If you do business in your own community, start participating on Yelp, the popular social media site that helps people share the best (and worst) of businesses like dentists, hair stylists and car mechanics. If you’re a PR person whose clients are small business owners, incorporate this site into a publicity or marketing campaign. But… Read More
Online Marketing
Churches, claim your free social media platform
Looking for a social media site where members of your church can recruit volunteers, share prayers on the Prayer Wall, and announce the next Friday fish fry? Compete to win one of 28 remaining slots offered by The TableProject and your church can have its own platform immediately. How to Enter First, host a get-together like a potluck… Read More
Writing expert needs ideas for marketing online classes
This week’s “Help This Hound” question is from McKenna Donovan of Asheville, N.C.: “I’m the founder and executive director of To Write Well, which offers a wide variety of writing courses online. “Typically, the market includes professionals (journalists, lawyers, corporate communications officers), who need to improve their voice and style; and hobbyists, who are seeking higher… Read More
9 ways to use QR codes for PR, publicity & marketing
At first glance, it looks like a crossword puzzle that can appear almost as small as a postage stamp. It’s a QR code, short for quick response. And it can be one of the most valuable tools in your PR arsenal. QR codes, similar to bar codes that appear on packaged products, are used widely… Read More
Use hyperlinks in press releases: Here are 19 ideas
The next time you write a press release, don’t forget hyperlinks. Too many writers do. Or they’re simply unaware of the three most important reasons to include them: they improve your search engine optimization, drive traffic to your website, and amplify your message. Used correctly, links can also push consumers to take the action you want them to take,… Read More
Wine bar/bistro can’t get a restaurant review—ideas?
This week’s Help this Hound question is from Timothy Nishimoto, owner of Vino Paradiso Wine Bar & Bistro in Portland, Oregon: “My business is known as a wine bar, but we are trying to transition into more of a restaurant, meaning we have a full dinner menu, bigger than ever. “But, many people in town still don’t… Read More
Beverly Hills cosmetic surgeon needs larger email list
This week’s “Help This Hound” question is from Dr. Robert Kotler of Beverly Hills, Calif., author of Secrets of a Beverly Hills Cosmetic Surgeon: “We are eager to increase the number of email addresses to which we send our ‘Tip of the Month’—short, snappy tidbits about looking good and younger. “It’s not a solicitation for patients,… Read More
9 ways to spy on your competitors online
Writer Ed Davis asked me to pass along tips on how coffee shops can do competitive intelligence online, for an article in Specialty Coffee Retailer Magazine. These tips work just as well for any retailer selling online or offline, or anyone who wants to spy on their competitors, or any Publicity Hound who wants more publicity than… Read More
50+ (almost all free) websites to promote events
When it’s time to promote a live or special event, do you rely on the same old websites to spread the word? Posting on Craigslist, Facebook and LinkedIn is a no-brainer. But if you aren’t doing much more than that, you could be missing the smaller niche websites where you can target your ideal attendees… Read More
Free, colorful data charts for your website, blog
Looking for a graphic to illustrate a blog post you’re writing or a presentation you’re creating? Peruse the archives at comScore Data Mine, a service that offers free statistical data in colorful charts and graphics. If you use one, you must credit the company. This is a new service, judging from the archives, so you… Read More