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 #518 Aug. 17, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com
http://www.publicityHound.mobi
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

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

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

1. Grade Your Online Presence

2. TweetBeep Saves Time

3. Your Darn Smart Competitors

4. Make Money While Writing Your Book

5. Publicity & Survey Secrets

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Video of the Week

8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Try it and let me know what you think.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Two things you don’t want to miss:

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

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

(Both are good fodder for retweets.)

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

Lois Kirkpatrick of Fairfax, Va., writes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=642qxehEcGg

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

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

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

Great fodder for retweeting:

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

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

——————————————-

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

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

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

——————————————–

Permission to Reprint:

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

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

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

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

Privacy Statement:

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

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

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #517 Aug. 10, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com
http://www.publicityHound.mobi
http://www.publicityhound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

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

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

1. Grab Attention on LinkedIn

2. What’s Your #1 Free PR Tool?

3. How Others Perceive You on Twitter

4. Make Money While Writing Your Book

5. Read Your Customers’ Minds

6. Publicity Summit Discount Ends Today

7. Dog Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Examples:

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

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

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

–A blog or ezine.

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

Mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=PRTool

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

——————————————-

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

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

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

——————————————–

Permission to Reprint:

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

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

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

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

Privacy Statement:

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

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

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

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

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

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

1. Create Twitter Lists

2. New Media Leads Service

3. Secrets of Publicity Superstars

4. Subject Lines That Scream “Open!”

5. How to Promote Wardrobe Workshops

6. Authors, Save the Date

7. Dog Quote of the Week

8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And wow, do journalists ever open them!

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

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

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

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

From Bob Shultz:

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

From Rekaya:

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

From Marcia Yudkin:

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

The Publicity Hound says:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Great retweets:

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

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

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

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

——————————————-

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

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

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

——————————————–

Permission to Reprint:

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

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

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

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

Privacy Statement:

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

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

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #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 #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 #492 Feb. 16, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityhound.com/
http://www.publicityHound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net/ (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

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

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

1. Four Benefits of a Google Profile

2. Video: Facebook Changes

3. New Media Leads Service

4. Promoting Book Videos

5. Help This Hound

6. Hound Joke of the Week

7. And at My Blogs…

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

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

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

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

Three more benefits of creating your profile:

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

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

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

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

–Add it to your IM status message.

–Link to it in your email signature.

–Note it in Google Reader.

–Post about it on Twitter.

–Share it on Facebook.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You could be next.

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

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

From Meryl K. Evans:

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

From Martine Ehrenclou:

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

From Alexis O’Neill:

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

The Publicity Hound says:

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

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

Gabrielle Javier-Cerulli, of Rochester, NY writes:

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

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

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

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

The Publicity Hound says:

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

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

The front door was accidentally left open and our dog was gone.
After unsuccessfully whistling and calling, my husband got in the
car and went looking for him.

He drove around the neighborhood for some time with no luck.

Finally, he stopped beside a couple out for a walk and asked if
they had seen our dog.

“You mean the one following your car?” they asked.

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

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

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

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

Consider retweeting these blog posts:

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

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

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

————————————

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

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

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

Permission to Reprint:

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

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

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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The
Publicity Hound website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you
told me you want to subscribe.

Privacy Statement:

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

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

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #487 Jan. 12, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityHound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.PublicityArticles.net (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

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

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

1. The Missing Marketing Tool

2. Ban This Cliche

3. How to Attract PR Clients

4. Promoting a Book for Associations

5. Help This Hound

6. Hound Joke of the Week

7. And at My Blogs…

======================================
1. The Missing Marketing Tool
======================================

At a small networking breakfast I attended last week, I met five
people who were either job-hunting or were there to talk about
their businesses.

They brought their resumes, engaging personalities, impressive
marketing materials and succinct elevator pitches and shared them
with our table of 10.

But all five were missing a critical marketing tool that could
have landed them a job or set them apart from their competitors.

Not one of them had a blog. For more than an hour, the
conversation centered on how each of them can reach their target
audiences.

By the end of the breakfast, I lost it.

“Everyone at this table should be blogging!” I yelled. With nine
pairs of eyes riveted on me, I explained:

–A blog establishes your credibility and expertise.

–It’s like a giant magnet that pulls in traffic.

–It can impress visitors and turn them into buyers.

–Many of your competitors are blogging.

–Unlike Twitter, you can use your blog to discuss topics in-
depth.

–You can engage visitors and carry on a conversation with them
in the comments section.

–A blog can give you a huge online presence, even if you can’t
afford a website.

–It can help you gain more traction than publicity in
traditional media because, unlike most media people, bloggers
love to link to each other. Get in front of just one influential
blogger and you can be all over the Internet within minutes.

Finally, they got it.

If you’re already blogging, good for you! If you aren’t, it’s not
too late to start.

Blogging expert Patsi Krakoff will be my guest during a
teleseminar on “Time-saving Tips for Smart Business Blogging” at
4 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, Jan. 20. Everyone who registers
will receive the MP3 recording and a handout that includes 77
ideas for finding blog content, and several simple formulas on
how to write blog posts quickly and easily.

Register at http://budurl.com/smartbusinessblogs and then start a
list of questions for Patsi.

======================================
2. Ban This Cliche
======================================

You can’t listen to a TV newscast without hearing somebody wrap
up their commentary with the tired phrase “at the end of the
day.”

Watch the talking heads shows on Sunday morning and you can’t
escape it. Even the sportscasters and meteorologists are using
it.

It’s showing up in blog posts, media pitches, press releases,
press kits, emails and how-to articles. Just for the heck of it,
I went to http://search.twitter.com and typed “at the end of the
day” into the search box. It’s even showing up in tweets!

When I critique articles and pitches for people in my mentor
program, I’m on the hunt for cliches and other mistakes that
dilute writing. If you need your own writing coach, find out if
you’re a good candidate for the program at
http://www.publicityhound.com/mentorprogram/intro.html

For smaller projects, I do telephone consulting at $300 an hour
and can help you brainstorm pitches, create a press kit, develop
a social media strategy, find joint venture partners, critique
your website and create an impressive presence online, one step
at a time. Email JStewart@PublicityHound.com with several times
you’re available.

===================================
3. How to Attract PR Clients
===================================

If you work in the PR industry and you’re fishing for new
clients, here’s a clever way to hook ‘em.

Choose a company that you’d love to have as a client. Then keep
your eyes open for coverage their competitors are receiving. When
you see a story written about a competitor, print it or clip it,
and send it along with a short note to one of the key decision-
makers at the company. The note can say something like, “Thought
you’d be interested in this.” Sign the note and include your
business card.

Do it again, then again. After you’ve sent two or three articles
to the same person, follow up with a phone call. I’m betting that
you’ll receive a return phone call, and maybe even a contract.

A Publicity Hound shared that tip during the teleseminar I hosted
titled “24 Ways to Attract Clients to Your PR Practice.” PR pro
Marcia Yudkin joined me in discussing 24 ways to bring more
business through the door. We’ve both used many of the ideas
ourselves, and we both have found two ideas that work
particularly well.

They can for you, too. Read more about what we discussed and
download the entire list of 24 ideas that you can be reading
within minutes while you’re waiting for the CD to arrive. It’s
also available as an electronic transcript. Read more about what
it includes at http://budurl.com/morePRclients

====================================
4. Promoting a Book for Associations
====================================

This week, four Publicity Hounds have tips for Linda Alexander of
Pitman, NJ, who wants advice on how to market a book. It helps
new members on association boards understand their new roles and
learn the skills and competencies they need to be a successful
board member.

From Leslie Sturgeon:

“Contact the American Society of Association Executives and try
to sell to the association itself for them to resell. Or check
out http://www.asaecenter.org and contact association management
companies and association executives directly.”

From Mary Callen:

“Send a sample copy, or sample pages by email if you’re on a
budget, to the executive director of every association you
mention. Work your way into newsletters for groups of association
managers with the free sample offer. If it’s truly a valuable
resource, they’ll jump at the chance to purchase and distribute a
book to each new member of their boards of directors. A few
copies to pass between newbies can be used and reused.”

From Mitch Carnell:

“Get leading community volunteers from several states or
nationally known volunteer leaders to write and publish reviews
in local and national publications. For example: the CEO of a
United Way, president of the Boy Scouts, chairman of a food bank.
Try for name and organization recognition. Some universities have
courses dealing with the not-for-profit world. I taught a
graduate course on the subject for many years. Contact the
professors.”

The Publicity Hound says:

How about pitching influential bloggers who write for nonprofits?
One of the best is Nancy Schwartz and her Getting Attention blog
at http://www.gettingattention.org/ See my article “Let Bloggers
Create Publicity for You” at http://budurl.com/49dw.

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

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

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

From Bonnie Stuempfig of Waukesha, WI:

“I wrote a book, Heavenly Connections, a soft-cover spiral-bound
book, and hoped to sell it mostly at my church and other area
churches, but there seems to be a ho-hum attitude despite the
fact that I’m already a published writer and the stories are
uplifting and entertaining.

“They include 24 God-based contributions from other church
members and me, along with a few poems and four pages of color
photos.

“My plan was to donate a good portion of the proceeds to the
church, but now I’m thinking it would be best to just bypass the
church and pitch it to bookstores and gift shops.

“I’m working on getting a website and am doing nothing with
social media. I should have done all this earlier but have put
more than two years into this book and wanted it printed by
Christmas. Now, I can concentrate on the marketing but don’t
know where to start.

“Thanks for any help your Hounds can give.?

The Publicity Hound says:

The most difficult part of your task will be to promote the book
without a website. Let’s see what ideas my Hounds have. Hounds,
you can share them at my blog at http://budurl.com/religiousbook

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

“I know that dogs are pack animals, but it is difficult to
imagine a pack of standard poodles…and if there was such a
thing as a pack of standard poodles, where would they rove to?
Bloomingdale’s?

–Yvonne Clifford, American actress

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

Starting this week, I’ll be including on this list blog posts
I’ve written at MySocialMediaSolution.com, the blog I share with
Jeanne Hurlbert, my new business partner. The second post below
is from that blog.

3 business blogging tips to save time–even if you hate writing
http://budurl.com/bizbloggingtips

30 PR experts you should follow on Twitter
http://budurl.com/twitterprexperts

Social media boosts book marketing guru’s Alexa rankings
http://budurl.com/kremeralexaranking

————————————

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

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

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

Permission to Reprint:

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

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

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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The
Publicity Hound website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you
told me you want to subscribe.

Privacy Statement:

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spam policy. Read my privacy policy at
http://www.publicityhound.com/privacypolicy.htm

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

Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #481 Dec. 8, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.publicityHound.net/ (Blog)
http://www.publicityarticles.net/ (Ezine Archives)

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

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

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

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

1. Your Bio: A Sleeping Pill?

2. Journalists Who Twitter

3. Corporate Sponsors Want You

4. Promoting Booklets About Aging

5. Help This Hound

6. Hound Video of the Week

7. And at My Blog…

====================================
1. Your Bio: A Sleeping Pill?
====================================

If your bio is anything like the bios written by most other
people, it’s more potent than a sleeping pill.

Boring bios usually include a big gray paragraph of schools
attended and academic degrees earned, a long list of awards, no
fun facts, and nothing that shows the writer’s personality.

These bios, void of anything remotely interesting, are bogging
down websites and online press kits and turning off potential
customers, clients and the media.

I came across photographer Terry Turrentine’s bio last week while
preparing my presentation on “Ezines, Blogs & Bios” for the
smARTist Telesummit 2010. I found her bio so intriguing that I
started to dissect it.

Terry photographed egrets for her book, Great Egret. Her bio
concentrates on only one theme: her relationship with birds.

She discusses learning how to shoot them when she was 10 years
old and a card-carrying member of the National Rifle Association.
She lovingly mentions the mallard wing her father gave to her,
which she tucked into her drawer with her other cherished
possessions. She later admits to feeling revulsion for having
killed birds.

Her bio gives readers an intimate glimpse into her life and what
shaped her love of birds. It’s void of the standard “where I
attended school” facts that can clutter a beautifully written
piece.

Take a look: http://terryturrentine.com/artist-bio.html

So what about her degrees earned, schools attended, awards won
and other minutiae that ruin bios? You can include them in your
standard resume, and link to it from your bio.

“Special Report #46: Tips for Rewriting Your Boring Bio,”
includes ideas for various ways to approach your rewrite,
examples of bios I love, and how to incorporate key events from
your childhood, just like Terry did. Only $10. Order at
http://budurl.com/boringbio

If you’re an artist whose marketing campaign needs a jolt,
there’s still time to register for the smARTist Telesummit 2010.
Go to http://budurl.com/smartistelesummit (I earn a commission
for selling seats to this event).

===================================
2. Journalists Who Twitter
===================================

Thanks to book marketing guru John Kremer’s excellent ezine,
“Book Marketing Tips of the Week,” at http://www.bookmarket.com/

He provides a list of where to find journalists who Twitter, and
it’s important because many journalists use these sites to find
experts to interview. “Follow those journalists that you want to
begin creating relationships with,” John says.

http://www.journalisttweets.com
Allows you to track what journalists are writing about you, your
book, or your subject. Includes email alerts. Also allows you to
locate journalists on Twitter by subject interest.

http://www.justtweetit.com/media/reporters-press
Features 156 reporters and editors.

http://www.mediaontwitter.com/
Features more than a thousand journalists by name, Twitter ID,
title/beat, media outlet and country.

http://www.muckrack.com/
Features journalists by beats (world, U.S., politics, business,
technology, sports, arts, etc.) and media company.
Add to those three of my favorites: Harry Hoover’s three lists of
media, U.S. journalists and Canadian journalists that Twitter at
http://listorious.com/MyCreativeTeam

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://budurl.com/WarrenonTwitter

====================================
3. Corporate Sponsors Want You
====================================

One of the best ways for corporations to market themselves is
through experts like Brendon Burchard and Jacqueline Whitmore and
maybe even you.

After a lot of trial and error, Brendon cracked the code and
developed a surprisingly easy way to get major companies like
Wachovia, Coke, Toyota and Sony Pictures to promote and sponsor
his books, publicity and speaking tours.

Jacqueline has had equally impressive success.

She’s the gift-giving expert for Sam’s Club, the gift buying
expert for Office Depot, and a national spokesperson for Sprint.
She also has partnered with Clarisonic skin care products and
Hologic, which sells imaging equipment for the health care
industry. In both cases, Brendon and Jacqueline found companies
that were a perfect fit with their area of expertise and have
received mountains of free publicity from national print and
broadcast media.

“When you’re aligned with a corporation, especially a Fortune 500
company or one that has a reputable name, you’re perceived as
more credible because that corporation has chosen you as its
spokesperson,” she said.

In fact, at the National Speakers Association convention last
year, Jacqueline heard Brendon speak about how to land corporate
sponsors and said he was one of the highest-rated speakers at the
event.

This year, Brendon will share his secrets during a free
teleseminar this Thursday, Dec. 10, with Steve Harrison. Discover
how you can use his methods to promote your own book, product or
business, just like Brendon and Jacqueline do, and get PR firms
to pay all your expenses.

The call will be presented twice?-at 2 and 7 p.m. Eastern. If you
can’t make it, please recruit someone to listen and take notes
for you. Register at
http://www.SponsorshipTrainingTeleseminar.com/?10011 (I earn a
commission for customers I send to Steve Harrison).

===================================
4. Promoting Booklets About Aging
===================================

This week, five Publicity Hounds have tips for Ted Fuller of
Lafayette, CA, on how to promote his two tips booklets for senior
citizens, “The Best Ideas Yet About Aging Successfully” and “Tips
for Writing a Great Memoir.”

From Berg:

“It shouldn’t be too expensive to send actual samples.”

From Mary Jane Hurley Brant:

“Allot a certain amount of your newly written booklets and make
like Santa and give them away for free. Also, start giving talks
with a ‘buy 2, get 2 free’ offer.”

From Carrollyn C. Cox:

“Many retired seniors have the time to spend on Facebook, Twitter
and especially LinkedIn. Build a Facebook page and promote via
other social media sites.”

The Publicity Hound says:

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

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

Gabrielle Yetter of Marblehead, MA, writes:

“I recently launched my new company and produce The Screaming
Pillow which is a pillow you scream into when you need to let off
steam.

“It came about after my sister and her baby were killed in a car
crash many years ago and my mother was counseled by a bereavement
therapist to scream into a pillow. The product is more of a
novelty item and I’m selling it through my website because it
isn’t cost-effective to sell retail.

“I have been doing a huge amount of online promotion and recently
had a nice article written about me in our local paper which
resulted in a decent number of sales.

“But I’m looking for creative ways to get the message out to
broader audiences. I’ve made contact with a few therapists who
love it and I have lots of ideas, but am somewhat limited since I
am a company of one.

“I’d love some ideas from your Hounds about how I might be able
to reach more targeted audiences and ways in which I may be able
to get press other than just in our local paper.”

The Publicity Hound says:

Gabrielle, your challenge is easier than you think because you
have a compelling story behind the product–something media love.
Hounds, post your best ideas to my blog at
http://budurl.com/screamingpillow

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

Dread trimming the tree this year? Get some inspiration from this
video, courtesy of Publicity Hound Kathleen Mahan of San Juan
Capistrano, CA. Watch how these clever four-legged Hounds trim
their own tree. One even climbs up on a ladder. If they can do
it, you can do it.

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

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

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

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

==================================
7. And at My Blog…
==================================

Offer 30-second spots featuring “how to” tips for local radio
http://budurl.com/radiospots

Giving free speeches? More places where you can speak
http://budurl.com/givefreespeeches

10 ways to get free publicity from the Tiger Woods mess
http://budurl.com/PRfromtigerwoods

————————————

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

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

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

Permission to Reprint:

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

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

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

You are receiving this because you signed up for it at The
Publicity Hound website at http://www.publicityhound.com/ or you
told me you want to subscribe.

Privacy Statement:

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

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

Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound