school section” and see if you can find contact
information for editors. Start pitching magazines right now.
Pitch newspapers in mid-summer. Don’t forget bloggers who write
about parenting issues. See “How to Pitch the Best Bloggers and
Create a Publicity Explosion” at
http://snipurl.com/pitchbestbloggers

Hounds with other ideas can post them to my blog at
http://snipurl.com/collegestudentebook

=====================================
7. Hound Quote of the Week
=====================================

Thanks to Publicity Hound Michael Acklam for this one:

“We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we
can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It’s the best
deal man has ever made.”

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

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

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

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

Consider retweeting by coping these headlines and links into
Twitter:

Do you say ‘I love you’ to your pet? Guess how many owners do?
http://snipurl.com/petownersurvey

Speakers: 7 ways to use text messages to wow audiences
http://ow.ly/1GPgg

———————————————

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

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

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

Permission to Reprint:

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

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

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

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

Privacy Statement:

The Publicity Hound respects your privacy and has a strict anti-
spam policy.

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

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #502 April 27, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityhound.mobi/
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net/ (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

Receive this ezine direct to your desktop
http://www.publicityarticles.net/feed/rss/

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

1. Create Link Bait

2. Nonprofits, Beware

3. Write a Book Quickly

4. Webinars & Teleseminars

5. Shortcuts for a Harpist

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Cartoon of the Week

8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

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

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

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

10 ballsy pranks involving publicity that failed miserably

9 crazy ways that publicity is infiltrating pop culture

6 ways Hollywood makes publicity look ridiculous in movies

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thursday, April 29:

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

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

Tuesday, May 4:

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

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

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

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

From Linda Williams:

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

From Jason Saeler:

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

From Lisa Chaffey:

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

The Publicity Hound says:

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

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

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

Deborah Avens of Temple Hills, MD writes:

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

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

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

The Publicity Hound says:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Consider retweeting:

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

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

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

——————————————

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http://www.facebook.com/publicitytips

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

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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,
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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